Vicars Letter 12th December 2025

Rev Guy Benton

Kia ora, All Saints

I am sitting here thinking through the year that has been; there has been a lot in there. We had our final Parish Council meeting together this Thursday (11th Dec), where we were able to pray for and send out those stepping off as we look to welcome those stepping on in the new year. I was struck by something someone said that we are a people of hope who, no matter what, have always been a people that walk through hard times, suffering, turmoil, and at times great despair with a greater knowledge and truth that God is much bigger, larger and stable than any of these things that come at us. 

We started the year leaning into our call to be a people of prayer and calling on the spirit of God to breathe life amongst us. We walked our way through prayer in scripture, the Lord's prayer, how to pray, and what cultivating a life of prayer might look like. 

We ended the year with the baptisms of four of our Young People, what a way to end the year! Such a celebration! Please take time to have a look at the article and pictures in our weekly newsletter. 

Something we looked at during our Prayer series was a prayer tool for choosing a psalm and praying it. This will be a practice that I am taking with me to America as we travel for Christmas and a Family wedding. I wonder if you would like to join me. 

Have a look through and find a Psalm, or part of a Psalm, or a line from a Psalm that is resonating with you. Find some time each day to reflect on the same passage, let it sink into your heart, memorise it, and share it with others. 
If you need some guidance on how to pray the Psalms, I have attached a guide here for you. 

AS we find ourselves in the middle of Advent, a season of preparation for Christ's first coming, let us not forget that we are in the middle of the 1st and 2nd Advents, longing for Christ to return again and redeem the world, healing, renewing and making whole. Let us come this Sunday with hearts expectant to see God move amongst us as we look at Matthew 11:2-11, which focuses on Jesus and John the Baptist. You might like to read ahead and let this scripture ruminate over the weekend. 

I have included in the newsletter this week two Summer Book options. 
The Intimacy Deficit - Ed Shaw and The Greatest Story Ever Told - Bear Grylls. 
I am currently reading The Intimacy Deficit and highly recommend it. I think it's always encouraging as a community to go on a reading journey together. I will likely pick up some of the themes from The Intimacy Deficit next year as we gather together. I have attached a book review for each for you to look through. 

It has been a great pleasure to lead you all this year and be a part of what God has, is and will continue to do amongst us. I am proud to be on team with you all. We have wrestled and celebrated and struggled alongside each other well this year. Life is never perfect - hence our desire and hope for the 2nd Advent - but amidst all that the world brings, we seek to see Christ amongst us and others. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all. I will be fervent in praying for you while I am away, and I eagerly await our return to connect back in and continue this adventure. 

Much love,