Came a hot Sunday: after a week of wild and unpredictable weather, Sunday March 14 was back to high summer again, with a 30deg-plus heatwave to welcome John Sentamu onto the marae of Te Hui Amorangi at Te Waipounamu centre, on Christchurch’s Ferry Road.

In front of the wharenui, Whakarururuhau – small in size, but great in beauty – the congregation of Te Hēpara Pai and Christchurch’s finest kapa haka group, Te Kotahitanga, led by Tihi Puanaki, waited for the manuhiri to assemble.

The conch blew, and the wero began: two warriors laying down the challenge, laying the taki in front of the archbishop and his waiting party, and as he stooped top gather it, the karanga rang out, timeless and poignant in the rising heat.

Once the manuhiri had reached their seats and all had sat down, the Rev Wharekawa (Sandy) Kaa, of Ngāti Porou, rose up on his walking sticks from amongst we tangata whenua to begin the whaikōrero, speaking of the dead and the living, giving glory to God and letting John Sentamu know that he had finally arrived on the mainland. Tihei mauri ora!

The kaumatua made the point that the survival of Māori tikanga was intimately tied up with the revival of te reo Māori, and he paid tribute to Te Kōhanga Reo and the Kura Kaupapa movements.

In reply, Bishop Philip Richardson (Taranaki), who was hosting the visit, spoke of his pleasure in having the Archbishop of York come to New Plymouth to consecrate St Mary's Cathedral, and then to travel south with him to meet us.

Bishop John Gray spoke in welcome, both in Māori and English, so that our distinguished guest would not be completely unaware of the honours being paid him and his office.

In reply, between waiata, Archbishop spoke of the honour of receiving this double welcome, when the challengers from Te Kotahitanga had presented him with two taki. He noted also the similarities between some words of Māori and those of his own Ugandan dialect.

It was a fine performance all around, and the hongi line concluded the ceremonial aspects in the pressing of noses, ihu ki ihu, until we were all made one for the day, and in the world of the Spirit – mō ake tonu atu – forever.

Te Kotahitanga swung back into action while the ministers robed up for service, with sweet harmonies, and stirring hīmene – and the chance for our visitors to pose for a group picture and then enjoy a singalong with Tihi’s troupers.

The service which followed – where John Sentamu preached a strong message from 2 Corinthians 5:19, on the ministry of reconciliation – saw temperatures rising in the wharenui as the thermometer climbed towards that 30deg.

It was hot and airless, even with the doors and windows open – but the spirit was certainly one of aroha and joy.

The Archbishop is a powerful, confident preacher, with a plain-spoken humanity and sense of humour, all bespeaking both a strong intelligence and depth of scriptural knowledge.

His breaking open of the parable of the so-called “prodigal son” was exemplary: for instance, nowhere is the son called “prodigal” in Scripture. The story is really about the father’s love, not the son’s misdeeds.

When God accepts us back into his arms, he preached, it is like “we have never been away”. A spell outside after the service gave us all a chance to be cooked again, as we awaited the call from the kitchen, to come for our kai. Some welcome relief came with the arrival of a portable awning, originally provided for the pōwhiri and any spill-over from the service (which in any event, was not as full as we expected).

Shades of the Israelites in the wilderness.

The kai was superb and plenty of it, as always at a halway decent hākari: for lovers of kaimoana, nothing but the cream of Tangaroa’s offerings, kai koura, pāua, smoked eel, the works. All the while, Te Kotahitanga performed for the Archbishop and his wife, with never a morsel passing their lips, while we all tucked in.

Even the mokopuna and rangatahi joined in the entertainment, bringing our guests much joy, as they sang along with the kids.

After the stomach could stand no more, the speeches and the presentations began, with an invitation to Archbishop Sentamu to come back again next year, to preside at a missions conference.

Our guests then distinguished themselves with a waiata from Uganda, and with a final greeting, a koha of pounamu and memories, they took to the road for the long flight home.

A true apostle of the rainbow Anglican communion, John Sentamu is living proof that if a man or a woman will give themselves wholly to Christ, anything is possible – and that when you finally do get to preach the gospel at the uttermost ends of the earth, you get the very best of God’s kaimoana down there.

E ngā manuhiri rangatira, e hoki mai rā!