IBPC and Community News & Events
• Thanks to those who have donated to the Foodbank, today was our last day. If you have last minute donations they can be dropped off in the foyer tomorrow.
• We now have a hazard register outside the church office on the shelf. Please note in it any hazard that you identify anywhere on church premises. The book will be checked regularly and followed up monthly. This is an important aspect of our Health and Safety obligation.
• Thanks to all who helped with the garage sale on 19 November.
• In partnership with Bear Grylls, the Alpha Course NZ is preparing to launch their largest ever advertising drive in 2017. See Nathan if you would like info on these courses or how to be part of the prayer covering over this initiative.
• We again give thanks for answered prayer! Congratulations to Jan on finding a permanent part time position in Karori. Please keep praying for the others in our congregation who are seeking paid employment.
• Our thoughts and prayers are with Chris P on the passing of his wife Lisa, our first ever administrator here at IBPC. Lisa passed away recently after a long and brave battle with cancer, We will be hosting a memorial service for her Wellington friends and family on Feb 23rd 2017.
• Janice is gearing up to update the IBPC Directory of Members and Friends so if you have any alterations please let her have them by 8 December — so hopefully it can be distributed next Sunday, 11 December.
• We will be having a church family Christmas lunch after the service on December 11th. Please write what you intend to bring on Mel’s list.
• Invite your family and friends to our 2016 kids Christmas play. It will be on next week, Dec 11th.
• Please note that although Christmas Day falls on a Sunday, we will still keep the service at our regular Christmas time of 9:30 am. This will be a joy-filled all-age service, and should be over around 10:15 am.
• Thinking ahead, our IBPC Leader’s Retreat will be after the service Sunday Feb 5th 2017. This if for PC, Managers, and the leaders of our various other ministries — please mark it in your diary.
• The annual Christmas Gathering for all Presbyterian Women, Methodist Women’s Fellowship and all Wellington Women to be held on Monday, 5 December at 7.30 pm at the Johnsonville Uniting Church. Come and begin the Christmas season with some devotional thoughts with us. An offering will be taken up for CWS Christmas Fund.
• Interested in studying a theology paper in 2017? Both Vic Uni and Otago offer some papers through distance learning. A poster and flyers are out for the papers Otago is offering for their Chaplaincy qualification, BTheol, and Masters programmes.
• The church now has a permanent external emergency water supply. The tank is located outside the Centre Lounge rear doors and is filled by rainwater from the roof.
• The PCANZ has four parishes in the area affected by the recent earthquake, and is launching an appeal to raise money to support them. If you are looking for a Christmas charity and would like to donate to this cause, see Craig for more info.
• To help put you in the mood for Christmas, we’ll be screening the movie “Nativity” in the lounge on Sunday 18th, 7:30 pm.
• Bruce, our Community Minister, is planning to take a day off on Fridays. Please contact him about work matters at other times except in emergency.
• The second of our four advent reflections will be held in the church on Thursday from 7:30-8:15 pm. You’re invited to come and “make room” again for Christ’s presence among us. Contact Janet for more information.
• Summer is coming, are you seeking some quality Christian reading for the holidays? Nathan and Bruce have many books that are available for lending.
• Are you on the door duty roster? We have always struggled to get contact details to keep in touch with visitors, so now in the foyer we have response cards. If you are on door duty and someone you don’t recognize arrives, say you haven’t met them before, introduce yourself, and ask if they are new. If they are, offer them a card to fill in after the service if they would like a coffee with one of the ministers. They can return the card to you, or to the person preaching that Sunday.