E NEWS 4TH AUGUST 2023
Well, I drove to Otaki on Monday to get my passport verified at Te Wananga o Raukawa (I’m sure there are easier ways to get this done) but it was a nice day and a nice drive. Wow what an impressive campus they have there at Otaki. It looks quite new and state of art buildings and compound, it certainly was worth the drive to see the context where my online Te Reo studies originate from. I started my 6 month course which ends in December and already this week which is wiki 1 I have completed up to wiki 4 and I could keep going but I thought I better not jump too far ahead. It is good for me as I see this as a refresher course, and it is so much fun to listen to stories of Goldilocks and Cinderella all in Te Reo and then take the end of the week quiz. A very positive move on my part to take this up enjoying it very much.
As part of our certificate of Good Standing as Ministers within the PCANZ we are required to attend a 3 and half hour workshop on the Code of Ethics. This was held on Tuesday afternoon. We were given scenarios of ethical situations that have arisen within the church and ministry with no names or contexts given. Interesting situations that ministers find themselves in and some of this from living in a fishbowl like existence where people watch and sometimes judge a minister 24/7. How for some there seems to never be a “down time” for ministry, all eyes are constantly on them during both private and working hours.
On Wednesday I was invited to be Keynote speaker at the National Religious Educators and Chaplains Conference which was being held at Queen Margaret College. It was good to see some Presbyterian colleagues there too. I was asked to share my Ph.D. so I chose to speak about the matriarchy of Samoa in Pre-Missionary times that usurped the role of women as priestess etc. and what it means today to part of a church that recognises the ordination of women whilst Samoa continue to exclude women from ordination. I received a positive response.
Minister emeriti Rev Marg Schrader is having her book launch “Ever Widening Circles” (it is her biography) at St. Andrew’s on the Terrace on the 27th of August at 2pm. We are asking people to RSVP if they intend on attending her launch. SAOTT is catering for it. We have booked both the church and conference rooms 1 & 2 but will know which venue to choose as soon as we have an indication of numbers attending.
Our churches General Assembly is approaching from the 26th of September to the 1st of October at St. Kentigern’s College in Auckland. I am the SAOTT representative this year representing Central Presbytery.
Margaret Rushbrook is still in Wellington hospital ward 7 South, room 12. Her children share the texts that people send her, and she seems aware but unable to speak or respond. We will continue to keep her in our prayers.
This Sunday is Peace Sunday/Hiroshima anniversary. Paul Barber and I are sharing the service. This year is also the 40th Anniversary since SAOTT became a Peace Church. There will be brief reflections from some of our church folk who were involved in movements for Peace over the years. It is also communion Sunday. I do hope to see you on Sunday, please wrap up warmly and take care and God bless. Fei
You can read the full E-news here: https://mailchi.mp/cf4a66903051/this-weeks-newsletter-from-st-andrews-on-the-terrace-9391775
