Colourful Dreamer

Advent in Samoa

2011-12-21T11:42:00.000+13:00

Advent in Samoa

(Written at the end of the Diocese of Polynesia Year of Youth Event in Samoa)

Hot days

Sun blazing

Water dripping

We wait

Here I am

Here we are

In Samoa

3 candles lit

All saints we gather

We wait

Listening for an infant’s cry

Looking for glimmers of hope

Here we are

Send us

Christ is being born among us

Christ is being born in us

And in the moana

Do we just sing a carol

Pray a prayer

Or clap our hands?

Or do we live this birth

Leaving footprints sprinkled with good news?

God waits

In Samoa

The Plastic Virgin Mary

2011-12-19T10:13:00.000+13:00

There has recently been a lot of news coverage about the billboard put up by St. Matthews in the City. I want to make two comments.

The first is about the criminal who vandalised it. How dare Arthur Skinner and the Catholic Action Group portray Christianity in this light. How dare he deliberately vandalise other's property. Has Christianity now sunk to the level of agressively enforcing it views on others, as Arthur is suggesting. I have no problem with him protesting, although I suspect his theology is really dodgy, but to destroy others property because he disagrees with it is wrong. I wonder if he sees the irony that in his defence of a “traditional” understanding of the birth of the prince of peace he uses non peaceful vandalism as his medium. He has done more damage to an understanding of Christianity than this billboard ever has. I wonder what those who know little of Christmas and Christianity will now think of us who seek to follow the one whose coming we celebrate in the next week.

Secondly, I find his conception of the Virgin Mary bizarre. The importance of Mary in Christian theology is that she is the means of the Incarnation. Because God chose to enter our lives in the person of Jesus who was given birth by Mary, we can be confident that Jesus was not only fully divine, but was also fully human. And as a fully human being he had the whole array of human desires and emotions. For that to have validity, Mary needs to be human. To say that Mary would simply be filled with joy portrays her as some kind of plastic semi human, and immediate brings the whole concept of the incarnation into question, and undermines what we celebrate at Christmas. I don’t think that is traditional Christian doctrine Arthur.

As these “traditionalists” say, Mary said yes to God. But that yes could have meant condemnation from her family and community, ostracism, removal from her community and family, shaming for her family, even death. It was a bold and brave choice to say yes. And she would have been terrified at it. Even being pregnant with her first child as a very young woman would have been scary enough. But pregnant with the “Son of God”!! A significant number of people died giving birth. This was no easy undertaking. Despite that she said yes. The billboard simply portrays this array of real human emotions that she must have had if she were human. And that magnifies her faith, not diminishes it. Yes there would have been joy, much much more so, awe. It seems Arthur likens what Mary did to buying a nice gadget. I stand in awe of Mary. But a real Mary, who despite all the risks, and all she felt, with faith said yes to God. Arthur’s statements and actions belittle her, and for that I am deeply saddened.

Arthur Skinner, through your words and actions you deface the Christian story and Christianity, you belittle Mary and the immensity of her choice, and you bring into question the very theological truth we celebrate at Christmas. May God have mercy on your soul.

Handout summarising everything we said

2011-11-11T17:06:00.001+13:00

As we face an uncertain future, we want to explore theplace of St John’s in:

· Supporting young people as leaders inmission,

· Trainingleaders to help us into ongoing change

· Placing of a high priority on mission amongchildren, young people, young adults and families

There’s a difference between St John’s Collegebeing relevant for the Church as it is and St John’s being relevant for the Churchas it needs to become.

We believe in and experience a Godof mission. This is not a God who is overly concerned with the status quo orthe survival of our churches.

We believe that young people havea key role in helping us in our journey towards this future.

- This new world is the worldthey have grown up in.

- They are not as shaped bychurch as it has been up to this point

- They are able to imagine newways of being missional, new ways of being church

- They are able to thinkcreatively

- They ask hard questions of whatwe do

- They look for more

- They are often more interestedin doing rather than talking

We need to stand beside andresource young people to ‘give it a go’.

- If we allow young people to ‘giveit a go’ St John’s is an appropriate place to enable this to happen

The majority of our communitiesand populations are young people.

When you work with young people, youare forced to be missional, to think creatively, to ask hard questions and tolook for more, to be more interested in doing rather than talking.

Being 3Tikanga means knowing and respecting each other’s

identity, sharingour stories, sharing our struggles, and owning each

other’s missionas our own.

Young people in our Three TikangaChurch are perfect examples of leading the way in growing and developing ourunderstanding of what it means to be a three Tikanga church.

St John’s College is a uniqueplace where we can live out our three Tikanga relationship.

Our future leaders need to be equipped tolead through change

At present we are equipping people for a mission field thatno longer exists; for a ministry paradigm that is no longer working.

We believe a change is required within theological educationfrom educating to equipping, from specific skills for specific tasks to theability to acquire, use and apply information in changing contexts.

We need leaders who will work with what already exists andhelp communities as they are to see the need for change and help make thosechanges happen.

Our hope for these future leaders is that:

Like Moses, their mission and ministry is based on an encounter with God; that they are called.
They are equipped to take risks; to journey confidently in faith into the unknown and the uncertain.
They are aware of their gifts and talents and can work collaboratively with others to staff their weaknesses.

Our greatesthope is that St John’s would place a high value on children, young people andfamily ministries.

We want to see St John’s lead the way in precipitatingchange in our churches by equipping people to engage and understand missionwith, for and by children, young people and their families.

If we’re going to reverse the current trend of decliningcongregations, it is imperative that those entering ministry have more than asuperficial understanding of children, youth and family ministries.

We’re not talking about adding a children and youthsession on the side. Rather than oneclass on young people, entire courses should be re worked to incorporatechildren, youth and families. We need toflip it around! What we want to see is afundamental shift in the focus of theological education at St John’s.

Our future leaders need to be equipped to lead through change.

2011-11-11T17:03:00.001+13:00

Our future leaders need to be equipped to lead throughchange.

And more than that: they need to lead our church into the ‘unknown’.Into places for which, at present, there are no road maps or text books, nopapers or classes, no star-charts, no GPS, no ipod apps.

And it’s not ‘unknown’ because we’re too lazy to sit downand figure out where we are headed.

The world is changing and changing fast and we’re quicklybeing left far behind.

There is an understanding in schools that 90% of the jobsfor which students are being educated don’t yet exist and that in some degreeprogrammes half of what you learn in your first year will be irrelevant by yourthird.

At present we are equipping people for a mission field thatno longer exists; for a ministry paradigm that is no longer working.

We need resourceful leaders who can develop new ideas andinspire in new and creative ways; leaders who can take risks and think outsidethe box; leaders who are intuitive, who see opportunities and go for it;leaders who can work with others, to develop and articulate vision; leaders whoknow how to empower and equip others. And leader’s who’re supported by theircommunities to do this.

We need leaders who know how to initiate and lead peoplethrough change.

Whether these changes are good or bad, society is changing rapidlyand our church needs future leaders with the skills to deal with these changes.Existing models of ministry and mission are failing. We can no longer becertain about what the mission field looks like. We need new ways to deal withpresent and future challenges of the church; we need people to be equipped todo the thinking and engage with these challenges.

This requires a change within theological education fromeducating to equipping, from specific skills for specific tasks to the abilityto acquire, use and apply information in changing contexts.

Exodus 14 has relevance here as we read from verse 11…

14:11-16 [The Israelites] said to Moses, “Was it because there wereno graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you doneto us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave usalone; let us serve the Egyptians?’ It would have been better for us to servethe Egyptians than to die in the desert!”

Moses answered the people, “Donot be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bringyou today… The Lord will fight for you…”

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Whyare you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your staff andstretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water…”

Moses and the Israelites had to deal with the major shiftfrom slavery in Egypt to the seemingly uncertain hope of a far off and as yetunrealised Promised Land; and the people still preferred the security of the formerto striking out into the unknown.

This space of uncertainty is the place in which young peopledwell. They live in a place of change; they naturally question the status quoand desire change and development. They are not shackled to the past and havethe ability from their relationship with God to dream bigger and in new ways.

We need leaders who will work with what already exists andhelp communities as they are to see the need for change and help make thosechanges happen.

Our hope for these future leaders is that:

Like Moses, their mission and ministry is based on an encounter with God; that they are called.
They are equipped to take risks; to journey confidently in faith into the unknown and the uncertain.
They are aware of their gifts and talents and can work collaboratively with others to staff their weaknesses.

