John Hebenton's Podcast

Last week we were invited to “Wake up!”-  John asks what does that mean for us?He then uses John 1, particularly John 1: 26+7, and Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11, to offer a response - waking up to God’s presence in the light of Christ  in our midst He uses Isaiah and Luke 1: 46-55 (Mary’s song of praise and protest) to think about where that light is found today, both within us and in our world.Using John as our model, how do we bear witness to this light?Advent is time to take time to nurture that light within, that we might see light of Christ in our world and give witness to itYou can read the notes to this sermon here 

John wonders if we hear the call to wake up – In Isaiah, in John the Baptiser, in how Mark introduces his telling of the good news of God found in Jesus. He explores each as they stand on their threshold and the urgency of each's messageDo we feel the urgency as we stand on our threshold.What thresholds do we stand on?In our wilderness what does it mean to wake up and live peace this AdventYou can read the notes here

Rev Debbie Garrett explores the themes of Advent using the gospel passage set for the day -Mark 13:24-37.In all that is happening in this land and around the world today, we are reminded that God is our source of hope and the provider of joy and peace.

John explores the Reign of Christ from Matthew’s perspective using the Sermon on the Mount in particular, and applying that to the parable of the sheep and the goats.What warnings do we need to heed as we leave Matthew and enter a new year.How might  we live the reign of Christ?You can read the notes to this sermon here

John talks about how St Francis offers us important ways of living for our world today.He gives thanks for the SPCA and their work inviting us treat all animals with care and respect and working so that all animals thrive.In this service we give thanks for the animals we share our lives with Acknowledge the important place they hold in our livesCelebrate the deep bond we share with themPray for God’s health and life for each of themAnd for their relationship with their human partnersAnd we pray that through them we might glimpse some of Francis came to live and know so well, and that we might live in ways that all creation and all who live in it might thrive.

John invites us to think about the Parable of Talents in Matthew 25:14-30  from several perspectives, reminding us that when we can hold those perspectives rather than looking for the one right way of reading it, we will gain a deeper understanding of all Jesus in inviting us to.He suggests that one we to read this that the Parable of the Talents invites us into the utterly outrageous gift of God’s mercy, love, life; and urgently requires us to live riskily and extravagantly that beatitudes might come to be. But maybe it also offers us the third servant as the "hero" of the story?What do the talents represent for us, and how might we live them? You can read the notes to this sermon here

John uses those three responses to explore the readings for Ordinary Sunday 32,  especially Joshua 24:1-3, 14-25  and Matthew 25:1-13 .  .In  reading Matthew, and Jesus' story of the 10 bridesmaids John reflects on the 3 audiences that are involved in listening to this story, and how that helps us hear what it might say to us.We are invited to get ready to live lives of active waiting for reign of God, living for the long haul but looking for the surprising breakouts of the God’s justice, mercy, compassion and generosity.In light of all that o   So what do you find difficulto   What do you find challengingo   What do you find inviting?o   What does the oil in our lamps represento   How do we keep our lamps burning so that we might be light to the world - living the beatitudesYou can read the full notes here

For our St George's Day celebration I wrote this little play about St George, the Serpent (no dragons in this play thank-you!) and the Empress Alexandra (no damsels in this play either - enough of that nonsense.)Here it is all acted out.You can find the script here

Cliff Simons talks about our early years as a church and when we became St George's

St Georges Anglican Church - Hori Tapu, has been doing the Season of Creation early. This week is also Matariki - the Māori New Year. John talks a little about the themes of the Season of Creation and how Matariki helps us engage with these. All this was by way of introduction to watching the "Prophetic Indigenous Voices on the Planetary Crisis- Aotearoa & Polynesia" presented at the Lambeth Bishops conference last year.I've written more about how these themes linked with this weeks readings for Year A, 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time here

Bonnie Hebenton preaches about how Matariki and Harvest Festvial support each other.In the pew sheet she writes"As we come to this Harvest Festival Sunday, the opening line from Philippians 4 is perhaps what should be foremost in our minds: "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice."Harvest is a time of looking back over what has been, pausing to give thanks and resting before the work of the new season so that we can reap a harvest again in due course. In Aotearoa New Zealand we are fortunate to have the richness of Matariki (Māori New Year) celebrations interwoven into the traditional Harvest Festival season. During Matariki, across New Zealand, people come together to remember their ancestors, share food, sing, tell stories and play music.  The storehouses are full and there is time to reflect and celebrate.Today we will be exploring some of the parables within the Matariki stories and how they encourage us to care for creation, and to honour and celebrate all that God the Creator

St. Georges Anglican Church, Gate Pa, sits on the site of the Battle of Gate Pā-Pukehinahina. Each year we try to offer free lectures to help people understand our history and how it shapes our present.  The first talk was given by Dr Cliff Simons on The Northern War 1845 – 46,  a well-known historian, speaker and author who specialises in New Zealand's colonial and military history.Cliff will be exploring the story of the Northern War 1845-46 within its historical context so that we can understand the ongoing legacy today.

