The time has come to say goodbye to my Porirua Anglican friends, at least in my role as priest. Thanks for all your love and goodwill as we have journeyed together over these past 6+ years. Some of you have been there throughout this time; others for part of it. It has been a time of significant change and challenge, a bit like it was for the very first Christian disciples who had a rollercoster of a ride! While I would never pretend that we had the challenges they did; in our context there have been times of high elation and periods of deep anguish. In all our faith in God has been stretched and, I hope, matured.

As I move into retirement, I reflect on the following:

• The young people, and the two pool baptisms in particular: the early one at Russell Street School and the later large one outside St Anne's;
• The marriages: particularly of the Manulevu boys to Rita and Abby respectively, plus Robin and Mai Lucy;
• The funerals: especially the three current church members who died during my watch: Bill Donovan, Erin Bidois and Sala Manulevu - may they rest in peace and their close ones be comforted;
• St Anne's Pantry that had earlier been overseen by Diane and Bob with Val, followed by the time during the Covid19 years 2020-2023. We geared up to offer large numbers of food parcels with the help of KCA staff. Porirua donors and volunteers with Sofia, Margaret, Jane and Fiona worked tirelessly;
• The purchase and renovation of 49A Mungavin Ave: the Diocesan vision to support the purchase in 2021, David Parmenter's practical improvements, the Goss bequest availability, and Bishop Ellie's blessing of the premises early 2022 as the Pantry relocated there;
• The final decision to move on from St Anne's to te Whare Karakia on 1 May 2023, as the Pantry closed after 3+ years serving during the pandemic;
• The arrival of Pastor Charles Nikora on our last Sunday at St Anne's and his great encouragement for a year until family commitments and the Lord took him to Sydney;
• The final decision, a little over a year ago, to confirm the relocation of Parish operations to 49A which paved the way for the decommissioning of St Anne's on 15 December 2024.

​What a ride as we have embraced the many challenges along the way maintaining the unity of Christ, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit and in all constantly coming back to the God who stretches, forgives, sustains, nurtures, challenges and loves us. To God be the glory, forever, Amen. ​God be with you and your future together as the Body of Christ in eastern Porirua.  And, Margaret joins with me in this farewell as we end by reminding us all of these wonderful words of St Paul to the Ephesians, chapter 4:32, ... and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.

Arohanui
Terry

Te Whare Karakia is about to become a distribution hub for the Fruit & Vege Co-op being  organised by the Ranui Heights Seventh Day Adventist Church.

From Thursday 10 October you will be able to collect your fruit & veges from TWK @ 49A Mungain Ave. Come up the drive and collect from the back room accessed via the back porch. 

TWK Co-op Collection times: ​Thursday 11:30-12:30am & 6:30-7pm

​To place your order ($15) please visit: 

​https://www.hauorakai.nz

Place your order by 5pm Friday and collect from 49A Mungavin Ave.  on the following Thursday as above.

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.