Category: News

Gifts and Talents!

Sentence: But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. Thessalonians 5:8

Collect: God our creator, you entrust each of us with great treasure. Help us to be responsible stewards of the gifts and skills you have given us. May we honour the trust you have in us and use our talents as generously as you have given them. Through Jesus Christ our Liberator, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Readings: 
Judges 4:1-7
Psalm 123
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 
Matthew 25:14-30

Tena koutou e te whanau o te Wairua Tapu.

In today’s gospel reading, Jesus tells his listeners a story about the talents and the Kingdom of God.  He says, “It’s like a man who is going away on a journey, and he leaves his servants with a certain amount of money- each according to their ability.  To the first he gave 5 talents, to the second, 2 talents and to the third servant, 1 talent.”  The servants are entrusted with something special and they each need to decide what to do with what they have been given.  

The first servant takes his talent or his gift, and invests it; and through smart management, sees the talent start to grow.  In fact, he is able to double the owner’s original amount.  The second servant, does the same thing.  He takes his two talents, and is able to double what he has been given.  Now the interesting thing about both of these servants, is that they were able to take what the master had given them, and they were able to recognise that what they had been given by the master was meant to be used. Only in the decision to risk using what they had been entrusted with, were they able to multiply that gift for the use in the Kingdom of God. 

For both of these servants, it was a leap of faith, to risk perhaps losing the money, or if we are talking about a real talent, or spiritual gift, to risk making some mistakes.  But they did it, and because of that ability to take real chances, to step out in faith, they were able to do big things and get a pat on the back when their master returned. 

For some reason, the third servant wasn’t able to take the same risk.  He took his portion of  money and he buried it in the ground. Maybe he was protecting the owner’s money or maybe he was just keeping it safe. But this servant, for whatever reason, wasn’t able to take that leap of faith to try to use what he had been given.  

Sometimes we find ourselves in similar situations- where we are given opportunities to use our talents, our time, our energy and our spiritual gifts- we see an opportunity, but we are to afraid that we might fail or we might use them in the wrong way.  We might see a chance to do something special, something that we know we have the ability to do, and we have the resources, but we lack the courage to step out in faith and use what God has given us.  

In my own life- it took me a long time to answer the call to ministry- to take the leap of faith and go to theological college.  I kinda knew I had gifts for ministry- people would tell me, you’d make a good minister, but I was always a little bit apprehensive! Why? Because I was already involved with the church and I didn’t want to get that close to God. But in reality, I didn’t want to fail God, be judged by others or risk looking stupid in front of people. It wasn’t until I was willing to step out in faith and risk everything, that I was able to see, I actually could be used by God to do more ministry than I first thought. In life, we learn that each of us are entrusted with talents or resources that God gives us to use- not to bury them.

But what if this story is not about God being the master or it’s not even a story about the Kingdom of God at all! Instead, its a worldly story. The master is a very wealthy landowner. He’s rich beyond all measure, and he leaves his three top employees a certain amount of his property to take care of while he goes on a trip and he gives each of them a portion according to their power or status in his business. 

If we read this story in it’s context, the people who Jesus would’ve been talking to would’ve been peasants in Palestine. When he mentioned a wealthy landowner, and the talent, worth millions of dollars, it would’ve been very clear to the peasants who the wealthy person represented. The people would have known right away that Jesus was speaking of the people who owned their homes, the ones who would raise taxes, the ones with the power to alter the laws, put constraints on their freedoms, and to keep them in a state of poverty. 

When Jesus said that the rich man had put his 3 top guys in charge, the people would’ve also known what that meant; that the three men would have orders to multiply the money in anyway they saw fit- including putting even more pressure on the poor. The system was corrupt, and the rich continued to get richer and the poor poorer. Is this at all sounding familiar to you? Throw in racial profiling, deportations of our people and you would think Jesus was talking to us.

Anyway, let’s get back to the story. When the rich man returns, the first two servants get rewarded for doing what they were charged to do… make money. The third servant, because he hid his talent, gets punished- he’s cast out. But it’s this third servant, in this different perspective, who might be called the hero.  Because it’s him who saw the master for who he really was.  He saw what he was supposed to do and realised that in order to do it, he would have to buy into and support a corrupt system.  But he refused.  And he tells his boss- “I know you are a hard man- I don’t want any of this…  here’s your money back. ”   

There’s a key line in this parable, in verse 26, when the master asks the third servant- ‘so… you thought I was wicked, did you?  That I reap where I don’t sow?’ The master was calling him out on his perception…So the boss sacks him! “You go be a peasant yourself now- you can’t have this life of luxury anymore. ” 

In other words, the third servant knew the risk he was taking.  He was willing to risk being poor himself, to have to live among the oppressed, in order to not participate in the corruption.  It was his ultimate sacrifice for the people.  In this interpretation,  Jesus is giving the people an illustration of how the world is- and that sometimes we must be willing to risk and sacrifice our own comfort for the greater good- sometimes we have to take even one step against the system- not buy in- not condone the oppression around us. Social justice….There seems to be a lot of this happening today, and yet, governments still want to keep the people poor.

So, there are at least two ways to interpret this story- but a common thread that runs through both of these interpretations is the perceptions of each of the servants; what they thought about the master that determined his choice of action. 

The questions I have for you today, both as individuals and as a church is, how do you perceive God? What is your relationship with the God who has given you life? And, how do we view this creator of all things who has entrusted us with gifts and talents?  

