President Rev Peter Taylor and Vice President TeRito Peyroux-Semu by Supplied

Praying For Our Ministers

   /   
Coming to the realisation that we are already halfway through 2023, gave me a bit of a shock at how quickly the months of this year seem to have gone by. It also served as a timely opportunity to reflect on being in the role of Vice President of the Methodist Church of New Zealand, at this time of its journey.

Over these past months, I've had the pleasure of visiting, engaging with, and learning about a wide variety of groups and individuals throughout the country, who currently make up our Weteriana whānau. It has been very humbling to be warmly welcomed and embraced by newer faces, just as it has also been so good to reunite and reconnect with familiar faces from years (or even decades) gone by.

I have also enjoyed being able to attend ecumenical and interreligious forums and events on behalf of our hāhi as well. In addition to being able to share of our own journey and insights, these have also offered opportunities to learn from our Ecumenical tuakana and teina, which is always a good thing.

Recently I had the privilege of attending the Special Installation Mass for Archbishop Paul Martin SM, as the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wellington. Having observed and respected the leadership of his predecessor, Cardinal John Dew, over the years, and having also followed with interest the work of Archbishop Paul while he was Bishop of the Diocese of Christchurch, I didn’t want to turn down the invitation and opportunity to witness this special occasion, even if the invitation wasn’t originally intended for me (President Peter was away overseas at the time).

Similar to some of our own special Weteriana induction services, this mass was rich in cultural and religious traditions, and social and spiritual wisdom. While there are obviously certain things that are uniquely different about our traditions, I really appreciated the beautiful way in which te reo me ngā tikanga Māori were embraced, as well as the very natural way that women, laity, and young people were part of leading this mass.

Archbishop Paul’s homily was refreshingly on point, but one of the simplest, yet most profound things that I came away with, was a humble request to pray for him. I will most certainly continue to do this. This simple request served as an invaluable reminder to remember and to pray for the ministers of our hāhi as well.

Often our ministers are the ones who we call upon to initiate and lead services, to maintain our various ministry and outreach initiatives, to make pastoral visits, take devotions and of course, lead us in prayer, yet how often do we remember to pray for them?

Whether they be minita-i-tōhia, minita-ā-iwi, ordained, lay, presbyteral, diaconal, stationed or not stationed, supply, student or retired, choosing to follow one’s calling and dedicating one’s life to service in and for the church doesn’t exclude our ministers from needing to be upheld in prayer. In the same way, choosing ministry does not exempt a person or their family from the social, political, economic, environmental, health and housing vulnerabilities of our current times.

Living God, we give thanks for the lives and service of all our ministers. We pray for your continued peace upon them and their families. Equip and surround them with your strength, wisdom, compassion, and grace; And guide their ministries so that hope and fulfilment will always be found in and through you. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.