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Tag Archives: Queenstown
Queenstown, Frankton and Arrowtown Wedding Services.
Guidelines for WEDDINGS within the
WAKATIPU COMMUNITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
The 2012 General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand declared that it “upholds the historic Christian understanding of marriage as the loving, faithful union of a man and a woman”. This is our understanding of the nature of marriage. Any wedding conducted by our ministers, or within our premises, will be consistent with these beliefs.
Photo by Aspiring Photography.
Guidelines…
- Setting your Wedding Day: All weddings to be held in one of our premises must be approved by a minister of the Church. The couple, or their agent, needs to communicate with the minister in order to seek approval and to reserve the day and time for the wedding and rehearsal. It is advisable to make the necessary arrangements well in advance of the date you desire to be married.
- Celebrant: Wedding ceremonies held within our premises will be officiated by one of our Ministers or their nominee. However, upon request, it may be possible guest clergy or a civil celebrant to officiate. Please discuss this with Rev Carlton Johnstone for Arrowtown and Rev Ian Guy for wedding services at Queenstown or Frankton.
- Christian nature of the service: When a couple asks to be married by one of our ministers or to use our buildings for their wedding service we assume that they desire the blessing of God on their marriage and that they want to begin their life together in God’s sight and in God’s presence. A man and a woman take each other as husband and wife not only as a private act of commitment but also before their community and God. It is important that the marriage service reflects Christian faith and is consistent with the Church’s understanding of marriage. It is advisable to discuss these matters fully with the Minister, or your celebrant, prior to entering into any firm commitment.
- Fees: The fees below apply to all except active, confirmed members of the congregations of the Church.
Current charges are:
- Use of Church building $500*
- Service of the Minister $550* (off site this fee may vary)
- Gratuity for Organist/Sound Operator $150 – suggested
Reimbursement of material costs re Marriage Preparation $65, if used. (varies depending on material used).
*these costs will be invoiced prior to your wedding. Any marriage preparation costs by negotiation and the organist gratuity is normally paid in cash on the day. Where rooms are needed in addition to the church building additional fees will apply.
(Note: fees updated June 2023)
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Building Use Policy
Building Use Policy
Many not-for-profit’s, community groups, commercial organisations and other churches use our buildings for meetings, programs, lectures, classes, presentations, and other activities. Our policy regarding building use is as follows:
The Wakatipu Community Presbyterian Church has three main centres: Queenstown, Frankton, and Arrowtown. In each location, we seek to share our facilities with the community as appropriate. The Church Council believes that it is good stewardship of our property to have the church buildings active, open, and alive throughout the week. However, first and foremost these buildings were built to the glory of God and are for the purposes of Christian worship and ministry. Therefore we reserve the right to ensure that whatever other use is made of these premises that they be used in ways which are wholesome, appropriate, and respectful of Presbyterian values and beliefs.
All building use requests must be approved, and are subject to calendar availability, space availability, and type of use. Phone the church office for more information, 03 441 4250.
(Policy last updated September 2013)
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New Zealand National Anthem
In New Zealand we have two national anthems of equal status: God of Nations and God Save the Queen. God of Nations was written as a poem/prayer by Thomas Bracken of Dunedin in the 1870’s and was set to the music of John Joesph Woods of Lawrence in 1876. On Christmas Day that year it was first performed in Dunedin but did not become an official national anthem until 1977. A Māori version was written in 1878 and today the first verses of both the English and Māori are commonly sung at events where as a nation we are stressing our national identity – ie before a sporting test. But I also like to sing it as a prayer.
Please consider it carefully and pray it. For those of us in the Wakatipu, especially as we seek God’s guidance in establishing the Wakatipu Global Community, this is a particularly appropriate prayer. These old words speak to our situation today. We seek to worship together, men and women from the nations, our responsibility before God is to call all people of every race to come and know God, to worship God and to grow in faith.
| God of nations! at Thy feet In the bonds of love we meet, Hear our voices, we entreat, God defend our Free Land. Guard Pacific’s triple star, From the shafts of strife and war, Make her praises heard afar, God defend New Zealand Men of ev’ry creed and race Peace, not war, shall be our boast, |
Let our love for Thee increase, May Thy blessings never cease, Give us plenty, give us peace, God defend our Free Land. From dishonour and from shame Guard our country’s spotless name Crown her with immortal fame, God defend New Zealand. May our mountains ever be |
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A sermon for Spring
A sermon preached Sunday 16th September 2012. Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:35-57.
Sometimes living here in the south it seems like winter just does not want to go away. Late snow, plunging temperatures, howling winds, dismal days all seem to do their best to dampen our spirits as they assert their control.
The garden – often looks unkempt, untidy, uninspiring..
Yet every year spring does roll around and claim it’s time.
.jpg "Sermon for Spring")
Our garden right now is bursting with new life – and spring colour. The roses are sending out new growth, the Rhododendrons are breaking into colour, the blossom blooms, weeds have suddenly appeared and amongst it all daffodils and tulips and unknown things are thrusting their fragile heads above the cold earth.
Living here in the manse for our first spring this is all new to us – unlike last year when we knew what we’d planted here we have no idea what lies beneath the ground. We have no way of knowing what will come up – so there’s extra delight as we’re surprised by what is now pushing it’s way through the earth.
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Lessons from Joseph: Family Baggage
a sermon from Sunday 5th August. Read Genesis 37:1-11; James 2:1-9
What a story! Today’s text from Genesis reads like a modern-day soap opera, even though it was probably written 3500 years ago.
Over the next 5 weeks we will follow the story of Joseph, the son of Jacob and his favourite wife, Rachel. You’ll note as we explore their stories that God achieves God’s purposes despite seemingly terrible situations and despite the fact that the people often at the heart of the story are the least likely of people to be doing great things for God.As you listened to the beginnings of this story of Jacob and his sons you’d quickly recognise that they had a few problems. These days we talk of ‘dysfunctional’ families – Jacob and family tick all the boxes. Serious counselling was needed. Continue reading