Kia ora e te whanau
PCANZ General Assembly, in Christchurch, has come and gone.
For the most part, a joyous affair to be part of. Or, more accurately, to witness.
The Assembly was hosted by St Paul’s Trinity Pacific. The people of the parish were AMAZING – their hospitality, their leading in worship, their facilities – all the bases covered. This really set the platform for a great event.
The business was ‘moderated’ by the Rt Rev Peter Dunn. He brought warmth, humour, and humility to the role – I suspect moderating some of what might have been more contentious impulses. He brought a spirit of generosity into the life of the Assembly.
A modest number of us gathered at ‘Scoundrel’, a café/bar around the corner from the Assembly venue on the Monday evening. It was a great night – a clear and appropriate liturgy to induct Rev Andrew Howley as our Executive Officer, compiled and led by our UCANZ Chair, Rev Hana Popea. Food and ‘refreshments’ were naturally part of the proceedings.
The biggest disappointment of the Assembly was the bumping of the UCANZ report, business and presentation off the agenda due to ‘lack of time’. This was the 2nd consecutive Assembly where UCANZ failed to get any ‘air time’, even though, this time, we’d intentionally and carefully prepared. Given that CVs constitute nearly 30% of Presbyterian parishes………
The Partner Commission – reviewing UCANZ – starts it’s work this week. Tonight in fact, as it meets in Auckland to map out its task for the next couple of years. Please hold them (the ‘nine’ – an ominous number to fans of Tolkien’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ 
) in your prayer – their work will be crucial as they seek to discern the Spirit’s call for the future of this iteration of the ecumenical project.
Leadership Resources
5 career-changing mindsets to help you win at work
The strength of this article is that it ultimately encourages the reader to take personal responsibility for our own lives, rather than allowing ourselves to cast ourselves either as the victims of others, or imagining that we’ve ‘arrived’. At least that’s my take – it can be accessed here: https://www.fastcompany.com/91421999/career-changing-mindsets
How to be an exceptional leader by practicing 5 ordinary skills
As with the first article there is a certain self-disciplined intentionality required, yet I have no doubt that the suggestions, if followed through, could make a significant difference.
It may be that if you’ve been following these links you will have tipped past the free access limit, in this case, for the Fastcompany website. It this is so, and you’re keen to read, wait until the month has clicked over and have another go. I have subscribed to a number of the sites I access, so it’s easy for me to over-recommend. This article can be accessed here: https://www.fastcompany.com/91418942/exceptional-leader-ordinary-skills
Homilies and Preaching Resources
My response to the lectionary for the 2nd of November is titled ‘I am Zacchaeus’ and focusses on the Gospel reading of Luke 19 vs 1-10, with, perhaps, one of the best known stories from my Sunday school days. It can be engaged with here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g58iXcA5FFI&t=27s
Trevor Hoggard continues with the 2nd set of Lectionary readings. His texts for Sunday the 2nd of November are Lamentations 3 vs 22-33, Psalm 145 vs 1-9, and Luke 9 vs 18-27. Trevor’s sermon can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltDwXkQ5AeY
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/ . This week, the team (this time three) focusses on the Zacchaeus story found in Luke 19 vs 1-10. It can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPTtu3vhVqg
Again, it will help broaden all our reach if you ‘subscribe’ and ‘like’.
Once again, use the videos as you will.