Christmas is such a wonderful opportunity for us to bless our CAP clients and others in the community that need a little extra support. In December, we held a Christmas BBQ for our clients, and as you know, we also distributed hampers. Click below to watch a short video from the BBQ and a thank you for those who have contributed to both the BBQ and the Hampers.
As a church community, we are a family. And every member has a part to play.
At Mt Vic we have a number of roles to be filled as detailed below, but we would also love to chat with you if you have a gifting or skill in another area.
CONNECTIONS - Welcome, communion prep, car parking and security. The functions of the connections team. But the true value of this team is far beyond the tasks they complete. Creating a safe and welcoming space for services is vital!
KIDS ZONE - We are passionate about the discipleship of our tamariki. We need two people to join each Kids Zone team. Build relationships and help children become total followers of Jesus Christ. Creche (0-2 yrs) , Younger (3 yrs - school year 4) and Older (School years 5-8)
WORSHIP - Ryan is especially keen to talk to anyone interested in media and sound. Full training is available.
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER - There is always a lot going on at Mt Vic and we would love to hear from someone who is interested in keeping our people connected through social media and the website.
The East Leadership Team would like to wish you a very happy new year. We pray you’ve had a wonderful break. If you are around we’d love to see you at St Aiden’s on 21st, otherwise we are looking forward to kicking our year off back at St Pat’s on Sunday 28th Jan. Kids Zone will also be back that Sunday.
If you have a story of what God has been doing over the summer, we’d love to hear from you so we can share it with our East church whānau. Email jenny.gill@thestreet.org.nz
St Aidan’s - 89 Miramar Ave
24 Dec - 6pm Nativity, Carols and Petting Zoo
11pm Candlelight Service
25 Dec - 10am Family Service
Miramar Salvation Army, 63 Miramar Avenue
24 Dec - 5pm Carols by Candlelight
(An interactive service for the whole family)
Gateway Baptist Church - 33 Park Rd
24 Dec - 6pm Christmas Eve Dinner
7pm Carols Service
(Come dressed as your favourite Bible nativity character)
We currently have the following job vacancies at The Street Church:
If you’re interested in finding out more about any of these positions or submitting an application, please email office@thestreet.org.nz
Applications close 14th February 2024.
The East newsletter will be taking a little break over the summer. We hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a restful break over the summer. The newsletter will be updated on 24th December and then not again until Sunday 21st January.
Some of our in-person services take a break over the summer, please see the calendar below to find out which Sundays church is on at your location! Our online services will be running all summer, you can watch them HERE!
*Over summer our East gathering combines with other churches in their area.
| Date | East | Hutt | Night | Mt Vic |
Porirua | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 24 2023 |
No service |
No service | No service |
10am |
10am |
10am |
| Dec 31 2023 |
Gateway Baptist* | No service | No service | No service | No service | No service |
| Jan 7 2024 |
10am | No service | No service | No service | No service | No service |
| Jan 14 2024 |
Salvation Army* | No service | No service | No service | No service | No service |
| Jan 21 2024 |
St Aidans* | No service | No service |
No service | No service | No service |
| Jan 28 2024 |
10am | 10am | 5pm |
10am | 10am | 10am |
Services will look a little different over the summer so please get these dates in your calendars so you know where to go! As we usually do, we’ll be combining with the other Miramar churches for 4 weeks over the summer so come and join in the fun if you’re around.
Sunday 17th December - 10 am: Last East service for the year - The Chapel, St Pat’s College
Sunday 24th December - 10 am: Joint service at The Street, Mt Vic - 9 Hania Street
Sunday 31st December - 6pm: Shared dinner and New Years Eve celebration at Gateway Baptist Church (see the event post for more info)
Sunday 7th Jan - 10am: The Street Church East - The Chapel, St Pat’s College
Sunday 14th Jan - 10am: Miramar Salvation Army
Sunday 21st Jan - 10am: St Aidan’s, Miramar
Sunday 28th Jan - Back to normal
We’ll also have a four week online summer series, so if you’re away there is no need to miss out. On the 31st Dec and 7th of Jan we will take a look back over sermons from 2023 with a panel discussing stand-out moments for them. On 14th and 21st of January a panel of Location and Senior Pastors will look ahead into 2024, discussing Bible characters they resonate with as we seek to grow in our Love for the Lord. If you are with family and friends over this time who do not have a relationship with Jesus yet, these are wonderful services to invite them to watch with you.
