February 1980
Hastings Baptist Church - Easter Festival 1980 - Song Writing Contest
You are invited to submit an Original Religious Song (Hymn, Folk Hymn, Chorus, etc). to be presented and judged during the Easter Festival 3rd 7th April 1980.
Composers will be responsible for the presentation, by themselves, or by some other person nominated by the composer. Please supply details of your entry including proposed presentation by Friday 28th March to The Festival Registrar, P O Box 1309, Hastings.
April 1980
HASTINGS (K. McCormack & G. Henshaw)
1980 began with the induction of Rev. Graeme Henshaw who with his wife Sally, has begun work in Flaxmere, Hastings newest suburb. Other events have been workshops for recruits to flower arranging, ushering, and visiting 'shut-ins'; the over-40's had a pot-luck dinner; a book table has been set up, where many interesting and helpful books are available. B.Y.M. is bursting with activity. Already there has been a sleep-in, a beach outing, a biscuit-baking marathon which raised funds for their camping trip to Taupo. Regular study sessions and discussion groups continue. Youth leaders had a training session on Waitangi Day. Planning and preparation for Easter Festival are well advanced. Special prayer meetings for our year's work in Hastings have been held.
July 1980
HASTINGS (K. McCormack & G. Henshaw)
Life has been busy through March and April. All groups are once again in full swing. Ladies' coffee mornings are flourishing in different areas of the city, plus an evening group which meets in the church lounge. A combined luncheon was held at the church so that people from each group could meet together. Ladies' Friendly Hour bus trip was a happy occasion. The Day Care Centre is thriving, filling a great need in the city, and providing many contacts with parents. B.W.M.U. groups are busy, and the ladies provided special features in morning service at start of B.W.M.U. Witness Week. A
Family Service conducted by the Junior S.S. and children from our Camberley S.S. was a good experience. Young People's weekend tramp in the Kaweka Ranges left some gasping, others with sore feet, but all with new awareness of the beauties and marvels of God's creation. Easter Festival was something to remember, and our traditional Harvest Festival has blossomed into a "Festival of Life", with the theme, "God, the Centre of our Lives". Zach's Place at Flaxmere has exploded into life, and we foresee a useful work being done in this area.
August 1980
HASTINGS (K. McCormack & G. Henshaw)
Several special services have been conducted on recent Sundays - Mr Noel Smith presented the work of the Bible Society; Industrial Chaplains in this area reviewed the whole work of Industrial Chaplaincy, and new chaplains were dedicated for service; the N.Z. centenary of the Scripture Union was commemorated at a service conducted by Dr John Evans; and the cast from the current local production of "Jesus Christ Superstar" presented selections from that work. Ministry through small groups in the church continues to expand, with coffee mornings and prayer and Bible study groups meeting in most areas of the city. "Zach's Place" is proving its worth in Flaxmere's new housing area, with growing numbers of people becoming involved in craft and educational programmes. Groups go regularly from our church to the prison, the hospital, and Pukeora Home for the Disabled, to present the Gospel. Church family dinners have been popular again this year - several families met at each of about 12 homes for pot-luck dinner, conversation and devotions.
October 1980
HASTINGS (K. McCormack & G. Henshaw)
It is with regret that we have accepted the resignation of our Pastor, Ken McCormack, who has ministered to our church family, and to our city, over the past eight years. We wish him well in his new pastorate at Oxford Terrace. Recent special occasions have been two baptismal services, a youth service, a Family service conducted by the Intermediate Department of the S.S., and the first Sunday evening service at Zach's Place in Flaxmere. The S.S. at Flaxmere has begun, with about 40 children attending regularly. A mini-gala, held on a bitterly cold and windy morning, raised $250 for the Flaxmere Centre. The coffee groups all combined on another morning to hear Rev. Hornblow of the Hastings Methodist fellowship talk about, and show slides of, his trip to the Holy Land. Dorothy Beavan (O.M.F. - Japan) arranged an evening where we were introduced to some elements of Japanese culture. We fought valiantly with chop sticks and managed to enjoy a Japanese meal. Dorothy returns to Japan in September. Our church has joined the "Share-a-Student" scheme, and we have "adopted" Peter and Penny Eaton from Baptist College. We look forward to meeting them some time soon.
December 1980
HASTINGS (K. McCormack & G. Henshaw)
Some of the highlights of a busy spring have been a Family service conducted by the B.Y.M. Mahora School Choir, conducted by Michael McCormick, as guest artist at a morning service, and the Hastings Citizen Band with our church choir, at an evening service. The Pink Family led our worship another morning, and Dr. Ben Watti on Assembly Sunday. An interesting item to come out of the Annual Meeting was the success story of our Day Care Centre, and the high regard in which it is held by the local health and welfare departments. Sunday evening services at Flaxmere are being held monthly, with encouraging attendances. Rev. McCormack was away in Cambridge for a week, conducting a mission there.