papanui baptist church logo

Pastor Blog

Everyday Picture Lessons

25 October 2024
One of the key reasons that the parables of Jesus were so effective as a vehicle for explaining the Kingdom of God to his listeners was that he used situations that were extremely familiar to them. He used scenarios and pictures from their daily lives. Paul too, as he taught about the growth of our […]
Read More

Dan's Discoveries

27 July 2024
Last week we had the privilege of staying at Living Springs for Xtend 2024. A group of 11 attended from Y@P (eight young people and three leaders), and God was faithfully stirring our hearts as we grew deeper in relationship with him and each other. Over the four days we noticed young people becoming increasingly […]
Read More

The Fundamental Attribution Error

4 June 2024
I had a conversation earlier this week where someone assumed that I colour my hair because I don’t like the grey that aging brings. I don’t mind my grey hairs! No, it’s because I LOVE colour! Nobody looks at my hair and wonders – oooh is that natural? Although that’s a trivial example, I realised I haven’t […]
Read More

How often have you asked God to intervene in a situation?

24 May 2024
How often have you asked God to intervene in a situation, or repeatedly brought a petition to God in prayer but have yet to see how He will move His hand in response? Waiting can be hard. Very hard. It can seem futile, a waste of time or even scary when we could be getting […]
Read More

Are You Awake?

24 May 2024
What an awesome Y@P takeover service on Sunday!  I am excited by the growth and courage of our whānau rangitahi and their growing spiritual input into the wider church. Jesus challenged me through them.  One repeated theme was the generosity, acceptance, and care that they are becoming known for. Does that sound familiar? It’s one […]
Read More

Israel Who?

24 May 2024
As we explore the book of Exodus, we mention Israel a lot! This can be confusing, especially considering what is happening today in the Middle East. It's important to make a clear distinction between the historical nation of Israel of the Bible, and the modern State of Israel. Here's a little historical-faith recap:  God created […]
Read More

I lift up my eyes to the mountains...

2 May 2024
I lift up my eyes to the mountains—    where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord,    the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—    he who watches over you will not slumber; Anna shared this during our staff devotions last week and I have been pondering on it since. Of course, […]
Read More

ANZAC day

2 May 2024
ANZAC day, the day we pause and remember the sacrifice of those who were killed in active service, those who made it home and those currently serving servicemen and women. As we do this it can make the current conflicts in the world come into sharp focus. As we come together at dawn services tomorrow […]
Read More

Displace: take over the place, position, or role of.

17 April 2024
I have been ruminating on displacement as a mechanism for change lately. As I walked my dog and my husband earlier this week, I was acutely aware of the change in the seasons. The green of the leaves changing to yellow and orange, the blackberries that had been abundant on the bushes over the last […]
Read More

My help comes from the Lord

11 April 2024
Easter has come and gone. I find Holy Week a rollercoaster of emotions thinking on Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, the Last Supper, His betrayal and then ultimately the cross. I go from a valley of sorrow thinking of the pain He endured then rise with headiness to the mountain tops when three days later […]
Read More

Holy Week

28 March 2024
Starting with Palm Sunday, Holy Week journeys with Jesus towards the cross, towards where He became the sacrificial lamb taking the sin of the world upon Himself. It doesn’t stop there though, it continues as Jesus, now our great high priest rose again. Ascending into heaven He took the blood of the lamb, His own […]
Read More

God’s covenant with His people Israel... Ex Ch 19

21 March 2024
Last Sunday Jeremy showed us how deeply relational God’s covenant with His people Israel was intended to be.   Ex Ch 19: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out […]
Read More

The apostle John wrote

14 March 2024
It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. But what did that love look like? I have been thinking on this as I […]
Read More

Values – rubber and the road

11 March 2024
I occupy two worlds. One is the Papanui Baptist Church world. Pastoral ministry, management, networking, planning, preaching, prayer worship leading, team leadership, Freedom trust. The other is the world of development where I am contracted by international organisations to design programs and help build and strengthen organisations and faith-based communities. One of my convictions (confirmed […]
Read More

