Homes centered on Jesus |
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Jesus' final instruction, as recorded in Matthew's gospel, was for his disciples to make other disciples. The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the church in Colossae, wrote that the end goal of his ministry, the purpose behind everything he toiled and strived for, was to present everyone mature in Christ. This is to be our goal as well: not to climb a social ladder, or to experience the "good life" as our individualistic, consumer culture would portray it. We believe that true life, in all its fulness, is found in the life of Jesus, and in following him on his way. The Christian life is one of constantly turning back to God when our hearts go astray, and in doing so experiencing God's love toward us and the joy of communion with Him. Daily rhythms of prayer and reflection help us do this.
The primary place for this to take place is not in a church building on Sunday mornings, but in homes. It is in our homes where our children learn what is truly important in our lives by the way we spend our time and money, the things we celebrate and the aspirations we talk about. It is in our daily rhythms that our heart's love and priorities are formed, much like our physical bodies are formed by regular habits at a gym. Here are some resources to support you in this journey, as a disciple of Jesus, helping others walk this same path. |
A New Zealand Prayerbook |
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Click below to access the official online version of the New Zealand Prayer book.
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Peninsula Parish Prayer Book |
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During the COVID-19 lockdown we created a prayerbook containing morning prayer, family prayers, and compline taken from the New Zealand Prayerbook. These were delivered to each home prior to lockdown and enabled us to continue in common prayer regardless of whether we had access to a New Zealand Prayerbook, or the internet. This is the version we are using if you wish to join us on Zoom for compline at 9.00pm.
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Home Church Liturgy |
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During the COVID-19 lockdown period the Anglican Diocese of Wellington produced liturgy booklets for worshipping in a small group (bubble) setting. If you use the version with communion, please ensure you are using consecrated wafers. If during this time you are not able to access these, please use the liturgy without communion, in keeping with the direction of our Bishops.
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Resources for Families |
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Strandz is the hub of Children + Families ministry in the Anglican Diocese of New Zealand. Their website has great resources for forming faith in our homes.
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Anglican Children is a website put together by the Anglican Diocese of Christchurch, with fun ideas and resources for teaching the Bible to children. |
"May your deeds be shown to your servants,
your splendour to their children