Sowing seeds, preparing the ground, celebrating a harvest That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on a path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil,...

Greetings all, Celebrating Karuwhā / Henry Williams’ arrival to Tauranga Moana This time last week we were celebrating the arrival of Henry Williams to Tauranga Moana in 1826. Henry arrived at the invitation of kaumātua from Tauranga Moana and travelled with the support of waka from Nga Puhi with whanaunga ties to Tauranga Moana. Williams stayed in Tauranga Moana for four days receiving the manaakitanga of Otamataha Pā, trading for supplies for the mission and schools around Paihia....

Rest for our souls [Jesus said] “But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.’ “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.” At...