E NEWS 2ND AUGUST 2024
Talofa lava. SAOTT were privileged to host here in our Hall the National Convention on the rights of children/mokopuna all day Thursday. The Human Rights Commission were there in full force. They launched a booklet “Doing what’s right for mokopuna” recommendations from the United Nations to Improve mokopuna rights in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Maori Mokopuna presented an amazing kapahaka on the Convention on the rights of Children. It was moving and incredibly powerful. Our children are crying out to be heard, they are now claiming their voice. What a privilege it was to be a fly on the wall of this National Convention for the rights of children. I enjoy it when we hire our facilities out to groups where I am able to interact with them and be a part time visitor at some of their gatherings.
As I mentioned last E News I was invited to the launch of Alo.Fa on Tuesday evening. It is a new service to deal with healing from sexual violence and abuse for Pasifika in Wellington. I was tasked with the job of doing the opening blessing. It was great to see Catriona and Sandra there. I did a devotion on the “rape of Tamar” from 2 Samuel 13:20 where Absalom says to Tamar after her brother Amnon had raped her “Has that Amnon, your brother, been with you? Be quiet now, my sister; he is your brother. Don’t take this thing to heart”. I’m sure many people present had never even heard of this story from the “texts of terror” in the Hebrew bible. I said “the reality is that the bible passages that disturb us are so easily kept hidden from the eyes and ears of our congregations, communities and families. Then in reality when these texts are perpetrated into our everyday lives the way we respond often mirrors Absalom’s forced silence upon his sister. We reflect the male hierarchical silence in our inability to embrace the victim and give her voice, in so doing we also become complicit. Catriona remarked to me afterwards that Sandra said to her that “they can see just how radical I am within the Pacific context”. That was an affirmation for me. I’m quite sure it was confronting for many of the Pacific conservatives present. Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau said, “I’d seriously like to come to your church, I’ll email you when I’m coming” and many others from parliament also expressed an interest in coming to SAOTT. Seeing is believing but I’m hopeful. Now that’s something to look forward to.
Hon Ginny Anderson, me, Deputy leader Labour Hon Carmel Sepuloni and Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau.
I’ve just been called to Auckland tomorrow for my cousin Cathy Laban’s funeral she is Dame Winnie Laban’s first cousin. Cathy is from the LGBTQI community and somehow her brother has managed to arrange for her funeral to be held at his church the Morman church LDS. It will definitely not be LGBTQI friendly. I’m going to wear my clerical collar and in the event if I need to get up I will. Winnie will be doing a eulogy on inclusiveness. We will return to Wellington on Saturday evening. Cathy died on Wednesday and wants to be cremated on Friday. She was a jazz singer and all her musical friends and her LGBTQI community will be singing her farewell celebration in the Mormon Hall.
Paloma Bruce has been attending SAOTT for several months now and she was brave enough to get up at Life in Community time on Sunday and share her Givealittle request. I want to support Paloma Bruce in her Givealittle request for an electric wheelchair. Please go to her givealittle page. Paloma is a 42 year old single Mum wanting to get her independence back! She was an opera singer internationally and a passionate singing teacher. Paloma was forced to stop teaching over two years ago due to her chronic illness Functional Neurological Disorder and other recent health issues. She is currently living with her parents in a non-wheelchair accessible house. Her symptoms fluctuate through the day and are very unpredictable. Sometimes she can walk and other times not at all even resulting in temporary paralysis. Having an electric wheelchair would mean that she could go outside of the house more easily. She is currently reliant on someone pushing her in her transit wheelchair when she cannot walk.
This Sunday the theme is “You are the man!. How privilege makes one entitled”. It is the continuing story of David and Bathsheba. One of our Wellington City Councillor’s Iona Pannett, Margaret’s daughter who happened to worship with us last Sunday emailed me that she thought the Royal Commission of inquiry into Abuse would have featured somewhere in our Sunday service. My response was that would be part 2 of the David and Bathsheba story on Sunday. I look forward to sharing it with her and with you on Sunday.
The weather outside is atrocious, wet and miserable. Please wrap up warmly and take care. Much alofa to you all. Fei.
You can read the full E-news here: https://mailchi.mp/0c100959a8ad/this-weeks-newsletter-from-st-andrews-on-the-terrace-9468392
