On the 7th November St Paul’s will be open as part of the Christchurch Heritage Festival. The festival this year is an opportunity to share the stories of the past that explore and celebrate our historic journeys through arts, culture and identity. In preparation for that I have also met with representatives of the Papanui…
From Tuesday 22 September 2020 Canterbury is back at COVID-19 restrictions Level 1. That means that we will have normal Communion services again (wine will be served in individual cups), there will be morning tea after the 10am service, and the bells will be rung again. The vicar can also make home visits again. Much…
When we left Cambridge, Waikato, we were given some warm socks so that we could survive the cold South Island winters. Yudy and I had lived in Christchurch in the winter of 2013 in a fairly cold house with little money to run the heating. My Caribbean wife therefore remembered Christchurch winters with some trepidation. Because our current house is fairly big…
From Monday, 7 September 2020, the Church will be open again Monday – Friday, noon to 2 pm, for personal prayer and quiet reflection. Come to our peaceful, traditional church to take some time out to pray and reflect.
Watching a baby grow is always fascinating. They develop so quickly! As we see our baby Sebastian do new things, we are constantly reminded of the times when his older sister and brother reached that milestone. When were they comfortable lying on their tummy? When did they turn over? When did they sit up? When…
I am currently reading a book about the work of the Missionaries among the Māori in the early and mid 19th century. Be warned! You might hear snippets from that history in future sermons. As more and more settlers poured into New Zealand, the missionaries tried to persuade Māori not to sell too much land.…
We continue to have Sunday Services during Level 2. Please observe physical distancing. We are encouraged to wear masks during services. There will be no morning tea. If there is Communion, it will be given of one kind (wafers) only. On 30 August 2020 there will be no Communion during services.
St Paul’s now has an Environmental Management Plan, which is used to monitor environmental performance of our activities and seeks to implement care for the environment in our decision making. In response to a motion from Diocesan Synod last year we were required to formulate a parish response to climate change. However, it is best…
Our stay in Arthur’s Pass occasioned a wee dose of nostalgia, not only because I thought about past times I spent in mountains, but also because I remembered something about the history of the word. The word nostalgia was coined by the Swiss physician Johannes Hofer in 1688 by combining the Greek words nostos (homecoming)…
¿Cómo entender a Dios, a nuestro padre celestial? Primero tenemos que reconocer el núcleo de nuestra familia. Está quien hace el papel del padre, el papel de la madre, el de la hermana y el hermano. Les pondré un ejemplo: Cuando somos niños pequeños que algo nos duele, nos lástima o molesta, de inmediato acudimos…