Newsletter November 2024

The joy of new life and spring in the midst of the challenges surrounding us.
Let us pause and appreciate what we have.
Where has the year gone? It is incredible to think that in a month we will be well into Christmas preparations. It has been a busy and rather pressured year on several fronts.
There have been ever-increasing concerns relating to the disasters faced in many countries as well as in New Zealand. Wars are raging between countries, resulting in so many wasted lives Within our country there are gang clashes and conflicts within homes, some of which result from increased pressures caused by our current socio-economic situation, employment challenges and such like. The media has also heightened anxiety for many people, especially with images of some of the widespread flooding and other natural disasters occurring in so many parts of the world as well as the devastation in the war zones. Amidst this, we talk of the coming of Jesus the Christ Child seeking peace, hope, love and joy for the world. This continues to be our major challenge in the world today.
It is good for us to reflect on the words of one of our 9.30am songs:
Where the world is merciless, be God’s mercy.
Where the world is hopeless, be God’s hope.
Where there is injustice, be God’s justice.
Where there is sadness, be God’s joy.
Where the world is doubting, be God’s faith.
Where there is ingratitude, be God’s grace.
Where there is confusion, be God’s truth.
Where there is weakness, be God’s strength.
Let your life change the world one person at a time.
Let your life be the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.
As the bread becomes his body, we can be the living sign.
With God’s love, change the world with your life.
Within the parish we have had many positive events in the past month. It was good to gather with people of other faith communities and to pray for peace in our world. A leaflet with statements from many faith groups was produced in England and is a good resource for our personal prayers and reflection.
Copies of this are in the church foyer.
We have also had other social events within the parish. One Sunday after the 9.30am service, people from both congregations came together for some games before enjoying a shared lunch of soup, rolls and dessert.
A week later some of our fur friends joined us for our Blessing of the Animals service, again a gathering of parishioners from across the congregations.
Being the middle weekend of the school holidays unfortunately meant we had a smaller gathering than usual.
During the second week of the school holidays, 25 children gathered to learn how to make treats for Christmas with members of the Franklin Cake Decorating Club, who meet monthly at St Andrew’s.
On the first Sunday of November we held our All Saints’ Day service in the morning with the children bringing their instruments while singing “O When the Saints Go Marching In”. Some joined the music group again at the end of the service. We were led in by Mila, who was baptised during the service. Instead of our regular sermon, several people chose favourite saints to research and talk to us about. Our saints were Nicholas, Cecilia, Patrick, Suzanne Aubert, Francis, Teresa and Christopher.
Our thanks to all who supported the garage sale at the end of September. Their wonderful efforts raised about $3400 to assist with parish funds. Financially, it has been another incredibly challenging year for us. Thank you all for your help.
I had the opportunity to attend a two-day conference in Wellington where more than 60 social service organisations from throughout the country met to hear great presenters on issues we are facing. The biggest one of these is having the funds to meet community needs. This is challenging with the increased social needs that we all face. We are very grateful to the community for the support we receive in so many different ways.
Blessings to you all — Jan

SUNDAY READINGS FOR NOVEMBER
Nov 3: First reading Hebrews 12:18-24; Gospel Matthew 5:1-12
Nov 10: 1 Kings 17:8-16; Mark 12:38-44
Nov 17: Daniel 12:1-3; Mark 13:1-8
Nov 24: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14; John 18:33-37

REST HOMES AND HOSPITAL SERVICES
Singers welcome to help
Wed Nov 6, 10am: St Andrew’s
Thurs Nov 7, 10.30am: Franklin Village
Tues Nov 12, 11am: Palms Hospital
Thurs Nov 21, 10am: St Andrew’s
Tues Nov 26, 11am: Possum Bourne Village

REGULAR SERVICES
Every Sunday
8am and 9.30am at St Andrew’s Pukekohe
2nd and 4th Sunday of the month
11.30am St Paul’s Buckland
1st Sunday of the month
11.15am Nora Brown Hall behind St Andrew’s Church
Weekdays 10am at St Andrew’s
1st Wednesday of the month — 3rd Thursday of the month

NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS
7pm, Sunday December 8
Combined service at St Andrew’s with Franklin Community Choir & St Patrick’s Catholic Church

HANDEL CONSORT & QUIRE
5pm, Sunday November 24
Purcell — Ode to St Cecilia
Vivald — double Trumpet Concerto in C RV 537
Messiah favourites and more …
Olivia Forbes, Szilvia Hernyak, Hamish Regan, Andrew Conley, Matthew Verrill, Jake Krishnamurti.
Director — Robert Howell.
“The Handel Quire is small in appearance, but large in production of its amazing choral sound.” — Rainer W. Buhmann
Adults $45, Seniors $40. Students are free with ID. $10 off when booking via eventfinda or through the Parish Office.
Door sales are cash only. Bring cash for the Christmas Hamper Raffle.

SUSTAINABILITY
FOSSIL HUNTING
By Keith Gardner
This is one for the kids.
New Zealand as we know it today was part of a much larger continent called Te Riu-a-Maui Zealandia. Almost 95% of Zealandia remains underwater. New Zealand, Vanuatu, Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island are the only parts of the Zealandia landmass to rise above the surface of the sea.
Two hundred million years ago, Zealandia was part of Australia and Antarctica and formed a landmass called Gondwanaland.
When Gondwanaland broke up 180 million years ago, most of Zealandia disappeared under the sea until 25 million years ago. Over the past 25 million years parts of Zealandia rose above the sea guided by the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates.
For many years New Zealand was fairly flat, but volcanoes, earthquakes and tectonic plate movements have made it like it is today.
Fossils tell us the story of New Zealand over millions of years. I found that children love to hunt for fossils and, as Port Waikato was one of the first areas to rise above the sea 20 million years ago, many fossils can be found there. It is an ideal place for fossil hunting.
By using a chisel or knife and digging in the rock on a road cutting, you can find many shell fossils and, if you are lucky, a belemnite fossil.
Belemnites are extinct cephalopods (squid) that disappeared around the time of the dinosaur extinction. Their bullet-shaped internal skeletons are found as fossils from Kaiwaka to Port Waikato. The best place to find Port Waikato belemnites are at the side of the road leading to Limestone Downs.
Careful digging brings to light the pencil shape of a belemnite. The animal has long gone, leaving behind the shell of its body.
Franklin Kiwi Conservation Club (KCC) members always enjoyed hunting for belemnites and other fossils at the roadside and often children took home shell fossils and pieces of belemnites. One lucky person took home a fully formed fossil.
Fallen rocks often contain fossils from south of Port Waikato beach but that can be hard to get to.
Thanks to KCC for information.

DENNIS MARSH
4pm, Sunday November 17, St Peter’s Church, Bombay.
Entry $20 & $2 raffle tickets (cash only)
Inquiries ph Angela 027 283 9848. Afternoon tea provided.
Funds raised go to the maintenance of our two beautiful historical churches in Franklin.

CONTRIBUTIONS
For those wishing to make contributions to the parish, the account numbers are:
• Parish general expenses including automatic payments: 06-0405-0012157-00
• Restoration of the church: 06-0405-0078359-01
• Pukekohe Community Action (for community out-reach in our community): 12-3023-0071016-00
• Make sure you put your name in the reference field and email Jan at jan.wallace@xtra.co.nz so we can send you a tax receipt. Many thanks in advance for your generosity.