Dear Friends,
Welcome to you all as this community of faith gathers to celebrate again its Patronal Festival, the feast of S. Michael, Archangel, ‘who is like God’.
We are delighted that so many visitors are with us, friends from other churches, colleagues in ministry, former parishioners, friends and relatives of many of us, and enquirers. It is a joy to welcome home some of you who live in Dunedin and Westland and Nelson and Auckland and England, people for whom S. Michael’s has never ceased to be a spiritual home.
I am glad to welcome the new Bishop of Christchurch, Dr Victoria Matthews, for her first visit to S. Michael’s, the ‘Mother Church’ of the city. We pray that her ministry among us in the Diocese of Christchurch will be richly blessed. And we are glad to welcome back Dr Imogen de la Bere, who is our preacher this evening.
There has been a community of faith here for 157 years now. Since 1910 the Eucharist has been celebrated in this place daily, and the Blessed Sacrament reserved as a focus for prayer. Generations have adorned and cherished the building, and music of the highest standard has been offered for the praise of God.
The liturgy offered here has been a witness to the glory and holiness and loving-kindness of God, while it has shaped a people in the way of Jesus Christ, and sent them out to spend themselves in costly service.
It is with all this behind us and around us that we gather this evening to celebrate the festival, to open our hearts and minds and bodies and spirits to the good news of God, and to enjoy each other as sisters and brothers in Christ.
Jacob awoke from his dream of the great promise of God, and exclaimed, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” I hope and pray that we too may so awaken to God’s presence in this community gathered round the altar that, with our perception heightened, we may go out and welcome the Risen Lord in every corner of the community. And even in its darkest corners, may we so engage, that we can truly say with Jacob, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.”
May God bless you all.
Peter Willaims
