Vicar's Letter - 15th March 2024

Kia ora All Saints. 
 
This week has been full of gratitude and thanksgiving for us as co-vicars. Over the weekend, we attended our diocesan ministry leaders family camp (MLFC) with 500+ others from around the diocese. One thing I was extremely grateful for was that there were 40 of us there from All Saints. I spent much of the time wrangling kids to their designated programs so others could take full opportunity of the sessions. Still, as I made my way into the sessions or to and fro from our accommodation, it was always amazing to see someone from All Saints. Please take the time to check out what happened over the past weekend, which is all about MLFC and all the things that went on. Click here
Another thing I (Guy) was particularly grateful for was as we gathered at camp on Sunday morning, I looked around and noticed how many clergy had left camp to go back to their parish to lead services/gatherings. At this moment, I was acutely aware of the number of people at All Saints willing to lead our people! Praise God. Thank you to all who helped keep things back here cranking while we were away. It is such a privilege to do life and ministry with you all. 
 
Saturday night at MLFC, +Justin spoke from Matthew 28 and the great commission, which was the thread for the camp. He also spoke from Matthew 9 & 10, regarding sending out the workers to the harvest field. He spoke hopefully of the fact that we need to shift our paradigm to one full of hope and realization that the harvest is plentiful and ready for harvest; he spoke of examples of people coming to faith, healing, and random encounters of people experiencing God. His charge was this: Jesus called his disciples to find workers for the harvest field, but immediately after, in Matthew 10, he sent them out in his power and authority. 
I'm sure this video will eventually be available to us all, and we will share that with you, but I would love to echo his charge to us.
It is hard out there, and times are challenging but there is opportunity, and we must embrace it. I think about this with those in our parish preparing teams of people to start Mission Communities. +Justin calls us to declare Lord, send me! Here I am; send me into the harvest field. He ended with three challenges which I will put to us. 

• If you are passionate about the harvest field and reaching people with the good news, Go! Lets do it. Let's live lives of adventure with each other and God. We, as vicars are hungry to mobilize you to go out and would love to pray with you about this. Don't hesitate to get in touch with us.
• Maybe you think that's great, I want to, but I don't know how to be a worker; no one discipled me, no one taught me, and I've never journeyed with people. We vicars want to create places where you are discipled and where you have an opportunity to journey alongside others. Reach out! 
• Maybe you are already in the harvest field, and you are loving it! When Jesus was doing all those things he had his disciples with him, who are the 3/5/12 you are discipling while you are working the harvest. Are you taking 3/5/12 with you into the harvest field and discipling them so they can take 3/5/12. Dont do it alone.

 
Shifting gears from here, I would love to draw your attention to some upcoming things. 

Easter is just around the corner, and we have a bunch of things for you to get involved in. Please check out our easter notice in our newsletter to see all the information. In short, Maundy Thursday here at All Saints, there is a Maundy Thursday Service which starts at 7pm; right before that, from 5:45pm, there will be a simple meal here at All Saints as a time of gathering and fellowshipping before we enter a more somber time of remembering Jesus' journey. 
Good Friday, we will be walking with your friends from St Patricks again, starting at St Patrick's at 10 am, and don't forget Easter Sunday is two services, 9am and 10:30 celebrating the hope and joy of the resurrection. 

April 7th is our AGM Sunday. There will be a combined service at 10 am and a shared lunch following. Please bring some food to share with everyone. We are also excited to announce that we have our good friend Pete Williamson, Harvard University Chaplain and Author for Christianity Today, preaching to us. Many of you will know that he also grew up in the vicarage here at All Saints. 

If you are still with me at this point, it is such a gift to be on this Jesus waka with you. Make sure you are keeping up with all that is happening in the parish. If you feel like you don't know something or need more information, please feel free to email or call us here at the office. 

Much love, Guy