It was a poignant moment when seven of us from Porirua Anglican met at te Whare Karakia for morning tea with Barbara Edmonds MP for Mana and two of her staff at 10am on Monday 27 November. Earlier that morning Chris Hipkins had submitted his Labour government’s resignation and before we parted Christopher Luxton and his team were being sworn in as the new coalition government. For Barbara her term as a cabinet minister ended as we talked! The moment was acknowledged.

We were encouraged to hear from Barbara that the Kenepuru Hospital Emergency Department closure has been delayed. We remain optimistic that this only ED between Wellington and Palmerston North hospitals, serving 80,000 people, will continue operating. Barbara has been at the forefront of negotiations. Our discussion with her was wide ranging including CAB funding; food security and the planned new Ngatitoa iwi social supermarket; housing regeneration in Porirua which includes infrastructure development; social unrest at change of government; retirement village reforms, etc.

Just as Barbara faces new options and possibilities as a member of the Government main opposition party, so this Advent is a reminder for us God is doing a new thing in our midst, rebuilding the Church to be a more effective community in eastern Porirua.

​Please pray with us that our Christmas and New Year community facing gatherings and the ALPHA course to begin 17 January contribute to making us a strongly engaged Church, united in the Spirit and experiencing the Lord adding to our number regularly.

Early May 2023 Porirua Anglicans relocated to te Whare Karakia, 49A Mungavin Ave., Ranui.  During these four months we have been consolidating worship, community life, administration and fellowship here. As Spring 2023 arrives we move forward.
Three of our number have participated, with Johnsonville Anglicans, in an ALPHA Course since mid-July. Last weekend this group of around fourteen people spent a Saturday at te Whare thinking about and experiencing the Holy Spirit as part of ALPHA. While this course has only four sessions before it concludes; we are planning to base an ALPHA course at te Whare beginning 17 January 2024 which will run for eleven weeks.
During September as we remember the passing of our dear friend Sala Manulevu, we will spend time prayerfully walking the temporary Labyrinth at Wellington Cathedral - 1:45pm Sat. 23 September.
In October we will have a SGM at St Anne's to make final decisions about St Anne's future. Then we will conclude our Church year as we discuss in some morning services/forums the seven principals of Leading Your Church into Growth. These gatherings will discern how during 2024 we will grow in our discipleship and witness as a community. 

​It's the second day of winter and its warm in te Whare Karakia. We've been worshipping here for a month now and Anglican life during the week is happening here. Feedback for those coming is they enjoy the warmth, the decor, the fellowship and the life that is emerging at te whare.
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May has been a busy month for us as we kept it as a month to celebrate as we adjusted to our new Church environment. Ascension Day and Pentecost Sunday themes have kept us God-focused and the Thy Kingdom Come eleven days (18-28 May) has kept us prayerful. On Sunday 21 May we had a Day of Prayer beginning and ending with group worship times, with folk coming by the half hour inbetween to pray assisted by our eight Prayer Stations that helped people focus on different aspects of prayer.

Now we're in June and looking forward to two specials:
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• Sunday worship (10am) on 11 May will feature a testimony from Charles Nikora who has come to join us from Auckland. Charles, a former Apostolic Pastor, will reflect on some of his encounters with God and what these have taught him.
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• The following Sunday morning (18 May, 10am) is our monthly Guest Service where we have a simple gathering (no communion) where we can sing and pray for one another, and focus on a theme - our June focus is: Jesus is Looking for Disciples. Afterwards we have an enhanced morning tea at 11am. This service is suitable for children and young people and we will have a special slot for them, as well as an activity pack.