News

Please keep the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East in your prayers. Pray for the Diocese of Jerusalem and the Al Ahli Arab Hospital as the bombing continues in Gaza. Also pray for the people of St George's Church in Baghdad (part of our 2014 Lenten Appeal) as many Christians are forced to flee Iraq. more»

We have all heard the news and analysis: the Episcopal Church in the US has shrunk by 24% over the last decade, and prospects for much of the church look dim. Many reasons for this decline are offered: growing secularity, the rise of the “nones”, changing attitudes towards religion and religious observance, the encounter with other more»

"The weather will be just one of many adjustments I will have to make as I prepare for life back in the 'West'. Seven years seems to have gone by very quickly and I wonder what God has got ahead for me. It's been a life-changing experience and I think I will return as a more mature and confident person than when I left New Zealand. I thank God for all my experiences here." Read more from Jo at the NZCMS website... link»

In this update we have included links to our new edition of Mission Action and our Annual Report for 2013. We have a new mission tip, the latest news from our website, and information on our two current appeals: the 2014 Lenten Appeal and the Emergency Appeal for the Solomon Islands. link»

Peter and Kahu are spending 192 days in the Solomon Islands. "Most of our time so far has been spent adjusting to the heat, however we have been able to record some brief and very general daily reflections." link»

General Synod yesterday resolved to set up a Commission to make mission “the central theme of the church for the decade (from) Advent 2015 to Advent 2025.” In the mind of Robert Kereopa, Executive Officer of the Anglican Missions Board, a Decade of Mission will allow the church to reconnect with its legacy. link»

This is a short report compiled by the Aid & Program Office on behalf of the Anglican Church of Melanesia (ACOM) Provincial Disaster Committee update on Emergency Relief Action and possible Recovery Plan for the 2014 Flash Flood Disaster which affected parts of Honiara city (areas closer to Matanikau River Bank) and Guadalcanal... more»

According to the reports this morning: 23 people dead, 18 in Honiara/ Guadalcanal, 3 in Malaita and 1 in Isabel. The number will rise as the search continues. 30 plus people are still missing and around 12,000 to 20,000 people left homeless. People are living at make shift tents, school halls, and class rooms. This is the biggest disaster recorded so far in the country. more»

The Anglican Missions Board is launching an emergency appeal in aid of the people of the Solomon Islands subsequent to the recent devastating floods. Anglican Missions is currently in discussion with the Anglican Church of Melanesia, the Anglican Alliance (for Development, Relief and Advocacy) and Christian World Service to assess the most appropriate response, accepting that support is urgently needed for emergency relief and rebuilding... more»

This week we pray for the counsellors Jaimala and Deaconess Lesila at the House of Sarah. May God bless them as they seek to be a blessing to others. We also pray for the the people who find comfort at the House of Sarah. link»

In this update we have our latest editions of Partners in Prayer and Mission Action, and information on how you can get involved in our latest Lenten Appeal. We also would like to introduce our new staff member and we have a new mission tip. link»

At the time of the meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council in Auckland in late 2012 we were privileged to host Archbishop Deng of South Sudan at Taranaki Cathedral for a weekend. His visit deeply touched many people and his hopefulness and strong commitment to the building of a new nation left a lasting impression.This link brings to our more»

Christian World Service has launched an appeal to support the women of Ha’apai and Vava’u organising clean-up operations in Tonga.They are part of Ama Takiloa a network of women’s groups throughout Tonga who have been deeply involved in disaster preparedness and climate change adaptation.“Responding after disaster is what more»

Imagine for a moment what would have happened if Nelson Mandela had walked out of prison and said "Its time to get them". We would have died in our millions. it is said that revenge is when you drink poison and hope that someone else will die. Instead he said: "Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another." more»

The clergy in Gambella, Ethiopia, are bringing the light of Christ to the people around them, yet the context in which they are serving is overwhelming due to poverty, natural disasters, and tribal conflict. Bishop Grant LeMarquand, the Area Bishop for the Horn of Africa, and I are requesting support for clergy in Gambella. more»

Super Typhoon Haiyan has torn through the Philippines leaving catastrophic damage. Reports show images of complete devastation through the Visayas, Bicol and northern Mindinao areas, including those struggling to recover from the earthquake in Bohol. Thousands have been killed and more than 12 million people affected. CWS is working through a number of ACT Alliance (Action by Churches Together) members to assess the situation. more»

On Saturday 9th November the Diocesan Committee for Overseas Mission is hosting another day for parish Mission Motivators and others interested in God’s global mission for the world.Vicki and Alastair Hookings, recently returned from several years heading up Canon Andrea Mwaka School in Dodoma, Tanzania will be our key note more»

"During this month, the drums of war seemed to beat louder than usual. The majority of people throughout the Middle East prayed that the impending military intervention into Syria would not come to past. Our prayers for peace were joined with men and women of goodwill from around the world and I am grateful to Almighty God that military intervention did not take place." from Bishop Suheil Dawani. Read more... link»

