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Rev Dr Lyndon Drake is Kaiwhakamana Amorangi (ministry enabler) at Te Pīhopatanga o Te Tai Tokerau. Lyndon is married to Miriam, and they have three boys. Lyndon was an interest-rate trader in London before retraining for ordained ministry, has degrees from the universities of Auckland, York, and Oxford, and is currently studying for a DPhil in Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at the University of Oxford.

Ka nuku nuku, ka neke neke

Ka nuku nuku, ka neke neke

Titiro ki nga wai o Tokerau, e hora nei, me he pipiwharauroa ki tua Takoto te pai, takoto te pai Whiti, whiti, tata, tata Whiti, whiti, tata, tata He ra taua ki tua Takoto te pai, takoto te pai

These words have become famous. They come from a well-known Nga Puhi haka. They have a special place in the history of the Gospel in this land. Samuel Marsden preached the first sermon on Christmas Day in 1814 at Oihi Bay, answering the invitation of Ruatara, a chief from the north. In response to Marsden’s message, thousands of Ruatara’s men performed this haka.

Bishop Te Kitohi Pikaahu suggests that reference to the pipiwharauroa (shining cuckoo) in this context showed an awareness that the good news of Jesus was an outside concept — a cuckoo’s egg being laid. But the response is not a rejection of this new thing, but a celebration of it. The haka is called “Te Hari a Nga Puhi” (“The Joy of Nga Puhi”) and was used to rejoice.

In this, we can see the work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of those who were listening to a message they could not yet completely understand. The Spirit prompted first Te Pahi (another chief) and then Ruatara to invite Marsden. The Spirit also prompted those who heard the message to respond with open hearts and joy.

The Never Ending Work of the Holy Spirit

It is true, and important to remember and re-tell, that even in Marsden himself, and more so in many of the subsequent painful events of church activity, the Spirit’s work was damaged or opposed by human sin. But the Spirit cannot be defeated, and God’s works of aroha noa (grace) have continued to provoke a Spirit-filled response of joy among people ever since that day.

A hallmark of the Spirit’s work was the embracing by early English CMS missionaries of Henry Venn’s vision of indigenous leadership. The English missionaries empowered new Maori Christians to proclaim the good news of Jesus throughout the land, and to in due course lead ministry. This vision was stifled as the “Settler Church” took over, but the Spirit-inspired ambition of a Maori-led church for the sake of all was never entirely lost. In a sense, it went underground and became largely invisible for many years.

Another aspect of the Spirit’s ongoing work was the formation of NZCMS, a work that, from its inception, included both a worldwide ambition and the support of indigenous mission work within Aotearoa. The necessity of ongoing indigenous mission has not always been understood by the Church, but is a true sign of the Spirit’s presence in the church in this land.

A New Initiative

I have had joy myself in seeing the Spirit at work in a new way during the last couple of years. I returned to my own land in 2017 to take up ministry within the Maori Anglican church in Te Tai Tokerau (Auckland and Northland). My hope is to re-tell the broken story of the church. In particular, I want to see Maori evangelists set free to tell the good news of Jesus, and to have the great joy of seeing joyful responses to that message from Maori and tauiwi (those from overseas) alike.

As I looked for ways to enable that vision, now-bishop Steve Maina gave me the opportunity in March 2018 to present an idea of partnership between NZCMS and te Takiwa o Manukau (the group of Maori Anglican churches of south Auckland which I oversee). The idea we brought was to identify and fund two Maori evangelists to work among Maori in Manukau, where more Maori live than in any place in the world. I had the joy of seeing the enthusiastic response of the NZCMS board and wider community. I am quite certain that NZCMS’ response was prompted by the Spirit.

As this work has been established, I have had every opportunity to see the power of the Spirit, not only in the ministry of Te Hauoterangi Karaka who is our first evangelist, but in the spirit of partnership and cooperation that has characterised the whole endeavour.

The Holy Spirit’s Invitation

My conviction, which I believe comes from the Spirit, is that God has not abandoned the story that He began to write in this land in 1814. I am convinced that God still loves this land, and still loves the way He began to form the church here. I am convinced that God still loves Maori and longs to see us saved, and that He loves all those tauiwi who have found a home here and longs for them to come into His Kingdom too. I am convinced that God still sends His Holy Spirit to accompany His word as it is preached, and will pour out his love and mercy on the lost in this land.

My conviction is that we have to give attention to the way the story started among Maori, and to re-tell that story in our own day, repenting of the sins of the past not only in word but in actions which demonstrate our openness to God’s Spirit. I believe that this means we must give ourselves to the renewal of proclamation of the Gospel among Maori, trusting that this will lead to the conversion of Maori and tauiwi alike. I believe that the initiative NZCMS has taken to enable a new expression of Maori-led mission in Manukau is a sign of the Spirit’s presence and power among us.

