Welcome,
This is a place for you to start a conversation, make a comment or just offer some feedback on some aspect of our Parish life. If you would prefer to comment privately, please feel free to contact me.

The ladies at the St Lukes op-shop are a great light, they are always happy, the atmosphere is welcoming, they are always friendly and pleased to see everyone, even children

Reconcilliation and answer to Prayer

Very shortly after Dick died, early the next morning in fact, there was a visit from a lass I had worked with years ago, bearing a gift. She said "You were so good to me when my father died (she came from another country) that I just had to come to you at this time.

So sometimes we are blessed by light being reflected back to us.

Two years ago Liz Pindar let me take cuttings from The Best Fig Tree in the Bay and this year they are bearing. It made me so happy to find those little nubs of fruit developing. PTL for our beautiful environment and being part of this community.

The Sermon was magnificent. The people of St Lukes that I have known and do know show 'salt and light' by their faith and works, even in dark times their faith shines through and light is shown by Joy, Love, Caring,Compassion, by their example. It is a good community.

it was a good one....I liked the emphasis on the difference between 'you ought' to 'you are', very confidence giving

There are so many quiet workers who go about their business without fuss or fanfare - in the op shop, visiting, doing the flowers, working within the many groups and generally seeing that the Parish ticks over.

During the Christmas holiday programme Zena arrived at a stressful moment just before the usual prayer time. I asked her to please pray for us since I wasn't in the right space. She asked God to please help us 'be kind to the person next to us'. There were no bad behaviours after that or at the following programme when I borrowed that prayer every morning. The young helpers also noticed and appreciated the kind attitudes and general harmony.

When my husband was critically ill 18 months ago many members of the Parish Family supported me with prayer, food, compassion - to the point that although I had no idea how far he would recover or what the future held for us I knew peace and could be calm in myself. Life is good but different now and the prayers continue.....

How is the summer dowm Umder? Here in Ukraine we have had some good dumps of snow, the last one Saturday night. Currently the temperature is - 10C which is comparatively mild. The River Bnepr is frozen and many people are ice fishing. Today I saw a land yacht whizzing around on the ice. I If anyone would like to correspond I would be happy to do so.Regards, Jackie. I believe the church office has our email address as well as some photos although we have some really pretty snowy ones now too. I think your Fair will be soon...am I right?

Hi Jackie
Lovely to hear from you. I expect Easter will be amazing in Ukraine (but, before that, all the rigour of a true Lent - penitence and self-denial must cut deeper into the soul in such cold conditions!) I don't think I met you the last time you visited, but I'm the new leader of the Mission Guild, Beverley having stepped down from the role three years ago. My husband Graeme and I moved from Wellington to lovely Havelock North five years ago. We have our first meeting of the year tomorrow and I will share your letter there for those who haven't seen it on the website. And, yes, the church fair is this coming Saturday, so we will be meeting amid piled up goods in the parish lounge. I go straight from there to bake, ice and decorate 120 cupcakes - a bit of Lent-disturber as one must sample to guarantee quality!
All the best to you and family and a blessed Eastertide ahead.
Zena