SOMA is a short term mission agency called by God to serve the Anglican Communion and the worldwide Church primarily By building up and equipping the Body of Jesus Christ; Through the renewing power of the Holy Spirit; Principally through short-term, cross-cultural missions; For the transformation of individuals, churches and more»

Dear Friends, Greetings from the Holy City of Jerusalem! ... I am very grateful to the clergy of the Diocese for the important ministry they provide to our young people through the year, but also during the summer holidays. Many young people attended camps during the recent weeks and received important Christian formation in fun-filled ways. Helping Christian youth to continue to mature in their faith and to live out their baptism by taking their rightful place in church and in society is a truly precious gift to impart to them... link»

The challenges our church has faced over the last year has resulted in a large shortfall in money received vs. money pledged to our partners overseas. Although the giving is down, the Anglican Missions Board made a promise to our partners, and so has made a commitment, in faith, to meet our pledged support to them in 2013. But unless we can raise an extra $60,000 by the end of the year, we will need to reduce our commitment to each of our partners by between 5 to 10 percent next year. That's a lot of mission that can't happen any more. Can you help us to continue overseas mission by donating today? link»

The first round of food distribution (CWS)CWS is asking New Zealanders to help rural people in Myanmar (Burma), needing food, water and agricultural support.After heavy monsoon rains and flash flooding hit Myanmar’s south eastern states people are struggling to recover.   Christian World Service is working closely with a partner more»

Dear brothers and sisters,Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ!The last few weeks have been traumatic for Egyptians. We witnessed bloodshed on our streets, vandalism and the deliberate destruction of churches and government buildings in lawless acts of revenge. One of our Anglican Churches was attacked, and other ministries received more»

Waiapu Missions Festival attendees in Taupo (2013).A stimulating day with several guest speakers was interspersed with rousing worship led by Peter Minson, the vicar of Taupo and Mike Hawke, in his role as church supporter on behalf of the Missions Board.Also present as part of the day were several from Waiapu who had previously served overseas as more»

The 2013 Golden Oldies mission team are off experiencing Fiji. After an eventful beginning to the mission, so far they have been visiting locals and providing plumbing and joinery skills to finish a toilet block and pass on their skills to the locals. You can read their daily updates on their blog. link»

So this mission has come to an end, has it been fruitful? Each person will have to decide that for themselves, but lets look at some of the 'fruit': A dream to build toilets for 55-years in a remote village, is about to become a reality. With support from the Golden Oldies and this Families Mission, they hope to be completed within the next month... more»

As I write these words, our St. Saviour's Anglican Church in Suez is under heavy attack from those who support former President Mursi. They are throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at the church and have destroyed the car of Rev. Ehab Ayoub, the priest-in-charge of St. Saviour's Church. I am also aware that there are attacks on other Orthodox churches in Menyia and Suhag in Upper Egypt (see photo), as well as a Catholic church in Suez. Some police stations are also under attack in different parts of Egypt. Please pray and ask others to pray for this inflammable situation in Egypt. more»

More than 6.8 million Syrians have been affected by fighting that began on 15 March 2011 and has spread through much of the country. Constant attacks, cluster munition, ballistic missiles and the possibility of chemical weapons make life dangerous. People are unable to grow food and live in fear for their lives. Many have fled. The UN reports that there are more than 1.5 million refugees in neighbouring countries, 75% of whom are women and children. They have no money and need help. more»

Fulfil your dream and join Rev Mike Hawke next year in Israel as you follow the footsteps of Jesus for a special pilgrimage. We stay in the Old City of Jerusalem which enables us to get up early and explore the place in the quiet. We head north to Galilee and enjoy the tranquil waters, and then to Cana where Jesus turned water into wine. We walk up the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus preached his sermon and lots more. more»

Join the Waiapu Anglican World Mission Council and Anglican Missions for the Waiapu Missions Festival in August! Everyone is welcome to join in the singing, stories, and discussion to come away inspired for world mission! more»

Join the Nelson Diocesan Overseas Mission Council and Anglican Missions for the Nelson Missions Festival in October! Everyone is welcome to join in the singing, stories, and discussion to come away inspired for world mission!  Brightwater Community, Anglican Church Hall, 68 Waimea West Road 11am till 4pm 26th October 2013 Speakers more»

The Diocesan Overseas Mission Group is organising a Global Mission in Action Day on behalf of the Anglican Missions Board. This is an opportunity for Mission Motivators and other interested Parishioners to gather and be inspired regarding the Overseas Mission challenge for the whole church. During the Festival, all Parish more»

Part one of this story featured on our website in July 2012. The story introduced the John Morrison Memorial Home (a children's orphanage) located in West Bengal, India and its link with the parish of St Augustine's, Cashmere, Christchurch. Here then, twelve months later, is part two. more»

In this update we have the latest Mission Action (with news from AAW, NZCMS, and the latest Mission Festivals), and a new Mission Tip. It also includes updates about the Lenten Appeal, Kerina Evangelists' College in Papua New Guinea, news from Jerusalem and Egypt, and more! link»

