T M THE MESSENGER

FEBRUARY 2016

HE

ESSENGER

February 2016

I was glad when they said to me ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.’ Psalm 122:1

THE MESSENGER is the official magazine of the Anglican Parish of Devonport 20 Church Street, Devonport, Auckland, NZ. Vicar: The Reverend Charmaine Braatvedt Phone(09) 445 0378, Mobile 021 857 997, Email [email protected] Parish office (09) 445 0328 Email [email protected] Website www.holytrinity.gen.nz Facebook Holy Trinity Devonport

1

THE MESSENGER

FEBRUARY 2016 He continues, We end up being incapable of feeling compassion at the outcry of the poor, weeping for other people’s pain, and feeling a need to help them, as though all this were someone else’s responsibility and not our own.

From the Vicar’s Desk When people get to read this edition of our Parish Magazine we will be well and truly steeped in the Season of Lent. I have always found Lent a bit of a downer. It’s felt a little bleak and barren most years as I am encouraged to think on my sins, the pain and suffering of Christ and the fallen nature of the World. Ash Wednesday has felt like the moment to put joy on hold and to start thinking deep, often melancholic thoughts. However this year is different. This year my Lenten journey has been heavily influenced by Christopher Hale’s article in Time Magazine in which he quotes Pope Francis. The article begins with the words: No need to throw out the chocolate, booze, and carbs. Pope Francis has a different idea for fasting this year. These words stopped me in my tracks, because always, ever since I was a girl, I have given up something for Lent, usually chocolates and then in my adult life, alcohol – some years even both. Hale goes on in his article to quote the mystic John Chrysostom who said: No act of virtue can be great if it is not followed by advantage for others. So, no matter how much time you spend fasting, no matter how much you sleep on a hard floor and eat ashes and sigh continually, if you do no good to others, you do nothing great. Here is the moment of truth. Lurking behind my habit of giving up chocolate during Lent was a degree of self interest. I hoped that if I abstained from calorie loaded chocolates, I would lose weight and be healthier. Self interest was alive and well in my decision to fast from eating chocolate for 40 days. Now in fairness to Pope Francis, let’s make it clear that he is not opposed to fasting per se. Rather his call is for us to fast from the less tangible indulgence of indifference towards the poor and the needs of others. Describing the phenomenon he calls the globalization of indifference, Francis writes that whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own interests and concerns, there is no longer room for others, no place for the poor. God’s voice is no longer heard, the quiet joy of his love is no longer felt, and the desire to do good fades. 2

So his call this Lent is for us to fast from indifference to the plight of others, the needy and the poor. When we fast from this indifference he says, we begin to feast on love. Pope Francis’ words spoke prophetically into my life this Lent just as powerfully as the words of the prophets of old troubled the conscience of the privileged in Old Testament times. His call has caused me to wonder, reflect and think about how I might dig deeper into my life and find ways to make more room for the poor and the needy in my thinking, in how I might use the resources, skills and time that God has graciously given me to break the cycle of indifference that inevitably finds its way into my own very privileged and blessed life. So this year I have not given up anything really. I am still enjoying my chocolate. Rather I am lifting up my thinking and giving out my attention as I try really hard to find ways to give out love sacrificially to others and in particular to those less fortunate than myself. And guess what, for the first time, I am discovering a quiet joy in Lent. Rev Charmaine Braatvedt

Our love and prayers go to the people of Fiji devastated by the brutal force of Cyclone Winston. The Parish was pleased to send $1000 to the TEAR Fund Emergency Appeal . $500 from the Community Shop and $500 from Parish Funds The Messenger Editor Publisher

Rev. Charmaine Braatvedt Andie Levell

Front Cover: John Williams’ photo of the Lights Sol Apera installed for the Christmas Season

FEBRUARY 2016 The Journey to the Cross at St Augustine’s Church This year we intend to continue the tradition of using St Augustine’s Church as a space for imaginative contemplation and reflection. During Holy Week there will be an adaptation of The Stations of the Cross and you will be offered an opportunity to walk with Christ in your imaginations through his passion and death. There will be seven stations:  The Agony in the Garden;  Peter’s denial of Jesus;  The Mocking of Christ by the religious leaders and the soldiers;  Pilate’s sentencing of Jesus to death;  Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry his cross;  The Crucifixion;  Christ’s body is placed in the tomb. Once again Vanda Breslin and Christine Tyler will collaborate to transform the little Church of St Augustine’s into a reflective space for this purpose during Holy Week. The installation will open on Palm Sunday at the 5pm Taizé Service and close on Easter Saturday during a special Easter Vigil Service at 5pm at St Augustine’s Church.

