Anglican Life Apr-May 2018 by Anglican Diocese of Christchurch

ANGLICANLIFE.ORG.NZ

DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH

ISSUE 53

APRIL / MAY 2018

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CLIMATE CHANGE, CONSUMPTION AND ETHICAL EATING

LEAD ME LORD… TO SCHOOL

ARE YOU A MODERN-DAY SLAVE DRIVER?

WITH ONE VOICE

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FROM THE BISHOP: In God’s Service Is Perfect Freedom IN BRIEF FEATURE: Climate change, consumption and ethical eating Lead me lord… to school Mission: Possible” Are you a modern-day slave driver? Gardening and other good things Faithful stewardship sometimes means just turning up

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The sweet soil of stewardship CAPTURED: Easter wings DIALOGUE: With one voice CULTURE GLOBAL DISPATCH: Latim, the Lorax and our lifestyle WORKPLACE: Looking after earthquake damaged spaces, places and people THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: Keeping faithful time

AnglicanLife is published bi-monthly by the Anglican Diocese of Christchurch. Editor: Jo Bean: editor@anglicanlife.org.nz, Contributing Writers: Rev’d Indrea Alexander, Jo Bean, Megan Blackie, Edwin Boyce, Sara Cornish, Rev’d Dr Megan Harvey, Alison Jephson, Tessa Laing, Cathy Maslin, Bishop Victoria Matthews, Rev’d Joshua Moore, Ross Seagar, Rev’d Jolyon White, Editorial and Advertising Enquiries: Jo Bean: editor@anglicanlife.org.nz, Printed by: Toltech Print, Print Sustainability: AnglicanLife is printed on recycled paper using vegetable-based inks. ISSN 2253-1653 (print), ISSN 2537-849X (online) Cover image: Sows and their piglets free-ranging. The production of pork has a low environmental impact.

The Transitional Cathedral, Latimer Square

Further details at www.christchurchcathedral.co.nz | admin@christchurchcathedral.co.nz | (03) 3660046 EASTER DAY - 1 APRIL: 8:00AM HOLY EUCHARIST; 10:00AM CHORAL EUCHARIST; 5:00PM CHORAL EVENSONG MOZART REQUIEM: SATURDAY 14 APRIL SUNG BY THE CJRISTCHURCH CITY CHOIR PENTECOST: SUNDAY 20 MAY: 8:00AM HOLY EUCHARIST; 10:00AM CHORAL EUCHARIST; 5:00PM CHORAL EVENSONG; 7:00PM DIOCESAN CONFIRMATION SERVICE THE CATHEDRAL IS AVAILABLE FOR YOUR EVENT ~ PLEASE DO ENQUIRE! SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR DETAILS OF REGULAR SERVICES AND OTHER EVENTS COMING UP!

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FROM THE BISHOP

IN GOD’S SERVICE IS PERFECT FREEDOM ‘Steward’ is an immensely important word in Holy Scripture and particularly in the teachings of Jesus. For example we are not the owner of our life on earth but rather a steward of what has been entrusted to us for a few decades. We really belong to God. In recent years we have encouraged talk about stewardship of planet earth and the care of creation. At its heart there is again the idea that all that we have and hold is on loan. The implicit question is whether we are good stewards. In the church year at Easter we proclaim and celebrate the message of the Resurrection of Christ from the dead. Crucified, dead and buried, Christ rose from the dead after three days in the tomb. In His death and Resurrection, Christ gives us the gift of eternal life. What an amazing gift to receive. But the question I want to ask is whether you have made a commitment to be a good steward of this gift of eternal life? It isn’t that if we are careless the gift will be taken away. Not at all. Rather it is in living a good and Godly life that we live out our thanks to God for all that we have received from Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit. By taking care of the gift, we are twice blessed because our faith deepens. Deep speaks to deep.

