I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:12-13, NSRV)

E te whanau, kia ora koutou

We continue to live in ‘any and all circumstances’ and are so conscious of your resilience in this season of changes in advice and restrictions around Alert Level 2. We want to thank the hard work of all parish and ministry leaders in navigating this changing environment.

We are particularly thankful to the team at Christ Church Whanganui for the Diocesan livestream services they have been able to present over this time. We are finding that most parishes are now in a hybrid reality, with a combination of home-based house churches and gathered worship. If you wish to continue to connect with an online worship offering, you can see a list of available local expressions on the Church Online webpage.

We continue to live into the need for grace and generosity towards each other in this season. Thank you to our Synod members who modelled this on Saturday, gathering in regional hubs. There are absolutely limitations on this as a means of governance and relationality. But through grace and generosity we can continue to move together in faithfulness to our call to be a transformational movement of local faith communities.

We both feel called to appreciate and live into the postures of generosity and grace. This theme was present in both of our charges to this year’s Synod, which you will be able to see online in due course. As I (+Justin) talked about our Synod priority of being family – a call that is more important than ever. As Covid-19 continues to impact us, we are more tense, more tired and under more stress. The temptation is to take that frustration out on others. In every interaction, we’re invited to consider whether we’re taking the temperature down, or adding to it? Are we thinking the best of each other? Are we, to paraphrase Paul in Philippians, ‘in your relationships with one another having the same mindset as Christ Jesus?’ As I (+Ellie) reminded Synod, our relationships are not just local – we live in a global world in a global family of faith, for whom the Philippians 4 passage is far more physical then metaphorical. Are we living with Jesus’ orientation to the world that he gave himself for?

So , we leave you with two questions to guide your day:

• How can you receive and give grace today?

• How can you receive and give generously today?

Living into this posture of grace and generosity is a constant choice. When we fix our eyes on Jesus, the embodiment of grace and generosity, that choice becomes so much easier:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full on his wonderful face
And the things of earth may grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace.

+Justin and +Ellie