John Hebenton's Podcast

John explores where we stand when we read scripture shapes what we understand it to be saying. He uses the passages from Proverbs 31:10-31 and Mark 9:30-37 to illustrate his point. Is the reading about the capable wife really that sexist, or pointing to a counter cultural understanding of the role of a wife? Why is it we cannot hear Jesus say that when we welcome a child we welcome God?

John talks about how as Christians we are to be both within our culture and outside it so that we can offer a vision of another way. And this is not easy, as we can see from all our readings. The pull back is strong, and often “The Church” is shaped by the values, fears, prejudices of our surrounding culture the same as every other institution. A case in point is how do we respond to the refugee c...

John explores John 6:56-69 and suggests that when we eat and drink God meets our deepest dears and we learn to live in, abide in life of God

John suggests one way to understand what is going on in John 6 is the confusion between our desires and what really lies behind those desires - our hearts desire. We do not pay enough attention to our hearts desire and are motivated too much by our desires. In light of that, John asks: So what is it we long for? What is our hearts desire? What is it we give our soul to? And what is it God longs fo...

John explores some of his reasons for using te reo Maori in our services, and finishes with He Tikanga Whakapono.

Hebrew Scripture: 2 Samuel 11: 1-15 Psalm: 14 Epistle: Ephesians 3: 14-21 Gospel: John 6: 1-21 What I want to say: Explore Social Service Sunday Love is to be the basis our understanding who we are We are invited to open our eyes wide to the reality God’s generous love in our lives 1. where do we see God’s abundant, generous love? 2. where do we need to have our eyes opened? 3. what does it mean t...

Cliff Simons reflects on his recent time at ANZAC Cove for the commemorations of the landings at Gallipoli, and then his time in Scotland and Coventry and what they have to offer us in our ministry

John explores what harvest festival is about, and links that with Jesus offering of hope and life to both people in today’s reading. He invites to reflect on what it is they are giving thanks for, and to be inspired to generously offer more of themselves

John explores the nature of our heroes and suggest that for them to inspire us we need to see them as real people. This includes great heroes of faith, including Paul and disciples. In light of that he explores the story of the calming of storm. We are disciples of today. Where are we in this story? What storms rock our world?

John suggests that we bring the same kind of assumptions to this phrase, "the Kingdom of God", as Jesus hearers did. Are we able to engage with his answer? What does it do to our understanding of who we are and what is ours to do?

John explores the doctrine of the trinity as something that leads us to God as multidimensional, ultimately mysterious, who invites us through the relationship within the Trinity to live by different principles

John explores the wonder of the languages, and how that might shape our understanding of the radical activity of God in Pentecost

John explores what the Ascension of Jesus might offer us beyond Jesus goes to heaven.

John talks about how mothers day is not so great for all people. He also wonder how we might need to let go of some of our understanding of love so that we might be alternative primary images of love to those around us.

John uses his tomatoes to explore the “I am the vine” saying, focussing on the words – prune, abide and love. He finishes by inviting the people to ask what needs pruning so that they might abide in God’s love and invite others through their lives to abide in that love as well.

Using Kenneth Bailey's work in "The Good Shepherd " John tries to enter into the world of a shepherd, and see how “David” uses this to describe his trust in God, noting that we need to be careful not to romanticise it. Then he notes how that tradition was used and expanded by the prophetic tradition and finally by Jesus. And then he wonders what all this offers us on this centenary...

John explores how our understanding the words “sin” and “righteousness” shape our understanding of what Jesus was on about

John offers an imagination exercise to help people enter into the Easter story, to experience it afresh, and to wonder where they meet the resurrected Christ today.

John invites people to enter into the story of Palm Sunday and to hear the invitation to let go of our preconceptions, so that we might engage with the story and God in a new way.

John uses the whakatauki "Whāia te iti kahurangi, ki te tūohu koe me he maunga teitei" to suggest that we keep aiming too small, too low. He then uses John's gospel reading to suggest we need to go bigger. The cross exposes our smallness of thought – thought about God, and the world, and who we are in all that. The cross exposes our preoccupation with ourselves and our own desires,...

The Very Revd John Witcombe, Dean of Coventry Cathedral, tells the story of the Community of the Cross of Nails, and invites us to be part of that story

Gail Spence, the Diocesan Lay Director for Cursillo in the Anglican Diocese of Waiapu talks about what Cursillo is and what it offers us.

John explores the importance of names, and suggest that our name be based on the character of God, and asks what name God might be inviting us into. He then explores Jesus saying that those who follow him are to pick up their cross and follow him. How does this change who we are? What I want to happen: People to reflect on what they might be invited to let go of this lent.

Lent is a time to slow down, embrace being still and silent, so that we might listen more deeply. It is a time to pay attention to the three questions that shape us: Whose are we. who are we, what is ours to do? In particular it is a time to reflect on who we understand God to be, and to hear the invitation to deepen that understanding, to let go of some images and embrace new images.. John uses G...