February 2011

Sally’s News

I am writing this as images of the devastation caused by the earthquake in Christchurch flash across the TV screen and across my mind and heart. It is particularly poignant as I have learned more about the earthquake here in Napier and the mix of tragedy and blessing it was. It is hard to see any blessing in Christchurch yet.

I am writing this also as we approach the season of Lent. With Easter so late, the beginning of Lent is the day of our first quarterly Communion celebration. I am looking forward to joining you at the Lord’s table as we gather to receive and to remember the depths of God’s love for us and for the world which is our home.

For our Lenten reflections we will be picking up the theme First Service began the year with – ‘New Beginnings’. Lent is a time where we can set aside some of our usual preoccupations and turn our hearts inward to discover hidden depths of creativity, prayer and compassion. I hope that this season will be a time when we can, with all our senses, discover new insight and new meaning for our journey of faith. Simple things such as hearing the tui insistently singing in the tree outside St Paul’s, finding new connections as we gather to meet one another during the next couple of months, watching as the new extensions take shape as we prepare to meet our city in new ways.

Thank you so much for the warmth of your welcome to me and Frank, and for your continued willingness to enter into this new phase of our journey with Christ.

All blessings,

Sally