Anglican Centre for Youth Ministry Studies: Strengthening Rangatahi for the Harvest
August 17, 2004
By Rev Hirini Kaa (Kaihautu: Te Māra Rangatahi Ministry School)
In a world leading initiative the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia has approved the vision for the establishment of the Anglican Centre for Youth Ministry Studies.
The Centre is a collaborative development between the rangatahi of the three Tikanga of the Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. The Centre will be based at St Johns Theological College in Tamaki Makaurau.
As rangatahi we have the energy, the creativity, the whakapapa and the whakapono to carry out God’s work in the harvest. We have much work ahead of us to build a base of knowledge and expertise in rangatahi ministry that will make our ministry sustainable and effective.
The Centre will enable us to work alongside our Tikanga partners in the Church to gain the momentum we need. Our reo and Tikanga will survive and flourish in this environment. Our place as tangata whenua, the first people to receive the Good News in this land, will be recognised in the guiding principles of the Centre. The Centre will also be a place to explore and build our relationship with our Tikanga partners as members of te Whanau a Te Karaiti.
In coming years the vision will reach and surpass the horizon. We will make connections with the rest of the world, renewing and strengthening our whanaungatanga with our indigenous brothers and sisters. The Centre will empower us to take the gifts that God has given us as rangatahi and fulfil our potential. We are healers, preachers, musicians, actors, thinkers, leaders and servants, and the Centre will enable us to open up these gifts and go out into the harvest to do God’s work.
Comments
Got something to say?