This year, I want to call our attention to the reality that the spiritual temperature in our society is beginning to change, that spring is arriving, and there is a “harvest in the basket” waiting for us outside the walls of our churches!

St John’s College Trust Board is offering scholarships to help cover your study costs, from tuition fees to living expenses – and applications close soon.

The first thing I felt God put on my heart when I was thinking about this job was what J.F. Kennedy had said to his people in 1962.

I still remember when I was called directly by God to reclaim my Māori identity. He simply told me to “come home”.

"When I asked Bishop Steve what his vision was for this diocese, he said to me that it is to take 'church outside church'."

There are many challenges in our work, but also many opportunities for mission. Together, we’re supporting and training students to reach the 1.1 million students in the greater Tokyo region.

In our diocese, there are a few key people whose hard mahi make our annual synod happen. I spoke with two in particular, here in the Anglican Centre: Deborah Oliver and Renata van der Wal.

God, in Christ, is in the restoration business – and chooses to do it through human transformation.

There have been times in my journey where I’ve thought, "Does anyone else get this?" To be in a room where just about everyone else does get it – or at least they’re curious about it – was good for my edgy soul.

When I was younger I used to be excited at the number of things I accomplished in a day. As I get older, I’m realising that having too many things on the go means I don’t do any of them that well. 

The moving service was attended by over 130 worshipers, with some people being moved to tears witnessing the candidates publicly affirm their faith.

In an age where few had access to the written word, the Nicene Creed was an easily memorised summary of Christian belief.

I don’t believe in ecclesial superiority – but in the process of taking holy orders within the Anglican church, I have had to seriously wrestle with choosing a particular denomination.

Bishop Steve is delighted to announce the appointment of Rev Mark Johnson as the new vicar at Golden Bay Parish.

“Loaves & Fishes is more than just a place where people come. It's a place where people get to connect and share their lives.”

Congregational leaders successfully bring about church change when they lead with determination, flexibility, and empathy.

Friends, church members and colleagues spoke of Watiri’s gentle, warm and peaceful presence, and her consistent integrity both in public and private life.

There's no one-stop-cookie-cutter worship session that you could plug and play in all differing church contexts. Yet there are some intergenerational principles that could help support a community of faith that believes we’re better together.

“We acknowledge and take full responsibility for our failures to provide the safe, caring and nurturing environment those who have been in our care had a right to expect and to receive.”

She recalls with a chuckle that, as a seven-year-old, she pictured God like a big blue balloon stretched over the earth. Diana wondered in her young mind if she could scale a ladder sufficient in height to pop him with a fork!

In early 2023 the parish was contacted by Heritage New Zealand, inviting them to apply for funding from the David Luke Heritage Bequest.

When Jesus is asked "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?", it's a young child who he places in the midst of the competing disciples. Why? What is it about children and childhood that, for Jesus, is key to knowing God?

"I particularly loved coming together as the diocese and just being so encouraged by sharing stories and hearing how we’re all working for the gospel with our ups and downs, our challenges and our persevering and our celebrations."

It’s one very human trait that we have the capacity to be stopped in our tracks by beauty and grace, and we get to decide whether or not we want to pay attention.

We wanted to bring together young adults in Nelson and help them make connections.