For many of us regardless of the extent, change is hard butnecessary. So please equip the future leaders of our church to lead us throughchange.

Our next section is asking for a foundational change to theway courses are structured at St John’s. Our greatest hope is that St John’swill place a high value on children, young people, and family ministries.

The story you’re about to hear is from a church that had tocope through extreme and ongoing change. They have handled this in a positive, life-giving way enriching their children,youth and family ministry.

HARD MISSIONAL EDGE

2011-11-11T16:39:00.001+13:00

Recently, well in June, there was a hui (Forum) to discuss the future of our theological college. Our Youth Commission was invited to be part of that. We worked hard to talk about where we saw the church going, and where youth ministry sat within that. I am going to put up the transcripts of the presentations we made. I look forward to some feedback. Some of my thoughts on this hui can be found here.

1. HARD MISSIONAL EDGE

Some might say that we too often train people for the church as itis, rather than the church it will become.

This can be seen in that many ofour congregations in this country are aging, struggling to engage with thewider community, and too often focused on survival rather than mission.

The world we live in is vastly andquickly changing.

We believe in and experience a Godof mission. This is not a God who is overly concerned with the status quo orthe survival of our churches.

This is a God who passionatelycares for and loves all people; A Godwho through the incarnation is offering good news in the hardest places. We areinvited to join in the mission, offering life, love and hope.

We are also invited into a future thatwe cannot describe. It is uncertain and to a degree unknown. But there areclues and glimpses of the way ahead.

We believe that young people havea key role in helping us in our journey towards this future.

- This new world is the worldthey have grown up in.

- They are not as shaped bychurch as it has been up to this point

- They are able to imagine newways of being missional, new ways of being church

- They are able to thinkcreatively

- They ask hard questions of whatwe do

- They look for more

- They are often more interestedin doing rather than talking

For young people to play this keyrole we need to go beyond our all too often tokenistic relationships with youngpeople.

We need to stand beside andresource young people to ‘give it a go’.

- If we allow young people to ‘giveit a go’ St John’s is an appropriate place to enable this to happen

Where we give them permission tounlock the traditions and to be missional in new, creative, relevant andauthentic ways.

This is the age group of the majorityof our communities and populations.

When you work with these agegroups you are forced to be missional, to think creatively, to ask hardquestions and to look for more, to be more interested in doing rather thantalking.

A question that we could ask iswhat does our Anglican heritage offer us as we journey towards this future?

- We are Haahi Mihinare – wevalue our traditions, our history and our stories

- Our Liturgy offers a richnessand depth of worship

- We can also speak about Cramner - someone who took the traditions ofhis time and remolded them to create a new church, we are a church with a traditionof innovation and creativity

- We have a Three Tikangarelationship

1b: THREE TIKANGA:

Being 3 Tikanga is one of the keyfacets of being Anglican in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia.

We see this as being more than justa loose confederation of three churches that we at times drift into.

At its best, being 3 Tikanga meansknowing and respecting each other’s identity, sharing our stories, sharing ourstruggles, and owning each other’s mission as our own. Our relationships arestrengthened by our diversity. Our 3 Tikanga relationship also reveals ourinterconnectedness.

When we live out our three Tikanga-nesswe become a truly prophetic community. Being three Tikanga is the heart of whatit means to be missional.

St. John’s is one of the placeswhere we can live out this relationship. It is one of the promises of St. John’sand we are expected to live this out day to day.

Young people in our Three TikangaChurch again are perfect examples of leading the way in growing and developingour understanding of what it means to be a three Tikanga church.

By sharing stories, sharingstruggles, sharing priorities, sharing passions, sharing common interests andsharing our common mission in this ever-changing world, our interconnectednessis also strengthened.

Every child thrives, belongs and achieves

2011-11-03T12:11:00.002+13:00

I have been reading theGovernment green paper "Every child thrives, belongs and achieves." whichoutlines ways in which the government and government agencies, communities andiwi can engage with and create an environment in which vulnerable children areable to thrive, belong and achieve.

It made me think aboutchurch. I wondered we live out the priority for children and young people. Iwondered what would happen if bishops used the mechanisms available to them toset out the responsibilities for ministry with children and young people in theiroversight of clergy and their annual expectations of parishes. What would itmean to set out requirements of clergy and parishes which are then reported on annually?How do we ensure ongoing research and evaluation to identify how current andfuture church practices effect and engage with children and young people?

I have been sitting in aMinistry Council meeting where each Diocese reported under a number of headingsincluding ministry to the under 40's (what does that mean?) Each diocesereported about initiatives with young people, but only under that heading (notall dioceses though). It was pretty standard stuff. But I was really interestedin how we do the other headings with young people like: formation for ministryand mission, accessibility to education, being Anglican in Aotearoa-New Zealandand the three Tikanga context, deepening spirituality, and equipping leadersand the whole church for a changing world. Each of these is relevant to Childrensand youth ministry. Yet we hardly ever think about it.

Just some random thoughts

Retirement

2011-10-27T17:46:00.002+13:00

I went to a funeral on Monday. Alan was 80 when he died. He wasn't the easiest man to get on with, but he was a man of deep faith who was passionate about God, the church and the community he lived in. He lived that out everyday.

He retired early when the government department he was working for got folded into another one. He then moved up to Papamoa and got stuck into the local community. He established the Papamoa Soccer club, helped establish the Papamoa Sports Club, was invovled in several community groups, was really active in the mission to seamen (or whatever it is called now) and his local church.

As I sat in his funeral I thought of all those people, bishops included, who just seem to hang on in. My daughter tells stories of accountants who can't let go and retire. And I thought how cool it would be to be able to retire early, like Alan, and to then use all that energy, time and skills to change the community we live in.

It really did make me think. I hope I keep hold of this lesson. I wish others would also learn that lesson and let go.

I went to church at St Francis in Ohauiti

2011-10-21T12:50:00.000+13:00

Last sunday I went to church at St Francis in Ohauiti. It was a Tikanga Maori service. I didn't even know it was there until recently, which shows how little we have to do with each other. It was not a eucharist as their preiest died earlier in the year, and they are now training two new Kai Karakia, who did a great job leading a service they were not overly familiar with.

I really enjoyed the welcome, the invitation to kai afterwards (lunch not just a biscuit) I would go again.

As I drove home I wondered why it is that we know so littel of each other, well, we in Tikanga Pakeah know so little of our Maori brothers and sisters. I was embarrassed at some of the stories they told about the pakeha parishioners at the other church they go to on the sundays there is no church at St. Francis who had no idea that we have a three Tikanga strucutre. My fellow priests are just so rubbish at this.

But I had a very good time. I wish I had gone years ago. How can we encourage this kind of attending other Anglican churches I wonder?

What to do about our worship?

2011-10-11T14:03:00.000+13:00

I just read this very interesting blog by Tony Jones, who blogs way more often than I do. I am presenting a seminar at an upcoming event to prepare resources to help people become more liturgically literate. And this really makes me think. Thanks Tony

My Reflections on the International Anglican Youth Network Provincial Youth Officers’ Meeting in Hong Kong: 13th - 18th August 2011

2011-09-23T15:14:00.001+12:00

This was a gathering of 16 people from 14 different Provinces within the Anglican Communion. A further 7 people from 6 Provinces (and one of the ACC youth reps) were unable to attend due to lack of finance to attend, inability to gain an entry visa, or difficulty in taking time off work. Given the difficult times we live in both for the Communion and economically, this showed that interest in the work of this Network is still strong, and we continue to fulfil a vital role in encouraging those working with young people at the Provincial level, and in advocating for youth ministry and those who work with them across the Communion.

It was a privilege to be present, both representing youth ministry in this Province, and as one of the organising group. It was inspiring to meet people from around the world who share our passion for youth ministry, getting to know them, learning from them, and to be able to offer what we have learnt from doing youth work in our context. We are one of the best resourced youth ministries in the Communion, and at the moment one of the most experienced. It confirmed for me the importance of people from our church being present and playing a significant role in these events. We have a lot of wisdom to share, and it is incumbent on us to share it.

One of the highlights was the time we spent at engaged with the church in Hong Kong: attending a revolutionary youth service[1], dinner with the Archbishop, and meeting with the Diocesan Youth Officers and some young people from the three Dioceses[2] and the Macau Missionary Area. It was important to engage with the local church and get to know some of their issues. All of these people are full time parish clergy, in busy parishes who work hard to ensure good programmes are in place for young people across their Diocese and the Province. It was impressive to see how well they worked together and supported each other.

