Vicars Letter 30th May 2025

Rev Guy Benton

Kia ora All Saints

This week, we shift from our season of Eastertide to Ascension and towards the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. During this time, we join with the global church by participating in the 'Thy Kingdom Come' movement, a global prayer movement with a focus on praying for our world and for five people we know who we want to see come to know Christ.

So, who are the five people you are praying for? Friends? Family? Neighbor? Foe? Come, Lord Jesus!

This week, Rebekah Butterfield is preaching the last week of our Thy Kingdom Come series: save us from the time of trial! Deliver us from evil! This is a massive piece; the rubber meets the road here; from what are we being saved? What evil is in our world that we need delivering from? What about the nice things we like to do? Isn't that just who I am?

As we discussed the way she would teach this passage this week, Rebekah beautifully weaves in Jesus' own moment of living this out on his way to the cross: Dad, father, papa, please, honestly, if there is any way, let this cup pass, don't make me do it, you know I will but honestly, please. Of course, Jesus is referring to Jeremiah 25:15 and Isaiah 51:17, knowing the cost of our turning away from God.

This isn't condemnation; this isn't punishment for us! This prayer is a prayer of love, beauty, and grace! Come close to me; let's connect, offer yourself up, let the Lord protect you, and go with you. The greatest lie the devil ever told us was that we could do it alone! Never, we need the Lord, we need the Holy Spirit, and we need Jesus.

As we come to 9 am and House Churches this Sunday, come ready to lean in. Be confronted with the power of this prayer and the way it guides us to pray.

Next week, we start our 48-hour prayer vigil. Beginning on Friday at 10 am and going all the way through till 10 am on Sunday. Our Prayer vigil team encourages you to sign up for a slot of two, come alone, or gather others to go with you. There will be stations to guide you during your time. Quiet ones, action-based ones, and creative ones. We encourage you to really be open and prepared to hear from the Lord during this time; if you are sitting there thinking you don't know how to hear from the Lord, or The Lord doesn't speak to you, take a deep breath and prepare to be surprised there is no magic formula.

Travel safely if you are heading away for the long weekend. If you are in a House Church, I am praying for you and your group as you dive into this week's scripture. And if you come along to the 9 am service, I will see you there.

Love in Christ