MARCH 2008MAY 2017

ONE THOUSAND ROPES - PAGE 14

BE ENCOURAGED LEVIN - PAGE 10

TONGAN SOLUTIONS - PAGE 2

ev Rob Ferguson wasa parish minister for37 years. After heretired the last thinghe expected to bedoing was walking citystreets.

But as Inner City Chaplainfor the Durham St MethodistChurch in Christchurch, Robspends his days chatting to thelonely, the unemployed, tourists,business people and anyone elsehe comes across.

“My office is my backpack,”he says. “I didn't think I wouldget the job, but when I saw itadvertised I thought, 'That's me'.”

Rob's street walking is an

experiment in new ways ofconnecting with people. He callsit a ministry without props. Afterworking at it for about sixmonths, he says it is shaping upin ways he never expected.

The latest project in hischaplaincy was a day of thanksfor the construction workers whoare rebuilding Christchurch. Itarose from a chat with Filipinoconstruction workers.

“The Filipino workers havetheir own community. Manyattend St Teresa's CatholicChurch, which performs a specialmass for them, but mostly theyare ignored by Christchurchpeople.

“Many have young familiesand children they haven't seensince they came to Christchurch

four years ago. As one of themsaid to me, 'You can't hug onSkype'.”

Along with Filipinos, manyconstruction workers in thecentral city are Irish or SouthAmerican.

Mayor Lianne Dalziel wasenthusiastic about Rob's idea forday of thanks, and GeorgeP a t e n a , t h e C o u n c i l ' smulticultural adviser organiseda working group to bring the ideato fruition. “These people did allthe work. I was just the catalyst,”Rob says.

The Durham Street Methodistcongregation organised the eventwith support from the CityCouncil, Ngai Tahu HoldingsGroup and the Citizen's AdviceBureau.

It took place on 26th Marchon the empty site where theDurham St Church once stood.

The Phi l ippines ' highcommissioner attended as didthree MPs and two citycouncillors. Two local Filipinobands performed and membersof the Lions' Club tended thebarbecues.

Rob says the weather on theday was terrible and the eventattracted fewer people than hehad hoped. Nevertheless, it wassuccessful in so far as it

established better links with thelocal Filipino community andgave the Durham Streetcongregation a chance to dosomething back on their ownland.

“My intention was to giveChristchurch citizens a chanceto thank all the migrant workers,”says Rob. “It also gave the churchexposure that it has never hadand I think it gained some streetcred by hosting the celebration.”

See Page 14INSIDE

By Hilaire CampbellR

View from the streetsView from the streetsof re-emerging cityof re-emerging city

View from the streetsof re-emerging city

Christchurch inner city chaplain Rob Ferguson says his backpack is his office.

Through Rob Ferguson's initiative Durham Street Methodist Church hosted a celebration to thank inner cityconstruction workers. Photo by Jan Titus

2 TOUCHSTONE • MAY 2017

N E W S

By Cory MillerThe head of Vahefonua Tonga

Methodist Mission hopes to draw upon theloving culture that is central to the Pasifikapeople's way of living to tackle issues suchas family violence, youth suicide, education,obesity and smoking.

The Mission, also known as Siaola, iscommitted to the Methodist Church's 10-year vision 'Let the Children Live'.

Executive director Kathleen Tuai-Ta'ufo'ou says Vahefonua Tonga is doing itspart to eliminate child poverty, child abuseand youth suicide.

She says while these problems exist inthe Tongan community, it is also the Tongancommunity that is best placed to addressthem.

"We know our families, our communityand our culture best. Only we can providethe lens that best caters for our people.

"Pasifika is a communal culture. It'sabout knowing our true identity as Tongansand Pacific people, and finding solutionsfor ourselves."

Key strategies the Mission is using todrive a wider public conversation on theissues include social media, working withchurch leaders, and regular slots in thechurch media and on Tongan radio.

In addition Siaola has worked on anumber of education expos and initiatives

such as Fanau Lelei topromote ch i ld abuseprevention strategies inpartnership with the NewZealand Police. Siaola hasalso partnered with PasefikaProud to address familyviolence and train churchleaders and lay people.

Kathleen says thateducating our communitiesis vital to enable families todeal with modern-daychallenges.

Mainstream social services often provideassistance after things have gone wrong, butthe Mission wants to provide support toTongan people so they can lead successfullives.

"It's a service for our people, by ourpeople - our families, our people, ourresponsibility - to let our children live. Kohotau famili, ko hotau kakai Tonga, ko hotaufatongia ke fakamanavahake 'ae tau fanau.

"Our Tongan people are takingresponsibility for our own children andfamilies. We have seen generations ofeducated Tongan people and professionalsserving their local communities in a positiveway. We are the solutions for the challengesour Tongan children and families face”.

Siaola has received backing of the

Government and is workingin partnership with theM i n i s t r y o f S o c i a lD e v e l o p m e n t a n denforcement officials. In2016, it secured resourcesfrom the Ministry to workin the area of family violenceunder the Pasefika Proudcampaign, a version of theIt's Not Ok campaign.

As part of this initiativeKathleen was appointed tothe part-time role leading

Siaola and she works with a dedicated teamof volunteers.

A Methodist who grew up at theMethodist Church in Ellerslie, Kathleensays her role is in line with the kind of workshe is passionate about. It is also a way forher to give back to her Tongan community.

She says about 90 percent of Tongansin New Zealand are affiliated to the Christianfaith and 48 percent of them are affiliatedto the Methodist Church.

“Therefore working with church leadersis the best way to influence and mobiliseour Pacific communities.”

Siaola was established in 2006 byVahefonua Tonga. In 2012 the MethodistChurch of NZ together with the collectivegroups of social services, parishes and

congregations operating under the church'sumbrella, made the commitment to the vision'Let the Children Live' to improve the livesof young people.

In 2012, Siaola then registered as acharitable trust, Vahefonua Tonga MethodistMission.

Kathleen says for the Tongan church itwas particularly pertinent as in 2011 therewas a series of deaths among youth in arelatively short period of time.

She says since then statistics aroundyouth suicide have been fairly constant.

Kathleen says in, addition, following thepassing of the anti-smacking law, whichremoved the legal defence of reasonableforce for parents prosecuted for assault ontheir children, more parents foundthemselves being referred to police for low-level violence. This also led to a higher levelof involvement with Child, Youth andFamily.

She says parents were not aware thatsome of their actions broke the law and theyjust needed some guidance and support.

"It's all about supporting our parents tolearn more about the NZ law and positivemodes of disciplining our children. OurTongan culture is rich with positive rolemodelling behaviours for parents. Siaolawishes to support our families to give theirchildren safer and happier homes."

An article in the March issue of theMethodist Church's eMessengerencouraged parishes to use MicrosoftOffice 365 for free instead of paying forMicrosoft Office.

'Free' is always an attractive price-point for churches and other charities, butlet's look at this offer a bit more closely.

This is not an offer specific to theMethodist Church. Microsoft has a globalphilanthropic program that donateslicences to their products to qualifiedcharities around the world. It isadministered by another charity, TechSoupGlobal.

To be eligible, organisations mustoperate on a not-for-profit basis and havea mission to benefit the local community.

Because the licencing is essentially adonation from Microsoft, conditions areattached. Firstly, the donated softwaremust be used to further the charitablepurpose of the organisation and notprimarily for personal use. Reasonable

ancillary use is accepted, but organisationsshould endeavour to ensure, for example,that the software doesn't become avolunteer's primary e-mail address.

Microsoft has guidelines on whethervolunteers are eligible for non-profitlicences. The volunteer must beaccountable for specific activities andresults, the volunteer's role is year-roundand on-going (or seasonal and recurringannually) and the volunteer will not usethe software for activities related topersonal gain.

Charities who receive Office 365should record the full commercial valueof the software as a donation in-kind. (Ifanyone can clarify exactly what thismeans, I would appreciate hearing fromyou.)

What Office 365 services do you getfor free? There are two specific plans,Nonprofit Business Essentials andNonprofit E1. The equivalent commercialversions of these plans are currently $9.00

per user per month and $11.90 per userper month (plus GST), so the magnitudeof the donation is quite significant.

The two plans are quite similar. TheBusiness Essentials plan has limitationson the number of users, migration optionsand back-of-house functions that make itmore suitable for smaller organisations.

The key components included in bothplans are: 1) Email service with 50GBmailbox, calendar and contacts; 2)OneDrive file-sharing with 1TB storage(with the capability to access it anywherefrom any device); 3) Unlimited onlinemeetings with HD video, web-conferencing and messaging; 4) Intranet(Sharepoint); and 5) 'Teams' workspaceand collaboration tools.

Those familiar with traditional Officeprogrammes Word, Excel, PowerPoint andPublisher might wonder where they havegone in Office 365. They are there - sortof.

The free plans only include the onlineversion of these applications. There isnothing wrong with this. The onlineversions are quite capable, though a littledifferent in some respects. (At the risk ofsome over-simplification, you may needto be online while you edit.)

Ideally, you would want your maincomputer to have desktop Office programversions installed, and just use the online

versions for a quick review or last minutetweaks when you are away from yourcomputer.

Microsoft's Desktop Office programsare also available through the non-profitprogram. They are heavily discountedcompared to commercial pricing, but notfree.

The desktop version is available eitheras a DVD that you can install or throughanother Office365 plan (probably theNonprofit E3 plan) where a monthly feeper user gives access to the desktopversions as well as the online version.

Licence plans can generally be mixedand matched to suit individualrequirements. For example, you can haveone user on E1 with no desktop office,another on E1 with desktop office fromanother source and another on E3 withdesktop office available from the cloud.

Almost all software products aretransitioning to cloud-based licenses, soI suspect it is only a matter of time beforethis becomes the only option available.

As always, I am happy to address anyquestions you may have. Contact me atdct@dct.org.nz or via the editor ofTouchstone.

This article is published at the websitedct.org.nz/forum. The online version ofthe article has links to Microsoft Office365 plans and eligibility requirements.

N E W W I N E - T I P S O N T E C H N O L O G Y

Get your head around Microsoft Office 365By Peter Lane

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Siaola seeks Tongan solutions to Tongan problems

Kathleen Tuai-Ta'ufo'ou

N E W S

TOUCHSTONE • MAY 2017 3

By Paul TitusThe Methodist Church of NZ's Council

of Conference has made some changes tothe way the Church will select itspresidential team in future.

The new procedures are designed toavoid the situation that arose at Conference2016, where no decision on a new presidentand vice president was possible. They willbe in place later this year when a one-offselection takes place to fill the positions thatwere left open as a result.

Methodist general secretary Rev DavidBush says it is important to emphasise thatthe inability of the last Conference to selecta president- and vice president-elect was afailure of process and not a reflection onthe people whose names were put forward.The new procedures should improve theprocess.

“In the past the Synods and Hui Poarimade their nominations during the year, andthen at Conference Te Taha Maori andTauiwi sent their preferred names to the 5+ 5 panel, which selected the presidentialteam.

“Council of Conference has nowchanged the name of the panel from the 5+ 5 to the Conference Panel,” David says.

“The Conference Panelwill still be made up of fivemembers of Council ofConference from Tauiwi andfive members of Council ofConference from TahaMaori. But its new nameconveys the sense that it isa collaborative body whosetask is one of discernment,that is, to determine the bestleadership team for theChurch.

“Its task is not tonegotiate between Tauiwi and Taha Maori.The Conference Panel representsConference, and once the preferred namescome forward from the Church's twocaucuses, they belong to Conference, not tothe caucuses.”

David says the other major change tothe selection process is that the ConferencePanel will consider all names that Tauiwiand Te Taha Maori put forward. In the pastthe 5 + 5 could only consider the names incommon put forward by both caucuses whenit selected the president and vice president.

“It is a miracle that the 5 + 5 did notreach an impasse before 2016. When there

are a small number ofcandidates it is relativelyeasy for names to becommon to both Taha Maoriand Tauiwi. When there arelots of candidates, like lastyear, it is not surprising thatno names in common comeforward.”

When the last 5 + 5 panelwas unable to bring namesfor the next presidentialteam, Conference opted fora solut ion that takes

advantage of the fact that Conference nowmeets every two years.

This year the Conference Panel willconvene in September to decide on the nextincoming presidential team. The new teamwill then have a year to get up to speed withConference procedures, as they have had inthe past.

The selection process will begin as itusually does with Hui Poari and Synodsmaking nominations. Deadlines for thenominations close on July 3rd.

Te Taha Maori and Tauiwi will thenfollow their own procedures to bringpreferred names to the Conference Panel,

as they have done in the past.For Taha Maori, Hui Poari discusses

possible candidates and decides on the basisof consensus as to which names go forwardto the Conference Panel.

In the case of Tauiwi, when the Synodsmeet in July and August Synod memberswill vote on the candidates and the generalsecretary will tally the results. The namesthat receive at least 50 percent of the totalnumber of votes will go forward to theConference Panel.

The Conference Panel will then use itsnew procedures to determine the presidentialteam.

David says some people have beencritical of this process. They say thatConference rules state that if it cannot makea decision on a new presidential team, theexisting team stays in place for another term.

“However, no authority stands aboveConference, and it is not bound by previousdecisions of Conference. Conference wasfully in its rights to make the decision tohold the new selection process in the yearthat it does not meet,” he says.

Methodist Church tweaks presidential team selection

David Bush.

By Cory MillerKeeping the church's arms wide open to Kiwis

who need support is what motivates the new headof Methodist Mission Northern.

Rev John MacDonald is the Mission's newsuperintendent, and he says he looks forward tocontinuing his work as a chaplain to Aucklandersin need.

“Harvesting the goodwill andresources of communities that wantto strengthen and nourish the socialinfrastructure of their livingenvironments is an opportunity thatrequires leadership,” John says.

John was appointed as actingsuperintendent early last year afterformer superintendent Rev JohnMurray retired. The role becamehis for good this year.

He says John Murray, who wasin the job for eight years, left a“strong and vibrant base” on whichto build his leadership.

Methodist Mission Northernworks in tandem with the Airedale Property Trustand Lifewise. The Mission has a long heritage ofsocial justice and practical action in Auckland.

John MacDonald is not new to Mission's workin inner city Auckland. He comes to his new postafter establishing the grass roots community group'Splice' under the Mission's auspices. He ran Splicefor four years.

“Splice is a 'back in the day' way of beingneighbours. We are an arms-wide-open community,engaging with the celebrations, the growing painsand the 'what next' journeys of real people.

“Splice is absolutely outward looking. Weenvelope the community warts and all, and standwith the marginalised and condemned as goodneighbours do.”

John says he has come a long way from thePaeroa lad who failed School Certificate twicebecause he couldn't get the required mark forEnglish.

Despite his early challenges he went on tograduate from the University of Otago and thenstudy at the United Theological Seminary in

Dayton, Ohio.John attributes much of his

success to his family - both hisparents and his children - and thewider community.

“Our children have brought meup in their time. They have openedmy naive worldview to treasuresof life beyond anything I couldhave imagined. Along with theirinfluence, many communities andvillages of work and interestenriched my ongoing education.”

He hopes to pay this forwardand draw on the community'sgoodwill and resourcefulness in hisnew role.

John says the Methodist Church has a longhistory addressing injustice and social deprivationin Auckland.

It is critical that this mission continues andadapts to current realities, particularly in regardsto mental health and housing.

The Mission has plans to address these issues.They include Airedale Property Trust's efforts totransform a number of church properties intohomes for those with physical disabilities, unitsfor the elderly and emergency housing units.

Lifewise Trust will continue to tacklehomelessness in the city centre. It will also provideearly childhood education, support for youth,homecare, foster care and other services.

See Page 12

By Sophie ParishWesley College has a rich

history of rugby stars, famousactors and even public servants.

While the College is knownfor talented students in the culturaland sporting world, principal SteveHargreaves says there was a needto raise academic performanceand help students pass the NCEAexams and prepare for the future.

Since Steve became WesleyCollege principal in late 2014, hehas worked closely with teachers,students and parents to raise thelevel of academic achievement.

The latest student NCEAresults show a steep spike inachievement from 2015 through2016, which has placed WesleyCollege above the national averageacross the board.

Maori and Pacifica students inparticular have raised their levelsdramatically.

Year 11 NCEA Level 1 resultsfor Maori students show 10percent pass rate in 2012, 35percent in 2014 and 86 percent in2015. This means a big majorityof Maori students at WesleyCollege are now passing NCEAand the school is 25 percent abovethe national average for Maoristudents.

Overall, the student NCEAresults for Levels 1, 2 and 3 areabove the national average by 10-25 percent.

“We are thrilled,” Steve says.“We have had a push to improveacademic performance. WesleyCollege has been known for itssporting and cultural achievementsand we have relied on past glories.Now we are bringing backacademic achievement.”