The meeting occurred in three parts. In the first we heard reports from each of the Provinces present, and were able to celebrate with them their highlights, and to share the issues of concern. The issues that arose out of those reports[3] shaped much of the rest of our time together.

We had two large sections of time working in small groups, the first to address several of the agenda items including: ACC Resolutions from IAYN, IAYN statement of purpose with terms of reference for the Steering Group and Regional Steering Group Representatives, and a rewriting of the introduction to ‘Ending Violence Against Young Women and Girls’; and the second writing articles for the next edition of Buenas Nuevas. These articles began to address some of the issues raised in the Provincial reports. Being collaborative efforts written by people from a variety of cultural and theological perspectives they offer a rich contribution to our understanding of and practice of youth ministry across the Anglican Church. I am really looking forward to this edition being publish early next year.

Other highlights for me included the daily rhythm of prayer that was led using the languages and prayers and songs from each of the Provinces present. This was a rich and life giving experience, more so than if we had just used the common language of English.

We were shown a moving DVD was shown outlining the devastation of the March earthquake and tsunami in Japan and the response by NSKK. The ‘let us walk together project’ which was set up by the Nippon Sei Ko Kai (NSKK), a workshop for mentally handicapped people in the Miyagi Prefecture[4] to make Madoka crafts to sell and raise funds. We were each given samples to sell. IAYN decided to make this a Network project for the next year to support this ministry. The suggested minimum donation is $10 each for the crafts. Orders can be made through John.

The Archbishop of Canterbury recently said that the real work of the Communion happens through the Networks. This meeting was a good example of the truth of this statement. Many Provinces struggle to fund youth ministry, and to adequately support those who work in this most important ministry. Those that were able to attend were greatly encouraged and supported by being able to participate in such a gathering. Our understanding of the huge variety of issues facing those working in this ministry was expanded, along with work on ways to address some of those issues. As a Province have a lot to offer this network, and I hope that we continue to play our part.

[1] This was held in the Cathedral for Eastern Kowloon Diocese. It was the first time they had used modern music with guitars and drums in a liturgy of the Eucharist. There were 500 young people present from the three Dioceses in Hong Kong, along with the local Bishop, the Dean, and other clergy, all of whom seemed very supportive.

[2] Hong Kong Island, Eastern Kowloon, Western Kowloon.

[3] Natural disasters - response in provincial youth work context; Combination of children and youth work (ministry); Lack of practical application of promises to take youth work seriously – priority of youth work and training; Sexuality- HIV & AIDS ; Emigration of young people; Impact of Technology and secularism; Moving youth ministry from ‘priority’ to consciousness of the church; Developing youth leadership; Ensuring that youth ministry practitioners are cared for appropriately/holistically; Violence and young people in their communities and what is being said by them through this - paying attention to the voice of young people; Issue of human trafficking; Suicide and its causes – creating sense of purpose in the lives of young people; Communication across the communion.

[4] The region most affected by the earthquake and tsunami.

Moving youth ministry from being a priority to being part of the fabric of who we are?

2011-09-23T15:03:00.000+12:00

At the recent meeting of Anglican Provincial Youth Officers in Hong Kong we worked on a new edition for Buenas Nuevas, the journal of the International Anglican Youth Network. As a taster, here is one of the articles that will come out in this next edition.

Moving youth ministry from being apriority to being part of the fabric of who we are?

Over recent years many dioceses and provinceswithin the Communion have made ministry to and among young people a priority. Alot has been written about the importance of youth ministry. Youth policies havebeen approved by synods with acclamation. Bishops have spoken enthusiasticallyabout youth ministry, sometimes beginning their Synod report with this goodnews. Other provinces have affirmed the priority of funding youth ministryinitiatives and the importance of engaging those under 25 with the gospel and Anglicantradition.

At the recent meeting of Provincial YouthOfficers in Hong Kong there was a lot of good news on this front. But there wasalso a lot of concern. Too often these good intentions and encouraging pronouncementshave not been translated into action. Stories were told of bishops affirmingyouth ministry in their synod addresses, while the youth ministry budget werecut, in some cases by 90%. We heard of the struggle some leaders have infinding ways of helping their bishop attend diocesan youth events, or ofengaging with young people at any level. While youth ministry is often a statedpriority, when funds become short, youth ministry is one of the first things tobe cut. When the demands on time become too large, spending time with youngpeople and those who work with them are among the first things to be dropped. Weheard stories of parish priests not spending time with young people, of cuttingservices targeting young people and children, and overseeing the demise ofyouth and children’s ministries due to lack of resources and time. None ofthese stories speak of youth ministry being a priority. Nor is it a prioritywhen we struggle to find examples of ordinands or those ordained being offeredany training or encouragement to engage in youth ministry. Yes, a lot is beingsaid about the importance of youth ministry. But too often these grandintentions are not translated into actions. There is a desperate need for thispriority to be taken out of the “good intention basket”, into the consciousnessof our provincial, diocesan and parish leadership, and into the consciousnessof all those who belong to our church. There is a desperate need for it tobecome part of the fabric of who we are.

We don’t say this because we want to save thechurch. (Although to be honest the long term prognosis of too many provinces ispretty dire.) Nor do we say this to make people feel guilty. We understand thatwe operate under tight constraints financially and time-wise.

We say this because young people are a significant part of thewider community in every province. In some parts of our church young people area very significant component. For example around 70% of the Church of Melanesiais under the age of 30. Young people are part of our communities and ourchurch.

How then can we take them seriously, hear their voice and allowthem to take their place among those of us who are older? How can we live outfor young people what Paul wrote to the Thessalonians“We cared so much for you, and you became so dear to us, that we were willingto give our lives for you when we gave you God's message.”[1]This care is part of our calling as baptised people, people called into God’songoing mission as members of Christ’s church. It is also how we live out thepromises we make at every baptism. “As the community of faith, we rejoice atthis baptism and will share with N what we ourselves have received: a delight inprayer, a love for the word of God, a desire to follow the way of Christ, andfood for the journey.”[2]

The report on the Archbishop of Canterbury’s address to the House ofLords on the UK riots reinforces this. “Reflecting on thefrustration of many young people at the betrayal of their own generation bysome of their contemporaries, Williams said, ‘Communities deserve the best, andabove all, let me repeat it My Lords, young people deserve the best.’"[3]Youth ministry needs to be more than a stated priority because young peopledeserve the best we have to offer, not the leftovers like crumbs under thetable.

None of this is very new. That is why we oftenassert that youth ministry is important. The hard part is moving this thoughtinto our consciousness so that it shapes how we act and the decisions we make.While we might say that youth are important most people in church would ratherspend time with people their own age. Many also feel inadequate when faced withbeing involved with young people and look for others to engage in thisministry. Most adults in church do not have the time to run a youth group, andoften don’t have the skills.

We are not suggesting we all get involved inrunning youth groups. Instead we suggest that we need to prayerfully engagewith young people, meet them as fellow human beings, fellow pilgrims, as thosebeloved by God. Rather than wondering how we might fix young people, we mightmore fruitfully wonder how we experience God in their lives. Rather than askingwhat it is we should be producing, it might be more faithful to ask how we arebeing invited to join in God’s ongoing mission among young people. Rather than beingstressed about what to do next, maybe we need to spend time in prayer, so thatwe might be filled with God’s infinite and life giving love for young people.Then maybe youth ministry will no longer be a priority but be part of thefabric of who we are as we live out who God invites us to be.

[1] 1 Thessalonians 2:8

[2] A New Zealand Prayer Book, He KarakiaMihinare o Aotearoa Published by Genesis Publications, Christchurch: 2005

[3]<http://www.episcopalchurch.org/81808_129392_ENG_HTM.htm>18th August 2011.

WEEP FOR THANDI

2011-09-19T13:51:00.000+12:00

I recieved from a friend

It is work reading and thinking about.

WEEP FOR THANDI

A few weeks ago, my daughter attended a “team building” exercise at which the members of the team gave a presentation on their lives. One team member, who grew up on the Cape Flats spoke of her impoverished childhood, describing a small home without electricity or running water. She mentioned that she and her two brothers shared clothes because they didn’t have enough to have a complete set each. She said, “I didn’t know that was WRONG.” She said that she had only one pair of shoes, and thought that was OK because she didn’t know that it was WRONG to have only one pair. She concluded by saying that she had thought it was an easy happy existence, and only learned later that she was WRONG because it was a very hard life and she was unhappy without knowing it. . She apologised, giving the excuse that she DIDN’T KNOW ANY BETTER.

