TODAY

Worship for Sunday can be found from 9.00am on the front page of our website or on our YouTube channel or on our Facebook page.

Parishioners will receive an invitation to a Zoom meeting for Sunday. If you don’t get the invitation email Helen to be added to the list.

WE REMEMBER IN PRAYER

Parishioners no longer able to worship with us: Heather Carter, Jenny and Pat Blood, Molly Jenkins, Jean Jackson and Jerome Elkind

Parishioners and friends: Jeremy Thompson, Thérèse Kelly, Jean Brookes, Jeremy Younger, Win & John Blyth, Jose Alburo, Harry Hepple, Xuan Lu, Marcus Alexander, Sidney Neale, Jeffrey Murray, Keith Murray, Rose Christie-French, Paul White, Philip, Antonina Tuala, Bishop Jim White, Roger Mark, Barry Clayton, Sarah Weston, Jake Milbank, Adaline Wetherall, Elle Estcourt, Eleanor Houston

With the City Mission we pray for the Winter Appeal 

With the Anglican Communion we pray for the United Church of South India 

With the Anglican Missions Board we pray for the global prayer movement Thy Kingdom Come

With the Diocese of Auckland we pray for the Anglican Youth Ministries, Children and Families and Grief and Loss Support Services

CONCERTS

Upcoming concerts – subject to change due to the Covid-19 Alert Level

CANCELLED Tuesday, 1 September, 12.10pm – First Tuesday Concert Series

CANCELLED Friday, 4 September, 7.30pm – Voices Together

Tuesday, 15 September, 12.10pm – The Pettman National Junior Academy international guests in a regular lunchtime concert series, entry by donation.

CANCELLED Sunday, 20 September, 2.30pm – SMCO

Friday, 25 September, 7.00pm – Aotea Youth Symphony Orchestra. Their annual Formal Concert to showcase the material they have been working on this year.

NEW DATE Sunday 4 October, 4pm – Viva Voce "All Spaced Out"

Well-known chamber choir Viva Voce describes its response to the pandemic and its aftermath in song. The programme includes music by Monteverdi, Purcell, Mozart, Elgar, Saint-Saëns and Anthony Ritchie, along with some lighter numbers, and features Eric Whitacre’s magnificent ‘Leonardo dreams of his flying machine’. For tickets phone 0221200680 or www.iTicket.co.nz

SAD NEWS

We are mourning the death of parishioner Ruth Spelman and send our sympathy, love and prayers to Anton and family. 

Ruth's funeral will be held in the church on Monday 7 September at 10.00am. Under the current Level 2 conditions only 50 people can attend so parishioners are encouraged to be with the family in prayer on the livestream. We will send out the link ahead of time. People are welcome to visit with the family at home but please make a time with Anton in order to ensure no more than 10 people at the house at one time.

PARISH CALENDAR

We are readjusting our planning and along with everyone else dealing with uncertainty as we do. Worship remains online during Level 3 and probably for at least the beginning of Level 2.

ONLINE 6, 13, 20 September – Creation series

CANCELLED 21-24 September – The Labyrinth 

HERE'S HOPING 27 September – St Matthew's Day, preacher Bishop John Bluck 

Sunday, 4 October – End of Life Choice Bill discussion after the 10.00am service

Sunday, 11 October – Parish Forum with Vestry

CREATION SEASON IN SEPTEMBER

Join our three week ‘Care of Creation’ Season on Sundays September 6, 13 and 20. 

Each Sunday, following morning worship, we’ll join together on a learning journey, by Zoom.  Take time to converse, consider, choose and challenge ourselves, and each other, to change; even if just a little, for the good of our planet.

On September 6 we will look at our use of energy and modes of transport.  

On September 13 we will look at our purchase and consumption of food and disposal of waste.  After a short introduction, we will break into small groups to talk together and each of us decide whether, in response to the topic addressed, there is a tangible commitment we’d like to make.

On September 20 we will consider a collective action that we, as St Matthew’s, might choose to take as a concrete statement of our Care for Creation.

There are a number of internet resources available for us to measure our carbon footprint and guide us toward actions we can take to reduce this.  We have decided to utilise an Auckland Council website www.livelightly.nz, which is user friendly and which joins our efforts with those of other Aucklanders.  It would be wonderful if you could familiarise yourself with it before the Season of Creation begins in September.

Photos – and to mark the beginning of the season of creation please send a photo to Dmitry of something of God's creation from your neighbourhood. What do you notice on your lockdown walks? Please send the photos by September 1st for a collage on our website.

VESTRY NEWS

Vestry met via Zoom on Tuesday and…

• Explored a proposal to establish a digital platform for St Matthew's, with a funding application being made to the St John's College Trust Board post Covid Fund

• Examined the half year accounts which, while showing a deficit, are not as dire as might have been expected. Vestry were pleased to see parishioner giving is holding steady and donations via the Pushpay system from parishioners and supporters has increased. 

• Established a new Health and Safety Committee under the leadership of Matthew Chubb.

LIVING WAGE ELECTION FORUM NOW ONLINE

Thursday 3 September, 6.00pm - via Facebook Live https://www.facebook.com/events/748928042341604/

END OF LIFE CHOICE REFERENDUM DISCUSSION

POSTPONED UNTIL 4 OCTOBER

As we get ready to vote in this referendum we will pick up our discussion which we started last year led by our medical professionals. We will hear what is actually included in the Bill and reflect together on what we want to know before voting.

Two websites you can explore to gain a more in depth understanding of issues around the Act are www.yesforcompassion.org.nz and www.riskylaw.nz. Holding opposing views with respect to the proposed Act, each presents their argument. 

The End of Life Choice Act itself can be read on the following website: http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2019/0067/latest/DLM7285905.htm

WHAT THE TEAM ARE UP TO THIS WEEK 

We will be doing a mixture of working from home and the office during Level 2. Cate is working on the Care of Creation series. Diocesan Synod will be held on Zoom Saturday 5 September. Helen will be on leave from Friday 4 September - Tuesday 15 September.

ELECTRONIC GIVING OPTIONS

Text stmatthew to 818 to make a one off or ongoing donation by credit card to St Matthew-in-the-City. Or you can download the PUSHPAY app from Apple Store or Google Playstore; search for St Matthew-in-the-City.