Let me offer a brief story. Two teenagers each receive the gift of a new bicycle. One cares for it and enjoys the gift for many years, even into adulthood. The other has momentary excitement but then begins to neglect the bike until eventually it is forgotten and overlooked. Is it still a gift and a good bicycle? Almost certainly yes, but it has ceased to be valued or even used. I suspect there are Christians that fit into both those categories with respect to stewardship of their faith. Some go from strength to strength while others turn away to other pursuits, often blaming the Gospel for failing them. But really, is that what happened? Fifty days after Easter, the Church celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit as described in Acts 2. It is such a great story and the resultant transformation of the early Church was remarkable. But after about four hundred years the power of the Holy Spirit in the Church seemed to diminish. It’s almost as though we ring-fenced the Holy Spirit so we could get on with what we decided to do. Again I have to ask, is that good stewardship? May this Easter and Pentecost call you to be a fabulous steward of the abundant gifts of God. + Victoria

THE BRIEF

LOOKING AFTER OUR PARISH BUILDINGS – CHURCH PROPERTY TRUSTEES IN ACTION Words: Ross Seagar Church Property Trustees (CPT) have 290 buildings of which 236, more than 80 percent, were damaged in the 2010–2012 earthquakes including 50 of the 55 vicarages (90 percent). The CPT earthquake recovery programme: 180 projects (76percent) have been completed, 14 (6 percent) are currently in progress and 42 (18 percent) are in the planning stages. CPT is also the largest owner of heritage buildings in Canterbury with 100 heritage buildings, structures and sites on their books, requiring significantly detailed and prescriptive work to be done when repairs are carried out. CPT is proud of the work done by the Recovery Team in restoring so much of its heritage portfolio. St Bartholomew’s One building recently completed is St Bartholomew’s Church, Kaiapoi. Built in 1855, and designed by Benjamin Mountfort (Canterbury’s foremost architect) it has the highest heritage classification (Category 1). Other buildings Mountfort designed include the Canterbury Museum, the Provincial Chambers, and he also contributed also to the design of the Cathedral. St Bartholomew’s Church also includes two notable stained glass windows one of St Bartholomew and one of the four evangelists. The project was recently featured in Scope Magazine. The Cathedral Since the decision was taken by Synod to reinstate the Cathedral a significant amount of behind-the-scenes work has been going on. The Council has confirmed its $10 million funding pledge, legislation has been passed to speed up the consenting process (Christ Church Cathedral

Reinstatement Act 2017), a fundraising trust has been formed which has begun meeting regularly, Health and Safety protocols are being developed and a shareholder Joint Venture agreement is in progress that will outline how the fundraising trust and CPT will work together. The project is envisaged to take 7-10 years dependent on how fast and how much comes in via fundraising. Some buildings currently being worked on are: • Church of the Ascension (and hall) Waikari [Glenmark–Waikari] • St Paul’s Tai Tapu [Lincoln] • St Saviour’s Hall (and vicarage) [South Christchurch] • St Mary’s [Timaru] • Full replacement of All Soul’s Church (and hall) [Merivale–St Albans].

Church of the Ascension Waikari

THE BRIEF

DECISIONS AT SYNOD Words: Edwin Boyce The forth session of the 53rd Synod in the Anglican Diocese of Christchurch was held on 3 March at St Christopher’s church in the parish of Avonhead. This was a special Synod held primarily to discuss the Motion 29 Working Group report on same gender blessings. A secret ballot was held on the motion that this Synod supports the adoption of the recommendations in the Motion 29 Working Group Final Report at General Synod / Te Hīnota Whānui. Sixty percent of both the clergy and the lay representatives voted in favour of this motion. Other topics included the consolidation of the Diocesan accounts, with a Bill receiving its first reading (the second and third readings will happen at the September Synod), and the passing of a Bill on Synod Lay Representation that allows all parishes to have two lay representatives attend Synod.

Diocesan Synod meeting at St Christopher’s Avonhead, 3 March 2018.

