Kia ora e te whanau
I’d guess many have little time for newsletters while in the busyness of Holy Week.
I realised that I needed to be reminded that the primary call on my life was not to save the world, but to abide in the one who does. It’s out of this relationship that everything else flows. https://www.facebook.com/reel/813062471222680
Also, although this comes out of another spiritual tradition, the invitation to slow down is something that many of us find very difficult. https://www.mindful.org/how-slow-can-you-go/
UCANZ Quarterly Newsletter
About to be published, and focussed more directly at Parishes, this can be accessed on the Website. The first one is due to go live. Please subscribe at https://ucanz.online/newsletter/
Leadership & Personal Development Resources
AI and the Christian Life – KCML (Knox Centre for Ministry & Leadership)
I’ve been confronted again and again about both the benefits and challenges of AI. It is perplexing to me that the church does not seem to be having a serious conversation about the way we are using it. I’m not too concerned about the writing of reports etc. I am wondering how many clergy are using AI for the preparation of our sermons, and if a serious theological discussion is happening anywhere about an activity that we have long believed needs to be led by the Holy Spirit. The silence on the matter causes me to wonder if the practice is widespread.
It’s timely, then, that KCML are running a 7pm on-line series at 7pm over 4 Wednesdays, May through June. Each sessions is scheduled for 2 hours, as follows:
- May 6: Dr. Stephen Garner — AI and the spiritual life
What are the implications of AI for personal and communal spiritual life and discipleship? - May 13: Dr. Stephen Garner — What’s next? Robot preachers and worship leaders?
Is there a place for AI in the worshipping life of the church? - May 20: Dr. Andrew Shepherd — Salvific Myths and Dystopian Realities: A Critical Theological Reflection on the Technologies of AI
- June 3: Matt Ensor — Appreciative Insights on the Use of AI: Possibilities and Challenges
Insights along with a no-jargon opportunity for questions.
For more info, and to register: https://knoxcentre.ac.nz/module/ai-and-christian-life/
The Communications Role Is Changing: 5 Shifts That Matter Most
I’m on about AI, yet again. While some of this article went way over my head, what I did grasp is that we are in a sea-change in how people access information – about us, about our churches, about what we offer. The ‘steam-driven’ method of simply typing into Google what we’re looking for, and allowing it to come up with a range of options with links to websites, has, apparently, become passé. We can now simple ask our question to AI (even on the Google search page), and it will dive in and tell us what we do, or don’t, want to know. What this tells us is that we are no longer directly in control of how we are seen. This article is well worth a read, suggesting some options in how we might ‘market’ ourselves in this rapidly changing environment. It can be accessed here: https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesagencycouncil/2026/03/20/the-communications-role-is-changing-5-shifts-that-matter-most/
Homilies and Preaching Resources
Today I’m posting two homilies.
The first for Good Friday – focussed on a small part of the lectionary Gospel – John 19 vs 16-22, the politics of Jesus crucifixion, titled ‘It is finished!” can be engaged with here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pl8TrgiyNqI
The second for Resurrection Sunday – reflects on John 20 vs 1-18 – focussed on the first witness to Jesus resurrection. Titled ‘Unexpected, that was’ it can be engaged with here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0lVWPpSRFo
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 Easter Sunday the 5th of April, it’s ‘a story of great hope in dark times, of God’s promise of new life when it seems all hope is gone’ – as found in Jeremiah 31 vs 1-6. It can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrNs5v85bWI
Rev Darryn Hickling (Methodist colleague leading the Rolleston Project) has posted a brief reflection on Instagram – focussing on Resurrection Sunday, titled ‘At Dawn Everything Changes’, it can be accessed here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DWf3e0KD0O-/