Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand

Greetings and a happy New Year to you.

I am keen to get a new prayer letter out simply because I need your prayers. Thank you very much for being faithful in your support. Your prayers will not only help me but will impact the whole church. I appreciate it. So does God!

Personal

I have recently resigned from Calvin and will finish around the middle of February. I believe this season has come to an end and it is time to move on. I am excited about the quality team that God is assembling to take the church on from here but it will be difficult leaving, having spent over 20 years here.

We plan to shift to Dunedin. Chris has part-time work at Columba College. I will be able to give more attention to the Moderator role but am not sure what else might develop alongside that. Neither of us will mind life being a little more restful for a period but there is some uncertainty regarding what happens after that. We also need a house.

Our third daughter, Kimberley, gets married on 22 January which is fantastic.

Please pray for

• God’s leading in a time that is a little uncertain
• The time and ability to get everything done before we leave – sorting and packing, everything that should be done to help the new leadership team at Calvin etc.
• Kimberley and Liam as they begin married life
• Chris as she starts at a new school
• A house for us
• Calvin as it enters a new era, and the new leadership team

Programme

I would appreciate your prayers for my involvement in the following:

25 January           Ratana celebrations

27 January           Service of recognition for John Daniel and the National Missions Team

30 January           Preaching at the centenary of St Margaret’s College, Dunedin

2 February          Council of assembly Strategy Group, Auckland

3-5 February      Going Further, Great Barrier Island

6 February          Waitangi Day celebrations, Waitangi

16 February        Church leaders meet with opposition parties, Wellington

20 February        Preaching at Waikaka centenary, Waikaka

24-25 February  Te Aka Puaho. Wayne Te Kaawa’s installation as Moderator

26 February        Inauguration of the Northern Presbytery

4-6 March            Equip South, the Southland Resource Group

8 March                Church leaders meeting, Wellington

18-19 March       Council of Assembly

Priorities

When there are so many good things that I could do, I need to know which I should do. Please pray for God’s guidance as to what I should say “no” to and what He wants me to concentrate on.

Pray too for wisdom concerning how I can promote “making disciple-making disciples” in a way that does inspire and resource the church. Pray that I will recognise opportunities and openings.

Please also pray that Presbytery visits will be organised in ways that make them very worthwhile.

PCANZ

I don’t yet have a feel for the church but it is clear to anyone that this is a time of transition. Some things need to be done differently if we are to be effective. We have experienced long-term decline.

Please pray:

• That we might be a church of vital faith in Jesus and obedience to God in the power of the Holy Spirit.
• For a clear understanding of what “effective’ means for a church and a compelling vision
• That there will be a passion to make disciples – bringing people to faith in Jesus and bringing people to maturity in Jesus
• For all those in key leadership roles and all those in the Assembly office
• For the new Presbyteries as they figure out how best to operate in order to be effective in mission
• That the decline might be reversed as we see God adding daily to the church

Again, thank you for your prayerfulness.

If you received a hard copy of this letter but would be equally happy receiving it by email, please let the Calvin office know by emailing office@calvin.org.nz.

If you are not on our distribution list but would like to be, please email office@calvin.org.nz (at least until I get a new email address.)

May God bless you,