Tena koutou, and greetings church family. Fellowship is so important, and it was great to have another small group hosting our luncheon after the service Sunday. Big thanks to Tuesday’s 7am men’s small group. What a blessing to share in conversation and catch up with other over soup [...]

Tena koutou, and greetings church family. It was lovely to see many of our new church family become full members of St Peters the other week. It was a great celebration and a special thanks to the events team for the waffle breakfast. This week we will be [...]

Tena koutou, and greetings church family. As an avid sports follower, last week was the pinnacle of the Super Rugby Pacific championship with the final between the Chiefs and Crusaders played in Hamilton. What a match played by amazing athletes at the top of their game. While I [...]

Tena koutou, and greetings church family. Yesterday Felicity and I visited some friends in Omokoroa and then took the ferry across to Matakana Island. This was the first for us as we often talked about Matakana Island while walking up the summit of Mt Maunganui. Most travellers were [...]

Tena koutou, and greetings church family. While praying about the pastoral message for this week the words that came to mind were: prayers, community, faith and friends. I have chosen “friends” as a topic for some reflection for this week. This week Felicity and I had our friends [...]

Tena koutou, and greetings church family. What a rainy wet King’s Birthday weekend we had. The sun was barely seen and the sky grey. What was a ray of sunshine, was the turnout at church on Sunday. Despite the rainclouds people came out to have fellowship and hear [...]

Tena koutou, and greetings church family. I love the fellowship and social gathering we have following the church service on Sunday morning. As I move around talking with people there is always a different story and a topic of sharing. There is a sense of belonging generated as [...]

Tena koutou, and greetings church family. I woke up this morning talking to Jesus about my day. I started by asking the Holy Spirit to guide me and help me to honour Jesus in my life. What does that mean to “honour Jesus in my life”. Well the [...]

Tena koutou, and greetings church family. As I look out at the blue sky and sun streaming into my study it is hard to believe that we have had consistent rainy weather for weeks. It reminds me that every day is a new beginning and that God’s mercies [...]

Tena koutou, and greetings church family. What a wonderful week of celebrations and blessings we witnessed last week. Praise the Lord! A message of thanks is pouring forth to this wonderful church. Firstly, Pastors Arpana and Prasana shared of God’s transformation work in the lives of unwanted girls [...]

Tena koutou, and greetings church family. Last week Felicity and I had four of our 10 grandchildren from Auckland to stay for a couple of days over the Easter break. They joined in with skits, and songs in our Sunday worship and it was lovely to see (16/4) [...]

Tena koutou, and greetings church family. Happy Easter! The Lord has risen. On Sunday our church family celebrated this very statement, with much joy and thanksgivng.  For those of you who missed our Easter service I encourage you to take a look on You tube, search St Peters [...]

Tena koutou, and greetings church family. What a wonderful Palm Sunday church service last week. It was great to see everyone waving all the greenery and expressing the joy of Jesus triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Holy Week started on Palm Sunday (2/4) and ends Easter Sunday (9/4)[1]. Here [...]

Tena koutou, and greetings church family. As we continue our journey into the fifth week of Lent (started on 22/2 Ash Wednesday and ending with Easter on 9/4) I find myself more in intercessory prayer for my family, friends and the church family. The power of prayer brings [...]

Tena koutou, and greetings church family. We are now in our fourth week of lent leading up to Easter and my encouragement for you all is from Psalm 19. The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts [...]

Tena koutou, and greetings church family. We are now in our third week of lent leading up to Easter and my encouragement for you all is from Deuteronomy 32:3-4.  “ascribe greatness to our God! 4“The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are just. A God of faithfulness [...]

Tena koutou, and greetings church family. Recently I spoke to a friend who has been a Minister for a decade about Lent and to my surprise Lent had not been part of his experience growing up in the church. He said Lent was not an emphasis of the [...]

Tena koutou, and greetings church family. Well what a week this has been! As I write this the sun is shining over Tauranga, but the evidence of the horrendous effects cyclone Gabriel caused are devastating. It is hard to believe that this time last week we were in [...]

Tena koutou, and greetings church family. This week I have been dwelling on faith building and how we strengthen our faith. Hebrew 11:1 tells us “faith is the confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see (NIV Heb 11:1). Events like the [...]

Tena koutou, and greetings church family. My encouragement for you this week is based on 1 John 4. “Proceed to the Route” Today, it's almost impossible to get lost, no matter how hard you try. Whether you're speeding down the freeway or scrabbling up Mount Maunganui, you’re always [...]

As I write this first edition of my Pastoral Message for 2023, I am reminded of how great is our God and His love that endures forever (1 Chronicles 16:34).

Christmas blessings and Happy New Year to all our church members. What a blessed and hope filled time of the year Christmas is as we remember how God sent his son Jesus to save us and give us eternal life.

As we celebrate God’s greatest gift to the world we remember His blessings to us during the year. Felicity and I want to thank St Peters congregation for welcoming us to the St Peters church family.

What Is the Candle of LOVE? The love candle also known as the Angel candle, represents purity. Here are some scriptures to meditate on as we come to the end of Advent season: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

The joy candle is also known as the Shepherd’s Candle, to highlight the joy the shepherds experienced when they received the good news about Christ’s birth (Luke 2:8-20). They received the joy that comes through Jesus’ arrival, and through the salvation he has gifted us. Philippians 4:4-5 captures the JOY that is gifted to us for his glory in sharing the Good News with our neighbours.

How did you get on with your wreath and candle organisation? It is not too late to join in. Start this week with the second candle of PEACE. Join with the rest of the church family and take part.

We will celebrate the four Sundays with three activities. Felicity and I invite you and your family and friends to journey with us together in this season of Hope, Peace, Joy, Love and Light (Christ Jesus).