Steve says teachers and staff

use three approaches to achievethis. One is to monitor eachstudent so they can helpindividuals who are at risk of notachieving.

The second approach is tocelebrate academic success. “Wetalk about academic success inassembly and acknowledgestudents with awards and badges,”he says.

Thirdly, Wesley College worksclosely with the Waikato Instituteof Technology (WINTEC), theManukau Institute of Technology(MIT) and other institutions toprovide support and careerpathways for the students.

This year WINTEC has apresence at Wesley College, andstudents can spend a day duringthe week learning from a tradeexpert. WINITEC and MIT offera range of programs in trades suchas electrical, plumbing, carpentry,hospitality and other industries.

Deputy rincipal Chris Beansays teachers work closely withstudents and provide after-schooltutoring. In this way students canhave direct conversations withteachers about their work. Familiesare also encouraged by staff andteachers to support the students.

“We encourage students toreach for Merit and Excellencegrades. On February 24th we heldan academic award dinner tohonour students and their familiesfor attaining a merit or excellencein their subject or overall course,”Chris says.

Steve says teachers and staffare committed to improving theacademic success rate and buildingupon the College's values ofrespect, responsibility, excellenceand family/whanau.

Wesley College strivesfor academic success

New Auckland Mission headurges radical hospitality

Methodist Mission Northern'snew superintendent

Rev John MacDonald.

METHODIST CHURCH OF NEW ZEALAND

Lectionary 2017/2018Orders for the new Lectionary are due by Monday 19 June 2017.Orders received by the due date are at no charge. After that date thecost is $2 each. The order form can be downloaded from:www.methodist.org.nz/faith_and_order/lectionary

Orders are to be posted to PO Box 931,Christchurch 8140 or emailed to wendyk@methodist.org.nz

Advertising Pieter van den BergPhone (03) 310 7781, Fax (03) 310 7782Email pietermarjan@paradise.net.nz

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Postal PO Box 931Christchurch

Fax (03) 366-6009

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Production Julian DoesburgPublisher The Methodist Publishing Company

Printer The Ashburton GuardianAd Deadline 15th of the month preceeding publicationLetters Deadline 15th of the month preceeding publicationSubscription Changes 10th of the month preceeding publication

Opinions in Touchstone do not necessarily reflectthe offical views of the Methodist Church of NZ.

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julian.doesburg@xtra.co.nz

Open letter to the Coptic Church

4 TOUCHSTONE • MAY 2017

O P I N I O N

To the editor,The community of Cheviot has been affected

by the closure of SH1 between Christchurchand Kaikoura after the November earthquakes.Without through traffic our cafes and businesseshave struggled.

Over the last three months groups ofMethodists from east Christchurch, westChristchurch Durham Street and Rangiora havecome to Cheviot by bus and car to worship withour small congregation and to enjoy lunch atour cafes.

They explored the Museum and the shops

that were still open and some visited the hazelnutorchard. We have appreciated theirthoughtfulness, the great atmosphere they havecreated at our services and social times, andtheir strong singing.

These visits have not only raised our moralebut that of local cafe and shop owners.

We wish to thank the organisers of the visitsand all the people who came to worship withus. We will pass it on in the future. Bless youall!

Judy Grigor, Phyll Johnson and the folkat Cheviot Presbyterian Church

Cheers and thanks from Cheviot

I haven't written very much inthis column about dementia, a diseaseI know is feared by many olderpeople.

Dementia is a catch-all word fordiseases of the brain that affectmemory, recall, judgement, clearthinking, decision-making, andcommunication. Alzheimer's is thedisease that makes up a largepercentage of these.

They are terminal diseasesalthough perhaps not alwaysrecognized as such. Some readers willknow that I cared for my husband whodied with dementia. It takes a longtime to be able to face such a situationof grief and to talk about it with others.

Caregivers of those with dementiaface a path of continual grieving andadjusting. One small aspect of lifedrops out of existence, and while youstruggle to accommodate that,something else goes and the grievinggoes deeper.

To be in chronic grief for five, sixor more years whilst a person is stillliving is draining, stressful andmiserable. I simply don't know howit was for him, except at the timebetween the hospital and the rest homehe asked me to help him end his life.

This experience was a deepsharing of pain and hopelessness.Psalm 88 speaks for us: “I am set apartwith the dead, like the slain who liein the grave, whom you remember nomore, who are cut off from your care,(Psalm 88:5).

Do I believe in euthanasia? No, Ido not.

I have not had to deal with a close

loved one suffering severe and chronicpain and their fear of how long thismight go on for. But I do understandthe fear and despair that a person faceswhile losing control in life and notknowing what is to come.

I get the emptiness of a caregiverwho has reached the bottom of thebarrel in their ability to keep goingwith love and hope.

My husband's request was a cryfrom a place of fear and despair. Theseare deep feelings that come from beinghuman. Such feelings remain indementia when cognitive processesof thought and decision-making arelost or cannot be expressed.

If we can't understand and putnames to what is happening to us andif the confusion can't be controlled,how does a person manage thosefeelings?

“You have taken from me myclosest friends, and have made merepulsive to them. I am confined andcannot escape,” (Psalm 88: 8).

I reassured my husband that hewas not alone and I kept that promise.Later, he started to take anti-depressants. A gradual adjustmentprocess worked its way for each ofus. Nine months later the dyingprocess became death without drugs,and he went peacefully with a smileon his face.

It is hard to love and give and bepastoral and remain on top of things.What is it like for the person? I don'tknow. I felt I should know. What mightour God who suffers with us call outfrom us that is new?

By Jan Fogg

D e m e n t i aa n d d y i n g

To the editor,Jim Stuart's article 'Church as An Instrument

of Change' in the April edition of Touchstoneis a needed prod to get us moving in the rightdirection.

Please forgive me, Jim, if I take issue withyou on your statement, “At the core of theGospel is the promise of a world that is fairerand more just”. The way I see it, this will comeabout as we follow God and seek to keep Hiscommandments, to love Him with all our heartsand to love our neighbour as ourselves, (Matthew22:3).

In a nutshell we can say that Jesus wascounter-cultural, and as we follow Christ weshall get opposition. “Yes, and all that will livegodly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution,”

(2 Tim 3:12). But needed social change willcome.

The Christian apologist John Lennox madea beautiful statement in a talk at Hong KongUniversity in 2013: “God is real. Therefore Heis relevant. And if that's the case, then the mostimportant thing in life is to get to know Him.”

At the end his article, Jim writes, “We needto look deep within our faith tradition to findnew energy.”

To get the Holy Spirit blowing us along, weneed to raise the sails. One way to raise our sailsis by reading, absorbing, and living the teachingsof Scripture. In my 40 years' experience offollowing Christ, that is the way it works. Butthere will be opposition.

Geoffrey Stubbs, Auckland

Raise the sails and live out the Scriptures

To the editor,I wish to respond to the article 'Churches

Make Slow Progress to Include LGBT People'in the March edition of Touchstone.

I am becoming increasingly concerned aboutthose people who call themselves Christian butappear to be trying to turn Christians away fromGod's plan for marriage, the family andrelationships. I sincerely hope and pray that Iam wrong.

When God creates, he creates perfectly,especially where the human body is concerned.When he places his creation into the humanbody through the egg and sperm, it is perfect.

To say that God places inferior products intopeople is a lie and comes under Revelation 21:8.It is only after it is place d in the body thatcontamination begins.

In Exodus 20:3-5 God says he will pass onto the children of up to the third and fourthgeneration the sins of their fathers who have

little or no love for Him. This is also where thecharacter of the father is passed on to thechildren.

It appears to me that some in the MethodistChurch strive to take God's opinions out ofMethodism and replace them with ideas that arein contradiction to the Scripture.

God does not say 'Don't show love andconcern for them' but how can they preach andteach God's opinions, His desires and purposesfor mankind if they believe and practice adifferent way?

If they know the scriptures but still hold totheir own reasoning, then it is deliberate andcalculated. See 2 Peter 2:1-3.

Don't reject them, just their contrary beliefs.They have the right to know God. What theychoose to do with that knowledge is entirely ontheir shoulders.

AK Nielsen, Lower Hutt

Reason versus God's plan

We write to express our deep sympathy forthe loss of lives following the attack on twoCoptic Churches in Egypt.

The Palm Sunday violence that extremistsunleashed at St George's Coptic Church in Tantakilling 27 and the blast only hours later outsideSt Mark's Coptic Church in Alexandria thatkilled another 17 are deplorable. Many morewere injured.

We are aware that Pope Tawadrous II waspresent in Alexandria and may have been atarget of the suicide bombers.

In our Mission and Ecumenical Newsletterto the Methodist people, we have outlined thesituation of the Coptic community in Egypt,and asked our people to pray for your churchand the bereaved in this time of persecution.

We know that Coptic Christians arethreatened and intimidated. Recently we heard

that Coptic families are fleeing from Sinai afterChristians have been murdered and assaulted.

Be assured of our prayer for your peopleand the leaders of your church. Before hisforthcoming visit to Egypt Pope Francis hascalled for an end to violence and for thegovernment to protect vulnerable communities.

Please convey our warm greetings andsolidarity with your people at this time. Wewrite as brothers in Christ within the Body ofChrist.

May the peace of God bless you.Rev Prince Devanandan,

President of the Methodist Church of NZ,and

Rev Terry WallDirector, Methodist Mission and

Ecumenical

TOUCHSTONE • MAY 2017 5O P I N I O N

FROM THE PRESIDENT AND THE VICE PRESIDENT

Peace of the r i sen Chris tEaster is the most important time in

the year for us as Christians, and throughthe 50 days that follow we have theopportunity to explore the resurrectionstories and the early Christians'experiences of the risen Christ.

This new community of faith was aminority group yet the Scriptures suggestthat, small as they were, they had asignificant impact on those around them.

Viv has been considering thesimilarities and differences in our Westerncontext as she travels in Europe, wheresociety is becoming more multiculturaland secular and organised Christian religionis in decline. In the UK, Easter eggs areoften simply called chocolate eggs, and inFrance, which once seemed so staunchlyCatholic, Good Friday is a normal workingday!

While disheartening, this situation canencourage us to identify more strongly

with each other across the denominationsand other faiths.

Viv attended an Easter morningecumenical dawn service at a Catholiccathedral in Bordeaux, France, and shesays it was an inspiring event. LocalProtestant, Orthodox, and Anglican Churchleaders led worship outside one of thedoors of St Catherine's Cathedral. Then asthe growing congregation finally enteredthe cathedral, the Catholic priestsconcluded the service.

“Alleluia, Christ is risen!” soundstriumphant in any language, and the sharingof coffee and croissants that followed wasreminiscent of loaves and fish as well asthe Eucharist.

Prince was invited by the Fo GuangShan Buddhist Temple to attend Buddha'sbirthday celebrations and a multiculturalFestival for World Peace on Palm Sunday9 April 2017.

Religious leaders from a number offaith communities as well as politiciansparticipated in the celebration. The religiousleaders offered prayers for world peaceeach according to their faith.

It was a large celebration with morethan 500 people in attendance. The mainBuddhist worship was led by the chiefpriestess of the temple. It was also the 10thAnniversary of the opening of the Templein Flatbush, Manukau.

The sounds of drums and music fromthe organ added joyful noise to theBuddhist worship. The prayers for worldpeace became more appropriate given thatthe event took place soon after US forcesfired missiles into Syria.

Some North Island communitiesexperienced extreme weather conditionsat the start of the Easter holiday and ourthoughts and prayers are with them as theyclear up, and in some cases relocate and

come to terms with their loss of propertyand livelihood.

Internationally, we are concerned thata major disaster could occur caused bythreats of war in the Korean Peninsula. Weare all bound to join in prayers for peacefulresolutions of conflicts between countries.

The world is not a playing field todemonstrate who is powerful or thestrength of their weapons. Instead it is asacred place where we may discover theself-giving Spirit of God continually activeand bringing life.

May the peace of the risen Christ bewith us all as we work for a better world.

Vice PresidentViv Whimster

PresidentPrince Devandan

By Ken and Brenda SkinnerIn the February edition of

Touchstone Donald Phillippswrote about George Brown inhis article 'Black night of thePacific'. George Brown was anamazing man, as were the menand women of the Pacific whoserved with him in the thenmuch-feared and unhealthy NewGuinea Islands.

Just as inspiring was George'swife, Lydia Brown nee Wallis.The daughter of Rev JamesWallis, Lydia grew up on theWhaiangaroa (Raglan) MissionStation. She was a wonderful soulmate for George and very muchin tune with the work he did.

As a young man, George was educatedbut fairly unsettled. He failed atapprenticeships with a doctor, a chemistand a draper. Eventually he became a sailor.However, all of the experience he built upat that was useful when he was later farfrom help in isolated situations.

He eventually found firm ground inAuckland, where he lived with his mother'ssister and her husband Rev and Mrs Buddlewho took him in and nurtured his growingfaith. He became a local preacher, workedwith YMCA and offered for mission service.Initially, the Auckland leaders of the missionmovement were not prepared to accept himas they didn't think he was a strong enoughcharacter. Fortunately for the Pacific, somewiser people saw his potential.

Once accepted, he was told to prepareto travel to Fiji via Sydney and to quicklyfind a suitable wife. Fortunately, he had alady in mind, far away in Raglan. Off hewent on the rugged trip of about six dayson bush tracks.

When he arrived he proposed and Lydiaaccepted. Then a messenger arrived withnews that they must leave almostimmediately or miss the boat, so they werehurriedly married and set out on horseback.Their honeymoon was six or seven days ofmud and rain. They crossed the WaikatoHeads with one horse and a small canoe.

In the event plans were changed. Georgewas ordained in Sydney and they werestationed in Samoa in 1860. There his skilland determination to master the languageand understand the culture bore fruit. Hisfrequent prolonged absence from homeprepared Lydia for the isolation she wouldlater have to face.

They were about 15 years in Samoa,where they were well respected and learnedmuch that would help them in the dreamthey had of bringing the gospel to the peopleof New Britain, reputedly the home ofsavage cannibals.

When his plan was accepted by theAustralian Mission Board, he had to raisemoney. He left Lydia in NZ and went toFiji. He explained his plan, told studentsthere of the great dangers ahead. The nextday a group of students returned with thedecision that they wanted to go to NewBritain.

Six married men and three single menwere chosen. When the Governor tried todissuade them they answered, “No one haspressed us. We have given ourselves to God.We will go with Mr Brown. If we die, wedie. If we live, we live.”

Two Samoan teachers and their wivesand two former students joined thevolunteers. After a long journey they arrivedin New Britain on August 14th, 1875, andheld their first service on the 15th, a daystill remembered annually with special choirfestivals and services.

George Brown was not a well man. Hefrequently suffered fevers and elephantitisbut he never ceased to make friends withthe villagers. He broke down barriersbetween chiefs who lived in fear of theirneighbours and were certainly cannibals.

When he left to return to Australia afterthe first year, 16 mission stations had beenestablished and he felt the early work wasprogressing well. One teacher had died buthe acknowledged the loyal service givenby his Fijian and Samoan colleagues.

After more deputation work in Australiahe returned to New Britain with his wife

and children and they workedtogether until ill-health forcedhis return to Australia fortreatment. He left Lydia andthe children behind with a newAustralian missionary and hiswife.

During that time, Lydiaserved as leader of themissionaries and cared for thesick, including the Australianmissionaries who were neardeath for days. During thistime, first Lydia's youngestson died of fever and then herdaughter.

George returned more thana year later. After his return,

a Fijian missionary and three teachers weremurdered through treachery in April ,1878.It was apparent that the lives of the othermissionaries and those locals working withthem were no longer safe. After he tried tomake peace and after much soul searching,George agreed that with the help of loyalvillagers, they must follow native customand surround the culprits in their villageand burn their houses. He was not involvedin the raid but did keep watch and hold offa threatened attack.

During the raid, a few of those involvedin the murder and cannibalisation of themissionaries were killed. George wascriticised in the Australian press but fromthat time on peace was made and he workedto re-establish peace with the perpetrators.

This event is still remembered, and aservice of memorial is held each year wherethe teachers were murdered.

The work of the Browns and theircolleagues is not much remembered heretoday, but their work in Papua, the SolomonIslands and in other parts of the Pacific isan inspiration to many there.

Recently our minister asked our youngpeople what they would do if God askedthem to do something for him. We sharedsome of this story with them and felt it isworth repeating. One response was sharethe good news and don't be afraid.

Ken and Brenda Skinner live in GlenEden. They both served with the UnitedChurch in Papua New Guinea, Ken as abuilder with Order of St. Stephens andBrenda as a teacher from 1957-1971. Theyreturned there as part of the 2007 Rarongowork party.

