About St. Peters on Willis, Wellington
Everyday we welcome a steady stream of visitors who come in and just want to sit and be still, to think and pray in this special place. People comment on the quiet and beauty of our church building. We have tried to give you a little bit of the flavour of this on our website.
Come on in, any day between 8:00 am and 5:30 pm, and see for yourself.
Check out what we offer by way of services at St Peter's on Willis. Come and join us on Sundays or enjoy the presence of God whenever the doors are open.
Begin a discussion and share what’s important to you.
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A few words of introduction from our new vicar - Part 1 and Part 2. Remember you can meet him at our AGM on 1 April.
E te whanau o St Peter's, tena koutou.
It is with great delight that I look forward to becoming your next Vicar. Some of you will know a little about me and some will know a little about Kirsten. This is the quick-fire introduction.
It was about six months ago I think that I was 35, but somehow today I'm 46, and my two sons, Alex and Simon, have gone from toddlers to 21 and 17 respectively overnight. I was born in the Elsdon Maternity Hospital and lived briefly in Titahi Bay and Paraparaumu before spending my primary school years in Waikanae. At age 11 my family moved to Stokes Valley and it was in the Hutt and Wellington that I spent the next decade or so. Although it has been twenty-three years since I left Wellington this move feels very much like coming home!
Kirsten was born on the distant planet of Waikato but is certainly no stranger to Wellington. She managed the Resource Centre at the diocesan office for some years before training for ordination. She was Assistant Priest in the Onslow Parish before I enticed her away to Hawke's Bay.
We will be coming to you with an almost finished PhD thesis (Kirsten), two cats (one each), and from time to time a boy or two (both my responsibility!)
What do you need to know about me? You'll find out lots over time, but for now let me say that I began my priestly ministry on Queen Street in Auckland and am passionate about inner city ministry. All churches, and especially those in a city, have essential ministries of presence and hospitality and it is my intention to join with you in further developing those ministries. Otherwise, Oscar Wilde once said that if you're going to tell people the truth, make them laugh. I will be trying to do both, sometimes simultaneously!
We look forward to getting to know you all.
Brian Dawson
Who is Brian Dawson — Part 2 Kia Ora tatou
Given that it will be some time before you actually get to hear from me (in the flesh' (we're still finalising dates etc)), I thought you might like an occasional piece of information — or even just gossip! — so you don't end up reading the same introduction in The Bulletin constantly.
As some will probably know, I am not a cradle Anglican. My maternal grandparents were Baptist missionaries in what was then the Belgian Congo (if you've read `The Poisonwood Bible' you have a pretty good picture). As a child I was baptised in a Presbyterian church and that was pretty much it for church until I was 12. At that point I got involved in the youth group at St Matthew's in Taita.
Those who have been around the diocese for a while may remember that St Matt's in the late 70s, early 80s, was about as Anglican as my Baptist grandparents! There were some vestiges though. I was confirmed by Bsp Maxwell Wiggens, but only after a solid grounding in the old Prayer Book (the only time I ever saw it in my years there).
From St Matt's I shifted to Avalon Baptist to join their worship team. You may have rightly guessed that at this point I was about as liberal as Brian Tamaki, and interestingly my pastor was a youngish Kevin Ward, now a Presbyterian and well known researcher into why people leave the Church (and about as conservative as me!). From the Baptists I was invited to try to resurrect a youth group at Stokes Valley Methodist Church, and Methodism became my home for some years.
With the Methodists I spent a year as a worker in the Order of St Stephen and was eventually accepted for ordination training at Trinity College in Auckland. At the end of my time there I was appointed as presbyter at the Aotea Chapel, attached to the Auckland Methodist Mission on Queen St. It was not to prove a long appointment.
My reasons for leaving the Methodist Church might be shared another day. Suffice it to say for now that at the heart of those reasons — indeed, at the heart of my understanding of Church — was/is worship and the absolute centrality of what we do when we gather as the Body of Christ.
