Vicars Letter 24th July 2026

Rev Guy Benton

Kia ora, All Saints

I have been reading over and over again the passage from last Sunday, Genesis 12, about Abram and God's call upon his life. I keep coming back to it thinking about the radical nature of this moment. God is spurred to act for the sake of humanity; Abram responds. I keep thinking about the situation and family Abram is a part of! I wonder if there was a question along the way of "Why me, Lord?" If you are anything like me, I'm sure you ask that question. I keep chewing over the fact that Abram doesn't have it all together, but he keeps returning to the Lord in his brokenness, and the Lord continues to use him! Piece by piece, the Lord breaks him down; potential deal after potential deal, the Lord breaks him down until Abram realises that it's the presence of God that matters the most above all else! And that it is from that place that the world is radically changed. 

I have also been captivated by the hope in these promises that are fulfilled in Jesus and the hope of these promises to ultimately be fulfilled in Jesus coming again in this world! COME LORD JESUS! 

A couple of points to make coming up. 

1. 9am and House Churches this Sunday 26th July. Week 4 in the Big Picture series. If you are not in a House Church and would like to journey alongside others, you are welcome to come along to the All Saints Centre at 10:30 to join in with others, as we have several smaller groups who meet here. You can also email me for more information on other groups that might be more in your geographical location or similar life stage. 

2. August 1st-August 10th: The Benton Family will be away on Holiday together. Each year I take two Sundays off in a row, and for the last several years it has been during this time. As a family, we deeply appreciate being able to get away, take a deep breath, and be restored and recharged. - During this time, if there is a need that arises, please feel free to reach out to Cassandra or the Wardens via email. 

3. Alpha 2026 Starts Sunday! - July 26th | 4:30-6:30pm All Saints Hall. 

Much love,