Clergy and laity are invited to meet the Dean of St George's College, Jerusalem at 7:30pm on Wednesday 7th March in the Selwyn Library in Parnell, Auckland. This is an opportunity to meet with Dean Graham who has been Dean of St Georges since October 2011. Come hear what the college is doing, as well as explore opportunities to study at St more»

An enthusiastic group gathered at St Luke’s Te Kuiti for the Waikato/Taranaki Mission Festival. The theme of the day was “Make Time for Missions” and HOPE (Helping Overseas Partners to be Effective).The purpose of the event was to support and inspire Parish Mission Motivators to learn more about the workings of Anglican Missions more»

Anglican Missions warmly congratulates the new Archbishop elect of the Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea (ACPNG), the Rt Rev Clyde Igara, and the new General Secretary of the ACPNG, Mr Samson Chicki. Read more about these appointments in the press release from ACPNG here. link»

"June has been a very busy and truly productive month! God's grace has been abundant! It is always with genuine anticipation that I attend the graduation ceremonies of our Anglican schools as I am encouraged by the extraordinary dedication of the teaching staff and the brilliance of the students. Our work to sustain the Diocese's important ministry of education is made all the more worthwhile when seeing young people, many of whom are Muslim youth, graduating from our schools ready to fulfill their dreams and make a positive contribution to their community and the wider world..." link»

On Monday 5th August come along to St Chad's Meadowbank for the opportunity to meet with the Dean of St George's College, the Reverand Graham Smith. 7.30pm at St Chad's Meadowbank, Auckland. For further details please contact office@angmissions.org.nz more»

"At last, Egypt is now free from the oppressive rule of the Muslim Brotherhood! The Armed Forces took the side of the millions of Egyptians who demonstrated in the streets since the 30th of June against President Mursi and the Muslim Brotherhood. The Armed Forces responded to the invitation of the people to intervene and force the President to step down at the request of the people of Egypt." more»

"The situation in Egypt is very serious. I do not know where this situation will take us. I feel that Egypt is at the verge of violent demonstrations, another revolution, or civil war. We do not know what is going to happen, but we know that we are at the edge of something drastic." more»

The purpose of gathering at Te Kuiti on 22 June is to give each other support and encouragement in our Mission giving programmes, hear the experiences of others and explore ideas which may help in setting goals for the parishes. So “Make Time for Missions” with the theme of HOPE (Helping Overseas Partners to be Effective) is a more»

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ! Today as we start our Synod (20-23 May 2013) for the Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa, with the theme of "The Church and a Changing Context," I would like to request your prayers for me, for Bishop Bill Musk and Bishop Grant LeMarquand, as well as all of the clergy and laity participating in this very important synod at this very important time. As we will be hearing reports during the Synod about what God has done in the last two years and what we hope God will do in the future, I would like to share two ministries with you... more»

We had a lot of excitement last year when we started to plan our mission festival. It was great to focus on celebrating our Diocese’s involvement with overseas mission and think of sharing this inspirational involvement with our Mission Motivators.Over the months until the actual day of the festival we had times of doubt which really cooled more»

"Despite remarkable achievements in the past two decades, both in economic development and in basic mother-child health indicators, 30% of the people of Bangladesh are still poor and 18% extremely poor with extreme difficulty accessing health care services and other basic needs." link»

“It is most encouraging to read of how the work of the Institute for Healing of Memories continues to expand across the world." - Kirsty Sword Gusmão link»

Anglican clergy in the Diocese of Port Moresby have been discussing the rise of violence in PNG society and the harm it is causing to individuals, families and communities. The starting point for our reflection was Genesis 1.27: “So God created human beings, making them like himself. He created them male and female”. The fundamental point is the equal value to God of male and female. This means that the basic call to everyone is to respect the God-given life of each other. No respect is shown in rape and murder, by violence towards women, by cruel treatment of children or by victimization of vulnerable people. The call to respect each other means that we must all say “no to violence” in all its forms. more»

2014 will be the bicentenary of the Gospel in New Zealand. To celebrate the 'Jesus - All About Hope' initiative plans to share the reasons for our hope in Christ with every home in NZ through multiple media in the weeks leading up to Easter 2014 (during Lent). A Roadshow is traveling throughout our nation to give believers an opportunity to hear about this first hand. Please consider getting along to Nativity Church, 76 Alfred Street, Blenheim on Tuesday 14 May at 7.30pm to hear about it. For more details see www.hopeproject.co.nz link»

The 11th of May will be a praying day for Syria in all the Syrian territories. All of the churches in Syria will unite in prayer in many places all around the war-torn nation. This is a unique unity of Christians in the country. The Syrian Christians ask their brothers and sisters all around the world to pray with them on that day. All more»

In this edition: A word from Bishop Mouneer, a word from Bishop Grant, the Imam-Priest Exchange, St. Saviour's and St. John's, Building Churches in Ethiopia, the Alpha Marriage Conference, Bishop Mouneer's visit to the UK, Visitors & Prayer Requests, the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Events of the Diocese, and Medical Outreach. link»