Have a wonderful Summer church!
We want all marriages to be healthy, thriving and life-long. In order to support your marriage to be the best it can be we have created a short summer refresher for married couples. It’s just a few things to think about and some small practical ideas to use over the summer. Click here to check it out
We want all marriages to be happy, thriving and life-long. If you are a married couple, here’s a few things to think about and some practical tips that you could choose to implement in your relationship over the summer. Download the pdf below:
If you haven’t yet returned your CAP Hamper please do so as soon as you can. You can bring it to the service this Sunday (26th Nov) or you can drop it into the office sometime during the week.
Thanks so much for being a blessing to our CAP clients by creating these Christmas hampers. We love to make a tangible difference in our city and this is a great way to do that, thank you.
We have been approached by Strathmore Community Centre to provide hampers for around 20 single people and couples linked to the community centre that will find things difficult over Christmas without the usual food services running. We have teamed up with Salvation Army Miramar and Gateway Baptist Church to provide these hampers.
If you would like to contribute, you can bring donations of non-perishable food and treats on Sunday 3rd December. (Please no alcohol). We will then pack these into hampers to give to the community centre for them to pass on. Some examples of things you could donate are:
Canned vegetables/fruit/fish/beans/soup
Spreads - Jam/peanut butter/ honey
Mini meringues
Biscuits
Jars of cooking sauces
Christmas pudding
Fruit mince pies
Crackers
Chips
Rice
Pasta
Chocolate
Toiletries
Christmas crackers
There will be a large box at the service on 3rd December for you to put your donations into, or if you’d rather drop your donations to our house please email me jenny.gill@thestreet.org.nz
Thank you so much!
We have a new Life Group starting this week on Tuesday at 7.30pm in Miramar. It will be a mixed, multi-generational group. If you’re not already part of a Life Group and you’d like to know more about joining this one, or another of our Life Groups, please email jenny.gill@thestreet.org.nz
This year, our East Christmas service will be on Sunday 10th December and it’s going to be so much fun. We have a wonderful production that will be performed along with lots of festive cheer. Pick up some Christmas invites from the service and prayerfully consider inviting some people you know wouldn’t normally attend church. What a great opportunity!
Missions is a big part of who we are as a church. We have a number of missionaries that we support as a church both financially and in prayer. The latest Missions Newsletter is out now, containing all the latest news and updates to help us to keep bringing our missionaries before the Lord in prayer. There should be a few paper copies at the back of the service on Sunday, or email missions@thestreet.org.nz for a digital copy.
Seniors Lunch is for anyone 65+ and is a wonderful event to bring your friends and neighbours to.
The next one is on Wednesday 29th Nov, 12:30pm - 2:30pm at Silverstream Retreat and will cost $25
It will be a festive Christmas lunch, carols, quiz and a short word from Daniel Lamb
If you’d like to come please email office@thestreet.org.nz
This week I grew in my capacity for worship but it came from an unlikely source. It reminds me that reasons to worship and ways to grow in our love for the Lord are everywhere.
The article was about the Euclid telescope which is mapping our night sky and providing us with more vivid images of the cosmos than ever before. One image stands out in particular.
It looks like a seahorse emerging from a cloud. It looks like something that might be formed momentarily in the vapour of clouds as they move across the sky. Maybe even something dreamed up in a VFX studio. But this is no fiction or product of chance. It’s a giant cloud of dust 1700 lightyears away from which new stars are born. And it looks incredible.
David wrote, “the heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim to works of his hands” (Ps 19:1). When he looked at the sky with far less light pollution than us, the grandeur and the wonder were reflections of God. The beauty of the night sky led him to know something of the beauty of God.
If David’s star-gazing grew his capacity for worship, how much more potential is there for us who have bigger microscopes and telescopes? We can see things in our universe that he could not see.
