Welcome to Hakatere Presbyterian Parish

Harvest Festival Service

Church Fair

We recently ran our Church Fair.  Many people worked long hours in preparation and this was appreciated by the people who attended.

Lagmhor Christmas Eve Service

Our annual Christmas Eve service supported by the Lagmhor community was a great success.  The Lagmhor primary school children participated in a nativity play which was enjoyed by all.

Final Service at the Hakatere Parish's Thomson Street Church (formerly St James Presbyterian Church)  11 December 2022

The Hakatere Parish has moved onto one site at Oxford Street in Ashburton.  A final service was held at the Thomson Street church.  Current and former Ministers and parishioners were invited to come to a celebration service.  A power point of the history of the building and parish events was presented by Roger Scammell.  Ministers and parishioners shared their experiences of St James (as the church was known prior to the establishment of Hakatere Parish).  A special banner that held signatures of previous parishioners was signed by people attending the service.  Many memorabilia were on display for people to reminisce about.   The service concluded with a morning tea in the hall.  

Remembrance Service Thursday 8th December 2022

During a service to remember loved ones, parishioners were invited to fill a cross with flowers. 

Final Women's' Fellowship Celebration

After many years of fellowship and hard work supporting many community groups, the Women's Fellowship have had their final meeting and celebration.

Parish Dinner

The Social and Hospitality Committee organised  a parish dinner catered for by a team from St Andrew's Presbyterian Church.  Our guest speakers were Ann and Martin Stewart.  They shared their experiences of doing The Camino Pilgrimage Walk across Spain.  The food was delicious and the speakers were very entertaining.

Mid-Week Communion Service

November 17 the monthly midweek communion service were hosted by the Baring Square Methodist Church.  Our Methodist friends were delighted for us to explore their refurbished building, which is lovely.  We have been invited to return to Baring Square for our final communion of 2022 on December 15. You are all welcome.

White Sunday Service

White Sunday is a traditional Samoan service led by the children.  Jacob Faalavaau with the support of his family shared his understandings of White Sunday.

Spring Flower Service 11th September.  Bunches of flowers were taken to people who can't get out.

The Hospitality and Social Committee organised a games afternoon.

Father's Day breakfast held on 4th September.  Enjoyed by all.

Games Afternoon

A group of people enjoyed playing scrabble and other word games for an afternoon.

Operation Cover UP 

Parishioners have been busy knitting for Operation Cover Up.  Blankets were blessed before going to Eastern Europe.

 Mother's Day Service

Our parish celebrated and acknowledged mothers and spiritual mothers with a special service.  Every woman received a flower with a message.  We have included some links to the videos we watched below.

  Here are some links for the videos we shared on mother's day    

  Mothers of the Bible

  The Mother's Day Song

  Jimmy Buckley My Mother

  Owen Mac My Mother, My Teacher, My friend

  Celine Dion A Mother's Prayer

Easter and ANZAC Service

Isabell Page decorated a cross with poppies.  It made a stunning ANZAC focus on the communion table. 

First Service in the Oxford Street Church

On April the 3rd after four years we were able to worship in the Oxford Street church.  A few visitors came to help us enjoy being back in the building.  We celebrated Harvest Festival creating a colourful display at the front of the church. Harvest gifts were passed on to Presbyterian Support. 

Final Service in the Oxford Street hall.

We have had four years of worship services in the Oxford Street hall while our church building was being strengthened. We are now ready to move back into the church.  These images are from our last service in the hall.

Christian World Service

Christian World Service national director Murray Overton outlined the work of the organisation when he visited us last month. He was welcomed by Rev Johanna.

Parish Discussion

Hakatere Presbyterian is nearly three years old.  We inherited three buildings, two within the Ashburton town boundary and are currently considering how these will support out future mission.  On December 12th very lively discussion occurred around the morning tea tables.  Written responses to prompts for thought are being collated.

Remembrance Service December 2021

During this short reflective service, open to anyone who wished to join us, we placed flowers in and around an oasis cross on the communion table.  Tears, memories and hugs were shared, and many stayed to catch up over supper. The cross remains available for the following two Sundays for those unable to attend on Thursday evening.

Christmas Cake Stirring

 Hakatere Presbyterian Parish stirred it's Christmas cake during Sunday worship .  Everyone present was involved.  The cake has been cooked and will be shared on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Service  at Staveley Campsite

Hakatere Parish and Plains Presbyterian worshiped together at Staveley.  Gilbert Donaldson talked about the history of the camp site.  After worship and a shared lunch a totara tree was planted and blessed to mark the occasion.  The tree came from the QEII Covenant Bush. 

  Blessing of Strengthened Hall

The Tinwald hall has been strengthened and painted.  It is now available for community and parish use.

  Pros and Cons of buildings

The church buzzed as we considered the good and not so good points of our three sites, Lagmhor, Tinwald and Hampstead with an eye to future.

   Lunch and games afternoon

The hospitality and social committee organized soup lunch.  Scrabble, Bingo and Bananagrams (a word game) were played with gusto.

  Craft and Hobbies Day

On Saturday 17th July the Oxford Street hall buzzed with creative work, amazing talent and the varied hobbies of parishioners.  Members of the public enjoyed seeing the displays and talking to people about their craft and shared their own memories and talents.

   Foot Clinic

  The Hakatere Presbyterian Parish has established a six weekly foot clinic in Tinwald.  Feet are                soaked,  nails are cut, feet are massaged and there's time for a cup of tea.