The inerrantWord of God

The inspiring work of George and Lydia BrownTo the editor,I wish to thank Brian Kendrick

for making his stance so clear inregards to the fact that he does notbelieve that the Bible is the Word ofGod. He does this very well.

However, in fairness, it behovesme to state where I stand. I have anabsolute trust in every single word ofthat precious Scripture. It is God'sown word to us and the only sourceof truth worthy of our faith.

It has been well said that, 'TheBible is not the sort of book a manwould write if he could, or could writeif he would.' It is absurd to suggestthat a book having the depth and unityof the Scriptures could have beenwritten by men, except that they 'spakeas they were moved by the HolyGhost.'

We live in a time when the Bibleis under attack from every side. Weknow that no other writing in thehistory of man has been under suchfierce criticism but with every attemptthat sinful man has made to destroyit through their unbelief the Biblestands.

As the Word says; "The grasswithereth, the flower fadeth: but theWord of our God shall stand forever,"(Isaiah 40:8).

Apart from the fact that the Bibleis proven to be inerrant, it alsocontains absolute proof of its divinestamp, and that is in its predictiveprophecy. Any reader of Scripturewill quickly realise that the Biblicalprophets were imparted with detailedknowledge of future events that wouldbe impossible for the human mind toinvent.

Prophecy is one of the greatestdefenders of the absolute truth ofScripture.

So much more that I could say,but suffice to state that after 45 yearsof study of the Bible, I have absoluteconfidence that "Every Word of Godis pure: He is a shield unto them thatput their trust in Him." Proverbs 30:5.

Gavin Marshall Richmond

Rev George and Lydia Brown

The Alliance is a new umbrellagroup for all the MethodistMissions and Parishes that deliversocial services across Aotearoa NewZealand.

Each Mission and Parish staysindependent with their owngoverning boards, however theAlliance will connect them so theycan cooperate and work together oncommon issues such as children andfamilies, aged care, social justiceand housing.

All the missions have their ownnames (Lifewise in Auckland,Wesley Community Action inWellington, Methodist City Actionin Hamilton, Christchurch MethodistMission, and Methodist MissionSouthern in Dunedin) so most Kiwisdon't know that they are connected.

The Missions will keep theirown names, however they will startco-branding with the name of theMethodist Alliance Aotearoa (NgaPurapura Weteriana), like Air NewZealand does with the Star Alliance.This co-branding will help to raisethe profile of the work Missions andParishes across the country.

The Alliance will celebrate thework done by its members andcreate a resource library that itsmembers can use. This will helpmembers support each other,promote best practice, leverage theircollective skills, experience,imagination and resources to build

a just and inclusive society. The firstannual Alliance Forum will beNovember 3rd and 4th inChristchurch.

During a recent tr ip toWellington I visited Trinity UnionParish in Newtown. The Parish hiresout its complex to a range ofcommunity groups.

A Seventh Day Adventistcongregation uses Trinity Union'sworship area on Saturdays. Theyfill the church with flowers for theirservice and leave the flowers for theTrinity congregation on Sunday.Often some of the flowers are thendistributed to rest homes and elderlyfolk who are unable to attendservices.

Trinity Union advises otherparishes to have a clear set ofguidelines for users which sets outconditions of use of their complex.The Parish recently updated theseto meet with the changes to the H&SAct and Worksafe practices.

The Trinity Union Parish has astrong association with the NewtownUnion Health Service, a not for-profit community service thatprovides healthcare to vulnerablepeople including migrants, lowincome fami l i e s , and theunemployed.

I also visited Wesley CommunityAction who offers a wide range ofsocial services in the Wellingtonregion. These include Cannons

Creek Community Pantry andGardens where people get togetherto grow fruit and vegetables, learnabout gardening, cooking, andhealthy eating, and building socialskills, confidence and communitylinks.

They can buy a pack of fruit andvegetables for $12 which includesan information sheet on storage,nutrition, how to cook, and recipes.

Other resources and programmesavailable through WesleyCommunity Action include GoodCents, a practical support andeducation service that helpspeople gain more control overtheir personal finances.

Wesley Community Actionsupports older people throughhomebased care and a range ofcare options at WesleyhavenRetirement Village.

It supports young people andfamilies through programmessuch as social workers in schools,parenting support , youthmentoring and teen parentingsupport. Wesley Action TauiraCourt Health (WATCH) supports17 -25 year olds who have cometo the attention of the Courts dueto alcohol or drug issues.

Check the Wesleycarewebsite to learn more about howthey work with clients so theycan gain resilience, strength andself-worth by working in theWesley Way.

6 TOUCHSTONE • MAY 2017

N E W S A N D V I E W S

By Ian HarrisShould the church

abandon the theistic conceptof God and declare foratheism? Touchstone haspublished letters urging this.I have some sympathy withthe notion, but prefer a morecareful use of key words inthe debate.

Let's agree that the word'God', a wondrous product ofhuman thought and creativity,needs a radical re-think in aworld that the past 400 yearshave vastly changed. Let'salso acknowledge that itsmeaning has changedrepeatedly over the centuries,so much so that some favourdropping the word altogetherbecause it no longer has ameaning that everyone shares.

The basic problem is thatfor thousands of years peoplebelieved that asuperna tura lG o d w h oexisted beyondnature was alsoat work withinthe physicalworld of nature.T h i s G o dc r e a t e d t h ew o r l d a n deverything in it,watched over it, shook it upfrom time to t ime inearthquakes and floods,determined the destiny ofindividuals and nations,blessed them with good cropsand happy families, rattledthem with plagues andcatastrophes.

In short, He (always 'he'in those days) was the fulla n d c o m p r e h e n s i v eexplanation of every thingand every event.

That is the God of theism.God was assumed to belongin the world of science, whichgrew out of a desire tounderstand the ways of Godin the natural world. Thenscience began to findexplanations of naturalprocesses that didn't need adivine underpinning.

F o r s c i e n c e ' G o d 'gradually became redundant.Scientists can operate 'withoutGod' (which is what atheismmeans), or at least withoutGod reified as a distinct beingor force within nature.

As Sir Lloyd Geeringpoints out, that understandingfailed to recognise that allconcepts of God are productsof a quite different world, theworld of human thought. Thisis the world of human ideas,imagination, emotion andcreativity, the world of oursearch for meaning andpurpose. As such, notions ofGod are not subject to theassumptions or limitations ofthe scientif ic method.

Hence it is possible tomove beyond theism inrelation to processes andevents in the physical world,while retaining a sense of Godin the world of humanthought, where indeed it isstill highly relevant.

This requires a major

update in our thinking - butso did the sea-change frompolytheism to monotheismlong ago. If our forebearscould make the transition, socan we.

This raises a key pointabout the words we use.'Atheist' is misleading. Incurrent usage it implies therejection of any and allnotions of God, and that goestoo far.

'God' is one of thefoundational words ofChristian faith. But since theconcept properly belongswithin the human thought-world, the way remains opento conceive of God in waysother than theism. For thatthe better term is 'non-theist'(which, incidentally, is theword Geering uses ofhimself).

Make thatshift, and itbecomes clearthat any conceptof God worthyof the name is as u p r e m eachievement ofh u m a nc r e a t i v i t y .English novelistIris Murdoch

summed this up neatly whenshe wrote: “God does not andcannot exist. (i.e., as aseparate, objective being).But what led us to conceiveof God does exist and isconstantly experienced andpictured.”

So what is a positivemeaning for 'God' that a non-theist could affirm?

Essentially, God is thesupreme symbol for what weaffirm as ultimate in ourvalues, supremely love. It isa s y m b o l o f t h einterconnectedness of all life,and it gives coherence to allour experience.

There is a risk, of course,that a symbol can bedismissed as 'just a symbol',like any old emblem ortrademark. But this kind ofsymbol is of a higher order.It signifies a presence andpower. It gives meaning anddirection to life.

Similar symbols, goodand bad, include the cross, anation's flag, the hammer andsickle, the swastika. All thesehave stirred their devotees togreat commitment, loyaltyand purpose.

Religious tradition isinfluential because it is rootedin real people reflecting onreal experience and realevents, and interpreting themin light of the knowledge andculture of their day. That isprecisely what our forebearsdid, and in a living tradition,every generation must dolikewise.

Loyalty to our Christiantradition requires not that wecling doggedly to theconclusions of the past, butthat we follow that sameprocess of deep reflection andinterpretation, in and for theworld we know now.

H O N E S T T O G O D By Ian Harris

Ian Harris

Theists and atheists

Methodist Alliance takes shape

By Audrey JarvisOn September 23rd 2017, New Zealand residents

will once again make important decisions when wego to the polls to choose the people who will form ourgovernment and shadow government for the next threeyears.

In the lead up to the elections the 'Let the ChildrenLive' Group at Wesley Broadway Methodist Church inPalmerston North will hold an expo evening to allowpeople to interview candidates one-to-one.

Meeting with the candidates will allow us to seewho is likely to support the values that we believe areimportant for the welfare of our community. We areparticularly keen to judge which candidates are mostlikely to look after the interests of our children, reducechild poverty and care for our environment.

This expo evening is modelled on the very successfulevening that the Palmerston North City Council ranbefore the local body elections in 2016. It gave votersa chance to meet the local body candidates face-to-face.

For the parliamentary election, we will hold theexpo in the Palmerston North Convention Centre onSeptember 6th, 5:00-7:00 pm. The Mayor is showinghis support for the Let the Children Live Group'sinitiative by financing our use of this venue.

All candidates will be invited to meet voters for a

unique style of one-to-one interaction as they sit attables around the Convention Centre.

The evening is open to all would-be voters. Everyoneis encouraged to ask their own questions and membersof Let the Children Live will ask candidates a list ofsignificant questions.

The responses will be collated, and the answers willbe made available to members of our congregation.Many of us found in 2016 this helped us to vote forcandidates who we could expect would support theissues we believe are important.

Organisers have invited other churches in PalmerstonNorth to publicise and participate in this event, and toask their own questions.

We believe this evening will encourage membersof the community to vote. It will clarify the attitudesof candidates and it will make clear to them that thatwe care about the welfare of our community. It willalso give us the information we need to hold the electedofficial accountable for their pre-election promises.

We also encourage other congregations to take anactive role in the elections with similar events.

Audrey Jarvis is a member of the 'Let the ChildrenLive' Group at Wesley Broadway Methodist Church inPalmerston North.

Ask your candidates the hard questions

f your parish is engaged in community or social

service work, you should join the Methodist Alliance.

The Alliance supports the work of its members by

leveraging collective skills and experience, providing

resources and information, and raising the profile of the

work you do.

METHODISTALLIANCEN G A P U R A P U R A W E T E R I A N A

A O T E AR O A

If you would like to join the Alliance please contactthe National Coordinator Carol Barron:

03 375 1468 • 027 561 9164

Carol@MethodistAlliance.org.nz

PO Box 5416, Papanui, Christchurch 8542

methodist.org.nz/social_services

I

Flowers are part ofTrinity Union's outreach.

TOUCHSTONE • MAY 2017 7N E W S A N D V I E W S

The Public Issues Networkhas released a new resource'Cl imate Conversa t ions 'designed to help churches hearsome fresh ideas aboutenvironmental issues.

There are eight ClimateConversation topics. They canhelp congregations exploretheological issues and suggestpractical steps we can take to beb e t t e r s t e w a r d s o f t h eenvironment.

The focus is on joining withothers and on solutions. OurChristian values bring a specialquality to working with groupsin our communities.

Some of the conversationsaddress Pacific interests inregards to environmental damageand it includes a section onworking in a framework of'fatongia' (duty or obligation). Aseparate resource for Pacificparishes is also available. PhDstudent Elisapesi Havea hascontributed to these sections.

Public Issues asks the leadersof conversation groups to takenote of the questions, ideas, andexpectations of the church thattheir discussions raise. These will

inform Methodist guidelines andour response to climate change.

C o p i e s o f C l i m a t eConversations are available fromSynod superintendents or theC o n n e x i o n a l o f f i c e s i nChristchurch and Auckland.Public Issues coordinator BetsanMartin can also provide copies.

Conversations about theclimates are also taking placeamong people from different NewZealand churches.

Late last year church peopleworking on climate change indifferent denominations begandiscussions through a monthlySkype call. Auckland's AnglicanClimate Group initiated theconversation.

The Anglican group has beenworking on climate issues for 10years and has a field worker whocan adv i se pa r i shes onimprovements to their buildingsand on local actions. They helpeddrive a successful campaign tohave the Anglican Church divestits finances from fossil fuels.

Along with Anglican ClimateAction and Public Issues theecumenical network includesCaritas, Tear Fund, Peace Place,

Arocha, Salvat ion Army,Q u a k e r s , a n d A n g l i c a nWellington Diocese.

Public Issues will convenethe group this year and plans aface-to-face meeting in Auckland.A small group gathered in Apriland heard from leader ofGreenfaith International, FletcherHarper, and Pacific ClimateWarriors' spokeperson KoretiTiamalu.

Fletcher spoke of the shortageof leaders who can speak onenvironmental issues from a faith-based perspective, and Koretiemphasised the Pacific approachof bold action with spirituality.

Greenfaith works to supportlocal groups by getting passionatecongregation members andlinking them in with others intheir community. Greenfaithworks in seminaries andtheological colleges to make suree c o - t h e o l o g y a n d a nunderstanding of environmentalissues is included in theirprogrammes.

Environmentalopportunities

Any parish thinking to improvethe energy efficiency of their

buildings can apply for PACfunding for a building feasibilitystudy. This would enable theparish to get a professionalassessment of improvements thatcan be made in church buildings.Please contact Betsan or DavidBush for information.

With elections ahead, PublicIssues encourages individuals andparishes to write letters to allpolitical parties and ask for theirpolicies on tackling climatechange. A draft letter is on the

Public Issues website.The Zero Carbon Act is a fine

initiative from the youthorganisation Generation Zero.The Zero Carbon Act is a non-partisan blueprint to get NewZealand to zero carbon by 2050or sooner.

Generation Zero has askedfor contributions to their Act, andBetsan has urged them to ensureMaori engagement and honourthe Treaty of Waitangi in the Act.

Read more about Zero

PUBLIC ISSUES NETWORK By Betsan Martin

Income Fund 4.59% 4.62%

Growth and Income Fund 3.28% 3.80%

Income Distributions for the March quarter $2,677,169

3 Months 12 Months

Contact email: info@methodist.org.nz

Established for the secure and socially responsibleinvestment of the Church's funds.

Methodist Trust Association

RESULTS TO 31 MARCH 2017

Alexandra Clyde Lauder UnionParish minister Rev AndrewHowley has huge concerns for thepeople in his area.

“We used to be a very egalitariansociety but the range of inequalitynow is massive,” Andrew says.“Those who cannot afford to live inthe Queenstown-Cromwell area arestruggling to find affordable housingelsewhere.

“The average house price inAlexandra is half that of Queenstownbut development is not matchingdemand. So we are seeing hugeextremes of wealth and poverty. Addin the numbers of people moving to Central Otagofrom Auckland and rents are going sky high.”

Andrew says it is tough for minimum wageearners such as staff at big retailers. He sees manyhospital workers and people in the service industrybeing forced into substandard accommodation.

“It's okay for young fruit pickers to rent a bunkin a shed but young families cannot live like that.

“Alongside that is outdated government policy.Government housing subsidies are based ongeographical areas. So if you live on the wrongside of the road in Alexandra you don't qualify fora subsidy and if you live in a camping ground youare technically housed.

“On the other hand there are many emptyrentals, and there are only 30 state houses in thewhole of Central Otago. You can apply to theMinistry for Social Development for a HousingNZ rental but there are only two WINZ caseworkers for everyone who needs housing southof Timaru.”

Andrew says theological training doesn'tprepare you for such situations but he does receivesupport from the Alexandra Council of SocialServices.

“We meet for discussion and to advocate forthose in need. All of us work with the same clientsand we try to do the best for our communities.”

However, social workers in Alexandra findgovernment policy to be very restrictive anddifficult to negotiate.

This situation and the serious housing shortagein the Alexandra Clyde Lauder Union Parish hasprompted Methodist Mission Southern to create

a new Housing Information Service.The Miss ion ' s bus iness

development leader J immyMcLauchlan says it will create anew part-time position running theHousing Information Service withsupport from a generous endowmentfrom the Otago-Southland Synod'sStrategic Planning Fund.

This specia l i s t HousingInformation Service will make iteasier for Central Otago socialworkers to get vital information fortheir clients on Housing NZ, Workand Income, IRD and otheraccommodation-related subsidies

and supports.“The service will help people get

accommodation support they may be missing outon, and it will free up valuable time for front linestaff in Central Otago so they can deal with otherclient issues,” Jimmy says.

A local coordinator will deliver the service.He or she will travel throughout Central Otagoand have face to face contact with agencies andfront line workers.