Reimagining Mission

29 February 2024
This week I have been reading and immersing myself in the book of Exodus with variouscommentaries and books like, ‘Is God a Vindictive Bully’ by Paul Copan. Spoiler alert: He’s NOT!I have also been reading along with various Lenten devotionals as we prepare ourselves for Easterand remember the amazing sacrifice and victory of Jesus.This morning, […]
Read More

For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed. 1 Corinthians 5:7

22 February 2024
Author Scott Hahn writes, “I consider Lent a mercy, because it reminds me of where I was, how far I’ve come—and how much further God wants me to go!” This has resounded with me this week as I have been reading Exodus Ch 11 and 12 along with focusing on this season of Lent, the 40 day […]
Read More

DAN'S DISCOVERIES

14 February 2024
The Old Testament is not boring! If I could travel back in time and tell my (even) younger self this, I wonder how much more of our God's character I could've come to know. Sure, there are a bunch of laws and many mentions of sacrifice, but the joy of coming to a deeper understanding […]
Read More

Faltering Lips

8 February 2024
When I first went to Cambodia, I was often the only English-speaking person at the village clinic. It was important to move beyond communicating with gesturing and grimacing, so, because I had boththe need and the opportunity to learn the Khmer language, I did so pretty quickly.Fast forwarding a few years, I found myself voted […]
Read More

Taku Haerenga Nui – My Great Journey

8 February 2024
Kia ora koutou, I still remember the moment vividly. It was July 2007. On a plane home to Cambodia. Page 12 of a book I had just bought called The Little Book of Biblical Justice. I had bought it because I was desperate to understand justice. Colleen and I had just spent two years witnessing the pain, trauma, and […]
Read More

Then the Glory of the Lord Shall be Revealed

13 December 2023
Christmas for me is a wondrous time. When I was younger, that wasn’t always the case. Now, Idelight in the tinsel and the trappings. I choose to bring into my life those festivities that bring joyand life and anticipation. I consciously look at what is happening around me and actively choose notto participate in those […]
Read More

A Weary World Rejoices

7 December 2023
Last Saturday Adam and I met up with a young family at a Christmas tree farm, as we have for the last few years, so that we could enjoy the festive occasion of choosing a Christmas tree. We had two trees to pop in our car and there was an amazing smell of pine as we […]
Read More

Dan's Discoveries

30 November 2023
As we begin advent, many of us will be familiar with the four themes we encounter at this time of year; hope, peace, joy and love. But what if you're entering this Christmas season with little or no hope? Maybe you haven't felt a strong sense of peace in your life recently, or you're finding […]
Read More

Water, Weeds and Pest Control

16 November 2023
I have just been out tending to the sack gardens we created during our Grow Day a couple of months ago.  Unfortunately, due to a lack of consistent watering, the top parts of the sack are rock solid – so solid that watering them right now just sees the water run right off them.  The […]
Read More

Spiritual Gifts?

9 November 2023
This Sunday, in our last in the series on the Spirit, we will focus on spiritual gifts, which are mentioned in four different places in the New Testament: Romans, 1 Corinthians 12,13,14, Ephesians 4 and 1 Peter 4. These passages spend less time describing these gifts - they assumed people knew what they were and […]
Read More

Israel & The Palestinian Territories...

26 October 2023
This week Charles sent through a fervent request for prayer from our Baptist brothers and sisters in Israel and the Palestinian Territories, including Gaza. This call for prayer has been sent throughout the Baptist World Alliance so let's join our prayers with others from around the world at this time.  Colleen Baptists across Israel and the […]
Read More

Awesome young people

18 October 2023
We have an awesome group of young people who fellowship and connect with our faith community through the Y@P programmes as well as in our Sunday services.  We also have an awesome group of Y@P leaders who have built tremendous relationships with them as they teach them why Jesus is relevant to this generation and […]
Read More

Consistently Kingdom

13 October 2023
Election season is interesting for me. In my conversations with people I find it odd sometimes that they speak (or nod enthusiastically when its preached) during the year about loving people, caring for the poor, standing up for the vulnerable, the exploited, the marginalized, or including the excluded, or being like Jesus, but at election […]
Read More

A Tale of Two Kittens...

