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. 

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.

Yesterday the liturgical theme at St Anne's was "The Baptism of the Lord." We thought about what Jesus' baptism in the River Jordan by John the Baptist means. While Jesus' baptism was not a baptism of repentance as ours is - we believe that Jesus had nothing to repent of - it was an action identifying with his and our humanity and it was a public declaration by God that He was the Messianic Son of God who is to be heeded. Jesus' baptism is similar to ours in that the Holy Spirit came upon Him; something we expect to happen when we are baptised and/or confirmed. We won't go into the connection here between baptism and confirmation as understood by Anglicans, other than to say that the Spirit is at work in both rites.

The important question I would like to pose today is, "Are you baptised and if not might it be the right time to consider being baptised?" We are preparing for a baptism service, possibly at the end of February. If you would like to join a group who are preparing for baptism please make contact. This group will meet over four weekly sessions during January and February beginning the week of 21 January. Participation in the group will invite you to explore the meaning of baptism. You may decide to proceed to baptism (possibly on 24th February), you may choose to wait longer or, you may decide baptism is not for you. Whatever your decision it will be respected.

So, if you are an adult or a teenager who would like to explore baptism for yourself; or if you are the parent or guardian of a child for whom you would like to consider baptism, this group is for you. I'd love to chat with you about  joining with us.

Terry Alve
​Interim Priest