Greetings from Mid Canterbury, where God is at work in the church and community.
At 12.12pm every day since early 2023, Ashburton Parish has been using the Leading Your Church into Growth prayer – for growth in numbers, in spiritual commitment and in service to the community. We ventured an Alpha course last term, and 30 people participated. Now, 20 of those have trained as leaders and helpers for this term’s course.
Participants last term said Alpha:
“Reminded me that Jesus loves me, I think it also made me a calmer person”; “Awakened my desire to know Jesus more and to let me accept his love with open arms”;
“Showed me that even a broken person can have a purpose”;
“Allowed me to welcome the Holy Spirit”;
“Rekindled my faith and awakened the desire to attend church and lead a more productive life.”
God was wonderfully at work!
Across Mid Canterbury, a new after-school club in Methven grew from 4 to 17 children last term. Also at All Saints Methven, a Sunday evening meal is being offered weekly through winter at 6pm with Evening Prayer at 6.45pm – and weekend visitors to the ski field are warmly welcome.
This Sunday there’s the first Pint with a Priest at Mt Somers pub at 3pm; and St Mark’s Rakaia is trialling Breakfast Church at 9am on the first Sunday of the month in the church lounge.
It feels like the wind of the Spirit is in our sails as we seek to keep up with what God may do next.
In news from the wider Diocese, The Rev’d Dr Sam Wells (Vicar of St Martins-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square, London and Visiting Professor of Christian Ethics at King’s College in London) will be visiting Christchurch next month. While he is here, he will be presenting “Reimagining the Church in Mission” on 16 August. For more information, see the article below in e-Life, or visit the Theology House website.
The Rev’d Dr Hugh Bowron has been appointed Priest in Charge of Kaiapoi Parish, and he takes up that role for a time from Wednesday, 1 October.
Last weekend I was blessed to be at an Anglican Pacifist conference in Wellington. In the face of ongoing and increasing international turmoil, it is vitally important that followers of the Prince of Peace commit to God’s unceasing work of justice, reconciliation, and peace.
The Anglican Consultative Council’s five marks of mission challenge us “to seek to transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind, and to pursue peace and reconciliation”. Now, more than ever, it is time to step up to this challenge.
God bless you in all that you do, that the reign of God may come on earth as it is in heaven.
Arohanui,
Indrea
The Venerable Indrea Alexander, Deputy Vicar General