Welcome to our first pastoral message of 2025. I hope you’re all enjoying the summer break. Felicity and I had a lovely time in Auckland visiting our children and grandchildren. We came back last week feeling refreshed. Thank you for your prayers—they mean a lot to us.

The fourth Sunday of Advent is all about Aroha – Love, symbolized by the Angel Candle. Of the four candles (Hope, Peace, Joy, Love), this one reminds us of the heart of the  Christmas story—God’s incredible love for the world.

The third Sunday of Advent is Joy. I invite us to reflect on the joy we have access to because of our faith in Jesus. The bible says the “the joy of the Lord is my strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). Here Nehemiah exhorts the people of Israel to celebrate and rejoice in the Lord, for it is through His joy that they find strength.

As you travelled to church on Sunday morning, I hope you noticed the two signs on our front fence and lawn signalling the beginning of Advent season. So, what is Advent season?

Today I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for our dedicated volunteers at St. Peter's. Your efforts enable us to enjoy our church community every week and reflect the wonderful vision of our founders.

A huge, big thank you to our church family at St Peters for welcoming the ethnic community to our combined church service last Sunday. With over 400 attendees, it took all of us working together to make the event a success.

The bible talks about the race we run daily as children of God. The Apostle Paul tells us that a race has been set before us (Hebrew 12:1), and he instructs us to run in such a way as to obtain the prize (1 Corinthians 9:24). Our race begins when we declare with our mouths that “Jesus is Lord” and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9).

The journey from Bethlehem to church is such a gift from God. Riding along the waterfront, with Mt Maunganui in view and the energy from runners, walkers, bikers, birds, and the morning traffic all around, made for a refreshing start to the day. Truly, this is God’s creation on display.

In New Zealand, Labour Day is a time to recognize the contributions of workers and the importance of fair labour practices reflecting principles found in the Bible. It’s a great reminder of our call to support one another in our work and communities.

Since arriving in Tauranga, I have had the privilege of meeting with a dedicated group of church and community leaders every Thursday morning to pray for the welfare of our city. This group, which has gathered for over 20 years, is committed to interceding for the wellbeing of our community and seeking wisdom for our city leaders. Their faithfulness and resilience inspire me, and I give thanks to God for their unwavering dedication.