Western Bay of Plenty Methodist Circuit

100 Thirteenth Ave

PO Box 2019

TAURANGA 3140

Circuit Superintendent: Rev Leigh Sundberg

(currently on leave)

Phone: 07 578 8496, 07 578 8493

Email: tauranga.methodist@xtra.co.nz

Wesley Faith Community— a place to belong

100 Thirteenth Avenue Minister: Rev Leigh Sundberg (currently on sick leave)

Deacon: Valma Hallam—Ph 562-3333 Circuit Steward: Ngaire Southon—Ph 578-7119

9 Brookfield Terrace Deacon: Margaret Birtles:

Ph 576 0698, mob 021 260 6504 Circuit Steward: Bill Greenwood Ph 570 2634

2 Oroua Street, Te Puke

Pastoral Care: Margaret Birtles mob 021 260 6504 or 576 0698.

email: m.a.birtles@xtra.co.nz Circuit Steward: Veena Halliwell Ph 573 9654

The Methodist Church of New Zealand—Te Hāhi Weteriana O Aotearoa

Sunday 16th August

St Stephens 9 Brookfield Terrace Brookfield, Tauranga 3110

Deacon: Margaret Birtles Ph 576 0698 mob 021 260 6504

Circuit Steward: Bill Greenwood Ph 570 2634

Te Puke 2 Oroua Street Te Puke 3119

Circuit Steward: Veena Halliwell Ph 573 9654

Pastoral Contact: Margaret Birtles Ph 576 0698 mob 021 260 6504

Wesley 100 Thirteenth Ave Tauranga 3112

Deacon: Valma Hallam Ph 562 3333

Circuit Steward: Ngaire Southon Ph 578 7119

Pastoral Convenor: Julienne Taylor Ph 544 2565

Minister:

Rev Leigh Sundberg - on leave

Western Bay of Plenty

Methodist Circuit Office

100, 13th Ave, PO Box 2019

TAURANGA 3140

Ph: 07 578 8496, 07 578 8493

Email: tauranga.methodist@xtra.co.nz

30 August Te Puke Margaret Birtles

at 10.30am special combined service

Please make contact through any of the

phone numbers on this flyer for more information. Transport will be provided between church

venues from 9.15 to 9.45 am each Sunday for those

without vehicles.

Worship Service—

Sunday 16th August

The link to Sunday’s Order of Service and audio visual link will be uploaded onto the Wesley website — http://www.methodist.org.nz/find_us/waikato___waiariki/tauranga/wesley_/home_2

Coming Up

(current as at 9.45am on 14 August 2020—subject to change depending on what happens on Friday afternoon):

Walking Group each Wednesday—meets 10.00am on the lawn at Wesley. Contact Peter Hardyment ph 925 9099 or

Nora Watkins 571 1129.

Te Puke Leaders Meeting—Tues 18th August at 1:30pm (see below)

Wesley Women’s Fellowship—Tues. 18 August at 9.45am in the Wes-ley Lounge—Women’s Fellowship morning tea followed by Doug

Hendry from The Puzzle Company – all are welcome to join with us.

Looking to the Future—Where is God Leading us Now?

Rev Norman Brookes (Interim Superintendent) has asked to meet each congregation.

St Stephen’s had their meeting in July.

Te Puke Congregational meeting will be on Tuesday 18th August 1.30pm. We will have a short Leaders’ Meeting as well that day. Please send your apologies to Veena, if you are unable to attend.

Wesley Leaders’ and Congregation Meeting on 19th August, 11.30am

Please bring a plate for a shared finger food lunch. All welcome.

TAURANGA METHODIST PARISH ANNUAL REPORT 2019

It’s coming up to that time of year again …

We would appreciate all reports for the Parish Annual Report in to the parish office by Monday September 7, preferably via email. Otherwise, please drop in your report for typing.

Thanks, from your friendly parish office staff

Dear Congregation Members

As Tauranga has been placed in Alert Level 2, all morning services for the next two Sundays have been cancelled due to the challenge of maintain-ing social distancing.

A service will be available on line for both 16 and 23 August.

We will be monitoring the situation closely and will keep you updated.

In the meantime look after each other, be kind and wash your hands.

Jeremy Whimster

(on behalf of Worship Committee)

Life is uncertain and unpredictable - that was true before COVID-19 and is even more so now! As a Circuit we are on a journey that we could never have foreseen this time last year. However, like the inexperienced tramper with a map and compass and the company of other supportive explorers, we are gaining in skills and confidence. So, despite the set-back of height-ened alert levels and the need to cancel our next two services because it is hard to put social distancing in place, we can continue to share in worship and support each other as a faith community.

I was looking forward to this week's service at St Stephen's, with its focus on youth and in-put from the Tongan young people who meet there. Because of the possible numbers attending, it would not be easy to observe physical distancing or share food safely, and it has been agreed to cancel our gather-ing. Instead, I am putting a service sheet together and preparing a liturgy on YouTube to view at home and perhaps share with others. I hope this will enable us to deepen our awareness of God's presence among us. Please pray especially for young people, whose well-being, study and careers are being seriously affected by the threat of COVID. Those who are retired may feel distanced from them - perhaps we can send a message by post, email, text or Facebook, to a young person we know to encourage her or him?

We have so much to be thankful for - what are you especially grateful for today?

Viv Whimster - this week's preacher