UCANZ Weekly Updates and News

Kia ora e te whanau FORUM 2025 – Kings Birthday Weekend, in Auckland – Expressions of Interest The expressions of interest have been trickling it. I’m delighted that it’s from a broad spectrum across our base.  We’d like to hear from more of you. The Standing Committee has agreed that… Read more: UCANZ Update week beginning 17 December 2024

Kia ora e te whanau Only 23 shopping days to go as we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Saviour….. Leadership and Personal Development 1.     The Surprising Benefits of Talking Out Loud to Yourself I loved this one! This article outlines some of the real benefits of talking to ourselves… Read more: UCANZ Update Week Beginning 2 December 2024

Kia ora e te whanau The Nelson/Marlborough/West Coast Regional Synod of the Methodist Church is mostly CVs. We met together this weekend past in Greymouth. To crib the title of E.F Schumacher’s book ‘Small is Beautiful’. There’s something rich about the intimacy of a small group of 14 leaders who… Read more: UCANZ Update week beginning 25 November 2024

Kia ora e te whanau This coming weekend sees me in Greymouth, inputting to a leaders gathering, and preaching at the Uniting Church on the Sunday morning. Looking forward to it! At the end of October, I noted that Jannet Mudavanhu’s life had been tragically cut short by a brain aneurysm.… Read more: Update Week Beginning 18 November 2024

Kia ora e te whanau I’m ‘writing’ perched on a stool in our hotel room in Wellington. The Methodist Conference is in full swing. After preparatory days the Conference proper commenced on Saturday morning with the Powhiri, the Service to acknowledge those who have died, and the Induction of the… Read more: UCANZ Update week beginning 11 November 2024

Kia ora e te whanau I’ll start by sharing an article I offered for the November edition of the Methodist monthly ‘Touchstone’. The Ecumenical Basis for Mission Appeals for an ecumenical future will often reference Jesus ‘Upper Room discourse’ found in John’s Gospel chapters 13 through 17. These chapters champion… Read more: UCANZ Update week beginning 4 November 2024

Kia ora e te whanau We’ve been shocked and grieved by the death of Rev Jannet Mudavanhu, who has been in ministry with Trinity (Newtown) Union.  Jannet had a brain bleed caused by an aneurism on Sunday 13th October. In the days following she made some progress and was able to… Read more: UCANZ Update week beginning 28 October 2024

Kia ora e te whanau Home again Jiggety-Jig. NDCU (National Dialogue for Christian Unity) were, among other things, blessed with an insightful presentation on Tiriti issues by Alistair Reese. After a few hours as a guest in Koru with great company (where I did most of the talking ), it was… Read more: UCANZ Update Week Beginning 21 October 2024

Kia ora e te whanau I’m on the road this week – In Wellington on Friday for the National Dialogue for Christian Unity (an annual meeting between leaders of the Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, and Society of Friends Churches), and on to Gisborne for the weekend. I’m looking forward… Read more: UCANZ Update Week Beginning 14 October 2024

Kia ora e te whanau Forum 2025 – Our Future Together Please post and share as appropriate Personal and Leadership Resources 1.     Leaders: Is Your Desire to Be Right Holding You Back? This one’s serious – I could have written it (bit didn’t). It’s written with brutal honesty about the need… Read more: UCANZ Update week Beginning 7 October 2024

Kia ora e te whanau Charities Commission Requirements I’ve been asked a question. It goes like this: With the necessity of all groups with charity status to update their constitutions we wonder if U.C.A.N.Z had a basic draft constitution that might save Co-operating and Union Parishes from spending hours redrafting their… Read more: UCANZ Update Week Beginning 30 September 2024

Kia ora e te whanau On the day before Daylight Saving kicks in (that will be this coming Saturday), I invariably work my way around the house – appliances, clocks, watches, cars, – in changing time in anticipation of the following day. Remember to put your clock forward by an… Read more: UCANZ Update week beginning 23 September 2024

Kia ora e te whanau Sunday found me at a CV’s AGM. It was warm, open, and honest. There was a healthy acknowledgement of the head winds that the Parish faces. And no intention of giving up. There was, however, a piece in the Treasurer’s report that bears addressing. It… Read more: UCANZ Update Week Beginning 16 September 2024

Kia ora e te whanau This update is being ‘assembled’ in the early hours in an Auckland motel room. I had the joy of sharing Sunday worship with Kaurasi Langi and the 10am Grey Street congregation of the Onehunga Co-operating Parish – probably one of the most culturally mixed (seemingly… Read more: UCANZ Update week beginning 9 September 2024

Kia ora e te whanau I’m in Auckland this coming weekend. I’ll be preaching at Onehunga Co-operating Parish, Grey Street, at 10am, Sunday. On Monday afternoon I’m engaging with the Methodist Tauiwi Strategy Meeting. I still have a little space in my diary and could be available to meet with… Read more: UCANZ update week beginning 2 September 2024

Kia ora e te whanau I was shocked to hear of the death of Rev Siosifa Pole. He died peacefully on Sunday morning. Siosifa, as one of the Mission Resourcing Directors of the Methodist Church, faithfully represented the Church on the UCANZ Standing Committee until his term concluded at the… Read more: UCANZ Update Week Beginning 26 August 2024

Kia ora e te whanau Earning the right I’ve reflected from time to time on the importance of Church leaders loving the people they’ve been called to serve. As I was coming into ‘ministry’ I’d often hear of the importance of being ‘prophetic’ – the priority of calling people to… Read more: UCANZ Update week beginning 19 August 2024

