Vicars Letter 19th june 2026

Rev Guy Benton

Kia ora, All Saints

It has been a great joy to chat with many of you this week about meeting and discussing the first week of our Big Picture series together. 

My heart is full of joy at our community going on a journey together to unpack God's unified story that leads to Jesus. We have spent the last two weeks looking at the first section, "The God who has a plan", which focused on the passage from Ephesians 1:1-14. The reason we have started here is so that as we go, we are able to continue to go back to that reminder that God has a plan, a plan to redeem the world through Jesus, a plan to flood heaven and earth together, where death and sin no longer reign. 

This week, as we gather in our bigger Central Gatherings, the sermon will centre around the week 2 text in our booklet from Genesis 1 and 3, "The God who made the world" We will be exploring how the world was made and what it was like and then the impact of the fall and sin upon the world and creation. 

I encourage you to read Genesis chapters 1 and 3 before coming on Sunday. Look through the booklet and start pondering the questions, specifically thinking about the world that God has created. 

I would also love to share with you that the Parish Council met on Wednesday, 17th June, as we do each month. This month, we spent some considerable time praying and then discussing how we would like to position ourselves in the future as we look towards growing as a parish. The discussion centered around two things that felt really important. To invest in the children, family and youth space specifically to disciple and raise the younger generation. Secondly, as a Parish, the collective passion to continue to live into a part of our DNA that has existed for a long time to Gather, Equip and Send people out, specifically thinking strategically about our leadership pipeline. This is a really Spirit-filled conversation that generated some real energy and excitement. 

Parish council would also like to report that over the first 5 months of this year, All Saints' giving is up considerably. Praise God!! and mihi to you all as we continue to lean in together! I've been pondering the thought after hearing testimony of others about what it means for us privately and corporately to change our mindset from, what must I give away to God has blessed me with all this that his anyway, " to " what do I need to keep and the rest I give away.

A reminder that we have both 9 am and 10:30 am Central Gatherings this Sunday. Invite your friends, gather your house churches and bible studies and let's worship together. 

Much love,