Update Week Beginning 9 March 2026

Kia ora e te whanau

I’m on holiday! Sitting in the peace and tranquillity of Naseby – a beautiful, somewhat rustic, historic village in Central Otago. I’m putting this out, as I awoke early with a ‘caffeine deficit’ headache, and am typing away while the cheap coffee settles in my system.

Leadership & Personal Development Resources

Just one – I’ve had a quick trawl through the articles I’ve catalogued over recent weeks that I haven’t sent you links to, and have selected this one:

3 Signs You’re Using Self-Awareness To Avoid Change

It’s easy, isn’t it, to spot others who lack self-awareness (at least in the moment). Sometimes, it’s in people we would not expect. Then, of course, there are the times that we do, and are totally blind to it. We pride ourselves on our self-awareness!

Mark Travers, a psychologist who writes for Forbes offers some useful analysis – with diagnostic tips and simple strategies for course correction. The article can be accessed here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/traversmark/2026/01/08/3-signs-youre-using-self-awareness-to-avoid-change-by-a-psychologist/

Homilies and Preaching Resources

My response to the lectionary for the 15^th of February is titled ‘A Transformative Call into Freedom – reflecting on John’s beautiful account of Jesus’ healing of the man born blind and the downstream consequences. The lectionary text is John 9:1-41 and the homily can be engaged with here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DogbcmDmpX4

Gospel Conversations – out of the Dunedin Anglican Diocese. They host a conversation of 4 Theologians / Practitioners – until this year 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/. Led by Michael Godfrey, rather than the Gospel text, they are focusing on the first reading (traditionally known as Old Testament). For this coming Sunday the 15^th of March, it’s 1 Samuel 16 vs 1-13. It can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTZ-hY0mS5M

Rev Darryn Hickling (Methodist colleague leading the Rolleston Project) has posted a brief reflection on Instagram  – on the Gospel text concerning the Man born blind – John 9:1-41. Titled ‘Pin the Tail on the Donkey’, it can be accessed here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVp9giAjxT3/?igsh=MWhyc2U4YnhvNTMxOQ==