Kia ora e te whanau I’ve been musing about the issue of leadership. The tradition I come out of hasn’t been strong on it – it’s almost as if we have to discover how to do it as we go along. And it’s just possible that it’s not our strong… Read more: UCANZ Update Week Beginning 12 August 2024

Kia ora e te whanau Once again I’m going to start with an article I wrote for the Methodist Monthly Touchstone: Maybe we got it wrong “Mission is what the church does when it is dying”. Attributed to Deitrich Bonhoeffer, this is an uncomortable challenge. We don’t want to believe it/him.… Read more: UCANZ Update week beginning 5 August 2024

Kia ora e te whanau I sit looking out the window at the unfolding results of the promised weather-bomb. It continues to affirm my conviction that the most depressing month of winter is invariably the last one. My supervisor trained as a psychiatrist. I visited with him late last week.… Read more: UCANZ Update week beginning 29 July 2024

Kia ora e te whanau How quickly the world changes. An attempted assassination attempt on a former US president, and within days the current president announces he won’t be seeking re-election. Why does it matter? It affects all of us. The result of the upcoming election will significantly affect either… Read more: UCANZ Update week beginning 22 July 2024

Kia ora e te whanau This weekend was with the Lower North Island Synod / Central Presbytery UPOG sponsored meeting at Rongotea, where we were royally hosted by the local people – thank you, thank you!  UPOG stands for ‘Uniting Parishes Oversight Group’ – a creation of the Synod and… Read more: UCANZ Update Week Beginning 15 July 2024

Kia ora e te whanau A week away with siblings and partners, and we’re still friends! Northland turned on it’s best for us, and we’re grateful. Grateful to have been able to visit and enjoy the hospitality of this beautiful part of our country. Because of road works we were… Read more: UCANZ Update week beginning 8 July 2024

Kia ora e te whanau Lynne and I are about to head out for a week away touring Northland. None of my siblings have been there, so four of us (including my youngest brother – out from the UK), with spouses – seven all up, are hitting the road together.… Read more: UCANZ update week beginning 24 June 2024

Kia ora e te whanau I’m sitting at a dining table deep in the King Country. After a rich Friday with the Waikato-Waiariki Methodist Synod at Camp Epworth, I’ve been privileged catching up with groups and individuals from a Parish that is charting new ways forward. Having come from a… Read more: UCANZ Update Week Beginning 17 June 2024

Kia ora e te whanau I’m about to hit the road – the end of this week will find me passing through Auckland, into the Waikato, and down into the King Country. Then returning home to Lincoln late next Tuesday. I hope to have another Newsletter ready for you –… Read more: UCANZ Update Week Beginning 10 June 2024

Kia ora e te whanau Again because it has a limited distribution, what follows is my latest offering to the Methodist Monthly publication ‘Touchstone’. In Christ Born in 1884. E.Stanley Jones was an American Methodist Missionary to India where he served 50+ years. Jones abhorred racism and worked tirelessly in… Read more: UCANZ Update week beginning 3 June 2024

Kia ora e te whanau Personal and Leadership Resources This week, a few articles I’ve found useful Starting with the occasional article where one feels like one is looking in a mirror. Is Your Leadership Style Unintentionally Aggressive? I was in a couple of meetings last week and came away… Read more: UCANZ Update – Week Beginning 28 May 2024

Kia ora e te whanau Personal and Leadership Resources 50+ years ago I started my working life in the Quantity Surveying office of the Ministry of Works in Dunedin. Eventually, I was given my first ‘Adjustment’ job – managing variations to a contract from the QS perspective. It was, naturally,… Read more: UCANZ Update week beginning 20 May 2024

Kia ora e te whanau The question I’m most often asked is “What do we get for all the money we pay to UCANZ?” There is a basic misunderstanding here. The money is NOT being paid to UCANZ. Please bear with me. It’s important to understand this. UCANZ is an instrument set up by… Read more: UCANZ Update Week Beginning 13 May 2024

Kia ora e te whanau This last week has been full – Friday saw the joy of being part of the now ‘Rev’ Lyn Heine’s ordination in Greymouth. Lyn’s infectious ‘joie de vivre’, along with her insight and long experience with people, will continue to be a blessing to the… Read more: UCANZ Update week beginning 6 May 2024

Kia ora e te whanau Home again, jiggety jig. I enjoyed my time with the Waikato Taranaki Anglican Diocese on Saturday – 180 of us gathered in Te Kuiti, many having travelled up to three hours from either side of the North Island. After the Whakatau, we moved into worship.… Read more: Update Week Beginning 18 March 2024

Kia ora e te whanau Home again, jiggety jig. I enjoyed my time with the Waikato Taranaki Anglican Diocese on Saturday – 180 of us gathered in Te Kuiti, many having travelled up to three hours from either side of the North Island. After the Whakatau, we moved into worship.… Read more: Weekly Update

The dates have been set! Forum 2025 will be at the Onehunga Co-operating Parish during Kings Birthday Weekend, 2025. It starts in the evening of Friday the 30th of June, and will conclude on the afternoon of Monday the 2nd of June. For ‘early birds’ we have secured limited B… Read more: Forum 2025 – Our Future Together

Our ministry facilitator Rev Andrew Doubleday has for some time produced a near weekly video sermon. A number of parishes use this to support their Sunday worship, for instance when a minister is on leave, or while in vacancy. I encourage you to make use of this resource as you… Read more: Weekly Video Homily

The Reverend Andrew Doubleday, immediate past President of the Methodist Church, Te Hāhi Weteriana, is now the Ministry Facilitator for UCANZ. He will be posting here shortly.