Summer and I attended the 2024 Abide conference in Auckland this week, held at the Auckland Anglican Cathedral, hosted by Laidlaw Theological College. 

We were invited to attend alongside others from our Diocese, for which we felt a great sense of friendship and collegiality, to hope and long for what God can, might, and will do amongst us all. 

Guest speakers included Pete Grieg from 24/7 International and Mark and Trudy Sayers from RED Church in Melbourne; Mark is commonly known for his re-builders podcast, being a phenomenal reader of culture with a Christian lens, and pastor of RED Church, alongside his wife Trudy, who is also the Australian National Director for 24/7 prayer. 

Summer and I felt walking into the three days that we were open to what God might be saying to us through these different voices and trying to glean from what is happening in other parts of the Kingdom what might be good for us in this time. 

The three days were filled with worship led by musicians made up for Te Rautini, St Pauls Symond St, and St Augustines Auckland. (Feel free to see the music playlist here), Plenary talks and workshops, which were split into four streams: Presence, Formation, Misson, and Tikanga Maori, Networking over breaks, and lots of time for prayer and ministry. 

Pete Greig brought several messages with an overarching call for a desperate need for prayer and a hunger to see God's spirit move. Looking at the prophecy from Ezekial 37, Gods call to speak to the dry bones and see them turn to corpses, which is in of itself a great thing to witness, but it is the cry for God's spirit that brings them to life, are we happy with seeing dry bones turn to corpses or are we hungry for more to see Gods spirit move in a real and powerful way to bring those corpses back to life. He also shared a great number of stories from the 24/7 prayer movement.

Mark and Trudy brought a message around how the world and in this cultural moment is desperate and needs a people to stand firm with Good News of Gods transforming power. Mark unpacked much of our culture that can be helpful and hindering. They spoke of seeing God move in people's lives who are turning up to churches to find the truth through God's own intervention. They gave a powerful charge for us here in Australia and New Zealand to stop looking to the northern hemisphere for inspiration and to be confident that God is using us for this time with our people. Mark spoke of the way in society people are trying to find a platform to build and speak from, but that, in fact, rather than trying to find, establish, and build a platform, we are called to be pillars that create space for people to interact with the Kingdom of God. 

Summer and I felt an overwhelming sense of hope for our people in this age, A strong call for deepening prayer, for opportunities to pray, and longing for more than just bones to corpses. We felt an increased call and responsibility for deep biblical formation and discipleship within our community. How are we people who reflect the Kingdom of God and are expectant that God is on the move in people's lives? Let us be hungry and prepared. 

There is so much we can share, and no doubt through conversation, preaching, and vicars letters, we can share more. 

We are thankful for the resources to be able to attend and grateful for those who helped enable us to go. 

I had a conversation with a friend from 24/7 Prayer NZ, and in a moment of verbal processing, I said, "Leading our people is a phenomenal burden to carry but one that I desire, feel excited by and do not want to remove" What I mean by that is I wake up everyday with a heart to see our lives transformed in Christ, to see us reach those who dont yet know him, to see those in our communities set free from captivity and bondage. Come, Lord Jesus. 

With love in Christ, 

Kia ora everyone, Guy here with a bit of an update about what we call Missional Communities here at All Saints. 

You will remember that nearly four years ago, when we arrived, our two central gatherings happened each week; during the Delta lockdown, we pivoted into House Churches to continue to meet together and deepen our discipleship. We have maintained a rhythm of House Churches here at All Saints as well as continuing to gather in the room for our central gatherings. Alongside all of that we have continued to push more and more missionally into our community, through 5th Sundays, Light party, Shrove Tuesdays and more recently through groups of people hearing Gods call, to gather a team, disciple one another, and reach out to those around them. 

Thursday Bible Study
On first, third, and fifth Thursdays a group of us meet at All Saints at 11am for an hour of Bible study. Last year we used Bible Project videos to work our way through the Old Testament. We've learned a lot and got as far as the book of Isaiah. 
  
This year we have paused our OT studies to follow the Diocese Lent Study series. As we meet fortnightly this year, we will continue these until late April. We are using the 3DM model of the Kairos Circle to discern what God is saying to us each session, and to reflect on how we might respond. It's a powerful discipleship model that is used widely to help believers strengthen their faith. 

About 6 years ago, I decided one morning (for reasons which I now understand), to go to the 9am service. Not something I usually did. I sat behind Bob Smith, who, during the service gave a notice about the need for others to support the ministry at Te Hopai Home and Hospital at a monthly service. Ping! The lights went on for me and my heart beat a little faster! Are you trying to tell me something God? Well, turns out He was, and after a few years supporting Bob and John Mullis, a Vicar from St Barnabas in Roseneath, 

Kia ora everyone Guy here. 

It is with great pleasure I have been asked by our coms team to write an update on our Families House Church. 

We had our first week back together again last week, where many of us gathered at the vicarage for fellowship and a time of lenten prayer using a creative prayer resource from the diocese. 

We are into our third year together as a group and there are several things we have discovered. 

Over the past few years Mainly Music has had a renewal. Rev Guy Benton leads the upfront dancing and singing in which 20+ people join and participate on a regular basis. Heather Miller leads the team and has lots of long standing connections with many of the families and children. Mainly Music provides a great opportunity to meet, engage with and invite families to join us as part of this community of faith. God is moving in the conversations we have each week and relationships are being built.