Celebrating Lay Preachers

The theme for the Hutt City Uniting Congregations (HCUC) service held at Waiwhetu Uniting Church  was ‘Wisdom’, taken from the lectionary reading for the day – 1 Kings 3: 3-14.

Fa’afetai  Fa’aloga spoke with the children about knowledge and wisdom and Robyn Bridge reflected on  ‘Where shall wisdom be found’.

An additional 10 lay preachers led the call to worship, prayers, and blessing. The hymns all followed the theme, and a choir of lay preachers sang Come and Seek the Ways of Wisdom. A total of18 certificates were presented on behalf of the HCUC for contributions to worship in the parish and wider church.

Presentations included:

• Three certificates to recognise completion of Stage 1 of the national ‘Lead Worship’ course.

• A New Zealand Lay Preachers certificate to Lute Taufalele-Vute.

• 14 Long Service as lay preachers (more than 10 years) certificates) including to Mele Katoa and George Ball for more than 40 years.

• A colourful bouquet of flowers to Lyn Price, in recognition of her work as HCUC Lay Preachers’ convenor. 

There are 24 active Lay Preachers within the HCUC and services are taken in Samoan, Tongan and English languages. As well as congregational worship, services are also led in Retirement Homes, a residential facility for people with Huntington's Disease, and an adult corrections facility.

Seven Decades of Faithful Service

By Rev Anne Preston

On 18 August 2024 Christchurch North Methodist Parish celebrated Heather Walls’ final service as a lay preacher, concluding almost 70 years since she began her journey as a lay preacher.

Heather and her late husband, Bob, began their journey together at Linwood where they used to have bible class with Rev Howard Harkness on a Sunday afternoon. They later married and lived in many different places in New Zealand over the years with their teaching careers. In those early years it was mostly Bob who preached and Heather accompanied him, often playing the organ for the services. Heather began preaching regularly when she returned to Christchurch after Bob died in 1978.

As the parish who has mostly benefitted from Heather’s gifts, Christchurch North parishioners took time to thank her for the amazing contribution she has made both as a lay preacher, and as a person of faith who has made such a difference in people’s lives wherever she has served. Her gifts extend to much more than her preaching. She was involved in starting up a parish puzzle library in 2000 that offers more than 1000 puzzles, to people from all over the city. She has been involved with - and now runs - Handiscope which started more than 50 years ago. Church role have included Synod Secretary, Vice President (2002-2003 with Norman West)  a member of the council of elders for a number of years, and joint chair of Synod,

When asked if she had any message for future lay preachers, she said, “If you know it is God’s call then you answer it”.

Heather's services have always been well-prepared, creative and challenged us all at one time or another. She has played an important role in the spiritual development and formation of us all.

Macrina Wiederkehr said that “To bless is to put a bit of yourself into something. It is to make holy, to change something or someone because of your presence”. “When we bless it is God’s deep and vast goodness, or God-ness, in us that blesses another. When we bless, we touch another with the touch of this God-ness. In our scriptures Jesus does not bestow or offer many blessings. Rather he becomes a blessing. His presence, his goodness, engenders life, strength, healing, courage and vitality.

You have been such a person for us. Your love for God, God’s church and God’s people is obvious – You have blessed us! Well done, Good and faithful servant.

We were joined on Sunday by Rev Dale Peach, Synod superintendent and Garth and Elizabeth Cant, representing the NZ Lay Preachers Association, the Methodist LP Network and the Canterbury LP association. They all joined us in giving thanks to Heather.

We bless Heather with this Celtic blessing:

Wisdom of years be yours

Joy of friendship be yours

Wealth of memories be yours

Fruit of endeavour be yours

Hope of heaven be yours

Peace of God be yours