Last Sunday we celebrated Trinity Sunday. In the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand, and Polynesia, the Sunday following Trinity is also observed as Te Pouhere Sunday—a day designated by the General Synod to celebrate the Three Tikanga model of our Church. This year, the celebration also coincides with the Māori festival of Matariki. One connects us to the people and the land, the other lifts our eyes to the stars.

Our connection to the land is shaped by the diverse peoples who have migrated to Aotearoa and made it their home. The Anglican Church has grown into a Three Tikanga Church, embracing and connecting with all who live in this land and beyond. The Treaty of Waitangi laid the foundation for peaceful coexistence and social cohesion in our nation. At this same time of year, we celebrate Matariki.
Matariki is short for Ngā Mata o te Ariki Tāwhirimātea—“the eyes of the god Tāwhirimātea”—and refers to the star cluster known in some European traditions as the Pleiades. According to Māori tradition, Tāwhirimātea, the god of the winds, tore out his eyes in protest when his siblings separated their parents, Ranginui the sky father and Papatūānuku the earth mother. He cast his eyes into the heavens, where they became stars. Thus, Matariki signifies remembrance and reverence, symbolising the beginning of the Māori New Year.

In Māori culture, Matariki is a time for reflection, remembrance, celebration, and renewal. Its rising in the winter sky signals the start of a new cycle and calls communities together to share in festivities, feasting, and hope for the future.

Today’s readings are designated for Te Pouhere, but they also resonate with the themes of Matariki. As Christians, we live in the tension between the old and the new—between memory and mission. And so we turn to St Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians as our guiding theme: Ambassadors for Christ.

The word “ambassador” can mean many things—from a nation’s diplomatic representative to a simple messenger or go-between. Paul, however, is clear in his purpose:
“We are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ—be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20)

There are two crucial invitations in Paul’s words.
First, we are called to be reconciled to God. In baptism, we become a new creation:
“If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
This is the assurance of our renewed identity in Christ. It echoes the themes of Matariki—a season that invites us to honour the past, celebrate the present, and move forward in hope.

Second, we are entrusted to be ambassadors—those through whom God continues the ministry of reconciliation. Paul reminds the Corinthian church:
“In Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself… and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.”
This aligns beautifully with Te Pouhere, which means “the post for tying a waka (canoe).” It reminds us that all Christians—regardless of culture or tradition—are bound to the same post: Christ.

In our current political climate, where some seek to divide and polarise, Te Pouhere becomes a prophetic witness. History shows that division has often served the agendas of those in power. Yet the three tikanga of our Church stood united against the recent Treaty Principles Bill. That moment was a faithful testimony—an embodiment of what it means to be ambassadors for Christ.
Jesus said to his disciples:
“You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last… I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.” (John 15:16–17)

We gather here not merely by our own choosing, but because Christ has called and appointed us. We are disciples bearing fruit—and the foundation of it all is love.
So today we remember. We celebrate. And we look ahead.
We must first be reconciled to God. Then, we step forward as ambassadors for Christ—carrying that reconciliation to others. And though others may not share our faith, we are still called to be a bridge between God’s love and the world’s longing.
A prayer offered in love, a quiet moment of listening, a meal shared with someone in need—these are the signs of Christ’s ambassadors in action. We do them not for recognition, but because Christ first loved us and commanded us to love one another.
May God bless us with wisdom and courage, and guide us wherever we are to live as faithful ambassadors for Christ.