Closure of a worshipping community

Handing over the custodianship of a ministry unit

Having closed Papakura Parishes liturgical ministry, the next week we held a formal service to gift the custodianship of St John’s Drury to the Manukau Pastorate. The vast majority of this service was put together by Revd John Payne. Our contribution to the service were the hand-over prayers, where we gifted symbols of ministry to the new congregation, so that there would be a sense of continuation between our liturgical ministry and theirs. The most significant gift being the chalice and patten.

WELCOME

Informal welcome from parishioners

Bishop Jim: Grace and peace to you from God

All: God fill you with truth and joy.

Pihopa Te Kitohi: Ko te ra tenei i hanga e Ihowa.

Te Katoa: Kia hari, kia koa tatou

Hymn: O for a thousand tongues to sing

HE TAONGA TUKU IHO NO TE HONONGA TIKANGA RUA

Representatives of the Papakura Parish now give gifts to representatives of the Manukau Pastorate.

Ross Hogg, Papakura Parish Warden

On behalf of the Parish of Papakura and the congregation here at Drury, we give you the keys of this church and hall showing that we pass on to the Manukau Pastorate the stewardship and responsibility for this church, hall, and land.

Reverend John Payne, Pirihi Whakahaere o Te Takiwa o Manukau

On behalf of Te Takiwa o Manukau I receive the keys of this church and hall and will keep this church and facilities open to all.

Katharine Hoskyn, Patricia Williams, Ron Garnett (St John’s)

We give you these bibles and this Prayer Book that they may be used for the preaching of God’s Word and as guides for worship in this House of God.

Moana Knight, Te Takiwa o Manukau Warden

We receive this Bible and Prayer Book and will use them as tools for worship here.

Margaret Garnett, Carol Eyre (St John’s)

We give you this chalice and paten to be used in this church to celebrate the Holy Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ.

Reverend Tipene Anaru

I receive this chalice and paten acknowledging they are also a gift from past generations for the future use in the celebration of our Lord’s command: “Do this to remember me.”

ALL Papakura Parish Members

Our church and these gifts are part of our taonga which we now give to you with our Aroha, and our prayers are for God’s blessings to be showered on all who worship, visit and make life together here. A time for sadness and a time for rejoicing; a time for our letting go and a time of hope for our future.

ALL the people of Te Takiwa o Manukau

We thank you from our hearts for your taonga and the kindness and aroha which you have shown to us. The Lord will surely bless us all as we minister together in his vineyard.

The Venerable Canon Lloyd Popata, Archdeacon of Tamaki Makaurau, will lead the following prayer:

Ever-living God, watchful and caring, You are our beginning and our end;
All that we are and all that we have are yours; Bless us as we as we gather in your name.

Fill our hearts with gratitude for those who have gone before us and gathered in this place;
those who have praised your Holy Name, asked for your forgiveness,
sought eternal life in Baptism, heard your Word,
and have been nourished by the Body and Blood of Christ your only Son here.

Let your love and generosity surround us all now and especially the people of Tai Tokerau.

We ask, in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Saviour, our friend and brother. Amen.

Speeches

Then all standing, speeches conclude with

E Aroha Ana Ahau / I Love This Family of God

Collect

Almighty God, to whose glory we celebrate this house of prayer: We give you thanks for the fellowship of those who have worshipped in this place, and we pray that all who seek you here may find you, and be filled with your joy and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

READINGS

LESSON: Jeremiah 31:31-34

Hymn: Majesty

GOSPEL

John 12:20-

Homily – The Right Reverend Jim White

Following the sermon, a fairly standard communion service continued. ANZPB, p485ff