Hello everyone,
Winter has hit us all at once this week. I hope you have been keeping warm and dry! Friends of ours managed to arrive on Thursday – one of the few flights to make it in the capital. They were not airsick, but one of them told me the plane hadn’t smelt too good as they got on board in Dunedin! I guess it’s a choice – brave the storm or don’t make it to your destination. (I am sure there is a Reflection in that statement somewhere!).
I have been braving the world of Facebook this week. It is alternately fun and confusing. Suddenly there are all these people out there, apparently wanting to be my friend – or at least up for the choice of whether to be my friend or not! Or, afraid not to agree to be my friend seeing I am the minister! (smile)
At least Facebook is no longer texting me with “Susan, Facebook is better with friends”! Now it is gently asking me if I would like to offer my new friends an update (noticing that so far most of the traffic is one way!). I can see how quickly you get to know what is going on in other people’s lives – well, what they let you know about what is going on in their lives.
I can see both the attraction for teenagers who might be feeling unpopular but also the trap. How difficult might it be for the psyche if someone ‘blocked you’ or ‘unfriended’ you? As a grown adult who does have non-Facebook friends I was ridiculously pleased when someone sent me an electronic ‘wave’ and Facebook prompted me to ‘wave’ back.
I am swotting up on the etiquette so that I know how to behave in this new space. It is not unlike moving to a different country and working out the local customs. How do other facebookians behave? They signal approval by a thumbs up and I guess if they block me out that’s a definite sign I am disapproved!
Talking of foreign languages – our next Spirited Conversation on Tuesday 18 July features a refugee Yousef Mazraeh, recently arrived from Iraq into New Zealand who is offering free Arabic classes to the Wellington community. The different style of alphabet renders most Arabic phrases unintelligible to me. I am looking forward to hearing him speak and maybe teach us a little something. If you’re coming do tell Pam so there are enough soup and buns for all. Details below.
On Sunday, we are looking at how God and faith appears in popular music and then discussing our major musical instrument – the heritage pipe organ – and what we are going to do about it. The congregational meeting is at 11.30am. Do try to come but if you can’t, apologies can be sent to me minister@standrews.org.nz or Lynne Dovey or Colma Froggatt.
Keep warm out there!
Susan
To view the full enews for this week, please click on the link below:
http://mailchi.mp/2a5e1ecb884c/this-weeks-newsletter-from-st-andrews-on-the-terrace-1294201
