2021 AGM Reports

For those of you who are happy to read on your phone or computer the AGM Reports can all be read further down.

You can also download both the Ministry Reports and Annual Accounts as a PDF here:

Reports for the 2021 AGM of the Mackenzie Parish

Minister’s Report: 2020 in Review

Dear Mackenzie Church Community,

The disruption caused by Covid-19 is a theme in most of our reflections this year. It really has brought about significant changes in all of our lives. The low number of overseas visitors to this part of the world is one obvious daily reminder of how life has changed. For many people this is being experienced as an extended period of uncertainty, both socially and economically. Related to this, there is an increased concern for the mental wellbeing and financial need of those who are vulnerable to the challenges that such changes bring. Much of this has been at the front of my awareness over the past year and it has contributed to a shift in both my experience and my focus as a minister (I’ll say more about this shortly).

As I approach 8 years in the Mackenzie I’ve been thinking back to the hopes (and uncertainties) I carried with me back then. I was moving with my family to a new community, and also to becoming part of the continuing story of a church community we were not familiar with. There were so many unknowns! But there was one point of clarity. It came from the Bible passage that was preached on the evening I was inducted as the “new minister”. Although I can’t remember the sermon itself, the passage from Jeremiah 29 is a powerful text. It is a letter Jeremiah sent to the Jewish community who were living in exile in Babylon more than 500 years before Jesus came on the scene. Many Jewish exiles were struggling with the life altering changes they were undergoing as a result of their forced resettlement in Babylon. Jeremiah encouraged them to build homes and plant gardens, to raise their children and multiply, and above all, to seek the welfare of the Babylonian city in which they were now living.

Not that I feel like an exile in the Mackenzie, but I have also been encouraged to seek the welfare of the community to which God has sent me. I have experienced this as a renewed invitation to become very practical both in my approach to ministry and also the way in which we as a church community “do life together”.

Planting gardens. The first obvious step in this shift was to literally begin planting a garden, a community garden and a nursery at St Stephen’s and Lake Tekapo. This project is still in its early days, but already it has enabled me to either meet or reconnect with people in the wider community, and also with God’s call to the church community to care for creation.

Raising sons and daughters. Jeremiah told the exiles to multiply and not decrease. The young people in our faith community are the ones who will carry faith and hope into the future. They need our nurture and attention. Over the past year I have been reminded of how important it is to provide opportunities for our young people to grow in their understanding of the Christian faith. It’s also important to value them each as individuals. Making space for them in our worship life is now a significant priority for me.

Seek the welfare of the city. This past year I have cherished my time with the Pastoral Care Team. Their monthly conversations about the needs of others in our community and ways to show care has done much to help me get back in touch with what I can do to seek the welfare of others. Alongside that, I have been given wonderful opportunities to receive training and learn with others in the field of community Mental Health, develop closer friendships with staff and volunteers at our local Resource Centre, and participate in the Covid Recovery Advisory Group.

Looking to the future, we must all ask for the grace to be attentive the continuing guidance of the Holy Spirit. I am personally asking for the grace to help others to step into leadership roles in the church’s life, to take a lead in our Sunday gatherings, and also in those areas of life where each of you live and where God is calling you to minister the Gospel.

Finally, I’d like to share this in the interest of complete transparency. It is nearly eight years since I arrived here. In that time Fairlie, and the Mackenzie have really begun to feel like home. I would love to continue serving as minister in this parish, but that is not something I can take for granted. It is important for you, as a church community to be able to have a conversation about the life and direction of your church without me in the room (for at least some of the time). Try as we might, ministers and pastors just tend to suck up a lot of oxygen! Even though Cooperating Church guidelines call for a ministry review every five years, in the course of my time here we have not yet had one. I think it is important, for the health of the parish, to press pause and review things together. So, I have asked the Presbyterian and Anglican Churches to arrange a ministry/parish review for later this year (around August) to help that conversation take place. It is one way in which you as a community can share your thoughts and discern together what the Spirit is saying to the church. It is a chance to reflect on where you are now and the direction you sense God inviting us to take for the future. There are so many gifts among you to cherish, celebrate and share. I really hope you will take part in that process with as much energy God desires to fill you with!

