(L to r) Pat Lythe, Catholic Co-convenor of the Methodist-Catholic Dialogue, MCNZ Vice President TeRito Peyroux-Semu, Bishop Stephen Lowe of the Auckland Catholic diocese and Rev Peter Norman, presbyter at Takapuna Methodist Church who hosted the service. by Image Supplied

Methodist Catholic Joint Service of Repentance and Reconciliation

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On Wednesday 25 October, 80 people attended a joint Methodist and Catholic service held at Takapuna Methodist Church, Auckland. The service followed a liturgy of Repentance and Reconciliation prepared by the Methodist Catholic International Dialogue Commission to accompany its most recent report, God in Christ Reconciling. The service offered an opportunity to repent on past and ongoing divisions and to celebrate how far we have travelled together in ecumenical friendship.

Many past and present members of the Methodist Catholic Dialogue in Aotearoa New Zealand took part in the service including MCNZ Vice President TeRito Peyroux-Semu and Bishop Stephen Lowe of the Auckland Catholic diocese, whose powerful sermon made a strong impression on the congregation.

Ecumenism has slipped off the radar for many, but Christ’s prayer that we should be one compels us to continue our efforts to deepen our friendship, wrestle with differences of liturgical and theological understandings and explore further avenues for future co-operation.

The members of the dialogue committee would like to thank Takapuna Methodist church, who in partnership with their local Catholic parish, provided generous hospitality.

If anyone would wish to see the service and hear bishop Steve’s message, then the service can be found on the Youtube channel: Takapuna Methodist Church

Rev Dr Trevor Hoggard is Co-convenor of the Methodist Catholic Dialogue committee and a former member of the Methodist Catholic International Commission 2011-2021.