Kia ora e te whanau
We know we’re ‘getting on a bit’ when we’re attending the golden (50th) Wedding Anniversary of a sibling – especially one close in age. I’ll be away next week, so there will be no newsletter.
Andrew Howley, UCANZ Executive Officer, wrote an article for the latest edition of the Methodist Monthly Touchstone. Well worth a read, it’s titled – ‘How big is your Church?’ and can be accessed here: https://hail.to/methodist-church-of-new-zealand/publication/0rJoizU/article/Ja5Ob9r
Leadership & Personal Development Resources
The Language Of Influence: 5 Phrases That Improve How Your Ideas Land
One of the things that I learnt over decades in Parish ministry is that new ideas are often heard to sell. Parish life often brings with it a great deal of inertia, driven by risk aversion, that needs to be overcome. Doing things differently can so often feel to many like an existential threat. One of the things I suspect that may be going on here, is the idea that if we try something new, or different, – and we don’t like it, or it doesn’t work for us, – that we will probably be stuck with it forever. Churches are very slow to change – ‘nimbleness’ doesn’t tend to figure in our repertoire. What I find useful is to regard something new as somewhat contingent – its continuation being subject to identifiable success, or promise. “Let’s try, give it 6 months, or a year. We don’t need to set it in stone – it’s an experiment, a model, a prototype, a pilot, kite we want to try to see how it flies.” This article usefully offers a set of serious strategies to help bring people safely on board to try something new. It can be accessed here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/katewieczorek/2026/02/27/the-language-of-influence-5-phrases-that-improve-how-your-ideas-land/
The Secret to Great Job Interviews – Say less
I’m aware that I have a tendency to overshare. Yet I’m also very aware of the principle ‘Less is More’.
I have a friend who is very well qualified in his field, yet seems to have difficulty getting interviews, and when he does, in landing the job he’s after. He tells me that his covering letter for his CV runs to 5 pages – much of it explaining more fully items that he believes are relevant in his CV. Less is more. Yet rather than start afresh with a blank piece of paper, he’s determined to edit what he has and reduce its bulk – he’s put too much work into what he’s already done to write it off and make a fresh start. This is sunk cost fallacy – clearly what he’s been doing hasn’t work – he needs to take a fresh look.
This article is not just for people applying for jobs (I don’t imagine that there are too many reading this to whom this will apply) – it is about being clear about what is significant and most needs to be communicated. As ‘receivers’ more often than not we lose focus and can be overwhelmed with too much detail while we’re looking for big picture principles – seeing the overall direction.
Even preaching can be like this – rather than seeking to be transformative we slip into being informative where imparting information so readily turns into a lecture rather than the incarnational event we’re called to share in.
The article can be accessed here: https://www.fastcompany.com/91424353/how-answer-inflation-bores-recruiters-sinks-jobs-applicants
Keep Forgetting Things? This Simple Hobby Can Literally Train Your Brain
This article would appear to push in the completely opposite direction to the one we’ve just considered. I find myself forgetting with annoying rapidity, and increasing frequency. I’m not sure what I’m going to do about it, but this fascinating article holds some clues. It can be accessed here: https://www.inc.com/bill-murphy-jr/keep-forgetting-things-this-simple-hobby-can-literally-train-your-brain-according-to-neuroscience/91309306
Homilies and Preaching Resources
My response to the lectionary for the 8th of March is titled ‘Appointment with Thirst’ – responding to the Gospel text for the day of John 4 vs 5-42 dealing with the encounter of Jesus with the Samaritan woman at the well at Sychar. It’s a beautiful story. My offering can be engaged with here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTPfRSWS21I
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 8th of March, they’re attending to Exodus 17 vs 1-17. It can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92fkevNyxwA
Rev Darryn Hickling (Methodist colleague leading the Rolleston Project) has posted a brief reflection on Instagram (Oh, the technology!) – on the Gospel text concerning the Samaritan woman at the well. Titled ‘Water of Life’. It can be accessed here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DVX7bN7D3y6/