Thandi, who through grit, intelligence and perseverance in the face of many obstacles was achieving her goals, abased herself before the more privileged ands less accomplished members of the team because she had been taught that being poor was WRONG and somehow below standard.

[“Whose standard?” I hope you’re asking yourselves. Certainly not God’s or St Francis’.]

There, my friends, we have in a nutshell the pernicious and corrosive effect of the invasion of Western consumerism into the Third World.. .

What could be a greater psychological abuse than teaching someone that they are too ignorant or stupid to know what their real feelings are? What could be more evil than making happy confident people unhappy and diffident?

Multiply Thandi’s experience by millions - millions of people wounded, scarred, and made to despise themselves – all to feed the greed of Western business. What a crime against humanity! What a social and environmental catastrophe!

Just consider the psychological and economic consequences of making someone feel inferior because they thought one pair of shoes was enough. Look at the result of lying to people that they have to buy a lot to be worthy people. . We’re reaping the harvest of that lie now: envy, crime, violence, hatred, environmental degradation, and the collapse of the social contract and economic morality.

And most of all, we have made it extremely unlikely that any movement to save the environment will succeed. For every person willing to decrease their consumption significantly, and there are very few, thousands are desperately trying to increase their consumption to prove that they are “worthy” people. For every person calling for less consumption and waste, there are thousands asserting their right as “worthy” people to consume and waste more.

Francis would have wept and we should too. Not only for Thandi, but for ourselves as well.

Unemployed Youth

2011-08-18T01:42:00.001+12:00

John Key this week announced his grand plans to solve the youth unemployment issue. not much there really apart from the normal "blame the young people". The real issue is that in times of reasonably high unemployment young people always fair worst. And so at such times there is always a big push to keep young people in education so that they are more employable. And so that they do not appear on the unemployment statistics.

I am not blaming National or Labour for this current recession. I laugh at people who do. We have done reasonably well in this crisis, and that is due to both the previous and current governments. This crisis was caused overseas by poor government (thanks George W and others) and greed. WE are not immune to the greed however.

However, I have never thought we needed tax cuts. They were a bad idea. What we needed was expenditure to keep jobs going and to create new jobs. We needed big jobs being given to New Zealand companies and not being shipped offshore to Chinese companies. We needed to find ways of ensuring our young people were offered real employment opportunities, and not just fobbed off as this current policy announcement does, or just ignored. Too many young people are leaving this country for Australia, and many will not come back.

In addressing the House of Lords Archbishop Rowan Williams reminded his peers that young people deserve our best. The fact is we are not offering young people our best, and they know it. We have seen the rage of young people let loose across the Middle East, Europe and now the UK. How long will we take our young people for granted, offer them second best. What will be our response when their rage is let loose on our shores?

The Act party and Maori's suposed preferential treatment

2011-07-12T16:47:00.000+12:00

This stuff really annoys me. Yes Maori get preferential treatment. We let them die younger, achieve the least in the education system, have the lowest rate of attendance at teriary education, have the highest rates of unemployemnt, infant mortality, health issues, some of the poorest rates of access to the health system, etc... And we let them be a punching bag when a party that represents people who have the most, in terms of money, access to education, health system,and accountants who work out cunning ways to not pay for this, people who received higher tax breaks than any other group, i.e. those who really do get preferential treatment, want more votes. I am sick of people like Don Brash getting air time for his unhelpful, racist and divisivise and self serving comments.

The place of our theological college in the development of leaders for our church.

2011-06-23T10:40:00.001+12:00

These thoughts will be slightly shaped by the Tikanga Pakeha presentation which suggests our theological college offers a school, formation and bicultural site in three Tikanga context.

So here are my random thoughts for this morning.

I see the theological college as a place that offers training for key people who will help our church engage with our missional task, and discern god’s ongoing mission in our society. So this is two groups, those who will work within the structure primarily to help it focus more outward, and those who will be the point persons for our developing missional work beyond the traditional edges of church, who will be much less interested in keeping the church going, and more interested in living out God’s infinite love for all people in a way that brings them into that love, and allows them to develop worshipping communities that honour their cultural context as well as the gospel. (Ok, this is very wishy washy and pie in the sky, but hey, it is morning)

Primarily for me that means the formation for young leaders:

Formed in the biblical story and text;
Formed in the Anglican tradition, including the three Tikanga nature of that tradition in this place
Formed as people of mission (as opposed to people of pastoral care)
Formed as people with a robust and disciplined rhythm of life (which allows for people to be shaped by god’s love, and to be live according to the rhythms and cadences of God, and to live out of that base rather than our own dreams and strengths)

I see the theological college s being a place that offers good academic and practical courses on bible and biblical theology, theology, church history, and practical papers on mission and pastoral practice.

I would hope that people who leave the theological college have spent time in missional practice, reflecting on that and the place of their academic study in that missional practice. (Phil’s idea of a mentor would be good here) I would also hope that those leaving the theological college are able to provide leadership and resourcing for missional ministry among all ages, but specifically children young people and their families, and that if they can’t then this is seen as a failure of what is offered.

What kind of leadership for 2020?

2011-06-15T17:46:00.001+12:00

So the next question is: What kind of leadership for 2020?

Here are some initial thoughts:

I guess first of all , a younger leadership that is less moulded by church as it was and is
A leadership that if focussed on mission, and who understanding Anglicanism as what undergirds that mission.
Not working to preserve Anglicanism per se
Steeped in the Anglican tradition as something that gives life and through which God works to give life and to change the world
Lives out of a profoundly prayerful place
Willing to take risks and to fail
Is innovative
Is filled with God’s love for all people including those we often struggle to love
Is more interested in living the gospel than preaching the gospel
Is willing to question and not take for granted
Loves people can take a community of people with them rather than being a lone ranger
Works with teams
Helps groups of people develop a vision and ways of working that out
Resources people in their ministry
Works hard to engage all ages and not just offer people
Is clear that mission must involve all age groups, and particularly young people

What are your thoughts?

What will mission look like?

2011-06-15T17:43:00.001+12:00

What will mission look like?

In the coming weeks there is a very important meeting happening about the future shape of our theological college. Our three Tikanga Youth Commission has been asked to contribute. To help us prepare we are thinking about different questions, contributing ideas, and then skype calling on a Thursday. Last week the question was what will mission look like? This is my answer. Any thoughts?

To be honest I do not know. But I hope:

it will be much more natural than it is now.
we will do it instinctively rather than have to think about how to do it.
we will remember it is God’s mission not ours
it will be much less about telling people about God and God’s love, and much more about living God’s love (preach the gospel at all times, use words when necessary)
as we offer our best for the least people will see God at work. – are we willing to embrace and kiss the leper?
rather than have to go out and try to offer God’s love we will recognise the risen Christ in all and treat them as such
as we seek to make Christ known, we will come to know Christ
it will be much less about inviting people to come and join us, and running attractive events and services, and much more about going out and joining God in whatever God is up to now.
it will be much less about building the church – which is God’s problem and not ours, and much more about living our God’s grace.
it will be something that all who are part of our church will do, as a matter of course.
it is something that young people will take a lead in
it will come out of our worshiping and communal life.
It will be undergirded by our Anglican tradition which seeks to give life to our mission
we will be a missional community (who we are will be missional by the values which shape how we relate to each other and the community we live in)
it will involve people of all ages working together, rather than separately
will be based on being authentic, rather than relevant.
it will start with where people are and where God is in that, rather than our need to survive as a church
it will be much more about letting go, recognising our own poverty, and not seeing ourselves as the saviours or experts. Can we embrace lady poverty?
we will follow the naked crucified and risen Christ, rather than our own wisdom.

Listen to the Music of the Spirit

2011-05-19T15:20:00.001+12:00

I have just finished reading this really good book on discernment by David Lonsdale. As a spiritual director I felt like I should know more about discernment. I have now read this book twice. It offers a really good introduction to discernment, both on a daily basis and for the big stuff. He basis this way of making choices on a profound sense of our being loved unconditionally by God, a sense that comes out of regular prayer and reading and reflecting on the scriptures. He explores how good discernment holds together both the affective, in particular whether we are being led to God or away from God, and our head. He also explores the obstacles to good discernment.

This is a really easy to read and informative book which I recommend to any interested in this basic Christian discipline

Petition to stop state sponsored homophobia

2011-05-11T14:14:00.002+12:00

I have to wonder where the anglican church is in this in Uganda

Mountain Top

2011-05-05T15:48:00.000+12:00

I have been at a meeting of ministry educators in Nelson, well a retreat, led by Justin Duckworth. During the last day we have spent time exploring the exodus story, leaving Egypt and entering the wilderness as a way of exploring our current context as a church. We have been in Egypt. In many ways it has been good, and in others it has been bad. But it is and was known, and comfortable. And now we are leaving Egypt, leaving what is known, and leaving what is comfortable.

