All Saints and All Souls
What is a Saint?
If we look at Google we find a Saint is defined as being a person acknowledged as holy or virtuous and regarded in Christian faith as being in heaven after death or in more informal terms as a very virtuous, kind, or patient person. We began October celebrating St Francis and we end it with celebrating All Saints’ Day and at the end of November we have our patronal festival, St Andrew’s Day. There are a few people who have been canonised for the extraordinary works during their lives through their faith and belief that Christ was truly the model we should
endeavour to follow in our lives. This is the life and works to which we all should aspire and I believe so many people do.
It is being willing to put ourselves out there, to challenge unjust structures, discrimination and judgmental attitudes. It is about showing care, compassion and love, bringing peace, comfort and hope to others.
This is what we are called to be and do. To do so it takes courage, bravery, strength, conviction, selflessness, vision and compassion. Yes, there are people amongst us who seek to do this and for this we give thanks.
I so often walk around St Andrew’s grounds and recognize the vision and planning that has gone into the development of our church buildings and beautiful grounds. I give thanks for each and every one of the people responsible. Yes, many of them had stood up for what they believed was the best way forward not just for themselves but for generations to come.
We all have special people in our lives who are no longer with us in body but they are in our memories and we give thanks for all they have meant to us and continue to mean to us. Each year we farewell a number of our much-loved and older parish members who have loved and served among us so well. We will have the opportunity to join together in their memory and light candles in their honour as we celebrate all Souls’ Day on November 2.
On St Andrew’s Day we recall Jesus summoning the first disciples to come and join with him as he showed the people God’s love.
Let us also reflect on our personal journeys and remember to give thanks for those who have encouraged us on our faith journey to this point of our lives and for those who support and encourage us in work and witness in Christ’s name today.
Blessings to you all and may you all bring blessings to others.
Jan
From the Parish Registers
Baptisms
October 14: Michael James Crimmins
Funerals
August 24: Jeffery Arthur Ball
August 29: William James Eggleton
Weddings
October 23: Peter Taylor and Phakkharasorn Kngkadee (Nga)
Worship
Rest Home Services ~ November
Palms Rest Home: 10.30am Tuesday November 7
Lakeside Rest Home: 10.30am Wednesday November 8
Palms Hospital: 11am Tuesday November 14
Pukekohe Hospital: 10.30am Wednesday November 15
Possum Bourne Village: 11am Tuesday November 28
Anyone who wishes is welcome to join us at these services
All Souls’ Day Services
Thursday November 2, Noon and 7pm. The church will be open throughout the day for prayer and the
lighting of candles in memory of a loved one.
Who was St Andrew?
St Andrew, also known as Andrew the Apostle, was a Christian Apostle and the older brother to S. Peter. According to the New Testament, Andrew was born in the village of Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee during the early first century. Much like his younger brother, Simon Peter, Andrew was a fisherman. Andrew’s very name means strong and he was known for having good social skills.
In the Gospel of Matthew, it is said Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee and saw Andrew and Simon Peter fishing. It is then he asked the two to become disciples and “fishers of men.”
In the Gospel of Luke, Andrew is not initially named. It describes Jesus using a boat, believed to be solely Simon’s, to preach to the multitudes and catch a large amount of fish on a night that originally was dry. Later, in Luke 5:7, it mentions Simon was not the only fisherman on the boat, but it is not until Luke 6:14 that there is talk of Andrew being Simon Peter’s brother.
However, the Gospel of John tells a separate story, stating Andrew was a disciple of John the Baptist. When Jesus walked by one day, John the Baptist stated, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” It is then that Andrew and another made the decision to follow Jesus.
Bible Readings in November
St Andrew’s
November 5
First: Joshua 3: 7-17 – Graham (8am), Viv (9.30am)
Gospel: Matthew 23: 1-12 – Ian (8am), Renton (9.30am)
Theme: What Should I Do?
22nd Sunday after Pentecost
November 12
First: Joshua 24: 1-3a, 14-25 – Bruce (8am), Bob (9.30am)
Gospel: Matthew 25: 1-13 – Jan (8am), Pauline (9.30am)
Theme: Get Ready
23rd Sunday after Pentecost
November 19
First: Judges 4: 1-7 – John (8am), Ros (9.30am)
Gospel: Matthew 25: 14-30 – Heather (8am), Sandra (9.30am)
Theme: Investing What Is Offered
24th Sunday after Pentecost
November 26
First: Ezekiel 34: 11-16 – Graeme (8am)
Gospel: Matthew 5: 18-22 – Sue (8am)
Theme: St Andrew’s Day
For Your October Diaries
Friday 27
1pm — Setting up for the parish fair
Saturday 28
8am — Parish Fair
Sunday 29
8am — Eucharist
8.45am — Parish Breakfast
9.45am — Sunday School and All Saints’ Day Service
For Your November Diaries
Wednesday 1
5pm-7pm — Pukekohe Community Action Event showing what PCA is about. All Welcome
Thursday 2
Church open all day for All Souls’ Day candle-lighting, time for prayer and reflection
noon, 7pm — All Souls’ Day Services
Sunday 30
8am — Eucharist
9.30am — Family Service
11am — St Andrew’s Day bring your own picnic lunch, we will provide strawberries and cream to follow
For Your December Diaries
Sunday 3
Franklin Community Choir
Monday 11
Hams to be collected
Tuesday 12
Seniors and Op Shop volunteers lunch
Sunday 17
Family Christmas Pageant
Handel’s Choir Christmas ConcertParish Breakfast
Parish Breakfast
Sunday October 29, 8.45am. This is the last Breakfast for the year.
