The late Dr Billy Graham is commonly recognised as one of the greatest Christian Evangelists of modern times. Many people in New Zealand acknowledge that it was his message of assurance, hope and challenge that significantly encouraged them to follow Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. This video (approx. 30 minutes) offers us a perspective on this man's sincere Christian faith and challenge to 20th & 21st people of all races. Porirua Anglicans, indeed the people of Porirua, are invited to view and hear this message between 2:30-3:00pm on Good Friday 10th April 2020 - the time when many of us associate with the death of Christ at the 9th hour (3pm) on that first Good (God's) Friday.

The Death of Jesus
​St. Luke's Gospel
23:44 Around noon the sky turned dark and stayed that way until the middle of the afternoon. 45 The sun stopped shining, and the curtain in the temple split down the middle. 46 Jesus shouted, “Father, I put myself in your hands!” Then he died. 47 When the Roman officer saw what had happened, he praised God and said, “Jesus must really have been a good man!” 48 A crowd had gathered to see the terrible sight. Then after they had seen it, they felt brokenhearted and went home. 49 All of Jesus' close friends and the women who had come with him from Galilee stood at a distance and watched.
St. John's Gospel
19:28 Jesus knew that he had now finished his work. And in order to make the Scriptures come true, he said, “I am thirsty!” 29 A jar of cheap wine was there. Someone then soaked a sponge with the wine and held it up to Jesus' mouth on the stem of a hyssop plant. 30 After Jesus drank the wine, he said, “Everything is done!” He bowed his head and died.

The Love of God
St. John's Gospel
3:16 God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.

The video message concludes with an appeal from Dr Graham for us to decisively and wholeheartedly  follow the Lord Jesus Christ and with a prayer inviting God to become the Lord of my life. If this message has impacted you in this way we would love to talk with you and offer you the free gift of a Bible in a modern translation. Please connect with us via one of the options on our Contact Form.

Anglicans from Titahi Bay, Ranui and Porirua East joined Māori sisters and brothers in Christ at the Rota Waitoa Church in Elsdon for an Ash Wednesday evening service. The Rota Waitoa whanau welcomed us and shared a te reo Māori liturgy with us as we worshipped accompanied on guitar by Archdeacon Reverend Tiaki in a service led by Deacon Reverend Rochelle. The Holy Communion was presided over by Reverend Kura, Porirua Anglican Priest in Charge Reverend Terry preached on our identity in Christ and Titahi Bay Priest Reverend Casey led prayers. Those present were anointed with ash and oil by the clergy in the service of imposition of ashes.
Those who attended rejoiced in the opportunity to experience a service in te reo Māori and to realise our oneness in Christ. A fine evening was sealed with traditionally generous hospitality as we drank and ate sitting at tables covered with red table cloths. 

We were blessed this year to welcome and bless Lauren Dooley and her family from Ireland during the Christingle service in St Anne's. This special Christmas service uses as a decorated orange as a symbol of the world we live in that has been so influence by the light of Christ which is seen in the lit candles that are part of the Christingle that the children create during the service. To be a little pc these days we thread dried fruit to the cocktail sticks rather than sweet lollies. Otherwise the image below describes what a Christingle is.

The children and some adults present at the service are seen in the slideshow below.

During 2019 the Operation of St Anne's Pantry has been reviewed. The Review was prompted by the retirement of key volunteers Diane & Bob Stuart and Val Grace. The review process considered all aspects of the Pantry's operation and concluded that its continued operation is warranted, if key personnel are found and other concerns are satisfied. 

An informal meeting of Porirua Anglican Vestry members on 16 November 2019 agreed to the continuation of St Anne's Pantry on the following basis:

• Sofia Ali & Margaret Alve will, in the interim, co-facilitate the Pantry operation.
• Sofia and Margaret will liaise with the retiring Pantry Facilitators, Diane & Bob Stuart and Val Grace, with a view  to ensuring a seamless transition.
• Key Stakeholders will be advised of this decision promptly and kept regularly informed about Pantry operations.
• The Pantry Storage will be relocated.
• St Anne's congregation members and others will be recruited and trained to assist with the Pantry operation.
• Travel allowances will be offered to those who use vehicles as part of the Pantry operation.
• The Facilitators will explore further ways of integrating the operation of St Anne's Pantry with the community life of the Porirua Anglican Church.
• Porirua Anglican Parish operate a Pantry bank account (BNZ account: 02 0548 0035743 083). Please indicate name and phone number for reference if you donate finance.

We are delighted that  key volunteers have been found to operate the Pantry into 2020. May we all pray for and support Sofia and Margaret as they spearhead the Pantry operation. Also let's pray for our Porirua community: that no one will go to bed at night hungry.

It is with sadness that we farewelled Bill recently and we especially extend our condolences to Dawn his wife who also worshipped with him at St Anne's. Rest in peace our dear brother in Christ.

Priest in Charge Terry with his wife Margaret have recently returned from holiday in Europe and the UK. Sadly, they were absent when Bill died and return with a deep sense of loss at his passing. Their time away included Retreat time at the Holy Island of Lindisfarne and with the Sisters of the Order of the Holy Paraclete at St Hilda's Priory, Whitby. At both these places they connected with our Celtic Heritage, the amazing devotion of saints from 7th & 8th centuries of the Christian era, and the beauty and ruggedness of the North east England coastline.

In Terry's absence, Deacon the Reverend Rochelle Grace oversaw St Anne's Parish ministries and life. We are deeply indebted to her loving leadership and rejoice with her now as she proceeds to ordination as a Priest in the Church early next year.

On Sunday 29th September we worshipped joyfully at St Christopher's, Tawa in a combined service with people from the Parishes of the Porirua Anglican Cluster - Pauatahanui, Whitby, Titahi Bay, Porirua and Tawa.

Last Sunday (16 Oct) saw a full church at St Anne's and we had an intimation that we are moving into a season of Prayer. Last Friday we celebrated St Luke's Day with healing services in St Anne's that gave rise to testimonies to healing in Church on Sunday.

From  Wednesday 30th October we are scheduling an additional prayer service weekly 2-3pm Wednesdays in St Anne's. While we will always pray for particular personal needs as they come to our notice; we will be praying for the development of the Porirua Anglican Churches. As we move towards the end of 2019 and anticipate the new year we live with a deep sense that God has something new for us. We are keen to discern what that is and what is required of us. Whether or not you can come regularly to our weekly prayer meets, please do pray with us and feed back to us your discernment....

We congratulate those who have been elected to the Porirua City Council including new mayor Anita Baker and prayerfully commend them to God's blessing and wisdom.

And as we go to Press we have just received news that the Reverend Peter Watson vicar of Pauatahanui Parish has just been appointed to St Matthew's in Masterton beginning in the new year. Congratulations Peter; commiserations Pauatahanui.