Christian Studies 2023
Join us in 2023 for a range of courses designed to further your formation as a follower of Christ. Courses are open to everyone and most can be credited towards a Diploma of Christian Studies.
Advent Appeal Update
We’re excited to say that so far we have raised $10,000 toward the building of the Whakamaru Chapel for the Wellington City Mission. A huge thanks to all who have donated.
New Year Honours
David Chapple and Michael Webster were honoured in the New Year Honours for 2023.
Wellington City Mission Commissioning & Ordination of Murray Edridge
Bishop Justin extends an invitation to the Wellington City Mission Commissioning Service.
Mustard Seed Community Celebrates One Year Anniversary
The Mustard Seed Community celebrates its first year with a Christmas dinner.
A Preaching Study Group at Peninsula Parish
In June this year our Vicar, Rev Chris Dodds, invited a group of parishioners to join him on Monday nights for a course on ‘Learning to preach sermons - focusing on Old Testament narratives’. This was such a great experience that we we’re asked to share it with our wider movement whānau.
Whakamaru Chapel Advent Appeal
This advent we are encouraging all the parishes in our diocese to help fund the chapel in the Wellington City Mission’s new building, Whakamaru. Hear what Bishop Justin has to say about it.
Bishop Ellie’s Korowai
This weekend past ‘our’ Bishop Ellie (we can still call her that) was gifted the most amazing taonga from Bishop Wai and Te Upoko o te Ika; a reminder for her and for us of the woven story we share as God’s people across the world.
Thank you for your mahi Harry
Harry Gibbons has been volunteering for the past three years as the Diocesan Governance Secretary taking minutes at all of our governance meetings. Harry is stepping down and we are hugely thankful for all the mahi he has done for us. We took a moment to talk to him about his time in the role.
A Just Christmas? Or Just Seasonal Consumerism?
In 2022 we live in an age where the Christ of Christmas is rapidly being replaced by rampant consumerism, where canned carols echo eerily out of place in crowded shopping precincts, and signs as we move through malls entice us with endless “two for the price of one” bargains.
Simultaneously our daily local and global news highlights the many concerns facing us today such as the heart-breaking effects of global warming and absolute poverty on so many vulnerable people and communities. What, you may ask, do these issues have to do with Christmas?
Ohakune Lodge Retreat gets a new name
It’s pretty safe to say that there isn’t a parish in the Wellington Diocese that hasn’t been impacted by the mahi of Chris Casey. In addition to all of this, Chris was pivotal in the transformation of the Ohakune Lodge Retreat situated next to St John’s parish in Ohakune.
Good Old-fashioned Fun
It’s good to have fun with our whānau! Here are just two examples that our movement whānau are great at having good old-fashioned fun.
Discipleship Pathways
Discipleship Pathway and Strandz have partnered to create a series of digital leadership training materials, sharing wisdom and ideas from some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s key children and families ministry voices. These training materials are not just for children and families ministry leaders, but are a great resource for parishes, vestries and those who cannot access the central diocesan resources in Wellington.
St John’s Church Johnsonville – A light on the hill for 175 Years
There has been an incredible celebration of 175 years of faithful mission and ministry at St John’s church in Johnsonville. The church was planted in 1847 to be a light on the hill to the community, and has since gone on to plant 9 other churches in the region.
Farewell Tama
We are sad to announce that Tama Bucknell will be leaving his role as AYM Coordinator at the end of this year. We took a moment to talk to Tama about his time with AYM.
Lemonade Stand for East Africa
While much of the world’s attention is focussed on the war in Ukraine a much larger tragedy is quietly playing out in the Horn of Africa. The current war in Ethiopia (thought to be the largest military conflict since WW2) is exasperating the already precarious food shortage in the region.
Running for Pakistan
On Saturday, Philippa Young and Pete Hull ran from Featherston down to All Saints Waiorongomai (approx. 22km) to raise funds for the Pakistan flood victims.
Bicultural Journey
Those of you who were at Synod will have had the opportunity to watch the series of two short videos exploring the bicultural history of our Diocese. As we continue to journey into what being God’s church in Aotearoa New Zealand means, we are encouraging everyone in out diocese to find time to watch these videos.
Subversive Mission - serving as Outsiders in a World of Need
The history of Christian mission has been fraught and problematic.
Well meaning missionaries have brought with them values and worldviews incomprehensible to the in culture to which they enter.
In his new book, Subversive Mission – Serving as Outsiders in a World of Need Craig Greenfield calls on his own experience of serving Jesus in Cambodia and points to ways for doing mission that uplift and support what God Spirit’s activity.