52 YEARS OF SERVICE Words: Indrea Alexander After 52 years of ordained ministry, the Reverend Simon Ballantyne has hung up his stole. In the early ‘60’s Simon was working for the NZ Forest Service in the Craigieburn Range. But “being caught by two avalanches (up to the waist) convinced me God had something better for me to do”. Simon was ordained in 1965 and has been Rural Dean in midCanterbury, curate assistant in Ashburton and Cashmere Hills parishes, vicar of Ross and South Westland, Methven, Kensington– Otipua, and St Anne’s in St Martins. For the past twenty years he has been semi-retired with periods as priestincharge in Upper Riccarton, Kaiapoi and Burwood. Wherever he has been, he has sought ways to engage meaningfully with the community. He had to travel long distances when he was on the West Coast, which could have been isolating, but he joined the volunteer fire brigade which proved an excellent way of “identifying with the community”. He has seen marked changes in society over the years, with a corresponding impact in church life. In Methven he saw the significant social impact of the development of the Mt Hutt ski field when due to work opportunities, people “suddenly stopped coming to church”.

In South Canterbury’s Kensington– Otipua parish he experienced the move toward two-income families, which left few people home during the day. In Christchurch’s St Martin’s parish this continued to have an impact, moving pastoral ministry from “gidday, I’m the vicar” to being more specifically with those in need. There was a move away from church attendance being the norm. “People started coming to church because they wanted to… church rolls shrunk but were stronger”. It was in St Martin’s Parish, Simon says, that he was labelled “the mad vicar”. One of the church wardens, expert in lateral thinking, found novel ways to publicise the annual church fairs. Each year Simon spent 48 hours in a garden shed placed somewhere strange: up the church tower, on a raft on the Heathcote River, buried underground, and in a cargo container in a supermarket carpark. One year he was in a BMW suspended 10 metres in the air! “It was all covered well by television. It was fun.”

Reverend Simon Ballantyne officiating at his last service in February 2018 at St Peter’s Upper Riccarton [C/o St Peter’s Anglican Church]

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CLIMATE CHANGE, CONSUMPTION AND ETHICAL EATING Words: Sara Cornish

Getting pig meat to the table is one of the less impactful production processes.

Lately I have been pondering our lifestyle choices as a family, and wondering how our faith should shape our response to issues of environmental and social justice. How might we live out these ethical decisions in a way that is fun, gracious and loving, rather than burdensome? As parents, what might it look like to teach our daughter about creation, love, and worship, in action as well as words? 4

Food ethics Life doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get more practical than food (tell that to any parent mopping food off the floor). The food we eat connects our home with people all around the world: rice from India, canned tomatoes from Italy, bananas from Ecuador, chocolate from Ghana. At mealtimes we teach our daughter to thank God for the food we eat, but rarely do

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we give thanks for the people who laboured to produce it, or for the earth God has created that sustains our needs. Confronting the ethical dimensions of food is challenging, but it is also an opportunity to teach our children ways to express love for God and for others that is practical, reflective, and healthy. A meaty issue The food choices we make have social and environmental implications, although we are often unaware of it. At this moment in history, one of the most urgent food-related issues is our consumption of animal products. Few people know that the climate footprint of meat and dairy production is on par with the global transport sector, at 14.5 percent of all human-induced greenhouse gas emissions each.1 Although the livestock industry is a key driver of climate change, it is largely ignored in climate mitigation efforts, with governments and environmental groups concentrating their efforts on the less controversial energy sector. However it is becoming clear that to avoid dangerous climate change we must achieve a significant worldwide reduction in meat and dairy consumption. The message is simple: globally we need to eat less meat. This is not a popular position in a country that earns a large proportion of its export income from meat and dairy. I do not write to cause guilt, or to alienate sectors of the population; farmers care passionately for their land and livestock, but the realities of increased competition for resources, population growth, and climate change demand that these resources be managed more carefully than ever. Farmers need our support to continuously adapt and update their management practices if they are to sustainably feed future generations. I hope to start conversations, encourage people to take small steps towards change, and begin to think creatively about the role we can play as individuals and Christian communities to effect change in New Zealand. Environmental impacts of the livestock industry According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO), livestock production occupied 30 percent of the planet’s land surface in 2006, making it by far the single largest human use of land. The livestock production chain contributes to climate change primarily through methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide emissions (associated with feed production, livestock digestion, and processing and transportation of animal products), and the transformation of forests into croplands for animal feed and pasturelands.2 Further expansion will hinder climate mitigation, limiting the amount of land available for carbon capture through reforestation. Other troubling environmental impacts of livestock agriculture include soil degradation, inefficient use of water resources, and freshwater pollution. One reason we hear so little about the link between meat and dairy

Why can’t we cultivate more land? Rainforests capture and store carbon dioxide and are essential for mitigating climate change. An estimated 1.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide is released each year due to deforestation. Raising and feeding livestock currently accounts for nearly a third of total global deforestation. At current rates of deforestation, rainforests will have totally disappeared within our grandchildren’s lifetime (100 years).

