Dear Friends,
This last weekend was significant for various reasons. The life and ministry of the late Right Reverend Richard Wallace was celebrated and remembered through two events, the first on Friday evening at the Air Force Museum, Wigram, when +Richard’s special and longstanding service with the Royal New Zealand Air Force was honoured (see further in eLife this week for the story about this) and then on Saturday morning with the Hura Kōhatu (unveiling of the grave) of +Richard at 11 am Wairewa [Little River] Urupā, followed by Hākari at Te Pā Mihinare o Te Waipounamu. Due to a prior booking I was unable to be present at either event and I am grateful for our Vicar-General, Archdeacon Mark Barlow representing me and the Diocese.
My prior booking was to be in Auckland at the Onehunga Co-operating Parish for a forum of the Uniting Churches of Aotearoa New Zealand (UCANZ), held over Saturday, Sunday and Monday. It was good to share in this forum with representatives of the Anglican, Presbyterian and Methodist Partners to UCANZ. Among the Anglican group were two other bishops and Archdeacon Dawn Baldwin from the Co-operating Parish of Amuri in our Diocese. A significant outcome of the forum is a commitment to form a commission to thoroughly review the way in which we do co-operating or union parishes throughout these islands. While nothing is broken (in my view) about the current ecumenical structure, there are definitely questions to ask about whether we are “best fit for current purpose” in today’s ever changing society and church scene.
This coming Sunday is Pentecost and I am looking forward to participating in a combined South Canterbury parishes’ Pentecost service in St John’s, Highfield, Timaru, at 2 pm. All are welcome to this festival eucharist. The Reverend Lucy Flatt, Vicar of Highfield, Kensington and Otipua, will be the preacher.
This coming Saturday, 7 June, on the eve of Pentecost, the Diocesan Day of Prayer is now well covered for each hour—thanks to many parishes and individuals and with thanks for communicating plans to the Reverend Tim Handley, our Day of Prayer co-ordinator. I remind readers that for those not otherwise involved in a local church time of prayer, I will be at the Transitional Cathedral, 10 am to 11 am on this Saturday morning, leading one hour of prayer.
Looking ahead:
At 5 pm Sunday 15 June, all are welcome to a celebration service at the Transitional Cathedral, observing the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. This is an ecumenical service – all welcome from all churches.
At 3.30 pm on Sunday 29 June, 2025, in Trinity Church, Akaroa, Pauline Hampshire will be ordained and inducted (according to Presbyterian order) as the first minister of the newly constituted Community Church of Akaroa Banks Peninsula (a joint venture between Anglicans and Presbyterians). All welcome. On this occasion the focus will be on Pauline and the beginning of her new ministry. At a later date there will be a formal celebration and inauguration of the newly constituted joint venture. Please pray for Pauline and Simon, her husband, as they prepare for this new chapter in their lives.
Then, at 6 pm, Tuesday 1 July, 2025, in All Saints Church, Methven, I will ordain the Reverend Sage Burke as priest in the church of God. All are welcome to this ordination service. Clergy attending are asked to robe and to wear red stoles. Please pray for Sage and Lara, his wife, and their children as Sage prepares for this next stage in his ministry journey.
The Diocesan Council for World Mission does important work in promoting the mission of Jesus Christ to the world beyond our nation. Each ministry unit is encouraged to support our annual Diocesan missions target—giving focused through Anglican Missions, which, in turn supports Anglican mission bodies such as New Zealand Church Missionary Society. I am delighted that Bronwyn Tucker has accepted my appointment for a further term as Chair of the Council. Please pray for Bronwyn and the Council, for mission partners serving overseas whose support base is here in our churches, and that this year we, as a whole Diocese, would meet our mission giving target ($160,000).
I am also delighted to announce the appointment of the Reverend Canon Brenda Bonnett to be the Diocesan Chaplain to the Retired Clergy, Widows and Widowers, effective from 1 June 2025 for a three year term. Please pray for Brenda as she begins this important work supporting our most senior clergy, their widows and widowers.
The Reverend Jolyon White, Diocesan Director of Advocacy, has decided to conclude his work with us, effective from the end of May. Jolyon has worked in social justice issues and advocacy matters in this Diocese since January 2010 (with a sabbatical year or so about two thirds of the way through this fifteen and a half year period). A significant funder of Jolyon’s work has been the Anglican Care Trust Board. It has been a pleasure to work with Jolyon through these years, especially the years 2012-2016 when I was Director of Theology House and Jolyon and his team shared offices with us there. I thank Jolyon for his work and the Anglican Care Trust Board and the Diocese of Christchurch for its financial support to make this work possible.
This coming Sunday, 8 June 2025 is Pentecost. The “Old Testament” reading is drawn from the Acts of the Apostles, following an annual pattern for the Sundays in Eastertide, including the Day of Pentecost itself. Naturally the reading for this Sunday is Acts 2:1-21. The first verses are among the most intensely descriptive in the Bible. As we read (or hear) them, we can just about hear the sound of the rushing wind, see the flames of fire and find ourselves being addressed in our own tongue. The drama of Pentecost is the drama of the church being birthed, being misunderstood (not actually drunk!) and finding a courageous voice to proclaim that the Jesus who died on the cross is now alive – risen from the grave and active on earth through the Holy Spirit. Although the story that follows is called the Acts of the Apostles, it would be more accurately titled the Acts of the Holy Spirit.
Arohanui,
+Peter.