God bless you all as we all continue to journey with Christ together.

Andrew McDonald 

Easter 2021

Vicar’s Warden Report

Looking back over the last year you would have to say, “that was very different”, with Covid Lockdown levels 1 ,2, 3, and 4 becoming frequently used terms. It has become a different world.

I believe it was a great opportunity to take time to reflect on our lives and how very busy they have become.  It has made us question what is really important.

During the last year Andrew has become increasingly more involved in the community which is fantastic to see. He takes monthly sightseeing tours with the older men of the town to places around South Canterbury, which has been greatly enjoyed. His vision and creation of the Fairlie community gardens has been impressive. Talking with Andrew he would say it’s as much about meeting people as it is about growing vegetables.

We seem to be moving as a church towards giving of ourselves as well as receiving, in church as well as the community.

Looking forward we ask ourselves what do “we” do as the  church to live the life of Christ in our community? I think the answer to this may be right in front of us – it’s about serving! And being always ready to give an answer to the question about “what is the hope that is within you?”

People’s Warden Report

A reflection of Church life for the Mackenzie Co-Operating Church for the past year is one like no other I have ever written.

We began 2020 with enthusiasm and joy for the prospect of the year ahead but when we got to March and the realization the world was a falling victim to a new virus called Covid-19 and the prospect of what was to come became reality, our borders closed and we all had to stay home.

Andrew was soon linking those that could into zoom church and telephoning people became an important part of linking our community.  We thank you Andrew your genius in technology is greatly appreciated and your thoughtful discussions held on zoom.

Many in our community have been hugely affected by the closing of our borders, our Tekapo community in particular. The COGS is much less busy and being opened by volunteers. The way forward will look different, but the essence of church in our communities will continue to be as strong and community facing as we have always been.

We thank Andrew, Anna, Ailan, Eilish and Bella for all they do for our church family.  Andrew has developed a fantastic resource in the community gardens at the grounds of St Stephens church. The Tekapo community garden is also up and producing at Aorangi Crescent. Thank you to the raft of volunteers who give of their time to these projects.

To all the volunteers who make morning tea, clean churches, do gardening, mow lawns your time is such a gift to the church and very much appreciated.

May we continue to Share the Love of Christ in the Mackenzie.

Sarah Wright

People’s Warden

Pastoral Care Team Annual Report  

The Pastoral Care Team has met every third Wednesday of each month throughout the year to discuss and action the needs of the parishioners and the wider community.  We begin each meeting with a short inspirational verse selected by Jocelyn Carlton.  This sets the tone for our meeting and gives us all food for thought.  Our members show sensitivity by acknowledging births, deaths, illness, loneliness and celebrations of the community.

This past year we have welcomed 13 new babies.

Each baby receives a small gift and some home baking.

We have sent 8 sympathy cards, baking and visits to parishioners who have lost family members during this period.

Even though the Covid restrictions have limited our ability in ways to connect with people we have managed to continue, observing the rules at the time.

Most months have seen the team visiting at least 10-12 people needing support. 

Covid has certainly affected many people in different ways.

Our team has made over 100 visits or phone calls, with baking or  flowers, over and above the visits to Moreh residents who we have tried to visit as often as Covid restrictions have allowed.

The over 80’s afternoon tea on  September 23rd was a great success. Barry Adie and Alan Kerr entertained our guests and Andrew McDonald ran a general knowledge quiz. This was enjoyed by all with the winning team receiving  a prize. A platter of food was taken to the residents at Moreh for their afternoon tea as they were unable to attend due to the pandemic restrictions. A huge thank you to all those who helped set up the hall and clean up afterwards and to the ladies who provided the afternoon tea and attended to our 38- 40  guests.

