I have just finished taking the funeral service for Alison Ann Trotter Prof. Emerita ONZM. Ann’s last surviving sister is Judith Trotter their older brother was Sir Ron Trotter who some of you may remember. This was officially my first funeral service at St. Andrew’s on the Terrace that I have led from start to finish. Francis Porter’s funeral was led by Rev. Barry Keenan and I did the welcome and the benediction. The wind was howling outside and you could hear bits of metal flapping in the wild winds. Some funeral goers got stuck at airports and couldn’t make it down to the funeral from Auckland and a niece from Rarotonga. The wind was very strong whistling down the Terrace when we were placing Ann into the Hearst. But regardless of the weather it was a beautiful funeral for a wonderful woman.
I have just been invited to accompany the Prime Minister to the 60th Anniversary of the Treaty of Friendship between Samoa and New Zealand. It is to be held in Apia, Samoa. We will leave on Monday morning 1st August on an RNZAF plane from Whenuapai and return the next day on Tuesday evening. I will share some more after I return from this auspicious occasion. What a wonderful privilege and honour.
Our inclusivity group met on zoom on Monday to talk about the upcoming Inclusivity Dialogue which will be taking place in Auckland on October 5th. We were asked to find 6 people to represent our perspective. There is an Affirm (Evangelical) group, a middle group and a Progressive group. We managed to find 8 willing participants from a mixture of lay and ordained, young and old and straight and LGBTQI, male and female. We were all affirming of each other and now wait to hear whether all 8 delegates can attend. I will be attending an International Women’s Roundtable in Seoul Korea at the same time so I am unable to put myself forward to be part of this group, but I can contribute by continuing to participate in this on line group.
Two more weeks and then it will be goodbye Churton Park and hello Wainuiomata. From long steep driveway and sloping streets and hills to flat streets and a short driveway from footpath straight into the double garage. My dogs are going to love this new place as much as I will. Some one said to me the other day, we are going to miss you talking about your house journey once you have settled into your new home lol. In the meantime, we will count down the days to moving date Saturday 6th August and pray for fine weather. Well I hope you all keep warm and dry over this stormy weather and do take care. Fei
You can read the full weekly E-News here: https://mailchi.mp/ca70d8ec88ef/this-weeks-newsletter-from-st-andrews-on-the-terrace-9164947
