Easter is a time to have our minds blown by and for our imaginations to run wild with the possibilities of what the reign of God might look like. - What does that mean for us as we commemorate ANZAC Day and offer a place for our city to commemorate the Battle of Pukehinahina Gate Pa. - What does mean for us facing very uncertain future as a parish?…

Psalm Psalm 4 First Reading: Acts 3:12-21 Second Reading: 1 John 3:1-7 Gospel: Luke 24:36-48 Easter is a time to hear stories of the resurrection and how those first disciples responded. We hear them not to be convinced of the truth of the resurrection, but to be opened to our own experiences of the resurrection, and to take time to reflect on how …

A sermon exploring what it was like for those male disciples when they heard Jesus had risen – They had abandoned Jesus to his death, denied him, betrayed him. They did not die with him as Thomas promised not so long ago – and now he is back!! - How does that help us read about these two appearances? Thomas teaches us that the Resurrection is not s…

Gate Pa – Year B Easter Sunday 2024 Readings: First Reading: Isaiah 25:6-9 Second Reading: Acts 10:34-43 Gospel:John 20:1-18 What I want to say: Our friend died this week. The resurrection affirms that she is with God now. Swallowed in God’s life. I don’t know what that means or what it looks life. That is ok. I trust God for all that. This story i…

A reflection to help people into the story of Palm Sunday, to ask where are they in this story, and what do they see? Invite them to ask, as Jesus sees everything, what are we invited to see? We watched Rev Dr Rodney Aist speak in front of Church of the Holy Sepulchre on St George's College Jerusalem: Ways in the Wilderness Hosanna means both thank…

John talks about the writer of John's gospel and Jeremiah both reframe what is going on to find hope in the midst of despair. As we approach an interregnum and gather for our AGM how might we reframe the story of Anglican Parish of Gate Pa? What might the parable of the seed dying to bear fruit offer us in these fragile times? What I want to happen…

Readings: Hebrew Scripture: Numbers 21:4-9 Psalm: 107:1-3,17-22 Epistle: Ephesians 2: 1-10 Gospel: John 3:14-21 What I want to say: We began by watching part of the video - St George's College Jerusalem: Ways in the Wilderness, looking particularly at the Hermitage, Solitude and Community. How do these themes help us this Lent? Then John uses the J…

Last week we talked about “carrying our cross with some examples of “martyrs”. When John got home he read about MLK Jr, and some of his experiences with his father in Jim Crow South – living the truth that he was created a man in the image of God. God made him "Somebody!" Carrying our cross can be as simple as this. In light of that explore Exodus …

We began by watching Dean Richard talk abut the wilderness, John then offers some thoughts on how Genesis 17 and Mark 8 help us in this Lenten time. The Abrahamic Covenant offered in Genesis 12 and 15, and affirmed in Genesis 17 remind us that the blessing is so that the people of God will be a bl…

It is Lent – traditionally a time to give something up, to pray and read the bible more, and to support charities. John explores the point of all that using his three questions – whose are we, who are we, what is ours to do? He suggests that it is a time to begin again joining in God’s disruptive work in the world What I want to happen: People to t…

John uses Mark 1:40-45 to explore some ideas around the point of the healing stories in Mark, using David Loses’ “4 words about Jesus”. (https://www.workingpreacher.org/dear-working-preacher/four-words) What do these teach me/us about God and the divine presence? What might they say about the Kingdom of God? How might I live this? What I want to ha…

John starts by exploring what Candlemas is. He then wonders what is revealed of Jesus in story from Mark 1 – that we might see and live in the reign of God today, and what has this to do with Waitangi Day? What I want to happen: - How are we a restored community of justice, generosity and aroha this Waitangi weekend? You can read the notes here…

John talks about Epiphany and what that is all about, and how we are to read our readings in light of the themes of Epiphany. He uses the 1 Samuel story to explore place of others in call, especially with young people. Then use this story to talk about call. Part of call is being knowing God speaks through and works through the unexpected. Part of …

John talks about how we have two principal feasts and should not be displaced by any other celebration: Epiphany and the Baptism of the Lord Originally they were on the same day, and still are for many Eastern Orthodox Churches. Both stories are unsettling, intense, almost violent. They rupture the lives of those involved He finishes by asking Who …

On this fourth Sunday of Advent, using the story of the Annunciation from Luke's Gospel, John explores who is Mary, and how she might inspire us in our life of faith And he invites us to reflect on who helps us be disciples and who we help. You can read the notes hereעל ידי John Hebenton

Last week we were invited to “Wake up!”- John asks what does that mean for us? He then uses John 1, particularly John 1: 26+7, and Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, to offer a response - waking up to God’s presence in the light of Christ in our midst He uses Isaiah and Luke 1: 46-55 (Mary’s song of praise and protest) to think about where that light is found to…