Allocation of land and crops • Livestock production accounts for 77% of global agricultural land; human-edible crops constitute only 23% • One third of the calories produced worldwide are fed to animals. • Half of all plant proteins produced are used for animal feed. • If current trends continue, more crops could be fed to animals than to humans by 2050.

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consumption and climate change is the complexity of the data, with regional factors and different farming and production systems generating varying emissions intensities. But general patterns can be taken into account as we seek to consume more sustainably. In general, the production of beef and lamb is much more emissionsintensive than poultry or pork. This is due to high levels of methane produced by ruminant animals (cows, sheep, and goats) during digestion; ruminant animals also have greater lifespans than poultry or pork, and produce a smaller protein value for the amount of feed required. Cows have the largest environmental footprint, both in terms of emissions intensity and consumption of land, water, and energy resources.3 Feeding people first Land allocated to raising livestock,

including pastures and croplands for animal feed, accounts for between twothirds and three-quarters of agricultural land worldwide.4 According to the UNFAO, a tremendous 26 percent of the world’s ice-free land is used for grazing. A further 33 percent of cropland is used to produce animal feed. Despite this agricultural dominance, meat and dairy products contribute only 17 percent of our global calorie needs, and 33 percent of protein supply.5 Eating animal proteins is a staggeringly inefficient means of meeting our protein requirements. A 2013 analysis of agricultural yields indicates that only about 10 percent of the calories eaten by livestock contribute to human diets.6 Simply put, a cow or sheep needs to eat far more food (particularly protein) than it can provide in meat. Producing animal protein is less efficient than

The production of lamb, pork and chicken have less of an impact on the environment than beef.

Chicken meat and eggs are a high source of protein that have a relatively small impact on the environment.

Edible gardens are a great way for kids to learn about sustainability and caring for creation. Jasmine loves picking the bright red juicy tomatoes!

producing equivalent amounts of plant proteins: the same amount of land will yield significantly more calories and protein by growing crops for direct human consumption than by raising and feeding livestock. It is more resource-efficient to satisfy the bulk of our protein needs through direct consumption of grains and other plant proteins.7 Why does efficiency matter? With the status quo already pushing earth’s environmental limits beyond breaking point, how will the earth feed an additional 2.2 billion people by 2050?8 It won’t—at least not on a typical Western diet. The global food system is unsustainable even at current population levels. It is also unjust and unhealthy, giving rise to conditions of food deprivation and malnourishment, alongside tremendous waste and excess. Feeding a growing population requires greater food production

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from limited land resources, raising questions about how land can be allocated more effectively. How much land can be justifiably used for livestock to satisfy the demands of the wealthy, when it could be used more productively to provide a greater quantity of food—enough for rich and poor alike? Reducing global animal consumption, limiting livestock feed to human crop leftovers, and adopting sustainable agricultural practices such as integrated crop, tree, and livestock production would go a long way towards reducing livestock emissions, reducing the toll on natural resources, and allocating human food resources more equitably. As societies we can embrace a more sustainable diet, or continue on our current trajectory, wreaking environmental havoc and exhausting precious resources to sustain our meat addiction—and leaving little for the poor to sustain themselves. This is the path of least resistance. Meat and dairy production promises short-term profit—especially given predictions of a massive increase in consumption amongst a growing global middle class. But these benefits will be reaped by too few, at too great a cost to all. How will Christians respond? Let me be clear: I am not suggesting all Christians become vegans, or even vegetarians—you can significantly reduce your environmental impact without limiting yourself entirely to greens. The simplest way is to give up red meat, or avoid beef and limit lamb

