Outreach
Below is a sample of the ways in which St Barnabas has served and continues to serve our community.
Christmas Hampers for Aranui
For the last few years we’ve been supporting the Linwood – Aranui parish by donating food for Christmas food hampers for needy families. This year we’re doing the same – donations of smaller frozen chickens & frozen veges or cash donations for the same to the parish office by Dec 5th please.
Rest Home Services
St Barnabas’ staff take services at the three Rest Homes in the parish – Fendalton Retirement Village (2nd Thursday at 11.15am), Holly Lea (3rd Thursday at 11am) and Radius Hawthorne (1st and 3rd Thursdays 11.15am). These services are a great way for staff to keep in touch with St Barnabas parishioners and others who can’t make it to church on Sundays but want to attend worship and stay in touch with us.
Contributions for the City Mission
Each week we collect donated food and hygiene items for the City Mission. Bring your gifts to church and place them in the baskets at the back of the church and hall. All gifts are gratefully received and will make a big difference to those struggling in our city.
English Language Class
Every Thursday during the term, from 4pm – 6pm we run an English Language Class for immigrants. We have a great team of people who help, with Olive Lawson as the Coordinator. Phone the Parish Office 03 351 7064 from 9am-3pm weekdays for more information.
Elder Care Group
This is a seniors’ ministry for all parishioners and members of the wider community. It’s on Monday afternoons from 1.00pm through until 3pm. The group has a creative programme of gentle exercises, games and activities. Our leaders are well trained and there is a team of volunteers who support the participants and the programme. Please contact the Parish Office on 351 7064 if you would like to join in..
Community Fun Day
In early March in recent years St Barnabas has put on a free, fun day for the whole community. We have been blessed to have hundreds of people from our community taking part. There was live music and entertainment, food, a Bouncy Castle, petting animal station, pony rides, all kinds of activities for the children and good, ol’ fashioned races on the front lawn of St Barnabas – like egg and spoon, wheelbarrow and sack races.
Community Van
With the help of the Fendalton-Waimairi Community Board we have a 12 seater community van which is available for the parish and community. It’s used by a huge variety of community groups. St Barnabas uses it to extend our caring ministries into the community in all kinds of ways for example regular van outings for seniors and to transport our young people and young adults to events.
Home Communion
If you know of anyone who would like to receive Home Communion at home each month, please let the Parish Office know 03 351 7064. We have a dedicated team who make monthly visits to those who are temporarily or permanently house-bound and can no longer attend church services. It’s a great way of keeping in touch with our parishioners!
Petersgate Counselling Centre
St Barnabas was one of the founding churches of community counselling agency Petersgate. Last year Petersgate offered counselling to 1,009 individuals and 101 families totalling 6,723 counselling sessions. This contributed considerably to the health, wellbeing and participation in the community of these individuals and families. For further information click HERE