In December we wrapped gifts for our senior parishioners and for those in the community who were sick and needing some extra support, including  the residents of Moreh Home.  We also wrapped 100 children’s gifts to be given to the children who attended the Christmas pageant on Christmas Eve.

The Team wishes to thank  Bev Smith who makes our Easter cards each year and to Jocelyn Carlton who organises our inspirational verses for each meeting.

Finally a huge thank you to all the Pastoral Care Team Members for their willingness to serve by giving their time, efforts, gifts, phone calls, visits and support to our Parishioners and the wider community.  This is an example of serving God through our many different talents.

Anne Irving

Pastoral Care Team Convenor

Church of the Good Shepherd Report

2020 gave us many economic and social challenges globally, and The Church of the Good Shepherd was no exception.

With a large proportion of the Church’s income being derived from tourist donations and weddings, this dropped to almost zero at the start of the Level 4 lockdown. The continued closure of the borders meant that income did not resume when lockdown ended. Regrettably, the decision was made to make the paid guiding staff redundant, leaving the church closed for most of the time outside official worship hours. 

When restrictions were lifted sufficiently, church services resumed and were generally well patronised by NZ visitors and locals. Some time before Christmas, a group of volunteers generously offered their time to open the church for limited hours during the week. This was well received by visitors. I would like to gratefully thank these volunteers for their time.

We should also acknowledge the volunteer work done in the church gardens, keeping the lawns mowed and the weeds down. This has kept the grounds looking splendid and our gratitude is also extended to our volunteers for their continued efforts here.

We have a number of maintenance jobs underway. The fire extinguisher has been checked, electrical wiring is to be checked, and a quote on a new carpet has been provided. Funding has been sought for the latter.

The MDC have started work on planting the bund opposite the church (via Binns Property Works) and this is starting to take shape. Plans for planting in the area across the road from the church have been proposed and a Genesis Energy grant has been sought for this. Thanks are extended to those that prepared the application for this grant.

Despite a very challenging year for us in 2020, there is much to take pride in for our local church and be thankful that we have a strong community to cherish our heritage.

Andrew Scrase

Chair (Church of the Good Shepherd Committee)

Treasurer’s Report

For the year ended 31^st December, 2021.

I present the Draft 2020 Annual Financial report to the year ending 31^st December, 2020.     This report is to be signed off by the reviewers Ernst Young.

As everyone knows Covid-19 hit and altered the way the Parish operated.

The budget was amended, but it was a real guessing exercise, as the future financial operation of the Parish was unknown.

The Parish Council held Zoom meetings and with the Church of the Good Shepherd closed, no donations from visitors were received, no sales of items, and no weddings were held. Reluctantly, Parish Council decided to make the guides redundant. The Covid Wages Subsidy helped us to pay the guides out. Thank you to the guides for being so understanding.

Russell Dunn who had been working a few hours each week as a paid administrator, also resigned, but I must thank him for answering my calls for help. This is much appreciated.

The Parish was blessed to receive Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) grant from the Diocese to help us continue. Parish Council also drew down Thirty Thousand Dollars ($30,000.00) from the Special Purposes Fund to cover outgoings.

The Mackenzie District Council used the St Columba Hall for a few months while their building was being upgraded. This went on longer than expected. The Council paid for the power used.

At the end of the year the Church of the Good Shepherd was opened for limited hours, thanks to some of the ex-guides who volunteered to open. This brought in some most useful donations.

I must thank all the parishioners and others who continue to support the Parish by way of regular giving or one-off payments. With cheques now being withdrawn, if you wish to internet bank I am happy to give you the account details.

With the one-off monies received in 2020, I am pleased to report that provisionally the Parish had a slight surplus in operating funds, but the revaluations on lands and buildings make the books look healthier than they are.

Thank you,

Jenny Kerr,

Treasurer.