E-NEWS FRIDAY 6TH FEBRUARY 2026
Kia ora, talofa lava. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who attended my 65th birthday celebration and the marking of my 35th anniversary of ordination. It was a wonderful occasion and made even more special by your presence, your generous gifts, and your good wishes. It meant a great deal to celebrate such milestones with our St Andrew’s community.
Another birthday party today at Dragon Yum Cha”. Unfortunately Jemma left early
On Tuesday, the Worship Committee met for the final time. This committee was created prior to my arrival here, and over the past four years it has provided helpful support and guidance for our worship life. At this stage I feel comfortable planning our regular services without a standing Worship Committee. However, I will certainly be calling upon members again whenever we are preparing special services, such as the Season of Creation, Matariki, and other significant occasions.
So I would like to say a sincere thank you to everyone who has served on the Worship Committee over these past four years.
This Sunday is International Women’s Day, and there will be an interfaith service at the Anglican Cathedral on Sunday at 4pm to mark the occasion. I have been invited to preach, which will be a special opportunity to celebrate the leadership and contributions of women across our faith communities.
Looking ahead to Holy Week, we will be holding our Last Supper gathering on Monday 2 April at 6:30pm in Conference Rooms 2 and 3.
We are looking for volunteers to help prepare some of the food. The meal will include:
- Roast leg of lamb
- Flatbread
- Green salad or bitter herbs
- Grape juice and wine
I’m also looking for a volunteer to make the charoset, the sweet fruit and nut paste eaten during the Passover meal. It symbolises the mortar used by the enslaved Israelites in Egypt. If you are curious about it, just Google the recipe!
Te Kākano o Te Aroha will also be joining us, which will make the evening even more meaningful.
This Sunday we will also be commissioning Tania Penafiel and Ata Burr as new members of the Parish Council, and we look forward to hearing a little about their lives and their willingness to serve our community in this role.
Our lectionary readings this week are:
- Exodus 17:1–7 — Water from the Rock
- John 4:5–42 — Jesus and the Samaritan Woman at the Well
Both readings speak powerfully about thirst, water, and the ways God sustains us in unexpected places.
I look forward to seeing many of you on Sunday. And for those who are unable to attend in person, I’m delighted that you can join us through our livestream, wherever you may be in Aotearoa New Zealand or around the world.
Until then, ka kite ano and God bless. Fei.
You can read the full E-news here: https://mailchi.mp/e8b38ddf4f19/this-weeks-newsletter-from-st-andrews-on-the-terrace-10139307