4 October 2023
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…..at least that is what I am sure my two cats were thinking. You see, the Hutchinson household is currently facing a bit of unrest. One of our cats is twice the cat he should be and has been put on a special diet, […]
Read More

Particpate

27 September 2023
The invitation of the Gospel, the Good News about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, is not about merely believing in and doing the minimum requirements necessary for entering heaven, a far-off place, when we die. That would be at best ‘just ok’ or ‘meh’ news.  The Good News is that through the life, death and resurrection […]
Read More

Who is Spirit

21 September 2023
Last Sunday we started our preaching series: Who is Spirit. Although the last series in our ‘Year of the Trinity’, He is not least in importance or of a lesser nature than the Father and the Son. The eternal Father is of the same essence as the eternal Son who is of the same essence […]
Read More

Defining Right

15 September 2023
What a great evening! Last night nearly 50 of our church whānau from age 14 – 80 gathered for the first of our three Grow Nights we’ve called the ‘Defining Right’  series. We are exploring a way by which we can increase our confidence in making good ethical and moral choices in how we live and […]
Read More

Church Life

7 September 2023
Last Sunday we celebrated our togetherness in Christ through experiences of baptism, membership and communion. These church life events usually happen as part of a larger gathering. How then, do we unite together in smaller groups, or in the twos and threes? Is there a need? Well, last question first – yes! Just as our […]
Read More

Fear and Faith

5 September 2023
Faith is a strange thing. Trusting God isn’t straightforward. Perhaps it’s because we don’t trustourselves to make the right decisions or because we think God will punish us if we’re wrong, orthere’s that nagging doubt about whether God will even provide at all. These are the little fears thatfollow faith around like an annoying cat, […]
Read More

Restorative Justice

25 August 2023
Since the incident of the broken auditorium window, Adam and I have had a few conversations about restorative justice. A question frequently asked is ‘how do we move past the emotion of wanting retribution to a point where we are praying God’s blessing upon the ‘other’s’ head?’  The entire narrative of the Bible points to God’s restorative justice […]
Read More

Mā mua ka kite a muri, mā muri ka ora a mua

17 August 2023
Those who lead give sight to those who follow, those who follow give life to those who lead It is with great honour that our leaders serve the tamariki of our congregation each Sunday. There is opportunity for each of our leaders to engage in their skills, passions and knowledge when running our programmes. Through […]
Read More

Give Yourself Some Slack eh?

10 August 2023
“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born, I sanctified you (set you apart).” Jeremiah 1:5 Personality is a funny thing.  I’ve often spoken to people who think negatively about aspects of their personality.  Perhaps they don’t like the way they act without thinking things through, are a bit too […]
Read More

Gospel According to Mark

26 July 2023
Phew! Have you caught your breath? Mark has kept us moving quickly from place to place and event to event. We heard the news right at the beginning being proclaimed as good news with Jesus the Son of God. We’ve been introduced to Jesus as one who is obedient, the forgiver of sins, the source of healing […]
Read More

Love your neighbour as yourself

19 July 2023
“Love your neighbour as yourself and learn a different way of seeing the world.” Tim Mackie, The Bible Project. Greetings from Rwanda. Over the last 25 years, I have been blessed to have the opportunity to work alongside many people of other cultures to achieve a common goal to see the kingdom of God and […]
Read More

Matariki

13 July 2023
Rapua te kaihanga o matariki, o Tautoru;e riro ke ana i a ia te atarangi o te mate hei ata,e whakapouritia ana e ia te ra hei po;e karangatia ana e ia nga wai o te moana,a ringihia ana e ia ki runga ki te mata o te whenua:ko Ihowa tona ingoa: (Amos 5:8) He […]
Read More

We don't go to church. We are the church.

6 July 2023
I was having an interesting conversation with someone the other day who was rather taken aback when told, in answer to another question, “I am a pastor.” After a rather shocked look they asked what church was all about anyway. At which point I did what any pastor would do and posed another question back? […]
Read More

Love. And Families.

