E NEWS 12TH JANUARY 2024
Morena e hoa ma. I have been putting off completing my online assessments for my Te Reo course which ended in December. Since my concussion I have not been able to get my head around foreign words including Samoan so emailed them and told them I didn’t think I would be able to complete the assessments. I was then given an extension until 15th January 2024. Well, on Wednesday night I sat down at 7pm and completed all 3 assessments that evening and submitted them. Not sure how good they were, but hey they are done so very proud of myself to have been able to complete this.
Yesterday I was invited to lunch at Maureen and Will Roxborough’s home in Paraparaumu they also invited Lois Robertson so the two of us drove up there together. It was lovely, from there Lois organised for us to have afternoon tea with the Feists in Waikanae which was only a ten minute drive from Paraparaumu. We sat out in their beautiful garden and drank lemon lime and bitters before we hit the road back to Wellington. Our parish boundaries are quite broad, and I appreciate what it takes for some of you to make the long drive out from Greytown, Otaki, Carterton, Wairarapa for church on Sundays. So when you are able to attend it is indeed a pleasure for us to have you with us. I’m an old fashioned minister so I enjoy doing pastoral visits no matter where you live so please do not feel as if you are inconveniencing me by thinking it’s too long a drive for me to come out to you. It’s actually nice to be able to get away from the office and being able to get some time to reflect during the drive.
Last evening I visited Lloyd Jobson at the Mary Potter Hospice at the request of Molly and Susan. I read some poems from Joy Cowley’s collection called “Come and See” and prayed a blessing over him. Before I left I offered a prayer for the family. Molly updated me this morning that he is very sleepy but comfortable and peaceful. Let’s continue to keep Molly and Sarah in our thoughts and prayers as they continue to surround their husband and father with love.
I had just left home this morning when Adelina texted me that my office carpet would still be wet after its shampoo this morning and if I could work from home. Jolly good call because my shipment of fresh seafood arrived on my doorstep at 11am and had I been in the office the ice packs would have melted by the time I returned home. So guess what I’m having for lunch? Fresh kina and steamed crab, such delicacy, my occasional treat to myself. It’s much cheaper to order online than buy these most expensive items directly at the fish market. The 2 pottles of fresh kina cost me $30 each instead of $39.99 each at the fish market a savings of almost $20. Of course you have the cost of transportation but it still works out cheaper. I treat myself probably twice a year as the prices for seafood are exorbitant.
This Sunday is the second Sunday of Epiphany and our Hebrew reading tells the story of Samuel hearing a voice calling him during the night. He runs to the priest Eli thinking it was him that was calling him and so forth. The title of my reflection is “What does God sound like?” At our first cuppa and chat on Wednesday we had a quick discussion about “who God is or is not” when it was my time to share with those sitting around the table. The responses were all different. That does not surprise me for SAOTT and the fact that we are a progressive church. Like last week the reflection remains a work in progress and might even surprise me what I end up sharing on Sunday morning. Anyway, the crabs are calling me, its lunch time. Have a great weekend. Fei
You can read the full E-news here: https://mailchi.mp/e6580c194fed/this-weeks-newsletter-from-st-andrews-on-the-terrace-9419080
