YOUTH VOICE MAKING A DIFFERENCE!
May 14, 2010 | Leave a Comment
The youth voice continues to be vocal throughout this General Synod speaking to issues of Social Justice, Caring for God’s Creation, Alcohol issue, Millenium Development Goals - in particular Poverty, and other issues of concern. I’m pretty proud also that we continue to make a difference in our own Tikanga caucuses also! We continue to give thanks to the Lord for all He has in store for us all!
Blessings! Sepi Hala’api’api - Tikanga Polynesia delegate
Bible Study: Thurs 13 May 2010
May 13, 2010 | 1 Comment
Reading: Luke 24:44-53
He said to the, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
Questions for you to reflect on:
1. How often do you read the Bible.
2. Share your favourite scripture that has inspired you in faith.
3. In what ways could General Synod/Te Hinota Whanui further inspire the Anglican Church to share the story if the risen and ascended Christ with the world.
Please leave a comment with your response.
General Synod
May 13, 2010 | Leave a Comment
General synod is about the three Tikanga coming together as one, there’s a lot of Decisions, Debates, Issues, that they sort out to try and make our church’s stronger.My reflection on this Korero is based on learning new information that connects to all our church’s and our three Tikanga religions, Tikanga Maori, Tikanga Pakeha, Tikanga Polynesians, And getting to learn about there religions is the most important thing to do at this General Synod. Working together as one and helping one another is awesome communication.
Learning more about our church’s is a great experience and also an opportunity to get to no your own Tikanga, Me being a steward here i have the options to get to no everyone and express everything i no from our ministry and teaching others as well. But just being here at General Synod is awesome and loving it working with new people is great and this i would never change a thing.
The Anglican Church “One Big Happy Family?”
May 13, 2010 | Leave a Comment
“We are one big happy family, gods family, Gods family. We are one big happy family Gods family are we. She is my sister he is my brother our father in heaven he loves you and me”
These words of which the general synod sang last night “one big happy family” some what charismatically at night prayer reflected the mood of this synod thus far, Tho im not trying to say that the proceeding haven’t brought up disagreement and division not to mention the countless calls for caucus and the hours spent in caucus. There has clearly been tension on the floor of this synod, After all some of what we had deal with has been easy but at the heart of all our work here as the body of Christ is that this work that we are doing is Gods work. Like a family we have our problems we have our disagreements in some ways we are dis-functional but our three Tikanga church, like a family we love each other. As a family of Christ followers we are obliged by the Gospel to love each other as Christ first loved us, at least we have got that going for us.
Josh Reid (steward Waiapu)
Stoney
May 13, 2010 | Leave a Comment
We are having afternoon tea now and so far we are still discussing the St. John report. The Arch Bishop of Polynesia was annoucned today (Bishop Winston Halapua). It was met with much support from both Tikanga Maori and Pakeha which I think is very good. Tikanga Pasefika did a traditional presention by the women and an acknowledgement from the men traditional style aswel which makes me very proud to be a polynesian. For me this was the highligh of my day witnessing the unity and the support of the other two tikangas. Still alot to get through today and one of the big issues is the St. Johns report hopefully we will come to a conclusion and not spend too much time on this because im really tired and sleepy from a late night lastnight. But Im getting better and better at using that photocopy machine and i just found out it can do stapling also which is very interesting. Its going well and we still have a few more ours to go and as a stewart still have alot to learn.
Rambling’s from Miquela Cope
May 12, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Kia ora everyone, my name is Miquela Cope and I have been in hospital the whole time. So sorry about the lack of comments.
To read further of my time thus far at Synod please go to: http://generalsynod2010.wordpress.com/2010/05/12/miquela-cope-things-all-happen-for-a-reason/
Alcohol
May 11, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Thoughts from John Hebenton
I am listening to presentations about the abuse of alcohol in our society. It is really sobering. It has made me think about my attitude both to drinking and to law reform. We have heard about what the alcohol industry does not want us to know about alcohol:
In particular I want to think about how I can support the 5+ campaign working towards alcohol reform in this country. We can read more about this at the link above. We as a church need to back this, particularly to change a culture that encourages young people to view alcohol abuse as a rite of passage. We as a church need to challenge an alcohol industry that targets children and young people in a way we should be horrified by. But we remain silent. Now is the time to act and to persuade our politicians that change is needed, and they need to lead the way.
The absent three Tikanga context
May 11, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Some more thoughts from John HebentonI was asked whether my comments about the lack of any three Tikanga context referred only to youth. Actually, I would say we are one of the places where there is some kind of three Tikanga youth context. But there is very little three Tikanga context within the wider church. Sure, General Synod is grand, and the bishops get together twice a year, but apart from that there is very little happening. And there is very little commitment to each other as a result. There are issues coming up on this GSTHW agenda that reveal that, the St. John’s College review and resource sharing are two. We are simply not committed to each other. When we meet we seem to firstly seek to preserve what we have and our own mana, rather than being genuinely concerned with the needs of our brothers and sisters (rather than partners) and developing a common mana. We exist as three churches who happen to meet occasionally. Maybe we need to stop using partnership language, and talk about maybe marriage, or some other way which helps us talk in ways that aids our commitment to each other, that helps us realise and live out being one church, committed to each other. I realise I am quite idealistic, but this constitution is idealistic. We can do better.
Tikanga Toru Youth Commission
May 11, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Thoughts from John HebentonThis morning a grand thing happened. The General Synod Te Hinota Whanui passed the third reading of the bill establishing the Tikanga Toru Youth Commission. (Yes we do things the same as parliament, and this now acts as a piece of legislation within our church) Well done Sepi Hala’api’api who moved the bill, and Bishop David Rice who seconded it. My hope is this commission can help establish a three Tikanga context and mind set among young people so that we can become committed to each other in a way that is almost entirely absent from our church at the present. My dream is that the young people can lead the way for our church and help us all understand what a gift our three Tikanga constitution is, and start trying to live it out.
It did have a rocky road. Tikanga Maori asked hard questions and there were all sorts of unstated agendas at play, as always. And some of what plagues us as a church was also at play that is that the three Tikanga is something we do when we have time, instead of being a priority. That is our reality now, but I hope we can change that over the next few years.
Earth Hour Sunday
May 11, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Expression from Sharlene Douglas-Huriwai
Motion 14 presented by Archbishop David Moxon on Earth Hour and Earth Sunday has me thinking of what I can do to help the environment. Part of our 5 fold mission statement says something like ’striving to care for creation’. Having our haahi take this day into consideration and observing a Sunday towards this I hope willl spread the word on how serious that the climate change is. This will draw our communities attention to the need of making changes for climate change. As mentioned from the floor, there are areas in Australia (yep just over the ditch) who have never seen the wonders of rain. Can you imagine what New Zealand would like without the luscious green grass and our beautiful forests, conservation lands and gardens?
Lyndon Rogers, a youth delegate from Diocese of Christchurch spoke of a few ways in which his Diocese passed to support efforts for climate change. Becoming more active, this year Lyndon a young leader in our haahi has flown to places around 2 times per month. Can you imagine the effects that our whole church have on the environment? One of the efforts from Diocese of Christchurch was asking their minita to ‘ride a bike’ instead of driving their car and could be reimbursed for the mileage in which they ride to get to their hui. What great initiative!
Let us think about what we are doing. I mean, how many trees would you have to plant to ofsett your carbon emissions?