So, I am an Anglican by choice rather than chance! I look forward to sharing more with you.
Blessings Brian
Brian Dawson
If you want to check out St Luke's Havelock North and some of Brian's sermons click here for the home page. If you would like to read part one of his introduction click here.
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And of course our Priest in Charge - Bishop Richard Randerson
The Vicar/Priest in Charge
On 30 June 2011 Godfrey Nicholson - vicar of St Peter's on Willis - retired. We have therefore entered a period of "interregnum" wherein the Parish will look for a new vicar. During this interregnum period (which commenced on 1 July 2011) Bishop Richard Randerson is to be the Priest-in-Charge at St Peters on Willis. We are very fortunate to have a person of Richard's calibre to support the parish during what will be an exciting time for St Peters.
And for Richard's views on the interregnum please see his "Letter to Parishioners" below.
From the Priest-in-Charge, Bishop Richard Randerson
vicar@stpetersonwillis.org.nz;
Office Tel 382 8486
Letter to Parishioners - A Time of Transition
Greetings to parishioners and friends at St Peter’s:
Last month we farewelled Godfrey and Ann and thanked them for their ministry among us over five years. We wish them both every blessing for many good and stimulating years ahead. This letter is a general update on where to from here.
Priest in Charge (PIC): From 1 July I have been appointed PIC and look forward to a exciting few months ahead. I am only doing the job on a half-time basis, but want to be as available as possible to see nothing (or no one) falls to the ground unattended. I intend to be in the St Peter’s office 2-3 mornings a week, the exact pattern still to be worked out.
Choosing a New Vicar: This is a process that could take 6-9 months. It will involve the parish – your ideas, hopes and insights into the future mission and ministry of St Peter’s are vital. You will see we have a series of reflections on mission in the sermon slots from 10 July onwards. We have outside people coming to assist us to reflect. And this all culminates in a Future Ministry Consultation on Sunday 11 September after the morning services. The Natural Church Development Survey is part of this process.
Who we are and where we are going should be pretty much clarified by then. After that our four parish nominators (Tony Harcourt, Susan Atkins, Lisa-Marie Richan and Richard Norman) meet with the bishop and the four diocesan nominators to consider potential names. When a person is chosen, and the position offered and accepted, there may then be a three-month notice period for that person to take leave from his/her present position. That could take us into the Christmas-Easter period. The time may seem long but to think carefully and to be in good shape as a congregation is very important.
PIC Available: During the inter-regnum, I wish to be fully available to talk with anyone in confidence on matters pastoral, spiritual, theological, vocational, or if you would like to share reflections on the parish’s past, present and future. Please do not hesitate to contact me and we can arrange a time.
Is Healing Needed within the Congregation? Some have spoken to me of factions within the congregation, and of wounds that remain unhealed from previous divisions. A divided congregation cannot plan for a united future. I would be keen to hear confidential feedback on this issue: please let me know if you have something to share.
Changes in the Office: Our parish administrator, Don Lillis, left us last week for a new position, and Ron and Susan Atkins were on hand to thank him on our behalf. The wardens and I have restructured the office work to a 12-hour weekly position, and are interviewing six candidates this week. The office is being attended in the interim by myself and on a temporary basis, Peter de Blois. With this new situation we will obviously not have someone in the office full time, but all messages and emails will be responded to within 24 hours.
In a Pastoral Emergency: I may always be contacted on my home number (976 6050) or Rev’d Ron Atkins (383 8816).
Let’s Boost our Morale! This is an exciting time for St Peter’s as we contemplate the next era. Let’s boost our morale by coming to Sunday worship as often as we can. A few more in number leads to better worship and a sense that we are renewing ourselves in the unique ministry to which Christ calls us in this part of Wellington.
Bishop Richard Randerson, Priest-in-Charge
A pdf of the above letter can be found here