Bishops’ News: “A Time to Build Up”
Dear Whānau
We greet you in the name of Jesus; the one who makes all things new and the first-born of God’s new creation. As our season of Lent begins this week, we are reminded of the need to allow ourselves to be deeply moulded by the renewing work of the Holy Spirit so that Christ, who builds the church, may use us as he wills for his good purposes.
Our year has begun bearing witness to many in our family making fresh commitments to God and to each other as part of building up the Body of Christ. We have shared in the joy of a number of our parish and ministry units committing themselves to be part of Jesus’ creative and redeeming work through fresh ministry partnerships. We want to thank all those who have said yes to God by embarking on new calls to give themselves to that life and work in new places and all those who have re-affirmed their commitments to partner in ministry in places where they have been asked to remain faithful. On Sunday, we, alongside over 290 people made our commitments to the intentional communities of mission to which we belong. This was such a celebration of the Kingdom of God being built with increasing strength and joy and we are so thankful for all those making deep commitments in prayer, discipleship and shared lives shaped by clear missional intention. Starting a new year with many fresh covenants together is a hope-filled and joyful beginning in our shared life.
The announcement of community cases of COVID-19 and corresponding level changes reminds us more than ever of our humanity. As Jesus willingly was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, so we must allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit into the discipline of a Lenten season:
We fast and notice our human needs and wants and seek to align them closer to God: Lord, may our desires be one with yours.
We embrace the spiritual practices: Lord, teach us to pray.
We choose to live generously towards a world in need: Lord, help us to love our neighbour as our self.
As anxieties inevitably rise with the changes in levels, let us choose to place ourselves daily in the hands of God and trust in the non-anxious presence of Jesus who promises to be always with us. May we deeply encourage you to join in this year’s Lenten Study Rebuilding the Ruins. The reflections in this year’s study speak God’s redeeming purposes clearly into areas of our current global fragility and brokenness. A shared Lenten journey is gift we don’t want any of us to miss.
Mindful that gathering for Ash Wednesday services may not be possible this year in the way we are used to, we want to offer you all the following Lenten reflection, which you may like to use as a Lectio Divina spiritual practice on Ash Wednesday and then through Lent.
In Lectio Divina we repeat words of scripture slowly and prayerfully and allow God to highlight a particular verse and then speak to us particularly about the significance of those words for our lives. Slowing ourselves down in the presence of the Spirit, is a way of humbly making ourselves available to God and offering ourselves into God’s good hands to mould and shape us and be used to build up the Body of Christ to which we belong. Whilst we come from dust and to dust we return, the Kingdom of God grows from glory into glory and we walk by faith in that confidence.
“Lent is a time to take time to let the power of our faith story take hold of us,
A time to let the events get up and walk around in us,
a time to intensify our living unto Christ,
a time to hover over the thoughts of our hearts,
a time to place our feet in the streets of Jerusalem
or to walk along the sea and listen to his Word,
a time to touch his robe and feel the healing surge through us;
a time to ponder and a time to wonder …
Lent is a time to allow a fresh new taste of God!
Perhaps we’re afraid to have time to think, for thoughts come unbidden.
Perhaps we’re afraid to face our future knowing our past.
Give us courage, O God, to hear your Word and to read our living into it.
Give us the trust to know we’re forgiven and
give us the faith to take up our lives and walk.”
Know our prayers for you, as we all continue to choose to participate in Christ’s renewing work amongst us.
In Christ,
+Eleanor and +Justin
