Dear Friends,
The Venerable Dr Anne Van Gend, Ministry Educator in the Diocese of Dunedin, has been elected as the next Bishop of Dunedin. There is a report at Taonga. At this stage, there is no date set for Anne’s ordination as bishop and installation as the Bishop of Dunedin, but it is hoped that this will be in the first part of 2025. Bishop-elect Anne was a speaker at our Clergy Conference around 2016; and she made a number of visits to Anglican schools in our Diocese in the years when she was Executive Director of the Anglican Schools Office. Please pray for Anne, and Michael, her husband, as they prepare to embrace this new role with its many joys and challenges.
Please pray for the Reverend Tina Thorpe (Rangiora)and her family as they prepare to celebrate the life of Alan Thorpe, Tina’s husband, at 1pm, this Friday 13 December, at St John the Baptist, Rangiora.
The Reverends Annette and Harvey Eggleston have served the Parish of Mayfield-Mt Somers for many years, in their respective capacities as priest and deacon. This Sunday at 10am at St Aidan’s, Mt Somers, Annette and Harvey will be farewelled from the parish. Teresa and I are looking forward to being with them and the congregation for this important occasion. All welcome. I am delighted that Annette and Harvey will continue to be available for ministry in Mid Canterbury where they will continue to live.
Some lovely news out of our Cathedral in the Square this week. It is very encouraging to see the interest taken in our cathedral with full bookings for the tours which have been arranged in the run up to Christmas. Unfortunately, this morning’s news from the Christchurch City Council highlights unnecessary uncertainty on the Council’s part about the recommencement of reinstatement. We are committed to that work restarting and are working continually on securing the necessary funds to do so. We are counting on the prior commitment of the Council to fund $10m (so far, we have received $3m).
Tomorrow, Thursday, 12 December 2024, a refreshed and redesigned Diocesan website goes live after midday. Visitors are very welcome to our site.
Congratulations to the following who this week graduate with theology qualifications: the Reverend Dr Andrew Butcher (Otago), and the Reverend Robert Jamieson (Laidlaw) – both Bachelor of Theology; Azaria Brooker, our Children’s Ministry Developer, and Nathan Muirhead, our Safeguarding Educator who both graduate NZ Diploma Christian Studies (Christian Ministry – Theology stream); and five students graduating with the Theology House Certificate in Ministry and Leadership who will receive their certificates in their local parishes on Sunday: Amy Clark, Nadia Fox, Riley Sutton, Sarah Coulson and Deen Coulson.
I remind readers that all are welcome to a farewell for Archdeacon Mark Chamberlain, from his role as Archdeacon for Regeneration and Mission, at 4pm, Thursday 19 December, in the Anglican Centre, 95 Tuam Street, Christchurch.
Theology House’s Lenten study for 2025 is available to order now. In the Spirit of Lent follows the lectionary’s Gospel readings for the six weeks of Lent. (Ash Wednesday is 5 March 2025.) For each week there is a written reflection by Theology House director Gareth Bezett and a visual reflection by the Reverend Sarah West from the Diocese of Auckland. Questions for discussion and prayers are provided in the expectation that groups who use the study will encounter the Word of God afresh. While there is no intentional theme lying behind the reflections, you will find that the discussion questions tend towards appropriately Lenten self-reflection, especially corporate self-reflection for our churches. Place your Lenten study orders here. Orders will be sent and invoiced from late January 2025.
It was a privilege last Friday to join with several hundred family and friends of the Reverend Jo Latham Gribbon to give thanks to God for her life and ministry. On Sunday morning Teresa and I worshipped with God’s people in the Church of the Epiphany, Hanmer Springs – Jo’s most recent parish.
Through the past two weeks (and concluding next Tuesday), it has been a joy to share in prize-givings and carol services for our Anglican schools. Tonight, I look forward to participating in the City Mission’s annual Carol Service in the Transitional Cathedral at 7.00pm.
The Reverend Lawrence and Mrs Elizabeth Kimberley have worked for many years on the NZ Lectionary, our church’s essential guide to Sunday and weekday Scripture readings and celebrations of feasts and festivals. I am delighted to see in Taonga this article which reports on their faithful work on this important annual publication.
The latest Anglican Life e-magazine is out, in time for Christmas, with the theme of Hope and a lot of really great reading as we head through Advent towards Christmas and the NZ holiday season.
The Gospel Reading for Sunday 15 December 2024, Advent 3 is Luke 3:7-18. As we journey through Advent, get ourselves ready not only for Christmas celebrations but also for the judgement of God, we find in this reading one of the greatest questions we can ever ask, “What then should we do?” (verse 10).
Arohanui,
+Peter.