28 June 2023
“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads out prisoners with singing…” Psalm 68:5-6a. Here’s something interesting.  Scripture teaches that through believing in Jesus as God’s son, we have new life, and God’s spirit now dwells within us.  God’s spirit dwells in […]
Read More

Asking the right questions

22 June 2023
Last Sunday Adam carried on in our series, preaching from Mark 12. We were challenged to ask, and answer, the right questions. By revealing the true malicious intent of the various Jewish ruling groups through the reframing of their questions, Jesus showed that He was not interested in the power of politics but in revealing […]
Read More

Light shines in the darkness

15 June 2023
This phrase has come to mind a lot recently as I have been out before dawn or after dusk to photograph light painting images.    Even the smallest pinprick of light can be seen from a long way away and the darkness doesn’t prevent it from being seen.In light painting, the movement of the light […]
Read More

A Tale of Two Men

8 June 2023
Today I wrote the final entry in a journal that covers about 14 years of my life.  I re-read the entire thing first.  The 32-year-old man who wrote the first entry is not the same as the one who wrote the last. And yet he is. It tells a tale of highs, lows, despair, and […]
Read More

Encourage One Another

2 June 2023
This week Adam and I have had the privilege of being with over 70 other Baptist leaders from around the Upper South Baptist Association. We got to hear some amazing stories of gospel renewal happening in places from as far away as Picton and Timaru, Motueka and Blenheim. They, in turn, got to hear of the wonderful gospel […]
Read More

So, mental health...

25 May 2023
What would you think if you heard that someone had come to see me experiencing severe chest pain and I had only prayed for them and sent them away without STRONGLY encouraging them to see a health professional or accompanying them to the doctor’s surgery or hospital myself? I hope that you would be appalled. […]
Read More

Living out our faith

17 May 2023
When I was 7 years old my dad told me that the old Karangahake gorge tunnel near Paeroa was dug out by prisoners with spoons.  I believed him. We moved a year later, and that piece of history was filed into the recesses of my mind. When I first married Colleen, we went on a […]
Read More

What is discipleship?

10 May 2023
We generally don’t use the word disciple outside of our Christian context, as such, it's important we base our definition on what discipleship is now on what it meant to be a disciple in biblical times. A disciple in ancient times was a learner who followed a master teacher.  Learning in Jesus’ time was very […]
Read More

Sticks & Stones

4 May 2023
Who reading this has heard the saying ‘sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me?’ If you have ever been the recipient of harsh words, or kept awake at 2am by words spoken in a meeting replaying over and over in your mind, then you will know that that statement […]
Read More

Shaping Desires

26 April 2023
Shaping Desires I often question my motives. Why do I do the things I do? Whether helpful or harmful, it seems that all my behaviours can be linked back to me doing something that I desire to do and makes me feel good.  This bothers me, but as I read Scripture, I can see that […]
Read More

Whacking the Weeds

19 April 2023
I like my vegetable garden and fruit trees. One of the big challenges is the care, protection and effort it takes to keep on top of pests and weeds that can choke your plants or steal important nutrients that should be going into your food crops or can chew off the leaves that absorb life […]
Read More

Easter's over...Now what?

18 April 2023
This year, as a church, we recognised and celebrated Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Easter Sunday together.  Holy Week provides such a range of emotions, from the discontent experienced by the disciples at having their teacher wash their feet, to the great joy of experiencing the call to the Lord’s Supper at a table, during a meal as it […]
Read More

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

6 April 2023
Last Sunday we commemorated the start of Holy Week, or Passion Week as some may call it,acknowledging the events of Palm Sunday. The day that Jesus entered into Jerusalem to throngs ofpeople throwing palm branches on the ground as if to worship a king, and shouting, “Hosanna!Hosanna to the one who comes in the name […]
Read More

It’s not just WHAT you say, it’s HOW you say it, and WHO you say it to

31 March 2023
As we journey through Mark, we can see Jesus being very intentional about what he says, how he says it, and who he says it to. Sometimes, we fall short of imitating Jesus in this part of our lives! Sometimes we can think we are speaking truth (and perhaps it is!) and yet still harm others because the way we say […]
Read More

Rocking the Rapids

28 March 2023
Life for the Hutchinson family this week looks quite different from normal. Sadly, Colleen’s mother passed away early Sunday morning.  Colleen and I will be in Auckland for a few days this week and back on Sunday. We’d appreciate your prayers for the whole family as we navigate the turbulent waters this week and next. […]
Read More

Seasons of change

16 March 2023
Leaving the warmth of my house and getting into my car in the morning I am experiencing that firsthint of winter's approach. I need my jacket with me and the amount of dew on the grass and thewindshield is heavy and reminds me that the seasons are changing. The tomatoes are starting to curltheir leaves […]
Read More

And because we are his children...

