Kia ora e te whanau
We’re on the cusp of Christmas. I guess that, like me, you’re busy squeezing in all the undone things that need to happen before the shutdown.
I’m faced with offering two services – 10pm on Christmas Eve, and 9.30am on Christmas Day. It’s been 5 years since my last Christmas outing, so this is a bit of a novelty.
With the end of the year, and a new one drawing near, I’ve been considering what happens next. I find myself in a peculiar place. In my previous appointments I rarely thought about what follows it. Something invariably did. I’ve recently gone to ½ time. On its own this is inviting me to consider my priorities for the next few years. My father died barely six years further on from where I am now. That’s sobering. Especially when I reflect on how quickly the last six years have gone. I read somewhere that on average we believe we will live 15 years longer than we actually do. I guess the operative words are ‘on average’. It points to a strong death denial tendency within us.
So, as I face the New Year, I’m challenged as to where my priorities will be. While I want to keep up a measure of ‘work’ (I don’t believe in retirement), I also want to prioritise the important relationships in my life. It’s so well known, it’s become a cliché, – that NOBODY, on their death beds, wished they’d spent more time at the office.
As we navigate the conclusion of this amazing season of Christmas, celebrating God’s unfathomable gift, and transition into the New Year, it’s a great opportunity to consider where we will be investing our lives into 2026. Christmas supremely reminds us that God invested Godself in us. I’ve often thought that it may be that the manger may be a more appropriate picture of God’s commitment to us than the cross – while that commitment started 9 months earlier, the manger may be the most fitting symbol we have.
I’m on leave from Christmas Day through to the 5th of January. Rev. Andrew Howley will be available to attend to any emergencies (extremely unlikely) during this time – email the office at office@ucanz.org.nz, or call him on 027 559 9042. Expect my next newsletter around the 6th of January.
Merry Christmas to you all 
Leadership & Personal Development Resources
Homilies and Preaching Resources
Rather than posting a fresh homily for Christmas day, I’m simply putting up a link to last year’s – it’s the same text – John 1 vs 1-14, from the prologue to the Gospel. The message can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xy0HJlt5Q6c
My response to the lectionary for the 28th of December is titled ‘The Whole Counsel of God?‘ – reflecting on the drama of the aftermath of the visit of the Maji (Wise ‘men’) narrative found in Matthew 2 vs 13-23. It builds on last week where we considered the contrast between the Matthew and Luke accounts of the conception and birth narratives. I’ve gone a bit deeper down the ‘rabbit hole’ this week in exploring the reality that none of the narratives we’re received are absolute and complete. There is always more. In fact, the arc of Scripture withholds far more than it includes. Which is as we’d expect – and it’s important to notice. The homily can be engaged with here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fH1zfMReb60
I’ve also posted a homily for the 4th of January, based on the lectionary Gospel text of John 1 vs 10-18 titled ‘The Word Made Flesh’ ultimately focussing quite narrowly on the 14th verse – one of the most staggering statements in the whole of Holy Writ. Hopefully, it will go live on Monday the 29th of December and should be accessible here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuKKgsuO-TE
Trevor Hoggard offers a Christmas Day message based on Luke 2 vs 1-20. It can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTQ42COgcKo
Trevor also offers his final sermon for 2025 – for the 28th of September, using the 2nd set of Lectionary readings, which are: Isaiah 49 vs 7-13, Psalm 132 Luke 2 vs 41-52. This sermon can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZp9N7XmDYU&t=166s
Trevor has indicated that with his shifting to a new Parish over the January break, he will not be continuing posting sermons on his YouTube channel into 2026. I’m grateful for the work that Trevor has done over the past couple of years in providing a different voice. We wish him well as he moves on. His new appointment is the Takapuna Methodist Church, on Auckland’s North Shore. They live-stream their services, so if you want to continue to tune into Trevor he can be followed here: https://www.youtube.com/@takapunamethodist
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/. Rather than ‘conversations’ they’re moving to ‘chats’ over this holiday season. Their ‘chat’ for Christmas Day can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-z56V9pZY0
Keep an eye on their website for updates.