Mothers’ Union
AGM and end-of-year Christmas function will be held on 15 November. There will be a service at 10am followed by the AGM meeting in lounge, after which lunch will be at the Hollywood Cafe. Please bring a gift for St Mary’s and stationery for Go Forth Kiwi.
All Welcome.
Women’s Fellowship
This is an open group with the purpose of getting to know each other better and offering support and encouragement to each other. We meet at the church at 10am. Our next meeting is Thursday November 16.
All are welcome.
Anglican Churches in Bombay-Pokeno
Summer Series November-December
“LIVING THE LIFE (IN CHRIST)”
Each session will be held at St Peter’s Church, 150 Bombay Rd, Bombay and will begin with a light meal at 6pm
followed by the session until 8pm.
Wednesday November 8
“LIVING A PASTORAL PRESENCE”
Guest presenter | The Revd Louise Anderson, Priest Assistant, Papakura
Wednesday November 15
“CARE FOR OUR PRECIOUS PLANET”
Guest presenter | Rod Oram, Economic and Business Analyst and Commentator
Wednesday November 22
“ACTION IN CHURCH AND SOCIETY”
Guest presenter | The Revd Dr George Armstrong, Priest and Theologian
Wednesday November 29
“PRAYER IN LIFE”
Guest presenter | The Revd Sarah Park, Diocesan Ministry Educator
Wednesday December 6
“LIVING THE LIFE (IN CHRIST)”
Our reflections, learnings, and future actions from the series
Contact | Andrew Beyer ~ Priest in Charge. Mob | 0274- 508 389. Email | apbeyer49@gmail.com
Pastoral Care
Please remember
Edith Little and Thelma Cox in your prayers as they are both very ill.
Melanie Bullock as she has celebrated her graduation as a Nanny and seeks her first position.
Peter Taylor and Phakkharasorn Kngkadee (Nga) as they begin their married life. Peter is Pauline and Wally Taylor’s son.
Michael James Crimmins who was Baptised on 14 October. Michael is the son of Paul and Nicola Crimmins and grandson of Viv and Gael.
Pukekohe Community Action ~ Open Event
Wednesday November 1, here at St Andrews ~ 5 — 7.30pm
Come and hear what we are doing in the community.
Seasons for Growth — An after-school group held on Thursday for children who have experienced a significant loss or grief in their lives. If you are interested in finding out more about this group please talk to Jan or Marisa.
Space for you and baby — A group for first time mums and their babies.
Oasis — This is the natural progression from Space. As the babies “graduate” at the age of 1 year they transfer through to the playgroups which have music, morning tea, free play and a story with a related craft. There is the time for mums to chat amongst themselves and to build relationships as many are new to Pukekohe. In this group the parents are encouraging and supportive. Do feel free to drop in and see the children having fun.
Selwyn Group — For the older members of the community. Join in the exercises, chat over a cup of tea or coffee and then enjoy cards, Scrabble, Rummikub or other activities. It is good to see people getting out mixing with
others and on Tuesdays enjoying lunch together. This group runs every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 9.30am.
For further information on any of these groups please speak to Jan.
Sustainability
From the price of butter reaching $5.79 per 500g to headlines declaring that “Farming animals is as unsustainable as mining coal” (Guardian, October 4) and “Food a basic human right” (NZ Herald October 15), food sustainability has been eating up news channels this month.
“There are people in the world so hungry that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.” Mahatma Gandhi
And Monday October 16 was World Food Day? Named in honour of the founding, in 1945, of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, this year’s theme was “Change the future of migration.
Invest in food security and rural development.”
Food security? It may seem to many that this cannot be an issue for us in New Zealand. Not so.
Food insecurity is about people not having consistent access to sufficient, nutritious food.
Anecdotally, we know from our parish food bank clients, that access to sufficient food is a growing problem. Eight-year old data from the Ministry of Health found that 7.3% of New Zealand households were experiencing low food security and frequently have insufficient food with more recent research indicating it is an increasing problem.
The cause, household poverty, was highlighted in the Ministry of Social Development 2017 Household Incomes Report: almost one quarter of our children survive on less than 60% of the average household income (after housing costs).
An Otago University Master thesis asked “How does Food Insecurity come to be in Aotearoa New Zealand?”
The answer: it started with when our neo-liberal economics system started.
“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” Cicero
Our contributions to the solution include the communal food garden at the back of the vicarage, our second Grow Your Own Food course just concluded, and the upcoming Gardening Tools Library.
The Friends of the Food Garden meet every Wednesday evening (7-8pm) to share the effort and have a chin wag. Our goal is to create a quiet garden that supplies food to the parish kitchen and food bank and enables people to learn basic gardening skills.
Many thanks to those who donated seed pots and trays – these are now planted up with seedlings to sell at the church fair on October 28.
More would be appreciated along with gardening tools for the Library.
Able to help with these endeavours? Call John on 09-238 1357.
Parish Fair
Saturday October 28
This was one of our major fundraising events for the year. We had a great turnout of helpers and buyers — in spite of miserable weather — and made more than $5000. Thanks to all for your great help!