If we are like the third servant, and we see God as an angry harsh God, waiting to hit us over the head with a lightning bolt when we mess up, then there’s no way we can risk anything- there’s no way we will ever be able to step out in faith to use what God has given us… if we are afraid of consequences- if we are motivated by fear, then we’ll never be able to do great things and our gifts will never grow.  But you’re thinking, ‘The third servant DID get punished, the master DID turn out to be harsh…. He got thrown into the street with the gnashing of teeth stuff!’  And I would say to you that it was his own interpretation, his own perception of who God is that put him there- because that’s the only place that is open to you if your view of God is a angry God and you put yourself forever in a place of torment.  Don’t worry I grew up with an angry God, and I loved him!

But how can we be free to enjoy the wonders of salvation through Christ if your image of him is one of fear and condemnation? Don’t we profess to believe that ‘there IS no condemnation for those who are in Christ? That nothing can separate us from the Love of God in Christ?’ (Romans 8)

In the first two servants held an understanding of who the master was- and knew that when it came right down to it, there was really no risk at all.  They understood that they serve a wealthy, beyond measurable, well meaning and generous God, who has given out more than we can ever think, see or imagine. We serve a God who has blessed us with gifts beyond our imagination and that the only risk involved is in not using those gifts at all.  So there is no fear of messing up, because when you’ve experienced Gods love, you realise that love is perfect, and perfect love casts out all fear.  And yet, maybe some of you are thinking; I know…  I know… I have to do it, I know I have gifts, I know I’m supposed to be doing something, and I’ll do it…. I’ll do it…. But not yet… the timing isn’t right… I have to be more prepared first, I have to get more money first, I have to have more time first… I‘ll do it… tomorrow… well you know what whanau?  Tomorrow isn’t promised!  

We only have today to work with, and we can’t afford to let one more day pass without accepting the opportunities that God has put before us.  We can’t wait any longer before we use our gifts, our talents, our money and our resources for the things that God intends for us. We can’t let one moment pass before we accept the graciousness and the abundance that God has poured out on each one of us, to allow us to be all that we are destined to be in Christ. The opportunity is there for each of us to be more than we ever dreamed of, and for our gifts to be used in ways we never thought possible.  

It’s the ‘what would you do if you could do anything’ moment- you know, the ‘what would you do if you weren’t afraid’ moment, the ‘Peter getting out of the boat moment,’ even the ‘I’m getting out of bed on my only day off (Sunday), to go to church’ moment. It doesn’t have to be big, whanau, but it’s the moment that you realised that there was more out there that God was calling you to do than you already were. Excellence and greatness is within your grasp because you felt just a hint of it inside you and you allowed yourself, maybe for the first time, to dream of tapping into it.  That’s my role now, to challenge you. What are you doing?

And God continually pours it out, saying “here you are a teacher: teach my children” “Here  you are a musician: then sing and play for me,”  “Here’s some money: do something special with it”… “Here’s JOY!  I’ve given it to you… use it! be joyful… here’s hope… share it with everyone!  Here’s peace… spread it around…”

IS there an end to the blessings we’ve been given?  My prayer for you today is that you can Feel what God has given to you, BE the unique person God has made you…LIVE the dreams God has shown you what God has planned for you to be.  For God knows the plans for you… to prosper and not harm.. to give you hope and a future… and you know what?  You can’t mess up God’s plan… when it comes right down to it… there’s no risk at all… just  take the step..

God bless all of you today… 

The Venerable Kaio Karipa
Chaplain
Sydney Maori Anglican Fellowship Church of Te Wairua Tapu
www.tewairuatapu.com.au

Changes due to Covid-19: thanks everyone for pre-registering your attendance for our 10.30am Sunday Services, as this will be an on going practice until further notice.

Maximum of 60 people, this includes children

Pre-registration Process:

Please contact Charlene Tania Roberts via the app Messenger with your mobile details

RSVP before 3pm on the Saturday before our Sunday Service

She will then advise regarding your registration, as numbers are limited

On arrival at church please Scan our QR code with your NSW Service app, use our hand sanitiser station, and your temperature will be checked, also bring your mask

Please help to protect your health and the health of other members of our community!

WE have been truly Blessed, the scaffold has been erected and the roofies will be in on Monday to strip and replace all ur tiles on the northern side. Absolutely thrilled! DON’T FORGET to register with Charlene Roberts on Messenger if your coming to Karakia on Sunday, have a catch up and see what’s been happening since March.

Theme: Stay Awake!

Readings: 
Joshua 24:1-3a,14-25 
Psalm 78:1-7 1 
Thessalonians 4:13-18 
Matthew 25:1-13

Sentence: 
For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Thessalonians 4:16

Collect: 
God our desire and our judge, we look for your coming and know that when we meet you, we will have to account for our lives. Assist us to live so we are ready to greet you with joy, fully prepared for the feast which lasts forever. Through Jesus Christ our Liberator, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

E te Whanau o Te Wairua Tapu 

In our gospel reading today, Jesus tell us the story about the bridesmaids. Prior to this story, the disciples ask Jesus to help them understand how they can discern the signs of the end of the age. Jesus launches into a terrifying description of the pain that will accompany the end times. Then he tells the bridesmaids’ story, followed by the parable of the talents — another troubling story that seems to suggest to us not to play it safe with the gifts and assets that God gives us. Instead, risk using them even if it means we may lose them all. 

Finally, Matthew 25 closes with the parable of the sheep and the goats — another story where God divides people into two groups — where the sheep end up okay but the goats don’t. So what decides our fate? It seems as if Jesus indicates that those who serve “the least of these” — such as the sick, the hungry, the imprisoned, the poor and the outcast, they are the ones who will be saved because they are the ones who actually minister to Jesus Himself.

You can hear Jesus’ response to his anxious disciples who were eager to understand when the end times will come. Jesus lets them know that there will be some terrible signs that will give people clues that the end is coming but encourages them not to listen to any rumours and to just trust his words.

