Month: September 2017

Getting to the bottom of the nation’s housing problem – Lance Thomas

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seller transfers key to the house in hands of buyer

Rev Lance Thomas has been minister at Rotorua District Presbyterian Church (RDPC) until his recent retirement. RDPC has a range of one, two and three bedroom homes and offers these at affordable rentals, including some that are made available to people who would struggle to get rental accommodation.

Would you write an opinion piece on the housing crisis for the Candour election series? That sounds like fun – forget the facts it’s only an opinion piece, I think. I am reminded of the great line from the movie “Inside Out”, where one of the workers on the train of thought in the brain confesses that they have mixed up the boxes containing facts and opinions: “Don’t worry,” says the supervisor. “That happens all the time.”

If you want the facts, the Church Leaders’ Statement on Housing (May 2017) is worth a read. You could also try the New Zealand Herald, which occasionally lets an article with genuine facts sneak through. Continue reading →

Poet and Preacher: by Maurice Andrew

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Maurice Andrew seems to be enjoying a long retirement in Dunedin.  He completed his outstanding academic career as Principal at Knox College a wee while ago now

The German poet Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) held a high view of the poet’s calling. It is probably expressed most directly in his poem “O tell us, poet, what you do. – I praise.” (“O sage Dichter, was du tust. Ich rühme.” ‘Rühmen’ is not the only word for ‘praise’ in German, and there is a touch of the exultant about it.)

My translation of Rilke’s poem is below, and then my interpretation of it (“Homiletics”). My interpretation makes an application to the preacher rather than to the poet. In other words, Rilke’s poem set me thinking and writing about “what the preacher does”. Continue reading →

Ministry & Recovery: Did Jesus get tired? by Silvia Purdie

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Silvia ministers at Cashmere Presbyterian Church in Christchurch

Here’s a question which will throw your Christology into stark relief: ‘Did Jesus get tired?’. If your Christology is ‘low’ you’ll probably say ‘Duh, yes of course!’; he was fully human, and experienced all the pain and exhaustion that we humans do. You’ll remember that he slept (even in a storm on a lake!), and took himself off alone to recharge. Continue reading →

Election Series: some musings – Martin Stewart

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Martin is the editor of this blog

When you cannot be sure that you can observe the world in neutral enough ways, should you not say anything?

That’s the dilemma I face every election cycle when it comes to my pulpit ministry, and I tend to play it safe and avoid saying anything that can be interpreted as partisan politics. The pulpit, I figure, has to be shaped by greater things that the ideologies that I might find attractive and the whims of whatever mood I’m in.  I say that, and believe that, but suspect I am a spectacular failure! Continue reading →

Election Series: Investing in the well-being of all children by Michael O’Brien

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Michael O’Brien is the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) spokesperson on social security. Mike is an Associate Professor at the School of Counselling, Human Services and Social Work at the University of Auckland, and has written extensively on poverty and social security issues.

The idea of social investment has been central to a range of government policies over the last few years. While it has had a number of different descriptions and uses, the central idea is that government financial resources should be targeted to those children and families at high risk of poor outcomes. Continue reading →

Sara Miles visit

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Along with Theology House, The Village Presbyterian Church in Christchurch is hosting Sara Miles for a day seminar.

Sara Miles

A Day with Sara Miles Bread of Heaven/ Daily Bread

WHEN: Wed 20th September 2017 10:00a.m.- 3.15p.m.

Cost: $60 (morning tea and lunch provided)

WHERE: The Village Church, Cnr Ilam / Aorangi Roads,
Register with Claire Bonner at admin@theologyhouse.ac.nz

am: Take this bread: worship & service

Midday Table Eucharist

Lunch Provided

pm: Jesus Freaks: outreach & service grounded in eucharist

Sara Miles is the author of : ‘Take This Bread: A Radical Conversion’ ‘Jesus Freak: Feeding, Healing, Raising the Dead.’ & ‘City of God: Faith in the Streets’

She is the founder and director of The Food Pantry and served as Director of Ministry at St. Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church in San Francisco for ten years.