Dear Friends,
This morning we are glad to welcome Fr David, Fr Jim and many members of the congregation of S. Luke’s Church, Manchester Street. With them we celebrate their 150 years of life as a community of faith, in a parish that was carved out of this one. On that S. Luke’s Day in 1859, after Divine Service at S. Michael’s, Bishop Harper led a procession to the S. Luke’s site, where a foundation stone was laid for the first church building. Exactly fifty years later, Bishop Julius laid a stone for the new church of S. Luke on the same site, the great stone building that we all know, and which is celebrating its centenary today.
After the Mass this morning, and a quick morning tea, as many of us as are able will re-enact this procession, concluding with a short commemoration in front of the church. And at 6:00 pm, Bishop Victoria will preside over the Festival Mass at S. Luke’s, the climax of this weekend of celebration.
Our warmest congratulations to the people of S. Luke’s. May God bless your continuing life. We are glad to be on the journey of faith alongside you.
On this S. Luke’s Day we read from the Gospel of Luke. In a few weeks we shall begin reading through the whole of this Gospel Sunday by Sunday. Luke sees the life and ministry of Jesus as a visitation on God’s part to Israel and the world. Those who receive him find that he brings them into a much wider sphere of hospitality, the ‘hospitality of God’. The one who comes as visitor and guest in fact becomes host, and offers a hospitality in which human beings can become truly human, be at home, and know salvation in the depths of their hearts. There is a lot to learn here for our mission today; we shall begin to unpack it during the year of Luke.
On Thursday evening in S. Michael’s Church there will be a concert by Boh Runga and Greg Johnson, one of a series of concerts in churches throughout the country. Preparations will be under way for most of Thursday, but the 12:15 Mass will take place as usual. Bookings are being handled by Ticketek, and there may be a few door sales. Our liaison with the organisers is David Gray, and a few of us will be ushers and stewards, ensuring that S. Michael’s is hospitable to our visitors.
The celebration of All Saints and All Souls is near (1 & 2 November). Please prepare names of the departed to be prayed for at that time.
May God bless you all.
Fr Peter Williams
