Clergy and representatives from every parish gathered last week for Synod, opened by a compelling address from Bishop Steve. “It was more prayerful, Scripture-focused, and 'spiritual’ than other Synods I have attended,” says one member.

My job as your bishop is to do everything I can to make sure our diocesan family – our ship and our crew – are supported, equipped and encouraged to set sail for the journey God has for his Church. 

Churches across the region came together to make the ever-popular Op Shop Ball happen – it was a great show of community as everyone did their part to make the night a roaring success.

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.

When Ian's visiting grandson asked if they would be going to church on Sunday, he blinked a bit – thinking, "I haven’t been there for a few years"...

It doesn’t take long when chatting with Maureen to discover there are not many folk in the local surrounds she doesn’t know. Her generous heart finds her checking in on this one or that, to offer a word of advice or encouragement.

People may not be walking into our church on a Sunday morning, but they’re passing by our church sign every day of the week.

The Five Ways to Wellbeing is a set of simple, everyday actions that can make a world of difference. They're like little tricks to building resilience, boosting your wellbeing and reducing the chances of facing mental health challenges.

For eight years “others” took care of my father as he lived in and out of rest home facilities. I knew that at some point in time I wanted to be another family’s “other”.

"Of course we should expect to see te reo in our churches. We are part of this place, where long ago we pledged to protect our Māori culture."

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.

Evidence shows that one in three kiwis experiences mental health issues. Don wanted to make a difference. But he's not a therapist – he's a gardener.

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.

I’ve been working on a resource for small groups to use during the Season of Creation, which runs from September 1 to October 4.

Our Season of Discernment is coming to a close. I’d like to share some insights from what was an extraordinary time for our diocese.

I had the joy of taking nine young adult leaders to The Abbey in Wellington over the weekend. It was exciting to see God move in our young leaders in the unique ways each of them needed.

Sit down for a brew with the marathon runner, green-thumbed gardener, te Reo student, vicar's husband, and – as many of us recognise him – bishop of the Nelson Anglican Diocese.

The desire was to provide a connection point for guys both inside and outside the church, and it would be a place where we would find mutual support and edification. We hoped gathering around a pint would foster that and so we embarked.

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.

"It's not the building that has made the ministry so successful, it's the myriad of leaders over the years who have supported us in building a culture of unconditional love, respect, community, opportunities to grow, and a place to explore faith."

In removing distractions and being present, we can just be, and God meets us in that space so gently and lovingly. 

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. 

St Christopher’s in Blenheim celebrated their diverse, multicultural church whānau on Sunday with a lively service, shared lunch and cultural performances.

We all have the chance to be involved in running our churches and being part of significant decision-making processes. Let's shape the future of the Anglican Church together.

“I wrote this song for Sam," Liv says, "but it’s not his song anymore. Sam is singing a song of praise to the Lamb. He does not need to sing about his brokenness or grief anymore.”

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.

"I love these little old church buildings because they're a physical picture of Christian fellowship. These are the places where people come together to worship their God and to encourage one another towards Christ."

I was simply bursting with pride at the sound coming from the choir and organ and wanted the whole of Nelson to come in and let us show off to them. Slowly, they got the idea.

I signed up my family for our first diocesan Leadership Camp, ready for a fun winter family holiday while I refuelled for church work and refreshed my relationship with Jesus.

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.

We’ve noticed that the diners’ hunger for relationships and being heard seems greater than their need for food. The meal and the company together provide a sense of community.

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.

It was magical, with all the chandeliers lighting up the nave and candles illuminating the stained glass window recesses. At the rear of the church, fairy lights added another sparkling effect that promised the treasures to come.

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.

Throughout the year, these kids have been connecting in various ways, all with the aim of building a strong bond and nurturing their faith journey. And you know what? It's working!

I had an unshakeable conviction that I had to interview Edric before he left New Zealand. Edric’s life posed deep questions that I wanted to answer.

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.

As Juulian ponders his life, a series of jobs he hasn’t particularly enjoyed, and some unexpected hardships, he muses, “Lots of stuff doesn’t make sense, and I have questions for God when I get there.”

I see lots of good-intentioned and well-received community ministries that appear to be successful. But I'd argue that while they feel like good kingdom work, they are limited in their missional impact.

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.

Parishioner Marjorie Quinney had a vision even before Wakefield Parish's Worship Centre was completed – to provide food to those in our community.

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?

We're fostering a culture where everyone in our congregation is encouraged to share faith and invite others to experience the transformative power of Jesus.

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!

Connect with the wider Anglican whānau at the beautiful St Arnaud. Join us for some great worship, supportive prayer, deep Bible study, a dynamic speaker and engaging workshops.

