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St Mary by the Sea News
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this week we hear (Luke 12:13-21) "A man in a crowd said to Jesus, 'Teacher, tell my brother to give me my share of what our father left us when he died.' "
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When a family member dies,
and the will is read,
if things aren’t evenly split,
there is often a question raised, and that is: “Did dad love me?”
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Things were a bit different in Jesus' day and it's possible that the situation brought to Jesus wasn’t so much about a real situation,
but rather about the inheritance in God’s Kingdom. If you cast your mind back, you'll remember that Jesus has been teaching about The Kingdom of God. Some Biblical experts suggest that what was happening here was really asking about how we should share things in God's Kingdom; and therefore the reading challenges us to view what we have, time, money, possessions, relationships as all part of God's Kingdom Family.
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Journeying with you, Dion
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One Thought for Today
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Former Bishop of Auckland, Bruce Gilbert, has produced a new book, called:
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One Thought for Today. These are on sale in the office for $25. You can pay by EFTPOS. Please put receipt on clip marked OTHER PURCHASES.
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Keeping us all Safe.
There is no doubt that the winter cold and flu season is here in full force. Our medical care services are stretched covering the additional demands that Covid and this cold and flu season has adding to their work load.
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If you are due a Covid Vaccination or booster please speak to your Doctor about this. Discuss with them whether the flu vaccination is right for you. Vaccinations remain our main defense against serious health complications from these viruses.
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We can all help to keep our self and others well this winter. Thank you for helping to keep everyone safe by wearing your face mask over the nose and mouth during the service. Please remember that if you are unwell, whether with COVID or any another bug you should be at home where it's warm and safe. Please join our online service at 10am and make sure you test and log your result. If you have been unwell please stay home until you are fully recovered and any required isolation period has been completed.
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Wishing you all a safe and well winter. Debbie
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Thank you to everyone for your continued donations to the Food Bank basket in church. This week we are putting out a special request for donations of UHT and powdered milk, cereals /oats, tea /coffee.
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If you or someone you know is in need of a helping hand at this time please email Dion on the contact details below and we can arrange a food parcel. Food parcels can be delivered if transport is a problem. With Covid continuing to wreak havoc in our community many people are finding that their sick leave has run out and they are now under increased financial pressure. If you, or someone you know, would appreciate a few bags of basic groceries to ease the financial pressure please reach out and get in touch with Dion in confidence.
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The Bible is... HOPE
Bible Month - July 2022
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July is Bible Society Bible Month, this years theme is 'The Bible is Hope'.
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The aim is to ignite hope; even though fear may try to weaken our hope, it is our hope in God that will destroy fear.
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Joshua 1:9b (ESV) states, “…Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
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The Bible Society have produced a range of free to download resources for everyone to use over the month of July. The links for these are below.
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If you would like help accessing these resources please let the office know and I will try to help.
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The Bible is filled with verses and promises of HOPE that has the power to ignite HOPE in difficult times. The Bible Society have created a free, beautifully designed, easy-to-follow 31 Day Calendar with a verse a day for you to journey on during July to be encouraged daily with the HOPE we have in Christ. These verses also form part of a study we call ‘Reflections of Hope’ with a more in-depth reflection on each of these 31 verses.
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These wallet sized cards are now available for you to collect from the credenza. They provide wallet sized inspiration on Peace, Strength, Unity and Hope. Please feel free to take one for yourself and anyone you feel would like one.
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Reflections on HOPE . For use in conjunction with the 31 Day Calendar on Hope, a collection from a range of contributors of daily reflections and prayers on each of the 31 scriptures of HOPE. Ideal for anyone who wants to delve deeper into the 31 scriptures or as the base for small group discussion.
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Mainly Music at St Marys. Re-starts 29th July
Mainly Music is held on Fridays at 9:30am during term time.
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Mainly Music is able to run at Covid Protection level Orange and observe extra health and safety cleaning practices. Equipment is cleaned between sessions and all practical safe-guards are in place to help ensure the safety of our families and volunteers.
