eNews for February

A Commissioning Service to support and pray for the work and ministry of our Director, Lesley Snyman and Chaplain, the Rev. Sapati Tima was held in the Ruatara Chapel on Sunday 2nd February.
Family, friends, staff and colleagues joined with The Right Reverend Te Kitohi Pikaahu Pihopa, Te Tai Tokerau and the Right Reverend Ross Bay, Bishop of Auckland to pray for God’s blessing upon Lesley and Sapati in this new beginning for them and for Vaughan Park. A delicious afternoon tea was served afterwards - made by our awesome chefs and enjoyed by all!

Poet Ana Lisa de Jong and her sister, artist Shelley Cruikshank are facilitating a creative day retreat on 28th March, An Interplay of Light: Discovering the spiritual in everyday creative expression. “This is a relaxing day to create and play with poetry and art” says Ana Lisa. Find out more about this awesome retreat and book your place.

We have more upcoming retreats in 2020 to support and inspire your journey of discovery, transformation, faith, creativity, wellness or curiosity. Check them out here.

It’s lovely to welcome our Scholar for February, Abigail McLutchie to Vaughan Park. Abigail is writing up her PhD and is valuing this place and space to write and refresh. We are enjoying looking after her and supporting her during her residency. Read about Abigail and her work here.

Lent comes early this year with Ash Wednesday marking the start of the season on 26th February. Our Advent series 2019, Between Memory and Hope attracted over 30,000 views on our Moments and Facebook pages and on Twitter. In Lent we’ll be offering Threads of Light, a series of poetry, liturgies, prayers, prose, music and art to companion you.  
We encourage new and established writers and poets, artists and music to contribute to this series. If you would like to make a submission for possible inclusion in Threads of Light, we’d love to hear from you. Email Hilary.

The sun shone and the ocean was warm as the Diocesan Summer Adventure weekend got underway from 17th – 19th January, with 50 people representing 18 families gathering together for fun, conversation, games, worship, and outdoor activities at the beach, on the water and at the Sir Peter Blake Marine Education and Recreation Centre (MERC). “We had great-grandparents there with their grandchildren and their grandchildren's children, so it was truly intergenerational, which was wonderful and exactly what it needed to be,” said Children & Family Ministries Facilitator Jacolize Becker, who organised the camp. Bishop Ross came along too and led a final eucharist outdoors on Sunday morning. We're looking forward to another Summer Adventure Weekend in 2021 already!

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Ma Io koutou e manaaki, e tiaki, i nga wa katoa.
May your God bless you each and every day.