Vicar Letter - 31st March 2023

Kia ora All Saints Whānau
 
This coming week is Holy Week. For me each year I (Guy) feel the temperature rise as we walk closer to the cross! Take those steps with Jesus leading up to Jerusalem where ultimately we stand with Jesus in the most uncomfortable place where he offers himself for us!

I don’t know about you but there is this sudden rush from Palm Sunday to Maundy Thursday and Good Friday where we are speeding along then we slam right into discomfort, we get there and we want to so desperately jump straight to Easter Sunday where we can celebrate again that Jesus won. There is something profound about sitting in the middle of that very uncomfortable place of Jesus serving his people and sharing a final meal then taking that very hard road to the cross where he took on the weight of Sin that we might be saved. This coming week I encourage you all to not try to mask the discomfort of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday as we celebrate Holy week this year. Ride the passion of Palm Sunday but when we get to the end of the week may we walk with one another, sit with one another, pray with one another, watch with one another, ask the questions with one another.

There is a piece of scripture where it talks about some disciples that are walking the road to Emmaus after Jesus had been crucified and they were walking home. No doubt despondent, sad, angry, wondering what on earth just happened. They had just thrown all their eggs in the Jesus basket and the bottom had fallen out! But what is fascinating to me is that they are walking together! This is a small and maybe insignificant piece that I find so profound each year I read it! They walked the road together.

You and me, you and your friends, let us not walk the road alone. May we choose to walk the road together. A road that leads to life a road that leads to freedom. A road that leads to God redeeming the world. From start to finish, God never stopped chasing us, never stopped longing for relationship, never stopped pouring out his grace on us. To the point of finally sending Jesus for us to which we still rejected him! May we know this Holy Week the closeness and comfort of the God that never stops chasing us. You are worth so much that the God of the universe never stopped and wont stop chasing you.

This week as we walk towards Easter together lets remember our Young People as they prepare for Easter Retreat together starting Good Friday. Pray for them to encounter God in a real and powerful way.

Maundy Thursday we will have foot washing, final communion before easter and stripping of the altar, this service will end in silence.

Good Friday we will walk with our Catholic brothers and sisters towards the cross. This will go from All Saints to St Patricks. Come and join us as we make that journey with one another. Ending at St Patricks for tea and hot cross buns.

Easter Sunday is the celebration of Jesus rising again! Come celebrate with us at 9 and 10:30am

Make sure you check out all the other opportunities to engage in the life of the Parish, please don’t hesitate to reach out if you want to chat, share ideas, pray or connect.

We love you a lot!

ngā mihi nui
Guy 

Ps if you missed last weeks Vicars letter click here to read it.