Dear Friends,
It’s that time of year again: not only are frosts on the ground and snow is on the mountains, but the Christchurch City Council’s KidsFest is also happening, 4-19 July 2026, with many activities taking place (details from CCC website). All are welcome at the Transitional Cathedral’s annual KidsFest service at 10am this Sunday 5 July. Also at the Transitional Cathedral this week is a recital by Schola Cantorum from Aquinas College, Perth, at 1pm on Thursday 9 July.
Theology House is advertising its next courses. In the mix are the English Reformation, Jesus, John and the Trinity, Revelation and Mission, Exodus and Salvation, Christians in Science. Check out the link for specific details including how to register.
It was a privilege on Sunday morning to confirm Daniel, Robert and Hayley at St Christopher’s, Avonhead, and on Sunday afternoon to share with Archdeacon Katrina Hill in leading the induction service for the Reverend Simon Green, at St. Mark’s Church, Opawa, as he became the Vicar of the Parish of Opawa-St Martins.
Thank you for praying for preparations for The Abbey, at Living Springs, Friday 17 to Sunday 19 July. Please continue to pray for our Diocesan staff, Paul Hegglun, Azaria Brooker and the Reverend Sammy Mould as they contribute local leadership to the event.
A warm invitation is extended to all, to the 150th anniversary service of the little wooden church in Hororata Parish at 10.30am on Sunday 19 July 2026. Following the service the cemetery gate will be open for a walk around the historic cemetery. The lunch begins at 1pm in the community hall. There will be a speaker about historic Hororata, photos, displays kapa haka and a celebratory meal for a Koha. (As this is a catered lunch, please Rsvp via email.)
To assist all NZ voters in understanding the importance of making their voice as well as their vote count, a Christian social action organization, Common Grace, has arranged the following event in Christchurch, to which I encourage readers of e-Life to participate in:
Leave No Voice Uncounted: Common Grace’s invitation to churches for the 2026 general election
When: Thursday 9 July, 7pm – 9pm
Where: Christchurch Transitional Cathedral, 234 Hereford Street, Christchurch
For: Church leaders, home group / youth group leaders, and other people keen to respond to this challenge. Over dessert and hot drinks, come and hear from Common Grace Aotearoa Co-Director Kate Day about how we are organising to enrol people to vote and to remind them to follow through and vote this election, and how you and your faith community could be involved.
We won’t be telling you or your community which parties or candidates to vote for. Rather, together, we can help ensure that thousands of voices that might otherwise get shut out of our democracy, get heard this election.
A reminder of some Christchurch details for a NZ speaking tour for widely-respected Palestinian Christian Theologians Dr Lamma Mansour and Dr Yousef Khoury in July! All are welcome to the following public events:
Christchurch Transitional Cathedral—7pm, Sun 19 July
Oxford Terrace Baptist Church—7pm, Mon 20 July
It is likely that one of the theologians will preach at St. Aidan’s, Bryndwr on Sunday morning 19 July, that both will likely speak at The Abbey, and there will be an opportunity for ministry leaders to meet with them over morning tea on Monday 20 July 2026 (invitations will be issued soon).
This coming Sunday, 5 July 2026 is Ordinary 14 and the Gospel is Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30. A common thread to these two parts of the chapter is wisdom. On the question of whether John or Jesus as the Son of Man have come from God, one being noted for asceticism, the other for participation in dinners and feasts, Jesus declares that “God’s wisdom, however, is shown to be true by its results” (v. 19, GNB). Both John and Jesus produced fruit/results for their respective ministries. On the question of understanding who Jesus truly is, the Son in intimate relationship with the Father, Jesus thanks his Father because “you have shown to the unlearned what you have hidden from the wise and learned” (v. 25, GNB). Here human wisdom – our intelligence, our knowledge, our power to cleverly argue against what we do not want to accept – is opposite to God’s wisdom which is revealed through Jesus to the world. Part of that revelation concerns the grace of God in Jesus Christ, who wishes to share the burdens of our lives rather than add to them (vv. 28-29).
Arohanui,
+Peter.