As a community, we have momentum that we want to build on and ultimately be able to hire a new minister. This talk focuses on the power of our community striving together, building on success, and creating virtuous circles.

This service marks the start of our annual pledge drive.

Speaker & Worship Leader:- Ted Zorn

Read below, or download the PDF

Follow this shortcut to the bottom of the page for the various readings, videos, etc. shared in the service.

Ted Zorn © 12 April 2026

Now, for my main talk – my random musings, as Clay used to say — Building Virtuous Circles.

When I agreed — yet again — to lead a service at the start of the annual pledge drive, one immediate challenge for me – given my business school background — was branding.

How exactly do you make ‘please help us meet the budget’ sound spiritually uplifting?

You can’t really call the sermon ‘Cash Flow for the Kingdom’ — especially not in a Unitarian church.

And ‘Friends, let us now contemplate deferred maintenance and operating expenses’ does not have quite the same inspirational quality as, say, resurrection.

So this year I was grateful to land on the title Building Virtuous Circles, because it sounds much nobler than ‘Ted Talks About Church Finances Again.’

Together, we’ve kept our Auckland Unitarian church community alive — hosting services, supporting each other, championing important causes and deepening our community. Now, let’s build tomorrow together by committing to a shared future: one that includes a new minister to guide, inspire, and nurture our spiritual home. This service launches our 2025 Pledge Drive.

Speaker & Worship Leader:- Ted Zorn

Video to come

Audio to come

Read below, or download the PDF – To come

Follow this shortcut to the bottom of the page for the various readings, videos, etc. shared in the service.

Ted Zorn © 10 August 2025

When Betsy first came to me to ask me to lead the pledge drive, she mentioned that part of that role was leading a service to “rally the troops” to make a pledge.

I had two immediate thoughts.

First, I really hate asking people for money. I had that responsibility as dean of Massey Business School and it always made me squirm. I suspect I’m not alone in that.

My second thought was, growing up in the deep south in the US, I had many role models for doing this sort of thing: asking a church congregation to pledge.

I imagined channelling one of the evangelical preachers I saw as a kid: “Dig deep, deep, DEEP into your pockets, brothers and sisters, and give. Give, give, GIVE till it hurts!”

But I wasn’t sure how that would go down with this congregation.

I also considered another tactic from those preachers—selling prayers: “For every $100, I’ll send a prayer heavenward on your behalf.”

But I thought… hmm, maybe not.

Humour aside, the pledge drive is a serious and important process for us. And I’m honoured to have been asked to lead it.

And what does seem the right approach is to share why this church matters to me—and, I hope, why it matters to you – and why I think it’s so important for us to pledge to help it thrive.

Speaker & Worship Leader:- Jonathan Mason

Jonathan Mason © 9 June 2024

Meditation / Conversation starter

• Why do you attend the Auckland Unitarian Church?
• How do we create a thriving church over the next 10 years?

with Rev. Clay Nelson

Read below, or download the PDF

Follow this shortcut to the bottom of the page for the various readings, videos, etc. shared in the service.

Clay Nelson © 22 May 2022

I was never a big fan of magicians because I don’t enjoy feeling conned or suspending my disbelief. Then I encountered Penn and Teller. Who couldn’t love magicians with a TV show called Bullshit? They are scientific sceptics and atheists who love making mince out of sacred cows. I particularly enjoyed their trick of making an American flag seem to disappear by wrapping it in a copy of the United States Bill of Rights, and apparently setting the flag on fire, so that the flag is gone but the Bill of Rights remains. I saw the trick first on West Wing. If their unique routine weren’t enough they have written numerous books. I am most drawn to two of their titles: God, No!: Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales and Every Day is an Atheist Holiday!: More Magical Tales from the Author of God, No!