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Frequently Asked Questions
What's happening? Check out our back story below... We run Messy Church on the second Sunday of each month from 4 to 6pm. On 19 March we started Dinner Church from 4pm to 6pm on the other Sundays. Check out our services page. What services are running currently in the church? Our services page let's you know what is currently on as we start up and reach out. What's happening next? We have started regular church services (on Non-Messy Church) Sundays! The service is called "Dinner church " and started on 19 March 2023 4pm. A church service with Sunday School followed by dinner. Run each (non-Messy Church) Sunday. 
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Our Back Story
St Philips as it had been was closed in early 2021. That was to allow the small remaining congregation to grieve the old before anything new started. A new plant was always going to be established. The church was never going to be let go or sold. The Anglican church has been around in New Zealand since the mid 1850's. It is not going anywhere. The church is here to stay just as Christ's love is here to stay.
About Julia and JamesJames and Julia Coleman are Anglican priests. They lead St Philips and previously led St Mary’s Silverstream in Upper Hutt. They have two adult sons Jacob and Sam.
They both became Christians in May 2002 on an Alpha course. James had previously been an atheist. The only reason he even went to the Alpha course was because Julia said, “If you love me you would sit through the course.” He managed to miss the first session but was there for the second which was on the evidence for Jesus claim to be God. Part of the course was a weekend away, which only James could go to because there were babysitting issues and it was decided that he was further behind in terms of getting this God thing. A time was offered during that weekend when the people on the course could be prayed for. James remembers realising that he had to make a choice. He felt that there was a cross roads ahead of him and he needed to decide whether to opt into a relationship with Jesus or not. It was as if this was the only time this choice would be there. He opted into a relationship with Christ. At the moment he had an intense encounter with God and was overcome with a feeling of being loved. He collapsed into an easy chair and was there for about an hour feeling the presence and love of God. On the way home that evening it was as if he had new glasses. Colours were brighter and more intense. He got home and told Julia he had become a Christian and been filled by the Holy Spirit. She was shocked but asked what you needed to do. He said, “Just pray I think.” She went away and prayed, and she too became a follower of Jesus on that same day. |
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St Philips Revive is the name of the new church plant.
4 Rawhiti Street, Stokes Valley.
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office@stmarys.org.nz
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