Watching a baby grow is always fascinating. They develop so quickly! As we see our baby Sebastian do new things, we are constantly reminded of the times when his older sister and brother reached that milestone. When were they comfortable lying on their tummy? When did they turn over? When did they sit up? When…
I am currently reading a book about the work of the Missionaries among the Māori in the early and mid 19th century. Be warned! You might hear snippets from that history in future sermons. As more and more settlers poured into New Zealand, the missionaries tried to persuade Māori not to sell too much land.…
St Paul’s now has an Environmental Management Plan, which is used to monitor environmental performance of our activities and seeks to implement care for the environment in our decision making. In response to a motion from Diocesan Synod last year we were required to formulate a parish response to climate change. However, it is best…
Our stay in Arthur’s Pass occasioned a wee dose of nostalgia, not only because I thought about past times I spent in mountains, but also because I remembered something about the history of the word. The word nostalgia was coined by the Swiss physician Johannes Hofer in 1688 by combining the Greek words nostos (homecoming)…
This Sunday is Social Services Sunday. It is a day to remember and pray for the many social service agencies of the Church. The care for the poor and vulnerable has been a characteristic of the people of God since Ancient Israel. The Church has always been called to respond to human need by loving service. But the development of social service…
29 June—this Monday—is the Day of St Peter and St Paul. They are commemorated together because of their martyrdom in Rome during the Neronian persecution about 64CE. The two apostles also have their individual feast days (St Paul on 25 January; St Peter on 22 February). That means we could celebrate the patronal festival twice a year. Well, after the coronavirus experience…
You will notice that in this newsletter there is also an announcement from the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry. As a church we have to be aware that abuse of children often has not been addressed adequately in the past, that oversight was not satisfactory. Often the Church did not have due process in place or did not follow such…
“Grow in Faith” is part of our mission statement. There are many ways in which growth in faith can be encouraged. Regular prayer and reading the Bible and other good literature can help. Coming together as church is also important. It is widely recognised that sharing in small groups helps us to grow in faith. We can explore the Bible and faith…
It was good to gather again in the Church on Pentecost. Today is Trinity Sunday. With Trinity Sunday we revert again to Ordinary Time, that part of the liturgical calendar that falls outside the major seasons such as Advent, Epiphany, Lent, and Easter. Throughout Ordinary Time we are not commemorating the major events in the life of Jesus — such as his…
The word Pentecost comes from the Greek pentēkostós—“fifitieth”, referring to the fifty days (seven weeks) between the start of the grain harvest and the “harvest festival” at the end of grain harvest period (both barley and wheat) observed by Jews (Leviticus 23:15:21). Over time the festival at the start of the grain harvest had combined with the Passover, so that Pentecost always…