intake (the most environment-friendly animal proteins are from poultry and pork).9 Recently our family decided to stop buying beef entirely and to limit lamb to rare occasions. We don’t have a rule for how many meat meals we eat, but aim to eat vegetarian meals several times a week and avoid unnecessary dairy. It is important not to neglect nutritional needs: as a woman of childbearing age I try to make tradeoffs in other areas, and continue consuming enough dairy products to meet the increased calcium needs of these years. As well as reducing our environmental footprint, I am learning how we as a family can adopt a lifestyle that contributes to the environment. A lot of discarded ‘waste’ has value for building up natural resources— not a new concept to many, but a revolutionary one for me. I can collect rainfall for the garden, build a greenhouse from old windows, create compost, and bury logs, tree cuttings and leaves to build up fertile soil. I have enrolled in an organic garden course, to learn how to grow food with methods that are gentle on the earth. Although it is invariably more difficult to enlist a toddler’s help, I am trying to involve my two-year-old in the process. Perhaps for my children, worship will take root in the process of caring for their own little garden, growing in wonder for God’s creation and respect for the ecosystems He created. Embracing a more sustainable lifestyle must become part of our identity as Christian communities.

We are called to love our neighbours and live as stewards of God’s creation. Both require us to recognise that our way of life has consequences for others, and that these are usually borne by those with the fewest resources. What if the good news we proclaim was matched by a truly revolutionary concern for others and the world we live in? Christians share a common concern with people everywhere to preserve the earth for future generations, but our primary motivation can be love and worship— not fear. The actions of a people living out the gospel as they embrace a different lifestyle could be not only a catalyst for social change, but also a potent witness for Jesus in a world longing for hope. 1, 2 & 3 UNFAO (2013), ‘Tackling Climate Change Through Livestock’ 4

Comparing dairy products with meat products is more difficult. Dairy cattle generate a similar share of emissions to beef cattle. For weight of protein produced, emissions from the production of cow’s milk are less that of beef, but double that of chicken meat. See Chatham House (2015)

Chatham House (2015); M. Roser & H. Ritchie (2018), ‘Yields and Land Use in Agriculture,’ https://ourworldindata.org/yields-and-land-use-inagriculture-breakdown-of-global-land-area-today

Roser & Ritchie (2016)

Cassidy et al. (2013), ‘Redefining Agricultural Yields: From Tonnes to People Nourished Per Hectare’

Plant-based sources of protein include wheat, whole grain rice, oats, nuts, seeds, and legumes.

Current UN projections expect world population to hit 9.8 billion by 2050. www.un.org/development/desa/en/news/ population/world-population-prospects-2017

LEAD ME LORD… TO SCHOOL Words: Jo Bean Jo Bean chats with the new principal of St Michael’s Church School, Penny Tattershaw, about the school and why she’s there. Excited about her new position, Principal Penny Tattershaw, ‘Miss T’ to the children, animatedly discusses her new guardianship role over the oldest primary school in Christchurch. As she gives me the tour, she returns a sports ball, picks up some rubbish, greets staff members and parents, acknowledges the children by name, all while talking excitedly about the growth of the school and the importance of a specialist teaching model (STM). She proudly introduces Spanish teacher, Mr Ben Smith, who teaches Spanish three times a week. The idea is to get experts teaching their specialties—thus providing enthusiastic and inspirational teachers for children’s best learning opportunities. Mr Smith is an example of the STM model working well; as his language fluency comes from having lived in Mexico and being married to a Mexican. Utilising the STM effectively is one way in which Penny takes her role of stewardship over her learners very seriously. If a teacher is not artistically inclined, and Penny admits to being one of these, then bringing in an art teacher makes sense. As a

teaching principal, Penny also teaches a number of subjects including English, history, geography and sport. Children learning at St Michael’s are taught life skills like confidence, values like kindness, behaviours like respect, and structures such as when to be silent and when to ask questions—and these are just as important as their curriculum subjects. They are taught that church is a safe environment where those values are important, and they learn about God’s world and their responsibilities to it. What strikes me the most is there’s no tokenism here— if they teach something, they teach it well, and encourage learners to jump in boots and all, making connections to their lives. This is authentic learning—the children can see what they are learning and why, making it meaningful and satisfying for both teachers and pupils. This nurturing school has a small but growing roll. Unfortunately post-earthquakes, the Christchurch CDB was emptied of people and the school’s role dropped by half as a result. So one of Penny’s jobs is to get the numbers back up, and beyond, and she is well up to the task. Since Penny believes you can’t be a good steward without understanding an institution’s history, her initial approach is to look, learn