John wonders if we hear the call to wake up – In Isaiah, in John the Baptiser, in how Mark introduces his telling of the good news of God found in Jesus. He explores each as they stand on their threshold and the urgency of each's message Do we feel the urgency as we stand on our threshold. What thresholds do we stand on? In our wilderness what does…

Rev Debbie Garrett explores the themes of Advent using the gospel passage set for the day -Mark 13:24-37. In all that is happening in this land and around the world today, we are reminded that God is our source of hope and the provider of joy and peace.על ידי John Hebenton

John explores the Reign of Christ from Matthew’s perspective using the Sermon on the Mount in particular, and applying that to the parable of the sheep and the goats. What warnings do we need to heed as we leave Matthew and enter a new year. How might we live the reign of Christ? You can read the notes to this sermon here…

John talks about how St Francis offers us important ways of living for our world today. He gives thanks for the SPCA and their work inviting us treat all animals with care and respect and working so that all animals thrive. In this service we give thanks for the animals we share our lives with Acknowledge the important place they hold in our lives …

John invites us to think about the Parable of Talents in Matthew 25:14-30 from several perspectives, reminding us that when we can hold those perspectives rather than looking for the one right way of reading it, we will gain a deeper understanding of all Jesus in inviting us to. He suggests that one we to read this that the Parable of the Talents i…

John uses those three responses to explore the readings for Ordinary Sunday 32, especially Joshua 24:1-3, 14-25 and Matthew 25:1-13 . . In reading Matthew, and Jesus' story of the 10 bridesmaids John reflects on the 3 audiences that are involved in listening to this story, and how that helps us hear what it might say to us. We are invited to get re…

For our St George's Day celebration I wrote this little play about St George, the Serpent (no dragons in this play thank-you!) and the Empress Alexandra (no damsels in this play either - enough of that nonsense.) Here it is all acted out. You can find the script hereעל ידי John Hebenton

Cliff Simons talks about our early years as a church and when we became St George'sעל ידי John Hebenton

St Georges Anglican Church - Hori Tapu, has been doing the Season of Creation early. This week is also Matariki - the Māori New Year. John talks a little about the themes of the Season of Creation and how Matariki helps us engage with these. All this was by way of introduction to watching the "Prophetic Indigenous Voices on the Planetary Crisis- Ao…

Bonnie Hebenton preaches about how Matariki and Harvest Festvial support each other. In the pew sheet she writes "As we come to this Harvest Festival Sunday, the opening line from Philippians 4 is perhaps what should be foremost in our minds: "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice." Harvest is a time of looking back over what has been…

St. Georges Anglican Church, Gate Pa, sits on the site of the Battle of Gate Pā-Pukehinahina. Each year we try to offer free lectures to help people understand our history and how it shapes our present. The first talk was given by Dr Cliff Simons on The Northern War 1845 – 46, a well-known historian, speaker and author who specialises in New Zealan…

John talks about some of the themes from his time at the Franciscan Convocation in Phoenix. He then talks about Matthew 9:35-10:8 as a pivotal moment in the story, when 12 of his followers suddenly became "sent ones - apostles" no longer observing what Jesus was doing but taking part in proclaiming the reign of heaven has come near. He then explore…

The second lecture will be given by Dr. Alistair Reese on the Treaty of Waitangi: He Tatau Pounamu. Alistair is a well-known farmer, historian, public theologian and author who specializes in reconciliation work. He will be exploring the Te Tiriti o Waitangi through a reconciliatory lens. St. Georges Anglican Church, Gate Pa, sits on the site of th…

Rev Debbie Garrett writes "Pentecost, or the Feast of Weeks, is celebrated on the seventh Sunday after Easter. In the Book of Joel, the author foretells of a time when God will pour out his Spirit on all people. The name Pentecost comes from the number 50 in Greek and occurs 50 days from Easter. Jewish people possess a connected holiday called Shav…

What difference does the Ascension make in our lives? John has a conversation about that, and suggests that one way to see the ascension is that it completes the Incarnation, and through it Christ becomes the Christ of all times and places. In light of that, we contemplate on the Ascension and Jesus final prayer in John 17 and take time to reflect …

Happy mothers day - John wonders what mothers day offers us? It has been a tough last three years – for many it is still tough with inflation. For churches like ours and many others covid has really hit many parishes – we are much more vulnerable than we were. This was a theme of parish planning day on Saturday. Easter is a time to reflect on refle…

John puts John 14: 1-14 back into its context. He reads it in its holy week context as Jesus offering words of hope to his disciples as words of hope and promise - that there is always a place in the heart of God, in the midst of our uncertainty and fear. And he reads it for the Easter season we are invited to also ask how these words help us see t…

