On Friday we celebrated of the Feast of St Mary the Mother of Jesus. We know from the Gospel according to Luke that Mary was a young Jewish girl living in Nazareth.

Each school’s context is different but for any teaching programme to be effective the engagement of the school Principal and teachers is vital.

All that makes us thrive, young and old, is within the great sweep of God’s love for all creation, which is the pulsing movement of God’s Spirit that makes its way by touching people, at particular times and in particular places.

It is through Christ, in his name, that we share in all the benefits of his death and resurrection and God’s sanctuary is opened for us.

Living as a follower of Jesus is not easy but we follow a God who cannot fail to love us. If we accept this, then we accept that we are called to join God in loving others.

It’s a psalm in which nothing is hidden from God, and God is found in the midst of the distress as well as in the deliverance from it.

It’s a chance to share thoughts and ideas on the topic, and discuss in a small group. There’s no obligation to say anything and there’s nothing you can’t say.

In 1990, and with the inclusion of the Diocese of Polynesia, the Anglican Church formed a new constitution, Te Pouhere, that would bind us together as one church in Christ, yet living in Three Tikanga or cultural streams.

The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the central Christian affirmations about God, the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead - one God existing in three coeternal, consubstantial divine persons.

Christ sends the Holy Spirit who empowers and guides the followers of Jesus after he withdraws from them into heaven, at the Ascension.

After the Resurrection Jesus spent forty days with his disciples and then “ While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven” (Luke 24:51 NRSV).

How fortunate we are to be part of a vibrant, Christ centred, prayerful worshipping community.

Just imagine how our lives would look with the Spirit of Alleluia unleashed within us.

We also light the Paschal Candle signifying the light of Christ’s resurrection overcoming the darkness of the tomb, Christ defeating death.

Through Lent we focused on the spiritual disciplines of prayer, repentance, almsgiving and fasting.

Over the past 160 years the St Mark’s church has been a place of prayer, worship and community.

The fact that Christ is risen, that the tomb was empty, is central to our faith as disciples of Jesus.

We are confronted by how easy it is to go from the joyful singing of “Hosanna” to the baying for blood in shouting “Crucify”.

During this time the Church’s liturgy is somber and empresses a sorrowful mood as we focus more intently on the coming crucifixion of Christ.

This Sunday, the 4th Sunday of Lent the Gospel reading is that of the Prodigal Son, that great parable that gives us enormous hope and much to ponder.