Greetings from the Vicar General, Mark Barlow.
In the cover photo collage, we have the fun-filled Ellesmere Parish Fair, and Deeper 2025 with over 95 people across our Diocese gathering at Woodend for deeper fellowship, worship, kai, and indoor/outdoor activities. Many thanks to the organisers, leaders, helpers, and participants who made Deeper a wonderful family-friendly gathering for our Diocese last Saturday.
We are pleased to announce that from Sunday, 1 February 2026, the Venerable Nick Mountfort will join the Diocesan Ministry Team based at the Anglican Centre. Bishop Peter has appointed Nick to be Archdeacon for Ministry Education.
Earlier this week I took a stroll along the banks of the Liffey, which runs through Lincoln, on a warm and sunny afternoon. As I walked along, I was giving thanks to God for the many blessings in my life, of which there are many.
We had a very successful Parish Plant Fair on the weekend, raising more than $15,000.00; there was a wonderful baptism service the next day with a full church, and I was having an actual day off! I have to confess that it would have been easy to have become a bit smug about these ‘blessings’ were it not for some others that awaited me along the path.
My reverie was interrupted by the approach of a very large Muscovy duck which, without any fear, waddled right up to me wagging its tail feathers, as if in greeting. Naturally I replied, marvelling at its trust. Within a few paces, my gaze was distracted by a large rhododendron bush, utterly festooned with pale pink flowers. I had to stop to admire it. As I stood there transfixed by its beauty, a magnificent golden monarch butterfly fluttered by above me with the casual ease of a creature in no particular hurry but seemingly enjoying its journey. “Are you just showing off, Lord?” I prayed. “Absolutely!” came the reply, “Were you?” Somewhat chastened and purged of any trace of smugness, I had the blessings of the weekend put into perspective and became truly thankful to the One who graciously bestowed them.
This Sunday’s gospel is Luke 20:27-38 which contains another challenge to see things from God’s perspective rather than our own. Like the Sadducees, we can become smug about the rightness or logic of our own theological positions, and even want to use them to test or defeat another, as they did. Like us, they didn’t know what they didn’t know until Jesus enlightened them, opening their hearts to the greater priorities of the one who is not the God of the dead but the God of the living.
With love
Mark Barlow
Vicar General