“The service will be free and quick and easyfor social service practitioners to access throughan 0800 number. It will also help connect peopleup with our existing independent informationservice, which is an important and useful resource.”

Jimmy says social workers are swamped byhousing and accommodation issues and if thisnew service can free them up it will be worth it.

“We have to start small but once the serviceis up and running effectively we'll start lookingfor additional resources. The Mission will askCentral Otago philanthropic trusts and local donorsto support the expansion of the HousingInformation Service over time.”

Andrew adds that the Mission can help socialagencies build their capability to negotiate the“mine field” of government regulations.

“The requirements and processes that affectthese agencies are changing rapidly. That's whythe Mission has created this new role.”

The Mission will be reporting regularly toSynod and to the Alexandra Clyde Lauder UnionParish on the work and to seek their guidance asthe service takes shape.

Church and Mission tackleOtago housing shortage

The youth organisation Generation Zero has prepared a non-partisan blueprintto get New Zealand to zero carbon by 2050.

Church people get talking about the environment

Rev Andrew Howley says thehousing shortage in

Queenstown and Cromwell issqueezing out people in otherparts of Central Otago too.

PAC DistributionGroup

See http://pac.methodist.org.nz

or email

Wendy Keir wendyk@methodist.org.nz

Share your dream or story

Grant requests close on 30 June 2017

8 TOUCHSTONE • MAY 2017

N E W S & V I E W S

On October 31, 1517accompanied by his close friendJustus Jonas, the RomanCatholic monk Martin Lutherwalked to the door of the castlechurch in Wi t t enberg ,Germany.

The door of the church alsoserved as the bulletin board forthe University of Erfurt. Luther,at the time was director ofstudies in his own cloister and district vicarresponsible for 11 neighbouringmonasteries in the Augustinian order.

Luther nailed his 95 theses:'Disputation on the Power and Efficacy ofIndulgences' on the church door as achallenge.

In spite of the rigors of monastic life,Luther experienced a growing sense ofdiscomfort and inner tumult. He spokeoften of a deep sense of sinfulness thatthreatened to overwhelm him.

His supervisor Johann von Staupitz

tried to help him by pointingout that true penitence begannot with “the fear of apunishing God but with lovefor God” but Luther could findno peace.

At the same time, aDominican monk JohannTetzel had been appointed byRome to coordinate the saleof indulgences in Germany.

These certificates granted a soul remissionfrom purgatory for a set period andtherefore quicker entry to heaven.

Luther was deeply disturbed by thenotion that salvation could be bought andwas very aware that the Roman Churchhad become rich and powerful through thesale of indulgences.

After struggling with the idea that aperson could buy his or her way intoheaven even if they had done much harmin their daily life, Luther concludedsalvation was a gift of grace and that a

Christian had a responsibility to live agood life.

This realisation not only changed hislife but led to the birth of a theology ofgrace and the rise of 'Protestantism'.Reflecting how the devil would attack himat night when he was trying to sleep, Lutherquipped, “I instantly chase him away witha fart.”

Luther chose the time to publish his95 theses carefully. It was the eve of theday when Frederich the Wise's extensivecollection of religious relics went ondisplay at the university. Pilgrims fromacross Europe had come to Erfurt to seethe relics and gain the indulgences theyguaranteed.

To encourage wide debate about thepractice, Luther sent copies of the Thesesto Albrecht of Mainz and the Bishop ofMagdeburg as well.

In response to his actions, Luther wasordered by his order to defend his 'newtheology' in a debate with Cardinal Cajetan.

This confrontation marked the beginningof Luther's very public attack on theauthority and theology of the CatholicChurch and the emergence of the LutheranChurch.

At the centre of this debate was thequestion of God's grace. According toLuther, God's grace was free to all whosought it. He argued that all Christianswere priests and had no need of a mediatorwith God.

Faith could not be bought by buyingan indulgence. A Christian is justified byfaith and bound to try to live in accordancewith God's will and to love his or herneighbour. In 1540, he summed up theparadox of being Christian: “A Christianis the most free lord of all and subject tonone; a Christian is the most dutiful servantof all, and subject to everyone.”

One of Luther's most important legaciesis this understanding that faith cannot bebought and sold. Grace is a gift of God.

C O N N E C T I O N S

In my view, 10 May 1967 is alandmark date in New Zealandchurch history. It was on that daythat the newly opened WellingtonCathedral of St Paul was full towitness representatives of the fiveNegotiating Churches and 150 oftheir supporter sign the Act ofCommitment.

The Act of Commitment was astatement of what the five churchesbelieved in common. It was anoccasion that received a lot ofpublicity, and was significant enoughfor Governor General Sir BernardFergusson to be present. He was adevout Presbyterian himself, and hiswife a devout Anglican. The AnglicanArchbishop of Melbourne waspreacher for the occasion.

Those duly appointed churchleaders signing on behalf of theirrespective denominations were allbig names at the time, Rev AK Petch(Methodist), Rev JB Chambers(Congregational Union), Rev KMAndrews (Associated Churches of

Christ), the Most Rev NA Lesser(Anglican), the Right Rev SC Read(Presbyterian), and the Very Rev MWWilson, (National Council ofChurches).

The signing of the Act ofCommitment was the climax of manyyears of discussions between thePresbyterian, Methodist andCongregational Churches, and laterthey had been joined by the AnglicanChurch and the Associated Churchesof Christ.

It was a major step on a longjourney, and had not been achievedwithout difficulties. Issues of infantor believers’ baptism, the episcopacy,the Eucharist, and church governmentamong others all had to be discussedand agreed upon, and a number ofreports stating agreed theology andchurch practice were produced at thistime.

There was an air of expectationand excitement as we looked forwardto the birth of something new and aswe sought to follow Jesus’ words

‘that they all be one’. There followedthe Plan for Union 1969, and theRevised Plan 1971, the Referendumby members of members of theNegotiating Churches, and thedecisions by the national churchgoverning bodies that eventuallyresulted in the Plan not being followedthrough.

But there was also an air offoreboding. The Plan for Union drewdoubt and opposition from pocketsof each of the Negotiating Churches,and to this day there remain somecontinuing or new churches that havesprung from the opposition to thePlan. Among other issues that facedthe churches in the succeeding yearswere new prayer books, thecharismatic renewal, the ordinationof women, gender issues, and thebicultural journey.

While the Plan for Union did notgo ahead, a number of initiativesresulted. Co-operating Ventures andUnion Parishes were established; StJohn’s College and Trinity College

united on one campus; joint localactivities were established.

I found the spirit of fellowshipand the warmth experienced at lastyear’s 1979-1981 student reunion atSt John’s/Trinity is a lasting tributeto the experience we had of trainingtogether all those years ago.

Fifty years on, we acknowledgethe energy and prayer that ourpredecessors put into the Act ofCommitment. It has been re-affirmedseveral times since.

Perhaps this year is the time toget it out again and reaffirm thoseprinciples for another generation. Butalso pray for forgiveness where wehave failed to follow Christ’sinstruction ‘that we all be one’.

Maybe using UCANZ materialduring the Week of Prayer forChristian Unity (Ascension toPentecost) is an ideal opportunity todo this together.

John McCaul is an Anglicanrepresentative on the UCANZStanding Committee.

Whereas thieves come only to stealand destroy, Jesus came that we mighthave life in all its fullness (John 10:10).During May , as we listen to and reflecton John's gospel we will all have theopportunity to explore what it means toexperience 'life in all its fullness'.

In John 10:9 Jesus refers to himself asa gate, through which we are invited toenter in order (like sheep) to find safetyand nurture. Jesus declares that whoeverenters through the gate which he represents,will be saved.

Salvation is connected directly herewith life in all its fullness, and of beingprovided with everything we need, noteverything we might want. Salvationredirects our priorities away from theaccumulation of wealth to trust in God'sprovision.

Part of what it means to be saved is tohave the ongoing experience of being on

the receiving end of this provision. Thiswas what members of the early Churchexperienced when John's gospel waswritten, and it can still be our experiencetoday.

As I look back on 60 years of life Ihave found this to be true. God hasprovided for all my needs and will continueto do so.

During the years 1978-1984 I workedas a science technician at RuakuraAgricultural Research Centre in Hamilton.During this time I helped with research onsheep nutrition.

We studied how grazing sheep's bloodmetabolite profiles change as the amountof pasture available to them declines. GoodNZ shepherds ensure that their sheep haveaccess to sufficient amounts of high qualitypasture to ensure their well-being.

When Jesus compares himself to ashepherd, he is adamant that those who

are in relationship with him will find'pasture'. In this context pasture refers toeverything we need to live full, satisfyingand meaningful lives, and to enjoy goodphysical, mental and spiritual health incommunity with each other and with God.

In a world with so much conflict,violence, grief and pain Jesus declares “Donot let your hearts be troubled”, (John14:1). We are promised the Holy Spiritwho shall be “with us forever”, (John14:16).

As Christians, we have endlessopportunities each and every day to supportothers who are struggling in ourcommunities and world. We are the bodyof Christ. As people interact with us, andsometimes even enter our churches, it isour responsibility to ensure that we provideaccess to high quality 'pasture' and spiritualnurture.

It is not only the responsibility of

ordained ministers to offer the love andnourishment of Christ. We all have a roleto play.

The goal is healthy congregations thatoffer holistic nurture to all, congregationsthat reach out to bring healing, salvation,peace and justice to others in need.

The 'gate of service and outreach' isopened for us in Jesus. John encapsulatesthe Christian experience as follows: “Thegatekeeper opens the gate for us, and wehear his voice. Jesus calls us by name andleads us out. When he has brought us out,he goes ahead of us. We follow himbecause we know his voice,” (John 10: 3-4).

Jesus goes ahead of us, leading the wayfor us to follow. Holistic nurture is availableto us through our membership in churchesestablished in Jesus' name. From this base,we reach out in loving service to the peoplewhom Jesus came to restore, heal and save.

Luther's lesson - God is not for sale

J e s u s l e a d s t h e w a y GREG HUGHSON REFLECTSON CHRIST THE SHEPHERD

Jim Stuart

By John McCaulRecalling the Act of Commitment 50 years on

By Jim Stuart

Trinity MethodistTheological College

Two Te Taha Maori minita-a-iwi from

Northland say studying at Trinity College is

a challenging but rewarding experience.

Sonny Livingstone and Markus Rogers aretraining for ordained ministry (minita-i-tohia) atTrinity College.

Although they have each been minita-a-iwifor more than 20 years, in the past they thoughtacademic study was not really for them.However, they feel they have fit in at TrinityCollege and they have had the help they needto deal with the College's on-line technology.

This is Sonny's second year at Trinity Collegeand Markus' first. They are both taking twosemester-long classes - Exploring the Bible andInterpreting the Bible - taught by principal RevDr Nasili Vaka'uta.

“Nasili is good at explaining different waysof looking at the Bible,” Sonny says. “He hasshowed us how some of the biblical stories

have been misinterpretedand how some of the 'truths'we have been taught areintrusions that have comei n t h r o u g h l a t e rmistranslations.

“My grandfather andfather were both kaikarakia(worship leaders ) andstaunch Methodist peoplewho knew the Bible insideand out. I can see that theirinterpretations were not always correct. I don'tnecessarily agree with everything that is saidin class but I can sit back and think it out formyself.”

Markus' experience is similar. He says hewas brought up with a traditional Maoriworldview by his parents and aunties who spokeMaori, so the academic world is new to him.

“I teach at a kura kaupapa Maori but I havenever been to university or had to writeacademically. I learned religion through the oldprayers, karakia tawhito, so studying the Bibleclosely is a new experience. It is a real challengeto think and write critically.

“I liked the block course with Nasili becausewe could ask him questions and share ideas

with the other students who come from differentbackgrounds.”

Markus lives in Kaikohe and works in Kaitaia,while Sonny lives in rural Matawaia and looksafter Taha Maori's centres in Kawakawa andKaikohe.

They find the isolation and lack of broadbandInternet connections in Northland can make thedistance learning portion of their studies difficult.However, they have received help from TrinityCollege academic registrar Nicola Grundy andRev Keita Hotere when they have needed it.

“We have been well supported by Te TahaMaori and the Methodist people at TrinityCollege,” Markus says.

Sonny says Te Taha Maori is now trainingsix young people in Northland to becomekaikarakia and he will encourage them to studyat Trinity College.

Trinity College student Maureen

Calhaem says older students should not

be put off by the 21st century technology

used in today's distance

learning.

A lay preacher at KapitiUniting Parish, Maureen isstudying towards herDiploma of Christ ianStudies through TrinityCollege. She is nowenrolled in the Women inthe Bible course taught byDr Emily Colgan.

Maureen is 72 yearsold and continues to study in order toimprove her lay preaching.

“I wanted to become a Baptist ministerin the 1970s but was told as a woman nocongregation would accept me, so it waslovely to become a lay preacher when Ijoined Kapiti Uniting,” Maureen says.

“I was a school teacher until six yearsago when I had a stroke. I still walk witha stick and one hand does not work verywell.”

This is Maureen's second year at TrinityCollege, and she says the teachers andadministrators at the College have beenvery helpful.

“Trinity College has been lovely. The

staff have spoiled me. They could havetold me I was too old to enrol but theywelcomed me. When I have stayed at Trinity

College in Auckland forblock courses they havehelped me get aroundbecause I am not eager tocross busy roads.

“I didn't know if I hadthe computer skills to takethe course. I didn't knowhow to find things on thecomputer or get into theonline classrooms throughGoogle Hangout but they

have helped me.”Maureen is enjoying the class on

women in the Bible and says it is promptingher to look closer at the Old Testamentthan she has before.

“I don't agree with everything that Ihear in the course but that is the point ofstudying: to learn new things. When youhear the news about pay rates for womentoday, it seems as if not much has changedsince the first century.”

Emily says Maureen is amazing andshe is coping well with the class. “She getsonline and is involved in all the IT aspectsof the course. It is all new to her but shehas embraced it.”

Maori students embrace Trinity College challenge

Sonny Livingstone. Markus Rogers.

Age no barrier to studyat Trinity College

Maureen Calhaem. TCOL to host international students 'on a mission'

The success of last year's Training in Mission programme has earned Trinity College morecourses from the Council for World Mission.

CollegeSnippets FACE-TO-FACE WEEKLY PAPERS

Te Reo Patikitiki (Te Aroha Rountree) 25 July to 10 October);

Methodism in Aotearoa (Rev Dr Mary Caygill) 26 July to 11 October).

Trinity College offers study through week-long block courses, face-to-face courses in Auckland and distance learning courses. We also work with groups toprovide programmes in local synods or parishes. We are also able to offer students from out of Auckland accommodation during the block. Semester 2 beginson the 24th July and enrolments are now open. Offerings for Semester 2 are:

DISTANCE PAPERPreaching - Theology and Practice (Rev Dr Mary Caygill) 24 July to 9 October

BLOCK PAPERSInterpreting the Bible (Dr Emily Colgan) 24 to 28 July;

Sex in/and the Bible (Dr Jione Havea) 7 to 11 August;

Te Ao Whakaari (Te Aroha Rountree) 14 to 18 August;

Liberation Theologies (Dr Jione Havea) 21 to 25 August;

Re-Thinking God (Dr Emily Colgan) 28 August to 1 September)

For details visit the Trinity College websitetrinitycollege.ac.nz or contact the academic registrarNicola Grundy on ngrundy@trinitycollege.ac.nz.

Last year the Council of World Mission

(CWM) asked Trinity College to host a group of

students in its Training in Mission [TIM]

programme for a three-week course. After the

positive feedback from the course's

participants, CWM has asked the College to

work with them on other projects.

On 1st May, a second group of TIM studentsarrived in Auckland. This group will include studentsfrom East Asia, Europe, the Pacific, the Carribeanand Africa.

Later this year Trinity College will present ANew Face programme for CWM. This six-weekcourse will run from 8th September to 20th October,and its theme is Agents of Change - TheologyMission and Transformation.

A New Face is a programme for newly ordainedclergy. It is a full-time residential immersion

programme that is designed to give participants across-cultural experience of mission. Theprogramme is contextual and experiential and isavailable for up to eight participants.

Along with study through the theological college,participants explore mission in their placementsettings. Trinity College will give participants anexperience of mission in Aotearoa-New Zealandwhich will include work with Maori and learningabout the cultures of the Pacific.

Students will visit Pakeha and Island churchesas well as community projects. They will exploremission in changing cultures, urban poverty,migration, homelessness, race and gender justice,sex work, climate change and the arts. A New Facestudents will also share their insights into ministryand mission in congregational life.

