1. A prayer for vision

What is our vision?

What is our focus?

What is the role and place of the Spirit in how we see?

Lord, be our eyes – that we may see beyond the horizon of despair.

Lord, be our guide – like a navigator across the seas of the unknown.

Lord, be our energy – creating constant motion as we seek to be on the move.

Lord, be our connection – as we journey into the future facing backwards.

Lord, be our shaper – weaving and crafting generation after generation.

Lord, lead us onward – not to the centre, but away from it and toward the margins of need.

Lord, be our vision – clear, certain and forever young.

2. Here and now

God of past, present and future, thank You for those that did, that are doing and that will do. Thank You for those in our communities who are new, fresh and vibrant. Thank You for the challenges of their learning and finding of self within our communities. Thank You for what we are able to teach them and what they are able to teach us. Thank You for our commitment to seeing the role they play, beyond tokenism, come to life here and now. Thank You for the challenge of honouring their role and identity within an aging church, that does not grow tired, but remains hopeful. Amen.

3. Uncomfortable

Comforting God, make us uncomfortable.

Uncomfortable with injustice in all its forms

Uncomfortable with old ways that no longer serve a new normal

Uncomfortable with bricks and mortar that do not reflect a living body

Uncomfortable with silo’s and barriers between generations, born out of an unwillingness to understand one another

Uncomfortable with leaving the “glory days” of the church in the past

Uncomfortable with refusing to believe that there is still life in our being

Uncomfortable with discrimination against those who do not meet our expectations

Uncomfortable with a lack of response to the question – what is the Spirit saying to the church?

Comforting God, make us uncomfortable.
Amen.

4. Space

God, with whom we share a sacred, relational space, hear our prayer. Help us to cherish, nurture and care for this space – Ia teu le va. Help us to remove that which unnaturally occupies this space – our pride, our attitudes and our ignorance - all which create barriers and distance between us and Your purpose. Grant us the ability to be vulnerable and open before You – to allow You to grow fruitful things within the sacred space. Guide us each day, that our relationship may be reflected in everything we do, in our pursuit to love our neighbour, love ourselves and love You. Amen.

5. Virtual Connexion

Holy Spirit, available to us beyond face-to-face gatherings, meet us in the virtual connexion. Where many have been forced to migrate to in the pandemic world – meet us in the virtual connexion.

In working and learning from home, interacting and worshipping online – meet us in the virtual connexion.

In the realm where young people are comfortable, knowledgeable, relevant and pioneering – meet us in the virtual connexion.

Where older generations are still learning and attempting to understand and appreciate – meet us in the virtual connexion.

As we look back on our story, starting in the mission fields of Te Tai Tokerau and now to technology, social media and streams – meet us in the virtual connexion.

Amen.

6. Hand in Hand

Heaven is intergenerational. A mixing of saints from different walks of life and stories. May our church reflect such a heaven. Where our culture and traditions are encouraged to be expressed in a variety of ways. Where our gender and identities are celebrated, accepted and embraced in authentic acts. Where our young are never ‘too inexperienced’ and our old are never ‘too washed-up’ to be of value and importance. Where our grandparents and grandchildren may equally see a place that they can truly feel they belong to. May we walk hand in hand, generation-beside-generation into whatever the next 200 years have in store.

7. Bi-Cultural

Kei te hikoi tātou – in partnership with one another.

Kei te whakarongo tātou ki te Ao – and its cries to care for and nurture what is limited around us.

Kei te pātai tātou – what needs to be done in pursuit of justice for those at the margins of our society?

Kei te whakapakari tātou i ngā rangatahi – giving them the space to grow and flourish in their own ways.

Kāore tātou i te tatari – the time to act is now and not later. Let this be our prayer.

8. Identity

What might we say in response to the Jesus’ question: ‘Who do you say I am?’

In a world where many young people are subjected to the pressures and expectations to be people they are not; help us, Lord, to know ourselves in You.

Where cat-fish, fake profiles and online identities are created to seek the validation of others; help us, Lord, to know ourselves in You.

Where the pressure of family and parents create unhealthy environments and a strain on mental well-being; help us, Lord, to know ourselves in You.

Let us always be shaped in Your love, Lord, we pray.

9. Relevance

Let us be a church that is not after relevance. Not chasing fads, trends or seasonal things. Let us be a church is planted in contextual soil. Always seeking to bring life to its people in long and everlasting ways.

Let us be a church that is not done innovating and creating. Let us be fresh and inspired by the work of the Spirit within the ordinary lives of people.

Let us be a church that continues to dream and imagine. To hope for and be for. To not be bystanders of, but participants in, the work of God in the world.

10. Young and wild

Keep us young and wild, Lord. Keep us from attempting to tame our passion to do good works. Keep us from limiting our potential that is yet to be fulfilled. Keep us from being boxed in and immovable in our outlook and understanding. Keep us from falling asleep at the wheel of life, but let us be continually energised and life-giving. Keep us from self-negativity and counter-productivity, but let us be life-affirming and cup-filling for ourselves and those around us. Keep us young and wild, Lord, we pray. For your love is unable to be contained or restricted by our human efforts. Amen.