John Hebenton's Podcast

Andrea Andresen talks about the lessons she learnt from her time with concussion, being in her garden, and invites us to reflect on what that offers us in our faith journey.

John helps people to explore the story from Mark 6, what it might have been like to be a disciple in that story, what it said to Mark's community, and in light of all that what that says to our fears, uncertainty and sense of rejection today.He asks what causes us to feel rejected, uncertainty and fear and how we respond to that? You can find the noes to this sermon here

John  explores what harvest festival is about, and uses Matariki to offer the idea that in harvest festival we also commit to ongoing care for creation, where the harvest comes from. He links that with Pope Francis’s Laudato Si, - giving thanks for creation and developing an attitude holding the bond between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society and inner peace. That leads us to the Gospel reading (Mark 5:21-43) and the reign of God revealed in Jesus offering of hope and life. In Jesus the reign of God defeats the powers that  bring death  and prevent people and creation from thriving. Instead Jesus offers life. And for many what prevents people thriving is their fear. Jesus breaks the power of fear and invites us to trust God even in the midst of our fear and doubt.The notes for this sermon can be found here

John invites us into the story of Mark 4 of Jesus ordering the storm to be silent, t be still, and talks about some of the storms in our world and lives today, and what this story in Mark offers us.The notes can be found here

John explores what the Kingdom of God looked like for Jesus hearers, and Marks listeners.Last week we looked at Kingdom of God in terms of the trinity and the nature of the relationships within the Trinity. They are marked by mutuality, compassion, generosity, aroha, peace, love. But that invitation to live this way is hard when it come to people and issues we have strong feelings about. Introduce Parker Palmer – truth is found in the gapThe Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed – helpful but popping up in unexpected places. Today’s seed stories offer some hope and relief – the Kingdom of God is mostly about the work of God, not us. We are like the sower who carried on with life, unaware of what God is doing even with the little seed we are able to sow.With what might we compare the Kingdom of God? The Kingdom of God is like a gorse bush, growing in unexpected places and sharp and pricklyIn light of that John asks where we might  need to let go of some of our certainty and find truth in the gap between our st

John revisits Trinity Sunday and explores the importance of the assumptions we make around Trinity – hierarchical or mutual and caring; and how that impacts how we see God at work in the world. He uses that to explore our church's celebration of our constitution – Te Pouhere – a gift of God, built on theological understanding of the Trinitarian God non-hierarchical relationship of mutuality, generosity, compassion, completeness, and wholeness, love, shalom, and aroha.And then we did a quick recap to remind people of big themes of Mark – looking again at Mark 1: 14-15 (“Now is the time! Here comes God’s kingdom! Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news!” ) – and apply that to the image of the strong person in this reading. God’s kingdom has come because the strong powers that have ruled this world are being tied up. So what are some of those powers?How does that help us have something to offer to some conversations happening today in Tauranga, in our country, and in the world.The notes for t

As an introduction to 3 different activities, John uses St. Augustine to introduce how our theology of the Trinity shapes our imagination of what the reign of God is and how we respond to God .

Pentecost is a day to remember, reflect on, and celebrate ongoing work of the Spirit of God, Holy Spirit in creation, in the ongoing story of people of God, in the formation and ongoing mission of the church,  in our lives, and in our world today.John uses use St. Augustine of Hippo’s “On the Trinity” to explore how we experience the The Paraclete or the Holy Spirit at working our world and in our lives today. He goes on to ask:-   How do we experience Spirit of love in our lives?-   Where do we see Spirit of love at work in our world today? -   What difference, if any, does that make?The notes can be found here

John's sermon from May 9th exploring Mothers' Day using Julian of Norwich and the invitation to relate to God our mother. How does John Bowlby’s work on Attachment Theory help us understand the importance of mothers (and others and why Mothers' Day is hard for many. Then looking at the reading from John 15:9-17,  what does it mean to be grafted as branches into the vine of God and what that might mean for how we live our faith.The notes for this sermon can be found here

Bonnie Hebenton talks about some of the foundation stories of her school - Merivale School - Te Kura o Tutara Wananga.So how does that help us think about our own foundation stories, especially those found in scripture. In his final prayer in John 17 Jesus prays for his followers, including us. Including us!What does it mean for you to know that Jesus prays for you?

