Kia ora e te whanau
With the conclusion of the Presbyterian Assembly, the next ‘biggy’ is the Methodist Conference. It is set to run Tuesday through to Saturday next week (11th to 15th of November)
I’m now in the middle of more detailed planning for a Northland tour – 22nd of November through to 1st of December. Lynne will be keeping me company.
The Partner Commission – reviewing UCANZ – has started its work with an in-person, overnight meeting in Auckland. Their first meeting report (received today) can be found on the review page of the website: https://ucanz.online/first-report-of-the-ucanz-commission-4-nov-2025/
Leadership & Personal Development Resources
The problem with solving problems
This one is the procrastinator’s dream come true. There are decisions I haven’t made, issues I haven’t attended to, and I’ve discovered that oftentimes they’ve resolved themselves without my intervention. I used to beat myself up for my lack of discipline. Yet, rarely would anything I might have done led to a better outcome. Ozan Varol reflects on his experience of this phenomenon, and the realisation that not every problem needs solving. Along with other useful insights he sums it up this way: Maybe the universe doesn’t need more problem solvers. Maybe it needs more people who can see the difference between what needs fixing and what just needs time. The article can be accessed here: https://ozanvarol.com/the-problem-with-solving-problems/
You Need to be Bored
Harvard Professor Arthur Brooks gives a compelling explanation of the need for ‘free time’, when our attention is not locked onto a screen, and we’re able to live with the discomfort of being confronted with our own free ranging thoughts. As one who is re-calibrating my prayer time in the earlyish morning, I’ve found it a struggle to sit for 20 minutes with my phone on my desk on the other side of my study, when the ‘intentional’ part of my focussed prayer is over, and I’m now faced with nothing to do, to read, to distract me. I’d forgotten how hard it can be to sit and intentionally do nothing. Yet, as Brooks points out, it’s in this space that the serious work in who we are, what life is all about, what it means, and where we’re going, is done. This is well worth the under 6 minutes it will take you to hear it. It can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orQKfIXMiA8
3 Simple Things To Do In Meetings To Show You Are A Leader
While the title may be less than appealing, the points made in this Forbes article are ones we can all benefit from – it can be accessed here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamarruda/2025/09/29/3-simple-things-to-do-in-meetings-to-show-you-are-a-leader/
Humans Used to Sleep Twice Every Night.
Finally, an interesting historical exploration of one of those issues we take for granted – that we all need a solid 8 hours sleep each night. Apparently this is a relatively modern phenomenon – brought about by the invention of various iterations of artificial lighting. It was not always thus. As I read, I was able to make more sense of the Biblical worldview – particularly of the Psalms. Part of me hankers for those simpler times. The article can be accessed here: https://www.sciencealert.com/humans-used-to-sleep-twice-every-night-heres-why-it-vanished
Homilies and Preaching Resources
My response to the lectionary for the 9th of November is titled ‘Sex and Death’ and focusses on the Gospel reading of Luke 20 vs 27-38. This is the encounter of Jesus with the Sadducees who think they have a ‘gotcha’ question for Jesus in attacking the belief in resurrection. They offer a parable using the levirate law of Deuteronomy 25 where a widow is passed through 7 brothers and asking ‘whose wife will she be in that coming age?’ I posted a message to address this 3 years ago, have reviewed it (It’s still up on YouTube), and believe it not only still holds good, I can’t really improve on it, so I’ve re-posted it. It can be engaged with here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7ddCr3Qnok&t=26s
Trevor Hoggard continues with the 2nd set of Lectionary readings. His texts for Sunday the 9th of November are 1 Kings 3 vs 1-15, and Matthew 22 vs 15-22. Trevor’s sermon can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2h9FFoJMgM
Gospel Conversations – out of the Dunedin Anglican Diocese. They host a conversation of 4 Theologians / Practitioners around the Gospel lectionary text for the coming Sunday. The site with all its options can be accessed here: https://www.calledsouth.org.nz/gospel-conversations/ . I have delayed sending out this newsletter in the hope of the latest ‘Conversation’ appearing in YouTube. It has not yet. Check with the link above.