Dear Friends,
All are welcome to the Transitional Cathedral tonight, Wednesday 18 March, when the Reverend Sammy Mould will be ordained priest at 7pm. The Reverend Lucy Flatt, Vicar of Johnsonville, will be the preacher. Clergy should robe, alb and red stole. During this service Sammy will also be licensed as Priest-in-Charge of the Parish of Woodend-Pegasus.
Let’s continue to pray for peace, praying in hope, praying to the Prince of Peace, knowing that daily news informs us of continuing war and the loss of many innocent lives. Let’s pray for wisdom and compassion to prevail in our political leaders, especially as ramifications of the war with Iran begin to affect the whole world through rising costs for fuel and predictable consequential rises in everyone’s cost of living around the globe.
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 Christ Church Cathedral. Please head to this link to make a submission. 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!
Many people have questions about the reinstatement project for the Cathedral. Dean Ben Truman has published online an excellent set of FAQ videos, which can be viewed on this YouTube link.
The final two March 2026 Quiet Days are coming up. Each Quiet day runs from 9am to 3pm, with Bible study/reflection in the morning, and prayer for the world and for the church in the afternoon:
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9am to 3pm, this Saturday 21 March, The Anglican Centre, 95 Tuam Street, Christchurch (John chapters 7-10). I am preaching and presiding the following day, 10.15am, Sunday 22 March, in Te Hepara Pai, Te Pa o Te Waipounamu, Ferry Road, Woolston.
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9am to 3pm, 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 second weekend, based at the Church of the Epiphany, Hanmer Springs, went very well – thank you Epiphany for your hospitality!
Pamela McKenzie has died and her funeral is at 11am, Friday 27 March 2026, at St. Barnabas, Fendalton Parish. Pam was 95. She served in ministry and mission with her late husband Archdeacon Alan McKenzie through many decades, mostly in this Diocese, but also for a few years in the Diocese of Singapore. Pam will be much missed in the Parish of Fendalton and across the Diocese as a beloved, gracious servant-leader within the church. Please pray for the McKenzie family as they prepare for next week’s funeral service.
This coming Sunday, 22 March 2026 is Lent 5. The Gospel reading is John 11:1-45. The high points in this story of Lazarus being raised from the dead are verses 25-27, where Jesus makes one of his seven “I am” declarations (25-26) and Martha, sister of Lazarus, responds with a faith-filled declaration that anticipates the ending of John 20, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.”
Arohanui,
+Peter.