We built Duplo pyramids, each piece with a word on it, each side representing politics, religion, economics or media. So many of those words were negative, which in a sense is an aspect of being in Egypt, we focus so easily on the negative. So much was about the individual, either as individuals or as individual groups, and those individuals protecting what is “theirs” and trying to attain more, be that wealth, power or prestige.

WE were then invited to stand at the Mountain top along with Martin Luther King, to see the promised land, when the kingdom come (and all the colours bleed into one)

My vision is about eh creation of a society where relationships are restored, and we work of the common good. The community is the starting point rather than the individual. It is a society where wealth is seen as a communal rather than the property of the individual, where all have enough and are satisfied with what they have (give us today our daily bread. It is a society where all are treated with dignity no matter their age, gender, race, ability or sexual orientation. It is where the tangata whenua are honoured and treated justly.

So where is the church in all this? Not in the centre! It is where Francis was, where Jesus is, at the edges. We are like yeast, among the community, standing with Christ at the edge, changing the mix, standing with Christ among the least. We will be communities who gather to encounter the living God, and go out with the crucified and living Christ to live out God’s infinite and generous love among all. We will be marked by justice, mercy and humility.

When we stand on the mountain top we can see the paths, even though you might find it hard to see that path. So as I listened to the others what words did I hear and what paths did I notice?

I like the image of altars scatters among the community that offered

Relationships, within and without. That means changing the language about ourselves and God, to God loves us (not me). It is about developing a big vision for what God is up to, and seeing God at work. I guess we need to be like Francis and declare our own poverty, to let go for ourselves and to not try to preserve what was ours. Not try to preserve our position, our privilege, our power. To let go. Easy to say, but when my financial viability depends on a stipend that is not so easy to live out. Hmmm.

We finished by looking at the resources we have personally and as a church. What struck me was the power of the “Me” language we use, and the need to reconfigure that to we language.

So here are the resources I thought of:

· Personally

Story of Francis and Clare
Prayer
Eyes to see and ears to hear
Courage to let go
Growing sense of who we are and who I am as God’s beloved companions

· Church resources

Those who journey with us. Re-languaging ‘me’ to ‘us’
Biblical story.
Liturgy
Anglican spiritual tradition

How to attract young people to church

2011-04-06T11:46:00.000+12:00

I was put on to this blog posting this morning. It is a common question. It is the wrong question really. It assumes that what we are about is attracting young people, or any people to church. Actually, I think it is about living out the gospel, living out God's undeserved and infinite love for all people as God's people. It is about being authentic, rahter than hip or relevant (I got that one from Mission-Shaped Spirituality.)

Anyhow I think this posting is worth a read, and a think about. Be interested in hearing any thoughts

Families unable to absorb / Common Life / News / Anglican Taonga - Anglican Taonga

2011-03-29T15:44:00.001+13:00

I wonder whether our government really has a plan, or just thinks cutting expenditure will solve all ills? What will the long term cost to this country be?

What will the long term cost to families be? What will the cost to our industries, and to those involved in retail. As the government works hard to reduce its debt (which is not high compared to other countries, it is private debt that is the killer here) there is much less money benign put into the economy, less people working and paying taxes, less being raised on GST, which all cycles though with lower government income, and therefore the squeeze to reduce expenditure further. Services are cut further. And the wealthy keep investing off shore. Brilliant!

As the rich are given more, to invest offshore, the middle class and low income are left to struggle. I fear for our trades people, that there will not be enough left int his country for when things rebound, because so many will have left for Australia?

The human cost of an earthquake

2011-03-10T11:12:00.000+13:00

It is good to hear at last the human cost of the earthquake. The cost of having six months of aftershocks followed by another big one, and deadly one. for so long we heard how Christchurch was standing tall. The people were tough and resilient. They would rebuild.

And yet for many, it has been too much. The wife of a friend of mine has gone home, for good. He has had to quit his job and look for work else where. And who would blame them? Their rental had two walls missing and was red stickered. They sneaked in to get as many of their possessions as they could. But had no where to live. The and shaking ground just keeps on shaking. She could no longer live with that. So they are gone.

They are not alone. Up to a third of Christchurch residents are gone for now. And who knows how many will return. A large percentage I am sure. But a significant number will be like my friend. And a significant number would like to be like my friend, but can't. The financial repercussions are too great. So they live with the stress.

Why am I saying this. Because I wondered how all these people were feeling hearing the ongoing stories about those who stayed. Their courage and commitment! The coverage needed more balance, to say that yes these people are staying, but for these people it is too much and they have left.And that is fine too. They last six months, and now with courage seek to rebuild their lives elsewhere.

What is really important?

2011-03-05T17:58:00.001+13:00

Funny how a small thing like an earthquake can make such a difference. Three weeks ago I would have watched ads about coffee and liked it. Like the latest McCafe ad that states that coffee is what is really important. Now i just think "Really?" Not that important. Being alive is important. Having a family that is alive and well is important. Having a home is important, Nice coffee is nice, makes life a little more bearable, but is not important, not essential.

So all that makes me wonder, what is really important, apart from what is important.

being loved, and knowing you are loved
having someone to love
having a safe place to sleep at night, and be in during the day
having some way to keep occupied and that allows you to feed yourself and those you love.
having food and water
feeling safe
feeling secure

well, there are some ideas.

Where is hope?

2011-02-23T12:19:00.000+13:00

Where is hope in this world? The prospect of peace seems slimmer each day with Israeli settlement construction constinuing, with US support. I had hope with Obama, but that is now gone.

Where is hope when Christchuch suffers again from a large earthquake, this time with such tragic consequences. So many lives shattered through deth and injury, through loss of homes and places of work. Is there no end to these earthquakes.

I struggle to hold hope in the face of ongoing violence around the world, where people seem to count for so little in the face of greed and lust for power and wealth.

And yet I must hope. For that is all there is. Hope, when all else is lost. Just hope.

Ministering in the flood zone / Worldwide / News / Anglican Taonga - Anglican Taonga

2011-02-11T16:30:00.001+13:00

Jean is a friend. Her offer to go to Brisbane meant she was not at Parachute, where she was greatly missed. But her Franciscan spirit led her to go and be with these people. It is an example of what the Anglican Communion is about at its best. Here are some of her reflections

Waitangi Day and church

2011-02-06T11:39:00.001+13:00

I just walked out of our church service. I have never done that before, but I just couldn’t stay. I was too incredulous that we could have an Anglican service on Waitangi day and deliberately decide not do say a single thing about it. Not even a prayer.

Today is Waitangi day, our national day. A day we remember the signing of our foundational document, Te Tiriti o Waitangi. A treaty that would not have happened without the work of Anglican missionaries persuading the British Government of the need for it, helping write it, translate it, and then persuading Maori at Waitangi on Feb 6 1840, and around the country to sign it. Those same Anglican missionaries worked hard to try to have that Treaty honoured, and Maori land protected, along with Maori tino rangatirotanga (authority). It is our treaty. It is part of our constitution, and helps shape the life of our church in Aotearoa-New Zealand. And in my church today, we decided not to even mention it. Not in the sermon, that was well set up for it with it being about salt and light and such. Not in the prayers. We prayed for the oppressed in PNG. We did not pray for anything to do with Waitangi. The liturgy was all about peace and justice, breaking down walls that divide, celebrating this land, and yet we decided to be Waitangi free. It is pious Christianity, all nice but totally removed from actual life. So I left. Me and God, and not about us and God, and the land we live in.

Yesterday I went to a wedding in Matamata. It was what Waitangi day really is about. Two young Maori whose wedding was in an Anglican church, a liturgy full of Te Reo, and then a celebration at Ngira’s home marae of Pikitu in the Waikato. Just a beautiful spot. While the occasion was Maori, it wasn’t forced or strident. It just was. People spoke in Maori, used Maori terms naturally. It is how they live and work. Maori culture underscored everything, but there was a generosity in all we did that made you feel welcome and part of everything. It was a coming together of people in a Maori environment that was clear, but open and inviting. It is what we should be working towards and celebrating every Waitangi Day, and the days between. It gave me hope.

