Stirring Anglicans to Regeneration and Mission - 19 January, 2024

Greetings in Jesus Name! I trust you've had a good break over the Christmas period. Pip and I spent time at Taieri Mouth with our son, daughter-in-law and their newborn son - Arthur. I got busy cutting up firewood with my new electric chainsaw! I do hope and pray that you have a fantastic season of ministry and mission in 2024! There's a lot coming up!

Prayer Pilgrimage

The verdict is out! The witness of scripture, the history of the church and contemporary Christian leaders all agree that little of kingdom significance can be achieved without prayer. So let us join our hearts and voices in prayer for our own renewal and the regeneration of our Diocese. Join Bishop Peter, me and many others on the Prayer Pilgrimage on the weekend of 1-3 March. Click here for more info and to register.

Prayer for Regeneration

Ven Nick Mountfort has composed a wonderful and thoughtful 'Prayer for the Regeneration of our Diocese'. The prayer will be used during the Prayer Pilgrimage but feel free to use it at any other time! See separate article.

LyCiG Refresh

A number of parishes are using LyCiG Local which covers the same key principles of growth introduced at last year's conference. I still have some participant booklets left if you need them. During the year we will be having LyCiG Refresh Zoom seminars with Rhiannon King and Harry Steele. See separate article.

Switch - Change Leadership

I now have in my possession six copies of the book 'Switch' which offers amazing insights into change leadership and the process of transitioning from maintenance to mission. I hope to run a reading group with Archdeacons who will then be able to offer reading groups to others. It really is that good!

National Church Life Survey

I am collaborating with Prof Peter Lineham on learning as much as we can from the National Church Life Survey whose results were published before Christmas. Peter is compiling some comparisons between the Anglican Dioceses so we can learn from each other - what's going well and what's not. The Presbyterians have produced an excellent summary of their own figures.

Easter Services

Easter is early this year - Easter Day is on 31 March! So it's all the more important to do some early planning and email your list of Easter Services to Yvette at the Anglican Centre so we can advertise them.

Blessings and have a great 2024!

Mark