FIRST CHURCH OF OTAGO - WHAT’S ON DURING MARCH 2012

SENIOR MINISTER: The Reverend Tokerau Joseph, phone 477 7792 cell 027 371 4733 PART TIME ASSISTANT MINISTER: The Reverend Anne Thomson 477 7150 cell 027 467 5488 PART TIME PASTORAL ASSISTANT MINISTER : The Rev John Sinclair (473 9950 or 027 436 9204) FIRST CHURCH BELL RINGERS - Practice 7.30pm Monday and Thursday nights;

WEEKLY EVENTS Mondays 1.30pm Mah Jong - McLean Room Thursdays 7.30pm Bells Practice Fridays 6pm Youth Group Burns Hall

SUNDAY SERVICES FOR MARCH 2012 SUNDAY MARCH 4 at 11am QUARTERLY COMMUNION Our first combined service for the year, with lunch to follow in Burns Hall. Please bring finger food to share.

Duties; Russell Duff ( 476 3404) Selina Mulder, Opara Richard, Ma‟ara Williams Finance Russell Duff SUNDAY MARCH 11 10.00am - Morning Worship The Reverend Tokerau Joseph 12noon - Cook Islands - The Reverend Anne Thomson 2.00pm - Samoan Service -The Reverend Tokerau Joseph 10am DUTIES: Foalima Lemalu ( 453 4210) Gifford Brown, Loraine Denniston, Finance Nan Rickard TEA:COFFEE: Maureen and Les Green

SUNDAY MARCH 18 PRESBYTERIAN SUPPORT SUNDAY 10.00am -Morning Worship The Reverend Tokerau Joseph 12noon Cook Islands The Reverend Tokerau Joseph 2.00pm - Samoan Service The Reverend Tokerau Joseph 10am DUTIES: Nineva Vaitupu ( 455 3375) Les and Maureen Green, La Faatoese Finance Les Green TEA/COFFEE : John Takacs and Isobel Napper

SUNDAY MARCH 25 Anniversary Sunday 10.00am -Morning Worship The Reverend Anne Thomson 12noon - Cook Islands ` - I Dean 2.00pm - Samoan Service N Vaitupu 10am DUTIES: Brian Williscroft. Noeleen Williscroft , Isobel Napper, and Lex Campbell Finance: Joyce Dyer TEA/COFFEE: Loraine Denniston and June Hastie

WHAT’S ON DURING MARCH Thurs 1 Craft group TUES 13 4.30pm Property Committee WED 14 6.00pm SESSION Thurs 15 Craft group Mon 19 4.30pm Finance Committee WED 21 7.30pm DEACONS COURT Sun 26 café lunch Mosgiel RSA Thurs 29 Craft group

CAFÉ LUNCH SUNDAY MARCH 26

Mosgiel RSA on the 26 March. Please ring Russell Duff 476 3494

This Prison Where I Live a documentary made by Rex Bloomenstein

for Amnesty International. You are invited to join us at Knox Church to see this 90 minute documentary on Sunday March 18 at 2.00pm, 4.00pm and 8.15pm. It may be wise to book at Knox Church Office (ph.4770229 Mon-Fri, 9-12) and/or bring a cushion! Angela Norton, co-ordinator of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand's partnership with the Presbyterian Church of Myanmar, has warmly recommended it as a great example of what such a film can do. She has recently been in Myanmar and was present when four political prisoners were released back into their communities. Zarganar, the courageous Burmese comedian interviewed in the documentary, was released from prison late last year in November. His is a powerful story of humour under dictatorship, a story of grace and patience under extreme provocation. Admission is by donation and proceeds go to the PCANZ/PCM partnership Rice Bowl Fund and the director Rex Bloomenstein who had very little funding for the film.

FIRST CHURCH MISSION STATEMENT “We are striving to become a truly multi-cultural community, providing a warm, creative and affirming home base, enabling us to reach out with the Good News to those working and living in the inner-city and beyond.”

