I don’t know about you but it definitely feels like this year is well and truly underway, there’s so much going on at church with the theology and ministry courses taking place and Easter is just around the corner.
However, i’m really excited about Barry and Mary Kissell coming over from the UK to share with us. Barry, a kiwi is the Associate Rector and Mary runs the prayer and freedom courses at St. Mary’s, Bryanston Square. They have visited us before and we’re really looking forward to having them with us. They are arriving at the end of March.
Last week I was down near Wellington staying with Jenny and Justin Duckworth who lead ‘Urban Vision’. They share life with those who are struggling, homelsess, sick, poor neglected and otherwise marginalised. It was great to see faith being lived out in a different way and I really learnt a lot from their leadership and a real challenge to me as to how we at St. Pauls ‘do’ community.
Next week we have the AGM. Come and celebrate. I hope you’ll all be able to make it. It’s going to be great looking at all that’s taken place in the past year and our plans for the future.
And I am really hoping that the weather is going to be good for the “Big Day out” this Saturday. Don’t forget to check the website on Friday where we will confirm whether or not it is still on.
This weekend we are continuing out Lenten journey and I am going to be reflecting on what it means to worship…
Mike Norris is the Vicar of St Paul's in Auckland City....
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Don't miss out / I won the iPad2 !!!
What a great Sunday last Sunday was!
Well done to Emma and the crew for leading us in worship and for all of you who took John Wesley’s advice so well to sing with great passion and thanksgiving to God.
It was great to hear from the Sundaes on Mondays cluster as well in the evening.
We are continuing our Lenten series this Sunday exploring the story of the Israelites leaving Egypt. Having thought about how we cope when some of our treasured dreams die last week, this week we are going to think about how to walk straight ahead and not go around and around in increasingly disheartening circles.
Now, whatever you do don’t miss out on the amazing Tuesday nights that are about to start on March 6th. These evenings will kick off with coffee and cake followed by times of worship. Then there are three different streams of courses on offer. The Story of the Bible with Andrew Shamy is going to be fantastic. Andrew is an amazing teacher and has a great knack of opening the bible in our contemporary context. Don’t miss out!
The Leadership Development Course that Richard is running is outstanding. If you want to discover how you are wired and what God is calling you to do whether for the first time or in this season of your life then this is the course for you.
Dino is running the Prayer Ministry Course. If you have never done this before do it! It is vital to the future of St Pauls that we all know how to pray for people. Dino, as you know is very gifted at this.
These are great nights to come to if you are new to the church and want to meet new people.
By the way, don’t worry I have not won the ipad2. If you don’t know what I am taking about we are taking a St Paul’s Census as we have a complete overhaul of the website and everyone who fills out the form ends up in the draw.
Have a great week.
Well done to Emma and the crew for leading us in worship and for all of you who took John Wesley’s advice so well to sing with great passion and thanksgiving to God.
It was great to hear from the Sundaes on Mondays cluster as well in the evening.
We are continuing our Lenten series this Sunday exploring the story of the Israelites leaving Egypt. Having thought about how we cope when some of our treasured dreams die last week, this week we are going to think about how to walk straight ahead and not go around and around in increasingly disheartening circles.
Now, whatever you do don’t miss out on the amazing Tuesday nights that are about to start on March 6th. These evenings will kick off with coffee and cake followed by times of worship. Then there are three different streams of courses on offer. The Story of the Bible with Andrew Shamy is going to be fantastic. Andrew is an amazing teacher and has a great knack of opening the bible in our contemporary context. Don’t miss out!
The Leadership Development Course that Richard is running is outstanding. If you want to discover how you are wired and what God is calling you to do whether for the first time or in this season of your life then this is the course for you.
Dino is running the Prayer Ministry Course. If you have never done this before do it! It is vital to the future of St Pauls that we all know how to pray for people. Dino, as you know is very gifted at this.
These are great nights to come to if you are new to the church and want to meet new people.
By the way, don’t worry I have not won the ipad2. If you don’t know what I am taking about we are taking a St Paul’s Census as we have a complete overhaul of the website and everyone who fills out the form ends up in the draw.
Have a great week.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Lenten Wilderness Wanderings
Happy “Shrove Tuesday” or “Pancake Tuesday” or “Mardi Gras” or whatever you call this day that falls the day before “Ash Wednesday”.
With Lent upon us (that 40 day period leading up to Easter not including Sundays) we will as a church be embarking on a series looking at the Israelite's journey out of Egypt and their time in the dessert from the book of Exodus. As you know, Lent is a time of reflection, repentance and preparation. Over the weeks we will be reflecting on who God is and what he has done in Christ with a view to preparing our hearts and minds to more effectively extend His kingdom together this year.
Newt has also prepared some fantastic Lentern resources based on the book of Jonah which I strongly recommend to you. They are available on the website on the home page.
I can’t wait to get home tonight and start munching pancakes with the boys and my lovely wife.
See you on Sunday.
With Lent upon us (that 40 day period leading up to Easter not including Sundays) we will as a church be embarking on a series looking at the Israelite's journey out of Egypt and their time in the dessert from the book of Exodus. As you know, Lent is a time of reflection, repentance and preparation. Over the weeks we will be reflecting on who God is and what he has done in Christ with a view to preparing our hearts and minds to more effectively extend His kingdom together this year.
