Hello everyone,
There has been encouraging and widespread interest in the Gender Identity night on Tuesday June 12. (5.30-7.00pm). See www.standrews.org.nz There was specific interest shown at the inner-city clergy meeting on Thursday when I took fliers and posters there. Also, the principal of Queen Margaret College received poster and fliers with pleasure today. She also showed off the shorts and trousers options they are introducing for the school uniform.
We need, as well as making space for many gender options, to also remember that we have been learning over the past decade that cis-women have a lot more options than they used to have. Also, that cis-men have a variety of roles and attitudes and grooming options which were not available before. Let’s encourage a broad, wide definition of those binary constructs, male and female, as well as embracing other options. Just because another group is being included, it does not mean others have to fade away or become restricted again.
You can help by, when you get the Gender Identity event advertised to you on facebook, clicking on ‘interested’, even if you can’t attend, as that will send the notification on to others on your contact list. Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/events/467841797010115/ You can also help by serving refreshments. Please let me know if you can do that on minister@standrews.org.nz. This night is a public version of our usual Spirited Conversations. Next month Spirited Conversations will meet again over a meal in the Centre. More details later.
The inner-city clergy met at the newly developed Sisters of Compassion retreat centre this week. We saw their new chapel, Suzanne Aubert’s new resting place and the exhibition they have developed about her life. We were also there on the first day their café was operating! An exhibition of photographs of J K Baxter’s tangihanga is shortly to be opened too. It’s a complicated place to find (Rhine St, Island Bay) but they run events St Andrew’s people might find interesting. Taize on the first Friday of the month and a meditation group every Monday.
Future Events: Watch for the documentary on the refurbishment of St Mary of the Angels which is part of the Architecture and Design Film Festival. June Gatherigns will focus on the Compassion Charter, our mandate for social justice. Already two Life Moments are in place for June 3 and 10. Jamie Young will sing a piece from the Elijah oratorio for us on June 17. June is also statistics month for PCANZ so make sure you all come and we’ll beat ther statistics at their own game! (smile).
Sorry not to be there this Sunday (I’ve just got to support my newly 70 year old brother!) but I know Barrie Keenan will be there and so will you!
Susan
To view the full e-news click on this link : https://mailchi.mp/219cf374b9b6/this-weeks-newsletter-from-st-andrews-on-the-terrace-1394661