Message from The Reverend Tokerau Joseph

FIRST CHURCH OF OTAGO

415 Moray Place, Dunedin

NEWSLETTER - MARCH 2012

Hello! Kia orana! Talofa lava! Taloha ni! Praise God for 2012!

Health and wellbeing is important to people. Healthcare is also costly and big business. According to a Treasury report the most recent figure for health spending in New Zealand is $13.1 billion for the 2010/11 financial year. The Pre-Election Economic and Fiscal Update 2011 (PREFU) published in October 2011 forecasts that spending on health for the 2011/12 year will be $13.8 billion. In terms of medicine subsidies, PHARMAC spending on community medicines (the portion PHARMAC is responsible for) rose to $706.1 million in 2010/11, and this funded 39.7 million pre-scriptions. In all, PHARMAC estimates this covered more than 260,000 people in the 2010/11 financial year. This is a lot of money spent on health and wellbeing, but it demonstrates how essential such an area is to people‟s lives because no one wants to be ill or incapacitated by poor health.

Our lectionary readings within the few weeks of the season of Epiphany have re-minded us of the needs of those who are disadvantaged in life because of health is-sues. We heard of the healing of the man with an unclean spirit (Mk. 1:21-28), the healing of Simon‟s mother-in-law and “all who were sick with various diseases and possessed with many demons (29-24), the cleansing of the leper (40-45), the healing of the paralytic (Mk. 2:1-12), and the healing of Namaan (2 Kgs. 5:1-14). The readings also remind us of God‟s compassionate response to them. It was a response that actually involved others. From psalm 41 the psalmist in his or her own affliction was able to declare: Happy are those who consider the poor, the Lord delivers them in the day of trouble…The Lord sustains them on their sickbed; in their illness you heal all their infirmities” (v. 1, 3). For the psalmist, happiness or blessedness belongs to those who are like God – those who consider the poor and needy. Jesus also taught, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (Mat. 5:7).

As followers of Jesus we are called to be part of God‟s compassionate response to others in need. We have an opportunity to be the expression of God‟s lover mercy to those who are need of it. Not everyone may want help, yet we all know that people would prefer to be well rather than being ill and suffering. Perhaps some may think it is not their gift or area of skill to visit or helping others in need. Trying to help others who might not want your help is not always easy to handle, but it is grace nonetheless that is offered; the same grace God showed to humanity through Jesus Christ. We may not all be doctors or experts in the field of healthcare, but we are bearers of God‟s grace and we have the ability to love and support others in need. We may simply be a shoulder for someone to lean on, an ear for listening, an arm to embrace or friendly presence to break the cycle of loneliness. People‟s suffering doesn‟t always have to be physical or visible and a remedy doesn‟t always have to be a medicinal drug. The help you might offer someone may not be quantified in terms of money, but the contribution to their wellbeing may indeed be hugely significant.

Two Sundays ago I offered a very prayer of healing and blessing (with oil) for people during one of our services. If you would like such prayer, please do not hesitate to contact me.

So blessed are you who consider the weak and needy. Go and be a blessing! Tokerau

Reverends

Tokerau Joseph

1

Anne Thomson

Youth

2

Session 3

Samoan

Cook Islands

4

Insurance 6

Lectionary 7

Services 8

RETIRING OFFERING COMMUNION

SUNDAY. MARCH 4th 11am At our AGM in October 2011 a deficit budget was predicted for the current year. Since then substantial in-creases in insurance costs has deterio-rated the church‟s

financial position.

In view of this situa-tion Session has therefore approved a Deacons‟ Court recommendation to hold a Retiring Of-

fering on Sunday 4th March at 11am. Please find enclosed offering envelope with this newsletter The money from this offering will be used to help meet the As-sembly Assessment for First Church of $21,782.74 per

annum.