It reminds us of what everlasting life will look like. Each time we gaze at God, we’ll explore more of his infinite greatness and every new discovery will give more reason for praise and it will keep growing forever and ever.
The other truth this reminds us of is that our world is a reflection of the one who made it. God desires for us to look at the world and learn about him. The age of mountains (Ps 90:2), the roaring of the sea (Psalm 93:4), or a mum who comforts her child (Isaiah 66:13). All these things and so many more have the potential to grow our capacity for worship.
The question is whether we’re looking. We live our lives in such a hurry and our worship is poorer as a result. Worship not only glorifies God but edifies us in the process. What can you do today to take just a few moments to stop and stare and be led by this world to worship?
Much love,
Simon
This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the the blog feed >>
I’ve been on quite a roller coaster in the past few weeks. While it wasn’t the time I would have chosen, it was the time I needed. And God used the time to rekindle a vision I’ve had for as long as I can remember but, if I’m honest, I’ve let go dormant. That I would see a move of God in my lifetime.
The wonderful thing about Together last week was the heartfelt prayer that emerged and the expectancy in the room. It was a line in the sand moment. A stake in the ground. We believe something has shifted in the heavenly realms. Rather than sit back and watch, now is the time for us to lean in. But how?
Enter the work of Professor Stuart Piggin who has researched antipodean moves of God. While there is no formula, there are some commonalities that it’s worth us paying attention to.
Unprecedented prayer for revival
In Mark 9, the disciples struggle to cast out a demon but for Jesus it just takes a word. In the conversation that ensues, Jesus makes it clear that this kind only comes out by prayer. There are things that God desires to do but will not do unless we pray. Will we pray for a move of God? It can be something we do in services or something we devote time to as Life Groups. At Hania Street there is a permanent space that you can book to gather in prayer 24/7. It could also be much simpler. Who’s around you that has the same desire to pray for a move of God and make a regular time that works for you.
Unusual unity among Christians
In our approach to being a multi-site church, we always seek relationship with other churches. We don’t see ourselves as the solution in an area but understand how God works through churches of different styles and traditions. It has also been noticeable since Covid just how many churches around the country are talking about the same things we are. Prayer, disciple-making, church planting. There’s increasing unity and partnership. But it’s also something that’s important closer to home. Often it’s hardest to love and forgive those closest to us because we see one another at our best and worst. Let’s pray that the Lord would help us remain soft-hearted, apologise quickly, and forgive freely.
Heightened faith and expectation for a move of God
Finally there’s expectation. We have come to believe in the living God, the risen Lord Jesus, the power of the gospel. The same power that raised Christ Jesus from the dead is at work in and through us. We believe something has shifted and is shifting in our city so let’s pray and reach out with renewed expectation.
Why not begin to gather with others or use existing gatherings you’re in to focus prayer for a move of God. You could use these three things to guide you. Just imagine looking back in five years’ time and celebrating what God has done.
Me inoi tātou.
Let us pray,
Simon
This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the the blog feed >>
On 12th November we begin a three-week series in the little Old Testament book of Ruth! Our teaching director Jerram Watts has a short teaser explaining why we're looking at this book now and what we can expect to take from it. Click here to watch the video.
Simon and Jenny shared the The Street’s new vision on Sunday, and challenged us that if we’re going to see our church move into all that God has in store for us, we need to be in prayer. If you missed the message please check it out here as it’s a key message for our church.
As you consider how you could increase prayer in your life here are some things you could consider.
Monday morning prayer - 6.30am every Monday at Dan and Hannah’s house.
Start up your own regular prayer meeting with one or two others and let us know so we can put it in the newsletter for others to join.
Come to the next Encounter on Sunday 3rd December, 7.15pm at St Aidan’s
Come to the next Eastern suburbs prayer time on Sunday 12th November, 7-8pm at Gateway Baptist
Catch up with someone for a walk/run and pray as you go
Use your current rhythms of prayer and consider if you are praying Elijah-like prayers - Big, whole-hearted, faith-filled, persistent prayers.
