Ah, dear Lord, in the beginning was a big bang, the explosion of energy that created the universe, the first creation; Gravity caused helium and hydrogen to create the first stars; Across a billion years the first stars surrendered their lives, Their deaths in love created the elements out of the hearts of stars that are found in our bodies: Iron and stone, steel and bone.

When you created the human child out of dust you made us out of the stuff of stars.

In the winter, on the horizon, we see the nest of young stars, Matariki. We declare them to announce the mid-winter, the beginning of the cold year. The little eyes of the wind of God that blows where it will. Puaka Rigel announces the mid-winter; Matariki announces the New Year.

Let us celebrate and share in the celebration! Carve the longship and set it alight on the waters! Bear the horse-head and go singing carols! Drink mulled wine and hot chocolate! Step into the vitality of the winter night and count the stars.

Matariki the mother star, with your eight sons and daughters, you offer us health and well-being, and for our environment, the sign of salvation.

Pohutukawa, you are the wreath to remind us of those who have passed from life into eternity, we pause to remember them, those who in life and in death have shaped us.

Tupu-a-raki, yours is the bounty of trees and the birds of the air, we give thanks for the birds we count in our suburbs, the tui, the kereru, the korimako, the sparrow, the blackbird, the starling, especially when we see the nesting birds, may we work to keep them safe; may we plant and grow the trees extracting carbon from the atmosphere, we want to live under trees.

Tupu-a-nuku, yours is the bounty of the gardens, be welcome to shine over our suburbs full of gardens.

Ururaki, wind star, the winds navigate us from Aotearoa, around the world, and back again; may we know each wind by name because they are family; may we care for creation to save us from the stormy blast and the whirlwind; may we welcome the stranger, the traveller, the adventurer, the refugee.

Waipuna-a-raki, you bring the winter rains, water the earth and refresh it.

Waiti, fresh water star, sweet water star; the river comes from the mountain, people from the river, and from the people come you and me, he, she, and they; we live in suburbs with many springs underground; Jesus said fresh water and brackish water cannot come from the same spring, may we be mindful of the words of our hearts, and the waters of the land.

Waita, sea water star, salt water star; the river flows into the ocean; we connect and relate to each other over oceans, the home of sea creatures, may they flourish and multiply.

Hiwa-i-te-raki, star of our hopes and aspirations, we see the past, the future awaits to surprise us; it is winter, we are making plans for a new season.

May Matariki holiday bring us together and weave us together. We gather around Jesus. We are taking an old thing and making its everyone’s thing. Let us celebrate!