The Live Wire- July 2010 download the PDF
HIGHGATE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Neil Churcher
On Monday afternoon many of us gathered together at Knox Church to mourn and give thanks for the life of a man known for his compassion, humility, deep spirituality and a voice that was laden with both authority and gentle calm.
A retired Presbyterian Minister, Neil had ministered to various congregations throughout New Zealand. He was also Moderator of the General Assembly in 1988.
When he and Muriel retired to Dunedin in 1997 they worshipped at Roslyn before we amalgamated with Maori Hill to become Highgate.
In his ―retirement‖ Neil was very involved in Spiritual Growth Ministries and over the years has been the spiritual director and retreat leader for many, many people. He was also active at Knox Theological College assisting in resourcing new ministers.
Neil was also very involved in the leadership and hospitality of the Caim. On Wednesday evenings many of us have gathered together around the table to share what has been coined the Caimfeast where we have enjoyed a simple meal of soup and bread and warm-ing fellowship together. Neil and Muriel’s home was a popular gathering place where we were met with a welcoming fire, tasty soup and such warm hospitality.
I quote here part of Jono’s tribute at Neil’s funeral service that conveys well the impact of Neil’s presence:
― Amidst the busy chatter of our simple meals on Wednesday evenings, it could be hard to get a word in, as people complimented Muriel on yet another garden-to-table soup mas-terpiece, or as the cheese was loudly requested from the other end of the table.
However, when Neil spoke, you listened; not so much out of deference, as out of deep re-spect.
His softly booming voice spoke straight to the heart; here, you knew, was wise counsel.
Perhaps more telling, however, was that when you spoke, Neil listened.
That rambling account of your day, or your ill-tempered frustrations with the world,
they really seemed to matter to Neil, and he left you with that gift of peace that comes from knowing that I Have Been Heard. Here, amidst this warm hospitality, was bread and soup for the soul.
And then later on Wednesday evenings, around the communion table, the same voice, the same listening ear, the same chuckle, and the same hospitality, as Neil presented us, not with bread and soup, but bread and wine, from a plate and cup carefully fashioned from wood in his workshop.”
Neil Churcher was a wonderful man whose life made quite an impact on the people he encountered. The wisdom, generosity and sense of delight that was inherent in Neil meant that around him there was a special gravitational pull.All of who Neil was, was deeply rooted in his deep relationship with Christ.
Our love and prayers are with Muriel and all of the family.
Jill McDonald
Highgate Environmental Group
This Environmental Discussion Group, formed last year, covered a number of related topics from ―Caring for Creation‖, a PCANZ publication pro-duced last year, including contributions from some of our parish members. This year we plan to focus on Gareth Morgan’s ―Poles Apart‖ with a subti-tle ―beyond the shouting who’s right about climate change.?‖ There are eight chapters and we will consider one each meeting. We will meet on the first Monday evening of each month starting on 2 August, from 7:30 till 9pm, at 47 Ross St. Our group is small, and the topic is vast and the conse-quences enormous. What should our Christian responsibility be in helping care for God’s creation?
Our group has never been the same twice so I invite you to come and add your perspective to this challenging topic. Ignoring it and hoping it goes away will not work! Come and join us and we might have to move out from our home into a hall!
Allan Paulin
APW News
At our 46th Annual Meeting on 9 June 2010 we decided, after a lot of soul-searching, that our APW should go into recess.
The Association of Presbyterian Women was started in 1963 as a national organisation to bring together all the various women’s groups in the Presbyterian Church.
Its aim was to unite all in prayer, study, fellowship and service and to encourage an informed interest in worldwide mission and evangelism.
Roslyn had a vibrant Friendship Group which met every two weeks in the evening and an afternoon PWMU. Once APW began an APW Linking Committee was formed with representatives from groups where women were involved e.g choir, flower committee, Sunday School, etc. It organised fairs, cake stalls, coffee mornings with money raised going to the Church and to the Hall fund. This energetic group kept going till 1984 when the Afternoon APW became the one organisation for women.
As Roslyn APW, and recently as Highgate APW, we have supported our Associate Missionary, Jagadhri Hospital and School, as well as Mission Birthday Gift, Fellowship of the Least Coin, collected stamps, and the an-nual Project. For help with the Project we have always been very grateful to our local Church for the generous way they have donated to this.
Thank you !
Congratulations!!
Sincere congratulations to Elizabeth Wilson for her Queen’s Birthday Honours Award.
