Theme for the day

Today’s Gospel reading from Luke comes at the end of a section that began with Jesus reading the scroll in his home synagogue in Nazareth. The stories that follow show Jesus doing exactly what he proclaimed, bringing good news to the poor, proclaiming release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, letting the oppressed go free and proclaiming the year of the Lord’s favour. Today marks the climax of those stories.

The scene is a common one. The average life expectancy then is around 35. Funerals are common. When we read stories like this our focus is usually on the miracle of the young man being raised from the dead. But the focus of the story is really the woman, a widow and a mother. As a widow she is in a very precarious position. Her only hope of economic survival is her son, who is now dead. She is facing destitution and maybe her own death. As the two crowds collide at the gate to Nain, Jesus sees what is going on and is filled with compassion for her. In an extravagant gesture he raises her son, and follows that by freeing him from all obligations to him as the one who raised him. Jesus then restores him to her. In doing so Jesus brings good news to this very poor woman. He sees her real human need and he acts with compassion. She did not need to come to him; he brought the good news of God to her. We who follow in Jesus footsteps are invited to live the same way, to see the real human need around us, and to act with compassion to meet that need, proclaiming  good news to the poor in the way we live.

Today we are offering an opportunity for us all to prayerfully reflect on our level of giving to this parish. Being a member of God’s church is more than being part of an ordinary club. We do not pay subs, we do not attend weekly meetings. Together we seek to join with the Risen Christ bringing good news to the poor, proclaiming release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, letting the oppressed go free and proclaiming the year of the Lord’s favour. As we regularly meet together and commit ourselves to each other and to Christ’s on-going work we become the body of Christ. Part of that commitment is our financial giving.

The Melanesian Brothers and Sisters visit Archbishop Justin

It is good to see my fellow Franciscans at work in UK bringing their Religious Vocation centred on prayer, and simple living to the UK. Well done Br. Clark Berge for playing a role in making this happen. I look forward to hearing more about this when I am in the Solomons next month.

The Melanesian Brothers and Sisters visit Archbishop Justin

Members of four Melanesian religious orders visited Archbishop Justin at Lambeth Palace on Thursday last week. Amid prayer, worship and song, the Brothers and Sisters pledged their desire to work for "peace and reconciliation in the Anglican Communion". Scroll down to watch a video of them singing to Archbishop Justin 

Archbishop Justin welcomed a group of Brothers and Sisters from Melanesia to Lambeth Palace on Thursday night for an evening of prayer, conversation and Melanesian song.

The visit was part of the Melanesian Religious Orders' mission to the UK, in which they visited five different diocese around the country. The theme of their mission was ‘Simply Living’ in which they live the question ‘How do we live the Gospel in relation to God, creation and one another?’

During the evening with the Archbishop, the Brothers and Sisters shared their experiences of prayerful living, peace and reconciliation, mission, outreach and environmental issues.

The group was composed of members of the Franciscan Brothers, the Sisters of the Church, the Melanesian Brotherhood and the Sisters of Melanesia. 

Of these, the largest is the Melanesian Brotherhood, whose 400 members take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience for three to seven years, after which many return to their villages. The Brotherhood has houses in the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines.

Reconciliation

On behalf of the four orders, Franciscan Brother Clark presented the Archbishop with a cross hand-carved by Novices from the Melanesian Brotherhood.

Brother Clark said the cross symbolised “a pledge to you of our desire and our willingness to work for peace and reconciliation in the Anglican Communion and to help deepen spirituality and prayer life wherever we go”. 

The Melanesian Religious Orders became internationally known after seven of Melanesian Brothers were martyred while carrying out reconciliation work during the civil unrest in the Solomon Islands in 2003.

The Rev Richard Carter, who was chaplain to the Melanesian Brotherhood during that period, recalled that learning about the Brothers’ deaths was “the saddest day of all our lives”.

But through the fact that each of the martyred Brothers came from a different Melanesian island, the Rev Richard said, they “were showing the nation that we didn’t have to divide along ethnic or tribal lines, and they became a symbol to the whole nation that something better was possible.”

Religious life

The visiting Brothers and Sisters later told Archbishop Justin about their religious life in Melanesia, which is centred on prayer, simplicity and serving their communities. The orders share their resources with their neighbours, offer them labour, and show care and respect for all they meet.

Many of the Sisters work with women and children who are the victims of domestic violence and other abuse. As with the male orders, the two orders of Sisters are self-supporting.

Archbishop Justin has expressed a wish to strengthen such religious communities as part of his ministry.

Thanking the Brothers and Sisters for coming, he said: “Renewal of the church has never come without a renewal of prayer and praying communities. So it is wonderful and a great privilege to have you here this evening.”

