The Word Street Spirit Hui held last week in Naenae zeroed in on the inseparable nature of justice and mercy in our fidelity to Jesus’ mission.

Dr Chris Marshall presented the parables of the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son as exemplars of the Jesus vision of justice and mercy wrapped up in the limitless depth and boundless grace of God’s love.

Chris reminded those gathered that justice and mercy are “not alternatives for us to choose from. They are of equal importance and necessity. They also do not stand in tension with each other. They are mutually dependent realities.”

The second session, each day, was focused on how the Word meets Street. Like Jesus, how we embody the gospel in our context.  These talks were delivered by Cat Noakes-Duncan, Aaron Hendry and Rev. Ana Fletcher.

Tying these talks together is the thread of being relationally connected to the hurting. Knowing their pain and being with them in that pain.

Cat noted that “Jesus says profoundly different things to different people, but he can do that because he sees them. He is in relationship with them. And when Jesus is in relationship, He sees right to the heart.”

This was echoed by Aaron Hendry. He challenged listeners to imitate the incarnational Jesus.

“The divine has stepped into our reality and chosen to embed himself, through us, into the most vulnerable spaces of greatest pain and darkness. And, it’s not just saying, I’m here to help you but saying I am here as one of you.”

Rev. Ana Fletcher, as the last speaker, invited participants to the language of feast. The inclusive and diverse nature of how we see Jesus talking about and taking part in feasting. Her question for the Word Street Spirit gathering was to consider what the feast looks like in our communities, who is at the table and who is not.

Each day, after lunch, the band would lead the conference in worship and prayers would rise to Jesus. Many came forward for prayer for anointing and empowering onward to journey with deeper justice and deeper mercy.

Word Street Spirit was organized by the Catch Network which is led by Rev. Scottie Reeve. Sign up to their updates by going to their website at www.catchnetwork.org.nz