SUNDAY 19th DECEMBER
8am Church (NVP)

• This service is open to all - vaccinated and non-vaccinated.
• (This service will use the Nativity Centre for morning tea and toileting facilities. These areas will be disinfected between the 8am and 10am services.)

8am Barnies (VP)

• This service is open only to those with vaccine passports.
• (This service will be able to use the morning tea and toileting facilities within Barnies and will therefore be separated from the NVP service.)

10am Church (NVP)

• This service is open to all - vaccinated and non-vaccinated.
• (This service will use Barnies for morning tea and toileting facilities and will therefore be completely separated from the VP service. We ask all participants in this service to use the main church doors as the entry and exit point where possible and to avoid entering the Nativity Centre space).

10am Lounge (VP)

• This service is open only to those with vaccine passports.
• (This service will have exclusive use of the Nativity Centre, including the kitchen and toileting facilities.)

It has been a wonderful privilege to minister among you during this time while the search is on for a new vicar or ministry leader for Nativity.  We left Picton mid-March to move into and enjoy our retirement home. Five weeks later we began here at Nativity.  The role of an interim minister is an interesting one that offers many opportunities.  Part of my goal is to encourage you individually as well as build up the church as a community so that you be equipped to better fulfil the task that all God’s people are called to, to make disciples of Jesus in their home and community.

Right now the parish leadership, and especially the parish nominators, is working towards selecting of a new ministry leader (vicar) for your parish.  It is my encouragement that you make this a matter of faithful prayer.  Be praying for wisdom, insight and discernment. Be praying about God’s call for this church, what makes this church what it is, and where the Spirit is leading you as a community.  Pray for the nominators as they carry out this important responsibility, for their partnership with the diocesan nominators and, for all discussions that will surround the process.

Finally be praying for the person who will come (and their family.)  Be praying for God’s blessing to be resting on them and for your coming together to form the ministry that will lead you into the next stage of the church’s life.

Ministry is always a partnership. It is not the sole responsibility of one person but of us all.  Therefore be praying for this partnership that it will be good and strong, one that seeks God’s Kingdom above all else.

Go well and blessings

Richard
Priest in Charge

I'm very thankful to Kathy Taylor of 'Taylormade Solutions' for the way she has designed this site. It looks very smart. Even my tech savvy kids from overseas were impressed. There are a few more touch-ups to be done. Sermons to be added – maybe videos one day (...? Or holograms!) There's a bit of training of staff to happen, etc., and it'll be even better once we've got the hang of it. To ensure safety we need to have permissions signed to show photos of people.

Despite all that I am very thankful that for the ultimate communication, I am not required to be trained up or someone's signed permission to name them. All I need to do is start chatting, even in my head – it's even easier than blogging. Then I am doing what's called praying - talking with the creator and owner of the universe and me. The one who knows me before all else, who died and rose again for me, and at depths I am unaware of in myself. It's a fearful thing, yet a huge relief, all at once.

It causes me to think about what the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews (in the Bible) said:

"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10:31)
"But we are not among those who shrink back and so are lost, but among those who have faith and so are saved." (Hebrews 10:39)

So have a look round. Check in regularly. If things aren't up to date let us know – send us those wake up calls (but nicely)!

Thanks for visiting. Thanks for reading. God bless.

Bob