Dear Friends,
Further to my encouragement in e-Life last week that we have a special focus in our Sunday intercessions and parish prayer meetings, I have been made aware of this helpful Anglican Missions Board page which offers guidance on praying the news about Iran. I am grateful for prayers supplied by the Reverend Edrick Corban-Banks for use in our Diocese and beyond which are available in this e-Life. There is now a consensus in world media that the Iranian government has carried out the most appalling mass executions of its own citizens in order to maintain power. A number as high as 30,000 deaths is being reported in reliable mainstream media.
On Friday night, 23 January, at 7pm in St. Barnabas, Fendalton, the Reverend Dr Andrew Butcher was inducted as Vicar of Fendalton, and the Reverend Kay Webster was commissioned as Senior Associate Priest for the Parish of Fendalton. I rejoice that we have clerical leadership in two parishes, Fendalton and Avonhead settled in the first month of this year. I ask for your prayers as we work on other vacancies in parishes ranging from South Canterbury to North Canterbury.
On Sunday morning Lily Beavan was confirmed in St. John the Evangelist, Cheviot, and on Sunday afternoon parishioners from across Mid Canterbury gathered in St. John’s Church, Barrhill, for an annual Archdeaconry service, organised by the Reverend Sage Burke, with Archdeacon Indrea Alexander as our preacher.
This Sunday evening, at Evensong, 5pm Sunday 1 February 2026 in the Transitional Cathedral, we will commission Archdeacon Nick Mountfort as Archdeacon for Ministry for the Diocese, and we will install the Reverend Bosco Peters as a Clerical Canon of Christ Church Cathedral. All are welcome to this service.
From 1 February 2026 the Parish of Upper Riccarton-Yaldhurst will be seeking a new vicar to replace Archdeacon Nick Mountfort. During the vacancy, the Reverend Dr Mike Baker will be the Interim Priest-in-Charge with the Reverend Peg Riley continuing her role of Associate Priest for this parish.
Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent is three weeks away: Wednesday 18 February 2025. I commend ministry units organising ecumenical services for Ash Wednesday and look forward to joining in our annual Roman Catholic – Anglican cathedrals’ ecumenical service which will be in St. Mary’s Pro- Cathedral, Manchester Street, Christchurch at 5.30pm. All welcome.
I also commend Bible study groups for Lent and recommend for study the next instalment of Theology House’s Lenten study series, In the Spirit of Lent. The edition for Year A (2025-2026) again includes art by the Reverend Sarah West and text by Gareth Bezett, Director of Theology House. Orders can be made at Theology House and books will be posted to you as soon as possible. Copies are $9 each.
I am planning a series of Quiet Days in four parts of the Diocese in March 2026. Each Quiet Day will consist of Bible study and prayer and take place on a Saturday, 9am to 3pm. I will then preach and preside in a local church the next day. The weekends are, 7-8 March, at All Saints, Hokitika, Westland; 14-15 March at the Church of the Epiphany, Hanmer Springs; 21-22 March here in Christchurch (venues to be confirmed), and 28-29 March at St. Albans’, Pleasant Point. It would be a great encouragement to the Parishes of Westland, Hanmer Springs and Temuka-Te Ngawai if some members of the Diocese outside those localities planned to participate in one of those three weekends. More details in the next few weeks.
Diana Smith, widow of Fr Ron Smith, has died and her funeral was held in St. Michael’s and All Angels, Oxford Terrace, Christchurch last Saturday. I give thanks to God for Diana’s life and for her gentle presence in the congregation at St. Michael’s and for her support for Fr Ron’s ministry.
This coming Sunday, 1 February 2026 is Epiphany4 and likely in many churches to be celebrated as The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple. The Gospel reading is Luke 2:22-40. One way to read this story is to absorb and be inspired by the example of Simeon and Anna in their devotion to Jesus Christ. They anticipate the coming of the Christ, knowing not when this will be nor exactly whom this gift of God to the world will be. Their anticipation is expressed through many years in daily devotion in prayer and worship in their place of worship – the Temple in Jerusalem. They are faithful to Jesus whom they have not seen. May we be faithful to Jesus whom we have seen.
Arohanui,
+Peter.