E NEWS 8TH MARCH 2024
Today is International Women’s Day. I attended a luncheon at the Wellington Club to commemorate today and Dame Luamanuvao Winnie Laban was Keynote speaker. It was biographical as well as talking about the leadership of women globally. She highlighted how western feminism to her growing up was too individualistic and did not fit with her being a Pacific woman. As a young NZ born Samoan woman this spurred her into reading black womanist writers like Bell Hooks, Maya Angelou etc. We have much in common with each other.
Tomorrow Central Presbytery is meeting at St. Alban’s in Palmerston North all day it is called “The Gathering”.
As part of the goals for my Ministry Development Plan over the next three years I had included physical fitness and wellbeing. My GP organised a Green prescription for me. Now my understanding from my Auckland days with green prescription is that thus gives you a discount into gyms, pools etc. which is what I thought I was getting. Much to my surprise I had a call from a programme facilitator from Nuku Ora who facilitates green prescription and she asked to meet with me. She is an ex-black fern international rugby player; we talked about what I wanted to achieve and that my GP had recommended a gym and pool membership at Huia Recreation Centre in Lower Hutt. This will cost $7 a week on green prescription. The facilitator said she will meet me there on Monday night jump in the pool with me for the Liquid fitness class and then meet with me on Thursday early morning to take me through a personal training workout. I did not expect that. I am very thrilled and surprised that the facilitator is literally “hands on” almost like a personal trainer to motivate and help me achieve my goals. I guess they realise that people’s motivation wanes when we are left up to our own resources, but when we have someone to motivate us as part of the journey then our goals are much easier to achieve. This will be reviewed after each week.
By the end of this month I will have been here at SAOTT for two years. So much has happened over this time by way of people dying, one wedding and and one birth as well as one or two people leaving because they are wanting a change or just needing a break or space. We have also had some wonderful people join us too from different walks of life, some younger folk and that is very exciting to see. I knew moving to Wellington away from my family and friends would be difficult especially at times of loss and grief and also on special occasions like Christmas and Easter. I now plan my holidays around my family occasions like my nieces wedding last week and other important events that are happening both in Auckland and Samoa with my friends and family.
Unlike all my other ministries I very seldom took time off mainly because I was involved on both National and International Church Committees and Boards which required me to travel around the country as well as overseas at least twice a year. So instead of taking holidays I used my holidays to attend these meetings. It is no surprise that I felt literally burnt out at the end of these ministries.
Here at SAOTT we work more corporately which means that even though my annual leave is determined by the Presbyterian Book of Order which is quite specific stating holiday leave per annum and statutory leave as well as time in lieu our Parish Council has been very good at keeping a close eye and making sure I take my leave owing including days in lieu.
In all my years of ministry I have never expected to be remunerated for any unused leave at the end of each year, if I did I would be quite wealthy after 33 years of ministry. If you would like to know more please go to the Book of Order of the PCANZ online or come and talk to me. I have been saddened to hear of unhealthy gossip being stirred up of my time away. I hope they are not using my E News stories to calculate when I am away from the Parish as if I am not doing my job and not making SAOTT a priority. As a church we strive to live in a culture based on honesty, justice, integrity, love and compassion and this is what we endeavour to do on a daily basis. Perhaps it’s appropriate that this Sunday’s theme is about “The gift of Grace”.
I leave this with you to ponder. Faafetai, Fei
You can read the full E-news here: https://mailchi.mp/e7136f4e4f88/this-weeks-newsletter-from-st-andrews-on-the-terrace-9441548