10 TOUCHSTONE • MAY 2017

A R O U N D T H E C O N N E X I O N

METHODISTALLIANCEN G A P U R A P U R A W E T E R I A N A

A O T E AR O A

You can make a donation to your local parish, one of the Missions,or the Methodist Alliance. Please contact Carol Barron for moreinformation on:

Every child has a right to a good start in life. Everybody

has dignity and worth in the sight of God.

Every day Methodist missions and parishes work with

individuals, families, children, and older people who need

support.

Your donation or bequest can help make a lasting

difference to people in need throughout New Zealand.

Help families live better lives

03 375 1468 • 027 561 9164

Carol@MethodistAlliance.org.nz

PO Box 5416, Papanui, Christchurch 8542

methodist.org.nz/social_services

Wairarapa church people havereceived a good dose of encouragementfrom a Methodist resourcing team.

On Saturday 18th February RevsMary Petersen, Marilyn Welch, andAndrew Gamman from MethodistMission Resourcing's lay ministry teamvisited Levin Uniting Parish to run a 'BeEncouraged' seminar' which certainlywas an inspiring time of growing, caringand sharing.

More than 70 people took part in theseminar, which was the largest ever.After discussions with the facilitatorson which subjects to cover we decidedon worship, pastoral care, and crosscultural sensitivity.

This seminar was a follow up to the 2016Lower North Island Synod's school of theologywhere Rev Dr Trevor Hoggard advised us thatMission Resourcing offers the services of its LayMinistry Support Team and they can presentseminars in parishes on a variety of topics relatingto ministry.

Rev Stuart Grant who was then half timesupply minister at Levin Uniting put it to theParish Council that they might bring members ofthe support team to Levin and invite other parishesto join them for the seminar.

The Levin Parish publicised the event throughthe Lower North Island Synod and the UnitingParishes Oversight Group e-mail lists. People

from parishes stretching from Palmerston Northto Wellington registered for the event and thenconverged on Levin.

This very positive response indicated a hungeramong parish leaders, both lay and ordained, forhelp and education.

Levin Uniting Parish clerk Allen Littleenthusiastically recommends Mission Resourcing'slay ministry team to other parishes.

“The presenters are obviously highly skilledcommunicators and thoroughly conversant withtheir subjects. From comments after the eventpeople certainly felt encouraged,” Allen says.

Papers distributed during the course of theseminar are available on the Levin Uniting Parishwebsite: levinuniting.church.

Mission Resourcing seminar presenters (from left) AndrewGamman, Marilyn Welch, and Mary Peterson.

By Len SchroederNo one wants to grow old. Despite all the

smiling ads and witty jokes, for the great majorityof us it is an uphill journey.

Those at Tamahere Eventide Home andRetirement Village all have one important thingin common - some parts of us don't work like theyused to!

But one of our best counteracting agents isvery simple: music.

Somehow over the last 10 years a little cell ofsingers has evolved into a choir of 24 people inthe 70-90 year age bracket. We think we havebecome one of the best advertisements for ourhome and village.

We started off as a small singing group to adda little variety to special services, such as Easterand Christmas. Like Topsy, it has grown into achoir capable of the occasional three part harmony.

We present two one-hour concerts each year,and recently two outside community groups haveasked us to perform for their entertainment.

Throughout, we have been led by ablemusicians, both from within our own numbers,and beyond. They have encouraged us to keepventuring into new territories of melody andharmony.

There are no restrictions on membership;whoever loves singing, can find a place amongstus.

Our repertoire is completely open-ended, from'All in the April Evening' at Easter to 'Jingle Bells'at Christmas, and from 'Let There Be Peace onEarth' to 'Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah'.

We know from experience that to lift the spiritsof our audiences we need music that has tune andrhythm.

We also aim to have many places in theprogramme where the audience can take part ofthe singing. So we include a participatoryexperience whereby the audience are not justpassive listeners but active sharers in what wepresent.

We figure that if people leave the performancewith a song in their hearts and warmth for theirneighbour, we have been ambassadors for theKingdom.

Finally, choir would not be possible withoutthe talented and entertaining leadership of ourconductor Anne Griffiths, assisted by her twoworkhorses on the piano, Ann Bunney and me(Len Schroeder).

Tamahere's ambassadors of joy

Seminar encouragesLevin lay people

By David HillLast month's deluge was

another setback, but Kaikouraresidents remain upbeat nearly sixmonths on from the 7 .8earthquake that struck inNovember.

Kaikoura Presbyterian Churchminister Rev Alistair McNaughtonsays being cut off from the rest ofCanterbury was a frustration formany, but others took it in theirstride.

While State Highway 1 hasbeen closed for extended periods,the inland road was also closed fortwo days due to the risk of slipsduring last month's heavy rainfall.That left residents cut off just asthey had been in the weeksfollowing the November 14 quake.

However, Alistair says mostpeople he talks to remain upbeatdespite the challenges.

“My instinct is that most peopleare fairly resilient and there is a lotof well-paid work in town at themoment.

“If you're an able-bodied youngperson you can walk into a $21 anhour job as part of the recovery -so for a lot of young people it is agood time to be in Kaikoura.”

Many shop owners, solo parentsand retirees are struggling,however, because they cannot workthe long hours often expected forthe recovery work.

“Everyone is respondingdifferently. The latest tremors havenot affected me, but I know othersare struggling. For me the buzz intown is like normal, but for othersthere is a sense of isolation whenthe road is cut off.”

Sarah Beardmore lives inClarence Valley and flies into

Kaikoura for the working week, asSH1 remains closed to the north ofthe town.

She is developing a communityhub to support residents affectedby the quake and ongoing recovery-related stresses.

During last month's deluge,Clarence Valley was cut off in bothdirections due to slips.

“It really depends on who youask. I think it is kind of fun, but itis awkward when you have toorganise courses,” Sarah says.

“But the isolation is certainlyhard for others and the wholeroading issue is having a big impactwith tourists.”

Alistair says his parish hasreceived generous support fromchurches around the country,including a grant from the AlpinePresbytery which is being used tobuy duvets and blankets.

“It will be a lot colder overwinter for many families. We area small parish, but we do a lot forour size and we are doing what wecan to help those who are missingout.”

The parish lost its organ in theearthquake and will face a bill of$30,000 to $40,000 to replace it.

In the meantime its focus is onsupporting the wider community,he says.

Alistair also had a message formembers of the Methodist Churchwho have supported the parishsince November's earthquake.

“The support from ourMethodist friends has been amazingand a number of families havebenefited from it. I would like topass on my thanks, we are verymuch appreciative of it.”

Rainbowsappear overKaikoura

Despite road closures Kaikoura residents are getting on with life.

Tamahere Eventide's choir has grown to have 24 singers.

TOUCHSTONE • MAY 2017 11A R O U N D T H E C O N N E X I O N

Reflections on a career designing churches in Aotearoa - Part IIBy Eric Laurenson

After designing the square,four-sided Mt Roskill churchdescribed in part one of thisarticle, my thoughts moved tolayouts approximating a circle.For me, there is somethingabout a circular plan thatexpresses a holistic andcomplete view of life and itsmany interrelationships.

After designing, a hexagonalchurch in Mangere Auckland, Irapidly moved to the octagon asmy preferred plan form. Thiswas to be the basis of at least 20other churches.

I was interested to visit aMethodist chapel in the UK thatJohn Wesley referred to as hisfavourite chapel. This littlebuilding at Yarm in NorthYorkshire is octagonal in planwith a ground floor and galleryand a high pulpit from whichWesley could almost haveshaken hands wi th h i scongregation.

An Anglican priest to the endof his days, Wesley was alwaysanxious to avoid a sense inwhich Methodist preachingplaces were seen as expressingdissent from the Church ofEngland and its traditionalbuilding forms. It was movingto learn that, almost unaware, Iwas echoing the injunction ofWesley, “Build all preaching-houses, if the ground will permit,in the octagon form”!

Back in the 1980s I wasasked by the Overseas MissionsBoard to go to Honiara in theSolomon Islands where theUnited Church was planning tobuild a new church. It was arushed visit and decisions hadto be made quickly.

When I arrived, I attendedan evening worship service in alittle church. I was intrigued atthe crowds of people for whomthere was no room inside,peering through the windows toparticipate in the service. I latermet with some of the planninggroup to talk about their wishesfor the new building.

It was clear that they werethinking of something in the old'missionary' style, long andnarrow, with 'railway carriageseating', i.e., rows of seatsarranged before an altar at oneend of the building. Havingthought about things overnight,the next day I asked them howthey gather when they meet withtheir village leaders. Would theysit in narrow rows facing theirleaders?

They said that they wouldsimply gather around seekingthe best vantage point. "Thenwhy don't we build your churchin the same sort of layout?" Iasked.

Today, the circular WesleyUnited church is clearlydistinguishable from the air asone f l i e s in to Honia raInternational Airport. It hasseating for 1000 people withroom for another 500 under awide overhanging roof. Thoseunder the roof can see throughthe windows and participate inthe service.

I soon realised that in all thischange I was expressing my ownPakeha culture's way of thinkingand that there were many otherexpressions of Christianity thatsimilarly needed the listeningear of an architect to expresstheir faith through theirbuildings.

Many Pasifika congregationsfind the thought of a worshipspace being used in any otherway (particularly for servingfood) to be part icularlyunacceptable. Their churchcomplexes require a separatehall that is at least as large as thechurch for their many socialoccasions.

The conversion of an oldPost Office line depot inOtahuhu for the use of TonganMethodists was an interestingcase in point. The building wasvery long and comparativelynarrow, and at first sight didn'tlook very promising for use asa place of worship.

I designed a large entrancefoyer to be placed at the mid-point of the building's length,with a worship space at one endof the building and a hall at theother. Under one roof, thecongregation now had a buildingthat expressed the essential linkbetween worship and all theother activities of a church. Witha glazed wall between the foyerand the worship space, largecrowds on special occasions canstill feel part of the service.

New Zealand is dotted withchurches that were built withtheir entry doors close to theroad. Often a hall was built laterat the rear, usually spaced backfrom the church without anyparticular connection.

On a number of occasions Iencouraged congregations toconsider reversing the directionof seating in their church.Overnight this can liberate achurch complex for alternative

possibilities.By building a connecting

link between the church and hallas a large foyer, many of theconstituents of a modern churchcomplex became possible. Thefoyer can be used for meetingand greeting, and it providesaccess to toilets, kitchenfacilities, and a hall. Easy under-cover access can make a hall anintegral part of the complex.

I have been privileged to bean architect for churches duringa period of fascinating changein the way our faith is expressed.The theological movement ofthe 1960s saw Christians frommy own Pakeha culture copingwith the challenges of secularthinking.

The impact of these changeson Christian practice was at theheart of the exciting changes inChristian architecture that wesaw then and since.

Good architecture is theservant of the culture withinwhich it exists, not its master.Much of my work in recent yearsh a s b e e n f o r P a s i f i k acongregations who continue tohave a strong traditionalexpression of our faith.

My own tradition now seemsto have abandoned efforts toreflect new ways of thinkingabout the faith through itsbuildings.

Changes in the way wedesign and construct buildingshave led to many new and novelshapes of churches but I see littlechange in liturgical practice. Asa result I see little change in theessential nature of the churcheswe now construct.

What of the future? TheWestern wor ld has no tabandoned faith. It has, however,moved away from theologiesbased on the dominance of anyone class or tradition.

I think the church buildingof the future may well bear astriking resemblance to an Irishpub with all its warmth andhospitality. In a world ofconflicting ideologies andcompeting images of God I canonly say that would besomething wonderful!

Eric Laurenson is thepr inc ipa l o f LaurensonArchitects Ltd, Mt Eden. He isa member of Pitt St MethodistChurch and was president of theMethodist Conference 1988-1989.

Above: The Dargaville Methodist Church is an example of the octagonal churchbuildings Eric Laurenson designed during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

The circular Wesley United Church in Honiara seats 1000 people and has room for another 500 under its veranda.

The octagonal Methodist Chapel in Yarm, Yorkshire was John Wesley's favourite.

12 TOUCHSTONE • MAY 2017

C W S

Christian World Service haslaunched Operation Refugee 2017 togive New Zealanders the opportunityto help Syrian refugees in Jordan andLebanon.

Participants in Operation Refugeelive on refugee rations for five daysfrom June 16th-20th in return forsponsorship. Operation Refugee Liteis a two-day challenge for schoolstudents.

Michael Lemanu of the MethodistChurch's Mission Resourcing team wasamong the first to sign up. He and hisTYTANZ team are looking for peopleto join or sponsor them.

“It's great to have the TYTANZteam on board this year. Please givethem your support,” says David Lawsonwho is organising the challenge forCWS.

CWS will send the first 150 peoplewho sign up a Food Box containingbeans, lentils, flour, fish (which can beswapped for more pulses), salt andvegetable oil. Ziera Shoes has donatedthe boxes. CWS asks participants tosupply their own rice. The kete includesrecipes created by chef Grant Allen andlots of fundraising tips.

Participants sign up at the OperationRefugee page on the CWS website.You can also download the kete ofresources, design your own fundraisingpage, and invite others to support youreffort.

Fundraising is online and beginsimmediately. Participants earn bonusfood items like an onion or spice aseach fundraising goal is met.

Funds raised in Operation Refugeewill provide Syrian refugees emergencyfood parcels and cash for rent or otherneeds, plus medical check-ups,education for children and otherservices.

Last year's effort boosted the CWSSyria Appeal by $40,000, enough topay for 566 emergency food parcelsfor a family or for 1,600 refugees tohave a free medical check-up. This yearCWS aims to double that figure.

Through its partner, the Departmentof Service to Palestinian Refugees(DSPR) CWS delivers aid that is greatlyapprec ia ted by new refugeecommunities. DSPR has set up self-help groups so refugees can learn fromand support each other.

More than 5 million people havefled the brutal war in Syria in the lastsix years. Inside Syria, another 6.3million have been displaced and morethan 13 million need humanitarianassistance.

Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon and Turkeyare also struggling to cope with growingnumbers of refugees. The refugeesthemselves find life increasinglydifficult as more services are reduceddue to a lack of funding.

Operation Refugee raisesfunds and awareness

Tribal people living in the hills of TamilNadu, South India are waiting to see if theirapplication for a small plot of land issuccessful.

Thanks to the help of Christian WorldService's partner the Women DevelopmentResource Centre (WDRC), these indigenouspeople now have the identity cards, the firststep to gaining title to their land.

When they met with CWS national directorPauline McKay, they explained that they hadto undergo a blood test to prove they wereindigenous. Low haemoglobin from sickle celldisease is used as an indication of their ethnicity.

The tribal community that lives on the edge

of the forest had pooled its resources andborrowed money from the Women's Bank totake the case to the Regional DevelopmentOfficer. Manohari Doss from WDRC says theyexpect to get a joint title to secure the land onwhich they grow vegetables, fruit and coffee.

“The Tribal people were very grateful forthe expert help provided by WDRC. Like somany indigenous people, they have faceddiscrimination at every turn,” Pauline says.

Donations to the Christmas Appeal fundthe work of WDRC to help Tribal and Dalitcommunities to access basic human rights andovercome discrimination.

Indigenous people appeal for land

The World Council of Churches(WCC) and the All Africa Conferenceof Churches (AACC) are askingchurches to set aside Sunday May 21as a day of prayer to end the faminethat is threatening more than 20million people in Nigeria, Somalia,South Sudan and Yemen.

Ethiopia, Kenya and NorthernUganda are also experiencing severedrought. Christian World Service isasking churches to join the global dayof prayer and hold an offering for the

South Sudan Appeal.ACT Alliance (Action by Churches

Together) is responding with food,water, sanitation, healthcare andlivelihood support across the affectedcountries.

“May our prayers invoke the graceof God, and mobilise people to bringabout peace and an end to hunger andviolence,” say WCC's Rev Dr OlavFyske Tveit and AACC's Rev Dr AndreKaramaga.

Day of Prayer to end famine

From Page 3John says in election year it is

important to urge politicians to“nourish the wellbeing of all wholive in Aotearoa”.

“This is a critical year in the lifeof our nation,” he says. “We will beasked in September who we want tolead for the next three-year term.For the past three terms we haveaffirmed a model of politicalmanagement that has worked forsome and against others. We can askfor more of the same or for a changeof a direction.

“We must be proactive in

demanding policies that lift the livingstandards of those struggling tomaintain basic needs of nourishment,shelter, health and education.”

This includes a fair living wagefor all (including beneficiaries) andthe provision of housing, healthresources and education. John alsowants to see a stronger focus ontreating addictions rather thanpunishing.

Maintaining radical hospitalityfor all those around us is the hopefuland joyous task in front of us, hesays.

Tribal people in Tamil Nadu explain the difficulties they face with CWS head Pauline McKay.

Refugee Edith Ayok cooks beans that she received from the ACT Alliance in South Sudan.