In other words, remain focused on Jesus as we got plenty of work to do. 

The parables of the talents and the bridesmaids compare the listeners, to servants who are entrusted with a role, while their master is gone. The contrast is made between those who perform well and those who don’t.

In the case of the talents, it’s the servant who fears the master’s harsh treatment that is punished for burying his talents rather than risking investment. He was cast into the outer darkness because he acted out of fear and hid the master’s gold in the ground. The parable of the sheep and the goats suggests that the presence of Jesus is found in those who have in some way found themselves at the bottom of the heap, whether due to misfortune or their own actions. It’s those people who failed to care for the immediate needs of the oppressed, the criminal and outcast, it is they, who are cast into ‘eternal punishment’ this time.

Therefore, with these teachings of Jesus, how do we approach the parable of the bridesmaids? 

Firstly, if the bridegroom wasn’t delayed, none of this would matter. The ten maids would’ve all made it into the party with their lamps burning and ready to dance the night away. So the risk arises in our response to a delay. When something goes wrong? If we accept the traditional interpretation that the bridegroom’s arrival represents the return of Jesus, what risk do we face during the years, decades and the centuries where God and Christ seems to be delayed?

For most, especially when you have toiled for years serving God and Christ, hearing stories of injustice, broken lives, addiction, heartbreak and violence every day, one can be tempted to give up on faith. Where is God? Why has God left us so long in this dark night where the oil seems to be burning low? When the oil is low we can be tempted to react with fear because we might run out of oil before Christ gets here and so we leave and go somewhere else to re-fuel. In other words, we leave our posts, fleeing the darkness, and rush out to find oil to keep our light glowing just a little bit longer? The final line of the parable warns us to “stay awake,” suggesting that the five foolish bridesmaids were in some way asleep. This could be a bit misleading, as the story tells us that all ten maids slept. So having a moe wasn’t the problem, but the fact that five of them left the room to get more supplies. The Greek words used for “stay awake” can also be interpreted to mean “stay alert or engaged, for there is a task to do.”

So why did the five foolish maids lose focus and fail to be alert to the situation? Could it be the maids’ fear of the bridegroom’s reaction to them that causes them to bolt into town? Could it be that waiting in the darkness, even if their lights had gone out, would’ve been a more faithful way to stay engaged with the role given to them? If Jesus is to be found amongst the hungry, thirsty and outcast, could it be that he would respond with compassion to the five maids who might come trembling before him confessing they had run out of oil? We will never know, since they fled rather than risk waiting on the groom. In my experience of Jesus and my wrestling to understand Jesus’ other teachings and ministry, it would’ve been better for them to stay in the darkness rather than flee the scene from fear of being found wanting.

Hence the reason why I’ve always challenged you with the Old Testament scripture where Jacob wrestled ‘the man,’ commonly thought to be God, shouting, “I will not let you go unless you bless me,” the Jewish people have encouraged an approach to faith that actively and pro-actively engages God and God’s words to us.  

In contrast, my experience of much of modern Christianity’s approach to Scripture and faith is a more passive acceptance of the first reading of a text and a distinct lack of robust wrestling! We don’t challenge enough. It seems that fear of being wrong sends many of us running to make sure we have enough oil rather than sitting in uncomfortable darkness with a text for too long. Indeed, Jesus seems to encourage this intentional, proactive, even outrageous kind of interaction with him when he responds to those such as the Syro-phoenician woman with compassion and praise.

When confronted with passages such as the ten bridesmaids, it may do us well to wrestle with Jesus, refusing to let the interaction go until we receive a blessing. Maybe the foolishness Jesus is rebuking in this parable is the fear that caused the women to flee, rather than remaining in the darkness and throwing themselves on the mercy of the coming groom. It’s somtimes hard to wait with faith in darkness, knowing our own resources have run out. Which means Jesus will always challenge our assumptions about authority, our failures and our own responses to our shortcomings in preparations for what real life situations and circumstances that are thrown at us. It is inside this tension and dark place that our true blessing is received. Amen

The Venerable Kaio Karipa
Chaplain
Sydney Maori Anglican Fellowship Church of Te Wairua Tapu
www.tewairuatapu.com.au

THEME: God’s Call to us!
SENTENCE: In Christ we have been given our share in the heritage, as was decreed in God’s design, whose purpose is everywhere at work. Ephesians 1: 11
COLLECT: Call us to you, Jesus, like Martha from her kitchen, like Zaccheaeus from the tree, to hear and do your will. Amen
READINGS: 
Revelation 7:9-17
Ps 34:1-10
1 John 3:1-3 
Matthew 5:1-12

Tena koutou e whanau o Te Wairua Tapu. Well it’s our second service back at the church and although it was cold and wet, a few people showed up for karakia, which was excellent.

Our gospel reading from Luke today is the story about Zacchaeus and his encounter with Jesus. Apparently, Zacchaeus’ main claim to fame was that he was short in stature, a feature that the writer felt was important to highlight. However, the text actually says Zacchaeus “was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he couldn’t, because he was short in stature.” If you listen properly, the text doesn’t tell us which of the two men was short in stature. Most readers assume the “he” in question was Zacchaeus. But you see, Jesus also would’ve been hard to spot in the crowd if he himself, was short in stature, and surrounded by people who were taller than he was.  Of course we’ll never know which of the two the writer was referring to but that is why we must read scripture more intently. Not that it really matters but if Jesus was short then the idea of him being tall, strong, handsome and white just gets blown out of the water. Interesting aye?

