Dear Friends,
We continue to pray for peace, praying in hope, praying to the Prince of Peace, knowing that daily news informs us of continuing war. We pray for wisdom to prevail in our global and national leaders, especially as ramifications of the war begin to affect the whole world.
Last week, there was a pet blessing at St Margaret’s College. Chaplain Rev’d Stephanie Clay blessed the beloved pets of Years 1 to 6 students, amidst plenty of tails wagging, gentle purrs, and happy smiles. In this e-Life, there are also photos and reflections from last Friday’s World Day of Prayer services in Christchurch.
Christ Church Cathedral: Beginning on Friday, 13 March there will be another Open Weekend for visitors to walk through the cathedral. Places need to be booked. Please see details elsewhere in this e-Life.
Last Friday, a Special e-Life was published, informing e-Life readers that the Christchurch City Council is seeking submissions through this month on the question of investing more funds into four key heritage projects in the city, including our Cathedral. In that e-Life details were given about how to make a submission. Please head to this link. I ask that as many Anglicans as possible make a submission in favour of the Council supporting our Reinstatement Project so that we can complete it in a timely manner. Thank you!
Among Lenten “extra effort” possibilities this Lent are the following opportunities across our Diocese, March 2026 Quiet Days, when we can participate in Bible study together and then in prayer for the Diocese and for the world. Each Saturday will run from 9am to 3pm, with the morning spent in Bible study led by Bishop Peter, and the afternoon in prayer:
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This Saturday 14 March, Church of the Epiphany, Hanmer Springs (John chapters 4-6), with Sunday service in the Church of Epiphany, 10am on Sunday 15 March
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Saturday 21 March, The Anglican Centre, 95 Tuam Street, Christchurch (John chapters 7-10), with Sunday service in Te Hepara Pai, Ferry Road, Woolston, 10.15am, Sunday 22 March
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Saturday 28 March, St Alban’s, Pleasant Point (John chapters 11-13), with Sunday service in St. Albans, Pleasant Point, 9.30am, Sunday 29 March 2026.
All are welcome to these quiet days. Please bring your own lunch or plan to go to a nearby eating place. Morning tea provided. Our first weekend, based at All Saints’, Hokitika, went very well—thank you, All Saints for your hospitality!
The Reverend Sammy Mould will be ordained priest at 7pm on Wednesday 18 March, in the Transitional Cathedral. All are welcome to this service for which the Reverend Lucy Flatt, Vicar of Johnsonville, will be the preacher. Clergy should robe, alb and red stole.
The Reverend Helen Roud has announced that she will conclude her ministry as Vicar of St Mary the Virgin, Addington on Sunday 7 June 2026. I am very grateful for Helen’s eight years of ministry leadership in this parish. I am also grateful that Helen’s ministries in facilitating Clinical Pastoral Education courses based here in Christchurch will continue, along with her support for clergy through supervision.
Following a recent meeting with the Diocesan Council for World Mission, I encourage individuals and ministry units to continue generous support to the Anglican Missions Board, with special emphasis on each ministry unit maintaining or increasing their contributions to our “whole of Diocese” mission giving goal, as set each year at our annual Synod.
The Laidlaw Centre for Church Leadership is partnering with the School of Emotionally Healthy Leadership to deliver the Emotionally Healthy Spirituality and Emotionally Healthy Relationships courses again in 2026. In the school, we’ll journey together as a small cohort of pastors and leaders from around Aotearoa. We’ll slow down to be with Jesus and rediscover leadership from the inside out through live teaching and virtual table groups. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality is running online, Tuesday mornings 9.30am-12pm from 28 April to 16 June. Registrations are limited. Please see details elsewhere in this e-Life.
This coming Sunday, 15 March 2026 is Lent 4. The Gospel reading is John 9:1-41. A common theme across the Gospels, as well as other parts of the Bible, is whether people see well or are spiritually blind. Those who see well grasp who God is and what God asks of us. Those who are spiritually blind may have a limited understanding of the things of God but ultimately fail to grasp the most important things. These differences and tensions play out in this narrative, about the healing of a blind man. One point of great interest in the chapter is the way in which the healed man develops a greater insight into who Jesus is as the narrative unfolds.
Arohanui,
+Peter.