Vicars Letter - 21 June 2024

Rev Andrew Spence

Kia ora All Saints whānau,

We have had a busy June and more is to come!
This week we introduce to you our new missionaries we are supporting as a Parish. This is an exciting addition to add to our missionary support that we already do. It is a chance to engage long-term in the Pacific through people who are living there, and bring in teams to experience what mission looks like.

We also wrap up our Deuteronomy series this week. We have been looking at the themes of Deuteronomy over the past four weeks. It has been fascinating to me that lots of the same thoughts that the Israelites were struggling with are similar thoughts we are struggling with today.

How do we remember we are a covenanted people?
How do we remember the story?
How do we listen and obey God?
How do we love God and love our neighbour?

This week our reading talks us through the consequences for not remembering God, remembering the covenant and loving our neighbour. If Israel do it there is blessing, if they don't there are curses and ultimately exclusion from the land. God calls us to follow his ways and that is the best way to live, however, we always fall short and that will bring different consequences for people around us, our world and ourselves. The good news is that Jesus promises forgiveness and grace through his life and death. However, God did not abandon his ways but called us forth to a higher standard (just read the Sermon on the Mount and you will see that). We now can live in to his ways freely knowing that Jesus and the Spirit are on our side.

As we move forward we have two big events next week:
1. Matariki Working Bee
2. Go Sunday
Please look out for those coming out in your newsheet.

Blessings,
Andrew Spence