Anyway, there’s plenty more meat in the Zacchaeus story for us to sink our teeth into.  Firstly, we are told that Zacchaeus was “a chief tax collector and he was rich.” Tax collectors were absolutely despised back then because of their co-operation with the oppressive Roman government.  And Zacchaeus had apparently done well for himself in this line of work. He was a chief tax collector, which means he must have been promoted at some point for co-operating well with the Romans. One bible scholar wrote, “In a corrupt system, the loftier one’s position, the greater one’s complicity in that system.” I’m sure Zacchaeus would easily fit into many government or corporate systems today.

The text further points out that Zacchaeus was rich.  Since tax collectors were generally known to line their own pockets at the expense of their neighbours, it’s interesting that the writer feels a need to point this out. Again, it seems we’re being told Zacchaeus isn’t just any run of the mill tax collector. In other words, he’s an expert at taking advantage of people for his own gain. Sound familiar? And yet, Zacchaeus is fascinated by what he’s heard about Jesus. Fascinated enough to do something a wealthy person or official wouldn’t normally do, climb up a tree so that he could catch a glimpse of Jesus as he walked by with the crowd. 

What we need to do now, is pause and wonder, why a mature and worldly man would climb up a tree? What had Zacchaeus heard about Jesus that made him curious enough to go to such lengths to see Jesus with his own eyes?  At the very least,  “Zacchaeus has heard and believes that Jesus really does hang with and is a ‘friend of tax collectors and sinners.” Whatever his reasons, Jesus had a plan of his own. I wonder what the crowd thought when Jesus stopped under that sycamore tree. I reckon many of them would’ve known that Zacchaeus wasn’t a good person. But that didn’t deter Jesus. He just carried on.  “Hey, Zach. Come down ea; I’m coming to your whare for dinner tonight.”  Whether it was just his curiosity about Jesus that got him up that tree, Zacchaeus’ response to Jesus implies that there was more going on because “he hurried down and was happy to welcome Jesus.”

Of course the reaction of the bystanders won’t surprise you at all. Grumbling and complaining all around, as usual. There goes that Jesus again, off to dinner with another sinner. What is he thinking associating with such a person? I imagine he’s thinking: here’s another opportunity for a life to be transformed. You see, it’s easy for a rich person to isolate and insulate themselves with their wealth and to feel they have everything they need. This is why just a chapter earlier in Luke’s gospel, Jesus notes “how hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God.” But it’s not impossible.  For “what is impossible for mortals is possible for God.” But it’s very hard. Zacchaeus over the years must have justified to himself the means that he employed to become so rich as a tax collector, was all good, and he was comfortable in the life he had built. But Jesus sees through all of the trappings of financial success and looks straight into the heart of someone longing for a change.

As it turns out, Zacchaeus isn’t happy with the life he’s built. He hasn’t fooled himself into believing the ends justified the means. “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” I don’t know how you read this conversation, but I read it as a cry for help.  Help me, Lord, to change my life. Help me, Lord, to put behind me those old selfish patterns of being bad. Help me not only to be just and fair, but to be generous, very generous.  “After all… as the biblical scholar states, “Repentance is not solely a transaction of the heart. Repentance bears fruit.” And, in this transformation comes Zacchaeus’ salvation, Jesus says, “for the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)

There are all kinds of ways to get lost. It’s easy to call to mind the more dramatic ways, because we hear about them in the news every day.  How truly lost must someone be, to pick up a gun and head out on a shooting spree.  But remember that we can become lost in other, far more subtle ways too.  In fact, some vices can work their way into our hearts so slowly that we don’t even notice. Among those sneaky vices are selfishness and greed. We won’t all rip-off others to get ahead, as Zacchaeus did, but it’s dangerously easy to convince ourselves we really do need just a little bit more.  And then just a bit more than that, and then there’s not much left over to help anyone else because we got most of it. None of us are exempt from that danger.

Zacchaeus may or may not have been a small man, but his need for a heart to heart conversation with Jesus was huge. The result of that conversation? A life transformed. Salvation, came to his house.  And it took a very concrete form.  Helping others. Helping the poor. Giving his money away. In other words, practicing real generosity. Something Zacchaeus needed to do for his salvation.

The good news for all of us is that Jesus did come “to seek … and … save the lost.”  Which means he can reach us wherever it is that we’ve gotten mixed up in and turn our lives around. He can reach us, help us, and transform our hearts and our lives.  Jesus can even do it around a dinner table. In fact, that was one of his favorite places for conversation with those longing for his help. Does this sound familiar to you all? It should do because we do it all the time, we like having a feed and talking.

Whether your own desire for transformation is great or small, whether it involves the way you relate to your family or to your neighbours, to your job or to your bank account, remember whanau, that this today Jesus wants to come to your whare, your homes to have dinner. So the question is, what is the conversation you are longing to have with Jesus?  “Hurry and come down.” For Jesus is here and he wants to have dinner with you tonight. Amen

The Venerable Kaio Karipa
Chaplain
Sydney Maori Anglican Fellowship Church of Te Wairua Tapu
www.tewairuatapu.com.au

Builders of the Church 
Readings:
Ecclesiasticus 44: 1-15
1Corinthians 3: 11-17
Matthew 5: 1-12

Sentence: 
“Call to remembrance O Lord your tender care and the unfailing love which you have shown from of old.” Psalm 25: 5

Tena koutou katoa e te whanau o Te Wairua Tapu.

Well whanau, we returned to karakia at Te Wairua Tapu today for our first service back since March. 7 months ago. And what a way to return. Today we celebrate 35 years of having this magnificent building to worship God, which was originally built in 1888 by the Scottish Catholic Apostolic Church, 132 years ago. So we give thanks to God for the Scottish Catholic congregation for having great faith and vision that this building would provide a shelter and a home for many of God’s people, including  us, the Māori community of Sydney. Due to Covid restrictions numbers to attend were severely limited.

