ST. ANDREW'S. PORT AHURIRI.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 30, Issue 2, 1 April 1939, Page 2

ST. ANDREW'S. PORT AHURIRI.

Our Harvest Thanksgiving Festival was. held on the 12th ult. Representative offerings of flowers, corn, fruit, bread, vegetables, jam

and produce beautifully adorned the Church and afterwards assisted the larders of St. Mary's Home and Hukarere Girls' School, while the grapes were very much appreciated by patients of Napier Hospital. We welcomed the presence of our Bishop who shared our Festival by assisting and preaching at Evensong. The children's part m the 11 o'clock service was impressive and uplifting as they gathered m front of the Altar, making their offerings and singing their hymn of praise. Palm Sunday, April 2nd, is the beginning of Holy Week, which is sacred to the memory of our Lord's Passion and Crucifixion, and as such should be fittingly and willingly observed by each member of the Church. To help" us to keep the week holy and to assist us m our devotions there will be a celebration at 7 a.m. and a short evening service at 7.30 o'clock on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Maundy Thursday, which all should at least endeavour to attend. On Palm Sunday at 10 a.m. the children are to proceed round St. Andrew's Church carrying palm crosses. In the evening the Right Rev. Bishop Bennett is to be the preacher, who will also show slides of pictures taken during his visit to India to attend the Missionary Congress at Madras.

Then there will be Good Friday, April 7th, which earnest Christians will fittingly observe not as a holiday and a day of picnicking and pleasure, but as a specially sacred Holy Day m grateful appreciation and recognition of his or her Redemption, and gathering m spirit at the foot of the Cross.

Come, let us stand beneath the Cross;

So may the Blood from out His side Fall gently on us drop by drop. — From Hymn 114.

The services arranged are: — 8 a.m., Ante-Communion; 10 a.m., Children's Service; 11 a.m., Mattins and Litany; 12 noon to 3 p.m., Devortional Service (conductor, the Rev. W. T. Drake, ja former vicar). In the evening, instead of the usual service at St. Andrew's we shall assemble at 6.50 p.m. at the Sound Shell, Napier, to join with St. John's and St. Augustine's, Napier, m a big

"PROCESSION OF WITNESS" which will culminate with a Lantern Ser->

vice on "The Passion of Our Lord," by His Lordship the Bishop, m St. John's Church at 8 p.m. Fuller details will be seen m another part of the Gazette. This will give all who value this Holy Day a glorious opportunity of witnessing to all that Good Friday stands for and how they and their Church regard it, and what it means to them. I do trust that St. Andrew's will take their full sihar^ and make a good witness. "This I have done for thee, what hast thou done for Me?"

Easter Day the services will be:— St. Andrew's, Holy Communion at 7 a.m. and 8 a.m.; Mattins at 11 a.m. and Festal Evensong at 7 p.m.

At Eskdale, Holy Communion at 11 a.m., and Evensong at Ohurakura at 3 p.m.

May God bless this Lent to you and to all Christendom and grant to you a Holy and happy Easter duly prepared for by your Lenten observance, especially that of Holy Week.