Stirring Anglicans to Regeneration and Mission - Feb. 16, 2024

Greetings everyone in these first few days of Lent. One of my spiritual practices during Lent is to use Lectio 365 in the evenings - it's so accessible as an app on my phone and a great way to end the day!

Diocesan Conference

I'm glad to announce the date for our Diocesan Conference! The conference will be on Saturday 26 October (Labour Weekend) and our keynote speaker will be Bishop Eleanor Sanderson - Bishop of Hull in the UK. Much more on this later but please circle the date now.

Prayer Pilgrimage

Please continue to advertise the Waypoints and encourage people verbally to attend. Please also register - this is very helpful for me but of course is not compulsory. The energy and anticipation are building!

Websites

St Stephen's Ashburton has a brand-new website (95% complete). It's amazing and was very effective at advertsing the parish's Christmas services. This website could be used as a template for others. Please contact me for more information.

Mission Action Planning

Many parishes now have a Mission Action Plan and I often ask clergy about how their 'Missional Priorities' are going ;-). If you feel you haven't made much progress on this, please contact me - I'd love to support you. As a diocese we're growing in our experience of how to go about this process - it really is worthwhile!

Lent

I urge you to make daily prayer for spiritual renewal and the regeneration of our Diocese to be one of your Lenten disciplines this year. Let's join our voices in prayer at this special time of year as we journey toward the cross in repentance and faith.

Akaroa

Pip and I will be at St Peter's Akaroa on Sunday, and we very much look forward to being with our brothers and sisters in Christ there!

Blessings to you all,

Mark