05 Hawkes Bay
Redeemer Lutheran Congregation from Hawkes Bay
Worship Service’s has continued to take place in Sunny Hawke’s Bay in 2023 – 2024 as we are blessed that Pastor John Davison has been willing to work his heavy schedule roster system. At Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers Memorial Hospital in Hastings Chaplaincy permits him to conduct our Lutheran Worship Services each month. I especially and appreciate that he can conduct these Worship Services. But we must remember his primary concern is his position of being 1 of the 5 Chaplains at the HB Hospital. I have been granting a licence by Bishop Richard Schwedes to conducting the liturgy and the Holy Sacrament for this year of 2025. Each year at our AGM we move a motion under emergency so that Carolyn Woon to be our lay-reader person to read us the Sermons from the LCA website in case that Pastor John Davison is not able to conduct a worship Services. We have had a total of 12 Service’s each year in 2023 – 2024 at Redeemer with 12 Worship Services each year lead by Pastor John Davison.
Rev’d Mark Whitfield who we invited to be our guess preacher at our 10th Anniversary Service on Sunday 24th March 2024 which was (Palm/Passion Sunday too) I was thankful for all Lutheran members of and St Francis members that helped me to achieve a successful celebration for Redeemer Lutheran Church of Hawke’s Bay & St Francis Co-operating Parish Clive-Haumoana of the signing of the Memorandum of Co-operation to Joint Ministry Activities some 10 years ago on the 23rd of March 2014 in Clive Church. I am thankful for the Lord God being with us that day in how smooth the day went for us all it was like military planning in how everything just fitted into order, catering was up to a high-quality standard and plenty for everyone.
Plus, a high number of the Official Dignitaries Bishops, Reverents, and Pastors I personally asked to attend our 10 year anniversary celebration they were, Assistant Bishop Rev’d Warren Paltridge of the LCNZ, the Venerable Rev’d John Matthews the Archdeacon of Hawke’s Bay Coast and he was also here representing the Bishop of Waiapu Bishop Andrew Hedge, Rev’d Mark Whitfield who is the pastor of St Paul’s Christchurch and our guest Preacher of the day, Rev’d Noel Hendery of the Waiapu Diocese who started Worship Service, Pastor John Davison of the Lutheran Church of New Zealand which he is 1 of the Chaplains at the Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers Memorial Hospital, who leads our Services here each month and was leading our 10 year anniversary celebration Worship Service, Rev’d Adrian Skelton who was one of the signees to the Memorandum 10 years ago, Pastor Phil Husband of Harrison Street Community Church in Whanganui my old hometown, and Jo McGlashan one of the Pastoral leaders of St Francis Co-operating Parish and Shirley King who both where signatories to the Memorandum too.
As for groups the St Francis Parish women run a Fireside Fellowship meeting once a month and some of our Redeemer Lutheran’s Ladies attend their meetings, to inform you Carolyn Woon is the Convenor of that group now, and for us men of St Francis and Redeemer Lutheran’s attend a Men’s Luncheon once a month at the St Matthew’s Anglican Church in Hastings with good Fellowship enjoyed by all.
We Redeemer Lutheran’s assist the St Francis Parish in their Children’s Christmas Worship Service for the Community, then that evening is the Community Carol Service in wonderful, beautiful setting on the grounds of Farndon House in Clive.
WGM (Bill) Groves. Chairman
Redeemer Lutheran Congregation of Hawke’s Bay.