   Men's Tea

   Men from Ashburton parishes join the Hakatere Parish men for fellowship and a meal.  The guest           speaker was Bruce Arnst.

  We prayed today for people doing the 40 Hour Famine and for refugees as Johanna is on day 4 of     Operation Refugee Food For Life.

  Knitters in the parish and the wider community created colourful blankets, hats, mittens and jerseys.    they will be sent to Mission Without Borders in Eastern Europe as part of Operation CoverUp.  They       were blessed in church today.

  On 9th of May Zachariah and Zyrus Selesele were baptised.

   Harvest Festival

   Goods donated to mark our harvest festival made a bright display in the church.  Afterwards they         were given to three local food banks.

  Good Friday Service

  After reading the story of Joseph of Arimathea placing Jesus' body in a new tomb, we chose cloth to    wrap the body and/ or rosemary or flowers for remembrance.  We placed them on the cross. 

  Palm Sunday

  Prayers and praise were written on palm shapes.  These were hung down the isle.

    Fellowship after a Sunday Service

  Alpine Presbytery Gathering 19-21 March 2021 

The Presbytery Gathering was held at St David's Community Church, Ashburton.  People gathered from all over the upper South Island for a small amount of business and a lot of fellowship.  We shared experiences of being present in our communities focusing on listening for God's leading.  Highlights included: children's ministry in Timaru, new projects in Christchurch and Hanmer Springs, and community ministry with a food focus in Nelson.  Rev Dr Bruce Hamill identified common themes and theological underpinning.  The gathering finished with a worship celebration and  communion.

A Day Out February 2021

About 20 Hakatere Presbyterian Parish members gathered together for lunch at the Ashburton Domain.  In the afternoon Mr and Mrs Bateman of Wakanui welcomed about 30 parish members to explore their grounds.  We  enjoyed looking at a huge collection of tractors and wandering the cliff top and down along the beach.  Murray Page gave some historical background to the area.  The Social and Hospitality Team provided afternoon tea.  If you would like to see more photos of our afternoon click here.

   Share meal mid January

Remembrance Service December 2020

Our Remembrance Service was an occasion for a simple expression of grief and hope as we placed flowers into an oasis cross and then enjoyed their beauty.

One of our readings was a hymn of faith by Shirley Murray found in Faith Forever Singing NZ Hymns and Songs for a New Day published by the NZ Hymn Book Trust.

 Verse 2 of this hymn is: And Jesus said: don’t be afraid – I know your emptiness and grief, I hear your words of unbelief, but if you will, I’ll heal your soul and give your doubting heart relief.

 Christmas Cake Stirring

 Hakatere Presbyterian Parish stirred it's Christmas cake during Sunday worship (22nd November).  Everyone present was involved.  The cake has been cooked and will be shared on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

  Women's Fellowship 80th Anniversary

 80 years of service by women who belonged to the Presbyterian Church in Tinwald has been       celebrated.  The first ladies' guild at the then  Ashburton South Presbyterian Church was formed in   October in 1940 by the late Mrs Eileen Dalton and the late Mrs Elsie Lowery.

  Service at Wakanui     Sunday 8th November 2020  

Nativity Celebration

Hakatere Presbyterian Parish welcomed approximately 300 junior children, teachers and parents from Hampstead and Tinwald schools.  A nativity play was performed by members of the parish.  The children from each school sang songs and enjoyed a candy cane and Christmas shortbread.  

Picnic at Te Awa Awa Rata Reserve

Parishioners enjoyed a picnic at Te Awa Awa with rhododendrons blooming, before the wind came up.

  Hakatere Presbyterian Parish welcomes Reverend Johanna Warren as     our new minister

  On Thursday 21st November, 2019 Reverend Johanna Warren was inducted into the Hakatere Presbyterian Parish as their new minister.  The service was led by Alpine Presbytery Moderator, Reverend Anne Stewart.  Reverend Alistair McNaughton, gave the sermon and Reverend Brent Richardson gave a summary of the parish journey.  Members of the Hakatere parish presented Reverend Johanna symbols of ministry and welcomed her while members of the Cook Island Christian Church sang.  We feel excited and blessed to have Reverend Johanna with us and working along side us.

GOSPEL SERVICE - ‘Embracing Opportunities’
A gospel service was held on Sunday 3rd November.  the guest speaker was Reverend Jeff Cotton and guest singers included Bruce and Lange Hill, and the Hakatere Singers.

Staveley Retreat

Eighteen people from the parish travelled to Staveley Camp for a day of reflection on Saturday, November 2. Leading the day was the Rev Stephanie Robson, a Christchurch Anglican Diocesan ministry educator. The first part of the day was used to refresh our spirits and the
second part explored the ways God is working.  (Read more about the retreat in the December Stay Connected)

A New Beginning

A new beginning - together with thanksgiving for the faith and work of the past - was marked on Sunday, February 10, at the Ashburton Trust Event Centre when an historic step was taken in the parishes of St James’ and St Paul’s Presbyterian Parishes. 

On that day the two parishes were dis-established and a new, single parish has now been formed. The celebratory service was led by the moderator of the Alpine Presbytery, Rev Anne Stewart. Also taking part were the interim moderator of the parish, Rev Brent Richardson and the parish clerks, Almond Royds and John Tyrrell. The sermon was preached by Rev Arii Taimatatora, from the Plains Presbyterian Church.