Dear Friends,
The Royal Commission on Abuse‘s final report was published last Wednesday. I thank all clergy and ministry units who last Sunday (or this Sunday, will) have read out the Archbishops’ statement on the report and its recommendations. The Anglican church in Aotearoa New Zealand has two months to respond to the recommendations in the report (i.e. to say which we agree with, and for any we disagree with, why we disagree) and a further two months to set out our plan for implementation of the recommendations. Considerable work is taking place to ensure that we meet these deadlines. I expect that our Diocese will be fully supportive of our national Anglican church’s engagement with the recommendations.
Many ministry units are appropriately making their own responses to the report and will continue to do so in coming weeks. One such response was captured at the weekend by The Press which featured the story of the response in the Parish of Merivale-St Albans, led by its vicar, Archdeacon Megan Herles-Mooar.
A significant coming event for us as a Diocese is a formal Service of Lament and Tears at 7pm, Thursday 5 September, 2024 in the Transitional Cathedral. This service is open to all and is the first part of our annual Diocesan Synod. It is important that a Diocesan service of this nature is representative of us as a whole Diocese. A small group is working steadily and sensitively on the form and content of this service. We will be publishing the words of the service before the service so that any who are concerned that attending this service will re-trigger their own trauma at being abused or having loved ones being abused will have opportunity to make a decision about attending or not. (For Synod members, clergy and laity reading this, we hope for a widespread attendance from across our Synod, but no member of Synod should feel compelled to participate in this service if they do not want to be there).
Please pray for the Reverend Jo Latham. Jo is undergoing chemotherapy and asks for prayer for healing from the cancer this therapy is intended to defeat. Many have been praying for Jo and on her behalf I ask that we continue praying for her healing.
Let’s continue to promote the Living Faith Conference in our parishes and ministry units. It will be a great opportunity on 26 October to renew our bonds as a Diocesan family, find real encouragement in our faith and participate in uplifting worship. Don’t forget that special provision will be made for families in the ‘Children’s Space’. This will be a designated area in the auditorium for children and families. It will be supervised by members of our children’s team and there will be kid’s packs, activities, and crafts available. Remember those under 18 are free! Register here. It has been very encouraging in this past week to learn of people from other dioceses who are planning to join us for this conference.
The tragedy of war continues across our world and terrible stories of suffering such as starvation for many Sudanese as civil war continues there break our hearts. The war in Ukraine seems to have no end in sight and is especially appalling for the way in which a church (the Russian Orthodox Church) continues to support the naked aggression of Putin as he seeks to redraw the map of Europe. When we then turn to the Middle East, we also find no end to horrific suffering. I am glad that our Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, has joined with the Prime Ministers of Australia and Canada in once again pressing for a ceasefire in Gaza. But also in the past week the northern border region of Israel and southern border region of Lebanon has seen fighting, death (of children), and destruction. We need to be clear as Christian people: violence in such contexts does not secure peace and justice.
Elsewhere in e-Life are details of the 2024 Anglo Catholic Hui- Te Hui Katorika o Te Hāhi Mihinare in Ōtepoti Dunedin, August 15-17. The hui aims to inspire those from the catholic tradition of Anglicanism (and those who would like to know more about the catholic tradition) to be a positive force for the Gospel and a model for effective mission in Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia. Its theme is ‘The Incarnational Life’, the opening Mass is on Thursday 15 August at 6pm, and the closing Mass Saturday 17 August at 12.30pm. This Hui will be hosted by St Paul’s Cathedral, All Saints’ Church North Dunedin, and St Peter’s Church Caversham.
Last week I was in Samoa for a meeting of a three Tikanga body known as Te Kotahitanga.We had a great meeting – fulfilling our obligations as an advisory board to the St John’s College Trust Board, and it was helpful to our discussions to be present in the Diocese of Polynesia (one of the Three Tikanga of our church). We were warmly welcomed by the family of God at All Saints Church, Apia on Thursday evening and it was a pleasure to share in their Sunday morning service. This week I am in Melbourne for a three-day consultation on science and faith in the Anglican communion, meeting with bishops from Oceania and a team of science educators, most based at the University of Auckland.
This Sunday 4 August is Ordinary 18 and the Gospel is John 6:24-35. Last week I noted that, beyond the miracle stories of 6:1-21, in the remainder of John 6, we are taken deeper into the mission of Jesus because the bread which feeds people is symbolic of who Jesus himself is, the Bread of Life. The response to this teaching which Jesus asks of us is found in 6:29, “What God wants you to do is to believe in the one he sent” [GNB]. The phrase “in the one he sent” and the way the chapter ends (6:60-71) leaves us in no doubt that “believe” here is not “assent to a proposition” but commitment of life to Jesus Christ.
Arohanui,
+Peter.