Dear Friends in Christ,
Each week in e-Life there are many wonderful opportunities advertised—for refreshment, for renewal, for retreat, for learning. It is both exciting and inspiring to know that across our Diocese so many people are working to offer these opportunities for growth in our relationship with Jesus Christ—thank you! One opportunity I want to mention this week takes place on Saturday, from 10am to 4pm at Holy Trinity Avonside, organised by Cursillo—with opportunity to experience the splendour of our newest church building and to hear from wonderful communicators—the details are advertised elsewhere in e-Life. See you there!
Speaking of new churches in our Diocese, an exciting weekend is coming up at the end of May. On Saturday afternoon 28 May St Mark’s Opawa-St Martin’s will be reopened and the new St Anne’s Chapel within it will be consecrated. Then at 4pm on Sunday afternoon 29 May, St Faith’s, New Brighton (Parish of East Christchurch) will be re-opened. Unfortunately, the former service is a ticket only (due to fire restrictions on numbers—a change from Covid restrictions!). All welcome, however, at St Mark’s on Sunday 29 May at 10am. If you wish to attend the service at St Faith’s New Brighton, please RSVP by 5pm Friday 27 May to katrina@tewakaaroha.org.nz.
On Saturday afternoon, superbly organised by our Diocesan Manager, Edwin Boyce, our General Synod representatives gathered together in the Anglican Centre to join by Zoom representatives from other Pākehā Dioceses to form the Tikanga Pākehā Conference. Meeting in this way, we were able to pass some necessary and useful resolutions for life in our Tikanga. Later this year we will be in Nelson for a physical session of General Synod, 25–28 October. Thank you to our clerical representatives (Carolyn Robertson, Lucy Flatt, Toby Behan) and our lay representatives (Byron Behm, Sue Robb, Viv Jackson, Ciru Miriuku) for your service—especially to Ciru who will continue to be our Diocesan representative on General Synod Standing Committee and to Byron who will continue to be our representative on the Tikanga Pākehā Conference Coordinating Group.
On Sunday it was lovely to share in worship in the Parish of Kaiapoi—at St Bartholomew’s, Kaiapoi and then at St Albans, Ohoka. For Mother’s Day some special music was arranged—wonderful! The warm hospitality shown Teresa and myself was much appreciated—thank you to Vicar Sandy Constable and her team.
We have many challenges before us. As inflation rises, Covid strikes us down, tiredness from the stresses and strains of the past years catches up with us, let’s remember there are still 10,000 Reasons to Worship God’s Holy Name! May this performance of this great modern hymn bless you this week (click on the 10,000).
This Sunday’s Gospel passage, John 13:31-35, means we are challenged on Easter 5, by a message from the night before Jesus died: “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” There’s not a lot to say after that profound challenge from Jesus. Do we love one another? Do we love one another as Jesus has loved us? Is it by our love for one another that we are recognised as disciples of Jesus?
Arohanui,
