Weekly Bulletin: Staying connected as a church - 6 November 2022

This Sunday we hear a story about someone whose life was out-of-shape and whose self-worth was distorted …and how they were ‘seen’ and saved.

Like this person, we consider our own response to being ‘seen’ and how this changes our lives.

We have peer groups for our children and youth, so young people and their leaders will go out to the St John’s Centre part-way through the service.

If you can’t gather in the city, and you want to join the worship service via Zoom, here are the details to access the live-stream:
 
Zoom Meeting ID: 370 260 759
Passcode: worship
 
The link to join the Zoom worship service is below.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/370260759?pwd=b2ZkajZ5d28rTy9EN1VKZDJUM3N4dz09 
 

If using your phone: dial 04 886 0026 (Meeting ID: 370 260 759#, Passcode: 1560107#)

This is the link to the printable Service Sheet 

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT...

RAISING THE STANDARD OF GIVING

At the AGM last week we had an update on the church finances.

We are navigating a difficult financial environment with multiple pressures. These are being managed as well as they can be. Our Treasurer Ross Chesney highlighted that most areas of income and expenditure we cannot influence. But the one important area which we have total control of is …our giving as a congregation.

We are invited to reflect on how our giving is an important part of living out our faith. ‘Raising our standard of giving’ – describes the thoughtful re-examination of our giving as an important expression for our faith. Together we are thinking about our values, re-examining our giving habits accordingly, making carefully thought-out decisions, and re-arranging our priorities in using money to enable us to carry out these decisions.

VISITING MATHEMATICIAN

We are delighted to be hosting Dr Gray Manicom* for a visit at St John’s in the City on the weekend of 12th & 13th November 2022.
There will be three opportunities to hear him: on Saturday at 3pm (for high school students), in the Sunday morning service, and an informal presentation after the service.

*Dr Gray Manicom is a mathematician with interests in dynamical systems. His PhD is in the study of memory effects in heteroclinic networks. He is a research fellow in the Department of Physics at the University of Auckland, modelling and investigating the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic on a network. He loves cricket, movies and talking about ideas.

Please help us share the Saturday event for students…

‘Uses of Mathematics today: How Mathematics helps solve the world’s problems’
Can 42 actually be the answer to the ultimate question? Can an equation take over the world? Can mathematics unlock lockdowns and quarantine pandemics? The next few decades of human development will depend on big data, AI, genetic editing, quantum computing, space travel and other fields that are, in essence, entirely dependent on mathematics. Quantum particles are too small, space too far, data too plentiful and AI too unpredictable to experiment on these things in traditional ways. Scientists in these fields typically no longer rely on experimental data to tell them what is true or not, instead, they rely on the language of mathematics' ability to describe the world. But is this trust justified? What are the differences between science and mathematics? And where does God fit in?

Saturday 12th November, at 3pm in the St John’s Centre at St John’s in the City

ONE CONFERENCE

We are excited to have over 240 participants registered for the One Conference here at St John's in the City November 17-19. You have the opportunity to attend any of the four main sessions of the conference for just $5 per session. More details below.

The four main sessions will be held in the church at St John's in the city at the following times:

Thursday, 17 November
Session 1: 7:30 PM - 9 PM "Living the faith" with Richard Black

Friday, 18 November
Session 2: 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM "Woven in love" with Fele Nokise and Te Aka Puaho
Session 3: 7:30 PM – 9 PM "Building each other up" with Katerina Solomona

Saturday, 19 November
Session 4: 1 PM – 2:30 PM "Sent out in love" with Amy Page-Whiting

For more info on our main sessions go to: https://www.oneconference.org.nz/keynote-speakers
You do not need to preregister to attend, simply come with $5 cash before the session and pay it at the hospitality desk in the St John's Centre.

Can you help with providing a bass guitar and a small pop-up marquee for the conference? Please let me (Allister) know if you can.

WHĀNAU NIGHT

5pm-6.30pm, Sunday 20 November, BYO Picnic. The theme for the evening will be a youth-led Code Breaker night.
We started off the year with a picnic in the park, and we are going to finish off with a picnic in the hall. We invite you to bring your own meal to our final celebration.
This will be our LAST whānau night of 2022. And in order to continue whānau nights in 2023, we are looking for a committed leader to help orchestrate and organise teams, as Gordon Fitch is stepping down from this role.
Please get in touch if you can to help organise whānau nights.

DCM

Foodbank Appeal …Saturday 19th of November. St John's have been asked to collect from 9am -1pm at Chaffers St New World, with two collectors per hour. You might consider doing this for the sake of those in our city who need help. Please contact Carolyn Goudswaard if you are able to help.

Annual General Meeting …Monday 28th November. Their AGM is in the St John’s Centre. Refreshments will be served from 5:30pm with a meeting start time of 6pm. DCM’s Manahautū, Stephen Turnock, will offer a reflection.

COMBINED ADVENT SERVICE

With St Mary of the Angels and St Peter’s.
At St Mary of the Angels 7pm Sunday 27th November 2022

CAROLS IN PARLIAMENT

NEW WINE FESTIVAL

At this all age festival many voices worship the One. 19th-23rd January 2023 (Wellington Anniversary Weekend) at Wairarapa College in Masterton.
For more details and to register to go (along with others from St John’s): https://newwine.org.nz/

NAME TAGS

As we turn our Vision into action, one very easy and practical way we can build community is to wear a name tag.
Please keep your name tag on when you come over for Morning Tea in the Centre, and there will be a receptacle to drop your name tag into before you leave.
If you don’t have a name tag, please contact the St John’s Office enquiries@stjohnsinthecity.org.nz and one will be made for you.

The grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Allister