Colourful Dreamer

Advent has arrived! Four Sundays to prepare for Christmas. A kind of religious reminder that reminds us that we have fours Sundays to reconnect with family and friends: write and send Christmas letters/cards/emails; organise a gathering of friends or family; buy presents; prepare feasts; sing carols and be joyful. Three weeks to endure the madness and chaos. Three weeks to look away from the madness that seems to be engulfing our world. So why do we begin with two reflections on the end of all that gave meaning and hope in life: Jeremiah 33 written at the time of the destruction of the first temple and The Exile, and Luke’s version (21:25-26) of Mark 13 written after the destruction of the second temple and the forced diaspora. Not so cheery. The madness is placed front and centre. Maybe Advent is not about preparing for Christmas. Maybe it is a reminder to pay attention to the birth of God’s peace, hope, joy and love at Christmas in our madness. In a world falling apart bec

This sermon can be listened to here. Gate Pa – Year B  34 th Sunday in Ordinary Time Reign of Christ Sunday, Aotearoa Sunday Readings: Psalm              Psalm 132:1-12, 13-18                                                                                    First Reading :    2 Samuel 23:1-7       Second Reading :   Revelations 1:4b-8                           Gospel :                John 18:33-38a                  What I want to say: I want to use the story of the first Bishop of Aotearoa as a way of looking at what the reign of Christ might look like? Where is it and how do we recognise it? What I want to happen: People to be stirred up into living in this reign more intentionally The Sermon        1.      Introduction – Aotearoa Sunday: Set aside by General Synod in 1980’s to give thanks for and celebrate the ministry of Te Pihoptanga o Aotearoa all pre 3 Tikanga constitution stuff. really interesting story -          tell quick version o

This Sunday is the last Sunday of the church year. In this province – it is Aotearoa Sunday – a Sunday set aside to pray for the work of the Bishop of Aotearoa. This special Sunday is better known as Christ the King Sunday, The Reign of Christ Sunday, and Stir Up Sunday.  That last one had something to do with reminding people to ‘stir up’ the Christmas pudding all ready for Christmas day. What doe Christ’s kingship look like for us? Where do we live in the reign of Christ? How is God stirring us up so that we get on with the work of the kingdom? As we ponder those questions I offer this quote from Karoline Lewis (http://www.workingpreacher.org/craft.aspx?post=3728) “Of course, part of the challenge in all of this is the penchant to limit kingdom to location. This is when the “reign of Christ” is a helpful corrective for this festival Sunday, not just for the sake how we talk about Jesus and the titles we give to Jesus, but for the sake of realizing that Jesus’