The Easter Vigil Service at St Augustine’s 5pm Easter Vigil is traditionally a service held on Easter Saturday evening. It is technically the first celebration of Easter. This year we will hold this service at St Augustine’s Church for the first time on Saturday 26th March. At the start of the service there will be the traditional blessing and lighting of the Pascal candle. This will be followed by a Communion Service.

THE MESSENGER 2016

at Holy Trinity and St Augustine’s Wednesday Communion during Lent 10am and 6.30pm Midweek Wednesday evening services as usual throughout Lent—7.30pm ReFrame—The gospel is for everyday living Palm Sunday (20th March) - 8.00am & 9.30am Maundy Thursday (24th March) Communion Service at 7pm Remembering the Last Supper Stripping the church Hand or foot washing Good Friday (25th March) Procession up Mt Vic Walk to the summit of Mt Vic Leave at 10am from Windsor Band Rotunda Reflections on the Cross Choral Service 2pm—3pm Easter Saturday (26th March) 5pm Vigil at St Augustine’s Church Blessing of the Paschal Candle and Eucharist Easter Sunday - 8am and 9.30 Eucharist

St Augustine’s Church will be open from 5pm—7pm throughout Holy Week. Charmaine Braatvedt 3

THE MESSENGER Love was in the air on Valentine’s Day It only happens every seven years that Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday as was the case this year. So we embraced the opportunity to talk about the love of God, the love of neighbour and romantic love. Seventy people, old and young gathered at the Church at 5pm to hear Anouska Maritz sing Puccini’s O Caro Bambino; Brecon Carter play Love me Tender and watch Playing for Change’s great adaptation of Stand By Me. The church was decorated with fairy lights, there was a gazebo where champagne and chocolate treats were served and a general bon homi filled the church. Thanks to members of our youth group who graciously offered hospitality, serving food and drinks, and to everyone who helped to make it such a splendid occasion. After the service 48 people wandered down to Platter to enjoy a meal together.

FEBRUARY 2016 A heart warming story of sacrificial love. This is how the story of Valentine’s Day goes according to tradition: Valentinus lived in Rome in the 3rd Century AD. The emperor Claudius II ordered all Romans to worship twelve gods, and made it a crime punishable by death to associate with Christians. Valentinus was a highly educated Christian convert who refused to obey. He was arrested and imprisoned. During the last weeks of Valentinus's life his jailer asked him to teach his blind daughter Julia. Valentinus agreed and also told her about God. One day she asked "Valentinus, does God really hear our prayers?" “Yes, my child, He hears each one." "I pray that I might see” she said. "God does what is best for us, if we will only believe in Him," Valentinus said. As they sat together, praying, there was a brilliant light in the prison cell and Julia declared “I can see!" On the eve of his death Valentinus wrote a last note to Julia, urging her to stay close to God. He signed it, "From your Valentine."

Bridget Kelly, Rebecca Scholtz and Charly Choi do the honours

It was a joy to have Alison Williams join us. Her sheer determination to rise above the challenges of ill health is a wonderfully inspiring example to us all. We look forward to another such occasion but it will be seven years before we celebrate Valentine’s day on a Sunday again. Charmaine Braatvedt

Alison Williams & Lurline Woodhouse Enjoying the Valentine’s Day Service

4

His sentence was carried out the next day, February 14, 270 A.D. near a gate that was later named Porta Valentini in his memory. He was buried at what is now the Church of Praxedes in Rome. It is said that Julia planted a pink-blossomed almond tree near his grave. Today, the almond tree remains a symbol of abiding love and friendship. On each February 14, Saint Valentine's Day, messages of affection, love, and devotion are exchanged around the world. Charmaine Braatvedt.

FEBRUARY 2016 Breaking News…...