Film and Faith Meeting in July
We are meeting on Wednesday July 14 at Annette Hannah’s house, 135 Balmacewan Road (about 3 houses up the hill from the Golf Club entrance), at 7.15pm.
We will be looking at ―The Fighting Temptations‖ an entertaining and thought pro-voking film about a church choir featuring Cuba Gooding Jr and Beyonce Knowles, so as you can guess has some great gospel music as well as raising some interesting ques-tions about the nature of the church, about mission, about the gospel itself .
High Flyer Book Exchange
Book Swap happens every month at Chisholm Hall, Roslyn Church on the Third Thursday of each month. Come along for a browse and a chat and choose from our increasing collection of books for new ―reads‖. Next meeting on Thurs. 15 July — 4pm-6.pm.
Is God inviting you to live alongside those in poverty?
SERVANTS is providing an opportunity to explore this question with a bunch of like-minded Christians in Dunedin. The Apprenticeship is a commitment to learn more about God’s heart for the poor, and discerning together how God might be inviting us to share in this.
We will meet one evening per month to read, share and pray together, and dur-ing the summer break will spend a month living in an urban slum with Servants communities in Manila or Phnom Penh. This year, the Apprenticeship runs from August 2010—May 2011 and is limited to six individuals, aged 20+ , and in good health.
For more information and/or application form, contact Jono Ryan – jono@highgatemission.info or phone 03 477 5661.
For more information about Servants see www.servantsasia.org
Mission Box
We continue to highlight our support of mission through the formal context of mission giving, this month looking at Mission Aviation Fellowship from Ju-dith and Tony Borick.
Did you know that every three minutes a MAF plane takes off somewhere in the world?
MAF is involved in all continents of the world providing air transport for life-saving medical assistance to isolated and disaster stricken areas.
Involved in this work are Bill and Angela Harding both originally from Dunedin, Angela is the daughter of Judith and Tony Borick. Bill and Angela are based in Cairns, Australia. Bill is Regional Director and MAF World Vice President and responsible for MAF’s work in Arnhem Land’s indigenous peo-ple. In Bangladesh they uphold mission work among 150 million Muslims, East Timor, Indonesia, Cambodia and Madagascar where support is given for medical and mission work. Angela provides legal assistance to the Cairns of-fice and is the prayer coordinator for all workers in the Asia Pacific area with particular emphasis on supporting wives and families.
MAF has had a strong presence in Papua New Guinea since 1951 and has made a significant contribution in that time to the country’s growth and development. An adjunct to this assistance has resulted in the ―Latitude six coffee‖ being of-fered to all. MAF fly the coffee from remote areas in PNG and distribute it throughout New Zealand. A percentage of the profit plus the purchase price is returned to the grower.
This is a simple but effective way to support the organization as well as the farmers of PNG. The coffee is excellent and is delivered to your door! You may order through www.latitudesix.org.nz
Prayer meetings for global mission
There will be prayer meetings on the last Sunday of every month from 4.30-5.30 pm in the Maori Hill Church.
These will alternate between “in house” prayer meetings for Highgate-supported missions and the existing Dunedin-wide prayer meeting for Ser-vants. The first Servants prayer meeting took place on Sunday 27 June.
On July 25 the prayer meeting will focus on Highgate Mission initiatives.
Local Mission Initiative
Caim has chosen a local initiative, Servants Healthcare Centre, for its mission support initiative (This local initiative is an entirely different and separate from Jono’s ―Servants‖).Servants Healthcare Centre (SHC) is a group of Christian health profes-sionals – a surgeon, a midwife and a general practitioner – who see a need in Dunedin for a clinic serving people who struggle with healthcare costs..
SHC does not want a lack of money to stop people getting basic health care and be-lieve that by serving people, they are serving God, and showing his love to those peo-ple.
Their Vision is based on Mark 9:35. Jesus said ―If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all‖.
―Ours is to follow and serve Him by giving ourselves to people who need support.‖
SHC has been operating since January and it is going very well, the need is obvious as they are being inundated with clients.
- Volunteer health professionals are still needed to share the load, but other help is also needed:
- SHC currently has a need for bed linen, flat cotton sheets would be ideal (second hand is fine).
- They need a few more pillows, they need to be new ones that are still in their plastic bags so that infection control can be maintained.
- They are looking for a volunteer who would be happy to come and pick up their rubbish (cardboard and the like) and dispose of it.
- Some big pot plants.