John explores how we love – is it for ourselves or for others. He goes on to explore the notion of remaining in or abiding in God as God repairing a place in our heart where we are deeply at home. He then uses the story of the Eunuch to explore what it looks life when we abide in God and God abides in us.The notes can be found here

Guest preacher Andrea Andresen talks about the importance of unity for us as followers of Christ, and invites us to reflect on how we foster comm-unity  through the relationships we build  with each other 

John invites a conversation about why Mark’s account of the resurrection so short. Is something missing, or did Mark do this deliberately? Is he inviting a conversation about how Jesus went ahead to where his hearers were and are?He then uses a quote from Nadia Bolz-Weber to explore such a  conversation might include. Nadia says that “Easter is “a story about flesh and dirt and bodies and confusion…. God is interested in making me new. And new is not perfect. In the Easter story itself, new is often messy. New looks like recovering alcoholics, and reconciliation between family members who don’t actually deserve it. New looks like every time I admit I am wrong and every time I don’t mention it when I am right. New is every fresh start, every act of forgiveness and every moment of letting go of what we thought we couldn’t live without and then somehow living without it anyway. New is the thing we never see coming, never even hope for, but ends up being the thing we needed all along. It happens to all of us. God

A conversation with John Hebenton about Palm Sunday and what it offers us today.

This is the fourth sermons in the series looking at the Anglican Liturgical Tradition as a vehicle by which we are gathered by the Triune God into the worship that eternally exists within creation; so that we might be shaped by the story of the people of God;  and go to join in God’s mission acting as a foretaste of the word to come.The notes can be found here

Lent is a time to reflect on “We are God’s work of art.” (Ephesians – New Jerusalem Bible)In light of this John explores John 3: 14-21 using Augustine – in Christ we are reminded of and invited to contemplate the Divine image within.As we prepare for our AGM we need to hear the lesson of Numbers and not want to go home. What is the new thing God is inviting us to?  He asksIn what ways have we lived as God’s beloved children over the last yearIn what ways are we being invited to live as Beloved Children of God by by treating all others as the children of God and all creation as God’s gift.The notes for this sermon can be found here

John continues this series exploring our liturgical tradition and how it shapes us to be the beloved children of God. This week we explore how we are invited to engage with and be shaped by “story" so that people can more actively engage with whole of liturgy and the story in particular.You can find the notes for this sermon here

As John said last week Lent is a time to prayerfully reflect on our identity as beloved children of God. Lent is our wilderness time each year where we can askWhat does it mean for US to be beloved child of God?How does that shape our identity?What helps us know that?What help us live that out?What gets in the way of knowing that?What prevents us living that outJohn then continues to explore how liturgy shapes our identity. Within this church there is a flow of GATHER – We gather with God and with each other; STORY: we engage with scriptureGO: We are sent out to join God in missionFinally John explores how the gift of our liturgical tradition is a vehicle by which God gathers us  in to this worshiping space, in God , and with others as God’s community.The notes for this sermon can be found here.

Lent is a time to take stock of what shapes our identity. It was time of being shaped in a new identity before baptism. In it we remember that in the wilderness Jesus’ identity as “the beloved Son” was being sorely tested.  We wonder what shapes our identity as beloved children of God, and what tempts or tests us away?John then explores how our communal worship is a primary way we are shaped and moulded (within Anglicanism)  as the beloved people of God.The sermon nores can be found here

Rev Dr. Hirini Kaa uses his research for his doctoral thesis, and then book, to explore the coming of the Missionaries and the signing of the Treaty from a Maori, and in particular, Ngati Porou viewpoint. The key concept is matauranga - knowledge. Maori had a theological and philisophical framework which made sense of their world. They renegotiated this in light of the new knowledge presented by Pakeha. It was this matauranga that, more than anything, was guaranteeed in the Treaty. It is this matauranga that is finding expression today, and which we need as a nation, to stand along side the Pakeha viewpoint as we find our way in this rapidly changing world.His book - Te Hāhi Mihinare | The Māori Anglican Church by Hirini Kaa can be purchased at good book stores or from https://www.bwb.co.nz/books/hahi-mihinare/