E-NEWS FRIDAY 5TH JUNE 2026
Talofa lava. O le vaiaso lenei o le gagana Samoa. This week marks Samoan Language Week, a wonderful opportunity to celebrate one of the languages and cultures that enrich Aotearoa New Zealand. As many of you will know, each Sunday at St Andrew’s we greet one another with the Samoan greeting “Talofa lava” a warm welcome and blessing to one another.
Language is more than words. It carries stories, values, identity, and belonging. Included in this week’s e-news is a small collection of basic Samoan greetings and phrases that you might like to learn and use in your everyday encounters. Why not give them a try? Practice them with family, friends, neighbours, or even with me when we meet on Sunday.
This has been a good week for me. I feel as though things are finally getting back on track and returning to normal. I’ve been able to attend a couple of important meetings and gatherings in our wider community, which has been encouraging.
One highlight was being treated to lunch by former All Black Saveatama Eroni Clark MNZM, now NZ’s first Pasifika Engagement Manager for New Zealand Rugby, along with Caren Rangi ONZM who has recently been appointed as the new Pacific representative on the New Zealand Rugby Board. They popped into St Andrew’s bought some jam and pickle from Sue’s pop-up table. We enjoyed a lovely lunch together and a chance to catch up on the exciting developments taking place within New Zealand Rugby and Pacific leadership.
On Thursday I spent time at the Ministry for Pacific Peoples, continuing my work with the Community Steering Group. We have been reviewing the stories and interviews gathered as part of the Dawn Raids project, work that is now moving towards publication in a formal resource. It is a privilege to be part of a project that preserves and shares these important stories from our Pacific communities.
There are also some staffing developments taking place in our office, including promotions and new appointments beginning next week. I will share more details once these have been formally presented to Parish Council this coming Sunday.
This Sunday we turn to two stories of calling: the call of Abraham in Genesis 12 and the call of Matthew the tax collector in Matthew 9. Both are stories about ordinary people being invited into something new. Abraham is called to leave behind the familiar and set out on a journey into the unknown. Matthew is called away from his tax booth and into a new way of living and serving.
As I prepare this week’s reflection, I find myself wondering about our own sense of call. Is God’s call something that happens once in a lifetime, or is it an ongoing invitation that continues throughout our lives? Does retirement mean the end of being called, or simply the beginning of a different chapter?
My sisters and I were chatting about this very thing during the week. One of them suggested that between the ages of 65 and 70 are your “go-go years”; between 70 and 75 are your “go-slow years”; and from 75 onwards are your “anything goes years”! You may or may not agree with that assessment, but it certainly gave us a good laugh. As someone who has recently turned 65, I am very conscious of making the most of those so-called go-go years while I still can.
For many of us, this stage of life brings fresh questions. We may be thinking about retirement, downsizing our homes, simplifying our lives, or letting go of responsibilities we once carried. Some discover that retirement is far busier than paid employment ever was. Others find themselves caring for loved ones, volunteering in the community, travelling, studying, or exploring long-held passions.
Sometimes we choose these changes. At other times, life chooses for us. Illness, loss, financial pressures, changing family circumstances, or unexpected opportunities can stop us in our tracks and force us to rethink what is normal. We may find ourselves asking, “What now?” and “Who am I becoming in this next season of life?”
Perhaps that is where Abraham and Matthew meet us. God’s call is not simply about what we do. It is also about who we are becoming. The call continues to unfold throughout our lives, inviting us to grow, to trust, to let go, and to embrace new possibilities.
So this Sunday we will explore the call of Abraham, the call of Matthew, and perhaps most importantly, the call that still nudges us today. Where are you being called to be? Who are you being called to become?
Watch this space. The reflection is still a work in progress.
Our reflective music on Sunday will be a musical offering from Pia Dhabuwala and Gracie Guo students from Queen Margaret College.
Fa’afetai tele lava, and blessings on your weekend.
Tofa soifua, Fei
You can read the full E-news here: https://mailchi.mp/3112c2b178eb/this-weeks-newsletter-from-st-andrews-on-the-terrace-10141037
