Kia ora, All Saints

I have spent this week thinking deeply about the Holy Spirit's role in the Trinity and how that plays out in our lives. I wonder what your thoughts are on the role of the Holy Spirit? 

What comes to mind? 

I spent some of this week working my way through Old Testament scripture at moments where the spirit was at work. I spent moments reflecting on where the spirit was at work through Jesus. Jesus, who was fully God and fully Human. I spent time thinking about how the spirit is at work in and around and through us today. 

How open are we to the work of the spirit in our lives, or do we shy away because it reveals the truth in us, which can be too difficult to bear? 

The spirit of truth sets us free, the spirit offers good gifts to his people, the spirit comforts, the spirit empowers in times of need, the spirit is heaven coming on earth! 

This Sunday, we have Carl Tinnion from NZCMS and an Anglican Priest speaking to us on the second part of Peter's message at Pentecost. 

The reading is Acts 10:34-48

Come along at 9 am or 10:30 am for worship, prayer, teaching, and to gather around God's holy table together. 

As we come to worship together, spend some time inviting the Holy Spirit to fill you afresh. Ask the Lord to convict you of the things that keep you from him. Ask the Lord to restore you in his new creation. 

Come this Sunday as a family of God who are walking together in who God has created us to be and reflecting his Kingdom to others.

Much love, 

Kia ora, All Saints

Every year that Pentecost rolls around, I feel myself getting more and more excited for the prayer vigil here at All Saints. This is our 5th year of running one, and the level of anticipation and excitement rises the closer and closer it gets. 

48 Hours of God's people praying and crying out to him. 

Today (Friday 22nd May) it's here! The songs, the sounds, the tangible waft of the Holy Spirit coming from the prayer room are amazing! 

This week I have been thinking about what it means to be a praying people! We spent much of last year looking at prayer. How we pray, types of ways to pray, and what prayer does. I always think back to a quote I heard somewhere that I can't contribute to anyone that goes "never underestimate the power of a small group of people praying"

As I read scripture, pray and prepare for Sunday and the prayer vigil, I'm drawn to the scripture from the book of James. 

Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. - James 5:16

Never underestimate the power of a small group of people praying!

What are we praying for? Why are we praying? Who are we praying for? 

Come and join in the 48 hours of prayer. 

I look forward to opening the word of God with you all this Sunday at Pentecost. 
Check out all the notices in our weekly newsletter.

Please, as always, feel free to reach out if you have any further questions. 

Much love, 

Kia ora, All Saints

This week I have been privileged to host and attend here at All Saints a few really powerful evenings with Young Adults gathering for worship, prayer, and opening the scriptures together, and can I just say what a space to be involved in!!! I was talking with someone in our congregation who has done a few more trips around the sun than I have. I was sharing that, post-Sunday morning, I felt really hounded by the evil one, and they encouraged me to keep leaning into what God was doing and to keep praying! Such a gift in such a time of need, as it was the next day or so, that God was really moving amongst our young people. A powerful scripture that was read out and sat with was from Psalm 119:9-16

There were no frills to this; these were gatherings of people who were really desperate to know and be known by the creator of the universe!! 

As we enter the next 10 days of prayer for Ascension, please let us really have a heart of prayer for our children, youth and young adults as we walk alongside them, support them, pray with and for them, open the scriptures with them, keep each other accountable and see God's Kingdom break through together. 

10 days of prayer and our 48-hour prayer vigil. Make sure you check out our Thy Kingdom Come prayer resources for our 10 days of prayer, as well as signing up for our 48 Hour Prayer Vigil starting Friday, 22nd May. 

All the information can be found on our website. 
https://www.allsaints.org.nz/thykingdomcome.html

We have FOUR Central Gatherings coming up over the next four weeks. Please put these in your calendar and share with those around you. 

Make sure you check out our e-news, as there are heaps of things happening and chances to get involved with at All Saints. 

Much love, 

Kia ora, All Saints

This week I was forwarded a new song release from a young person I know, I won't share the link as it's not the most wholesome of music, but there was a line amidst a song of real deep pain and anguish that stuck out loud and clear! Everything's gonna be ok! 

Everything's going to be ok! This is the theme of our Easter season. There is Joy to be had everywhere, regardless of the situation, and the promise that Everything will be ok! 

This week, we have a reading from John 14:15-21, where Jesus promises the Holy Spirit, who will come and advocate for us! How good! I just love that continued assurance that He is for us! Since the dawn of time, making a way for us. It is through that selfless act of Jesus, God amongst us, laying his life down to take on all that it cost for us to be in unity with Christ! What a gift! And as we talked about last week, that gift is by grace alone; no amount of works can get us there. 

I have been witnessing several people across the parish set free from years of captivity to sin, and what a joy it is to pray, support, and celebrate all that God is doing in their lives. Watching shame and fear and embarrassment wash away, meeting up again and recognizing a physical change in their posture and appearance. The Kingdom is breaking through. 

Check out the newsletter for loads of ways to connect. 

This week, please visit our Thy Kingdom Come webpage to book a time slot in the prayer room over Pentecost and see all the other ways to engage over the 10 days of TKC. 

We have our 9 am Central Gathering and House Churches this Sunday. Make sure you connect with your groups. 

Much love, 

Kia ora, All Saints

I am blown away by the now-but-not-yet of the cosmic world that we know is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. I have been in this game for several years now, as have many of you. I look out at the world and struggle to fathom the evil that roams around, war, violence, oppression, deception, greed and the list goes on. Then I spend time in my local community where many of these things roam, and I see day after day the power of Christ breaking through into people's lives and transforming their hearts and setting them free. The kingdom that is in heaven is breaking through here, and we are seeing it. 

This week's reading is Jesus being more overt, following on from his I am the gate message, declaring that he is THE WAY, THE TRUTH and THE LIFE! 

No one comes to the Father (God) except through him. And since the dawn of time, God has been making a way for us to connect with him. The more we choose him, the more he is stripping away the stuff we are holding onto, the stuff we are trying to control, the deals we try to make with him; he wants not just us but ALL of us. 

He is the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE! 

John 14:1-14 - Have a read before Sunday, and let's unpack what God is saying to us and what we are going to do about it. 

A reminder that we have both Central Gatherings this Sunday, 9 am and 10:30 am. 

As I had coffee with Christine and Fiona this week, they reminded me that they are on morning tea and it is still Easter! Hot cross buns and chocolate eggs will be available between gatherings. Come spend time together. 

Much love,