Weekly Bulletin: Staying connected as a church - 10 March 2024

Kia ora St John’s whānau,
 
This Sunday we delve into the third specific spiritual practice in our series over Lent: Self-Examination.

There are lots and lots of Spiritual Practices Christians find useful for ‘keeping company’ with God, and we are sampling some together in order to help each of us find something that sustains and grows our faith.
 
A spiritual practice is any intentional activity, relationship or experience that creates space for us to keep company with God and transforms us in the process.
 
We celebrate the holy meal of Communion this Sunday and so young people and their leaders go straight to their peer groups in the St John’s Centre at 10am, and we will all come together in the Church later for Communion.

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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.

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

This is the link to the printable Service Sheets:

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT…

SPIRITUAL PRACTICES SERIES – FOLLOW ME

Over the six weeks of Lent we are exploring Spiritual Practices. This continues our emphasis of putting our faith into practice, and will focus on our desire for more of God through intentional practices, relationships, and experiences that gave us space in our lives to ‘keep company’ with God.
 
We are examining specific practices of Engaging with Scripture, Prayer, Self-examination, and Sabbath. But also consider many other spiritual practices that have helped Christians around the world.

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We are all using a Rule of Faith chart for personal use in identifying and committing to spiritual practices that you currently do and want to try. We will have printed copies available for you again this Sunday. A digital version is available below.

Here are some suggested resources for trying some Spiritual Practices:
YouVersion Daily Bible reading and devotion app 'Make Space for What Matters: 5 Spiritual Habits for Lent'. Check it out Here, or however you download your apps.

Living the Lectionary: A daily devotion on the lessons from the revised common lectionary. If you appreciate artwork as a way to help you draw closer to God, this daily blog is another suggested resource for daily spiritual practice.  NB: it runs one day behind.

INSTRUMENTS NEEDED TO PRAISE GOD

Our Youth Band has new members and looking to expand the range of instrumentation. A bass guitar has been generously loaned, and we are still seeking a keyboard.
Also, we are looking for a regular acoustic guitar for the Sunday morning Music Group.
If you may be able to donate an instrument, please contact the St John’s Office.

A&J ANNUAL APPEAL FOR MISSION SUNDAY 17TH MARCH

The St John’s Outreach Committee encourages everyone to be part of the spiritual and practical support for A&J (a St John’s couple working overseas), by praying regularly and contributing financially to their work with poor migrant workers. A&J speak eight languages between them, so can talk to these migrant workers often in their own language. A&J are not paid a salary for bringing hope to these people . Instead, they raise most of the money that they need to live themselves.
On Sunday 17th March there will be a Retiring Offering (making a donation in the foyer after the service).  The Outreach Committee is committed to give $4,000 each year and matches dollar for dollar all additional donations up to $2,500 per year. We hope to generate additional giving of $6,000 through this annual appeal. If you would rather use internet banking, then use the normal bank account number and put AandJ in the reference.

NEWCOMERS LUNCH

f you've started worshipping with the St John’s whānau in the last 12 months, we would love you to be part of an informal but special occasion to welcome you to the church family with a free lunch on Sunday 17th March – after morning tea. With pizza (and sweets) you can find out more about the St John’s Vision and Mission from our Minister Allister lane and the elders. We encourage you, and will support you, to find ways to share your gifts and deepen your place of belonging at St John’s.
For catering purposes, please let us know you are planning to come along – with a simple “I’ll be there’ to enquiries@stjohnsinthecity.org.nz

WHANAU NIGHT

Whanau Night is back for 2024!  The theme for this year is Restoration. 
The first Whanau Night event this year is at the Southern Cross Garden Bar, Sunday 24 March 5:00-6.30pm ($5 koha).  
A chance to connect, share and be a community together.
No need to RSVP, just turn up, and invite your friends!

MEMBERSHIP

“God gathers us to worship and grow our faith so we can live and share Christ’s hope for our world”

Do you worship at St John’s and feel a sense of belonging? We invite you to deepen your experience and take a step of faith to commit to the journey together. We strongly believe God calls you, and each of us, to be part of the community of faith. We are more than a ‘club’ – we are the Body of Christ, committed to participation, growth, journeying, contribution and sharing.  To find out more about what we love about Membership, please talk to the Minister, an elder or the St John’s Office.

SUPPORT FOR OUR YOUTH

Sausage Sizzle Easter Fundraiser: We have six amazing adults who are giving up their Easter Holiday to help support our youth group at Easter Camp. We want to help support them to get to Easter Camp and as part of that we are hoping to raise $500 to pay for some of their registration. To do this we will be hosting 2 blind envelope sausage sizzles. You'll take a beautifully decorated envelope and give whatever you want to give for your sausage. Any extra that we raise will go towards subsidising those youth attending the camp.
This will be on the 17th and 24th of March after church in the St John's Courtyard.
 
Old Towels: Do you have an old towel that's sitting in your cupboard or in the boot of your car? 
The youth group would love to take it off your hands! During Easter Camp Hannah is running the prayer stations which is a really powerful time to connect deeper with God. For one of the stations, Hannah needs bits of cloth to wipe people's faces. The dream is to recycle old towels that are no longer needed and cut them so that we would have enough for everyone. There will be a box available in the foyer on Sunday for you to leave your towel, give your towel to Hannah or drop them off at the office during the week.

“God receives us just as we are and accepts our prayers just as they are. In the same way that a small child cannot draw a bad picture so a child of God cannot offer a bad prayer.” Prayer by Richard Foster (this book is available from the St John’s Library)
 
Allister