Dear First Church folk

This year we are planning to celebrate the 164th anniversary of First Church (which also happens to be the anniversary of Otago and of Dunedin) over the weekend of 23-25 March. We want to invite the people of Dunedin to First Church, to tour the building and the Heritage Centre on Saturday and Sunday, and to worship on Sun-day. If you know people who have had a connection with First Church - perhaps they were married here, or baptised here, or a family funeral was held at First – please would you make a point of telling them about the weekend's activities, and inviting them to come with you to worship on Sunday 25 March? John's gospel tells us that when two of John the Baptist's disciples were interested in learning more about Jesus, Jesus invited them to “Come and see”. Come and

see how he lived, come and see what he did and said, come and see how he responded to people. As they went with him, as they saw his life and listened to his teaching, they came to see who he was, the image of the invisible God, as Paul was to put it later (Col.1:15). In Jesus' life, and in Jesus' death, and in his resur-rection, they came to know that “all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell” (Col.1:19). When we invite people to join in our anniversary celebrations, we don't want just to show them a building, or to remind them of our history and theirs. We want to offer them an opportunity to come and see Jesus, to come and experience God's love for them embodied in Jesus and now in those who are “the body of Christ”. We hope that coming to First Church will help them to see more clearly – but what will be most convincing, most inviting, most attractive will be what they see in us, the people who follow Jesus, living day by day be-yond the walls of First Church. Coming to First Church is not an end in itself – coming to know the love of God in Jesus is what we want to see happening.

Blessings to you all, Anne

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MESSSAGE FROM THE REVEREND ANNE THOMSON

Hi to you all!!

We‟ve started the year later than usual, but what a start it was!! If you haven‟t noticed, Youth is now on MONDAY NIGHTS 6:30PM!!!! So come on down to make a kick start to your week with thought, singing, games and some fun!!!

The Youth will be involved in the Children‟s Day celebrations and some of the events happening during Easter., as well as two lots of Sports during the month of April as there will be Easter sports and the usual Pacific Trust Otago Holiday Sports. Feel free to come down to the Edgar Centre and support the Youth or even just have a look and see what the fuss is all about!!

Then the end of April will see the first Youth Service of the year on the 29th April, which is one of three for

the year. Till next time….. Ron and Tara Muliau

FIRST CHURCH YOUTH GROUP—Ron Muliau

RADIO CHURCH - If you know someone who is unable to attend a church service, please let

them know that they can join in Radio Church every Sunday morning from

8.30 - 9.00 am on Otago Access Radio 105.4 FM.

This half hour ecumenical service is led by ministers from Dunedin's inner city churches. Recent services can be heard as a podcast (for the com-

puter-literate) through Otago Access Radio website - http://

www.oar.org.nz/browse-podcasts/

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LECTIONARY READINGS FOR MARCH

During March, these are the readings that we will use in our services: the Revised Common Lectionary at the 10 am and 2 pm service, and Te Tia at the 12 noon service. Revised Common Lectionary Te Tia (12 noon service) March 4 Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16 Salamo 10 (Lent 2) Psalm 22:23-31 Romans 4:13-25 Mark 8: 31-38 March 11 Exodus 20: 1-17 Salamo 11 (Lent 3) Psalm 19 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 John 2: 13-22 March 18 Numbers 21: 4-9 Salamo 12 (Lent 4) Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22 Ephesians 2: 1-10 John 3: 14-21 March 25 Jeremiah 31:31-34 Salamo 13 (Lent 5) Psalm 51: 1-12 or Psalm 119: 9-16 Hebrews 5: 5-10 John 12: 20-33

Lent - A spiral journey The great and abiding metaphor of Lent is journey. As followers of Jesus, we travel with him on his last journey to Jerusalem and along the way, we explore what discipleship really means. If you have been a Jesus follower for a number of years then this journey will be familiar. But it will also be unfamiliar. Each year we explore similar Scripture passages but each year we are slightly different people, we have experienced more and hopefully learned more than we had this time last year.

