Last week I spent some time on the East Coast visiting with some of the Vestry and spending time with our Diocesan Registrar and Property Manager looking at the long-term maintenance issues for the churches in that parish. It was a full and worthwhile day which took us past the iconic wharf at Tokomaru Bay and to Te Puia Springs store for an obligatory Paua Pie!
We were also in Gisborne for the deconsecration of the Church of the Resurrection at Te Hapara just next to our Early Childhood Centre and Whanau Aroha Centre run by Anglican Care Waiapu. This church and its associated hall have come to the end of their useable life. They will be soon demolished, making way for clear ground thinking about the development to further support ECE , Whanau Aroha, and Church life on that site. The young people at the service rang the bell 107 times to mark the 107 years of the church's consecration.
On Saturday I was very pleased to welcome the Rev'd Ruth Dewdney to the Parish of Waipaoa near Gisborne at a service of installation at St Luke's Church in Waerenga-a-hika. It was special that some of the clergy and lay people from Te Puke made their way to support Ruth who was warmly welcomed by the parishioners and clergy of Waipaoa Parish.
On Sunday morning I was back in Hawke's Bay and supporting the celebration of 150 years of St Luke's Church in Havelock North. It was a festive celebration with parish and community involvement and some significant connections revealed between current generations and those present at the church's building and consecration in 1874, including our Mayor Sandra Hazelhurst who is the great, great grandaughter of the builder of St Lukes! Congratulations to Fr John and the whole team at Ad Luke for a wonderful celebration of history and the life of the parish today.
And on Sunday evening I had the pleasure of being present at the Chapel of St Francis at Woodford House for a service of baptism and confirmation. It was very encouraging to hear the young women speak of their commitment to faith and their desire to continue with their pathway as disciples of Jesus Christ. And also to see the strength of support for this part of our life in the Church by the whole school. Thanks be to God!
This week we hold the First Session of the 66th Synod in Gisborne.
It has been a busy week and it has been wonderful to be apart of each celebration.
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