The service was held in the Anglican Church in Matamata. The stain glass windows in the Nave have St. Francis on one side and Wiremu Tamihana on the other. Both men worked and lived for peace. Wiremu is described as “a remarkable man, whose vision of peace and prosperity for his people was disrupted by a conflict not of his own making.” You can read more on http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/wiremu-tamihana. While he did not sign the Treaty, he worked hard to create a strong place for Maori so that Maori and Settler could live side by side, two people under one God. It was good to have the wedding in a church which honours such a man.

So at least I had a Waitangi type celebration. Too bad for the others who came to my church today. Hei aha.

Bishop of Egypt gives thanks / Features / Anglican Taonga - Anglican Taonga

2011-02-04T17:02:00.002+13:00

A few years ago at the WCC General Assembly in Porto Alegre I went to a seminar on Christianity in the Middle East. I went because I thought it would be about Israel and Palestinians. Actually they weren't mentioned, and the people speaking came from Iran and Egypt. One of the questions asked of the Egyptian was about democracy. He replied American style democracy would not be a good thing for Christians in Egypt. They are too small a group, and in all likelihood could end up with either no or little representation in the government. He suggested other models of democracy and government were needed, and Egyptians needed to work that out.

I have remembered those comments as I have watched the gleeful reporting from Cairo. Another dictator falls!! (well maybe) Democracy is on the way! But I keep wondering how long the various groups involved in the opposition will hang together, and what will happen when they splinter? In Iran it lead to the bloody and forced Islamisation of a once relatively Western country, where those who had once been together in opposing the Shar fractured, and the non Islamists were eventually driven out or executed. What will happen in Egypt? What will be the consequences for the Christian community? When will some of these thing be talked about by our mainstream media?

Anyhow, here is what the Anglican Bishop in Egypt has to say.

Asset sales

2011-02-02T17:16:00.000+13:00

I will declare myself here. I am opposed to asset sales on ideological grounds. I cannot understand how they are good for the country in the long term. We are selling companies that do two things. First they create income for the government. Which is a really good thing. Secondly they also should have a slightly different rationale. that is to provide a service, as opposed to make a profit. WE have seen with our railways what happens when we privatise assets. Disaster! Overseas owners did not care one jot whether we had a long term viable rail system. They simply bled it dry and flogged it off. Or Telecom, which despite the Kiwishare, failed to provide a good modern telecommunications network for this country, and instead made huge profits for the overseas owners, which we as tax payers paid for with the poor service and inflated fees. And then there is Air New Zealand, wrecked by private enterprise board who were, in the end, incompetent, but extremely well paid for being incompetent.

But, I am not an economist. So I was well pleased to read this article. Sadly, we will vote Mr. Key and his unwise cronies back in, and we will suffer the long term affects

Archbishops lament hate crime

2011-02-02T16:58:00.003+13:00

I wonder what hope there is for our Communion when my Anglican brothers and sisters seek to preach a gospel of hate and violence. This is in direct contravention to any Lambeth Resolution. Let alone the gospel. Some might argue they are being pastoral. I would suggest they are simply bigots who do not represent anything of the Gospel I read about in the Bible. Where can we go in this situation. And why bother with a covenant which will not hold us together?

Alaska

2011-02-01T12:43:00.000+13:00

CWS statement on Government funding

2011-01-26T18:22:00.000+13:00

This was in an email I received just before Christmas. It saddens me to see how new Zealand is slowly pulling back on any commitments to the UN Millennium Developments Goals and Poverty Eradication under the guidance of Murry MCully. I never thought I would say it, but I miss Winston as our Foreign Affairs Minister .

CWS statement on Government funding
17 December 2010

At 65 years Christian World Service is at the crossroads. On Thursday December 16, CWS received notice that only one of its six applications for government funding was successful. Ama Takiloa in Tonga is an effective organisation that is a broad ranging programme to improve the livelihoods of local people. So are the other partner groups but for reasons unclear to CWS they did not receive funding. CWS has a strong track record of effective partnership relationships and has always received very positive reviews for its work from independent and government development experts. With other agencies that have been similarly affected, we are writing to the government to express our concern about what has happened and asking for fair process based on good development practice. More information is available on the website: http://www.cws.org.nz/take-action/aid

In the short term this means that we need to raise much more money in an effort to meet the commitments we have made to all our long term partners. They are doing vital work helping poor communities and their future is now in jeopardy. This is not the message we want to give them at Christmas so we are asking for your help. You may like to contact the government expressing your concern, but more than anything we ask you if you are able, to give generously to this year’s Christmas Appeal and encourage your friends and neighbours to do the same. With your help, we can Share the Care with those who need it the most.

Auckland Grammar and NCEA

2011-01-26T18:00:00.000+13:00

Happy new year to any one who reads this.
I drove past Auckland Grammar today. Boys were lurking in their uniform, ready for another year. Wait, most schools go back next week! so what was that about?
Any how, I did laugh at this pretentious school last week. They are so wanting to be a private church school without the church stuff (like a few church schools really).
Any how again, I laughed at the rationale given last week as to why they were encouraging their boys year 11 level to not do NCEA and to do Cambridge exams instead. because ti will motivate them! really! My experience of being a boy, of teaching 15 year old boys, and watching our boy is, yeah right! all they will do is slack of all year, and so enough at the end of the year to do well enough. their marks may be higher. But what will they learn? isn't that what schools are really about, learning and not the grades?

My daughter has rightly pointed out that your school marks count for very little once you have left and begun further education. What counts then is how much you have learnt, and the skills you have learnt about how to work effectively through out the year. I wonder if what Grammar are suggesting will in fact serve those boys very well in the long term?

U2 - Mount Smart, November 2010

2010-12-01T18:49:00.000+13:00

U2 2010

“One man betrayed with a kiss.”

A line in a song

Sung on a TV

Heard so long ago.

A small line that sparked

A love

Like a mole

Going down

excavation

Higher now

In the sky

Elevation.

A line sung again

Crushed in and lifted

Amongst the many who loved as well.

Giving word to my hopes

A song to my dreams.

I know I have touched angel lips

Felt the healing finger tips

But I still haven’t found what I am looking for.

Drawn back to the poetry

Quickened by the fast paced edgy guitar

Driven by bass and drum

Made aware again

Of the rhythm of my soul.

I sing again

“One man betrayed with a kiss.”

Tikanga Youth Exchange

2010-12-01T18:38:00.000+13:00

On Monday of next week I will be flying to Fiji with about 30 others from Aotearoa for Tikanga Youth Exchange and the launch of the launch of the Youth Yeah for the Diocese of Polynesia. All up 130 young people and leaders from 5 countries are expected in Suva for a week of learning about what it means to be a three Tikanga Anglican church, how we, led by God's Spirit have sought to incarnate the gospel in each culture that is part of our church, and yet seek to still be one together. Cool stuff.

Anyhow, there will be live blogs, picture galleries put up each day, and interviews with speakers and participants posted each day. Check it out. Keep up to date. Pray for us.

DECLARATION OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE FOUR RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF MELANESIA ON SOCIAL JUSTICE, HUMAN RIGHTS AND ADVOCACY

2010-11-29T12:18:00.000+13:00

DECLARATION OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE FOUR RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF MELANESIA ON SOCIAL JUSTICE, HUMAN RIGHTS AND ADVOCACY

Tabalia, West Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, November 21-28, 2010

Beloved in Christ:

From November 21 through 28, 2010, we, 152 members of the four religious communities of the Anglican Church of Melanesia, have met together at Tabalia, West Guadalcanal, the headquarters of the Melanesian Brotherhood, for prayer, biblical reflection, discussion and planning on issues of social justice, human rights and advocacy in Solomon Islands and beyond.

We are members of the Community of the Sisters of Melanesia, the Society of St. Francis, the Community of the Sisters of the Church and the Melanesian Brotherhood. It is the first time in the history of the Anglican Church of Melanesia (ACOM) that the four religious communities have met together for such an event. We rejoice in the new friendship and cooperation that has emerged among us, breaking down old barriers and misunderstandings. We are also happy to be joined by some of our community members from Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea.

We thank the initiator and a facilitator of the event, Br. Clark Berge, SSF, Minister General of the Society of St. Francis; four facilitators provided by Franciscans International, Mateusz Tuniewicz, Sr. Odile Coirier, FMM, Morse Flores and Sanjay V. Gathia; and local facilitators Lanieta Leo and Bishop Terry Brown. We thank the 27 facilitators from the four religious communities trained the week before by the same facilitators. We also thank the Society of St. Francis Legacy Fund for financial support for the event.

