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.

The Reverend Tric Malcolm, ex Wellington City Missioner and Executive Member of the Council of Christian Social Services will join us on Sunday (21 July) as we continue our St Anne's Pantry Review. Tric will discuss current thinking about Christian and Church food ministries and help us as a congregation to  continue our Pantry Review, informedly. The Pantry review working group has met twice and discussed with current Pantry leadership how the Pantry currently works; things that work well and the challenges. One of the Pantry's assets is they make food deliveries. This helps deliverers better appreciate the circumstances of food parcel recipients. We are aware of the extensive network behind the scenes that ensures goods and money are available to resource the St Anne's Pantry delivery operation. While we are aware also of some of the other church and community food providers, we are seeking to learn more as we map the bigger picture. Is there a case for better co-operation, especially across the churches?
In today's Sunday service in St Anne's our Scripture sentence (Psalm 82:3) was,
    Be fair to the poor
    and to orphans.
    Defend the helpless
    and everyone in need.
And our Gospel reading the story of the Good Samaritan.
There is no doubt that our neighbours are not necessarily the people next door; rather the people in our community who have urgent need. There is no doubt God is calling us further into such ministry.
We continue to become aware of a number of households and families with children who appreciate food support. Recently several children came to church and shared in breakfast before the morning Sunday service. We are open to our food resource being used to these ends - even a weekly Sunday breakfast with church members collecting children and delivering them home after the service?
Please pray with us as we at St Anne's seek to be obedient to and discerning of God's call to us about this cornerstone outreach ministry.
Terry - Interim PIC

An International Morning on Pentecost Sunday will mark the end of St Anne's Thy Kingdom Come season of prayer which will begin on Ascension Thursday 30 May. During this season of 'prayer focus' various activities have been scheduled including:

• ​Ascension Day (30 May) Prayer Services at 10am and 7pm
• Sunday June 2 worship with 12 Prayer Stations
• Prayer Stations remain available Monday 3 to Friday 7 June when there will be daily services at 10am and 7pm
• Prayer walking Mon 3 to Fri 7 June
• Pentecost Sunday International Morning as above.

In ten days, on the 6th March, Porirua Anglicans will convene two groups to study about "Christian Grace". Study booklets have arrived and are available for a suggested koha of $5 each. Entitled, "A pilgrimage of grace", this study will run for six Wednesdays through to 10th April. There will be two groups meeting at St Anne's: 10am and 7:30pm. Those wanting to join either of these groups should contact Rev Terry Alve 027 944 4996 or 232 2583 (text or call) and advise which group they will join.

​More information is available in the flyer below.

Indeed Sunday 24 February was a day to remember at Russell School as the Anglican Congregation there hosted a Christian baptism and renewal service. Over 60 people attended from the local churches and communities to support Paula MacEwan and Amber Barclay-Williams who made baptismal commitments and Mai Sa who renewed her baptismal vows.

Local Priest Terry Alve began his message to those gathered by reflecting on the baptism service venue journey from Titahi Bay to Plimmerton Beach to Russell School. On Friday the weather forecast suggested a beach baptism would not be wise. While we had been praying for fine, beach weather until Friday; we changed our prayer (as sometimes we need to do) to ask for a storm so that the move to Russell School was justified. A hastily found inflatable birthing bath became a baptismal pool and the three ladies at the centre of proceedings didn't have to freeze as they were immersed in the pool - Matt had immersed his heating irons in the water for a few hours before the event. It was noted during the service that being baptised in a birthing bath captures well some of the meaning of the spiritual rebirth that baptism symbolises. Each candidate was sung a waiata after being immersed in the water and  words of encouragement, scripture and prophecy were prayerfully offered.

Rev Cath Growcott - former Porirua Anglican Priest - conducted the baptisms, having been involved while in the Parish with the candidates. Rev Rochelle Grace who ministers in the local Maori Pastorate and Rota Waitoa Church led liturgy and included Te Reo Maori in the service and Interim priest in Charge Terry Alve shared the message and led the communion prayers. The Russell School congregation were gracious and generous hosts as they shared in setting up the venue and oversaw the catering which was sumptuous and plentiful.