Penny has spent 28 years in classrooms across three countries Scotland, England and NZ. She read Law at Oxford University, then trained as a history and outdoor education teacher before taking up a teaching post in a Preparatory (“prep”) school where she fell in love with 7–13 year old students. She loves their crazy ideas, their unbounded energy, their emerging adult personalities and how they constantly surprise you. ‘Miss T’ gets down with the students in the playground after school. 8

and get a sense of the cultural history of the school. And this school has over 160 years of history, so Penny takes being a custodian of the legacy very seriously, and considers her responsibility towards the alumni an essential part of her work. Her dream is to once again make St Michael’s a vibrant part of the central city; a dynamic part of the parish and its community. Penny aims to do everything with care: to balance the needs of the children currently in her care with the wishes and hopes of new families to come. Meshing the old with the new can have its challenges so Penny is mindful of the bigger picture. In this endeavour, communication is a big part of that stewardship role. She takes time to hear the stories and makes sure to let the families know what’s happening. She doesn’t see St Michael’s as her school, but as the school belonging to the children who attend, and her role one of being entrusted with their care and stewardship. Penny wasn’t going to be leading a school in 2018, she was supposed to be writing. She has a passion for writing and engaging young people in accurate historical stories. For example inviting children to get a sense of what it was like to be present at the Fire of London, the eruption of Vesuvius, the first Olympic Games in Greece, and the burial of a Pharaoh in Ancient Egypt. However, Penny has learned the lesson of obedience and the pointlessness of not listening to God, so when she was called to take up this challenge at St Michael’s she had the faith to follow where she was led. Knowing obedience always leads to blessing, she also has faith God’s blessings will flow and this journey will bear fruit. Penny believes a huge part of her success to date has been due to the supportive school families that she has been privileged to be part of. She is ever grateful for her former Cathedral Grammar family and she describes the current St Michael’s whanau as generous, passionate and excited about the future. Penny loves being part of the Parish community too and acknowledges the outstanding contribution of Rev’d Anne Price and the support of Paul Marsh, the Board Chair. “Parents and the community place their faith in me and my team as educators and entrust their children to our care—it’s an awesome and exciting responsibility.”

“IF WE TEACH CHILDREN WELL, WE GIVE CHILDREN THE WORLD”

‘Miss T’ with a cuppa tea–-a familiar sight around the school. ‘Miss T’ is standing here with Reverend Anne Price in front of the Church , a heritage building designed by William Fitzjohn Crisp.

Did you know? St Michael’s story goes back to the beginning of Christchurch. Opened in 1851, St Michael’s Church Day School is the oldest primary school in the city and was part of a number of foundational buildings erected at that time establishing Christchurch as an Anglican settlement. The parish has four heritage buildings: the Church, Belfry, Hall, and the Stone Building. Rev’d George Kingdon, the Chaplain from the Charlotte Jane, took the first church services there. A book written for the school’s 150th Commemoration is a great source of interesting information.

“MISSION: POSSIBLE” Words: Jo Bean

The Mission Team are happy to help. From left to right: Sammy Mould, Rev’d Dr Peter Carrell, Rev’d Joshua “Spanky” Moore, Rev’d Paul Hegglun and Bishop Victoria Matthews. Absent are Rev’d Jolyon White and Ven Can Susan Baldwin.