Cliff Simons uses his experience of visiting his sister in PNG while she was a missionary there to look at the work of Alfred and Charlotte Brown, and one of their key converts - Wiremu Tamihana Tarapipipi Te Waharoa. You can read more about Tamihana hereעל ידי Cliff Simons

A reflection/sermon inviting us to bring our own trauma from recent times and to join the two Marys’ at the tomb. And we are invite with them to have our world rocked and to know that God’s life cannot be contained. Jesus’ resurrection changes everything for them and us. We too are invited into the ongoing story to live resurrection lives. How have…

How we are at the moment? - How many of us feeling like field of dry bones in Ezekiel – in need of breath of God? We are reminded by our gospel reading (John 11:1-45) that with Mary, Martha and Lazarus we are invited to know Jesus as the “resurrection and the life.” We will then use the life of one of our “saints” Hēni Te Kiri Karamu, to see explor…

John continues the Lenten theme of looking at people who lived the Beatitudes with persistence. This week he uses the story from John 4:5-42 – the story of an unnamed and mostly invisible Samaritan woman who is made visible though her persistence in conversing with Jesus. From that John explores some of the story of Georgina Beyer – a woman of grea…

· Born 1907 in Hong Kong, an ethnic Chinese named Li Tim Oi, which means ‘Much Beloved’. Father chose this name because he valued her as a daughter even when other Chinese preferred sons · When she became an Anglican and was baptised as a student she took the name Florence · 1931 aged 24 she was present for the ordination of Lucy Vincent as a Deaco…

Jesus invites us both into the wilderness, and to know he is with us in our wilderness. Being in the wilderness tested Jesus in his sense of who he was as beloved Son of God, and how he might live that out. Normally Lent is a time for us to reflect on those same questions - who we are as beloved children of God, how we forget that, and how we might…

We continue our journey into the sermon on the Mount, holding the beatitudes as our map and key. We listen as Jesus continues to reinterpret the law for the new time he lives in, applying the law to new circumstances and requirements. He does do in ways that invite people to be subversive and persistent in the joining God to bring to perfection/com…

A sermon looking at Matthew 5: 21-37 in the context of the whole of the Sermon on the Mount, and as Jesus teasing our what the Empire of Heaven as described in the Beatitudes are really about. What does it mean for Jesus to fulfil the law? This week we are given examples of how Jesus reads the law. It is to create a community where all can thrive, …

As we end Epiphany-Christmas with its focus on light and revelation, we are given the Beatitudes from Matthew's sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5: 1-12). John explores how Jesus gives words to what he is already doing, and what he will continue doing. Jesus is living the empire of Heaven and inviting his disciples to join him. In an election year in a…

John explores Epiphany as time of intentionally seeing the world differently (repentance) and living that out (call). What are they wrapping their minds about at the moment? You can read the notes for this sermon hereעל ידי John Hebenton

Let’s read Matthew on its own terms and not in Luke’s shadow Today we read the stories of two men, one faithless and untrusting (Ahaz in Isaiah) and one faithful and trusting (Joseph in Matthew). When I read this, I am reminded of John Dun Scotus – Francisan theologian of high middle ages - "The Incarnation is caused simply by God's generous and fr…

Joy reminds us that for many, Christmas is not a time of joy. For many reasons it is very hard. John was finding life hard too. Explore some different ways of reading John’s questions. And then reflect on joy, and where we see God’s joy in the world, and what we might need to hear and see to know joy We are invited to reflect on what joy means this…

John asks “Why does God send a messiah” How we answer that shapes how we read this story and what we are preparing for in Advent and what we are celebrating at Christmas. We then explore identity and repentance in light of this. Take time at the end of each day to give thanks for ways God brought peace and hope into your day, and to reflect on the …

The Rev Debbie Garret talks about what the season of advent is about and uses the readings set for this Sunday: Isaiah 2:1-5, Romans 13:11-14, Matthew 24:36-44 to explore what this all means for us. What are we preparing for? What do we hope for this Advent?על ידי Debbie Garrett

Where does Christ the King Sunday come from, and in light of that discuss · What images or words of Christ’s kingship come to mind? · What is unhelpful about Christ the King? · Where do we look in the bible for our images of Christ the King? · What does Christ the King offer us? Christ the King is complicated and contested. It means different thing…

John begins by reminding ourselves that the questions we ask, what we look for and how we look, determines what we see, even when we read scripture. What questions are being brought to the gospel, and what might Jesus in Luke be inviting us to see? In light of that what does apocalyptic language like Luke 21 invite us to pay attention to. In a worl…

As part of our service dedicated to remembering those who have died Andrea talks about the history of All Saints/All Souls, and Halloween. The price we pay for love is to grieve. May we love well and grieve well.על ידי Andrea Andresen