Well, we are back into the swing of another year! We

THE MESSENGER Below: Mathilda, Matthew, Jess, Olivia, Isla and Isabella.

had a wonderful Christmas that was full of events for our children to celebrate the birth of Christ—joining in the annual Devonport Christmas Parade; our Super Sunday Club Christmas play “Breaking News;” the community carol service, and our ever popular Christingle services. We continued to offer activities on a Sunday morning

throughout the holiday period for children coming to church, and formally commenced our new year of teaching on 14th February. I am really excited to welcome two new leaders to our wonderful children’s ministry: Jamie Hunt and Stacy Pilutti. Muriel Jones is taking the older children in a “Preparing for Communion” course this term, while the rest of us have started a new lectionary-based curriculum called “Connectible” which was created by the Anglican Diocese of Dunedin. Sadly, this is my last Messenger contribution as Children’s Worker for Holy Trinity as I am leaving to focus on studying to become a primary school teacher. The time I have spent leading the Super Sunday Club and organising extra children’s activities for the church has helped to reaffirm my calling to be a teacher, and I am very grateful for the wonderful opportunity it proved to be. Catherine Adler

Confirmation Classes will be on offer for Adults and Young Adults in Term 2 from 28th May

While sleeping late can be nice, have you considered the benefits of Super Sunday Club for your child? Age Targeted Teaching: Where else can your kids get Biblical instruction that’s focused toward their developmental abilities? Friends: In SSC, your child will build positive friendships with their peers by discovering God’s Word together. It’s Fun: Sunday School is not Disney Land, but our teachers do work hard to teach the Bible in ways that are relevant and fun for kids. Systematic Bible Learning: Our curriculum is designed to give a broad foundation, so children will understand how all the parts of Scripture point to Christ.

for 6 Saturdays from 10—12 noon.

The Confirmation Service will be on 3rd July at 5pm See the Vicar to register for these classes 4450378 or [email protected]

Every Sunday, 9.30am, except the first Sunday of the month when we enjoy all age worship together.

5

THE MESSENGER Youth Group 2016 Change is in the Air

A new school year has started! New beginnings are exciting and sometimes terrifying – new textbooks, new teachers, new form class, and for some, a new uniform for a different school. There are those of you who have now left school and are moving on to uni or new jobs. Change is good but change is also challenging and when we face the challenges of change it’s good to know that God does not change. Malachi 3:6 “I am the Lord I change not.” Our friendships can be a source of great comfort in times of change. Holy Trinity’s Youth Group is here to offer you the support of friendship as you negotiate the many changes in your lives. We are a community where you have space to share, commiserate and confide. We are also welcoming of new people and in this new season we encourage you to invite those around you to come along and we will support them too.

FEBRUARY 2016 Food for Thought: Parents are encouraged to take more responsibility for the spiritual development of their children. Youth ministry has its own dynamic within the life of a congregation. It involves a delicate dance of navigating the expectations of the congregation, parents, the youth, the youth pastor and the Vestry. Not an easy task for any youth pastor! Recent polls show Christian teenagers world wide are turning away from the church – and there is the thought that unfulfilling youth groups and the over-dependence of parents on youth groups to disciple their children, may have something to do with this trend.

We have many things that are happening in Term 1. The teaching for this term is on Jesus and his life, death, and resurrection, as we reflect on the relevance of Easter for us today.

According to a survey sponsored by the US-based National Centre for Family-Integrated Churches (NCFIC), 55% of American Christians feel that modern youth ministry is shallow and too entertainment focused.

We are going to Easter Camp again this year, so make sure you register in time to join us. There is a separate camp Youth Group and the GAP. See me for more information. Also we will be having a boys’ sleepover during the holidays at the end of the Term 1.

NCFIC spokesman Adam McManus believes the teachings in Scripture are not being taught accurately enough in youth groups and that they are not engaging youth as a result.

Our Young Adult Home Group starts up in March and we intend to explore philosophical, and theological questions in relation to our daily lives. For more info on this and any of the above, contact me on: [email protected] or on my mobile 0210783511 Charly Choi

Here at Holy Trinity we do our best to maintain a balance between fun and good scriptural teaching. However Adam McManus makes a good point when he says that the answer to the challenge of raising young Christians into committed adult believers lies less with youth groups and more with parents. He points to Deuteronomy 6:4-7 which instructs parents to impress God's commandments on their children on a daily basis. It reads: "Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” McManus adds: "Frankly, I'm not as concerned about what happens in Sunday School in church, as I am with what happens in 'Monday School' and 'Tuesday School' at home with the family."

Youth Group meets in the Bright Hole at Holy Trinity Parish Hall.

6

Youth group director at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham Alabama, Cameron Cole agrees, saying that parents should take more responsibility for the spiritual development of their children.

