Kia Ora All Saints Whānau,
Guy and I had a conversation this week, in which we were reminded of the fact that God calls us to himself so that we can go out. He draws us in to support one another in authentic community so that we as a body can go bring the love of Jesus into the world. He draws us to himself for rest, for healing, for anchoring, so that we can be whole as we go out into the world pointing people to God’s kingdom on this earth. In Genesis 12, as God promises to bring His blessings upon Abraham and his descendants he is clear to say that this is so that “all the peoples of the earth will be blessed through you”. In his sermon this week, Guy is going to be talking to us a bit more about this; about how we don’t strive for authentic community as a body so that we can function well together inside the doors of our church building. And next week I’m going to be taking us into Genesis, the creation and the fall to talk explore more about why it can be so hard to live into the fullness of relationships as God designed them to be. I’m feeling encouraged and excited about this journey we are on and the transformation that might come within our part of the Body of Christ, so that we may go out and declare the love of Jesus to those around us. Love, Summer Kia ora All Saints Whānau
Guy here this week. I just want to express how thankful and inspired I am after last weekend's combined gathering. I have spent the good part of the week unpacking so much from our time together: the baptisms, Peter's message, all our kids and what they bring, the smashing of cultures, gathering around God's Holy table together, and, of course, sharing food with one another. What is really sticking with me is how Peters's message around the Body of Christ was spoken at such a poignant moment in our parish life as we really lean into what it means to be an Authentic Community. Peter spoke from the scripture 1 Corinthians 12, referring to the unity and Body of Christ. he teased apart for us how belonging to the body is a critical part of who we are in Christ. We cannot live alone, separate from the body, just as body parts cannot live separate from our bodies but in unity. This is a powerful moment for me as we start our series on Authentic Community and how we live that out as Christians in our patch of the Kingdom. You can watch or re-watch Peters's sermon on YouTube here. We are excited about what is coming down the line here at All Saints. This Saturday, our new Assistant Bishop, Ana Fletcher, will be installed. Please check the Dioceses website notices for all the details regarding this event. We are in the season of Eastertide, which will run us through to Ascension and Pentecost, we will also, during this time, engage with Thy Kingdom Come, where we spend 10 days praying for 5 of our friends and family who don't know Christ. We will also finish these 10 days with a 48 hour Prayer vigil at All Saints. More information will be released shortly. Similar to last year, this will be a time of prayer slots with guided prayer options as we seek God for our world, community, and people. This year, we are having a Parish Weekend away (Parish Camp). There is now more information and a signup form for that. We would love for this to be accessible to all of our parish. We have arranged this for all ages and mobility levels. We have guest speakers coming in. There will be worship, fun, and food! Again, check out our notices section to get all the information. It is evident that God is on the move here in our patch of the Kingdom. The clutch to all of this is whether we are willing to participate or not. All we can offer is ourselves in participation in what God is doing through prayer, any skills we have been blessed with, and, of course, a brave and courageous heart to profess the hope we believe in. Much love and fondness to you all this week. If I don't see you at the cathedral on Saturday, I will see you on Sunday at All Saints. Much love, Guy Happy Easter, All Saints Whānau! He is risen!
This week has been a big one. We've journeyed through Holy Week and have reached the glorious resurrection of Jesus. Our community has experienced joy with upbeat services as we worship together, alongside loss including that of our dear friend Virginia who was a Wednesday regular. The adventure of following Jesus is not always smooth, easy or fair, which we particularly remember during Lent, but it is also an adventure containing deep love, peace, joy and hope as we hold to this faith which both encourages and challenges us. This week we have another opportunity to worship together in our combined service (10am) followed by a potluck lunch/AGM combo. This will be a great opportunity to cross paths with others in our church family - perhaps you could find out some Easter traditions from different generations or ask some of the young people/young adults how Easter Retreat went (spoiler alert, it was awesome). We also have a baptism (hooray!) which will be partially conducted in the Karen language - so powerful to experience this sacrament in one's native tongue - and Pete Williamson giving our message. Come along, join the celebration, share your joy or be held by your church family if you're not feeling so upbeat. You are always welcome. He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Bless you all, Emily Blessed Holy Week, All Saints!
What a journey we have ahead of us these next few days. As Lent comes to an end, we journey with Jesus through his final days prior to his miraculous resurrection. I didn't used to be very interested in the Christian calendar (apart from Shrove Tuesday, who doesn't like pancakes). Why bother with all these liturgical colours and seasons when we all live post Jesus' resurrection and the provision of the Holy Spirit anyway? But what I've discovered over time is that we miss so much by jumping to the joy of Easter Sunday too soon. - Palm Sunday reminds us of Jesus' humility as he rides like a king but on a donkey, and also of how fickle we are as humans, changing our minds with the changing of the times. One week we're serving Jesus, the next we're serving ourselves and/or the crowds. - Maundy Thursday reminds us that Jesus is our passover lamb, the ultimate sacrifice. We are reminded again of his humility as he washes his disciples' feet and of his humanity as he sweats blood in the garden with his closest friends, submitting himself fully to drink from the cup of suffering. - Good Friday speaks for itself. Our King and Brother on the cross. "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." - Holy Saturday is a reminder that so many of us are in this time of waiting, not knowing, hope seems far off, God's will is not clear. Why me, God? Why this? - And THEN, we come to Easter Sunday. The glorious risen Saviour, death has been defeated, God has been faithful, and we will rise again with Jesus someday. Heaven has broken through, the Kingdom of God is here!!! So this week/weekend, I really encourage you to take your time through each day. Attend a service or make time to reflect, even if just on a commute or in the shower. Allow God the space to show you his character which is revealed to us through Jesus this week. May you be blessed deeply. Ngā mihi nui, Emily Kia Ora All Saints Family,
It’s hard to believe that Holy Week and Easter are just around the corner. This week we are celebrating Palm Sunday, which whenever I think hard about or am challenged to preach on, I am struck with the odd-ness of the celebration of that day. On one hand, we are celebrating the entrance of our King Jesus into Jerusalem and honouring Him as the King that we know Him to be. Yet, the way we honour Him is so different than we would ever expect to honour an earthly King. That fact was not lost on Jesus’ followers who were there that day. In fact, that was probably most of the point of what happened. The people who were waving their palm branches knew Jesus was there to fight their battle, but they didn’t yet understand how. Jesus came into Jerusalem, not on a war horse, but on a donkey. He came to fight the battle, not with strength and power, but with sacrificial love. This is the heart of our faith – that victory over sin and death comes with sacrificial love, with the pouring out of self for another. As we continue through our journey of exploring and seeking to emulate authentic community this year, our understanding of this must be at the core. What does it look like to pour out ourselves for the other, in order to reflect Jesus and God’s Kingdom to the world around us? I encourage you to consider this question as we go into worship on Sunday and then continue to journey together through Holy Week. What can we learn from Jesus and the way He walked through those last days? And how might those learnings help us to better reflect Jesus in our community of faith? See you Sunday, Summer |
Past News
April 2024
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contact90 Hamilton Road, Hataitai, Wellington, New Zealand
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