Auckland Ecumenical Lay Preachers Gathering

Preach 2 Inspire

Auckland Ecumenical Lay Preacher’s Gathering

Saturday 24th November 2018  –  9.30am – 12.30pm
St Johns College, 202 – 210 St Johns Road, Auckland

“Fresh Expressions of Church for Lay Preachers”
A changing Church for a changing world
with Bob Franklyn

Register please by 17th November 2018

Please bring a plate for a shared morning tea
Contact:  Linda Hall –  ph. (09) 521 5360

Click here for an A4 poster for your noticeboard

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Offertory for Spring

Rosalie Sugrue writes:

Kia Ora,

Inspired by your spring newsletter, and with thoughts of Spring Flower Sunday I wrote this offertory prayer that may be of use to others.

Nga mihinui

Rosalie

Coins and rice seeds

Offertory for Spring

Renewing God
As we contemplate the season of spring
we see connection between coins and seeds;
Both come in various sizes and colours,
and bear different markings,
are symmetrical, and fit in pockets.
Held in our gaze they appear lifeless
yet both hold the power of transformation.

We ask that you bless our coins
brought here today
along with paper tokens of notes
and unseen bank transfers;
May our offerings be placed in
environments that permit them to fulfil
their potential of bringing beauty and health
to this world we all share.  Amen.

Rosalie Sugrue

Spring Newsletter – Canterbury LPA

kowhaiYes, it is that time of year when life seems to be bursting forth at every turn of the path.  And, once more, Joy Kingsbury-Aitken and Linda Cowan, of the Canterbury LPA, have produced another newsletter full of resources for Spring – prayers, poems, a call to worship, a meditation – for use on Flower Sunday as well as during Creation Season, beginning this coming Sunday, 1 September.

And, here, one small taste of the contents –

…  We pray in the name of Jesus, who has walked with us through winter cold and dances by our side into the new life of spring.
[Linda Cowan]

Download your copy of the newsletter here!

Annual General Meeting – 13 October 2018

AGM 2018 -By now you will have received your Spring issue of Word & Worship, together with nomination and proxy forms if you are an up-to-date financial member (those not current financial members, i.e., have not paid their membership subscription for 2018, will have received a note to that effect with their magazine).

This year’s Annual General Meeting will be held on Saturday 13 October, at 7.30pm, and will be held via Skype.  If you wish to participate, please send your Skype username to the Membership Secretary, Valerie Marshall, by 10 October.

You may participate as an individual with your own Skype connection or as a small group in a local member’s home, and join in the Skype meeting through their connection.  Please note that we can have a maximum of 25 participants in one Skype meeting.

Nomination forms need to be completed and returned to Linda Hall by 22 September, and proxy forms by 6 October, also to Linda Hall, Correspondence Secretary.

Any financial member may nominate any other financial member (including themselves) for a position on the Executive, and if more than one person is nominated for a position there will be an election via email.

Lay Preaching Basics – by Rosalie Sugrue

Rosalie writes: “I have been concerned for some time that with less ordained clergy along with many parishes less able to employ full-time ministers, a heavier load than ever is being put on lay people to lead worship, many having to do so without training or mentoring. To help with this situation I have written a book that rolled off the printing press last week. Lay Preaching Basics – a Practical Guide for Leading Worship covers the nuts and bolts basics of what a lay preacher needs to know concerning the Bible and preparing services along with sample services and prayer resources. It is a book that would be useful for every preaching place to have ready to hand as it addresses all manner of preaching emergencies as well as supplying Bible information useful to any study group. In my section on additional resources I promote Word & Worship and the NZLPA website.”

Chapter headings include:
1 — Help! The Preacher hasn’t arrived
2 — Introduction to the Gospels
3 — Essential Background Knowledge
4 — Making Reflections Memorable
5 — Making Services Meaningful
6 — How to organise a church service
7 — Lectionary and Liturgy
8 — How to prepare a reflection (sermon)
9 — Service sheets and PowerPoints
10 — The Preacher’s Satchel
11 — Children’s Time / Family Time
12 — Circle and Cafe style services
13 — Services for rest homes
14 — Devotions: Ideas to build on
15 — Complete Service Samples
16 — Sample ‘Family Time’ slots
17 — Sample Cafe Services
18 — Ideas for Devotions, Family Time and Less Formal Services
19 — Sample Prayers
20 — Theology Guides for the 21st Century
21 — Additional Worship Resources

The book is available in paperback format from the publisher, Philip Garside Publishing Ltd, and a Kindle edition is available at amazon.com.au.  It is also available directly from the author, using the form below, which can also be downloaded here.

Lay Preaching Basics