This year, the lectionary passages we read each Sunday can shape our journey as a spiral. Sometimes we feel that we are in the same place we were last year, as if our lives were one simple circle. But it is not so. If we pay attention, what appears to be a simple circle turns out to be a complex spiral and we are never in the same place on the spiral as we were last year or any other year. We have, perhaps, moved a little further into the mystery of our existence and, at the same time, perhaps a little further out into the mystery of the world. This season, many of the texts begin with huge promises. The promise made to Noah and the promise to Abraham and Sarah are big for them and their families, but they are also promises for the whole world. But neither of these stories simply ends with the giving of the universal promise. Each of the promise-hearers must become, on the journey into their own lives, promise-receivers. And each of them struggled to understand, as we do, what it means to live out these world-changing promises. As you journey through Lent to Easter, take time to consider the promises God has made to you, and the response you have made to God. God's blessing is for each of us, and for us all.

Tuesday 6 March, 5.10-6.15pm, Archway 2

Michael Hardin (founder of “Preaching Peace”) on

THE SACRIFICE OF THE CROSS: BY WHOM AND FOR WHOM?

Lecture sponsored by Centre for Theology & Public Issues

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First Church of Otago Insurance

As we are all only too well aware the NZ insurance market has been turned on its head following the 22 February 2011 Christchurch earthquake.

First Church of Otago‟s insurance premiums have been significantly affected by the repercussions of this earthquake on the insurance market. The key concern is the insurance cover for the Church building itself. By and large the insurance cover for all other church buildings and property, while still having increased premiums, they are basically in line with what would be expected.

It is the insurance cover and cost of the cover of the Church building that poses the challenge to the Finance Committee, the Deacons Court and the Church Congregation.

In short, insurance cover was negotiated by the Presbyterian Church Administration in Wellington on a national basis with Ansvar – an old established English insurance company which traditionally undertook insurance of historic buildings around the world, including churches.

While there were considerable problems encountered through delays, largely in tardy communication and apparent lack of prompt action following the 22 February 2011 earthquake by the Presbyterian Church Administration, insurance cover was finally agreed with Ansvar. While there were considerable concerns with the costs of this cover for First Church the Church did take up and pay for key aspects of cover in relation to the Church building, namely fire and demolition costs. It was the Finance Committee’s intention to consider other options available through other NZ brokers in 2012.

In December 2011 Ansvar made the shock announcement that it was withdrawing from the NZ insurance market effective 31 December 2011.

As a consequence, the Presbyterian Church Administration has been successful in negotiating national insurance cover through Aon, but at a considerable cost.

However, the cost of such cover in respect to the First Church‟s church building is considered punitive and unaffordable, particularly on an ongoing basis, by the Finance Committee.

Looking ahead, the Finance Committee plans to firstly meet with Fergus Sime (Otago Synod) to discuss the situation and all possible and feasible options available before recommending to Deacons Court to pay the 10 month premium of $16k (net of discount) approx. by 12 March 2012. (This insurance cover is effective through to 31 October 2012.)

It is still the Finance Committee‟s intention to canvas other insurance options and alternatives for the insurance of the Church building.

At the Deacons Court Meeting of 15th February the Deacons‟ Court passed the following motion:- “That the Deacons’ Court approves granting to the Finance Committee power to act in respect of First Church

property insurance cover, ensuring that no building or property is uninsured. “

Profile of Missionaries with Serving In Mission We are Andrew & Liz Buxton, missionaries with Serving In Mission (SIM). Respec-tively we are an engineer and architect who separately God lead to serve him in Af-rica. We meet in South Sudan while working on the construction of a hospital and got married in 2010, counting it a blessing that we are both from Otago. In 2011 we both did some theological study in New Zealand to better prepare us for future missionary service but health issues have delayed our return to South Sudan. Thanks to email and skype we can still have some connection with the work SIM is doing in Africa and SIM NZ has assigned us as South Island Mission Mobilizers for 2012. It is a privilege to have this role where we can meet with and encourage individuals and churches with respect to their involvement in Global Missions. We hope to return to South Sudan in the first half of 2013 where we will have a leadership role with the SIM team there. You can find out more about SIM at www.sim.org.nz

