Greetings, everyone!

I trust you are all well and enjoying the cooler temperatures of autumn. I am doing well, and so are Guan, Angela and Nathan. Angela turned 10 this past Monday, and we had a simple family celebration, giving thanks to the Lord for His faithfulness over these ten years.

In our church, we continue to prayerfully observe Lent, now in its third week. This season serves as an important time of spiritual preparation for Easter. At this morning’s Wednesday service, I shared a short message on the theme of self-denial and cross-bearing, based on the words of Jesus in Matthew 16:24-27: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” I explained that self-denial is not merely about giving up small comforts or indulgences for a season. It is a deeper call to let go of self-centred desires, personal ambitions, and attachments in order to follow Christ more faithfully. Lent is a time for reflection on whether we may be holding onto things – whether material possessions, habits, or attitudes – that hinder our full devotion to Christ. It is an opportunity to release these burdens and make room for God’s transforming grace in our lives.

Cross-bearing, as Jesus taught, involves embracing the suffering and hardship that come with following Him. The cross symbolises rejection, pain, and sacrifice, and Jesus calls us to take up our own cross. This does not mean seeking suffering for its own sake, but rather being willing to endure trials, make sacrifices, and face the challenges of following Christ in a world that often opposes Him. It also involves sacrificial service to others, just as Jesus gave Himself for us.

Cross-bearing during Lent goes beyond enduring difficulties; it is about actively choosing the way of Jesus. The cross we are called to bear may involve giving up personal comforts, navigating challenges in relationships, or stepping out to serve others in love. But the promise of Jesus is clear: those who lose their lives for His sake will find true life (Matthew 16:25).

As we journey toward Easter, may this season of Lent deepen our relationship with God, strengthen our commitment to follow Jesus, and shape us more into His likeness.

In our Sunday services, we are currently exploring the theme “What is the Church?” I have now preached five sermons in this series. The first was titled “A Chosen People,” reminding us that the church is sovereignly chosen in Christ to be holy and blameless. The second sermon, “The Church’s One Foundation,” emphasised that the church stands on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ, the true cornerstone. In the third sermon, “A Worshipping People,” we reflected on the church’s purpose to glorify God in praise, devotion, and gathered worship. The fourth sermon, “A Praying People,” focused on the vital role of prayer in our community life, which is our lifeline, privilege, and calling. Last Sunday, I preached “The Body of Christ,” reminding us that Christ is the head of the church, and it is from Him that every member receives the life and strength to flourish.

This coming Sunday, we will take a short break from this series, and I will share a message on the theme of “Baptism and Union with Christ.” This message will be particularly timely as we celebrate the baptisms of Gerald Satherley and Emma Males during the 11AM service. Please pray for Gerald and Emma as they take this important step in their discipleship to the Lord Jesus Christ. These baptisms follow the successful completion of the Adult Baptism Class last Sunday, where I had the privilege of leading Gerald, Emma, and two others – Jane Zheng and Koon Ng – through a study of key Christian doctrines. If you are interested in reading a fuller report about the successful completion of the course, you can find it here: Success of Adult Baptism Course.

There have been other important events in our church recently, and I would like to highlight a few of them:

Last Saturday, we hosted a SafeHere training session in the Parish Hall, equipping our volunteers with tools to create a safe, supportive, and welcoming environment for all who attend our church services and ministries. You can read a fuller report about the event here: SafeHere Training at St Christopher's.
Samantha Swafford has recently started as our Children and Families Worker, working 12 hours per week. Samantha’s office is upstairs through the Sunday school area. Her working hours are Thursdays from 9am to 1pm, Fridays from 9am to 1pm, and Sundays from 10am to 1pm. She also attends the staff weekly meetings on Mondays from 9am to 10am. Please keep Samantha in your prayers as she adjusts to her new role and serves the children and young families in our church community. Her contact details are on the back of the pew sheet.
This past Sunday, we held a training session for Hosts and Facilitators of our Haere Mai Project. It was a successful event, attended by all those who needed to be there. I will send a fuller report soon on our progress with preparations for this project, so please keep an eye out for that.
The Autumn Edition of our church magazine, The Courier, was released a couple of weeks ago. Printed and electronic copies are available. If you haven’t received your copy yet, please contact the Church Office.

As we prepare for our AGM on 30th March, the Annual Reports were sent out to the email database last week, and printed copies have been provided for those who requested them. I encourage you to take some time to review the report, which includes the financials and the Executive Report on the Evaluation of Ministries conducted last year. As announced last Sunday, the nominees for Vestry are Ed Durrheim, Philip Gibbison, Mark Peters, Vivienne Peters, Garry Stanley, and Justin Tweeddale. Mary Griffiths has been nominated for People’s Warden, and I have appointed Steve Scaife as Vicar’s Warden for this year. Our current Synod Representatives are Mary Griffiths, Alan Nicholson, and Valerie Nicholson.

As we continue to observe Lent, I encourage you to attend the Lenten Reflection each Friday at 12 midday in the church, led by Rev Pam Holdgate. Also, as we look forward to our church’s Annual Meeting, I invite you to join us for the Corporate Prayer Gathering this Saturday from 3pm to 4pm in the church.

Next Thursday, the current Vestry will have our monthly meeting. This will be our final meeting before the AGM on the 30th, at which a new Vestry will be elected.

Updates and Prayers as We Journey through Lent

Greetings, everyone!

I trust you are all well and enjoying the cooler temperatures of autumn. I am doing well, and so are Guan, Angela and Nathan. Angela turned 10 this past Monday, and we had a simple family celebration, giving thanks to the Lord for His faithfulness over these ten years.

As we journey toward Easter, may this season of Lent deepen our relationship with God, strengthen our commitment to follow Jesus, and shape us more into His likeness.

There have been other important events in our church recently, and I would like to highlight a few of them:

This past Sunday, we held a training session for Hosts and Facilitators of our Haere Mai Project. It was a successful event, attended by all those who needed to be there. I will send a fuller report soon on our progress with preparations for this project, so please keep an eye out for that.

The Autumn Edition of our church magazine, The Courier, was released a couple of weeks ago. Printed and electronic copies are available. If you haven’t received your copy yet, please contact the Church Office.

Next Thursday, the current Vestry will have our monthly meeting. This will be our final meeting before the AGM on the 30th, at which a new Vestry will be elected.

Finally, let us remember in prayer the members of our church community who are unwell and in need of the Lord’s healing touch.

I look forward to our worship services this Sunday at 9am and 11am.

The Lord be with you and bless you!

Deo