Tena Koutou, Tena Koutou, Tena Koutou Katoa.
The title for this service is as you can see ‘Tales of Love midst Tales of Horror’.
The title and reflections began to percolate during the week in which Trump and Zelensky had their ‘fall out’.
Today I’m taking the step of telling stories rather than preaching an actual sermon. We need stories. We need to hear the bible stories of love but we also need to hear tales of love in these times of fear, horror, astonishment .. the list might go on.
So… here’s the first story.
As some of you know I belong to the Benedictine Oblates associated with the World Community for Christian Meditation. Continue reading Sunday March 23- Rev Yvonne Smith →

Prayer of Illumination

Me inoi tatou, Let us pray,

Holy God, you revealed to the disciples

the everlasting glory of Jesus Christ.

Reveal this glory to us today through the gospel

and the power of your Holy Spirit

Amine/Amen

Introduction to Exodus 34:29-35 and Luke 9: 28-36

The two readings today talk about something strange happening to the appearance of Moses and then Jesus. Both glow with another worldly light.

In Exodus the reaction of Moses and the people has many explanations. What do you think is happening?

Continue reading Sunday March 2 2025- Rev Stephanie Wells →

Readings

Deuteronomy 26:1-11

Maurice Andrew writes that the constitution expounded in Deuteronomy is realistic in recognising that one aspect of life cannot be isolated from another.  He goes on to say that there is a sense in which this life grows out of the ground.  In sharing the first fruits of the land there is an acknowledgment that Yahweh led their ancestors through slavery in Egypt to the land of milk and honey.  Andrew sees this as the humanity of individual expression and communal participation. Their produce is not better than anyone else’s produce but as God’s produce, it is produce for them to share together.  Andrew adds, for our time and place, that ‘Benefits do not trickle down but spread up and through’.^[1]

Luke 4: 1-13

Fred Craddock notes that ‘the New Testament brings the wilderness trials of Israel forward, not only into the life of Jesus, but also into the life of the church.’^[2]  The church has continued to reflect on the place of temptation in the human condition, and to focus on this the Gospel reading on the first Sunday of Lent is always an account of Jesus’ temptation.

Craddock points out that this passage not only reflects the forty years in the wilderness of the Hebrew people but also Moses’ forty days on the mountain without food (Exodus 34:28, Deuteronomy 9:9) and Elijah’s forty days in flight to the mountain of God (I Kings 19:4-8).

Unique to Luke’s account is the final temptation at the temple in Jerusalem foreshadowing the climax of the gospel with both triumph and trials and the destination of Jesus’ journey.  Luke draws our attention to this final struggle noting that the devil ‘departed from him until an opportune time’.^[3] The opportune time was indeed Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion.

Sermon

It is helpful to understand the development of a religious perceptive evolving alongside the development of humanity through migration.  The Old Testament outlines this journey for us as the Hebrew Scripture gives a background story to three of the great religions of our world.

Continue reading Sunday 9th March 2025- Rev Hugh Perry →

Readings

Deuteronomy10:12-21 

This week I chose the readings suggested for the Sunday nearest to Waitangi Day and so we read from Deuteronomy.

Maurice Andrew draws our attention to verse twelve and thirteen

‘So now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? Only to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord’

It is a theme that is repeated in a number of books throughout the Hebrew Bible.

He also tells the story of Tūhoe prophet Rua Kēnana who, according to historian Judith Binney, travelled with a big box strapped to a packhorse that contained a large English Language Bible. That was his equivalent of the Ark of the covenant which contained  the tablets of the law[1]

Matthew 6:19-24

This is a classic contrast between what appears to be of value in the ‘economy’ and what might be true ‘heavenly values.’  Bishop Mariann Budde tried to explain the difference to Donald Trump recently, but he didn’t seem to understand.  The basic claim of this gospel is that ‘You cannot serve God and wealth’. In terms of the Treaty covenant there always seems to be a pressure to pursue wealth above justice.

Sermon

My cousin Helen has adapted to retirement far better than I have.  She has planted out her sloping section, keeps chooks, and has an automatic lawn mower that sends her a text when it gets stuck.  She involved herself in a number of arts a crafts.  She even made me a small arty pot with a picture of my mum as a girl glazed on it.

