MESSAGE FROM THE REVEREND TOKERAU JOSEPH

Greetings! Tena kotou! Kia orana! Talofa! Malo ni!

It's been another eventful month where things have certainly been busy around First Church. Most noticeable has been the shared worship services we have had with Knox Church. Our first time together during the Church Parade service for the Order of St. John, led by our own Rev Brian Williscroft, was a wonderful occasion. This was followed a week later with a jointly-led service by myself and Rev Dr Sarah Mitchell from Knox Church, where we had the opportunity to craft together the gifts and styles that both congregations bring to a new worship life. The 7pm services led by the Knox Church ministry team have also given a new dimension to our worship and have also been most beneficial for our folk who attend them.

Since sharing worship together with Knox Church, having name tags has been most helpful for getting to know people; even our own. I would like to thank Mr. Russell Duff for the effort in ensuring that our door stewards and folk on tea duty got theirs, and for arranging to have name tags for the rest of congregation done before the end of the month. Well done Russell.

It has also been a huge blessing to have Rev Anne Thomson on board with our own ministry team. Anne's ordination service was a wonderful event to have
witnessed and I am so proud of how all members of First Church contributed to making it a special time for Anne and her family. There were many who commented how well it went and how much they appreciated the various expressions of our diversity here. Thank you to our APW, Cook Islanders' and
Samoan groups for your marvellous contribution that evening.

I was very pleased to have conducted a blessing and dedication of baby Dawson, son of Steven Porthouse and Fiona Mackay on Saturday 21st June. It was a great time to make connections with them and their extended family and friends (about 50 - 60). Through this occasion, another couple wished to have their child baptised. Although these occasions have not been within the setting of our usual Sunday worship services, I believe they are an extension of them. People are seeking connections with the church, however loose, but they also provide the opportunities for us to reciprocate by helping to strengthen them.

At the Town Hall on Wednesday 6th August at 7pm, Tuhoe Isaacs, former president of the Mongrel Mob will be speaking about his life-changing experience with Christ. I would like to encourage those who would like to hear more about his story to go along.

I was privileged to have led a forum at the Knox Centre for Christian Leadership. I spoke about my current study about ethnic relations in the PCANZ and what implications it may have for ministry. I was glad that it generated a lot of interest and discussion as well as helping to open their minds to the multi-ethnic dynamic we have here at First Church.

Tangi and I and our family have just returned from attending a haircutting ceremony and 21st birthday celebration in Tokoroa. The birthday girl is Vaito George who lives with us while attending Otago Polytechnic. She is also granddaughter to Rev Timote Turu who was a past member of First Church. On his behalf, I convey his greeting and best wishes.-

The Reverend Tokerau Joseph