Reducing the family footprint: Kate and John-Luke’s story
Kate and John-Luke Day live in Wellington, and are part of our St Tom's church whānau in Newtown. When they were holidaying in a small South Island village last year, a wildfire swept through the area overnight. Everyone was saved, but the village was destroyed. The wildfire was caused by unseasonably warm, dry conditions - a symptom of climate change. Read / watch how they then chose to reduce their family’s carbon footprint.
Cathedral whānau hosts state memorial
Dominating the intersection that overlooks our Parliamentary buildings, Wellington Cathedral of St Paul was built to be a cathedral for the nation. Now overlooking the most secular city in the country, it was still here in our Cathedral that the nation farewelled our Queen's loyal and loving husband - and behind the ceremony was the hard work and long hours of Richard, Katie, David, Pixie, Michael, and our whole Cathedral whānau.
Conference takes anti-trafficking mahi to next level
Government ministers, CEOs, NGO leaders and migrant community representatives were all part of the recent "Tango i te Kaupae Muri - Take the Next Step" conference on people trafficking and exploitation, which we co-organised. It was a conference at which Government launched our new five year action plan to tackle the issue, and feedback suggests it has taken our country's response to the issue to a whole new level. Yet within days of it ending, another prosecution has hit the news - and the exploitation happened right under our noses.
Social supermarket brings innovation to Wellingtonians in need
Wellington City Mission, supported by New World, have come together to introduce an innovative new Social Supermarket, improving food security for Wellingtonians in need.
Mission to Seafarers gain win for crew welfare
The Government has increased their support for vulnerable seafarers visiting New Zealand ports, and this policy win is in part due to the advocacy of organisations like the Mission to Seafarers, led by our own Rev. Lance Lukin.
Anglicans meet with Minister to hand over Big Hearts messages
In December, as part of the Big Hearts campaign, our diocese wrote over 300 messages to ministers and Members of Parliament asking them to boost our funding for overseas aid. On Friday, Bishop Eleanor and others hand-delivered those messages to Minister of Finance Grant Robertson, one of the key decision-makers setting the government's budget.
A tale of two Training Days
The kaupapa of Training Day has always been a gathering of the extended whānau, whilst upskilling and learning in the areas of ministry God is calling us into. And that kaupapa was strongly held to at our recent Training Day events, despite one of them being held online due to the week-long Level 2 lockdown.
Oases of joyfulness: missional communities commissioned for the year
An increasing amount of people within our movement are choosing to live in missional communities, centred around corporate prayer, hospitality and mission to those who are vulnerable.
It's all go for the Wheelers
About a year ago, Scott and Nikki Wheeler from our Karori whānau were confirmed as new mission partners with NZCMS, destined for Kapuna in Papua New Guinea. But COVID-19 put a stop to all of that, throwing them into a year of waiting and wondering what might lie ahead. Now, their departure date has (almost) been set, and they're nearly ready to go.
Love into action: City Mission staff commissioned for important mahi
Wellington City Mission staff and their families gathered with our diocesan whānau at Wellington Cathedral of St Paul on Sunday afternoon, the 1st of February, for the first of what will hopefully become an annual event. Bishop Justin and Bishop Eleanor were there to commission the staff for their important mahi in the year to come.
Deacons dance into new roles at Thanksgiving and Ordination service
On Saturday the 21st of November, about 800 members of our whānau packed out the Cathedral to celebrate a flurry of ordinands in our Diocesan Thanksgiving and Ordination service.
This year, five of our deacons were ordained as priests, and a further fourteen of our whānau were ordained as transitional deacons. Twelve of those ordained (ten deacons and two priests) are couples, who went through the discernment process together.
“Dancers on a razor’s edge”: Vocational Deacons’ Ordination to proceed in October
This October, our movement will gather together (hopefully!) to tautoko / support the call of God on the lives of Paul and Hannah, two of our own who are called to be ordained as vocational Deacons. Our annual Vocational Deacons’ Ordination was to occur on Ascension Sunday in May, to mark the command to God’s people to spread the Good News into all the world, but was postponed due to our national lockdown. We now look forward to being together at the Cathedral on Sunday the 11th of October.
Election forums to canvas current issues
There are a number of election forums coming up, including the one that we are co-hosting. To assist with your decision-making in the lead-up to the election, here is a list of the forums we are aware of.
Changes ahead for AYM leadership
Changes are afoot in our Anglican Youth Movement (AYM) whānau. Luke and Amilie Paynter, who currently lead AYM team, have announced their intention to step down from the role.
Mission to Seafarers’ call for funding heeded
The Ministry of Transport has now allocated $295,000 to help those stuck in New Zealand ports through the Mission to Seafarers' organisation. Reverend Lance Lukin dof Upper Hutt Parish is the Oceania Regional Director for the organisation, and he talked to Kim Hill on RNZ's Saturday Morning about the situation.
Enough For All: How political parties will help New Zealanders to thrive
As Election Day nears, how might we use our voting privilege to love our neighbours? Are the policies and parties we support going to help or hinder those who are struggling to flourish? How might we, Christ's body, stand up for the last, the lost and the least in our democratic process?
Deep Change In The Wake Of Lockdown
As New Zealand has settled back into a sense of normalcy in the months following the national lockdown, parishes have had a lot to consider when it comes to what church would look like in the future.
Friendship and God’s Miraculous Grace
Recently a young boy lay in Wellington Hospital on life support, in a serious situation. The family were devastated and in need of support. The young boy’s father had been attending a Hindi-speaking Christian prayer group, led by Rev. James Vinod from St John’s Johnsonville…
Four-Square to Fundraise for Kolkata
For the past five years, a collection of young adults from Blueprint Church in Central Wellington have been hosting handball (foursquare) on the corner of Cuba and Manners Streets. Every Wednesday night from 9.30-11pm, anyone and everyone is welcome…