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Session met on 08 February, our first meeting for 2012. On the Agenda was „Planning for 2012‟. Some good ideas were brought forward but no new activities confirmed. We trust that 2012 won‟t be a year of “all that we dreamed but didn’t dare do”. As I am writing this I am listening to the radio where interviews are taking place with people who were caught up in the February 22nd earthquake in Christchurch last year. The suffering is still going on. Most of us will know someone who has been affected by this upheaval and tragedy. Let us all still remember the people of Canterbury in our prayers. Elders are reminded of the Eldership Seminar that is to be held in the:- Highgate Church on Saturday March 3rd 9am – 12 noon. This seminar will be hosted by Rev Dr Graham Redding, Principal of the Knox Centre for Leadership and Ministry. His Unfailing Presence

Another year I enter, It’s history unknown; Oh how my feet would tremble, to tread its paths alone!

But I have heard a whisper, I know I shall be blest, ‘My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest’.

What will the New Year bring me? I may not, must not know;

Will it be love and rapture, or loneliness and woe? Hush! Hush! I hear this whisper,

I surely shall be blest; ‘My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.” (unknown author)

Nan Rickard, Session Clerk

NEWS FROM THE SESSION CLERK - Nan Rickard

Can you do it? We need a number of

people to share the

story of First Church

with visitors on

23rd and 24th March.

Its Anniversary Week-end and we are invit-

ing Dunedin residents to visit the Church and

learn about our history and involvement in

the city.

Training will be provided .

For more details please contact Rev Anne Thomson.

TAX REBATES 31 March 2012

At the end of the tax year (31 March 2012) it is

possible to lodge a claim for a Tax Credit for the do-

nations you make to First Church along with any

other qualifying donations you have made during the

tax year. The Tax Credit Claim you can make is for

33% of the total donations you have made.

For example, if you make a donation of $100.00, your

Tax Credit Claim results in a refund directly to you

of $33.33. Hence, in effect your donation has cost

you $66.67.

The Inland Revenue Form you need to use for claim-

ing this donation refund is the IRD 526 Form – “Tax

Credit Claim Form”.

If you have any questions, or queries in relation to claiming donations, or how to complete the Inland Revenue Tax Credit Claim Form (IR 526), then please contact either Tony Stevely ( 455 8032 – or Les Green (454 3884).

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Talofa LavaTalofa Lava, Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

On behalf of the Samoan Congregation we would like to wish you all the happiest of beginnings to the New Year 2012 and wish you all the best throughout the remainder of the year. Yet again a New Year has arrived and the schedules of all those involved is as busy as ever. Our youth are once again embarking on a new academic year. Some are at new schools and others are re-turning after a well-deserved break. We would like to wish you all the best in your studies and in your chosen sporting and cultural fields. Our Sunday school is again set to begin again after their break following another very successful Christmas Party. The children‟s teachers are currently preparing for another wonderful year.

Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, - F Vaitupu

NEWS FROM THE SAMOAN COMMUNITY

APW NEWS APW Meeting February 21 The guest speaker Marie Bennett gave a most informative talk on the signs of elder abuse and how important it is to have an Enduring Power of Attorney. Marie is a social worker with Age Concern Otago, and she related numerous and various incidents of abuse. If anyone has concerns within their family or neighbourhood or feels in a vulnerable situation Marie can be contacted at Age Concern Otago. There will also be information available on the table outside the Heritage Centre door.

APW organized the Floral Display at the recent Ecumenical Flowers in Praise at St Paul’s Cathedral. Dunedin Presbyterial next meeting TUESDAY MARCH 27

th at 10.30am. Business and speaker morning session. Com-

munion service after lunch. Please bring your own lunch.