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Mainly Music is open to all families with preschool children. If you know of a local family please let them know about this group. A $4 donation per family is asked and the music activities start at 9:30am so please arrive slightly before then. For information on attending please contact Carol on 4795289.
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Happy Birthday
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On 19th August we celebrate 15 years of Mainly Music at St Mary by the Sea. Over the last 15 years we have had the privilege of seeing and supporting hundreds of local families through Mainly Music. Children that came to us when we first started are now all grown up and leaving school. Friendships between children and careers alike have been formed and lives changes. Thank you to everyone who has supported this mission over the last 15 years.
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Volunteers Needed.
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We are looking for anyone who is able to volunteer to help with Mainly Music. Volunteers are needed for setting up the space for the session on a Thursday, putting the chairs back afterwards, at 11:30am on a Friday, or to help run the session between 9am and 11:30am on a Friday. If you would like more details please contact Meg on 4738444.
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Change in Date.
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Due to family catching Covid the memorial has been moved to Aug. 13th at 2pm.
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ATWC Winter PJ Appeal Collection.
The Pyjamas already donated have been gratefully received by the ATWC. (Their Thank you letter is on the notice board.
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The ATWC Winter PJ appeal is continuing through winter this year, they have a long list of families needing support. If you can donate a pair of pyjamas ATWC families will be grateful. (Children from 2 to 14 years).
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You can drop off your donation at one of the sites below direct to the ATWC.
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10 Beatty Street, Otahuhu 8am – 430pm
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1288A New North Road Avondale 830am – 430pm
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124 Apirana Avenue, Glen Innes 830am – 430pm
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Community Garden
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Community Shop
Open Tuesday - Saturday inclusive 10am to 4pm.
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Come and have a look around the community shop next time you are in Browns bay, you may find that perfect fashion accessory or some crafting materials or something new and inspiring to read. The Community shop has lots of warm jackets and woollen blankets for sale at the moment.
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Our Community shop not only raises funds that support the ministries of St Mary by the Sea but funds raised also go towards providing financial support via food vouchers to those in need in the local community. The community shop has enabled us to make contacts that facilitate the shipping of excess goods to Tonga to provide aid there. It's great to think that instead of these items going to land fill they are being valued and put to good use.
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Plastic Free July
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Plastic Free July® is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities. Will you be part of Plastic Free July by choosing to refuse single-use plastics?
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Church Waste reduction
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In 2021, the Auckland Diocesan Synod passed a motion encouraging all ministry units to: “reduce waste produced as a result of church services, activities and events.” We all have a role to play in the reduction of waste so if you have any ideas or suggestions that could be applied to St Marys please bring these to the attention of Jenny Cheer or Bruce Rogers so they can be explored further by vestry.
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Scripture Union School Holiday Camps .
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SUNZ run camps every school holiday, for more information go to website sunz.org.nz They have eight camps lined up for the October School holidays. Registrations are open and spaces are limited.
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Barnabas Prayer Focus
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This is a monthly information bulletin with up-to-date news on the persecuted Church to help Christians pray for their suffering brothers and sisters.
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It is available in various formats including large print via the Barnabas Aid website or can be sent through the post free of charge. Please contact your national Barnabas Aid office if you would like to receive this in the post
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Music Matters. Concerts at Holy Trinity
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August events include concerts featuring the music of Joe Hisaiah, Hans Zimmer, the music of the band Queen and a Jazz candle light evening.
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Celebrations
6th August World Peace Day At 8:15am on 6 August 1945, an atomic bomb was dropped on the civilian population of the city of Hiroshima. An estimated 70,000 people died immediately, and 100,000 in the aftermath. Three days later, Nagasaki was similarly bombed. World Peace Day is a time to remember those who’ve lost their lives or been affected by war and pray for those working for peace today.
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If you have a celebration that you would like to share with the congregation via the newsletter please email the church office on the email below. Please let the office know before 9am on the Tuesday before.
