E-NEWS FRIDAY 22nd MAY 2026
Kia ora and Talofa lava. Unfortunately this week included another rather unexpected day in hospital on Tuesday. Thankfully, all is well now, but it does feel at times as though when it rains, it pours. It has been one thing after another lately, and so I have been taking things a little more gently for the remainder of the week. I am feeling much better and still intend to head away on Saturday for the Presbyterian Women Ministers’ Retreat, participating as fully as I am able. Thankfully, I also have a few supportive colleagues around me who are very capable of taking the lead and helping to keep the programme running smoothly!
The first part of the retreat, from Sunday through to Tuesday, will gather the Pacific Women Ministers together. One of our goals will be to begin work on a second edition of Pacific Treasures, the book I edited back in the year 2000. Twenty-six years later, there are now many more Pacific women in ministry, and we would love to produce an updated volume that reflects our stories, experiences, and ministry journeys today.
From Tuesday through to Thursday, the wider gathering of Presbyterian women ministers will join us, including the Amorangi ministers from Te Aka Puahou.
The theme for this year’s retreat is “How Are You Travelling?An invitation for everyone to reflect openly on where they are in ministry, the peaks and valleys of our journeys, and the challenges and joys we encounter along the way. Most importantly, it will be a precious opportunity to share stories, encourage one another, and reconnect.
This gathering has been made possible through the generous legacy left by Sylvia Jenkins three years ago, enabling women ministers to discern together how best to use her gift for the wellbeing and support of women in ministry.
This will be the third in a series of retreats. The first, held in 2024, was hosted by the Presbyterian Women at Forest Lakes in Ōtaki. Last year’s retreat was hosted by Te Aka Puahou at Te Maungarongo Marae in Ohope. This year, the retreat is being hosted by the Pasifika Women Ministers at St Francis Retreat Centre in Auckland. We are expecting 31 participants. Ngati Whatua will be leading a mihi whakatau both on Sunday and Tuesday mornings to welcome the two groups to Tamaki Makaurau.
This Sunday you will once again be ably led by Jim Cunningham as we celebrate Pentecost Sunday. I am not entirely sure what Jim has in store for you, but I suspect the theme of Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit may feature somewhere along the way!
Please do join in online if you are able, and when you do, please pop a comment or greeting into the chat so that we know you are there and sharing in worship with us from afar. Those little messages of connection are always appreciated.
Enjoy your week ahead, take care of yourselves and one another, and I shall look forward to seeing you again next Sunday if not before. Ka kite anō. Fei.
You can read the full E-news here: https://mailchi.mp/f2a6258d3d0a/this-weeks-newsletter-from-st-andrews-on-the-terrace-10140773?e=[UNIQID]
