Foreword

Thirty years since the first publication of A New Zealand Prayer Book/He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa gives us an opportunity to pause, reflect on, and celebrate this taonga from the Church to itself.

It is my delight that the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia launches a revised edition of our prayer book, which embraces more Tikanga Māori and Tikanga Polynesia contributions. This edition also includes the new alternative Great Thanksgivings, including two Alternative Great Thanksgivings for Use with Children, and An Alternative Form for Ordering the Eucharist and A Form for Ordering a Service of the Word. These additions are new formularies since the first edition of our prayer book in 1989. In addition to new formularies this edition includes the 2010 Schema, updated in 2019 for this publication, of sentences, collects and readings, along with approved Te Reo translations. Also included are new Fijian, Tongan, Samoan, and Hindi approved translations of some of the Eucharistic Liturgies.

A New Zealand Prayer Book/He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa reflects the importance of ecology and environmentalism, Māori and Pasefika identity, principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, equal partnership between women and men, and the centrality of lay ministry. These priorities remain central to our theology and community life across our islands, and thus continue to be hugely significant to our liturgical formation.

This edition reminds us that we are united by our common prayers, which continue to be formed. Our context is what brings our liturgies alive and thus new material is produced. The prayers offered are for both private devotions as well as public worship. Now is the time to affirm, and for some to discover, this taonga; it belongs to us.

 

The Venerable Carole Hughes
Archdeacon of Auckland
Chair, Common Life Liturgical Commission

30 Year Anniversary,
Advent 2019