Voice for Kiwis in need

Kidz Korna wants to hear from you so we can share your stories. Send stories and photos of youractivities to Doreen Lennox at dlennox@xtra.co.nz or to touchstone@paradise.net.nz

What are the kids inyour church up to?

They say that the language of musiccan speak to anyone's heart and maybeeven their soul. But sports can do thesame.

Coming to the end of the WorldMasters Games 2017 held in Auckland,one can say that sports brings about apassion for the game that any generationcan relate to.

From 22nd - 30th April, Auckland hasbeen home to 28 sports and 45 disciplinesbeing played out over 48 venues. TheGames have featured competitions inarchery to weightlifting, and everythingin between.

Athletes from 117 different countriesregistered to participate in the Games, andthe weather was nothing but spectaculardespite the recent threats of cyclones anddownright bad weather across the country.

From the opening ceremony at EdenPark, right through to its closing ceremonyat Queens Wharf, this 10-day event hasbeen nothing short of festive. But weshould remember that underlying it all hasbeen a number of young volunteers who

have supported the event.Volleyball New Zealand has been a

part-and-parcel of the three-yearconversation about hosting the beachvolleyball and indoor volleyballcompetitions at The Trusts Arena inHenderson, and the Mairangi BeachVolleyball Centre in Mairangi Bay.

As a part of that conversation, youngsecondary school students and athleteswho are part of Volleyball New Zealand'sbeach and indoor per formanceprogrammes were asked to help organiseand run the programmes at both venues.

To see the interaction between the olderathletes who dedicated each minute ofgame time to competing with gusto, withthe younger athletes who ran thescoreboards, watched lines or refereed thegame, is what MasterCard would deem tobe “priceless”.

The World Masters Games 2017 hasn'thad much coverage on New Zealandmedia, despite the few mentions of theinspirational Man Kaur, who at 101 yearsof age, competed in the 100 metres, 200

meters, shot put and javelin.Despite that, the ethos remains the

same - 'sport for all'. The competition andcamaraderie on and off the court has beenmesmerizing for the young athletes whohave observed the event with awe.

In keeping with the philosophy of theMasters Games, the promotion offriendship and understanding, along withcompetition between mature sports peopleregardless of age, gender, race, religion,or sport status, has been the pinnacle mottothat has inspired the upcoming generation.

Ryan Gunn from Rangitoto Collegesays that he was surprised by the

athleticism of his 63-year-old Finnishpartner. “His commitment to the ball wasjust as quick as his banter, but hisdetermination and passion couldn't bematched! I hope that I'm just as good whenI'm that old,” Ryan says.

Other young athletes were deeplymoved by the easy rapport they found withmany of the international participants.They felt encouraged about their owndevelopment and promotion of the Games.

Many of them are looking forward togetting involved when they “come of age”.How many of you will we seek at the 2021World Masters Games in Japan?

By Filo Tu

We had a special meal on Thursday. It

was called Passover. There was a

Seder plate with six things on it.

The six things were a roasted

bone to remind us of the sacrifices

made at the Temple, a hardboiled egg

to remind us of the Passover festival,

two kinds of bitter herbs to remind us

of suffering, charoset which is a sweet

paste of apples, nuts and red grape

juice that represents bricks and mortar

to remind us that the Jews were slaves

in Egypt, and sprigs of parsley that we

dipped in salt water to remind us of the

tears shed as slaves.

There was also unleavened bread. We

learned a lot about the Passover.

What wonderful celebrationswe had over Holy Week at StJohn's Church in Hamilton East.They started with Palm Sundaywhen Jesus rode into Jerusalemon a donkey and was greeted bythe crowds with cries ofHosanna.

Then on Thursday weremembered Passover with aspecial Passover meal.

On Good Friday it was a sadday when we remembered thecrucifixion. The Fijian youngpeople and children presented avery moving dramatization ofthis.

Then there was rejoicing onEaster Sunday as we al lremembered the resurrection.

TOUCHSTONE • MAY 2017 13

Easter baptisms in TimaruEaster was extra special at Woodland Road Methodist Church in Timaru

this year. Along with celebrating Easter, the congregation witnessed the baptism

of five babies. It was a happy morning.

Young athletes were inspired by the attitudes of the older competitors

WORD SEARCH -WORD SEARCH -BIBLE WOMEN

The Passover plate has abone, an egg and bitter herbs

Hamilton East Kidzpreparing their Seder plates for Passover.

The babies' parents decorated the church withbeautiful Tongan mats for the baptism ceremony.

Ham East kids learn about Passover

WELCOME TO KIDZ KORNA MAY 2017!

World MastersGames bring generations together

14 TOUCHSTONE • MAY 2017

R E V I E W S

© RMSBib

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ANSWERS: Timothy, Matthew, Elizabeth; West, Samuel, Susanna, Samuel, Emily, Sammy, Sarah; Martha, Benjamin, Jedidiah; Mehetabel, Keziah, Betty, Molly, Charles; Anne, Nancy, Mary, Kezzy, Sukey

May is the traditional month for thinking about the founder of Methodism. John Wesley, commonly called Jacky athome, was the seventh of 10 Wesley children who survived beyond infancy. His mother gave birth to 19 children includingthree sets of twins, (five of them boys) who all died. Only three of the 19 were not given Bible names.

Most of John's uncles, aunts and grandparents also had biblical names. However, within the family, non-biblical 'pet-names'were used for all the children except Charles. The Bible references refer to the Christened name. Rhyming words are suppliedfor the non-biblical pet-names.

In February, I urged Touchstonereaders who might have seen Disney'sMoana to keep watching Pacific pictures.One Thousand Ropes by Samoan NewZealander film director Tusi Tamaseseprovides a perfect opportunity.

In 2011, Tamasese gave us The Orator,a film set in Samoa with a Samoan castspeaking Samoan. Now Tamasese hasreturned with One Thousand Ropes, againwith a Samoan cast, again speaking Samoa,but this time set in New Zealand.

Often narrative drives plot. In OneThousand Ropes, however, the linearityof plot is displaced by time. Maea (UelesePetaia) is a male midwife. Skilled atbirthing the future, Maea needs deliverancefrom an ever-present past.

Rather than through plot, the film'smomentum is generated through LeonNarbey's cinematography. A focus on smalldetail - lemons, hands, bodies and buildings- allows the plot to move.

The movement of time is marked, notby changing seasons but by an apartmentblock being painted. Or through lemons,which in the beginning are offered by wayof thanks. Placed on Maea's kitchen table,they become an object of contemplation,before becoming liniment, rubbed on thebelly of a pregnant woman. These visualdetails provide strands for continuity.

The reality of domestic violence hauntsOne Thousand Ropes. It is examined notby moralistic messaging, but in the

interplay of symbol and the absence ofcertain sounds. Symbolically, the camerafocuses on hands. They tenderly massagea placenta from a womb and knead doughinto bread. They can also bruise thepregnant body of Maea's daughter (FrankieAdams).

Then there is sound. A cake mixerpounds dough while men chose theviolence of actions over the empathy that

comes from words.Is it that men don't talk? Or is it that

these particular men from this particularculture, don't talk? One Thousand Ropesseems to suggest that the actions of humanhands are related to the absence of humanwords.

Controversially, there is the presenceof the spirit of a dead woman (Sima Urale).She lives in the corner of Maea's living

room.Cinematically, the character provides

a presence from the past that haunts Maea'spresent. But what does her presencecommunicate about Samoan culture? Andwhat should a Christian viewer make ofthis ghostly presence?

Watching One Thousand Ropes, Iwondered what to make of the ChristianScriptures. Old and New Testaments offerstories from life beyond the grave,including the Easter story of walking dead.

The church is absent in One ThousandRopes. There is plenty of tradition, in theform of traditional medicine and culturalpractice. But there is no trace of religion,whether as healing presence, caringcommunity or moral judge. In this sense,the films fail to capture a dimension ofculture essential to Samoan life.

Yet redemption is present, located inthe actions of Maea's daughter, Ilisa. Hermidwife father will not help her. Yet ingiving birth alone, she finds courage. Byher actions, she steps beyond the handsthat have beaten her. She weaves instead,for herself and her father, a new future.

Rev Dr Steve Taylor is Principal ofKnox Centre for Ministry and Leadership,Dunedin. He is the author of Built forchange (Mediacom: 2016) and writeswidely in areas of theology and popularculture, including regularly on his website:emergentkiwi.org.nz.

A Film Review by Steve Taylor

OneThousand

Ropes

O N S C R E E N

T H E W E S L E Y S A N D T H E I R B I B L E N A M E S

From Page 1Through his street walking Rob has also

created a 'streets project'. This involvesinterviewing some of those he meets about theirvalues. “When I asked what happiness meanstheir answers were all about relational stuff,” hesays.

On Rob's to-do list is a photography projectcalled Between the Bridges to document innercity life.

As Rob and his streets project become known,he has had some generous offers. Recently theLife in Vacant Spaces trust offered him the useof an empty city site. Now he is deciding whatto do with it.

When Rob meets people in need, he refersthem to those who can help. “I am merely anintermediary. I don't want my job to revolvearound me because I am expendable.”

He regularly runs his ideas past a group ofinterested people, including two lawyers. “Theyaren't all church people and that's important fora project like this.”

Rob connects with people through Facebookand regular blogs. “A recent post attracted nearly1000 hits, and that tells me people are becominginterested in what I'm doing.”

To get a feel for his new role, Rob met withRev John MacDonald, the Methodist chaplainat large for Auckland city centre. But as he pointsout, the centres of Auckland and Christchurchare very different.

“One spin off from my job is that I have gotto know people I would not otherwise meet. Ihave talked to everyone from the Superintendentof Police to the guy on the street. But what I doisn't social services. I am a wandering storycollector, a reflector and a theologian.

“The church set my job up, and me bangingaround town is the result,” says Rob.

Christchurchcity chaplain

TOUCHSTONE • MAY 2017 15

Are you superstitious?Many of us will probably answer 'no'.

But think again. Do you say 'touch wood'or do you kiss under the mistletoe? Doyou avoid the number 13 or do you see afour-leaf clover as a sign of good luck?Maybe you play practical jokes on AprilFool's Day? Perhaps you are superstitiousand just don't realise it.

Max Cryer offers us an A to Z (or ratherA to Y) guide to the world of superstitions,many of which are so embedded in ourculture we may not realise that they aresuperstitions.

The book points out countlesssuperstitions in relation to courtship andmarriage, and the dangers if you fail toward off evil spirits.

For example the best man and groom's men originallyhad the job of protecting the bride “from any maraudingrival of the groom's who wished to capture her”. Theywould wear a small bunch of flowers and herbs (today'sbuttonhole) near the heart to protect the bride from evilspirits.

The saying touch wood apparently stems from the belief

that spirits lived in the trees. Bytouching the tree or the wood youacknowledged the spirit and in returnit was hoped the spirit would bringyou good luck.

Mistletoe is steeped in traditionand superstition in several cultures,so it is not surprising that kissingunder the mistletoe has many fairytales attached to it.

It is estimated in nature there mayonly be one four-leaf clover for every10,000 three-leaf clovers, so it ishardly surprising the rare appearanceof a clover with four leaves shouldbring an expectation of good luck -or otherwise.

For centuries April 1 was considered to be New Year'sDay, but that was on the Julian calendar and it is actuallyMarch 25 on the Gregorian calendar we now use.

Legend tells that peasant folk were not keen on thechange to the Gregorian calendar or to have New Year'sDay on January 1. Hence people would turn up at theirneighbour's house on April 1 in a festive spirit joking thatit was New Year's Day. To stop things getting out of hand,

the tradition crept in that “bad luck will come to anyonewho tries to perpetuate an April Fool's trick after 12 noon”.

Do you put your hand over your mouth when you sneezeor yawn? Not only is it polite to do so, but if you don't yourlife force and soul could escape, or worse still an evil spiritor even the devil might get in.

Attention to wishbones dates back to ancient times whensome cultures revered the chicken. The ancient Etruscans(forerunners of the Romans) even performed a ritual calledalectryomancy or rooster divination.

Following the ritual, a wishbone would be left out inthe sun to be preserved. People would then come to strokeand wish on the bone believing it to retain the powers ofthe living chicken.

The Romans later adopted this tradition, but with anadded twist. Due to the shortage of bones, two people wouldbreak the wishbone, with the recipient of the larger portionof bone deemed to receive a larger portion of luck.

Can you pronounce the word paraskevidekatriaphobia?In the 1990s an American psychotherapist Dr Donald Dosseycreated the phrase to mean fear of the Friday the 13th.Apparently if you can pronounce it, you are cured!

If you are interested in reading about the origins ofcommon superstitions or customs, or you just want a goodlaugh then this is the book for you.

Decades ago, when I was a studentnurse one of the first things we learnt washow the World Health Organisationdefined health in its 1948 constitution,that is, as “a state of complete physical,mental, and social well-being and notmerely the absence of disease or infirmity”.

An enlightened tutor encouraged us toinclude spiritual well-being as an equallyimportant component.

Such an inclusive understanding of thenature of health lies at the heart of TheGod- Shaped Brain.

This is not a book about the physicalshape of the human brain or about whatwe might imagine to be the shape of God.Nor is it a quick fix for human suffering and despair.

Jennings is a Christian psychiatrist and he sets out to“to explore how a change in one's thinking about God andScripture results in the healing of mind, body, andrelationships, while holding to distorted God-conceptsbrings pain, suffering, and, ultimately, death”.

For Jennings, it is not simply a matter of quoting bible

verses, but rather of correcting themisinterpretation and misuse ofscripture that has crippled people'slives.

He bluntly speaks of what he callsthe lies about God that inhibit the flowof love. Further, he discusses how achange in beliefs, thoughts, andbehaviour changes our brain structure,ultimately changing who we are.

He offers theological reflections,explanations of brain physiology, andcase studies from his practice ofpsychiatry to support his thesis.

Jennings ably demonstrates thetransformative effects of both

reimagining God as love, and taking from the Jesus storiesthe imperatives to love. He brings a Christian spiritualperspective to the substantial body of research and knowledgeabout how the brain structure and function can be changed.

A number of the chapters contain suggestions for howthe reader can use personal reflection and application in hisor her own life. This makes this book more than just an

interesting and engaging read.The addendum sets out simple steps to ensure a healthier

brain and is a reminder that we all do have the means atour disposal to live well, governed by love.

There is also a free, downloadable study guide availablefor individual or group reflection. It would work well fora retreat or ongoing study group.

I consider myself fortunate that my Christian nurturedid not include concepts of God as harshly judgmental,punitive, and unforgiving. Nonetheless, I, as do all humanbeings, have areas of woundedness, and like all pastoralcare givers, spend much time walking with people whocarry burdens of fear, low self-esteem, loneliness and muchelse.

Although some of its language and content reflects adifferent theological position from mine, I found this aninformative and compassionate book.

Pastoral care givers and preachers alike, regardless ofwhere they are located on the theological spectrum, couldfind this a useful resource, both to reflect on their owntheology and practice of ministry, and to enhance the carethey offer.

By Timothy Jennings2013, IVP Books, 255 pages

Reviewer: Lynne FrithThe God-Shaped Brain -How Changing Your View of God Transforms Your Life

By Max Cryer2016, Exisle Publishing, 175 pages

Reviewer: David Hill

R E V I E W S

Following the Synod on Family Lifein 2015, Pope Francis issued an apostolicexhortation, Amoris Laetitia, the Joy ofLove. The Pope urges families, indeed allpeople, to cultivate the joy of love and tobring prayer into every aspect of life.

Responding to this, and encouraged byCardinal John Dew who attended theSynod, Fr James Lyons of Wellingtonidentifies and affirms every mood andcircumstance of life as a time for prayer.

In a well-written introduction he statesthat “prayer does not have to be a lot ofwords or any words at all; it is primarilya movement of the heart responding to aneed of the moment.”

There is indeed a time for everythingas recognised by the writer of Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, whosenoble poetry is printed in full and sets the overall theme.

This idea of prayer relating to life is developed in thechapter by Jo Ayers. She states that “Prayer is not animposition. It is attention to the fact that God is with us.”

If God is with us always and everywhere there is no

limit to when or why we might pray.Jo offers some practical hints forbringing prayer to life and suggeststhat colour, music, actions, singing,silence, smell, movement, meditation,reflection, light and dark may all beprayerful experiences.

Appropriately, this book isbeautifully illustrated with colourphotographs of New Zealand familiesand landscapes.

Building on excerpts from AmorisLaetitia, and calling to mind the wordsof Ecclesiastes, this book focuses onprayer under 12 themes. Theintroduction to each theme is on apage of a different colour and calls

the reader to reflect on the times and seasons of humanexperience.

