A Timaru presbyterian minister is preparing to undertake a new mission.
Rev Rory Grant arrived in Timaru in 2011 and has served the Timaru Presbyterian Parish for the last 13 years.
He will bid Timaru farewell at the end of month to take up a senior minister position in Clevedon, just outside Auckland.
Rev Grant grew up in Dunedin, studied theology at Otago University and did his ministry internship through the Knox Centre for Ministry and Leadership.
Rather than having to do two years of residential study in Dunedin, he had to do two years at a church somewhere around the country.
He completed his study St John’s in Rotorua, and Trinity Ngongotaha and was then called to Timaru.
Rev Grant said his family had very much enjoyed being a part of the Timaru community.
‘‘It’s really special in Timaru, actually, that all of the churches work together really well and there’s a real sense of collegiality and support of being in the same team.
‘‘I’m just really grateful for my colleagues in ministry, both in the Presbyterian Church and all the different denominations and church movements that we have in Timaru.
‘‘Our boys have grown up in Timaru and it’s been a lovely home for them. We’ve really enjoyed our time here.
‘‘It’s bittersweet to be moving on, but it’s also quite exciting to be moving to a new opportunity in Clevedon.’’
He said there had been some fantastic opportunities for him during his time in Timaru.
‘‘One thing that I’ve really enjoyed right here at Trinity has been our preschool music group. I join in with that every Tuesday morning, Rhythm Kids it’s called.
‘‘It’s just a wonderful time with young families and music, I read a story and it’s just really good.
‘‘We used to run a primary school age holiday programme, which was a lot of fun, dressing up and being silly and all those sorts of things.
‘‘Then there are also the other opportunities like weddings, baptisms, funerals, all those sorts of things are always really special. I’ve always found it a real privilege to be involved in the Anzac service and leading the prayer at council meetings, particularly when they’ve had a citizenship ceremony, that’s been a real highlight.’’
Rev Grant was also the chairman of the Timaru Christian Ministers Association.
The opportunity to move to Clevedon came up through a mutual friend, he said.
‘‘The minister who’s retiring there was describing the sort of minister that he’d like to have replace him. Our friend thought to himself, ‘oh, I think he’s talking about Rory’.
‘‘He approached me and asked if I’d be interested in finding out more and it sort of went from there.
‘‘What our friend didn’t realise is that my wife and I actually went and visited Clevedon about eight years ago and stayed with the former minister, who showed us around the church. We were really inspired by what they’re doing up there, even back then.
‘‘For it to come full circle, and for this opportunity to come up, really felt like God’s timing.’’
He said the new position would be quite similar in a way to what he had been doing in Timaru.
‘‘They’ve got a very, very active children’s ministry up there and community ministries. I’m looking forward to being part of those, but also it’s quite a varied parish with different churches throughout the region and different leadership teams.
‘‘I’ll have more of a coordinating role and I’ll be the senior minister up there.
‘‘There’s just going to be a whole raft of new challenges, which is both exciting and a little bit daunting, but I feel confident that I can step up there.’’
Rev Grant wished to express his gratitude to the mana whenua and ru ¯nanga of Arowhenua Marae and the support he had received from Te Aitarakihi.
‘‘My wife and I have been doing a Te Reo Māori course through Ara Polytech, which has been supported and resourced by the local rūnanga and Te Aitarakihi.
‘‘I’m just so incredibly grateful for the opportunity and the welcome that we’ve had from mana whenua here in Aoraki.
‘‘I’ll always be looking out for news from South Canterbury and really grateful for all the love and support we’ve had from the community here over the last 13 years.’’
Rev Grant’s last Sunday service at Trinity will be on December 29 and he will be inducted into his new parish on February 20.
Reverend Grant’s farewell to mana whenua: Kā mihi nui ki Kati Huirapa o Arowhenua, te mana whenua o tēnei rohe, me kā tāngata o Te Aitatarakihi mo ō awhi me ō tautoko ki au i tōku haerenga o te Reo Māori. Tēnā koutou katoa.