In the context of the daily Eucharist and offices, we have reflected upon the biblical and theological roots of social justice and human rights; gained an understanding of the variety of United Nations human rights declarations, covenants and conventions; gained skills in advocacy; examined our local social, cultural, economic and political contexts; and tried to discern our future work in promoting justice and human rights in Solomon Islands and beyond. Particular themes for discussion were women, gender and children; respect for the environment; and good governance, transparency and rule of law. These themes were chosen in light of the country's high rate of family violence, ever increasing environmental degradation and widespread corruption.

We affirm the world as God's good creation in Christ, restored by Jesus Christ's death and resurrection (Genesis 1:1-25, Colossians 1:15-20). We affirm the equality of women and men as created in God's image and companions for one another (Genesis 1:18, 26-27). We affirm God's covenant with Noah, blessing and protecting the environment (Genesis 9:1-17). We affirm righteousness and justice as put forward in the Jewish Law and prophets. We affirm Jesus' loving solidarity with the poor and suffering, leading to his death on the Cross. We affirm the Cross as offering forgiveness for our sinful ways, and life in Christ as a new way forward (Ephesians 2:1-10, 2 Corinthians 5: 16-21). We affirm our faith in the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, who leads us to advocacy for truth and justice (John 15: 26-27, 16:13). We affirm that the whole Church, the Body of Christ, is called to advocacy for justice and righteousness both within itself and in the world at large.

In light of these affirmations and our work together this week, we discern the following:

1. Family violence, particularly violence against women and children, remains a widespread practice in Solomon Islands. We reject any cultural defence of this practice. We believe that the root causes of family violence (cultural beliefs, poverty, forced and/or very early marriages, lack of Christian teaching about marriage, poor communication in marriage, misuse of alcohol, etc.) must be addressed. We, both women's and men's communities, pledge to continue to support the work of the Christian Care Centre as a shelter for women and children who are victims of abuse and as an educational centre on this issue. Within each of our communities we also promise to address this issue, for example, with direct intervention in situations of family violence, inclusion of teaching against family violence in mission programmes that go out to the dioceses and the development of training programmes on family counselling within our novitiates.

2. We note widespread complaints about how the Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP) deal with alleged situations of family violence, often ignoring them as "domestic disputes" and refusing to intervene. Some police even side with the perpetrator, especially if he is a relative or friend, blaming the victim. We urge better training of the police on this issue and more frequent deployment of women police officers. We are willing to assist in this training. We urge that the rule of law be observed rather than ignored in these cases. Where police refuse to act, they should be reported to higher authorities.

3. We are concerned that there is widespread abuse of the human rights of children, especially girls, in Solomon Islands. Despite the government's programme of free and universal primary education, many girls are not allowed to go to school but are kept home to work. Adopted children are especially vulnerable. Many children and young persons are subject to sexual and physical abuse in the home, usually by close relatives. The country's shortage of secondary schools and tertiary education further disadvantages children wishing to pursue education at higher levels. We promise to encourage parents to send their girls to school. We also promise not to let our households become refuges for children who should be in school.

4. We are deeply troubled by parents who allow their under-aged daughters and young daughters to become "wives" of foreign logging crews (usually from Asia) for payment of goods and/or money. These relationships are often forced, not permanent and are really a form of child prostitution and slavery. Children born out of such relationships are very vulnerable. Especially where our community houses are near such logging camps, we pledge to counsel the parents and children concerned and place pressure upon logging camp managers to halt this illegal practice, publicly exposing it where necessary. We urge dioceses, parish committees and clergy to do the same and not to accept gifts from the logging companies concerned. We support the recommendations of the Christian Care Centre's 2007 report, "Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in a Remote Region of the Solomon Islands". The same practice is also emerging in the fishing and mining industries. We also note with concern increasing urban prostitution employing local young women and the trafficking of women brought from Asia. We are also concerned about allegations that girls are earning their school fees through sex. We pledge to work against these practices and to minister to those involved. We urge the police to act in all situations where the law is being broken, particularly in remote rural areas.

5. While women are well represented in the civil service, including at the level of Permanent Secretary, only one woman has been elected to Parliament since Solomon Islands independence in 1978. We strongly believe we should have women Members of Parliament in Solomon Islands. Reasons for the absence of women in Parliament are largely cultural and economic, resulting in well-qualified women (of whom there are many) unable to get elected. We believe serious consideration should be given to 30 percent reserved seats for women in Parliament. We are pleased to see this development taking place in Bougainville and Papua New Guinea. We also pledge to encourage well-qualified women to run in national and provincial elections and, while not endorsing specific candidates, urge voters to give serious consideration to voting for women candidates. Men do not have the right to control women's votes. Each woman has the right to vote for the candidate of her choice.

6. We are pleased that Solomon Islands Government has become a party to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). However, we are concerned that Solomon Islands government has not met its international obligations in both implementing and reporting back to the United Nations on the two conventions. We urge Solomon Islands government to make the required reports to the United Nations on CEDAW and CRC immediately. We also urge Solomon Islands government to be transparent in developing public awareness programmes to show the steps it has taken to implement these two conventions.

7. We are deeply concerned at the widespread degradation of the environment in Solomon Islands, particularly through unsustainable logging and fishing, often by foreign companies in collusion with local politicians. Despite years of warnings, the Solomon Islands government has refused to reduce the level of these activities. We urge Solomon Islands government to reduce logging and fishing to sustainable levels. We urge a complete ban on logging in Guadalcanal, Isabel, Makira and Malaita and other islands, where we have especially experienced its negative effects (land degradation, flooding, destruction of water supplies, rivers and reefs, land disputes and prostitution). As members of religious communities, we shall discourage local communities from entering into contracts with logging companies.

8. We are concerned about the environmental and social impact of gold mining about to begin again on Guadalcanal, proposed nickel mining on Isabel and other mining projects planned around the country. Some of us have witnessed major environmental destruction caused by the current nickel prospecting on Isabel and urge that prospecting not take place without an environmental impact study. Aware of the disastrous environmental and social effects of mining in Papua New Guinea, we urge Solomon Islands government to move cautiously in this area and maintain maximum transparency with all parties about proposed projects. As members of religious communities, we shall urge local landowners to proceed with the greatest caution.

9. We are also aware that there are local environmental practices that need to be challenged and resisted: over-harvesting of marine and land resources, dynamiting of reefs for fish, destruction of endangered species and their habitats, careless use of land and sea for disposal of rubbish, destruction of mangroves, fruit and nut trees; and lack of rubbish collection in urban areas. We confess that we have sometimes failed as religious communities in these areas and pledge to try to make our households good examples of respect for the environment. We also pledge to assist village people to address these issues through change of practice and advocacy. We are also aware that for some islands rising sea levels and over-population are major environmental issues. We have met as island and national groups and prepared appropriate action plans. We shall be implementing these.

10. We have discussed issues of good governance within our own religious communities. We recognize we have sometimes failed and pledge the greatest possible good governance, transparency and faithfulness to our Rules in the future. The governance of large religious communities is not easy and further training is needed, for example, in looking after money and assets.

11. We have discussed the corruption and violence that frequently accompany national and provincial elections in Solomon Islands. We believe we can exercise leadership in areas of developing accurate voters' lists, encouraging well qualified women candidates, discouraging bribery, monitoring elections for fraud and preventing violence at polling stations. We also recognize the urgent need for reform of the nation's electoral laws by Parliament.

12. We intend to take the concerns expressed in this Declaration back to our four religious communities and the Anglican Church of Melanesia for consideration and endorsement. We also wish to continue to meet together as religious communities on issues of social justice and human rights. We recommend that the ACOM Religious Life Advisory Council appoint a social justice committee comprised of representatives of our four religious communities. We pledge to work with the ACOM, other churches, the Solomon Islands Government, non-government organizations and all other organizations working on social justice issues. We also ask for the solidarity of church partners overseas, especially in countries from which our exploiters come.

For us, this has been an exciting week, full of new learning and new friendships. Sent out on Advent Sunday, we make a new beginning, incorporating and moving beyond the peace and reconciliation work we have done in the past and will continue to do. We shall continue to "lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light ... the Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 13:12-14, Collect for Advent Sunday) and actively seek justice for all.

Agreed to by the consensus of all the participants and signed on their behalf by:

Sister Mary Lulo, CSM

Head Sister, Community of the Sisters of Melanesia

Sister Phyllis Margaret Sau, CSC

Sister Provincial, Solomon Islands Province, Community of the Sisters of the Church

Brother Clifton Henry, SSF

Representing the Province of the Solomon Islands, Society of St. Francis

Brother Leonard Yanga, MBH

Regional Head Brother, Solomon Islands Region, Melanesian Brotherhood.

