Notices

Birkenhead-Birkdale Presbyterian Church

Sunday 5 February 2012
Communion

Welcome to Rev Boaz  Koh, from the Korean Good Neighbours' Church  who will be taking our service this morning.

    Choir, Welcome & Greeting
    Hymn – Come, Now is the Time
    Call to Worship
    Prayer
    Notices, Celebrations, and Birthdays
    Offering
    Together Time

    Hymn – Because He lives
    Prayer
    Scripture Reading – Esther 9:29-10:3 John 2:7-10
    Hymn Esther No.22 (Freda's Hymns)
    Reflection – The Beginning of Restoration
    Prayer for Others
    Communion
    Hymn – Precious Lord
    Blessing
    Benediction

Food Bank News

 At the request of Inter-Church and Citizen's Advice Bureau, David delivered a food parcel to a family at Birkdale.  Dad was out of work and they were most grateful for the fresh food.   Our Food Bank stocks are now getting very low after delivering 8 food parcels over the holiday period.  We need 50 tea-bag packets, 100 gms coffee, 1.5kg bag sugar, marmite, honey, pasta and toilet paper.   You may be assured that all your contributions are gratefully received.  David 

Letter from Denise Calvert [denisec@pl.net ]  26 January 2012
Denise can be rung, or texted to her iphone on  021 757 181

 Hi there everyone.

Well I've spent a comfortable sleep-filled night with my new shoulder and should be getting the drain and pain pump out soon  out soon. I'm having no pain whatsoever.   I have just been given a lovely bed bath so feeling specially good.

 The surgeon has been to visit and he is pleased with the operation and after math. The physio will come today and start moving my arm but at this stage I am not to move it myself.

 What did surprise me today though was that the surgeon wants to schedule me for another lot of surgery - this time to either my right hip or femur.  I began getting pain there at the weekend and thought that it was probably referred pain from right pelvis. But no. It seems that things are hanging by a thread there now and I mustn't weight bear on it at all.

 So right now I have my left arm in a sling and cannot take any weight in  it or move it myself. Yet!!  4-6 weeks of healing and I will have a great tumour-free left arm.

 My right arm has a good range of movement but limited strength still from the  broken clavical. But I can use it and probably do a limited amount of weight bearing.

 My left leg is fine especially since I had the radiotherapy to the pelvis which has taken away all the referred pain to the thigh area.

 And my right leg is a no go area for the next two weeks when the lovely surgeon Chris Fougere will take out the blemishes and give me new bits which will enable me to walk safely again.

 So the plan is:   Stay in hospital till Friday  3rd Feb. when I can be discharged for the long

weekend, in the company of two adults and a wheelchair and a shower chair. I will leave hospital on the Friday after I have had the 4 th dose of radiotherapy to try to fix the  double vision. So the radiotherapy will all be done in house with the final one happening when I get re-admitted on the

7th. I will go to One Ttree Point for the weekend as planned and be there to welcome visitors and supervise some of the unpacking. The new super de duper nursing bed which looks like a domestic bed should be in place by then, and I will really need it.

 I continue to be amazed at the coordination that the staff are arranging all around me - I do have to make sure that I have all the pertinent facts to give them tho, so that they know what needs to be fitted in.

Hope this does catch you up with things.  Love to you all and my very grateful appreciation for all the thoughts and prayers and messages.

 I know why I'm not having pain - I 'm so lifted up by all your care and concern.

 I am one very blessed girl.  Love to you ,  Denise  xxxxxx

A letter from Chris and Sue

Dear Birkenhead friends,

At last we have the opportunity to write to you to thank you for the many kindnesses and good wishes shown to us as we left Birkenhead in mid-January.

Especially we would like to say a BIG thank you for the very happy farewell function and the gift of the Bunnings vouchers, the Morris and James pot (which now has bright yellow marigolds blooming happily in it) and the gardening gloves which will get well used in months ahead.  We were quite overwhelmed by your generosity.   It was such a privilege to be your minister for two eventful years, and share life in Birkenhead and Birkdale.  We had a lot of fun together, didn't we?

Our move to Tauranga on 18 January  was very straight forward, and after a couple of nights settling in we went for a week's holiday at Waihau Bay, which is about 2 hour's drive east of Opotiki.  It is quite remote.  We enjoyed plenty of time to read and swim and draw.  On the Sunday we went to church at the historic and beautifully situated Raukokore Church and there were seven in the congregation.  Chris took the offering – quite a role reversal for him!

We arrived back in Tauranga on 27 January, and since then have been busy unpacking the rest of our cartons and getting the house set up. 

Now we are into preparing the house and property for sale. We understand that the market is good, so we are hopeful of a good sale.

We have begun attending St Peter's Presbyterian Church in the centre of Tauranga. We have several friends who attend church there. It is a new experience for Chris to sit in the congregation. 

We will continue to follow developments at Birkenhead with loving and prayerful interest, and always welcome emails, phone calls and visits.

Thank you again for your messages of love and care.  We will value your continued prayers as we make a new life in the Bay of Plenty.  Love to you all,

    Chris and Sue

8 James Cook Drive,
Welcome Bay,

Tauranga 3112
Ph 07 544 5160 

Email: cksrbedford@clear.net.nz

Parish News

Message from Elizabeth Wong

    How are you and Happy New Year!!
    I am having a great time celebrating Chinese New Year of the Dragon here with family and friends.  Have put on a few kilos with all that eating frenzy so I had better put on my walking shoes when I get back to Auckland on Waitangi Day 6 February.  See you soon. Warmest regards, Elizabeth
     

Mainly Music

Starts on Tuesday 14 February with two sessions:
First:        9.15am – 10.15am
Second: 10.45am – 11.45am

Morning Tea duties:

  5 Feb:   Jocelyn Collinge and Barbara Wesley
12 Feb: Rosemary Bold and Beth Yarnton
19 Feb: Victoria Gunn and Pat More
26 Feb: Barbara Wadams and Jennifer Day
  1 March: Barbara Wadams and Jennifer Day
11 March: Mary Hewetson and Sherilyn Shand
18 March: June and David Graham

Beyond Our Doors  Committee

Church BBQ!  all welcome. 
Sunday 19 February from 4pm. 
More details to follow. 
Thanks, Nicola Moore
 

Sunday School Picnic

On Monday the minister's little daughter was very naughty, so her mother told her she couldn't go to the Sunday School picnic on Saturday.

For the next few days the girl behaved so nicely that he mother changed her mind and said she could go to the picnic after all. Surprisingly, the child's reaction was one of gloom and unhappiness.

"What's the matter?" asked her mother. "I thought you'd be glad to go to the picnic."

"It's too late," said the little girl. "I've already prayed for rain!"    (Chris Bedford.)