Vicars Letter 24th april 2026

Rev Guy Benton

Kia ora, All Saints

This week, I have started reading a book called The God Story, which tells the overarching story of God through the Bible. 

The reason I tell you this is that I was powerfully struck by the way that in the beginning of God's big story, Adam and Eve and their children, following the fall, grew further and further from Eden. It is not until we get to Abram that God calls him to walk away from everything in his meagre everyday life and follow him, not only follow him but begin to walk West! For the first time in scripture, God's people are walking back towards him. 

Abram is stripped down of all the things he has relied on and puts his trust in the Lord, he trys to make a deal with God to speed up his promise to him, he tries to take matters into his own hands to see Gods Promise, it isn't until Abram truly puts all he is into the Lord until he desires the presence of the Lord before the promise comes. 

I was h3/humbly struck by the things in my life that I'm holding onto that keep me from truly being in the presence of God. What are the deals I try to make with the Lord to speed up his plans? What are the things I try to manufacture in my own life to try and speed up the plans of the Lord? 

Be in my presence! This was what resounded so clearly! Let all the 'Idols' go! Let all the deals go! Let all the trying too hard go! and come to me. I delight in you, says the Lord. I love you, says the Lord. I want to spend time with you, says the Lord. 

Presence before Promise. 

As we continue to walk our way through Easter together, let us continue to unpack how we can live into the Joy of the Lord through the power of the resurrection, amongst the dichotomy of other feelings in life. 

Check out our weekly news to keep up with all that is going on here at All Saints. 

A reminder that we have 9 am Central Gatherings and House Churches meeting this Sunday. 

Much love,