“Ka pēnā anō tāku kupu e puta ana i tōku māngai;
e kore e hoki kau mai ki ahau;
engari ka meatia tāku i pai ai,
ka taea hoki tāku i unga atu ai.
Tā te mea ka haere atu koutou me te hari anō,
ka ārahina i runga i te rangimārie.”

“It is the same with my word.
I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to,
and it will prosper everywhere I send it.
You will live in joy and peace.”

Isaiah 55.11–12

ALMOST half a million youngsters with worries about their feelings or behaviour suffer in silence, a charity says.But failure to seek help could endanger their future mental health, adds The Children’s Society.

Ben Leo. The SUN. 20 November 2019

The Church of England’s first black female bishop has been consecrated in a ceremony at St Paul’s Cathedral in London.

Harriet Sherwood. Guardian.19 November 2019

The Archbishop of Canterbury yesterday urged all parties in the General Election to make 'an absolute priority' of reassuring minority groups.

Steve Doughty. Mail online. 20 November 2019

Justin Welby and John Sentamu remind people of ‘democratic duty to vote’

Harriet Sherwood. Guardian. 20 November 2019

Stand up for the truth and ‘challenge falsehoods when we hear them’, say Archbishops Welby and Sentamu in election message for age of social media

Church of England website. 20 November 2019

CCLA says UK firms should develop anti-slavery policies in same way as they learn to fight climate change

Julia Kollewe. Guardian. 17 November 2019

Chris Bond. Yorkshire Post. 17 November 2019

A new collaboration between the British Pilgrimage Trust and the Association of English Cathedrals has ensured that people can arrive on foot to every Church of England cathedral.

Tola Mbakwe. Premier. 17 November 2019

On November 21, Thursday at 7:00pm the Better World participants and leaders will be hosting a live video Q & A from their location in Cambodia discussing their experiences of the past year as they come to the end of the programme. To tune in you must log into your Facebook account and find the Better World Facebook page. Or you can follow the link HERE.

This year has been the very first year our Better World gap year has run. Better World is a radical social justice gap year experience for school leavers and young adults that digs deep into the issues of our broken world and journeyed into understanding how our response to these issues is central to the Gospel.

Through out the programme, the participants have learned about ethical consumption, climate change, urban poverty and refugee and migration. They have also lived in community here Aotearoa and also gone abroad for extended periods of time in Fiji and Cambodia.

Archbishop of Canterbury formally commissions the new Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome during an ecumenical bi-lingual service.

Notícias da Semana do Anglican Communion News Service - 15 de novembro de 2019

Noticias semanales de Anglican Communion News Service del 15 de noviembre de 2019

Infos hebdomadaire de l’Anglican Communion News Service – 15 novembre 2019

Our 33rd Beer and Theology, in association with The Centre for Theology and Community and the Hurtado Jesuit Centre, will be with Stephen Godsell, General Counsel and Company Secretary of the Guardian Media Group.

The subject will be "Wittgenstein and Newspapers Today".

This is open to all and provides a chance to get together, have a drink, meet some new faces and talk about theology.

We shall be meeting on the ground floor of the pub, for wheelchair access.

It's 6.30pm-8.30pm on Friday 22nd November at The Angel (101 Bermondsey Wall East, Rotherhithe, SE16 4NB).