- They are looking for a second hand leather couch, (it needs to be easily wiped for infection control) so if you know anyone who is wanting to update their lounge suite, give them a call.
- Donations of money. It costs around $100,000 per year to run this service. You can donate and learn more about what they do at www.shc.org.nz
If you do want to donate something either take it 100 Princes St, or give me a call and I will deliver it for you (except maybe the lounge suite- but I will help!) Ph Jill 4774496
Jill McDonald
Highgate@10 Bi-monthly Meeting
A reminder that there will be a meeting of the Cluster Group Convenors or their deputies on Tuesday July 13 at 7.30pm in the Maori Hill Church Hall. Please ensure that reports are sent to Patricia Sutherland for circulation.
Music, Families, Interaction—Could you be part of this?
Our Pre-School Music session on Tuesday mornings is a vi-brant time with an average attendance of 35-40 families. We receive very positive feedback but those of us helping are very aware that we need extra assistance.
Our needs include:
- Extras to be around: 9:15-10:15am.: on a roster
- Morning tea help: 9:40-11am: on a roster
- People with singing or instrumental ability to be able to be called on occasionally.
- For more information-contact Celia Paulin 474 1511
Home Communion
If you are unable to attend church for communion and would like to be served communion at home, Jill McDonald, our pastoral care worker is available to come to you. Please contact the Office and Jill will get back to you to arrange a suitable time.
IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR CONGREGATIONAL MEETING
All members of the Highgate Church congregation are invited to a special congregational meeting on Sunday July 11, after the 10 am service at the Maori Hill Church. The purpose of this meeting is for the congregation to have the opportunity to vote on the appointment of the new minister for the Parish.
Information on the candidate being considered is available from the church office.
Forms for postal votes are available for those unable to attend the meeting.
Kids @ Highgate Pantry Raid
On June 12th the Kids @ kids raided the pantries of willing members of the congregation to collect food to give to the Presbyterian Support Food Bank. This tied in with our theme for the term of Service and Mission in our own community.
The children and their drivers set off in teams and visited 5 houses per team. At each house they had to complete a task before being able to have access to the food. A treasure hunt, following footprints to lead to the food, finding things in the pantry that had red on their labels etc. Everyone, including some of the adults whose pantries had been raided, came back to church for a pizza and chip tea and a devotion showing that anyone at any age can make a differ-ence in our world.
We also built a big food pyramid in the church in preparation for the Presbyte-rian Support service the next day.
The children helped take the food down to the food bank after school during the week and they were amazed at how such a small place could provide food for 900+ people a month.
Our thanks go to Judy Goroncy for organizing the event and for all the helpers and willing people who opened their pantries for our children during this event.
Highgate Church Contacts
Church Office:
580 Highgate Maori Hill
Open: 9.am –12 midday Tues-Friday
Ph: 464 0158
Highgate@10—contact the office
Caim—Jill Mc Donald ph 477 4496
B@tCH—Patricia McDonald 467 5624
Ministers:
Rev Jono Ryan
Rev Barry Kelk
Children and Families
Jane Davis-Rae 464 0622
Pastoral Worker Highgate@10:
Jill Mc Donald 477 4496
YOUTH GROUPS
(Y9-Y13) 4.30pm at Roslyn Church Hall On Sundays
Leader: Jordan Redding Ph 487 9983
Holy H@tCH
Meets at No 7 Balmac, Balmacewan Road. 5-6pm Fridays (Y7 and Y8)
Leader: Helen Owen Ph 464 0100
Email: vintage_helen@hotmail.com
General Enquiries: Linda & Steve Dunn ph488 5257
Worship at the Three Hubs of Highgate
At Highgate Church we have different times and different services where God’s people come together to worship. As part of the rhythms of our church we have some set times of worship.
Highgate@10—Sunday morning worship at Maori Hill Presbyterian Church, cnr Highgate/Drivers Road at 10 am. This is a Kids Friendly Church
B@tCH . Breakfast at the Coronation Hall (Balmacewen Road). Every Sun-day morning during school term time at 8.30 am. Each week, along with breakfast there is fellowship for all ages, music, singing and thinking through the Christian message of the day.
Caim—This is a midweek service every Wednesday throughout the year. Caim usually meets at Roslyn Church , 21 Highgate at 7.15 pm for a short contemplative service, which , on some occasions concludes with communion.
Everyone is welcome at all these services
Copy for the Live Wire to reach Wyn Barbezat by the last Wednesday of each month. Email: barbezat@clear.net.nz