From the Pastor: A warm welcome to all who are worshiping with us this morning. Today is Les & Noeline Norrish's last Sunday with us before they move to Blenheim to be nearer their son. Les & Noeline have been a vital part of this fellowship for more than 50 years and contributed much to it during that time. They will be greatly missed by us and go with our prayers and best wishes for their future. At 2 p.m. Gaynor and I will be taking the service at Iona Home and would appreciate your prayers. At 6 p.m. we will gather at the Salvation Army to join with other churches to pray for this area - there will be no church prayer meeting. On Wednesday April 2, Team Leaders will meet at Shirley Nind's, 13 Hannah Place (Note change of location). On Saturday April 5, at 5.30 p.m., all singers, worship leaders and musicians will gather at the church for a F&C tea (BYO) and fellowship followed by a music workshop led by Alan Minnear. On Sunday April 6, Alan Minnear will lead our worship and we will return our "Bags for Missions". There will be a space when we can bring our special 'Missions' offering forward. All donations for Missions must be above and beyond our normal giving. This morning Sue Avis and the Girls' Brigade will be in Waimate for a Church Parade. At 7 p.m. we will resume our regular church prayer meetings at Shirley Nind's, 13 Hannah Place. On Wednesday 9th April, Deacons will meet. During the week of May 5 we will be starting a new Alpha Group. Please remember this in your prayers and let Heinz and June or myself know if you are aware of anyone you think may be interested. Thank you: Graeme and Mary-Ann Clarke would like to thank all those who have sent cards and prayed for them during Graeme's recent stay in hospital. Heinz and June have put a few photos of our last church picnic on the back wall. NEW ADDRESSES: Shirley Nind - 13 Hannah Place - same phone number. The Walkers - 347 Fortification Road, 4 O R D - same phone number. Alister Calder has bags of pinecones for sale, with all proceeds going to help our Young People get to Easter Camp - $2.50 per fertilizer bag and $3.50 per large bag. See Alister. Please remember the following in your prayers * Unchurched friends and neighbours * Jacinda and the Young People as they prepare for Easter Camp * Alan Minnear as he helps out with our Music & Worship ministry * Heinz & June as they prepare to run the next Alpha programme. * The next step for our rapidly aging buildings and the finance to do it. * Those unwell or unable to get to our services: Noel Cleverley, Mavis Kane, Betty Broad, Phil Sargent, Ethel Baker, Elsie Lockhart and Betty O'Brien. CELL GROUPS: The following groups are now meeting: * Young Mum's - at 21 Mersey Street. Thursday mornings 10 a.m. Contact Sharyn at 4341105 * Central Morning - at 5 Bedford Street. Tuesday mornings 10 a.m. fortnightly. Contact Janice at 4372322. Last meeting this term will be on April 1st. * Herbert - at 157 Irvine Road. Tuesday evenings 7.30 p.m. Contact Roger and Clare at 4395610 * Southenderz - venues vary. Tuesday evenings 7.30 p.m. Contact June and Heinz at 4324232 * Northenderz - venues vary. Tuesday evenings 7.30 p.m. Contact Janet at 4349435 If you are interested in joining a group please contact Janet Calder at 434 9435. We would love to have your company. MENS GROUP: Our next meeting is on Friday 4th April at the Galleon 7.30 p.m. to go ten pin bowling. W will have the use of 3 lanes. Cost will depend on the numbers coming. If interested contact Alec Clarke 4371590. See you there - Bring a friend. CRECHE: The creche is looking for a 2-seater couch. Contact Shirley if you can help. PROPERTY NEWS: * Thanks go to John Thorpe for water blasting the bottom of the church ready for painting. A big thanks to Scott Cousins for painting the bottom of the church - Looks great. Also a big thank you to the person who donated the paint - you know who you are. * The new hot water system is in the kitchen. PLEASE do not ever put your hands in this water as it is boiling hot. You put this water straight into your cup as it self fills and always remains at boiling point. Everything is automatic so please be very careful... * To get hot water to the sink use the zip only. Fill the zip and boil it. Get the water from the zip out of the hot tap in the sink only. The old outlet on the zip has been sealed off - please don't try to use it. * I'm looking for some people to paint the kitchen and toilets, also the two entrance ways to the hall. The paint is already there (Lemon). All I need is some slaves to put it up. If this sounds like you please contact Steve Cousins as soon as possible. HA! HA! HA! The church steeple in Port Gibson is very high and was being painted on a rather hot day. The painter was about half-way down and, as the steeple was widening out, it was taking more and more paint. The painter felt that he might not have enough paint to finish. Since he was hot and tired, and did not care to make another trip to the ground, he decided to stretch the amount of paint by adding some paint thinner to it. When finished he looked up to see the results of his work and noted that the area with the thinned paint looked decidedly different. He was pondering what to do about it when the sky turned dark and there was a lightning flash and loud thunderclap. Then in a loud booming voice from the sky came the words "REPAINT AND THIN NO MORE"! FIRST COMBINED NORTH OTAGO PRAYER AND PRAISE: Sunday 30th March at the Salvation Army at 6 p.m. All welcome. These prayer meetings will now be held on the fifth Sunday of the month which works out to be quarterly. MISSIONARY NEWS Please continue to pray for the safety and wisdom of our member missionaries - Robin in Haiti where Americans are viewed with hatred and Jan & Alan in Bangladesh in the midst of a Muslim country. Jan & Alan are receiving advice on a daily basis as to where they should or should not go. Anti-American feeling is high and there have been street marches calling for the death of foreigners. Jan & Alan will leave Bangladesh if they are advised to do so but in the meantime they do not want to endanger themselves or their national friends. Life is very stressful for them just now. See missionary notice board for more information. OAMARU BAPTIST CHURCH 12 Severn Street, Oamaru Pastor: Bruce Mackay (Phone 4345716) e-mail: bmackay@ihug.co.nz Pastoral Assistant: Janet Calder (Phone/Fax: 4349435) Youth Worker: Jacinda George SUNDAY SERVICE 10.00 a.m. Church Website: http://www.geocities.com/oambaptist MISSION STATEMENT "Making a Difference" Dates: Sunday 30th March and 6th Arpil, 2003