9 March 2023
Yesterday was the 18th birthday of my youngest, but tallest, child. When we first had children, I had said to Adam that my main aims were to get them all to 18 years with no major addictions (sugar doesn’t count in this instance), no strange piercings and no spur of the moment tattoos.  And now, […]
Read More

Set Apart

1 March 2023
Set apart to be differentOn Sunday we explored what it meant to be sanctified, which is another way of saying, “set apart” or“separated” for a different purpose. The word holiness is similar but has connotations of not onlybeing but of behaving in a different way. Just as God separated the nation of Israel from othernations, […]
Read More

Lent Begins

27 February 2023
Today, Wednesday 22nd February marks the start of Lent.  In our Christian calendar Lent signifies the approximately 6 weeks leading up to Easter, the time we commemorate the death, and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Just as we prepare for any big event in our lives (I am thinking weddings and significant anniversaries or birthdays here) […]
Read More

God is...

15 February 2023
I am so thankful this morning that I seek after a God who wants to be known by me. He isn’tcapricious or secretive, yet His ways are oftentimes unfathomable and mysterious to me. That is one of the reasons I am so enjoying our current series looking at some of the names of God,we get […]
Read More

Flooding in Auckland

9 February 2023
Reti Ah-Voa is the Regional Leader of the Northern Baptist Association. This is anexcerpt of a recent article she wrote in response to the recent flooding in Auckland, shewrote: We have heard many stories of people reaching out to help others. Rānui Baptist Churchand Vision West have been at the forefront of this as Emergency Response […]
Read More

Justice Restores Shalom

2 February 2023
It is the first afternoon of the PFI Europe and Central Asia conference I am co-facilitating here in Alicante, Spain. 30 countries are represented – each coming from very different places. From Scotland to Ukraine, England to Kazakhstan, Albania to Israel.  Different language, culture, context, and COVID impacts.  But what we all have in common […]
Read More

Arriving at Christmas day

21 December 2022
We will all arrive at Christmas day from different directions, with different expectations, and withdifferent emotions. For me, it will be having finished one of the most significant roles I’ve ever hadin an international NGO and the mixed feelings that go with that. For others, it will be with the lastof their reserves spent. For […]
Read More

Happenings at the hutch

15 December 2022
My heart shall sing of the day you bringLet the fires of your justice burnWipe away all tearsFor the dawn draws nearAnd the world is about to turn! These are words from a song called ‘Canticle of the Turning’ which I heard for the first time this year.  The song, in part, is a paraphrase […]
Read More

Our Living Hope

7 December 2022
Advent is a time of waiting, of entering into the wait of Israel for a time when Messiah would come.And in the sermon last week I spoke about waiting a while with Mary, being with her in herconfusion and her fear before we get to her capitulation. God accorded her personal agency withinthe exchange with […]
Read More

A New Thing

1 December 2022
As we draw near the end of 2022, I can’t help but reflect on the blessings that God continues to pour out. I think we can all agree that 2022 has been a space and time that has presented challenges and uncertainty. However, it has also been a time where we have seen more people wanting to […]
Read More

Stepping Back before Stepping Out

24 November 2022
This week Colleen and I will be somewhere on the West Coast, enjoying some time away with our family and soaking in the bush, the birds, the rain.  It will be a chance to re-energise and refresh. It’s been a long run the last 15 months – lots of ups and downs, challenges and opportunities. […]
Read More

It's the most wonderful time of the year

16 November 2022
One of the great blessings of having the rhythm of an annual general meeting (AGM) within our church calendar is that it gives us a chance to step back from focusing narrowly only on what we have been involved in, to instead view the bigger picture of what God has been doing in and through […]
Read More

The Spectacular Acts of God

16 November 2022
Last week, around 500 people representing the 250 Baptist churches of New Zealand gathered to learn, be refreshed, encouraged, challenged, and inspired.  The theme was the Spectacular Acts of God, and over the course of three days we explored Spectacular Jesus, Spectacular Calling, Spectacular Church, Spectacular Youth, Spectacular Mission, Spectacular Future and Spectacular Power of […]
Read More