My kauwhau today is more of a historical overview of our association with our church building in Redfern.

On the 21st of October 1984: Sir Kingi Ihaka was commissioned as the first Chaplain to the Maori Community of Sydney at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney. Following this service, the Blacktown Showgrounds was transformed into a marae to commemorate this historic occasion.

Almost a year later, on Sunday the 27th October 1985 – At 9.30 a.m. with a light shower falling, members of the church fellowship assembled at the Maori lawn section at Rookwood cemetery for the planting of two pohutukawa trees, with a simple service of thanksgiving and dedication.  At 11.a.m., a service was held at St John’s Anglican Church, Glebe to say “thank you” and “farewell”, which was officiated by the Bishop of Aotearoa Whakahuihui Vercoe.  At 3.00 p.m. a thanksgiving service and official entry into the church building at Redfern was held. During the service, a Chalice and Paten was presented to the Chaplain, which we still use today. Clergy present on that day included The Archbishop of Sydney, The Bishop of Aotearoa and at least 12 priests. 

One Pakeha person present in the congregation that day said, “When Maori culture is enhanced by the addition of a Christian dimension, the experience can be electrifying. The official entry…….into a place of worship of their own in Redfern provided just such an exhilarating experience. Such is the joy and freedom Sydney’s Maori community showed on the occasion, that the service, while retaining the full reverence and dignity appropriate to Morning Prayer or Evensong, was a delight. It was made so by the enthusiastic participation of many members of the Fellowship and the extraordinary beautiful singing…….. It was a time for learning about and reaching a deeper understanding of each other, for sharing the joy and the glory of worshipping and thanking God for the many blessings, especially for the delight and warmth of fellowship with people of different backgrounds.” 

Another person referred to his experience as, “I found it enriching to be among people who have little in the way of material goods, but very rich spiritually” And Bishop John Reid wrote, “It was a great occasion and we were greatly moved by the singing in Maori.  I can honestly say that I have never seen such magnificent food at any Church function as I saw and enjoyed the hangi afterwards”

Finally, Sir Kingi Ihaka wrote, “We, the Maori people now own a beautiful treasure, a shelter. I greet you those who enfold this sacred building and all activities associated with it with loving embrace.  May the spirit which emanates from Te Wairua Tapu bind us as a united people under the mana of God.  There is no marae to compare with that of God, and so the Psalmist proclaimed: “ O how amiable are thy dwellings O Lord of hosts. My soul longs, yes, even faints for the marae of the Lord”

“By the grace of God, in a year, we have acquired for our use, a Church –Te Wairua Tapu, an assistant priest, the Rev Clark Walker. In a year, we have a small group of dedicated men who act as my assistants during the Divine Services and on other occasions; a dedicated band of men and women who “give and do not count the cost, and labour without asking for any reward”. In a year we have created a strong family spirit amongst members of the Fellowship. In a year, we have come to know more people –our very own kith and kin who live in scattered areas throughout the Diocese. In a year, we have achieved much more than we thought possible a year ago.”

After serving two and half years, Sir Kingi Ihaka returned to NZ in May of 1987. In his last chaplain’s report he wrote, “I thank all those who have in any way assisted me in my ministry here in Sydney.  Our community is not a non-religious one.  We have no “unbelievers” amongst the Maori.  We have never, even before the introduction of  Christianity in New Zealand.  The Maori always worshipped a God.  My mission which is not mine alone, but ours, is to renew that worshipping spirit amongst our people here in Sydney. I believe that we are “no longer aliens” in a foreign land, but fellow citizens with God’s people, and members of God’s household built upon the foundation laid by the Apostles and Prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the foundation stone……..”  “The time has come for me to say “Noho ake ra” which does not mean “goodbye” but “remain here in peace”, for without peace in your hearts, peace in your homes, nothing can be achieved that is of real value. I owe a debt of gratitude. I would love to leave Sydney knowing that together, even though a minority group, we have laid a sure foundation amongst our people for the extension of God’s Kingdom…..To all who have supported me, please accept my sincere aroha………. Remember the good things done and the little that has been accomplished, giving praise to Almighty God, and may you all continue to be “steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of our Lord”.

On October 27th 1987: Rev. Te Wheoki (Jim) Tahere was commissioned as the 2nd Chaplain to the Maori Community of Sydney by Archbishop Donald Robinson. This day marked the 2nd anniversary of “Te Wairua Tapu”. Rev Tahere made it abundantly clear: that service, pastoral care and teaching were high on his Ministry agenda.  At his commissioning service Rev Tahere said that during his 5 year tenure he would aim to engender or bring about caring and loving relationships within the congregation.  Rev Tahere on his succession to Sir Kingi Ihaka wrote, “Now there is indeed much cause for thanksgiving, for Kingi left behind a Constitution to guide you, this Church to worship God in, as well as re-establishing the bonds of fellowship with each other and equally important your own Cemetery ….In his short time here, from October 1984 to May 1987, he has achieved much more and I thank God for his ministry with you……..” “My reason for coming to you is the same as when I offered myself for the Sacred Ministry over 30 years ago, and that is my desire to please the Lord of Hosts, Te Atua o Nga Mano, in faithful service to His Ecclesia or Fellowship……..”