Different people have contributed the prayers relatingto the themes and they include children writing from theirown perspective. A child's perspective is highlightedeffectively by an unsophisticated but very honest prayer

scanned into the printed text from the writer's ownhandwritten copy. This speaks of the authenticity of prayerthat is not just repeated phrases but comes from the heart.

The 12 themes that each have a time are 1) Beginning,2) Ending, 3) Growing, 4) Hurting, 5) Caring, 6) Seeking,7) Celebrating, 8) Enjoying, 9) Loving, 10) Forgiving, 11)Thanksgiving, and 12) Blessing.

Many of these overlap and each is developed in waysthat bring fresh insight. For example under 'Beginning' areprayers for the beginning of a new day, a child beginningschool and beginning life in a new home.

Year 3 student Anika reflects on 'Growing' and sheprays, “When I grow I get smarter”.

Under 'Hurting' there are prayers for a dead dog and forstrength to stand up to a bully. Under 'Caring' Joy Campbellprays “Let us be your embrace”.

Acknowledging God in the midst of life Joy Cowleyaddresses “God of washing, unmade beds, dented saucepansand worn out brooms” whose “presence often takes me bysurprise.”

The book encourages readers to look beyond prayer asa discrete religious activity and to see it embracing dailylife where God may take us by surprise.

James Lyons, editor2016, FitzBeck Publishing, 146 pages

Reviewer: John MeredithThere Is a Time for - A Family Companion for Every Season

Superstitions and Why We Have Them

16 TOUCHSTONE • MAY 2017

N O W A N D T H E N

Born in Portaferry, County

Down, Andrew Caughey was involved

in the Methodist Church from an

early age. Apprenticed at 15 to the

Belfast drapers James Lindsay and

Co, he completed six years with the

firm before being transferred to

London in 1870.

He returned to Belfast in 1877,

after employment in Liverpool and

Cork. Health problems led to his

decision to come to New Zealand

in 1879. His initial intention here

was to enter Wesleyan ministry.

He spent a year as a private

student at Three Kings College prior

to offering himself as a candidate at

the Conference of 1880. He served

as a probationer in three northern

Circuits (Kaipara, Pukekohe and

Northern Wairoa) until another

breakdown in his health led to his

resignation in 1883. He was

described as a passionate preacher

who drove himself too hard.

He returned to the drapery trade

at the suggestion of his brother-in-

law WH Smith, another active

Methodist layman, and together they

founded the firm of Smith and

Caughey which achieved a

preeminent position in the Auckland

mercantile scene.

Caughey and his family settled

in the new Auckland suburb of Mt

Albert, and he was an elected

member of the local Road Board.

This was a body of citizens whose

primary responsibility was to lobby

for better roading for their suburb

or region. He also raised a company

of the Auckland Volunteer Rifles

from among the staff of his business

and served as its captain.

Throughout his life Caughey

maintained an active interest in the

Church, and for nearly 30 years he

regularly attended Conference,

representing the Wesley College

Board.

He was a New Zealand lay

representative at the International

Ecumenica l Confe rence a t

Washington in 1901. He also served

for many years as a member, and

then president of the Board of the

Auckland Y.M.C.A., and was a

generous benefactor of the Plunket

Society.

His business success enabled

him and his sister Marianne Smith

to engage in wide - ranging

philanthropy. Together they enabled

the first Methodist orphanage in

New Zealand to be founded in 1913

on a large Mt Albert property. Later

they also led the establishment of

another children's home at Epsom.

Caughey served from 1892 on

the Board of Governors of Prince

Albert Theological College, and

remained a member of the Board

and a benefactor of the subsequent

theological institutions until his

death. Dunholme, the Remuera site

of the theological institution for 17

years, was another of his properties,

and he made it available to the

Church at a nominal rental

throughout that period.

He was a key figure in the initial

planning for the new Trinity College

on Grafton Rd. He was equally

involved in the work of Wesley

College, the secondary school for

Maori and other boys, and had much

to do with the purchase and

development of the site at Paerata

from 1922 onwards.

When he died on 18th December

1928 the tributes paid to him

remarked on his faithful commitment

to his Church, and his exceptional

administrative gifts. ”So honourable

was he in all his dealings”, and so

public-spirited was his generosity.

The title of this piece comes from

the Auckland Star's warm tribute.

Unsung Methodists By Donald Phillipps

F R O M T H E A R C H I V E S

T h e h a n d o f G o d i n o u r t r e e s a n d c h u r c h e s

Thomas Fletcher Wallisfounded the Mount EdenTurnery at his home 'Woodford',80 Mount Eden Road in 1923.The f irm special ised incraftsmen's work for thefurniture trade. It produceditems that graced many homesduring the following decades.

Born in 1881, Fletcher Walliswas one of the grandsons ofWesleyan missionaries James andMary Wallis, and was the son ofRobert Martin and Emily Sarah

Wallis (nee Wing).He married Millicent Moore

Gash in 1920 and his sister, LucyMillicent Wallis married HerbertHenry Pollard the foundingpartner of the well-known firmof Henderson and Pollard, timbermerchants, also based in MountEden.

Fletcher Wallis loved woodand consistently worked with it.He panelled his office with morethan 60 samples of New Zealandnative timber including pieces

from the buried forest at Arapuni,reputed to be over 4000 yearsold. He also loved God.

Carved into the front of hisoffice counter was the last line'only God can make a tree', fromthe well-known poem 'Trees', byyoung American poet, journalistand soldier, Joyce Kilmer, killedin July 1918 whilst on activeservice in France.

Wallis's business grew and in1950, the directors purchasedland in Rosebank Road, Avondale

and the firm, which becameknown as Woodturners (NZ) Ltd,shifted to a large, new factorythere.

He was a member of theMethodist Central Mission inAiredale Street, a circuit steward,and he became a trustee in 1933.

Wallis died in 1951 aged 69and the wooden carved quote“only God can make a tree”, wassubsequently given to theAuckland Methodist CentralMission for its new building.

When I began research onFle tcher Wal l is and hiswoodturning firm for the historyof the Mount Eden district, Iwondered whether he might havebeen the person who carved thetext “Sir, we would see Jesus”(John12:21) inside the woodenpulpit when the Central Mission'ssubstantial new chapel buildingwas opened in 1964.

The Mission received that siteopposite the Town Hall on thecorner of Queen and Airedalestreets (the latter formerlyEdwardes Street) through an1851 crown grant to the PrimitiveMethodist Church by GovernorGeorge Grey. The site has sincebeen sold.

Other churches may also havethis same challenging text in theirpulpits, visible to the preacher

regardless of whether that personmight in fact be a woman leadingworship.

Traditionally there have beenwomen preachers, includingdeaconesses, in the pulpits of thevarious branches of the MethodistChurch, as Ruth Fry points outin her book Out of the Silence,which chronicles Methodistwomen of Aotearoa 1922-1985.

Between the years 1959,when Rev Phyllis Guthardtbecame the first woman to beordained in any of the mainlineChristian denominations in NewZealand, Australia or the Pacific,and 1976, however, only threeother women were ordained inthe Methodist Church of NewZealand.

During those years at leastone other Methodist church inAuckland also installed the textwithin the pulpit.

Now that I realise thatFletcher Wallis died some yearsbefore the plans for the MethodistCentral Mission were completed,it seems unlikely that he carvedthat text. Still I would see him ofa mind with today's people offaith, rejoicing to see the handof God in this, our wonderfulland of trees and forest andworking to keep it “green andpleasant”.

A N D R E W C L A R K E C A U G H E Y - 1 8 4 9 - 1 9 2 8

By Helen Laurenson

Andrew Caughey.

H E W A S A W O R T H Y C I T I Z E N

The 1948 trustees of Auckland Central Mission included Fletcher Wallis, seated front row first from the right.

NAI LALAKAI MAI NA WASEWASE KO VITI KEI ROTUMA E NIUSILADI

TOUCHSTONE • MAY 2017 17

Vola Tabu: 2 Tui 22-23:1-25 & 2 ni Veigauna 34:14-33Eda curuma tiko na vula ko Me.Na

vula ko Me ei ka ciwa ni vula ena vulavakaviti ka kilai ena yaca vula i doi. Oqona vula e dau tei kina na dalo ni vuci(doidoi) e dalo vakalewe sara. Edau liwakina nai otioti ni cagilaba (cagi ni doi).Sa dau sogotubu na lolo ena vula oqo.Se ka vua na vesi leka. Vua na yasiyasi.Matua na uvi leka. Se ka vua na doi. Levuna salala.

Eda curuma talega na Siga Tabu NiTina ka dau vakananumi kina na bula niveiqaravi vakatina.

Eda na talanoataka na bula nei Uludaka kunei na kena i tukutuku ena lesoni ecake.

Na Parofita marama ko Uluda savakawati vei Salumo koya sa dauqaravana nai sulu vakaTui I Josaia na Tui.

Ena gauna era sa vakavouia kina navale ni soro na Jiu sa qai laurai kina e duanai lavelave ni Vunau ka soli taumada veiMosese nai Talatala ni Kalou ka liutakana veisereki mai na veivakabobulataki mai

Ijipita. Sa tala eso na I talai ko Josaia naTui me ra laki vakataroga na Parofitamarama oqo se cava sara mada naitukutuku ni Kalou ena vukuni veika sabasika oqo ena I vunau ka kune oqo.

E talei ni a sega ni tarogi rau na Parofitarogo levu ko Jeremaia kei Sefanaia ia avakasaqara na loma ni Kalou ena nona viarogoca na domo ni Parofita marama.

Nai tukutuku mai vua na marama e duatani mai na veitukutuku eso ka dau rogovoli mai veiira na Parofita ka ra gauna vataka ni a vakadewataka sara na vosa ni Kaloume vaka e volai ena I Vakarua. Evakadeitaka ko Uluda na yalayala I Jiovani na vakarusai ko Juta ena vuku ni nonatalaidredre.

E dina sara ni a veivakarerei na veikae cavuta ena vukuni bula vakapolitiki, iana nona parofisai na marama saveivakayavalati ni sa vakavuna e dua naveivakavoui ena bula I Josaia na Tui. Ayavala na Tui ko Josaia ka vakatekivu meliutaka e dua na toso kaukauwa me

vakarusai kece sara na qaravi kaloumatakau ka ra vakalesui na lewe I Isireliki vua na nodra Kalou.

A vakaitavi sara na parofita maramaoqo ena veisau levu kei na veivakabulaini vanu oqo. E talei ni na nona kacivi naParofita marama oqo ka ni dusia e dua nadina levu ni nodra nuitaki na marama enabuli vanua kei na bula yadua ni tamatakina veitokani kei na Kalou.

A vakaitavi na parofita marama oqoena kena vakamatatataki na lawa ni bulani qaravi Kalou vua na Tui ka ni uto saraga ni nodra na tamata ni Kalou na muridodonu ni vunau se lawa.

Na dina ni tukutuku oqo sa vakadeitakana nodra vakayagataki talega na maramaena nona gadreva na Kalou me vakatakilana lomana lei na nona lewa vei ira natamata.

E vakadeitaka na nai tukutuku oqo nisa daunivosa dina ni Kalou ko Uluda katalei talega ni vakatakila na parofitamarama na nona yalodina ka yalo qaqa me

kakua ni loveca na vosa ni Kalou ia mecavuta taucoko me vaka e gadrevi vua maivua na Kalou.

E talei ni sega ni okata na I Vola Tabuna bibi ni nona marama na parofita ia samaroroya na dina ni sa dau vakayagatakatalega na marama na Kalou ena cakacakani nona veivakavoui kei na veivakabulai.

Sa vakadeitaka na I talanoa oqo ni sadau vakayagataki ira talega na maramaena vakavoui nei Isireli ena gauna ni Tuiko Josaia. Sa vuni veisau ni Tui kei navanua na vakadewai tukutuku ni Kaloume talairawarawa na Tui kei ira na leweni vanua kina vosa ni Kalou.

Me da nanumi ira talega na maramaera sa yali yani ka ra veivuke ena kenatutuvaki na cina ni Lotu e Aotearoa.

(Mai Na I Lavelave Ni Siga Tabu NiTina 2017)

Na vakanuinui Vinaka Ena Nodra SigaTabu Na Tinada!

Akuila Bale, Tc Peceli Wanganui

Ko Sa Kacivi Mo Tukuna Na Vinaka Ni Kalou

Nai loloma Senitoa kina Perisi e Wanganui. Veivakatikori vei Talatala Livani.

Nai loloma Kato kuta kina Perisi e Waikato. Nai Soqosoqo ni Turaga e Waikato.

Veivakatikori vei Talatala Akuila.Veiqaravi vei Talatala Livani.Na magiti vakaturaga vei Talatala Livani

THE VOICE OF SINOTI SAMOA

O le aso 20-23 o Aperila na usia ai lefonotaga a le Mafutaga Tama'ita'i o leSinoti Samoa lea sa talimalo ai leMafutafga Tama'ita'i o le ItumaloUelegitone, ma sa fa'ataunu'uina i leSilverstream Retreat.

O le sini o lenei mafutaga o le 'Le Atuao le Alofa, fa'atumuina i matou i lou alofa'.

Na tatala aloaia lenei mafutaga e lesauniga lotu na saunia e le afioga i lePeresetene o le Mafutaga a Uelegitone lefaletua ia Marlene ma le mamalau o lemafutaga ina ua mae'a ai o le aiga o le afiafi.

Sa faia ai ma tribute mo tina ua fai i lagi

folauga mai lena tausaga. O le tina NiuulaVaega nai le Mafutaga Tama'ita'i MangereCentral ma le tina ia Ala Fa'aati Tevaui maile Mafutaga Tama'ita'i St. Pauls Otara.

O le Mafutaga a le Itumalo Manukau sasaunia le lotu o le taeao o le Aso Faraile eamata ai polokalama o lea aso.

Sa maua le avanoa e mafuta mai ai ilenei mafutaga susuga i le Tausi Itumalo oManukau le susuga ia Tovia Aumua ma lesusuga i le Tausi Itumalo Hawkesbay lesusuga ia Iakopo Fa'afuata e fai ma sui o leTofamamao. Sa faia le latou workshop male afioga i le Sea o le Sinoti le susuga ia

Suiva'aia Te'o ua fa'aulutalaina o le'Fa'aosofia'.

O sui tupulaga o le Mafutaga sa gafa male sauniga lotu o le taeao o le Aso To'ana'i.Ina ua mae'a le sauniga sa feagai ma le fanauona tu'uina loa lea o le avanoa i le susugai le Tausi Itumalo o Uelegintone le susugaia Falaniko Mann Taito mo le a'oga TusiPaia.

O le Aso Sa na fa'apaiaina ai le ofisa fouo le Mafutaga a Tama'ita'i o le Sinoti Samoa.

Peresetene: Faletua ia Leotele Aumua;S/Peresetene: Faletua ia Suresa Tufuga;Failautusi: Tausi ia Suluama Feaunati;

Teutupe: Tausi ia Tuituivao Salevao;Siapelini: Rev. Alisa Lasi.Sa maua le avanoa e fa'aleo ai le agaga

fa'afetai ma le fa'amalo o le MafutagaTama'ita'i i le afioga i le faletua ia RosaFa'afuata ua loa tausaga o ia tauaveina leneitofi Peresetene. Na fa'aleo le agaga fa'afetaitele o le mafutaga ona o galuega lele isatauata'i mai i le tele o tausaga ae maise o leanoanoa'i o fita sa feagai ma le galuega,fa'apena fo'i ona faailoa le agaga fa'afetai ole mafutaga i le ofisa sa galulue ma le faletuaia Rosa Fa'afuata.

Mafutaga Tama'ita'i Sinoti Samoa.

Silverstream Retreat 2017

18 TOUCHSTONE • MAY 2017

F o n o t a g a M a f u t a g a Ta m a ' i t a ' i S i n o t i S a m o a

By 'Ikilifi Lui PopeNa'e lava lelei e

' u l u a k i f a k a t a h afakavahefonua 'o e2 0 1 7 ' a i a n a ' efakahoko ia ki heVahenga Uelingatoni.Na'e fisi-ki-tu'a 'a emafana mo e kelesi 'o eteuteu lahi na'e fai 'e hengaahi kainga lotu 'o eKolomu'a' pea na'e tafetouliki ia he kaufakafofonga na'e lavamai mei he ngaahivahenga kotoa 'o ekainga Tonga 'o e siasiMetotisi.

Na'e kamata pe 'a emafana mei he 'ahoFalaite 'i he talitalikakato 'e he potu siasi 'oAvalon 'a e fakatahasinoti fakafaifekau. KoAvalon foki 'oku nau kauki he peulisi Lower Hutt'a ia 'oku faifekau ai 'aKalo Kaisa 'i he kaupalangi. Ko e setuata ko'Aisea Masila pea tokoni'a Kolosaini Taulata.

