Dear Friends,
Our new students at St John’s College, Meadowbank, Auckland, Byron Behm and Alice Carrell, were welcomed at a pōwhiri and eucharist service on Sunday afternoon. They join continuing students at the College, Luke Watson and Jamie Somerville. I am grateful that Archdeacon Nick Mountfort, Archdeacon for Ministry, was able to be present in support of them all and their families. Please pray for our students and for the College as academic studies and ministry formation programmes get underway for 2026.
It was good to be at Holy Trinity, Avonside on Sunday morning, to preach and preside for their 9.30am service. The Parish of Avonside is one of 16 ministry units across the Diocese which have a ministry leadership vacancy or which have interim ministry leadership as we work on a longer-term way forward for provision of priestly leadership. Your continuing prayer for the challenge of finding stipended leadership in these ministry units is much appreciated. As we seek the Regeneration of our Diocese, it is vital that we secure a new generation of leaders. I am thankful to God for the provision of new generation ministers for our churches. At present, however, we could do with even more than we have been generously given by God.
Today is Ash Wednesday. As services are held across the Diocese, I hope that we can take up the opportunity to renew our commitment to Christ by receiving the sign of his cross through ash. I am looking forward to preaching at our annual Roman Catholic—Anglican cathedrals’ ecumenical service tonight in St Mary’s Pro Cathedral, Manchester Street, Christchurch at 5.30pm. All welcome.
Tomorrow night, 7pm to 8.30pm, Thursday 19 February, is Open Heaven, at Wolfbrook Arena, Christchurch. Doors open at 6.15pm and entry is free. This year the capacity of the arena for this event has been increased to 8,000 so there will be room for everyone. More details at www.openheaven.nz
March 2026 Quiet Days: 9am to 3pm, with the morning spent in Bible study led by Bishop Peter, and the afternoon in prayer for the world and for the Diocese:
-
Saturday 7 March, All Saints, Hokitika (Gospel of John chapters 1-3 for the Bible study)
-
Saturday 14 March, Church of the Epiphany, Hanmer Springs (Gospel of John chapters 4-6)
-
Saturday 21 March, The Anglican Centre, 95 Tuam Street, Christchurch (Gospel of John chapters 7-10)
-
Saturday 28 March, St Alban’s, Pleasant Point (Gospel of John chapters 11-13)
All are welcome to the quiet days. Please bring your own lunch or plan to go to a nearby eating place. Morning tea provided.
On the Sundays following the Quiet Days I will then preach and preside in the local church at the main Sunday morning service, except for Sunday 22 March when I will preach and preside at Te Hepara Pai, Te Waipounamu, Ferry Road, Christchurch. It would be a great encouragement to the Parishes of Westland, Hanmer Springs and Temuka-Te Ngawai if some members of the Diocese outside those localities planned to participate in one of those three weekends.
The internationally acclaimed King’s Singers return to Christchurch Town Hall on 11 March 2026 for a very special concert marking Christchurch-born baritone Chris Bruerton‘s final New Zealand performance with the ensemble. Tickets are available online. Chris Bruerton’s musical journey was shaped by his years as a chorister and lay clerk at the cathedral.
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.
This coming Sunday, 22 February 2026 is Lent 1. The Gospel reading is Matthew 4:1-11. Testing times for Jesus through 40 days in the wilderness recall testing times for Israel through 40 years in the wilderness between Egypt and Israel’s promised land. Jesus does more than resist the temptations Satan puts to him: he pushes back against Satan, invoking authority from astutely chosen Scriptures. When we face testing times, we can recall for our encouragement that Jesus has faced testing times (Hebrews 4:14-16) and we can use Scripture to defeat the subtle, manipulative temptations of Satan.
Arohanui,
+Peter.