During Jim’s tenure, Constituitional changes allowed women to be nominated to the position of Elder.  Approval from the Diocese of Sydney was given for 3 Lay Assistants. Mrs Puanga Ratapu, Steven James and myself. Also, transformation to this building began. Members of the fellowship and volunteers worked tirelessly to bring the church up to an acceptable standard.  Our sign was erected on the outside of the building, which might not be a big thing now but it was then.  A dedicated band of workers spent a Friday and Saturday painting the entire interior of the building ready for karakia the next day. Permission was granted to divide the church building with curtains. As it is today. The front half to be used as a chapel proper with the nave, the back half, to be used as a wharenui. Tukutuku panels and kowhaiwhai panels were created to separate the two areas.

Just over five years, in January 1994: Rev Silas Horton, an Australian priest, was appointed Acting Chaplain to the Maori Community upon the death of Rev Tahere in NZ on the 15th January 1994, while attending a education program with members from the fellowship.

On the 17th July 1994: The Rev. Ngarahu Katene was commissioned as the 3rd Chaplain to the Maori Community of Sydney. In attendance were Bishop of Aotearoa, the Most Rev. Vercoe, Archbishop of Sydney, the Most Rev Harry Goodhue and the acting chaplain Rev. Silas Horton.  During Ngarahu’s tenure, The Sydney Maori Arohanui Fellowship name was changed to The Sydney Maori Anglican Fellowship. This came about because other Maori Churches had established their own Haahi in Sydney.

However, Ngarahu brought with him the gift of music. That was his ministry. His choir gained a reputation throughout Sydney performing at the Town Hall, Cross Culture Services at Petersham, the Wesley Centre, Pitt Street to name a few. The inclusion of Ted Bennett as Choir Master added to the choir’s future growth and success. Ngarahu quoted, “The Te Wairua Church building has served us well and I cannot deny that we would not be the growing vibrant fellowship we are, if it were not for this humble building………we continue to enjoy our stay in Sydney and all the challenges associated with being the Chaplain to the Maori People.  It is so heartening to feel the support, to see the growth and to enter the activities…………..”

Ngarahu and members of the fellowship travelled extensively. The group went to Brisbane to attend the induction of Rev Allan Broughton to lead the Māori mission there and they also attended a Winter Ministry School in Brisbane where three members from Sydney were commissioned as Kaikarakia to the Pihopatanga O Aotearoa. Purua Solomon, Ben Matthews and Steven Maniapoto. They also attended the ordination of Ray Ponui to the Priesthood at Orakei Marae, Auckland and also the ordination of Bill Muru, Nigel Leef and myself to the diaconate at Nga Whare Watea Marae in South Auckland. In July 1998: Ngarahu and members from the fellowship travelled to Kaitaia for ordination to the Priesthood of Bill Muru and myself.  

Ngarahu and the fellowship were also involved with the Senior Citizens from the Anglican Village in Castle Hill. The Goldie Exhibition that came to Sydney and this building became the centre in which many tangihanga and community hui were held. Due to the spiritual, physical and financial stress on the fellowship at that time, Ngarahu wrote in his 1999 chaplain’s report.  “Well, we are in the new Millenium, what has it got to offer.  I believe it offers us plenty, but we have to go out and make it happen.  We cannot sit back and let the few faithful struggle on their own, we all have to pull our weight.  There are a lot of changes about to happen.  Let us all and others, and I mean all, as one, accept the challenges, by acknowledging the changes, and making it work for a better future for “Te Wairua Tapu”.  Not for me or for the next Chaplain, but for this place, Te Wairua Tapu and ultimately, to the glory of God”.

Today, Ngarahu is the Bishop of  Te Mana o Te Wheke in Aotearoa. I want to acknowledge Bishop Ngarahu and his late wife Kay as they both followed and supported my faith journey from the time I left Sydney in 1996 to the time my family and I returned in December 2000 to be commissioned as the fourth Chaplain to the Maori Community of Sydney almost 20 years ago.

In my first Chaplain’s Report, I wrote, “All our efforts to enter the Kingdom of God calls us to “enter through the narrow gate” (Luke 13:24) our desire to know this person Jesus and to follow him diligently always comes at a heavy cost. Our walk in faith teaches us to be strong in times of struggle”.

“My aim is to work on developing mutual relationships built on respect, trust, love and accountability towards each other. This means working on both relationships within the Fellowship and relationships outside our community of faith. I’m also a realist who knows that building these relationships will take time and it will not be easy. There are lots of struggles and challenges, which lay ahead for the Fellowship but one thing is certain, no matter the outcome, let everything we do be to the glory of God.”  “Loving God, your son willingly endured agony and shame for us.  Give us grace to take up our cross and follow him in newness of life and hope; for he is our Redeemer”.

35 years on, this Fellowship still faces many challenges and struggles, yet, we remain faithful to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and we continue to give too and love our own people, God’s people. Through this mission and this building, Te Wairua Tapu, we have seen the likes of Pat Armstrong, James Walker-Grace, Ray Ponui, Tom Poata, Beverley Moana-Smith, Karol Field, Tuterangi Whiu, Cherie Whiu, Rapiata Hokianga, Fran Hokianga, Lorraine Waititi and myself, go on to be ordained as priests or deacons and to serve Christ and his church.

So, I want to humbly acknowledge all the Whanau of the priests whom have been involved with this mission as they are the ones that have carried the burden of our ministries: Kingi Ihaka’s son Tom and his wife Ngarangi, Clark Walker’s wife Caroline and their whanau, Jim Tahere’s wife Charlotte and their children, Matua Bill’s wife Julie and his whanau, Ngarahu’s wife Kay and their extended whanau and myself, my wife Pat and my son Nathan. And of course all the other extended whanau who have worked tirelessly and unselfishly throughout the past 35 years. 

