The Parish of Saint John the Evangelist, Roslyn 

   This page contains news and photographs from recent events at St John's Roslyn.  In general, this page is about things that have already happened.  For news about forthcoming events, please refer to the Calendar and Noticeboard Page.  To see many more photographs, visit the St John's Online Photo Album, which can be reached via the link on the Contact Information Page.

   Contributions of news items (text or photographs) are welcome.  Please contact Alan Firth or the Parish Office.

   Items on this page are in reverse chronological order, with new material added at the top of the page.

Harry Potter Family Fun Night	20th July 2007
On the night before the release of the final novel in the series, St John's held a Family Fun Night with a Harry Potter theme.  About forty parishioners, some of them in costume, were sorted into the four Hogwarts houses before a supper of fish and chips.  A non-magical but energetic Quidditch championship followed, with broomsticks, Quaffles and Bludgers conjured up on the spot from a pile of old newspapers.  Interspersed with these activities were a series of quizzes about the first six Harry Potter books, with plenty of prizes of chocolate.
Left: a witch preparing for Quidditch.  Below: the Quidditch match.
New Programmes at St John's	February-May 2007
The first few months of 2007 have been particularly busy at St John's, with a number of new programmes beginning or being planned.  A new Men's Group, meeting every second Monday evening, began in late February.  A third Pre-school Music and Movement Group has been added to the existing schedule.  Also, the first major initiative of the Dunedin Hills Ministry scheme is the new environmental study group, known as HELM, which recently carried out a sustainability audit of the parish buildings.  (Please see our Groups and Activities and Environment pages for more information on these groups.)    Other recent events were a Parish Planning Meeting in February, which came up with four main ideas for further study, a Parish Camp at Pounawea in March, and our Annual General Meeting which was also in March.  The 10:00 a.m. Sunday services in Lent featured "Windows on the Cross", a song cycle written by parishioner Agnes Beamish, and on Palm Sunday the Bishop visited St John's and performed three confirmations.
Inauguration of Dunedin Hills Ministry	4th February 2007
Dunedin Hills Ministry St Mary's Mornington St John's Roslyn
A joint service on Sunday the 4th of February inaugurated the Dunedin Hills Ministry arrangement involving St John's Roslyn and our neighbouring parish of St Mary's Mornington.  For the people of St John's, the service began at Roslyn, but our clergy, choir and congregation relocated to St Mary's during the second hymn, and entered in procession to hand over our curate, the Revd John Sherlock, for his installation as Priest-in-Charge.    During the service, Jolyon White was commissioned as Youth and Community Minister to both parishes.  Jolyon was a part-time Youth Worker at St John's for about two years, and he is now the third full-time member of the Dunedin Hills Ministry Team.
Sunday School Christmas Pageant	10th December 2006
The 2006 Pageant followed a narrative entitled "B is for Bethlehem", which ran through the traditional Christmas story by means of keywords in alphabetical order.  The arrival of angels, shepherds and magi was interspersed with appropriate carols, including two written by parishioner Agnes Beamish.  Some were sung by the congregation, some by the children and others by two soloists.  For the second year in a row, the central role of the baby Jesus went to a real live person rather than a plastic prop.
Above: some of the actors in the 2006 Sunday School Pageant, with musicians and narrators.    Right: in the cast: a shepherd with a sheep.
Dunedin Hills Ministry Scheme, and      John Sherlock's Ordination	30th November 2006
The 30th of November saw two new beginnings, not just for St John's Roslyn but for our neighbouring parish of St Mary's Mornington as well.  Firstly, after several months of planning and Special General Meetings in both parishes, the Dunedin Hills Ministry Team arrangement was approved by the Diocesan Council on that day.    The two parishes will retain their separate identities, with their own Vestries and financial structures.  However, the parish staff and clergy will form a single ministry team working across parish boundaries, and therefore making better use of the talents available to us.  Vicar Kelvin will remain primarily responsible for St John's, while John Sherlock will become priest-in-charge at St Mary's, which has been without a stipended minister for some time.  Programmes at St John's with which John has been closely involved, particularly the evening Youth Services, will continue, but hopefully in a form that involves the people of both parishes.    A third person is likely to be added to the team shortly.  The position will be funded jointly by both parishes, and the new position's focus may be on Youth Ministry.    Secondly, John Sherlock was ordained priest at St John's that evening.  The service was attended by a large congregation and about a dozen clergy as well as the Bishop.  The St John's choir was joined by choir members from St Mary's.  Supper (and some short speeches) followed the service.
Parish Fair 2006	4th November 2006
This year's Parish Fair coincided with favourable weather for a change.  Most of the usual stalls were operating, with one newcomer being an Ethnic Food stall.  The day ended with the drawing of the raffles and also an auction of the entries in the Men's Cake-Baking Competition.  (The winning entry went for $160.)  Overall, the Fair raised about $10 000, of which a tithe will go towards the Hospital Chaplaincy.
"Roll up, roll up, roll up!" - a selection of images from the 2006 Parish Fair.
Windows Upgrade	16th July 2006
A new set of stained-glass window panels, around the doors of the new building, was dedicated on the 16th of July.  The windows, from a bequest made by the late Grace Wilson, were made by professional stained-glass artist Peter McKenzie.  The design, by parishioner Kathryn Gordon, suggests the hills on either side of the harbour and incorporates images of local wildlife.
A detail from the new windows, which incorporate the text "I lift up mine eyes to the hills", from Psalm 121.

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