Bishops’ News: Unswerving Hope
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
We feel like we always say this, but it is true: our hearts are full of gratitude. This weekend over 500 mission and ministry teams from almost all of our local parishes, chaplaincies and other arms of God’s church in this Diocese gathered at El Rancho for Ministry Leaders Family Camp. Our theme was Renewing, Rebuilding, and we gathered to be refreshed after the 12 months that it has been. Huge thanks to the many people who made this all happen. It was so good to be together and we are so mindful of our privilege in doing so. (Read more here)
One of the highlight moments of camp was the arrival of the Paekakariki Pops caravan (shout out to these guys for your next community fair!). This local business, set up by two women who were best friends from their school days, makes real fruit ice blocks which were just bursting with freshness and joy. As a movement, whilst we experience pain and heartache (as we explored in the teaching sessions), we are also people who have a lot of fun, and join together as besties on the journey. As followers of Jesus we don’t diminish the costliness of the call, but we don’t deny the goodness and the fun.
It is often those bonds of friendship that bring the fruit of faith. We see this again this coming Saturday as we ordain Colette Stevens to the diaconate. As you can read in Colette’s testimony, she has chosen to be ordained in Hadfield Hall at Ōtaki. This is a community space in which many of her friends are familiar and where she has undertaken much community ministry. It is going to be such a joy to gather with Colette’s friends and family in this space. Please hold Colette in prayer over this coming week.
And finally, this Thursday we begin Thy Kingdom Come; taking up Archbishop Justin Welby’s call to pray from Ascension to Pentecost for five friends and family to come to know Jesus. All year we have been encouraging us all to pray in groups. There is no greater impetus to get this up and running more strongly than in Thy Kingdom Come. This year, as well as praying for your own five, why not also pray for the five of those you are sharing daily prayer with? Let’s multiply our intercessions this year – because the gospel is so good!
As we hear in the Hebrews reading above, when you’re discouraged it’s easy to become isolated and dwell on your pain. But it is being with each other and the testimony of each other’s faithfulness and fruitfulness that can lift us up again.
+Ellie and +Justin