You see, when stories are told, so many people get left out so I want to thank all of you and the many whom are not present today that have upheld this mission and kept our building worthy of the worship of God. To the current building team: Derek Tallon, Pierre Hau, Greg Patchett, Terry Brown, Miriam Perry, my wife Pat and all their supporters who have helped them take the renovations of Te Wairua Tapu to the next level so it can be worthy of the worship of God for the next 100 years, which now leads me back to our gospel from Matthew. It is the very reason why Te Wairua Tapu was given to us, so we, as followers and servants of Jesus Christ can see what he and God sees and be present with others because:

‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

So in closing, we returned to Te Wairua Tapu today not looking for any glory for ourselves but to give all glory to God and Jesus Christ for saving us from ourselves and giving us renewed lives to continue proclaiming the gospel here in Sydney. May God bless you all today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen 

The Venerable Kaio Karipa
Chaplain
Sydney Maori Anglican Fellowship Church of Te Wairua Tapu
www.tewairuatapu.com.au

Jesus Christ Unifies!

Readings:
Exodus 33: 12-23
Psalm 99
1 Thessalonians 1: 1-10
Matthew 22: 15-22

Sentence: 
“Because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.” 1 Thessalonians 1: 5

Tena koutou katoa e te whanau o Te Wairua Tapu.

In today’s gospel Jesus says, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s and to God the things that are God’s.”

It sounds simple enough. We should be able to divide a piece of paper into two columns, one for God and one for our emperors and then start making our list. That’s often how this text gets interpreted and applied. We hear Jesus saying there are things for God and there are those things for the emperor. Then we try to divide our life and our world between church and state, religion and politics, sacred and secular, saved or damned, tithe and taxes, spirit and matter, heaven and earth, human and divine, as if all these things are completely separate and unrelated, as if they are in opposition and have nothing to do with each other.

That separation or duality is at the heart of the question the Pharisees and Herodians ask Jesus. The Pharisees, as you know, were the religious leaders and authorities. The Herodians are important because their loyalty to King Herod suggests they willingly cooperated with the Roman occupiers of the time, while the Pharisees distanced themselves from Rome. The only thing that brings the two groups together is their shared dislike of Jesus. They come to Jesus with a question. “Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” They want to know whose side Jesus is on, the emperor’s or God’s. It’s a trap. Either/or questions and situations almost always are. Whichever way Jesus answers the question he will have incriminated himself with either the Pharisees or Rome. That’s dualistic thinking. Sound familiar?

So how does Jesus answer their question? Is it the empire or God? Yes it is. That’s his answer. They never expected that answer. They set a trap for Jesus and they were the ones who got caught in their own trap. In so many ways, we live with either/or, dualistic, thinking which only entrap ourselves. We too often fragment or split our lives. We have our prayer life, our religious life, our family life, our work life and our economic life. We talk and live as if there is no integrity or coherence between them. When we do that, we end up excluding God from a large part of our lives and our world. In other words, we think like the Pharisees and Herodians and plot to entrap Jesus and we rightfully end up being called hypocrites. Maybe that’s why much of today’s culture distrusts the church and finds it to be irrelevant. The church has lost it’s voice and has no credibility. It has nothing to offer. Simplistic answers are no match for the complexities of life today. The last thing we need is more fragmentation and division in our lives. That’s not who we are to be or how we are to live. It’s certainly not who Jesus is or how he lived, especially when he was both fully human and fully divine.

You see, Jesus is not trying to divide our lives or our world. He’s not asking us to divide our loyalties. Instead, he’s holding before us the reality of God and the reality of our emperors. Both are real. Both are a part of our lives and our world. Jesus is asking us to step into and live in the tension of those two realities. That’s what he did. That’s where he lived. To stand in that place is to stand with Jesus. That’s where life gets real. That’s where life is really lived. It is neither a comfortable nor an easy place to be. There are no easy answers. Go on, make up your two lists. What would go in God’s column? What would go in the emperor’s column? What criteria determine whether something is God’s or the emperor’s? Are God and the emperor mutually exclusive and always in opposition? Can they complement each other? Is the emperor always bad? Must we choose one over the other? Who is God in our life? Who are our emperors?

I don’t have answers to those questions. Why? Because I struggle with them just like most of you do. Of course I want to have clear cut answers and I want to be able to give you an answer. But at the end of the day, I don’t have any answers. I can’t tell you what to do but I can stand with you in between the tension of God and the emperor and you can stand with me. That struggle, the tension of living with and between God and my emperors, continually pushes me inward, to examine my life, to reflect on who I am, what I do, and whose image and title I bear.

I wonder if that’s Jesus intention in today’s gospel. I wonder if that’s why the Pharisees and the Herodians were amazed. His answer to them creates an unsolvable problem and maybe that’s the point. Maybe when we recognise, accept and struggle with this insolvable problem, maybe that’s when we really begin to follow Jesus. We stop searching for answers and begin seeking life. That’s when and where the church has something to say, faith makes a difference and lives are changed. If we are not struggling and wrestling with issues that we face then we may not really be living. To avoid or stand outside the struggle is, in some way, to stand outside our own lives. It avoids the reality of our lives and the presence of Christ who lives in that reality.

To simply divide life between the empire and God is too simplistic, too easy. It avoids the struggle. It’s an over simplification of Jesus’ life, your life and my life, the mystery, beauty and wonder of God and the holiness of creation. “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s and to God the things that are God’s.” Amen.

Archdeacon Kaio Karipa

Collect:
Almighty God, you reign over all things and have created each one of us in your own image. Assist your people to give to earthly rulers and powers what belongs to them and to give our allegiance and ourselves to you alone, the one whose image is imprinted on every human soul. Through Jesus Christ our Liberator, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

The Venerable Kaio Karipa
Chaplain
Sydney Maori Anglican Fellowship Church of Te Wairua Tapu
www.tewairuatapu.com.au

Jesus Christ our Voice!

