St Barnabas Village Church - Riwaka

02/06/2026

This letter is from Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ.
I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Saviour. May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. 2 Peter 1-2

God loves us more than we can imagine. Through Jesus, God came as one of us and is with us still. Because we trust Him, He pours His love and glory into our lives and promises to keep changing us from the inside out. Even though we don't deserve it, He answers our weakness with endless grace, mercy, and peace. Peter prays that this grace and peace will be multiplied in our lives as we grow to know Jesus better. God has already given us everything we need, yet He wants us to experience even more of His presence.
May His abundant grace and perfect peace fill you today.
May the raindrops fall lightly on your brow,
May the soft winds freshen your spirit,
May the sunshine brighten your heart,
May the burdens of the day rest lightly upon you
And may God enfold you in the mantle of his love.
Neil

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26/05/2026

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!
Fear the Lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need.
Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing. Psalm 34:8-10 NLT

To truly taste and see that the Lord is good, we have to move past just believing in Him. We need to rely on Him fully. God is good, but like David, we experience His goodness firsthand when we take refuge in Him and trust Him to protect and provide for us, no matter our needs. The only way to taste and see that the Lord is good is to try Him and experience His goodness for ourselves.
May you know the goodness of God today.
Neil

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12/05/2026

I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.
I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart.
Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together. Psalm 34:1-3

Sometimes it is easy to let our concerns take over our thinking to the point that we forget how great God is, but when we praise the Lord, we focus on Him instead of our circumstances. When we bless the Lord for His blessings, proclaim His attributes, and exalt Him for His goodness, our focus is shifted away from our own troubles and toward His mighty power, grace and love.
May we remember to praise God at all times.
May you know God is with you today.
Neil

05/05/2026

My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life. I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths.
When you walk, you won’t be held back; when you run, you won’t stumble. Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life... The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day. Proverbs 4:10-13, 18.

With God to lead us, wherever we go, we will not be held back or stumble. We always need to keep seeking God's guidance. Following God is like walking on a road lit by the light of dawn, things get lighter and brighter until we finally have full light and can see clearly. The closer we get to the Son, the lighter and brighter things become.

May you know the Father's love, the Son's light, and the Spirit's leading, today and always.
Neil

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28/04/2026

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10

And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

Jesus is always with us. He has not left us alone in this world. Wherever we go, and whatever we do, he is with us. He is always available to guide, help and comfort us. The Christian journey is often described as a pilgrimage towards our final destination. It is a journey on which we have company.
May we each continue our pilgrimage, ever trusting God. Through Christ Jesus, he is with us every step of the way.
A Pilgrim Blessing.
"May your steps be sure and your shoulders be strong. May your heart be peaceful and your mind at rest.
May you seek to learn, may you learn to live, may you live to love, always."

Neil

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22/04/2026

Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.
Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. Psalm 37:3-5

We are called to trust the Lord and commit ourselves to doing right so that we may be safe and receive our hearts' desires. God will not give us everything we want, but as we delight in spending time with the Lord, our hearts become aligned with His, and He fulfils our selfless desires. When we trust God completely and commit our entire lives to Him, He promises to help us. As we trust the Lord, He will be there to help us, lead us, guide us, and be our strength.
May you know God's loving presence today and always.
Neil

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15/04/2026

Hey there church whānau

Just a quote to encourage us from a book I am reading called A Testament of Devotion by Thomas R Kelly

This love of people is well-nigh as amazing as the love of God. Do we want to help people because we feel sorry for them, or because we genuinely love them? The world needs something deeper than pity; it needs love. (How trite that sounds, how real it is!) But in our love of people are we to be excitedly hurried, sweeping all people and tasks into our loving concern? No, that is God's function. But He, working within us, portions out His vast concern into bundles, and lays on each of us our portion. These become our tasks. Life from the [Divine] Centre is a heaven-directed life.

May you know and receive your portion today with gratitude and joy.

Daryl
--
Community Pastor
St. Thomas Anglican Church
Motueka

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15/04/2026

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” Galatians 5:13-14.

"Freedom for us as followers of Jesus means we are free from worrying about our future, status, and importance. Those are all in God's hands. Because of this freedom, we can choose to love others as Jesus has loved us and serve them as Jesus has served us. This "freed-to-serve" lifestyle is how people recognize us as Jesus' disciples." Phil Ware. 'Together in Christ'.

May you know, and show, love today and always.
Neil

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07/04/2026

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy, he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3.

At Easter, Jesus rose in victory over death so we might share in the power of His resurrection and enjoy new life with God. Our journey into this new life may lead through darkness, but no matter how difficult the season, we are assured that darkness, death and despair will not prevail. Jesus conquered them, and we can find peace and renewal despite our struggles. Even in the deepest valleys, we can lean on the one who knows us and walks beside us. We can share His love with others while looking forward to the day our risen Saviour returns. Let’s strive to always be Easter people in a Good Friday world by carrying the blessing of Easter morning into every personal encounter and every challenge we face. In doing so, we may see our world transformed by the mercy, grace and love of God.
May the joy of the risen Christ bring you hope, peace and strength today and always.
Neil

24/03/2026

“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour!
For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me.
He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him.
His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands.
He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful.
For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.”Luke 1:46-55.

Today is the feast of the Annunciation, when Christians traditionally remember Mary’s humble acceptance of her part in God’s Plan, becoming the mother of Jesus.
"There can be no greater source of hope than this: God is with us: We have the best possible ally and champion. God IS with us: We declare this as an act of faith, for our God is faithful... God is WITH us. We are not alone, no matter how scary and uncertain the times. God is with US: We are in this together, with God’s help. In these strange, stressful times, the message of the Annunciation resounds in our hearts like a church bell summoning us to prayer and praise. It offers us courage in our fear; strength in our weakness; hope in our anxiety. We are not in this alone." Matthew Root.

May you know the presence and peace of God today.
Neil

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