As we stood outside the Greymouth Railway Station, ready to hit the West Coast Wilderness Trail, I knew the day of reckoning had come. I thought about the training I had done – wondering whether it was enough – and realised there was no turning back.
I’m inviting young adults on a trip to the place where the gospel was preached for the first time in Aotearoa New Zealand. But before I give you the details, I’d like to tell you a story for context.
Rev Dr Clint Ussher, an ordained Wesleyan Methodist minister, is our guest speaker at this year's leadership training gatherings. I met with Clint to ask him about himself, his church, and what his heart burns for.
When cross-cultural missionaries move to a new place, they carry an unusual advantage. They don’t know the language, don’t understand the customs, and don’t yet know how things work. And that ignorance carries an unexpected gift.
With just two days to go, Bishop Steve and Rev Matt are making their final preparations for the 100km ultramarathon this weekend. And what better way to prepare than for the bishop to run 5km in his collar?
"Sometimes a Japanese person will come to our church, and it’s so obvious they are touched and want to make a commitment to Christ. Of course I invite them to receive Jesus, and the answer I often get is, 'But what if my family found out about it?'"
"We want seafarers to know that there are people here who see them, who appreciate the fact that they are keeping the world economy afloat, and that we genuinely care for them."
I caught up with Steve and Matt to find out why this "Go the Distance" campaign is so important, and to check in on how their training is going.
After 31 years of service, Jenny Allnutt has retired from church leadership in the parish of Wakefield & Districts.
Last week, Revs Andrew and Emily Spence were welcomed into Motueka Parish to serve as co-vicars.
Bishop Steve and Rev Matt Watts are taking on a 100km race next month, kicking off a campaign called “Go the Distance”.
Since all humanity is made in the image of God, there is an innate part of us that aspires to what we were originally created for. I see it often in our community.
It is very likely that there are people in your networks making very difficult “food or fuel” decisions. What does it look like to “love thy neighbour” in the midst of a fuel crisis?
Around 70 people joined us for an Easter party in Brightwater. More than just a fun event, the afternoon carried a deeper purpose. It was an opportunity to extend an open invitation into the heart of the Easter story.
David Allpress has been an energetic, enthusiastic and creative force in our church life for many years. I caught up with him to uncover the secrets of his passion and encouragement.
11 Bishopdale College students graduated on Friday – including someone you might not have expected…
Some wrestle with physical emptiness – food prices soaring, fuel budgets stretched. Others bear emotional or mental emptiness – the sting of loss, the feeling of powerless to change the slippery slope of power politics.
This past Easter Sunday, while we walked across the back beach towards the sea, l kept thinking of those lines from that great hymn by Isaac Watts, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.
St Peter’s in Atawhai flowed with bargain-hunters and brainstormers on Saturday as a diocesan team opened the building up to offer a garage sale, give out free sausages, and invite locals to dream up ideas for the future of North Nelson.
I was fascinated with how touched the people of Nelson were by this small gesture of joy and goodwill.
The Uniting Church building is now being sold, but before it begins its new season, Hills Community Church wanted a fitting send off for the building and the land upon which it sits.
“I'm not going to go join a monastery. But how much easier would it be to commit to spiritual rhythms if you got a bunch of people together in a house where you all agree to do those rhythms?”
Dancing to the Can Can and the inception of one 98-year-old's "youth group" – Nicola tells me about the antics that go on in older persons ministry.
I conducted a survey last year to hear from women across the diocese. Many expressed a desire for intentional spaces where they could connect with other women in ministry and grow as leaders. This cohort is a response to that feedback.
"Faith shapes the way I think about people and leadership," says Alex, leadership and coaching business owner. "The Christian story places enormous value on the dignity of every person and calls us to serve rather than dominate."