Na'e me'a foki ai 'a etalekita, Rev SetaitaKinahoi Veikune peapehe ki he faifekau sea,Rev. Tevita Finau peamo e kau faifekau 'okun a u n g a u e ' i h eVahefonua kae 'uma'aa'a e kau faifekau 'oku naungaue he ngaahi sinotikehe.

'I he po hiva 'a eVahefonua na'e hivakotoa ai 'a e ngaahi hiva'o e vahenga Uelingatonipea na'e mafana mokelesi'ia 'aupito. Ko eme'a tatau pe foki na'eongona he malanga 'o e

'aho Sapate 'a ia na'etataki pe ia 'e he ngaahikau hiva' pea mo etangata malanga ko efaifekau sea, TevitaFinau.

Na'e 'ikai foki fai halau kovi ia ki he ngaahitalitali 'o talu pe mei hekamata he Falaite 'o a'uki he Sapate 'a ia na'e taatuku ai 'a e vahengaWesley, Taranaki. 'Oku'i ai foki 'i he peulisi ni'a Rev. Simote Taungaapea mo Rev MotekiaiFakatou 'i he kau palangiia.

Na'e lava ange fokimo e potungaue talavou'a Mo'unga Heamoni meiNorthcote 'o tataki 'a elotu&fakafeta'i pe praiseand worship.

Na'e fakahoko foki 'ehe faifekau sea, TevitaFinau 'a e fakamaloo meihe Vahefonua ki he kaufaifekauu 'o e vahengani: Simote Taunga,M o t e k i a i F a k a t o u(Wesley, Taranaki);Hiueni Nuku (Ututa'u,Tawa); Kalo Kaisa(Avalon); pea pehe ki hekau setuata: Na'a Sina(Upper Hutt); Vaituimate(Tawa); 'Aisea Masila,Kolosaini (Avalon);Sioeli Havea, LangitotoMe'afo 'ou (WesleyTaranaki) pea mo honaungaahi kainga lotuukoe'uhii ko e ngaue'aufuatoo 'o hono talitali'o e fakataha 'a eVahefonua 'o a'usia ai 'ae fakataha lelei mofakalaumal ie foki .

TOUCHSTONE • MAY 2017 19

Ongoongo mei he fakataha Vahefonua Tonga 'o 'Epeleli 2017

Kuo tuku mai 'e he potungauemo'ui, Auckland Regional PublicHealth Service ha fakatokngakoe'uhii ko e too ko ia 'a e mahakitaifoti 'i 'Okalani ni.

'Oku makatu'unga foki eni hema'u 'a e mahaki ni 'i ha siasiPenitekosi Ha'amoa 'i 'Okalanini 'a ia ne puke ai ha nau ni'ihi'o 'ave ki falemahaki.

'Oku mafola lahi foki 'a emahaki ni 'i he me'akai pe me'a

inu 'oku ala ki ai ha taha 'oku puke'i he kae 'ikai ke fanofano hili honongaue'aki 'a e toilet. Ko ia kuo 'omiai 'a e fekau mo e fakatokanga kefanofano ke ma'a hili honongaue'aki 'a e toilets pea toki alaki he me'akaii.

'Oku matu'aki mahu'ingafoki 'a e faka'ehi'ehi pea tokanga'imo e ngaaohi 'o e me'akaii ke ma'apea tautautefito ki ha ngaohime'atokoni ki he katoanga tokolahi.

Ko kinautolu kuo 'ave ki hefalemahakii 'o faito'o 'e holo angeai 'a hono toe fakamafola 'o emahaki'. Pea ko e hili pee ha ngaahi'aho hono toe vakai'i 'a e fa'ahingapea mahino kuo mole 'a e siemuumei ai ko 'ene sai 'a'ana ia 'o 'ikaiha toe hoha'a ki ha fa'ahinga toefakatu'utamaki.

Ko e ngaahi faka'ilonga 'o emahaki ni 'oku kau ai 'ete ongo'imofimofi 'i ha ngaahi 'aho, kau

foki ki ai pea mo e langa 'ulu peamo e taa vaivaia pea mo felangaakifoki. 'Oku foki ai mo e langa keteepea a'u 'a e ni'ihi ki he fakalele.

Ka ai leva ha ni'ihi 'e hoha'a 'iha 'asi 'a e ngaahi faka'ilogna ko'enii pea ke kataki 'o fetu'utaki levaki ho'o toketa fakafamili pea teketaa ki he kau neesi he Healthline'a ia ko e 0800 611 166.

Ko e laine telefoni (healthline)ko en i kuo foko tu 'u ke

tokangaekina ki he mahaki Taifokikuo 'osi maau pee ai 'a e kaufakatonulea pea 'oku lele houa 'e24 ia 'o 'aho 'e 7 he uike. Ko engaahi ongoongooo fakamuimuitaha pea mo e fakaikiiki 'oku tukumai ia he website 'a e AucklandRegional Public Health Service, 'aia ko e www.arphs.govt.nz.

Ko e fakatokanga ki he mahaki Taifoti

Ko e komiti Pukolea lolotonga 'a e komiti fakaikiiki. 'Oku taki mai 'i he komiti ni 'a e kau setuata ko Sekope Moli (St Paul, Hamiltoni, taupotu to'ohema), Naita Manu (setuata lahi Pamure,fika 3 mei to'ohema), 'Uha'one Metuisela (setuata lahi Ellerslie, tu'u mei mui 'i lotomalie), pea mo e ongo faifekau ko Sunia Ha'unga (Gisborne), Tu'uhoko Pole (Epsom).

Ko e kau hiva 'a e Kuata pea ko e faihiva ko Sokopeti Sina.

Ko e kau hiva 'a Wesley pea ko e faihiva ko Filimone Ngauamo.

Ko e kauhiva 'a Avalon pea ko e faihiva ko.

20 TOUCHSTONE • MAY 2017

By 'Ikilfi PopePotu Folofola: Himi 453: v.5

Pehe 'ene na'ina'i 'i he 'ene teu ke 'aluFafanga 'eku fanga lami, pea tauhi ma'uNeongo kuo hiki 'oku kei ui 'a e tamaiki'E tuku 'a e fanau ke ha'u ki au

Ko e taha 'o e ngaahi polokalamafakamafana 'o e Vahefonua 'Epeleli 2017ko e ngaahi polokalama 'a e fanau pea moe to'utupu pea 'oku fekau'aki lelei ia moe mahina ni he ko e mahina 'o e fanau moe famili.

Ko e taha 'o 'enau polokalama ko honotataki 'o e 'lotu & fakafeta'i' 'i he ouaumalanga 'o e pongipongi Sapate. 'I hefakakaukau ko 'enii 'oku 'omai ai 'e hefanau mo e to'utupu pe ko e talavou moe finemui 'a e “Lotu & Fakafeta'I”/ 'Praiseand Worship' 'i ha akenga mo ha fa'ahingamafana 'oku tau tui ko e manako ia 'o

nautolu. 'I he 'aho ko ee na'e kalokalomamahi ki ai 'a e kau tangata'eikii 'o nautala ko e fa'ahinga to'onga lotufakapenitekosi tokua.

'Oku 'ikai ke u ma'u pee kuo tali kakatoeni 'e he Siasii 'i Tonga pe 'ikai. Pea 'oku'ikai foki ke u lave'i pe kuo tali kakato 'ehe kau tangata'eiki 'o e Siasii heni 'a efa'ahinga ngaungaue pe fute pehe ni pe'ikai. Kou manatu'i pe 'i he 'enekamakamata maii na'e ngaahi'i ai 'e hetangata'eiki faifekau kuo ne pekia 'a efa'ahinga ' lotu mo e fakafeta'i' pe 'praiseand worship' ko 'enii 'i Lotofale'ia. Mahalopee na'e fu'u too ia ki tu'a mei he mafana'oku totonu ke ngata ai 'a e 'lotu mofakafeta'ii pe 'praise and worship'.

'Tuku ke 'omi 'o e fakakaukau ko iaake ofi 'aupito mai ki he siate folau 'okulolotonga folaua 'e he Siasii ko e“Fakamanava hake 'etau fanau” pe “Let

our children live”.'A ia ko e fakamanava hake ko e

tukuange ha faingamalie ki he 'etau fanauke nau mo'ui pe ko e tukuange 'etau fanauke 'i ai ha nau 'ataa (space) ke naufakahoko ai 'a e me'a 'oku mafana ki aihonau laumalie. Na'e fakalea 'e Rev DrJione Havea 'i he 'ene malanga, Vahefonua,Siulai 2016 'a e 'Let the Children Live' koe tuku 'etau fanau ke nofo pee ko e tukuke nau mo'ui”.

'I he fakakaukau 'o e tuku ke nau nofo'ko 'enau fai 'a e me'a 'oku nau tupu hake'o mamata ai henii' he 'oku tupu hake monofo heni; ka 'oku 'ikai ko e tupu hakeheni kae ako'i kinautolu he founga lotuna'e tupu hake 'a e matu'aa 'o maheni ai'i Tongaa.

'I he ouau malanga lolotonga ko efaingamalie 'oku tau 'oange ma'a 'enaufanauu ke nau kau mai 'i he malanga' ko

e lotu mo e fakafeta'i pe praise andworship. Tukukehe ange ha fanga ki'ifatongia kehe lau lesoni pee lau himi 'i hemalanga'. Ka 'oku tau tui 'e vave ni pe 'ae 'oua 'e ngata pe 'i he praise and worshipkae 'oange ha faingamalie ke nau fa'u aiha'a nau ouau malanga (order of service)'e fe'unga ange mo 'enau fiema'uu. Koutui ko e fakakaukau tatau mo ia na'efa'u'aki 'e Rev Dr Molitoni 'ene himi' 'ohange ko ia kou lave ki ai 'i 'olunga'.

Ko e tuku 'etau fanau ke nau ha'uu'oku 'i ai pe 'enau founga 'oku nau“ha'u'aki” pee fakalea 'e taha' 'oku 'i ai pe'a e founga mo e ouau 'oku manako ki ai'a e fanauu pea 'oku ou tui 'oku totonu ke'oange ha nau faingamalie 'o hangee ko etataki malie mo fakamafana na'e fai 'ePotungaue Talavou 'a Mo'unga Heamonihe 'praise and worship' 'o e malanga 'a eVahefonuaa he Sapate'.

FAKALOTOFALE’IA

Ko e Kuonga eni 'o e Fanau mo e To'utupuKo e Potungaue Talavou mo e Finemui 'a Mo'unga Heamoni mei Northcote lolotonga 'enau tataki 'a e 'Lotu & Fakafeta'I' (Praise & Worship) he malanga Vahefonua 'Epeleli 2017

Kuo fakahoko 'e he kaunisolo 'o ekonifelenisi 'a e Siasi Metotisi 'o Nu'uSilani (Methodist Church of NZ's Council ofConference ) ha ngaahi liliu fo'ou ki hefounga fili 'o e palesiteni.

Ko e fokotu'utu'u fo'ouu ni 'okufakataumu'a ia ke 'oua 'e toe hoko 'a epalopalema 'i he 2016 'a ia na'e 'ikai ke lavaai 'a e komiti 5+5 (five plus five) 'o faitu'utu'uni ki he fili 'o e palesiteni pea mohono tokoni.

Ko e 'uluaki liliuu ko e fetongi 'a ehingoaa 'a ia he'ikai ke toe ui ko e 5+5 ka'e ui ia ko e Penolo 'a e konifelenisi(Conference panel). Ko e fatongia leva 'o epenoloo ko 'enau vakai'i 'a e kau kanititeitipee kohai 'e fe'unga ke ne taki 'a e siasii.

Ka 'i he founga lolotongaa na'e taki tahamalanga'i pe 'e he Taha Maori pea mo eTauiwi 'ena fokotu'u pe kanititeiti.

Ko e liliu hono ua ko e ngaahi hingoakotoa pe kuo fokotu'u mai mei he ngaahisinoti pea laka 'a e fili ki ai 'i he peseti 'enimanoa (50%) 'e kau mo e ngaahi hingoako ia he lauu. Ko e toki me'a leva ia 'apenoloo ko hono fili pe ko hai 'oku nau tui'e fe'unga ke ne taki 'a e siasii 'i he taimi koiaa.

Ka 'i he founga lolotonga na'e fokotu'u

mai pe 'e he Tauiwi mo eTaha Maori 'a e ngaahihingoa 'oku nau pehee ke filimei ai 'a e palesiteni pea mohono tokoni.

Na'e pehe 'e he sekelitali'o e siasi, Rev. David Bush' o k u m a h u ' i n g a k efakamamafa'i ko e 'ikai koee ke lava 'e he konifelenisike fili 'a e palesiteni pea mohono tokonii ko e tonounouia 'a e founga fili ka 'oku 'ikaimakatu'unga he ngaahihingoa na'e fokotu'u atu ki he ongo lakangani.

'I he liliu fo'ou ko 'enii 'e hoko leva 'a epenolo 'a e konifelenisi ko e fakafofonga ia'o e konifelenisi pea ko honau fatongia koe fili ha taha fe'unga ke taki 'a e siasii. Ka'oku 'ikai foki toe hoko ko e fakafofonga 'oe Taha Maori mo e Tauiwi 'o hangee ko ia'oku ngaue'aki 'e he founga lolotongaa.

'I he founga lolotongaa na'e fokotu'u atu'e he ngaahi sinoti 'enau kanititeiti pea 'i hekonifelenisii leva na'e omi 'a e kaufakafofonga mei he Taha Maori mo e Tauiwipe 5+5 'o nau toki alea'i pe kohai 'oku nauloto ke palesiteni mo tokoni palesiteni.

Ka 'i he taimi tatau pefoki ko e penolo 'a ekonifelenisi 'e kei fa'u'aki pe'a e kau memipa mie hekaunisolo 'a e konifelenisi 'aia ko e toko 5 mei he Tauiwipea mo e toko 5 mei he TahaMaori. Ka 'I he liliu fo'ou ehingoa te ne fakahaa'i ai koe tefito'i fatongia 'o e penoloko 'enii ko e fili'i ha timi leleike ne taki 'a e siasii. Ka 'oku'ikai ko hono fatongia ko ealea'i 'a e fokotu'u mei he

Taha Maori mo e Tauiwi.Na'e toe pehe foki 'e David ko e taha 'o

e ngaahi liliu lalahi 'i he founga fili ko engaahi hingoa kotoa pe kuo fokotu'u mai 'ehe ongo fa'ahi, Taha Maori pea mo e Tauiwi'e lau kotoa pee ia. Ko e toki me'a ia 'a epenolo ke nau vakai'i 'a e ngaahi hingoa.Ko e founga fili motu'a foki ko e 'omai peki he 5 + 5 'a e ngaahi hingoa pe koee 'okutatau ai 'a e Taha Maori mo e Tauiwi.

Ko e fokotu'u mai 'o e ngaahi hingoa 'ekei fou mai pe ia mei he ngaahi Sinoti peamo e Hui Poari pea 'e 'osi ia ki he 'aho 3 'oSiulai.

'E kei fai tu'utu'uni pe foki 'a e Taha

Maori pea mo e Tauiwi ki he 'ena taki tahafounga 'e fokotu'u mai 'aki 'a e kau kanititeitiki he fili palesiteni 'o hangee ko ia ko ekuohili. Ka ko 'ene ha'u ko ee 'a e ngaahihinoga ki he Penolo 'a e konifelenisi ko eme'a leva ai 'a nautolu ke fili 'a e ngaahihingoa fe'unga pea mo e taki 'o e siasii.

'I he founga ko ia 'a e Tauiwi ko efakataha sinoti 'o Siulai mo 'Akosi 'e palotiai 'a e kau kanititeiti ki he palesiteni pea 'efakaleva ia 'e he sekelitali lahi 'a e ola. Koe ngaahi hingoa 'e peseti 'e 50 'o fai ki 'olunga'i he paloti 'e 'ave honau hingoa ki he PenoloKonifelenisi.

Na'e toe fakamahino foki 'e David Bushko e Konifelenisi ko ia pe fai tu'utu'uni kihe ngaahi me'a 'e fakahokoo. He'ikai ke toe'i ai ha lau 'a ha taha 'e ma'olunga hake 'i hekonifelenisi. Na'e pehe foki 'e he ni'ihi kapauleva he'ikai lava ke fili palesiteni pea toehoko atu pe a e palesiteni lolotonga mo hokotokoni 'aki ha toe teemi to'ou 'e taha.

Kaekeheke, kuo fakamahino 'e hesekelitali lahi 'a e siasi, Rev David Bushkoehaa pee e tu'utu'uni 'a e konifelenisi hetaimi ko iaa ko e me'a 'e fai.

Ko e ngaahi liliu fo'ou ki he founga fili palesiteni

David Bush.

“The Era of Children and Youth”