John talks about some of the themes from his time at the Franciscan Convocation in Phoenix.He then talks about Matthew 9:35-10:8   as a pivotal moment in the story, when 12 of his followers suddenly became "sent ones - apostles" no longer observing what Jesus was doing but taking part in proclaiming the reign of heaven has come near.He then explores the importance of Matthew 10:5-8 for Franciscans, how hearing this gospel on the feast of St Matthias in 1208 was a pivotal moment for Francis, and he and his early brothers became sent ones themselves. John then uses that with some of the material from Phoenix to explore the heart of the Franciscan charism - living simply.He notes that we are today's “sent ones”/apostles, and wonders  what Jesus instructions offer us in our understanding of living the gospel? 

The second lecture will be given by Dr. Alistair Reese on the Treaty of Waitangi: He Tatau Pounamu. Alistair is a well-known farmer, historian, public theologian and author who specializes in reconciliation work. He will be exploring the Te Tiriti o Waitangi through a reconciliatory lens.St. Georges Anglican Church, Gate Pa, sits on the site of the Battle of Gate Pā-Pukehinahina. Each year we try to offer free lectures to help people understand our history and how it shapes our present. This year we offered three lectures on the evenings of January 22, January 29, and February 12. This was the second of these lectures

Rev Debbie Garrett writes"Pentecost, or the Feast of Weeks, is celebrated on the seventh Sunday after Easter.  In the Book of Joel, the author foretells of a time when God will pour out his Spirit on all people.  The name Pentecost comes from the number 50 in Greek and occurs 50 days from Easter. Jewish people possess a connected holiday called Shavuot, which occurs 50 days after Passover, and lasts three days. Consequently, the two holidays often overlap. Pentecost is rich in spiritual significance, partly because it draws extensively from a variety of previous traditions. In its Hebrew roots, it was tied to the Feast of Firstfruits, meaning the harvest and spring, and its connection to Shavuot ties it to key events in the Old Testament such as the end of Exodus and the giving of the law to Moses. To the 12 Apostles, the day represented the fulfilment of Christ’s promise to baptise his followers with the Holy Spirit. Just as Christmas celebrates the coming of God’s son, Pentecost celebrates the coming o

What difference does the Ascension make in our lives?John has a conversation about that, and suggests that one way to see the ascension is that it completes the Incarnation, and through it Christ becomes the Christ of all times and places.In light of that, we contemplate on the Ascension and Jesus final prayer in John 17  and take time to reflect on the invitation to make visible the presence of God particularly in love, just as Jesus did.You can read the notes for this sermon here

Happy mothers day - John wonders what mothers day offers us?It has been a tough last three years – for many it is still tough with inflation.  For churches like ours and many others covid has really hit many parishes – we are much more vulnerable than we were. This was a theme of parish planning day on Saturday.Easter is a time to reflect on reflect on and celebrate resurrection and to wonder what resurrection means for us as we regather and rebuild after the last three years.  John again uses a quote from Angela N. Parker -  “The Way of Jesus is the embodiment of the dream and hope of God….We must be people of the way, being the dream and hope of God, as we participate in abundant life while here on earth together” (https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/fifth-sunday-of-easter/commentary-on-john-141-14-6)As we face an uncertain future we are told in John 14:15-21 that the gift of the Spirit is that love of God resides in each one of us, that might live the dream and hope of Go

John puts John 14: 1-14 back into its context. He reads it in its holy week context as Jesus offering words of hope to his disciples as words of hope and promise - that there is always a place in the heart of God, in the midst of our uncertainty and fear. And he reads it for the Easter season we are invited to also ask how these words help us see the risen Christ among us, active in our world. In particular how do we read "I am the way, the truth and the life."How might we be “We must be people of the way, being the dream and hope of God, as we participate in abundant life while here on earth together” (https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/fifth-sunday-of-easter/commentary-on-john-141-14-6)

Cliff Simons uses his experience of visiting his sister in PNG while she was a missionary there to look at the work of Alfred and Charlotte Brown, and one of their key converts - Wiremu Tamihana Tarapipipi Te Waharoa.You can read more about Tamihana here

A reflection/sermon inviting us to bring our own trauma from recent times and to join the two Marys’ at the tomb.And we are invite with them to have our world rocked and to know that God’s life cannot be contained. Jesus’ resurrection changes everything for them and us.  We too are invited into the ongoing story to live resurrection lives. How have we met the risen Christ? How might we live resurrection?What changes for you this Easter?People and places which needs God’s resurrected life this Easter.You can read the notes here