Message from the Bishop

Dear Friends,

Tomorrow early evening Evensong will be sung in the Cathedral in the Square for the first time since February 2011. Due to health and safety requirements only a very small number of people can be physically present alongside the choir and clergy. Fortunately, due to modern technology, we can all join the service via Livestream.

There are two ways to view:

1. Live stream from your own device

Click here to view. Please note that a holding page will be in place until 5:30pm on Thursday when the live stream will automatically start.

2. Watch from the billboard in Cathedral Square

The livestream, with sound, will start at 5:30pm on the billboard in Cathedral Square.

Registrations for The Abbey close on 10 August. The Abbey is an Anglican youth leader and young adult conference taking place in Waikanae, 18-20 August 2023. Contact Sammy Mould, youth@anglicanlife.org.nz, for funding. Other details and to register at www.theabbey.co.nz. I encourage youth leaders and young adults who have not yet registered to do so. I am looking forward to being at The Abbey on Saturday 19 August.

Thank you for praying for Gabriele Anderson (Lincoln), Andrew Butcher (Fendalton), Simon Green (St Michaels and All Angels) who were ordained deacons on Saturday morning in the Transitional Cathedral. We had a wonderful service, with a full Cathedral. I was delighted that Bishop Richard Wallace was able to share in the ordination service with me. A very big thank you to all who planned for and participated in this service and in refreshments afterwards.

It was a privilege to confirm Jakub Inch at St. Stephen’s, Lincoln on Sunday morning and to share in warm fellowship with the combined congregations of the Parish of Lincoln.

I am grateful to Bishop Richard to have been invited to share with him on Monday morning in the blessing of Te Tomairangi o Ihu Karaiti at Te Waipounamu, Ferry Road. Te Tomairangi o Ihu Karaiti is the accommodation and meeting building on this marae. A formal opening is being arranged at a date to be confirmed. I look forward to some Diocesan retreats and other meetings taking place in Te Tomairangi o Ihu Karaiti in the years ahead.

Last night, in a beautiful and joyful service, the Reverend Alexa Evenden was inducted as the Vicar of Malvern, in Trinity Church, Darfield. Pray for Alexa as she begins this new ministry. Her beginning is the ending of a long interim ministry by the Reverend Dr Tom Innes. Thank you, Tom, for your ministry through this period and for your continuing commitment to this parish in which you reside.

This Friday evening, 4 August, at 7 pm, the Reverend Steven Dunne (Woodend-Pegasus) will be ordained priest in Holy Innocents, Amberley. The preacher at this service will be Archdeacon Dawn Daunauda. All are welcome. Clergy are invited to robe, red stoles.

On Sunday evening, 6 August, at 5 pm, in St. Mary’s Church, Timaru, I will formally induct the Reverend Ben Randall as Archdeacon of South Canterbury and offer a liturgical welcome to the Reverend Stephanie Robson to the Archdeaconry of South Canterbury and pray for her new chaplaincy ministry at Craighead. All are welcome to this service which will be a Eucharist. Clergy are invited to robe, red stoles.

The Barbie and Oppenheimer movies are very popular. I saw the Barbie movie last week – it is both fun and thought-provoking. If you have seen it, you might be interested in this theological reflection on it: Neither Barbie Nor Ken - a Move Review 

There are a number of news reports these days about an evangelist called Julian Batchelor who is crusading around our islands against “co-governance.” Co-governance is an emerging feature of national life which deserves respectful conversation and empathetic understanding of our obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi. Nothing is helped by divisive and inflammatory antagonism. A thoughtful essay on co-governance and on Batchelor’s crusade has been written by Denis O’Reilly and can be read here.

Another quote for our focus on Regeneration of the Diocese in this decade:

• “When did you last lead someone to Christ? How are you helping them to grow? Who are you helping to come a leader? You measure what you value” - Bishop Ric Thorpe

This Sunday 6 August 2023is Transfiguration or Ordinary 18. The gospel for Transfiguration is Luke 9:28-36. Jesus takes Peter, John, and James up a mountain to pray. Then things happen! While Jesus is praying “the appearance of his face changed [was transfigured], and his clothes became dazzling white” (verse 29). With the appearance of Moses and Elijah, there are strong reminiscences of the experience of Israel in the wilderness, when the cloud of God, and the voice of God were important for the direction of Israel’s travels and for the discipline of their lives. The voice of God in the story rings out to us today: Listen to him! What is Jesus saying to us?

Arohanui,

+Peter