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Scripture
31st July 2022
Hosea 11:1-11
Colossians 3:1-11
Luke 12:13-21
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Collect
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Generous God you give us many gifts to lead us into the fullness of life; keep us from clinging to what is fleeting, and help us to hold firm to all that lasts; through Jesus Christ our Liberator, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
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Keeping you safe in Orange
We continue to have our online service at 10am in parallel for the forseeable future. Please do not attend on-site worship if you are supposed to be isolating following a positive test result for yourself or a household contact, or if anyone in your home is experiencing any Covid-19 symptoms, or you are awaiting a Covid-19 test result; please instead join our online service.
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My Vaccine Passes are not required for any purpose on-site, to either visit or volunteer, this includes St Mary by the Sea, the Hall, and the Community Shop.
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We a QR code for you to scan in if you wish. We continue to operate safely in ORANGE onsite, this means:
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- We encourage you to wear a mask
- Doors open for ventilation during morning tea – so wear a jumper or bring a jacket
- The peace in sign language - with the option of physical sign of peace if the person you are exchanging the peace with is comfortable with that.
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In ORANGE it is not necessary to be physically distanced, morning tea is served from the kitchen. Soft chairs are used. Communion is served at the altar rail.
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We are grateful that New Zealand remains at Orange Level in the Covid protection framework and with that we enjoy the blessings of being able to worship in person. However it is important to remember that there are significant levels of Covid in our local community. As such I want to remind everyone that the St Mary's Buddy Family System is still operating. Should you or your family unfortunately fall victim of Covid please feel free to call the church office or text Dion and we can arrange grocery or prescription collections, check in calls or other support.
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Lastly a reminder; if you or a member of your family hasn't had a vaccination or is due booster please look at getting this now. Vaccination supports not only you but those you love and live with.
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Word for Today and Our Daily Bread
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Both of these can be collected from the Community Shop when paper copies are available.
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Online Worship - Sunday 10am
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Wednesday services
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Wednesday 10am Communion. (no service Wed 20th July)
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Wednesday 12 noon Bible study - on Zoom here. (no study Wed 20th July)
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Regular Information
Worship
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Sunday - 8am - worship from NZ Prayer Book
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Sunday - 10am - Intergenerational worship
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Sunday - 10am - Online YouTube worship
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Praying for Others
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Please send names for the Sunday Prayer-List by Sunday evening to Tony Nettleton, 027 278 1450 or prayer@stmary.co.nz Names can be sent at other times as required.
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Donations
Online
Vestry would like to encourage you to give to support our ministry. Giving and donations can be made to:
St Mary by the Sea
BNZ Browns Bay 02-0120-0047903-003
Please reference your donation with your surname or giving number.
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EFTPOS
The EFTPOS machine prints 2 receipts, the first is your copy, the second is printed by selecting MERCHANTS COPY on the screen. This second copy should always be left on the appropriate clip on the notice board. With out the second receipt it is not possible to know what the money was intended for. For Church Giving, you can either keep the first receipt or place it in the DONATION BASKET to go up to the altar for the blessing. Please write your giving number or full name on the second receipt if you want the donation added to your tax receipt. If you do not require your donation added to your tax receipt please write "NO TAX" on the receipt.
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Feedback
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Have some feedback? Feel free to email dion@stmary.co.nz
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Subscribing
Contacts
Office
Debbie Rhodes, 09 4738180 office@stmary.co.nz
Office hours, Mon to Thur 10am-2pm. Working from home whilst at Level Red.
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Vicar
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Rev’d Dion Blundell, Office:09 4738183 Mb:021 1378624 Hm:09 4732270
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Priest Assistant
Wardens
Synod Representatives
Vestry Secretary
Vestry Members
St Mary by the Sea
PO Box 89-082, Torbay, Auckland, 0742
168 Deep Creek Rd, Torbay, Auckland, 0630
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Thanks for reading. See you soon!
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The St Mary by the Sea Team
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