Readings:
Exodus 32: 1-14
Psalm 106: 1-6, 19-23
Philippians 4: 1-9
Matthew 22: 1-14

Sentence: 
“Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4: 6

Tena koutou katoa e te whanau o Te Wairua Tapu.

Well, it seems like Jesus is teaching us another lesson about ourselves. Have you ever received an invitation to a party or a wedding that you didn’t really want to go too? I’m sure most of us have but I reckon you didn’t abuse and kill the mailman. Or have you ever invited people to a party and they didn’t show up? You cleaned, you cooked and you made your place look awesome. The tables were set, hangi was down and music was pumping. Everything was ready but some of your manuhiri didn’t come. Did it make you so angry that you killed them and burned down their houses? Probably not, but that’s what happens in today’s parable. This parable of the King’s Son’s Wedding is pretty shocking and it begs to be taken seriously but not literally. It begs to be taken as truth but not as historical fact. Besides, to hear this parable and conclude that God is an angry king who, if he doesn’t get his way, destroys his own people and burns their cities simply doesn’t fit with the God revealed by Jesus Christ throughout the four gospels. If we tell that story as the gospel truth then I reckon Jesus might just call us liars.

Don’t get me wrong, this is a parable of judgment, but it may not be the judgment we think it is. Speaking about the first group of guests the king says, “Those invited were not worthy.” By implication those in the second invited group were worthy. That’s when we tend to get nervous and fearful because God begins making judgments. It leaves us wondering whether we are in the first group or the second group. Are we unworthy or are we worthy? I suspect our nervousness and fear about God’s judgments arise from the assumption that God judges us in the same way we so often judge others. More often than not our judgments of others are judgments of exclusion. What if it’s just the opposite with God? What if Jesus is trying to shock us into seeing that the kingdom of heaven is not business as usual according to our standards? What if God’s judgment on our lives is one of grace, acceptance and invitation; a judgment of inclusion?

If that’s true then what separates or distinguishes the first invited guests from the second?

The difference isn’t that one was more deserving than the other. The first lot of guests were the recipients of the king’s invitation and favour. But so were the second group of guests. And so was the man who showed up without a wedding robe. They were all invited. They were all favoured. None of them had done anything to earn or deserve an invitation. It was just given. If that’s true for them, then it’s true for us. The difference isn’t that the king likes one group more than the other group. His sole motivation is to share his banquet. He wants someone, anyone, everyone, to join in his joy and celebration, and be a part of his kingdom and life. Both groups were given the same opportunity. The difference isn’t that some guests are good and others are bad. There is no distinction or judgment made based upon behaviour, beliefs, attitudes or morals. On the contrary, with the second lot of invitations the king sends his servants into the main streets with the instruction to “invite everyone you find.” And they did. They “went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad.” If that’s true for them, then it’s true for us.

That’s probably not the kind of social life most of us live, offer to another, or receive from another. But the parable is talking about God’s kingdom not ours. So what is it? What’s the difference between those who were not worthy and those who were? There’s only one thing that distinguishes the first invited guests from the second invited guests. Presence. The second group of guests showed up. The first group didn’t. The “wedding hall was filled” with the second invited guests but the first invited guests “wouldn’t come.” That’s the only difference between the two groups.

Like I have maintained, the key to our life in God is to just show up and to be present. But I know that’s a lot easier said than done. To be present is hard work. Think how hard it is to be present to another person. It means establishing the other person as our priority. It’s about seeing them for who they are and not who we want them to be or think they should be. It’s about opening ourselves to receive their life into our own. It means the vulnerability of entrusting and giving our life to the other. It’s about really listening to what they say and not just what we hear or want to hear. 

Therefore, that means letting go of our own agendas, distractions, fears and prejudices. If we’re not doing that with others we’re probably not doing it with God. Instead, we too often go our separate ways, doing what’s more important to us. We’re too busy, too tired and too distracted. There’s work to be done and money to be made. We make light of the other’s life and what is being offered. If we don’t earn it or work for it we assume it has no value. After all you get what you pay for, right? We’re convinced we have better things to do and better places to be. That’s what the first invited group did. What they didn’t realise, and what we sometimes don’t realise, is that there is no life outside God’s banquet and God’s kingdom. To show up and be present is to be worthy before God. It’s that simple and it’s that difficult. We don’t earn or prove our worthiness as a prerequisite to entering the banquet. We show up, be present, and discover for ourselves the worthiness God has always known about us. That’s when our lives begin to change.

But what about the bloke who showed up without a wedding robe? This is about more than just a dress code violation. Something else was missing. “He was speechless.” He had nothing to say. It was as if he tried to sneak in without an invitation and act as if he wasn’t really there. Jesus is reminding us that there are times when we show up and we’re not really present but God can see what we are up too. Always remember, God knows our hearts, our souls and our minds. So when you are present, don’t hide but be open and say something. Let God know what is going on at the core of your being. Be present so God can then say, “My friend, welcome, I’m so glad you got my invitation. I’m so glad you are here. And, you are worthy.” Amen.

Archdeacon Kaio Karipa

Collect:
Kind and generous God, you prepare a feast for all people. May we prepare for your banquet by putting on the garment of love that springs from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a genuine faith. Help us to bring the lost and lonely, the poor and those in need to your feast where all are fed. Through Jesus Christ our Liberator, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

The Venerable Kaio Karipa
Chaplain
Sydney Maori Anglican Fellowship Church of Te Wairua Tapu
www.tewairuatapu.com.au

This is a first for Us

Our Annual General Meeting by Zoom

Zoom Link coming soon