Newt has also prepared some fantastic Lentern resources based on the book of Jonah which I strongly recommend to you. They are available on the website on the home page.
I can’t wait to get home tonight and start munching pancakes with the boys and my lovely wife.
See you on Sunday.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Praise is Rising...
It seems like we’re fully back into the swing of things now that the long weekends are over, and the sun seems like it’s trying to push it’s way through.
Last week, Bex and I went back to Vaughan Park for a couple of days on retreat to pray and we experienced a real sense of God’s love and a real excitement for the year ahead at St. Pauls.
Our final week of the series “Crouch, Touch and Engage” in which we are exploring worship is this Sunday. We have had some amazing times as we have worshipped together over the last weeks. Andy and the team have been doing a great job.
Don’t forget that Lent is just around the corner and we’ll be studying Exodus and Moses’s and the Israelites journey out of Egypt as we prepare for Easter.
There is so much to get stuck into and we’re only in February!
Looking forward to seeing you Sunday
Last week, Bex and I went back to Vaughan Park for a couple of days on retreat to pray and we experienced a real sense of God’s love and a real excitement for the year ahead at St. Pauls.
Our final week of the series “Crouch, Touch and Engage” in which we are exploring worship is this Sunday. We have had some amazing times as we have worshipped together over the last weeks. Andy and the team have been doing a great job.
Don’t forget that Lent is just around the corner and we’ll be studying Exodus and Moses’s and the Israelites journey out of Egypt as we prepare for Easter.
There is so much to get stuck into and we’re only in February!
Looking forward to seeing you Sunday
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Vaughan Park and 1 Californians
We had a staff team day away this week to refocus us at the beginning of the year. We spent the day at Vaughan Park in Long Bay and prayed for the church this year (that’s you not the building☺).
As a team we are going through the book of 1 Corinthians to see what we can learn there. It is incredibly relevant for church life today and its contemporary ring has led some to call it 1 Californians (the Californian culture of sex, drugs and rock n roll not being dissimilar to Corinthian culture or Auckland culture for that matter).
Paul was excited for the church at Corinth because of God’s provision for the church and His unwavering faithfulness. In each other, God has richly resourced St Paul’s and we are looking forward to all we can do as we continue to seek to be a blessing to the city of Auckland this year. I am going to speak more about this in February.
What is God leading you in to this year?
Our day finished with an impromptu game of soccer on the beach before heading back. Mary and Bex scored some great goals. (Bex received a great cross in to the box from Andy and then smacked a shot in. Mary a curler from fifty yards. It was sickening:)).
As a team we are going through the book of 1 Corinthians to see what we can learn there. It is incredibly relevant for church life today and its contemporary ring has led some to call it 1 Californians (the Californian culture of sex, drugs and rock n roll not being dissimilar to Corinthian culture or Auckland culture for that matter).
Paul was excited for the church at Corinth because of God’s provision for the church and His unwavering faithfulness. In each other, God has richly resourced St Paul’s and we are looking forward to all we can do as we continue to seek to be a blessing to the city of Auckland this year. I am going to speak more about this in February.
What is God leading you in to this year?
Our day finished with an impromptu game of soccer on the beach before heading back. Mary and Bex scored some great goals. (Bex received a great cross in to the box from Andy and then smacked a shot in. Mary a curler from fifty yards. It was sickening:)).
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
HAPPY NEW YEAR / HAPPY NEW WINE
Well Bex and I are so glad to be back! We had a great summer holiday and managed to evade most of the rain. We headed for Foxton Beach. “FOXTON?!!!” I hear you cry. Yes, it is miles away. And yes we had the normal family holiday long car journey trauma: not enough space, spilled drinks, arguments, fighting, tantrums… and that was just Bex.
But we have an awesome time in Foxton. My only regret is that we did not try any of the Fizz.
We then spent a week with mates in Ohakune camping in the bush, hunting deer (as you do) which was really fun.
Then we headed of to New Wine Matamata the Christian holiday camp where Bex and I were speaking. It was wonderful. Andy and some of the St Paul’s worship crew led some of the worship (Ben, Michael, Lucy, Chris and Zach). They were absolutely amazing...
The boys loved it and now we are back on deck feeling refreshed and more excited than ever…
We cant wait to see you all and catch up on your news.
But we have an awesome time in Foxton. My only regret is that we did not try any of the Fizz.
We then spent a week with mates in Ohakune camping in the bush, hunting deer (as you do) which was really fun.
Then we headed of to New Wine Matamata the Christian holiday camp where Bex and I were speaking. It was wonderful. Andy and some of the St Paul’s worship crew led some of the worship (Ben, Michael, Lucy, Chris and Zach). They were absolutely amazing...
The boys loved it and now we are back on deck feeling refreshed and more excited than ever…
We cant wait to see you all and catch up on your news.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A BIG THANK YOU!
What a brilliant year for the church. Thank you for all that you have done. Bex and I and the boys want to wish you all a very Happy Christmas. May the sun shine long and brightly over the holidays and our barbeques cook for hours on end. We are here for Christmas Day and then we head off on holiday to Foxton Beach and Ohakune which we are really excited about. We are then speaking at a New Wine conference in Matamata in mid January which will be really fun. We are looking forward to catching up in the New Year. Have a wonderful break. We will miss you all xxx
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