Our tradition is rich in sacraments, each one representing a beautiful part of God’s character and work in us.

Are we part of a multiverse? And is it a matter of choosing between believing in God and believing in the multiverse?

When we share our stories, we're not just recounting events – we're testifying to God's active presence in our lives.

I've had a few occasions recently to think about a Bible verse that says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth..."

In the coming decades the Aotearoa Church is going to undergo a seismic change which will be far bigger than any one conference or convention.

While leading any kind of change is challenging, churches are arguably the most difficult of all organisations to change. What makes this the case?

"We should not rush headlong," Saint Augustine says, "and so firmly take our stand on one side that, if further progress in the search for truth justly undermines this position, we too fall with it."

I often say that we should wear a shirt that reads, "Be patient with me, God isn't finished with me yet".

Not only do we fail to acknowledge the gifts we’re showered with, and daily, but we take creation by the neck and demand more.

The story of Moses’ call reveals to us a God who calls out to us from within our world, from the very midst of our everyday lives.

Some have suggested that as science slowly explains our universe, it also slowly squeezes God out, as though God were just the bit we used to fill the gaps in our understanding.

We want our kids to be part of a church that is willing to lift them up, equip them and empower them. And sometimes that means we give up some of our power and preference to help them feel at home in our church whānau.

To become like Jesus is to serve and love others. I am able to do this by doing chaplaincy at a Nelson rest home care centre. 

At the very core, Anglican worship is an enactment or realisation of the Christian gospel. We remember through hearing and enacting the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and we anticipate his return.

There are things formed in the harsh, hidden places of my being, built up around a central piece, something I’ve held tightly to. Things that lie deep, concealed from public view, and buried in the mudstone of my past.

If science and Scripture appear to disagree, it is a mistake to choose science over Scripture or Scripture over science. Instead, we hold onto both, and test our human interpretation.

As a young mum, my heart was crying out for the Lord to slow me down. It is only now, all those years later, that I am learning - or yielding - to trust God in this.

What could have been a shattering experience for my new friend Glenys was uplifting and reviving. I'm on a personal quest to be in control of my own knee-jerk reactions.

Out of Scripture comes three other core principles – or doctrines – that form the basis of Anglican identity, which we can summarise in one simple statement.

A growing body of research affirms intergenerational connections as key to sustainable, long-term faith formation and discipleship. 

Faith and science are both concerned with the search for truth. They focus on different dimensions of truth, but they share the common conviction that there is truth to be sought.

Te Pouhere, the constitution that formed us as the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, is who we are as we model our oneness in Christ.

It may come as no surprise that Scripture is at the heart of Anglican worship, rhythms, theology, and life. So, what do we mean by saying “Scripture alone” is a defining principle of what it means to be Anglican?

I can trace my spiritual whakapapa to my great grandfather – an Anglican minister. He was among the first people in my tribe in Kenya to receive the gospel!

We all have a responsibility to bring others to Jesus, and the easiest and best way to start that is to pray for them.

Gladness is generally a feeling of well-being and contentment, or being filled with joy. Is that your experience of the church today? Does your church know how to party as well as they know how to pray? 

Learn what Chinese heritage, Eurasian owls and a Kermit the Frog figurine mean to Michelle Urban.

Humans were made for connection with each other. We need the balancing factor of others in our lives. Deeper still, we have an innate need to connect with God, in whose image we are made.

While it was still dark, Mary headed to the tomb. I think we can learn a lot from the posture Mary adopts while it was still dark.

“Sometimes I feel like a voice crying out in the wilderness. But I will keep at it until the Lord tells me to stop, so more children will hear the gospel.”

I have been deeply challenged by the various ways people responded to Jesus in the days leading up to his death. Yet, he went to the cross for all of them.

God wants us to take seriously our calling as divine image-bearers, tasked with caring for the garden of creation - learning to live with, and not against, the grain.

I wrestle with God. "Lord, I didn’t sign up for this!" Gently, he whispers, "Oh, but my child, you did sign up for this. You signed up to love no matter what."

I was always eager to use my creative skills in some Christ-serving capacity, but I’m learning more and more about how much room there is for people like me in the Church.

Volunteers are the lifeblood of any community, and the Church is no exception. From vestry members to tea and coffee brewers, each contributes their skills and time to serve our God.

I’m finding that being comfortable back home is uncomfortable, because I’ve seen over there. Their God is the same God that we have here… So why did theirs seem so much bigger?

What do we need to do today to ensure that the Gospel is still being proclaimed loudly in all corners of the Nelson Diocese in 2030 and beyond? The plan for the rest of this year is to answer this question.

By walking the same ground as Jesus walked, Christians are reminded that God is not just a distant figure from history, but a living and active God who is still working in the world today.

"Convergence" means a junction, a merging, different things joining and flowing together as a new whole - and that’s pretty much what happened.

When people are colonised – whether we’re talking about the Israelites, tangata whenua here in Aotearoa, or countless people groups throughout history – their minds are often colonised as well, creating a hostility towards their own culture.

I wonder how the Department of Conservation might describe the number of kids in our churches. Perhaps they’d say that our kids have become an endangered species: rare sightings, dwindling numbers, vulnerable and in need of recovery.

When we hear the story of Zacchaeus, how often do we pay attention to the tree he climbed? In Jesus’ day, the sycamore fig tree was considered a “sin-spreading tree” because of its wide canopy.

We came to Jesus to be healed, to be transformed... and yet, so often, that transformation seems like an elusive dream.

Did you know that there are different stages in the journey of faith? What works for us at one stage of life, often doesn’t work at a later stage.

We’re approaching the end of the Season of Creation. Many churches around the world celebrate Francis of Assisi day with a Blessing of the Animals service. At St. Peter’s in Kaikoura, it’s a highlight of the year.

This weekend felt like a journey into the attic of the Anglican Church, exploring the hidden treasures of silence, solitude, and contemplative prayer - which have been a part of our culture since its inception.

In the story of Babel, we often conclude that the scattering of people that results from the confusion of tongues is divine punishment. But is there a better way to read that passage?

Our expressions of worship only largely represent the dominant pakeha kiwi middle class culture. Does this sound like your church? Our churches can enjoy glorious worship enriched by different cultural expressions.

Faith-sharing isn’t an optional part of being a Christian. What is optional, though, are the ways we give those answers.