Hello on a sunny day after the final flick of Debbie’s tail,
Even with the increasing size of the building out my window I can see the sun is shining out there in Wellington. What a lift to the spirits after the rain and greyness of the last few days.
I also have a different desk in a different orientation. As my father used to say when he viewed the latest rearrangement of my bedroom when I was a teenager “a change is as good as a holiday”
The SATRS lecture this week was a revelation and a delight. We had asked three Gen Xers to speak about what they believed New Zealand needed in order to flourish. This was the follow up to my introductory lecture last month and another precursor to the SATRS Fri/Sat seminar on Human Flourishing on May 5/6. (Diary it now).
On Thursday Morgan Godfery, Laura O’Connell Rapira and Christina Gurley spoke about their analysis of the present – which was spot on and insightful – and then about what they wanted for NZ in the future. I was impressed by their acute analysis, their respect for Maori tikanga and the strong values they hold about how we need a new and better Story told about our present and our future.
Changing the Story was a common theme. I thought how this parallels what I see as the Church’s task. I believe the principles behind the Christian Story do not need changing, but their interpretation does. Instead of portraying us as helpless, flawed, dependant children of a dominating Parent God (Mother or Father), we need a Story which images us as adult co-creators of this world, taking responsibility for who and what we are. As I hinted in my SATRS lecture last month, all the elements we need for this Story I believe are already in our ancient Scriptures. Some of elements need de-emphasising while others need bringing to the fore to achieve reinterpretation of the Story of Human Flourishing. I believe it can be done.
Look what sun does – makes you all optimistic! Tonight I look forward to meeting newcomers along with Pastoral Partners and Parish Councillors. On Sunday we celebrate Palm Sunday and some of the Holy Week story. There will be a variety of music and movement as well as words. See you there!
Susan
St Andrew’s Parish News…
HOLY WEEK AND EASTER – DON’T BLINK AND MISS IT! April 13 Maundy Thursday 6pm “A Last Supper”. April 14 Good Friday 10am (Trish McBride & team) “Stations of the Cross”. April 16 Easter Sunday, 10am
GOOD FRIDAY STATIONS OF THE CROSS SERVICE At least 4 more people are needed for preparation of the Good Friday service. Each person prepares a very meditation and prayer relating to one Station. Guidance and support available! Trish McBride, Ph 478 6332 mcbride@paradise.net.nz
WELCOMING NEWCOMERS On Sunday May 7 we will be welcoming people who have decided to formally connect with the St Andrew’s community as whanau or associate members or members. We will also be commissioning new Parish Councillors and inducting elders. It will be a good community occasion and your support in attending will be appreciated. Remember, ‘everyone is welcome, you choose how you will connect.’
DONATIONS Shortly, people on automatic payments or our envelope system will get their annual donation total. If you’re not using either system, it makes sense to do so. If we keep a confidential record of what you give, we can write you a letter with the total at this time of year and, on application, you can receive back from the government a third of that total. You can keep this or re-donate it – whatever you choose. While the Centre covers the costs of the Centre (wages, consumables etc.,) we aim that Church activities and personnel are paid for with congregational giving and donations. Please keep this under review, your costs will be going up, but so do the church’s! If you are an occasional cash giver, you can still use the envelope system. It does not commit you to a regular amount each week or month. What you can give when you can give it is, however, recorded and then you can get the government tax refund. Just a thought – it’s that time of year.
CAN YOU GIVE SOME TIME TO DCM? Matthew Mawkes writes: “With limited resources, we need volunteers to help keep DCM clean, tidy and welcoming for the people who use our services. If anyone is interested, please contact me at DCM on office@dcm.org.nz Volunteers would need to be available when DCM shuts on a Wednesday, at 1pm. It is always a great place to be, whatever your contribution may be. Thank you.”
THE SEASON OF EASTER Following Easter we will be celebrating the experience of being human in a reflection series entitled ‘The Spirituality of Life’: Sunday 23 April ‘Life and War’; Sunday 30 April ‘Life and Treaty’; Sunday 7 May ‘Life Together’ (welcoming newcomers and commissioning leaders); Sunday 14 May ‘Life and Breath (Prayer)’; Sunday 21 May Rev Dr Frank Hanson; Sunday 28 May ‘The Life at the Depths of Me.’ This will take us up to the beginning of the season of Pentecost starting Sunday June 4 with Pentecost Sunday.
WORM FARM LIQUID FERTILIZER FOR SALE Jon Schrader has fertilizer for sale at $5 per 2 litre bottle (many report good results). Orders to Jon after the service on Sunday or call Ph 389 7082. Delivery and payment the following Sunday. Thank you.
LOOKING AHEAD… Karyn writes: I will be taking some leave in May but am aware that the current service duty roster will finish at the end of that month and a new 3 month roster will need to be prepared. Unfortunately, although the Smartroster software we have been using was not lost in the recent computer issues all the previous roster information files were. This is why the March-May roster was created manually and the information files need to be re-created before Smartroster can be used again. I will work on this during April. To assist me to get the June–August roster prepared in time please send in any known absences for that period in to the office as soon as possible. I appreciate your patience during this time while we get everything back on track. Thank you. office@standrews.org.nz |
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Wider Church and Community News…
DCM FUNDRAISER Buy tickets for the Circa show ‘Olive Copperbottom’ AND at the same time raise money for DCM! The awesome people from the comedy festival musical ‘Olive Copperbottom’ have given us 30 tickets to sell to the preview night for the show (Tues 9 May) with 100% of funds raised going to DCM! This is a great opportunity to get a group of friends together for an hilarious night out, so book your tickets now by emailing office@dcm.org.nz or ph (04) 384 7699. Tickets are $30 each. Go on! Following the delicate sold out successes of Promise and Promiscuity, Penny Ashton (Radio NZ The Panel) swaps Austen for Dickens and brings orphaned hero Olive, and a squalid gaggle of Victorian characters to poxridden London life. Will Olive find a family amongst the brothels, toffs and gruel? Or will Mrs Sourtart, Mr Fivestars or even Mr Goodsort break her heart as well as their teeth? A rollicking one-woman musical journey that will fulfil your greatest expectations and be the best of times and well… the best of times. To find our more visit http://www.circa.co.nz/package/olive-copperbottom/ Matthew Mawkes, (04) 384 7699, www.dcm.org.nz
NAMING NEW ZEALAND “… an organisation to help transgender, gender diverse and intersex youth with updating their identity documents to correctly reflect their sex and gender. We provide resources about the process of correcting identity documents within New Zealand, connect trans youth with organisations that can help, and assist with the costs of making these important changes.” They take donations. Find them at www.naming.nz/
MUSIC FUTURES CONCERT Music Futures is excited to offer a concert on Sunday 9 April to be hosted by St Patrick’s College Kilbirnie, Ph 581 Evan’s Bay Parade, starting at 3.15 pm, featuring senior music students from St Pat’s and members of the NZSO. Donald Armstrong (violin, NZSO), Belinda Veitch (viola, NZSO), Lucy Gijsbers (cello, graduate of NZ School of Music), Malcolm Struthers (double bass, NZSO) and Otis Prescott-Mason (piano – St Patrick’s College) will perform Schubert’s Trout Quintet (1st movement) Phillip Rose (NZSO) & Peter Barber (NZSO) will play Viola duo Number one by Karl Stamitz Roger Powdrell, Head of Music at St Pat’s College will introduce a programme featuring his senior students including solo guitar, trumpet and vocal pieces from Purcell to Vaughan Williams to contemporary music, as well as the Jazz Ensemble. Afternoon tea will be served following the concert. Entry is by koha. |
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