Cultivating thankfulness

2 November 2022
I am sitting writing this at my kitchen table experiencing my second round of Covid. It has been a lot milder than the first, but the timing isn’t great! Our Baptist Union Hui is taking place this week and I was meant to fly up to Tauranga this evening to take part. So, in the […]
Read More

Happenings at the Hutch

27 October 2022
Christianity is a faith where we enjoy having a personal transformative relationship with a living God, which is then worked out in community. But what does that mean?  Well, because of the work of Jesus – his life, death and resurrection, and through our Helper, the Holy Spirit, we can now come into a relationship […]
Read More

Happenings at the hutch

19 October 2022
Oh my word, I thought.  What rubbish!I’d just read a Stuff article about how aggressive the thumbs up emoji is for Gen Z’ers to receive. So, as any good researcher does, I went on the hunt for some good sources to investigate and came across Sophie and Sam at the table. “So,” I started, “tell me, […]
Read More

Happenings at the Hutch

12 October 2022
Jesus is such a great example to us on how to be. How to be just, how to bemerciful, how to be worshipful, how to be obedient, how to set boundaries andmaintain self-care practices.Wait. What? Jesus practiced self-care? Yep. And as image bearers of God andimitators of Jesus, self-care is something that we must all […]
Read More

Happenings at the Hutch

10 October 2022
Jesus, God’s Perfect PlanHaving lived in a country where Bhuddism is the main religion, I learnt to share my faith through the story of creation, a creator God who was, is and will continue to be intimately involved with all of His creation. How that involvement has looked and will look in the future has […]
Read More

Happenings at the hutch

29 September 2022
As you read this, I’ll be somewhere on the long journey home from Kitwe, Zambia.  And so wraps up two weeks in which I have seen God at work in many ways, through many people, expressed in many languages, and through the eyes of many cultures.   This trip was especially meaningful to me as […]
Read More

Happenings at the Hutch

21 September 2022
I’m enjoying the book of Micah. I am an unashamed history buff, so I love taking time to read andlearn what was happening within Israel’s society at the time these words were spoken. When we dothat, we realise that these messages weren’t spoken into a vacuum. Real life problems wereoccurring, society was neither reflecting God’s […]
Read More

Happenings at the Hutch

15 September 2022
Kia ora e te whānau, Ko tenei wiki ko te wiki o te reo maori, e whakanui ana, e whakamaumahara ana ki a tatou ano mo te whai waahi ki te whakaora i nga mea kei te ngaro. This week is māori language week, where we celebrate and remind ourselves of the importance to participate […]
Read More

Happenings at the Hutch

8 September 2022
God is doing a new thing! It was a wonderful time together on Sunday – our largest regular gathering since the first lockdown in 2020. It felt like a celebration! I don’t know about you, but in my spirit I sense God bubbling away in our family of faith, drawing people into new relationship with […]
Read More

Happenings at the Hutch

24 August 2022
Respectful Relationships In this the last week of our Renew Together journey we look at Jesus’ heart for reaching all of creation through the lens of respectful relationships.  What does that mean to you?  How would you define the characteristics of a relationship as respectful? What are the ways you would wish someone to interact […]
Read More

Happenings at the Hutch

17 August 2022
This morning I landed back in Christchurch after ten days in the US meeting with my Prison Fellowship colleagues.  Whenever the plane comes in to land in whatever city I am visiting, I often look out at the sprawling suburbs or slums, or teeming city streets and the mass of humanity and feel overwhelmed by […]
Read More

Happenings at the Hutch

12 August 2022
Last week we heard Adam share about the importance of mutual humility as a foundation when partnering with people and organisations to bring about effective change and spotlight the kingdom of God. This week we look at what it means to whakarongo, to listen, sense. It seems like such a simple thing doesn’t it? But […]
Read More

Happenings at the Hutch

5 August 2022
Renew Together – Mutual Humility If we want a perfect example of humility, we need to look no further than Jesus.  Although he was God he chose to not just clothe himself in humanness but actually become human with all of its limitations and frailties. Chose to limit himself so that by the Spirit, he could bring all of […]
Read More

