The parish newsletter will be updated each month in print form, and available at service each Sunday. We always contact church members with extra important information.
September 2019
This Month
Spring is springing forth and term 3 of school ends this month. We had a quieter month over August and this will be mirrored again in September.
What we will do, however, is introduce a focus on a Presbyterian boarding school in Myanmar that needs help. We will introduce this project on Sept 15th and hope to have a few small fundraisers over the last two weeks of the month. If you have an idea for one please let us know!
‘Kiddiccino celebrated 10 years of being a positive outreach, connecting young families with others of all nationalities. There were many reflecting on its impact week by week, support in tough times, with meals, the enjoyable for little ones and social skills were learnt as they played with toys. Adults appreciated morning tea and coffee served with homecooking.
Community News
• Meet the Candidates! Each election year the local churches and the Residents Assn host evenings 7:30pm at the Baptist church to meet and evaluate those standing for local body elections. Info on these is on the front.
• Thanks to Michael and Dana for the new board beautifully displaying the old pew donation plaques.
• Nathan is pleased to report that he received an A- for his thesis building up to, writing up, and reflecting on last year’s CompassionFest, and thanks all those who helped make that happen. A copy of his thesis will be placed in the church library.
• IBPC is under the authority of Presbytery Central which meets twice a year. The next meeting is in Hastings, Sept 21st. The Parrys, Bruce, Nanu and others will be in attendance.
• 28th Sept Spring Fling family event at IBPC, 4-6pm. Annette will be at morning tea every Sunday in September with her plan sheet for the Spring Fling fundraising dance. Things to consider: programme of performers, sound, decorations for hall, MC, added money making ideas e.g. food.
• Congratulations to Susan Blaikie on being inducted as minister of a Presy church in Palmerston North on Sept 12th.
• With Administrator hours being reduced we are seeking helpers to 1) take a coordinating role for garage sales 2) offer IT advice and support 3) order consumables if needed. See Nathan.
• Fundraising. The PCANZ has a partnership with the Presbyterian Church of Myanmar called the Rice bowl Mission (www.ricebowlmission.org.nz). At our AGM in 2018 IBPC felt it was important to allocate funds for global mission projects as well as local mission, and we committed ourselves to a target of $1,200. We looked at various projects before we saw a specific appeal to the PCANZ from a Presbyterian school in the Chin State of Myanmar. The Chin are a largely Christian ethnic minority who lack resources, and the school needs to rebuild a destroyed dining hall.
The persecution of Christians in this country is high and has been going on for decades. We are seeking ideas for small one-off fundraisers to support this school, Rev Phil King from the Global Mission Office will speak to us on Sept 15th about this project.
Looking Ahead
School holidays fall from Sept 30th-Oct 13th, our youth and children activities go into recess at this time.
IBPC turns 121 on Oct 9th!
Girls’ Brigade in Island Bay invite you to support their summer fashion fundraiser at Kilbirnie Ballentynes on Friday 18th October, 7-9pm. Get tickets from our GB members: $15 (100% comes back to assist us with our programme for over 35 families). Our Senior girls are making wearable art to exhibit on the run way. Come and check out the familiar models. Supper is provided. Then use the generous discount on clothes and win spot prizes of amazing donations from local businesses – cafes, cinema tickets, supermarket etc. Contact Brenda, Team Leader, on 021 137 8062
Please book in our AGM on Oct 20th after the service. We will have lunch from 11.30am, then start the AGM from 12.30pm. Some decisions will need to be made around financial stability. If you head up a ministry, please begin thinking about writing your report. We hope to have the AGM reports and this year’s main proposal for discussion out by Oct 6th at the latest.
Sept 21-22nd, Presbytery Central Gathering, Napier.
This will be a time of worship, workshops, and fellowship with Presbyterian church attenders from around the bottom half of the North Island. All welcome. If you want more info see Nathan.
We are collecting bread tags to provide wheelchairs for South Africans who can’t afford them. Any questions, see Kezia Bennett.