Weekly Bulletin: Staying connected as a church - 10 April 2022
Kia ora St John’s whānau,
I’m sending you this email earlier this week because of two opportunities for you today – our Lent Reflection tonight, and a Virtual Choir you can join (…details for both are below)
We celebrate Palm Sunday this weekend – Jesus rides into the city as the Prince of Peace. Peace is shared with us, for us to share with each other.
We also celebrate Communion, and so the peer groups for young people will start at 10am, and we will gather together at 10:40am.
The latest public health rules allow us to have up to 200 people at Church, and we resume using the Offering bags during the service and Morning Tea after the service. We retain the requirement for masks.
If you want to join the Sunday 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
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wmhctwgwqelvob3/10th%20April%202022%20Order%20of%20Service.pdf?dl=0
If worshipping via Zoom, please be prepared for Communion at home with your bread and cup.
OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT
BEING A CONNECTED COMMUNITY DURING COVID-IN-THE-COMMUNITY
Some of us are having to isolate because we or someone in our household tests positive for COVID-19. If you are in this situation and find you need help (e.g. food or supplies dropped off), please let us know through the St John’s in the City Office. We are able to help one another.
Even if we have to physically isolate, we want to stay connected as a faith community. To help us, we have Online Devotions every Thursday at 11am.
Please join with others for fifteen minutes of spiritual reflection together.
The link to join via Zoom is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/150457018?pwd=OU55OXhDY2YvZFlIWmNNZkxVaVN2UT09
If using your phone, dial 04 886 0026 (Meeting ID: 150 457 018, Passcode: 333)
LENT REFLECTIONS
Thursdays at 7:30pm during Lent (the season before Easter)
These reflections will be on current issues and Easter themes, and this Thursday we will be reflecting on the meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross by examining models of atonement.
To join in this open time of reflection and discussion, please use this Zoom link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83521205867?pwd=MEdKQmhSOHNvM2pHSm1tSnZZcDJ6dz09
Meeting ID: 835 2120 5867
Passcode: lent
VIRTUAL CHOIR
Current public health limits on numbers mean that the Scots College Easter Service will not be at St John’s, but will be online only. But you can still be involved…
You can sing as part of a virtual choir, recording yourself from wherever you are right now, singing along to ‘Thine Be the Glory’!
Two things to be aware of 1) the final video will end up on the Scots Chapel YouTube channel as part of Easter celebrations and 2) only you and the video editor can see your tracks once they are recorded. Other participants will only see you as part of the full video shown in the online service this Sunday evening.
Instructions
Grab some headphones
Follow this link https://easyvirtualchoir.com/song/98597/studio (works best with Google Chrome, and doesn’t work on your phone or iPad)
Click on add track
Press the green “Start Recording” button
Sing along with the choir. Words will appear on the screen
Here is the link to join the online Scots Easter Service this Sunday at 2pm: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxKbItsaLbp9ZgzEzjhHr0jyVGuaBpIIB
EASTER EVENTS
Tuesday 12th April: Fellowship Group Easter Service, 11am in the Church
Thursday 14th April: Tenebrae Service (Latin “shadows”), 7:30pm in the Church
Friday 15th April: Good Friday Service, 10am (followed by Hot Cross buns)
Good Friday Gathering, at Khandallah Presbyterian Church. 5:30pm Sausage Sizzle, 6:30pm Easter Questions Panel, 7:30pm ‘Words From the Cross; Music From Our Lives’ service. This gathering is for our youth group, and indeed the whole community that stands behind them - whānau, friends, parish members and beyond.
Sunday 17th April: Easter Sunday All Age Service, 10am (followed by an Intergenerational Easter Egg Hunt led by the Youth Group)
THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SUPPORT FOR A& J
This past week we have raised $5,956 with the retiring offering to support A & J in their mission in the Middle East. Thank you to everyone who contributed.
If you missed out and would like to contribute, then either put it in a labelled envelope in the offering over the next few weeks. Or use the usual St Johns internet banking details (on the St John’s website), putting “A and J” in the particulars box, and your name in the code box for a receipt. When you give either of these ways, you will have your donation added to your annual receipt.
DIXON STREET FLATS CAFE
We are delighted that Kainga Ora have agreed to recommencing the weekly café from this coming Thursday after a covid-induced break since last year.
You are encouraged to pray for all those who find friendship and support in the community of the café. If you’re interested to volunteer as part of this mission, please let the St John’s Office know.
FELLOWSHIP GROUP
Good Friday falls on the 15th April this year and the Fellowship Group will have a special Easter Service on Tuesday 12th April at 11am, in the Church.
CHILDREN & FAMILIES MINISTRY WORKER
We currently have a vacancy for the role of the Children & Families Ministry Worker, and have been trying to find someone to serve in this important position. We are grateful to those who have stepped up their commitment to serve during this vacancy and will continue to pursue a successful appointment to have someone fulfilling the responsibilities we need dedicated leadership for. If you, or someone you know, might consider this halftime role, please contact the St John’s Office for a Position Description (Ph: 385 1546).