By Chris Harrowell
East Auckland’s many welcoming Christian churches offer much more to their local communities than solely providing a place to practice their faith.
One example is the work undertaken by the staff at All Saints Anglican Church in Howick.
The church in Selwyn Road is led by Reverend Ivica Gregurec, who began serving as its vicar in September last year.
One of the key services his church offers to the wider community is its vital foodbank operation, which he describes as one of its “very exciting ministries”.
“Everyone speaks about cost-of-living expenses, and I believe a church does not have the right to delegate assistance and help to someone else to do it on our behalf.
“In an ideal world there would be no need for assistance, because there would be no people in need and hungry and so on.
“One of the wonderful magnets for me of All Saints Howick was that connection with the community through the foodbank.
“It shows that’s not just that we collect money or goods and give to someone else to take care of our poor and we don’t want to do anything with them, it is really involvement with the community.”
And along with providing pastoral care to his parishioners, another aspect of Reverend Gregurec’s role at All Saints Anglican Church is to listen to people in need of emotional support or advice.
“I believe the time of priests who know everything is gone,” he says.
“I studied theology, my degrees are in theology, they not in clinical psychology or counselling and so on, but a big part of a priest’s ministry is listening.
“I hope, and it is my wish, that people know the doors of All Saints are open, that everyone is welcome to come, and even if I cannot give any profound solution to the problem, people can at least come and talk about it and leave knowing that someone listened to them.
“As a diocese, as an Anglican church, we have teams of people who are able to provide for the most complex assistance for people.
“Be it with supervision, be it with spiritual direction, be it the Auckland City Mission for the more material needs and so on, or our foodbank.
“But I think and I wish my doors are always open for those who wish to talk. I can talk so I hope I can listen too.”
People can contact All Saints Anglican Church, at 17 Selwyn Road in Howick, on 09 534 6864 or by email at office@allsaintshowick.org.nz.