Past Beer and Theology Events

Beer & Theology One. David Barclay 05/02/16 :- How churches talk about money
Beer & Theology Two. Rebecca Gormally 18/03/16 :- Crisis in Children's Care & Education
Beer & Theology Three. Jos Downey 13/05/16 :- Science and Theology
Beer & Theology Four. Angus Ritchie 01/07/16 :- What is Sacramental Life?
Beer & Theology Five. John Moffat SJ 16/09/16 :- Eucharistic Economics
Beer & Theology Six. Andy Walton 04/11/16 :- Strike A Happy Media
Beer & Theology Seven. Lily Botras 02/12/16 :- What Happened to the Arab Spring?
Beer & Theology Eight. Dr Muthuraj Swamy 06/01/17:- Inter Faith Dialogue: Is it Worth It?
Beer & Theology Nine. Jamie Klair 17/02/17:- London's Nigerian Pentecostal Proliferation
Beer & Theology Ten. Simon Lewis 17/03/2017:- A Christian's heart for Art
Beer & Theology Eleven. Richard Sudworth 05/05/17:- Christian-Muslim Relations
Beer & Theology Twelve. Dr Rachel Burke 16/06/17:- Personhood, Death and the NHS
Beer & Theology Thirteen. Prof Joanildo Burity 14/07/17:- Religion and Politics in Brazil
Beer & Theology Fourteen. Julie Gittoes 08/09/17:- Singleness
Beer & Theology Fifteen. Dan Warnke. 27/10/17:- A Disabled Church?
Beer & Theology Sixteen. Guido de Graaff. 1/12/17:- Friendship
Beer & Theology Seventeen. Elizabeth Adekunle. 19/1/18:- Feminism
Beer & Theology Eighteen. Buki Fatona. 2/3/18:- The Mind
Beer & Theology Nineteen. Loretta Minghella. 20/4/18. Power and Vulnerability
Beer & Theology Twenty. Rose Waite. 25/5/18. Women and Power in the Workplace.
Beer & Theology Twenty-One. Simon Stocks. 29/6/18. Lament.
Beer & Theology Twenty-Two. David Atkinson. 7/9/18. Climate Change.
Beer & Theology Twenty-Three. Jemma Gilbert. 27/10/18. Social Prescription.
Beer & Theology Twenty-Four. Dr Frank Curry. 23/11/18. Jesus, the Church and the Poor?
Beer & Theology Twenty-Five. Hannah Swithinbank. 11/1/19. International Development and Lifestyle Choices.
Beer & Theology Twenty-Six. Muthuraj Swamy. 22/2/19. Reconciliation.
Beer & Theology Twenty-Seven. Mark Clavier. 29/3/19. Consumer Culture: Insights from Augustine
Beer & Theology Twenty-Eight. Margaret Cave. 10/5/19. Being an Evangelist in the Parish
Beer & Theology Twenty-Nine. Adrian and Tom Greenwood1. 14/6/19. Civil Society Futures
Beer & Theology Thirty. Jane Steen. 19/7/19. Dr Johnson: Lay Theologian
Beer & Theology Thirty-One. Maria Wyard. 13/9/19. The State of Public Service Today.
Beer & Theology Thirty-Two. Peter Welby. 18/10/19. Engaging with Islam
Beer & Theology Thirty-Three. Stephen Godsell.  22/11/19.  Wittgenstein and Newspapers Today

Bishop of Cyprus and the Gulf, Michael Lewis, is to be President Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East

Prayers and other expressions of gratitude may hold significant potential in making people feel less lonely, a small study in the suggests.

The Church of Ireland is celebrating and marking one hundred and fifty years since it was disestablished from the Church of England

The first joint visit by a Pope and an Archbishop of Canterbury could take place in South Sudan, the Vatican and Lambeth Palace announced

A great time of celebration happened on November 9 when Rosie Fyfe was commissioned as National Director of NZCMS by Peter Carrell, Bishop of Christchurch.. The newly appointed Bishop from Nelson, Steve Maina, attended and gave his support and encouragement to Rosie as the previous NZCMS National Director from 2009 to 2019. The CMS Australia International Director, Peter Rodgers, also attended the commissioning and spoke on behalf of all the Church Missionary Societies around the world as he welcomed Rosie into the CMS leadership family. There were also many NZCMS supporters staff and board members who stood with Rosie and prayed for her in her new position.

Bishop Richard Ellena, the President of NZCMS Trust Board, gave an inspiring and challenging talk on our need to re-claim the “why?” question of mission.

He quoted Luke 19:41:“As he (Jesus) approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept bitterly.”

He quoted Luke 19:41 which says “As he (Jesus) approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept bitterly.”

“Jesus wasn’t weeping because of what he knew he would experience…” the Bishop said. “He was weeping over Jerusalem. And in the midst of the tears, he said “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace, but now it’s hidden from your eyes.” 

Bishop Richard went on to explain that the city of Jerusalem was created to glorify and host the praises of God. It was his plan to have Jerusalem as a light to the nations because of the peace and joy of those who lived there. But it was full of corruption, ruled over by the Romans and spiritually led by priests who were motivated by greed and neglected God’s justice and love.

“Our mission begins when we look out over God’s beautiful creation and weep” Bishop Richard said. “Mission happens when we, like God, so love the world that we weep when we see the injustices, the poverty, the violence, the greed, that complete devaluation of life. Mission is our response to the tears, and we support those who go.”

Rosie is already well acquainted with NZCMS, having been a Mission Partner with us for five years in Egypt. She spent her time there as the Director of the Diocesan Partnership Office, responsible for partnerships to support the ministries of the Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa. This involved her in the planning and implementation of health, education, theological, interfaith, and community development projects, as well as communicating what the Church was doing in Egypt. With this history and relationship with NZCMS already in place, she has a deep understanding of our DNA and a passion to see us continue to move forward in inspiring and equipping.

Would you please pray for Rosie as she continues to be led by God in this exciting new venture as our National Director.