Vicars Letter 25th April 2025

Rev Guy Benton

 

Kia ora All Saints

I love Easter! I love that Easter isn't just one day but 50. I love that we celebrate Christ's power and miracle for several weeks. I love that following Easter, we celebrate with the ascension of Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, of course for us, that looks like joining with the global church and praying for our friends and family, our community, and the globe to know Christ, as well as our 48 hour Prayer Vigil.

This weekend I have the privilege of officiating a wedding for a couple whose children are in school with our children. Whenever I do a wedding and ask the congregation to stand for the bride, I immediately turn and look at the groom. Why? Because their face, for me, resembles the way Christ looks at us! When we walk towards him, his face beams with radiance, and he desires us. He wants to have a relationship with us and connect and covenant himself with us. This was made possible by the power of Jesus dying on the cross and by the power of the spirit overcoming death and rising again so that we could have unity with God.
Something else that happens at weddings is we often have a reading from 1 Corinthians 13  : Love is patient; love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

This Friday (25th April) is ANZAC day, where we remember those who have served in armed conflicts on behalf of our country. I think it's also fair that it's hard to remember those times and acknowledge what is happening around us in our present day. Something that we can long and hope for and take heed of is that Jesus never lifted a sword; he brought only peace in the way of peace, he challenged, he disciplined, he brought love, and he liberated. Just as the passage is read at weddings, I think it speaks to a way to operate in this world that heals rather than hurts. In times where we feel hopeless, may we know that this Love mentioned above is the love that Christ has and continues to show us, and how do we reflect that to the world?

Whether you are married, have been married, want to be married but aren't yet, or never want to be married, we know in scripture that above all things in this world, Christ is sufficient for us. Christ is our hope, our freedom, our support. In times of suffering, loneliness, and despair at the world, and all that is happening, His grace is sufficient enough for us.

This week, we are launching our sermon series on the Lord's Prayer; we will break this down for us over the season of Easter. This is a launching pad for us as we head into a couple of series focused on prayer, how to, why, and what for. We desperately need the spirit of God to move amongst us! Come Holy Spirit.

Love in Christ,