Dear Friends,
It was wonderful to be part of 130 people drawn from many different churches across Christchurch for our Sunday evening Ecumenical service in the Transitional Cathedral, celebrating 1,700 years since the Council of Nicaea. I thank Dean Ben, the Te Raranga leadership team, John Linker, the Cathedral Choir, and cathedral staff for their organisation and hospitality for this important service. My sermon for the service is published here.
On Sunday morning it was a delight to be at St Augustine’s Church, Waimate, where I licensed for lay ministry, Maria Henry, Glennys Bradley, Stewart Craib, and Adele Craib.
Last Thursday I appreciated being part of Safe Ministry/Boundaries training, the co-ordination of which has been led by Nathan Muirhead, our Under 40s Safe Ministry Educator, and the delivery of which was led by the Reverend Jemma Allen (Diocese of Auckland). This training was repeated on Saturday, and will be available again later this year. Then, on Saturday morning, I participated in Governance training, for vicars, vestry members, and school board members, led by Grant Adams and Dr Brett Mann, with foci on chairing vestries/boards, and management of conflict. This valuable training is being repeated on Saturday 12 July 2025 – details are elsewhere in this e-Life.
On Friday last week, this year’s CAIRA Graduation took place for supervisors training in the CAIRA method of clinical/pastoral supervision. Archdeacon Indrea Alexander who represented me and the Diocese at the graduation reports:
“Celebrating the graduation and licensing of three new CAIRA supervisors on Friday at All Souls Merivale are (from left to right in the photo), CAIRA Christchurch Co-ordinator the Reverend Susan Gill, graduates Kirsten Challies, the Reverend Victoria Askin (Northwest Parish), Dr Mary Allan, CAIRA trainer the Reverend Jacqui Stevenson and national co-ordinator the Reverend Marilyn Welch. The graduates were supported by family, friends, colleagues and Anglican and Catholic diocesan representatives.”
Already in this week’s e-Life I have mentioned a number of people in our Diocese who generously volunteer their time, energy and personal resources to serve us in a variety of ways. This week is National Volunteers Week – thank you to all who volunteer. Elsewhere in this week’s e-Life there is a story about National Volunteer Week.
The latest edition of the Anglican Life e-magazine is available to read, mark and inwardly digest, noting that its theme is “God’s Amazing Grace“. A big thank you to all who have written for the magazine – another example of voluntary effort in our Diocese!
In today’s Christchurch Press are two items of interest. First, a story about hospitality being offered by the Parish of Avonside to homeless persons in the Holy Trinity, Avonside carpark. Secondly, a report on an evolving conversation between Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Limited (CCRL) and the City Council about the fence line around the Cathedral in the Square.
Looking ahead:
At 3pm 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.
At 6pm, Tuesday 1 July 2025, in All Saints’ Church, Methven,the Reverend Sage Burke will be ordained 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.
A Night at the Conclave with Cardinal John Dew is organised by the Catholic Diocese of Christchurch but open to all interested people. Cardinal John will bring insights from his experience of recent participation in the election of Pope Leo to a ticketed event in the James Hay Theatre, Christchurch, at 7.30pm, Friday 1 August 2025. Tickets are $35 (or, students, $19). Further details are here.
In August I will be ordaining the following deacons as priests – all welcome, clergy robing with red stoles:
The Reverend Robert Jamieson, at 7pm, Friday 8 August at St. Michael and All Angels Church, Oxford Terrace, Christchurch
The Reverend Andy Dickson, at 7pm, Thursday 14 August at All Souls Church, Church Lane, Merivale
The Reverend Anne Shave, at 5.30pm, Wednesday 27 August at the Transitional Cathedral, Hereford Street, Christchurch
Also in August, a significant opportunity to hear outstanding theologian, author, and priest, the Reverend Dr Sam Wells, who will give a full day seminar on Saturday 16 August, 2025 at All Souls Church, Church Lane, Merivale. Sam offers a vision for a renewed sense of what it means to be the Church in mission, grounded in theology and practice. Details and registrations are here. It will be a privilege to host Sam in our Diocese. I especially encourage all preachers, and Bible study group leaders to register for this event.
Recently the Church Army NZ announced its new National Director, the Reverend Jethro Day. Jethro is married to Jessie, and together they have five boys, Frank (10), Albert (7), Theodore (5), Edward (3) and Dexter (4 weeks). As well as taking on the role of National Director for Church Army NZ, Jethro will continue to be the part-time vicar of St Augustine’s in Petone, Lower Hutt. Jethro has extensive training and experience, and a deep passion for mission, evangelism and church planting. Many readers here will remember Jethro and Jessie from their involvement in the Parish of Fendalton and in Diocesan youth ministry some years back. Please pray for Jethro as he takes up this new role.
News out of the Middle East continues to go from bad to worse, as more people are killed, still in Gaza, and now in Israel and Iran, and as the conflict between Israel and proxies of Iran widens to include Iran itself. There are no easy responses to the latest developments involving Iran, a nation with a singular intention on the part of its rulers to destroy Israel. Even today as I write there are portents of further developments to come as President Trump appears to weigh up the possibility of the USA itself joining in military action against Iran.
This coming Sunday, 22 June 2025 is Te Pouhere Sunday (various gospel reading options) or Ordinary 12 (Luke 8:26-39). If the former is chosen as the focus for the day, there is much to ponder about where we are heading as a Treaty-based nation, and there is the delightful context of this weekend including the Matariki holiday, an opportunity to remember the goodness of God through the past year and to look ahead to new sowings and new reapings as the natural cycle of life turns, and as the days begin to lengthen. If the latter is chosen then the gospel reading provokes a sharp challenge: what are the strongholds of dark powers in our world which need breaking down, where are oppressive forces at work from which we need liberating through the power of Jesus Christ?
Arohanui,
+Peter.