Advent Sunday, 2010

Tabalia, West Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands

Welfare reform

2010-11-29T12:16:00.000+13:00

To be fair, this article gives a little more detail than a NZ herald article I first read. I do not oppose welfare reform per se, but I do oppose anything that reduces people to components of an economy, and that fails to acknowledge that nearly all those on welfare have been tax payers who deserve the care and support of the society in which they are a part. It should also acknowledge that most of the invalids and sickness beneficiaries would love to work again. Offering genuine help, rather than stigmatising, as some reports have done is the way ahead.
I acknowledge that there are some people who have come to see their benefit as a right, and who have no aspiration to work for money. That is a problem, But most beneficiaries want to work, and should be treated with dignity and support. We are living through a recession at the moment. There are no jobs. So blaming beneficiaries for not working seems a little churlish at the moment.
The proposals about Solo Mums do worry me. There is an assumption that child care will be affordable, and that it will be available when work is available. Sadly that cannot be guaranteed. So who looks after the children if the work is afterschool or at night? And what are the social conseque3nces of children being left at home alone? Sure, we might save some money now, but how much will we spend later on on the kind of interventions also being talked about, and in social welfare and corrections costs? I am not saying DPB beneficiaries should not work, but it needs to be structured in ways that allow them to remain parents first. That is what it means to be a caring society.
The bottom line is that whatever happens, we need to treat people as people, not as economic units, and work to find ways that actually work, and not just save money. Finally, if there is to be welfare reform, when do we take seriously the views of those receiving the benefits? We need to stop seeing beneficiaries as bludgers, which is the point of view of too many commentators, and see them as people of skill and integrity, that also want the system to work well.

the perils of being a cyclist

2010-11-15T22:11:00.000+13:00

Three cyclists die on our roads this weekend. I am sure that both the drivers will be filled with remorse. Huh.
It is perilous riding on our roads because of the moronic driving of New Zealand drivers. It is amazing how many drivers insist on driving on the white line even when there happens to be a cyclist just on the other side of that line. Ride strong, the cyclist lobby group advises cyclists to ride on the road side of the white line. I did this on Monday last week, and it does force cars further out, and I then have the option of moving over. But why should I have to? I am sure if any of these drivers hit me they would bo very upset. Not as upset as me however. And they could avoid it by giving me space.

But it is also the idiots who overtake and then drive right over to the white line that scare me witless. A car was within .5m of me going very fast on Monday overtaking on a corner. It was so close, and so unnecessary. Just a peice of really really bad driving.

And then there are those who turn left on top of cyclist. Overtake and then turn left forcing you off the road. Sometimes they even swear at you for being on the road. Brilliant. I have even been forced off the road by a bus that overtook me, and whole overtaking pulled into a bus stop.

So cyclists will continue to die, and drivers will feel remorse. But if they just engaged their small brains there would be less death and less reason for remorse.

Tomorrow I go out again. God keep me safe!

IAYN meeting in Mexico -Friday.

2010-10-31T13:56:00.003+13:00

On Friday we met with all the Bishops of this Province, which was a really good experience. The Archbishop, The Most Revd Carlos Touché-Porter, chaired the meeting the night before with the young people and translated for us. He expressed his gratitude that we had chosen Mexico for our meeting. He commented that several groups had cancelled their time here due to the media reports about violence. He also said that since they had become and independent province in 1995 they had experienced a very real isolation. (Until that point they had been part of the TEC) The sentiment was echoed by the bishops on the Friday morning. They were all genuinely interested in what the Network does and how it could help their youth ministry. We then met with the Provincial Secretary who was really supportive and offered to help us make contact with several provinces in South America to develop our links with them.

Some of us went out that night. I had an Indio beer in a glass with salt around the rim, and with ice and lime in the bottom. Apart from it fizzing everywhere it was quite and unusual experience.

IAYN meeting in Mexico -Thursday.

2010-10-31T13:45:00.002+13:00

On Thursday Douglas made us review what IAYN is doing and as a result we decided to develop a focus.

We discovered quite by accident (thanks God for the internet) while looking for something else that this year, right now is the UN International Year of Youth. So to help Anglican young people engage with this year, and to pick up the theme that has been a focus of several of the other Anglican Networks, that of eradicating gender based violence.

We began working on developing a resource called Ending Violence, which is basically one of the theological reflection processes I learnt as part of the Masters (the paper I did in 2004). On Thursday night we met with young people and young adults from Mexico City, all of whom are part of “the Happening” the youth version of Cursillo. When Sally-Sue told them about this they were so enthusiastic. I was really taken by surprise. It helped me realise how institutional I can be. I kept thinking that the UN year “our year our voice” should/could be about the voice of young people in the church. How boring!!!

These young people exploded with enthusiasm. This is an issue all young people face, violence in some way. And here at last was a church group saying, here is a way you can talk about this, talk about your experience, bring your faith to bear on it, talk about what this issue says to your faith, and find some ways to act to end the violence. It was great. I had to get up early the next morning and rewrite big chunks to take account of all the young people talked about. We spent all day Friday slowing working through what we had each written, and then we had another go today for one final revision. It was so helpful, having the stuff I had written picked to pieces and revamped, and I think it will work a whole lot better as well.

IAYN meeting in Mexico - Wednesday

2010-10-31T13:38:00.001+13:00

Wednesday we worked on our journal Buenos Nuevas (Good News) this was supposed to come out last year, but we lacked an article from Africa. We didn’t think it was politic in today’s environment to publish it without that. So we now have that, and it is all go. So we worked that up, and also decided on what our next one would be about (young people and the bible). We also started work on the when and where of the next Provincial Youth Officers Gathering. We are hoping for Hong Kong next August (I can’t go as I am on holiday with Bonnie). If that falls through we have been invited to South Africa, in which case it would be in October. It is just a lot more expensive for most people to get to SA.

By lunch time I was beginning to feel better, which meant I could engage with the food a little more. Here they breakfast at 8.30 after morning prayer (which I didn’t quite make, either due to being asleep or working of various bits of work I agreed to do). This is a three course brekky, fruit, yoghurt, something cooked; then a big dinner at midday (well, 2ish) with three courses – soup, rice, meat with some greens, and then dessert. Supper is about 7, after evening prayer and is lighter, fruit or cold veggies, and then a meat and rice thing, followed by dessert. I am not starving. Chillies and salsa at all meal, even breakfast. I have not starved!!!

IAYN meeting in Mexico -Tuesday.

2010-10-31T13:36:00.000+13:00

We were expecting one of our members was due to leave Johannesburg on the Monday afternoon and arrive Tuesday night. But Douglas had a sad email on Monday afternoon saying he had a flight coming through the USA and he did not have a visa, so could not board his plane. Help! What can he do??? Well, the travel agent took some time to find a way to get to Mexico without needing any more visas. It makes you realise how lucky we are as new Zealanders with the ease we travel around the world. Several days later we arranged via Facebook with him (his email stopped for awhile) to get him here by Friday night. It is great to have Maropeng here to add another voice to our thinking.

We began our meeting on Tuesday. Breakfast was at 8.30am, which I failed to get to on time. I was really tired, and by lunch was beginning to feel slightly unwell. We plodded our way through reports and began our other business. It was a slow day. We who had travelled were all tired. It was an interesting thing going to evening prayer that night which was all in Spanish. Having done that a bit my Spanish is improving. In fact I even have a tiny we little bit now. Amazing.

IAYN meeting in Mexico - Monday

2010-10-31T13:33:00.000+13:00

Buenas dios from Mexico!!

So, what have we been up to? Meeting mainly.

We arrived on Mondayat 5.30am. Highlights of the day, after a short sleep, included going across the road to Sanborns, a kind of mall come department store, owned by the richest man in the world, Carlos Slim, and going to Coyoacan area, a lovely area full of restaurants and bars that night. We ate lots of yummy Mexican food, some of which is hot, and some not. It was grand. Sadly it was also a late night, 11.30 before I got to bed. Blah!

IAYN meeting in Mexico

2010-10-24T21:47:00.001+13:00

I am stting in Auckland airport waiting to board my place for LAX and then Mexico City, for an International Anglican Youth Network Steering Commitee meeting. I am hoping to be able to put up the odd (maybe really odd) post over the next two weeks about what we are talking about and what we hope to do.

Once our meeting finishes we will be staying on for the day of the dead celebrations. It should be lots of fun.