Connect
Home Groups
We love to welcome people into our home groups, which meet fortnightly. In a small group we can all experience encouragement on our Christian journey, and the opportunity to learn from God’s Word and from each other. Currently there are two home groups which meet, one in the daytime and one in the evening. The programme consists of a social time over food and drink, discussion on a Bible passage or Christian topic of interest, and prayer. To find out more, please contact Simon Tipping 03 304 8920
Courses
For more focused learning about our Christian faith, our church runs short courses to help us put our faith into action.
The Marriage Course
The Marriage Course is for couples in permanent relationships who want to enrich their relationship, no matter how good it may already be. It is not for those who have serious relationship problems. Over seven weeks the Marriage Course provides talks on relationship matters, and opportunities for each couple to talk together privately after each talk. It is a confidential process, with no-one else involved as couples talk together. Each evening is organised as a “date night”, with an excellent dinner, soft lights, and good music. To find out more, please contact the Vicar (03) 304 7051
Alpha Course
Over 10 weeks participants in the Alpha Course watch and discuss videos which present the basics of the Christian faith in an attractive and up-to-date way. Each session involves food and drink, a social time and a time for discussion. It is suitable for those who have no previous experience of Christianity but have an interest in knowing more, and those who have had some church experience but want a refresher course. To find out more, please contact the Vicar (03) 304 7051
Community
Our parish is always looking for ways to connect with the Akaroa and Banks Peninsula community.
Community Lunches
We run a series of free monthly community lunches in the winter, on the last Friday of the month in Trinity Hall. We welcome anyone from our community, or visitors passing through Akaroa, for soup and rolls, a sweet slice and a cup of tea. We often have up to 40 people. It’s a great way for newcomers to get to know members of the community, and for older and housebound people to get out and have a chat over a nutritious lunch. On occasions there is musical entertainment too! Contact Fiona Paulin (03) 304 7012
Milestones
As part of our service to the community, we offer appropriate Christian celebrations of major life events such as baptisms, weddings, and funerals. Our churches are always available to members of the local community for such events, and to others on request. Please speak to the Vicar about baptisms and funerals, and consult the website page Weddings for these.
Fifth Sundays
Where there is a fifth Sunday in the month we organise an early-evening event which focuses on a topic of interest in the community. Recent events have focused on conservation, end-of-life issues , assisted dying, science and religion, and alcoholism.
Ministry of Transport
In this ministry, church members and others provide transport for (usually older) members of the community who need to travel to Christchurch for medical treatment, legal consultation and other matters. To find out more, please contact Ken Paulin (03) 304 7012
Children and Families
Mainly Music
Mainly Music is a weekly session for pre-schoolers and their parents or caregivers. It involves children and adults in singing, moving to music and playing percussion instruments. An experienced leader takes the children through a fun-filled half-hour of music, followed by a time for everyone to have a snack, children to play freely and adults to chat together. Mainly Music has proved to be really beneficial for children and adults in many churches throughout New Zealand, and has been run in Akaroa for over ten years. To find out more, please contact Sue Church on (03) 304 7114
Services
For times and places of our services, please see our Home Page. We try to involve everyone in our services, and this is a good way to get connected to our church family. Services are held every Sunday in Akaroa and on a regular basis in the Bays of Banks Peninsula, and monthly on Wednesdays in Akaroa. We are always on the lookout for opportunities for informal worship, such as our midsummer picnic service. We always need welcomers, sidespeople, readers, prayers, musicians and projector operators. To find out how you can help, please contact Rachel Tipping on (03) 304 8920