Continue reading Sunday 9th February 2025- Rev Hugh Perry →

Prayer of Illumination
Guide us, O God,
by your Word and Spirit,
that in your light we may see light,
in your truth find freedom,
and in following your way discover your peace,
through Jesus the Christ.
Amine/Amen

Introduction to Jeremiah 1: 4-10 and Luke 4:21-30
Both readings record the beginning of two people’s ministry.
Jeremiah records that first call of God, his doubt and God’s response. Jeremiah became God’s prophet in a divided land. He worked under three kings of Judah until Jerusalem was invaded. From his writings it is clear this was not an easy job and he is honest with his criticism of God for this. But, despite all his difficulties, he is still a prophet until he disappears into exile at the end of his life.
Ponder how this moment with God fueled this dedicated response.
The Luke reading details the second half of the story of Jesus’ announcement about his ministry. (We explored the first half last Sunday). This focusses on the people’s response.
Imagine, if you will, being in that crowd that day. Would you have been part of the “everyone” or a silent protestor, un-noticed in the mob.
Ponder what we can do when we are faced with “everyone’s” anger.

Continue reading Sunday 02 February 2025- Rev Stephanie Wells →

St Ninians, Riccarton

Epiphany 3

26 January 2025

Prayer of Illumination (Psalm 19:14)

Me inoi tatou, Let us pray;

Let the words of our mouths

and the meditations of our hearts

be acceptable to you, O Lord

our rock and our redeemer

Amine/Amen

Introduction to Nehemiah 8:1-3,5-6,8-10 and Luke 4:14-21

Both these readings describe someone reading the bible.

As you listen imagine that moment. What sort of voice did Ezra have? Or Jesus?

We are told Ezra was standing but we understand by Jesus’ time bible readers sat. What difference might that have made?

Ezra is outside, Jesus is inside. Again, imagine the differences.

Bible Reading 1 Nehemiah 8: 1-3, 5-6, 8-10

All the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel.

So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. ³He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.

Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. ⁶Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.

Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

¹⁰Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Bible Reading 2  Luke 4: 14-21

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.

He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
¹⁹     to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

²⁰ Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. ²¹ He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

SERMON

Jesus/God Revealed in Scripture

It’s kind of strange listening to readings that talk about reading the bible. It’s like having two stories on top of each other as we too participate in listening. In fact both these scripture passages have many similarities to what we are doing today – but there are also some differences.
Continue reading January 26th 2025- Rev Stephanie Wells →

Readings
Isaiah 43: 1-7
The context of this section of Isaiah deals with the return from exile in Babylon to Judah. Verses 3 and 4 refer to the parts of Africa that had been conquered by the Persians and verses 5 and 7 describe a return from all directions. We know that people were taken into exile in Babylon, but they would have undoubtedly spread to all parts of the Babylonian empire, so Isaiah is predicting a return of Jews from all parts of the empire, just as Jews returned to Israel after World War Two and in doing so displaced the Palestinian people.
As time passes and different ethnic groups become unwanted where they have been exiled to, returning seems a good idea but inevitably things change and returning can displace others.

Luke 3: 15-17, 21-22
We now read the story of Jesus’ baptism from Luke’s gospel. Fred Craddock draws attention to the key phrase ‘the heavens were opened up’ and says that is the reason why the church has long understood the baptism accounts in the gospels as epiphany texts. They are about the proclamation of God’s Christ in the world.
In the first verse of chapter 64 Isaiah prays to Yahweh ‘O that you would tear open the heavens and come down’ and in stating that ‘the heavens were opened up at Jesus’ baptism’ Luke is saying that in Jesus that prayer is answered.
The words from the heavenly voice declaring ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased’ are drawn from Psalm 2 verse 7 which is used at the coronation of Israel’s king and from Isaiah 42:1 which is a description of the servant of God. As with other sections of the Gospel Luke brings those extra meanings into the text to show that what happened at Jesus’ baptism was part of the people’s religious tradition, a new exodus within the exodus tradition of revelation and guidance.
The final important point Craddock makes is that the heavens opened, the Spirit descended, and the voice affirmed, after Jesus was baptised and while he was praying.
Continue reading January 12th 2025- Rev Hugh Perry →