News from First Church

If you should find yourself driving semi-aimlessly up the east coast on the Ponatahi or equivalent charming back road, you will be struck by the sheer number of small parish churches which are mouldering into obscurity – usually because the congregations that used to bolster them have evaporated or the earthquake code has rendered them uninhabitable. 

Gone are the days when a fledgling community armed with mattocks and horse drawn farm equipment, built their first homes, closely followed by the mandatory place of worship.

Until superceded by the rugby clubs, these small churches of the late nineteenth century were the vibrant centre of gravity of these communities both for serious worship and social activity.

First Church was no exception. Pews were full and people got down on their knees. 

A rough (but not comprehensive) litany of local churches that have bitten the dust in the rush to secularisation includes St. Anthony’s, Gospel Hall, Burnside, Mauriceville, Hinekura, Morrisons Bush, Kahutara, Kaiwaiwai, etc. 

First Church is not under immediate threat _ but serious decisions relating to the building’s integrity are just around the corner. … Continue Reading

Martinborough fire season still controlled

Fire brigade medical responders hand over to LifeFlight at Lake Ferry. 

The FIRE SEASON has moved to RESTRICTED, meaning a permit is required for most fires both rural and in town. 

There is still a lot of dry vegetation about so please be careful even when you have a permit. For details: www.checkitsalright.nz. 

The brigade are actively looking for both some new firefighters and some medical responders, especially during daytime hours when we lose people to the “Big Smoke” and out of town for work. We are very adaptable around your availability, and if you can help daytimes we can pretty much cover the evening and nights.

Benefits to you, your family or employer, are the opportunity to develop a range of valuable skills, perhaps increase your physical fitness and the opportunity to work with a great bunch of people, who are often the first point of call in an emergency in your community. 

Not only that: we will fully equip you and train you for free!

Grab one of Martinborough’s firefighters for a chat if you see them around town (they might even buy you a coffee), or pop in on a Tuesday night when we are training.

We are at over 110 call-outs already this year, the majority being for our specialist Medical Response Unit, so we are definitely on target to beat last year’s 350 call total.

As the cooler autumn nights approach, we are all thinking about lighting our fires and relaxing in their glow, so make sure your chimney receives an annual sweep/clean, and always dispose of hot ashes in a metal container away from any flammable materials, like the outside decks.

Be careful on the roads as conditions change and please wear a seat belt.

Country Dog City Dog

How Well Do We Know People in our Community?

By Lyle Griffiths

Gavin McLellan was raised in Scotland in Bishopton, just west of Glasgow. His father was a GP, his mother was a nursing Sister. Gavin is the youngest of five and the only boy! He is married to Keryn Banks and came to live in Martinborough in 2020.

“My father advised me against becoming a doctor, and so I had no idea what profession I wished to pursue. I was interested in lots of things: Astronomy, Art and Architecture. After some meandering at university, finally I graduated in Land Economics from the University of Paisley and then qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in 1996 – so my interest in Architecture was rewarded in a different way.

The arrival of the Millennium changed my way of thinking, partly a faith-based epiphany. I wasn’t comfortable with ethics in the property industry and making rich people richer. Global poverty had become a critical issue. 

“I participated in the huge protests organised by Jubilee 2000 going to G7 summits in Birmingham and Cologne. These called on the World Bank and governments to deliver debt cancellation to the poorest and most indebted nations.

In 1999 I moved from volunteer activist to full time work for Tearfund, an International Development Charity. They provided funding in over 60 poor countries for partner projects such as creating better water sources, food security, and sponsoring children. I had the chance to lead some supporter tours to Uganda, Ethiopia and Kenya. … Continue Reading