FEBRUARY 2016 He writes: "There is a propensity in our culture to outsource the development of our children. For intellectual development, we send them to school. For athletic development, we send them to Little League. And for spiritual formation, we send them to youth group.” "The church has done a poor job of communicating to parents that they are the primary disciplers of their children. Parents don't believe this, but the reality is that kids listen to their parents far more than they're going to listen to a youth minister." The survey comes after the Barna research group found that 61% of people in their twenties who previously attended church are now spiritually disengaged.

It found that 59% of young Christians will disconnect either permanently or for an extended period of time from church life after the age of 15. As can be seen from Charly’s article on the page opposite, the youth programme at Holy Trinity sets out to offer young people an experience of God and to share the Gospel with young people in ways that speak into the problems and needs of the real world as well as to be relevant to their career interests. We also endeavour to tackle the hard questions of life and faith and encourage young people to express their doubts and to ask their most pressing life questions openly in a safe environment.

THE MESSENGER Messy Church Messy Church is a form of church for children and adults that involves creativity, celebration and hospitality. It typically includes a welcome, a long creative time to explore the biblical theme through getting messy; a short celebration time involving story, prayer, song, games and similar; and a sit-down meal together at tables. It is for people of all ages. It’s fun and it models and promotes good ways of growing as a family. Messy church is not just for children. It is a way of being church for families involving fun and is found across the world. It started in 2004 when a group at St Wilfrid’s Church near Portsmouth decided to involve all the creative people in the church and surrounding areas and create something for all ages. This was founded partly on the belief that we grow best as a church when we walk the journey with as many different people as possible and a desire to help families grow together in their walk of faith. We aim to hold a Messy Church service six times this year and would like to involve as many of the congregation and wider community as possible. We hope to see you at our first service on March 13th. Beryl Spackman

However we seek to do this in partnership with the parents supporting them in their desire for their children to become committed adult Christian believers and relying on them to support us in our endeavours to nurture the spiritual development of their teenagers. So we work together in Christ! Charmaine Braatvedt http://www.christianpost.com/news/church-services-separatedby-age-un-biblical-say-former-youth-pastors-52964/

7

THE MESSENGER A fitting Tribute to Sean McRae…… Auckland Grammar was the much loved Alma Mata of Sean Mc Rae. It was here that he spent what he acknowledged to be the best years of his life. Here he excelled academically and on the sports field and rose to the prestigious position of Head Prefect. So it is a fitting tribute to a beautiful person that his friend, Clayton has not only been the driving force behind printing the book on economics that Sean was so very proud of writing, but has used the funds raised by the Give a Little campaign to offer Auckland Grammar an annual prize for the top Economics student in Form 7. The plan is to have the following: An annual Sean McRae Economics prize which Consists of a copy of his book, a $200 cash prize and a "McRaeconomics" cup presented to the top student. The budget for the prize allows for the prize to be presented annually for 20 years . Plus: An assembly bench will be purchased for the school hall and a plaque will be attached to the back of it. This is a fine gesture which will insure that his memory will live on in the school he loved so much. Charmaine Braatvedt

FRIENDSHIP LUNCH Tuesday 29th March at 11am in the Parish Hall Whether you come on your own, with a friend or as part of a group, everyone is welcome! Anyone in our local Community is invited. We offer good company, good food and the chance to meet new friends or catch up with old ones.

“The Sixties Up Choir” is providing the entertainment at our next lunch.

FEBRUARY 2016 Café Service 10th April 2016 Parish Hall 6—8pm With Charly Choi, Brecon Carter, David Finlay & Kate Parker A musical treat is in store for us all. Don’t miss this special event !

Community Shop Volunteers Needed If you have a few hours spare once a month, particularly on a Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday we would love you to come and be part of our friendly team of volunteers down at the Community Shop. Contact Tina on 445-1576 or Vanda Breslin on 445-0328 for more information.

Weddings Jing Miao & Chang Yoo Jessie Ngatipa & Joshua Abrahams Anne Maree Trudgett & Shane Greaves Adelia Sugianto & Victor Ting Delint van der Westhuizen & Samiuela Ngaue Viola Lan Wei & Allen Di Wu Ying Li & Wen Ma Fei Wu & Jingyue Wang Melinda Heffernan & Han Cho Guangli Zhang & Ning Huang

Funerals The Sixties Up Choir at the November Friendship Lunch

8

Gary Ashley Clare Collins Connie Sharp