Happenings at the Hutch

21 July 2022
I like dough.  In my teenage years I was a baker at Duffy’s Donuts in Northlands Mall.  I loved the feel of dough as it transformed from a crumbly, sticky mess into a completely smooth ball. I loved rolling it out and transforming it into different forms, proving them, frying them (it isn’t a donut […]
Read More

Happenings at the Hutch

29 June 2022
As I sit here in my little office at PBC looking out of the window this cold Tuesday morning, I see a grey sky and a cold bleak looking day, wet asphalt and equally wet cars all parked in their spots. I have to search for evidence of wind as the leaves that would let […]
Read More

Happenings at the Hutch

10 June 2022
As we move forward on our journey as a church, you will observe a common theme of “building bridging connections”. This is going to be an important part of who we are and what we do. It’s about finding ways to engage with the community surrounding our church by meeting felt needs, and in ways […]
Read More

Happenings at the Hutch

7 April 2022
Changes to Requirements for Gatherings: Adam and I have been so encouraged to see how people at PBC have expressed love of their neighbour in this time by following recommended public health guidelines even though it has been difficult at times. Changes coming into effect from 5th April 2022 means that vaccine pass requirements were […]
Read More

Happenings at the hutch

28 March 2022
Like many, I have struggled at times to know how to pray beyond the cry for peace in the current war in Ukraine and subsequent humanitarian need. I am aware that just as James and John asked Jesus if they should ‘call fire down from heaven’ that in my humanness I too have to fight […]
Read More

Happenings at the hutch

16 December 2021
We have come together as a faith community and celebrated.  We have come together as a faith community and lamented. And even as we acknowledge the current Covid-19 Protection Framework doesn’t provide us the ability to come together in the same ways, what I love about the people here at PBC is the care and […]
Read More

Happenings at the hutch

26 November 2021
A few weeks ago I made the remark that eternity doesn’t start in the future, it has already started.  Likewise, mission doesn’t just happen in far off lands. For many people it starts at home before a foot has been set outside the door and from there continues to far flung regions. As we give […]
Read More

Happenings at the hutch

15 October 2021
As I look out on our landscape today, it is a miserable, wet and cold one! And it influences how I behave! We have all learned that this is the same for the wider social landscape in which we are situated – it changes – sometimes subtly, sometimes not so subtle. And as we observe […]
Read More

Happenings at the hutch

9 October 2021
One thing Colleen often says to me when surprising events occur is “this hasn’t caught God by surprise!” It’s a great reminder that while we may be tossed about by the waves, Christ remains master of the storm – and we are called to respond by taking a breath, stepping back, and giving our situation […]
Read More

Happenings at the hutch

19 September 2021
I have never fancied myself as a synchronised swimmer, but the amount of effort going into keeping everything 'afloat' this past week has seemed phenomenal. And for many people I have spoken to, that has been their feeling also, so much effort required just to stay in the same place let alone have forward momentum. If […]
Read More

Happenings at the hutch

19 August 2021
Kia ora e te whānau, This week has taken a bit of a turn from what was expected!  Instead of the various meetings and greetings we had organised we find ourselves back in Level 4 lockdown, creating social bubbles in our homes, albeit for 3 days.  While we had not expected this, we can be […]
Read More

Happenings at the hutch

8 June 2021
For Such a Time as This - Week 2 This Sunday marks Week 2 of our Prayer and Self Denial Campaign.  Have you thought about what changes you could make to your life this month to raise money for international mission? Could it be giving up a bought coffee once or twice a week, or […]
Read More

Happenings at the hutch

11 March 2021
A good business will sell what is in demand, a smart business creates the demand as well. One thing I have observed over the last few decades is that bad news sells. In this current climate where the rhythms of life have been shaped by 1pm announcements, breaking news bulletins and 4pm press briefings, the […]
Read More

Learning to Linger

13 February 2020
The pace of life seems to be getting faster and faster. Messages are no longer thought about at length while they are written on paper, but are sent quickly, often in shorthand via text or messenger, or various other apps. Coffee dates are scheduled into diaries around a variety of other events with definite ‘must […]
Read More
papanui baptist church logo

144 Sawyers Arms Road
Christchurch, New Zealand

+64 3 352 4227

Quick Links