There's a time for joyful celebration and fellowship as the body of Christ, and there's a time for outward-focused ministries.

I’d always wished for more time to connect with patients when I was nursing, and now that’s the focus of my role. It is truly rewarding to share God's love.

It’s one thing to hear exhortations from a trusted leader, and it’s another to see their faith and leadership in action. I’m seeing Bishop Steve’s phrases of “being family” and “being in this mission together” coming to life.

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

The beautiful West Coast love story of Neville and Janice Bellis, strengthened as they’ve traversed hardship and learned to lean on God and each other.

Often campers come to Bridge Valley hoping just to have a fun week of activities, but leave with an inspired faith and a fresh outlook on what following Jesus can look like.

I see my role as an ambassador to foster dialogue and champion the importance of both faith and science. I want to act as an advocate for both – to show that they are compatible.

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.

Being ordained doesn’t have to look like leading a church, but simply leading people on the journey of discipleship.

Every Sunday afternoon, St John’s opens its doors to the community to shine their light. This space is so warm and non-judgmental that it’s easy to see why the community responds to it so well.

"If I can walk with people who are interested in faith in a petrolhead environment, I reckon the rest of us can do that in our areas of interest too."

Easter Camp in Christchurch continues to be one of the most profound spaces for young people to encounter Jesus. Four rangatahi and a leader from St B's shared their stories with us.

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.

People gathered together all across our diocese over the weekend to reflect on Jesus' sacrifice and rejoice in his resurrection.

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.”

This past Friday, I celebrated my graduation from Bishopdale College with a dozen other students at All Saints in Nelson.

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."

My heart goes out to the first responders in Picton after every incident they attend to. So, we held a Service of Thanks to honour their bravery.

Here's a list of my favourite ideas to think about for your coming Easter gatherings and celebrations, to keep the message of Jesus message at the centre while you have fun with the whānau!

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.

"In a secular context like New Zealand, it’s important for people to have a strong sense of truth and ways of making sense of the world," Reuben said. "There is an urgent need for churches to step forward and offer a better story."

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.

May God open our eyes to see how we can receive and embrace the gifts of the global Church and by doing so experience something more of this beautiful glimpse of heaven!

"How could our church help?" wondered a group of women from Hills Community Church in Māpua, half a thousand kilometres away from the cyclone's epicentre of destruction.

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.

Kākano is a 9-month journey to form, equip and empower mission-minded leaders to intentionally explore discipleship, mission, calling, and what it means to "gather the ungathered".

Ineson’s book is a wise, compassionate, encouraging, and nuanced exploration of the subject of failure - a great resource to spend some time in reflection this Lent.

There has been some confusion in answering the census section on religion. Can I encourage those of you who identify as part of the Anglican Communion to answer "Anglican" or "Christian: Anglican" to 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.

The campers loved all of Bridge Valley's different activities, but most of all, they loved making new friends and learning about Jesus.

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

"I’ve been in some great services and felt the presence of God, but never like that," he said, between tears. "It wasn’t really emotional or hyped, it was just a tangible presence."

From kōwhai fairies to quilted native birds, the halls were most certainly decked! The Nelson Cathedral Christmas Tree Festival brought joy and the spirit of Christmas to over 12,000 people from all over the world.

We’re in a season of time to reflect on the past and prayerfully consider the future. The question isn't whether we will make changes – the question is what kind of changes we must make to bring revitalisation and growth through effective mission.

Victory Church, Habitat for Humanity, the Salvation Army, Te Piki Ora, and The Male Room have partnered together to supply temporary accommodation in the Victory community, helping to alleviate the Nelson housing crisis.

It was awesome to hang with a bunch of 35 intermediate aged kids and leaders from across the dio on Sunday afternoon to battle it out at laser tag in Tāhuna - a great way for these kids to connect and feel they belong to our dio whānau!

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.

Have you checked out the latest courses on our very own Discipleship Pathway website?! There are over 10 courses available on a variety of topics, and more on the way.

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.

On Sunday St Barnabas Stoke celebrated the baptisms of four rangatahi. It was a fantastic day, including one baptism at the church and three at Tahunanui Beach.

There’s something really special about gathering as the wider Nelson Anglican family. Coming out of your own place and being part of something bigger to be uplifted, encouraged, and equipped as God’s people.

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.

In September I announced a renewed focus on looking at how we can revitalise our churches through new evangelistic efforts and engage with real needs in our communities.

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.

Do you ever long to have been IN the Gospel stories? To have been there when Jesus called Zacchaeus down from the tree. To have seen him touch a leper, or heard him speak to a storm.

Spring Camp 2022 was another amazing year of the Nelson Anglican youth groups coming together to worship, learn about Jesus, build connections, and have an awesome time.