Kia ora e te whanau

Some of you will be receiving this twice. My apologies. It is a step forward in recognising that some of you have not been receiving my newsletters at all. Tragic, I know. The blind copy emails being sent out from the UCANZ address are almost invariably ending up in the ‘spam’ and ‘junk’ files of xtra and gmail accounts. So, while I prepare to move to a ‘subscriber’ system, I’m sending the newsletter out from both my private and UCANZ addresses. I hope to have this fixed in the next couple of weeks.

‘Our Future Together’ - Our Kings Birthday Forum gets closer every day.

The primary mode for this forum is engagement – between partners / CVs / individuals. This will be:

Horizontal – at multiple levels between partners;

Vertical – so that leaders and members get to hear  one another; and

Diagonal – so that we get the fullest picture of what the Cooperative Venture project looks like, and could look like in the days ahead.

A more detailed programme will be available shortly

Registrations are now possible through the Website https://www.ucanz.org.nz/forum-2025/

If you’re allergic to filling forms in on-line, email me and I’ll send you a ‘Word’ version.

Accommodation: We are not providing accommodation. Except, that we do have a number of pre-paid single rooms at the Hillsborough Franciscan Friary. These are B&B (3 nights Fri-Mon) and are available at $225, on a first-in-first-served basis.  Contact robyn at teacoop1@gmail.com

You have Questions? Parishes may well have questions that they wish to put to partner leaders. Please send them to me, and we can then sort them and pass them on for Leaders to consider before the event.

UCANZ Standing Committee Membership

One of the things we need to do at our Kings Birthday Forum is elect a new Standing Committee. The ‘rules’ determine that each of the Partners are able to appoint two representatives – a total of six. The number that can then be elected is six plus one – seven.

Standing Committee meets monthly for up to 1½  hours by zoom, and normally with one ‘in-person’ meeting each year – usually in Auckland. It’s a great team to be part of! Don’t just wait to be shoulder tapped – consider what skills, gifts, and graces you might have to offer. And consider those in your orbit whom you recognise might make a difference.

We’re calling on Parishes and Forums for nominations for elected members. Please include a brief resume of church experience. Please do it soon. Nominations can be sent to Rev Stephanie Wells, at rev.stephanie.wells@gmail.com .

Leadership and Personal Development

1. Your Greatest Witness Comes From Your Weakness

Rick Warren offers a counter-intuitive take in this simple Monday Word of Encouragement. It can be accessed here: https://cf.pastors.com/monday-encouragement-233a

2. Want to Keep Your Mind Sharp? Neurology Research Says Cutting Out This Food Can Improve Your Brain Function (and Make You Live Longer)

If you’re anything like me, the one decline as I age that most concerns me is the one into dementia. I imagine I’m not alone. I’m looking for signs that it’s happening (Is ‘looking for signs’ one of them?). And because I’m looking there seems to be plenty of evidence – especially in forgetting names and key words. You’re probably aware of what you’re about to read as you click on this article. And you may have concluded that the price of cutting out on the bacon and salami is too high – you’d rather have the dementia. Marcel Schwantes offers some alarming solidly research-based statistics on the effects of whole food groups on the human system. You may not want to read it. You may need to. It can be accessed here: https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/want-to-keep-your-mind-sharp-neurology-research-says-cutting-out-this-food-can-improve-your-brain-function-and-make-you-live-longer/91157573

3. Overwhelmed With Tasks? This Deceptively Simple Trick Can Help You Get Things Done

It’s easy to get stuck. Rather than starting, we end up in diversionary activities – even ‘busy work’ - which gives us a sense of having done something, even though it may not be part of the core task  we’re needing to attend to. And then there’s ‘doom scrolling’ on social media – YouTube, Facebook…...

Here’s a simple strategy to get us moving forward. As we know the greatest journey starts with the first step, even if it’s a small one. The article can be accessed here: https://www.inc.com/rashelle-isip/overwhelmed-with-tasks-this-deceptively-simple-trick-can-help-you-get-things-done/91153555

Homilies & Preaching Resources 

My response to the Gospel text of Luke 13 vs 31-35 for 16^th of March is titled ‘Oh Jerusalem’ and considers the response of Jesus to a city ultimately bent on destroying him. It can be experienced here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTekUxTTQqE

Trevor Hoggard is here using the 2^nd set of readings from the Common Lectionary for the first Sunday in Lent. His texts for 16  March are Jeremiah 22 vs 1-9,13-19,  and Luke 14 vs 27-33. Trevor considers the cost of following Jesus, and the importance of not only counting that cost, but also recognising how significant it is compared to the many other trivial decisions we make which attribute so much importance to. His sermon can be experienced here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjqcbhHQCfc 

Gospel Conversations - (out of the Dunedin Anglican Diocese) hosts a conversation of 4 Theologians and Practitioners at the beginning of each week 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/ . This coming Sunday’s offering picks up Luke’s account of the Transfiguration: Luke 9 vs 28-36. It can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIh3Cswq9ms

And yes, there’s more - Anne Van Gend (Bishop Elect) and a team of colleagues have also prepared a series of studies for Lent. The 4^th of these - ‘Covenantal Atonement – Lent 4’ can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fNnUrVNSo4

Again, it will help broaden all our reach if you ‘subscribe’ and ‘like’.

Once again, use the videos as you will.

Other Lenten Resources

Repeating from last week - Malcolm Gordon of First Church in Dunedin offers the following:

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Malcolm Gordon <malcolm@firstchurchotago.org>
Subject: Lenten Resource
Hi friends,

Along with my friend, Adrian Taylor, I’m creating a Lenten Resource for….well, Lent.

For each week of Lent, there’s a one-page resource, featuring a passage of Scripture, a simple song based on that text, a short reflection, and a prayer. The idea is that through the week, people might read the passage and reflection, and then listen to the song and use the prayer to deepen their engagement with Jesus’ journey to the cross.

I would like to send this resource to you. If you would like that, let me know.

I am useless at promotion and distribution, but I’m quite good at creating things. So here’s the deal – Adrian and I will make the resource and send it to you each Wednesday of Lent (starting next week on Ash Wednesday). Then you can share it with your congregation, or yourself, or people you think might like it, or people you know who won’t like it (if you’re that kind of person). Its called ‘viral distribution’ and it’s a cover for my disorganisation. You can email the pdf to folk, or print it out. The song will be available as a recording and accessible via a QR code (if you print it) and a hyperlink (if you don’t).

people can sign up at:  https://forms.gle/PeFvA4RQqNayfPtAA

I have attached a sample to show you what it will look like.

If you think you or folk you know would appreciate this resource, reply with something like ‘yes please.’ Responses of ‘no thanks’ will be inferred without needing to be stated 

Grace and peace, Malcs

Finally.

As always, if you find you’d prefer not to receive this weekly newsletter, please let me know and your address will be removed.

Ngā manaakitanga

Andrew Doubleday

UCANZ Ministry Facilitator