“Growing into the Future” – the national gathering of Presbyterian Women will be held at Rangi Ruru Girls’ School 59 Hewitts Road Christchurch 21

st- 23

rd April. Speakers: Gwen Neave ONZM J.P Turakina Girls‟ College; Ian

McMeeken, Youth Court Judge; John Hunt Gaelic Spirituality; Registrations close Feb 28. Please contact (as soon as possible if more information required) Nan Rickard 455 6099 or Dorothy Sinclair 473 9950. Presbyterian women of all ages welcome to attend this time of fellowship

Chitra Kumarasinghe and Selina Mulder at Cook Islands

Warrington picnic Saturday 18th February (Photos by Walter Hall )

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NEWS FROM THE COOK ISLANDS COMMUNITY

Kia Orana, Talofa Lava and Greetings My goodness we are already into the 3rd month of 2012. How time flies when you are having fun.

Congratulations and welcome to our new babies of 2012 in our community. In order we welcome Rosalie, daughter of Zoana and Jeff Cockburn, Jahziel, son of Angel and Manu Matapo and Tereau, son of Jovarn and Eshan Dean and also welcome to Ethan Dettling, son of Quintinand Emma Dettling. Well done to you all proud parents, and yes, there‟s still more to co me yet.

The Women’s Fellowship group did very well at the Festival Week selling their plates of food for either $5 or $10. Everything was sold out by 1pm and we would like to thank all those who helped on the day and a special mention and thank you to our Papas for transporting our pots of food to the Octagon from our kitchen in the Burns hall. Our Picnic on February 18th went ahead despite the wet weather in Dunedin, which I believe put a lot of people off aye Mama Anne. It was dry in Warrington especially under the big trees. Those who turned up had a great time. Mama Orometua Tangi is looking for some helpers to decorate a room at the University of Otago in our traditional Cook Island style on Friday 2nd of March before 12pm. Please see Tangi as I don‟t have all the information available.

Also please see her about a session with Doctor Tai Sopoanga which is due to start on a Sunday afternoon around 5pm, and it is about you wanting to know about a certain illness or questions about your own well being eg, Why do I get gout, or what causes it. This will be held in the Corstorphine Community Centre in Middleton Road. This is aimed at our Pasifika people. Again, please feel free to ask Tangi about this. Communion Sunday 11am, March 4th , we will be having a RETIRING OFFERING. The money from this offering will be used to help meet substantial increases in costs which has deteriorated the church‟s financial position.

Just a short reminder to our Vaine Tini group that it will be our turn to serve the lunch that Sunday. Don’t forget to bring something for lunch as the three congregation mingle and lunch together. The Men’s fellowship group will be having a fundraising night Saturday 31st March in the Burns Hall. Entry is gold coin donation and they will be selling plates of food on the night. There will be a live band and items from different groups . ALL at First Church most welcome, and those outside of First Church. For more details please see Ben Bates or Ioaba Dean.

Lastly happy, happy birthday to all those who celebrated their birthdays in February. Manu Matapo, Roy Taratu, Tupou Dean Harris who turned 14yrs, Marianna Dean also turned 14, Ioabarahi Dean turned 2 and his mum Tuaine Dean also celebrated her birth-day. I believe little Fala Muliau will turn 4 this week, and also his Mama Ruhau Miro Dean will celebrate her birthday, also his great uncle Taiarahi Dean as well. Wow! Seems to be a birthday month for the Dean families. Congratulations also to you Papa Enere Wichman who also shares the same birthdate as Miro Dean.

If I have missed anyone, sorry , hope you had a great birthday as well. Regards, Tere Taana

COMMUNITY ISLAND NIGHT Saturday 31 March – 6pm – Burns Hall Come and enjoy the warmth of Pacific music, dance, food and entertainment right here in Dunedin!

Gold coin entry –

plates of island food for sale through the evening – live band – items

Plan to be there to support this event organised by the Cook Islands Men's Fellowship group – bring your friends as well.