Watch the Melanesian Brothers and Sisters singing for Archbishop Justin at Lambeth Palace: http://youtu.be/Br1TPVSfFnw

Celebrating a Constitution! Really?

 Gate Pa – Te Pouhere Sunday 2013

Readings:

Hebrew Scripture:      Isa 42:10-20  

Epistle:                        2 Corinthians 5:14-19

Gospel:                        Luke 6:46-49

What I want to say:

explore why we would want to celebrate a constitution

examine the roots of Te Pouhere

            early church – Paul

            Te Tiriti o Waitangi

explain some of my experience of being three Tikanga

What I want to happen:

People to be better informed about Te Pouhere and think about how we might live it out.

 The Sermon

          1.      Introduction:

today mark signing both our church constitutions

      first signed June 1857

      second May 1992

[why would we want to celebrate Te Pouhere? (Ask)

      a.  radical nature both constitutions

                  led the world

                  both have got us into trouble

      b. honours who we are – not all European descent

                  English not first language of our church

                  other ways of seeing the world than ours

                  other ways reading biblical text from ours

      c. honour history- first church – Te Haahi Mihinare – Maori church]

          2.      Roots – Te Tiriti o Waitangi:

last year talked about history church which led to this new constitution

this time look at central place of Treaty Waitangi in new constitution

1984 Te Pihopatanga asked for Commission looked at place of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in life our church

      reported in 1986

-          Te Kaupapa Tikanga Rua – Bi-Cultural Partnership

-          does have role church

-                bicultural partnership

why on earth something signed 1840 have any relevance to us as church today?

first – ours

            Sir James Henare reminded Bishop Paul Reeves in commemorations 1981

“You were largely responsible for the signing of the Treaty. It is up to you to make it work.”

what mean by that

            Missionaries saw influx settlers about come our way

            greatly worried about what that would mean for Maori

worked with others England persuade British Govt offer treaty as way forward

called meeting Waitangi

Henry and Edward translated text Treaty – using biblical Maori

explained it – encouraged signing of it

after signed –

Colenso made copies

missionaries responsible taking around much country for others sign

without us, without Anglican church, highly unlikely there would have been a treaty

many ways it was our creation

Maori look to us to make it work

A. more than contract

covenant between them and Crown

many those signed

well taught by missionaries

covenant sacred word

therefore sacred agreement

cannot be easily put to one side

covenant set out how two people live in this land.

B. covenant between two sovereign nations

            Declarations of the Confederation of United Tribes – 1835

            Recognised 1836

        

C. designed control influx of settlers coming this way.

because declaration of independance British Govt had no authority over Europeans settled in NZ

do what liked

already great deal concern about activities New Zealand company

Treaty designed way bringing those settlers and settlers to come under British rule of law.

all about terms and conditions by which Europeans could come here

how can we structure this so has least negative impact on Maori

hope was that by regulating relationships between Maori and settlers both could benefit

see this as purpose in conversation occurred at Waitangi on 5^th Feb

Missionaries - Treaty seen as a way of:

            giving British Government authority over Europeans came NZ

                        actions and activities governed by British Law

            Maori authority over their land and all things Maori – guaranteed

                        protected by British Govt

                        rights and privileges - protected

because of Treaty we are welcome here

under terms of treaty

without Treaty we are simply overstayers in someone else’s country

so if Maori say to me – should go home

            I can say, I am home.

            Through Treaty welcomed me in 1840,

                        said I could call this place home

to which say – then honour the covenant

why those part Commission said

treaty has place

structures relationship

we special responsibility as Anglicans ensure treaty, covenant is honoured

if we are to do that , need start with own house.

          3.      Paul.

during the heated debate – a lot scripture cited

Paul used a lot

Galatians – neither Jew nor Greek, slave or free etc…

      used mean all be one

some of us suggested issue not whether we are one

      but how

      honouring those different from us (the majority)

interesting thing about Paul writing church struggling with same questions

Jewish Christians – answer simple – all become Jews

Paul had some pretty big fights about this

The way forward was not all to be same

but for all to see other as beloved of Christ

treat them as such

whether Jew Gentile, slave or free, male or female

understand no-one more important than any other

nor any culture or language more right with God – any other

I think he seems got what Pentecost was about more any other leaders

How then build church does that

recognises and honours all cultures and languages

allows Gospel speak to critiques each cultures?

how build our house foundation rock?

our constitution is our answer to that

is it perfect?

      no

do we live it out well?

      no

God is at work in it – leading us to discover how to be church

today we celebrate Te Pouhere

hear invitation to seek to live it out more fully

work in partnership with Tikanga Maori brothers and sisters

have grace learn about the love God through them

seeke to serve them

honour and love them

support them in their ministry among Maori in Tauranga Moana.