Your Mission Team, should you choose to use it, is a resource for your church, supporting churches in the Diocese to: 1. Deliver Christ-Centred Mission (centering ourselves in Christ and taking Christ to our community), 2. Raise up and enable young leaders, and 3. Be faithful stewards of our faith, our environment, properties, finances, time, talent and people. To help us deliver this, we have a team of outward-focussed facilitators to work in the areas outlined below. Youth Ministry (13 to 18 years) | Samantha Mould The Youth Ministry Developer, Sammy and her team, provides support, networking, mentoring and training for youth leaders and ministers throughout the Diocese. Sammy, with the help of Paul Hegglun, also helps to run a number of youth events each year. These are: Easter Camp’s Anglican Party Central, Dodgeball and Football competitions, a Youth 10

Social Justice event, the New Thinkers Banquet, Deeper Camp and The Kiln. They also have a link with 24-7 Youth Work in schools. If your church wants to employ a new Youth Minister, start a new youth group, or look at ways you can reach out into your community or schools, call Sammy on 022-0215401 or email her on youth@anglicanlife.org.nz Tertiary Students (18 to 39 years) | Rev’d Spanky (Joshua) Moore Millennials have zest and drive, are passionate, educated and speak their mind—so connecting them with church has its challenges! Hence, Joshua, aka ‘Spanky’, works alongside our young adults to ensure this vital group doesn’t disengage. Once students leave school and move into tertiary education, they experience new freedoms, a new sense of self, and begin to wrestle with big life choices and huge issues of faith. As a

consequence up to 90 percent of our young adults leave the church. So Spanky, along with support from Paul, offers a number of ways to keep our young adults connected—events like the Society of Salt and Light, Quizzy-Wizzy, and the Unplugged retreats. If your church has young adults but is struggling to know how to connect with them, talk to Spanky and he can help to: connect them with other young adults in the wider church; provide training on discipleship; provide study resources; and support for anything else you can think up that you may want to try. Call Spanky on 021-2772658 or email him on youngadults@anglicanlife.org.nz Social Justice and Change | Rev’d Joylon White As the Diocese’s Social Justice Enabler, Jolyon is passionate about enabling social change beyond charity. He doesn’t want to be the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, he wants to run workshops, strategize and plan, working with other groups and agencies, local and national government, to speak out and seek change more effectively. If you want to make a difference in your community, check out their website on anglicanadvocacy.org.nz To talk to Jolyon on 027-6122230 or email him on justice@anglicanlife.org.nz

Education and Training | Rev’d Dr Peter Carrell Based in Theology House (at the Anglican Centre) the Director of Education, Peter, supports people to train for lay or ordained ministry. He offers guidance and mentoring for anyone wanting to study theology or ministry training. He also leads or arranges courses of study and training for any church in the Diocese—this can be at the Anglican Centre, your parish or even via video. If you would like to take a formal study course in theology, worship leading, preaching, pastoral care, or discipleship, talk to Peter on 027-4772975 or email him at director@theologyhouse.ac.nz Post-Ordination and Rural Ministry Support | Ven Can Susan Baldwin Based in Darfield, Susan is part of a team who provide ongoing training to new clergy as they build their ministry in the three years following their ordination. She has spent 20 years ministering to rural parishes and also offers resources and support to rural congregations across the Diocese. If you are newly ordained or from a rural parish and would like to chat to Susan, call her on 03-317 9079 or email her revsuebaldwin@gmail.com

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ARE YOU A MODERN-DAY SLAVE DRIVER? Words: Megan Blakie

Our gagets, our clothes and lifestyle—let’s make our buying decisions consciously.

I have 51 slaves. This is the number of people I force into work, or who work in appalling conditions, to produce my everyday items (according to the website quiz at slaveryfootprint.org). My slaves allow me my lifestyle: a large house, a pantry of food and a wardrobe of clothes, and an average selection of technology that connects or entertains me. I learned from the quiz that the facial makeup I put on each morning most likely contains mica. This powder is often excavated by Indian children. My mobile and music gadgets almost certainly contain 12

‘conflict’ minerals such as coltan. ‘Conflict’ and ‘blood’ minerals are highly valued substances that are extracted in exploitative ways. In the midst of my admission, however, I feel the need to justify myself a little. An audit of my wardrobe reveals that about half of my clothing is pre-loved or re-made from existing items. I’m also a minimalist when it comes to face paint: a dash of foundation and lippy and I’m ready to go. My iPhone is a hand-me-down and its predecessor was a black and white no-frills Nokia that the sim-card seller at Melbourne airport called retro cool.

“EVERY TIME YOU SPEND MONEY, YOU ARE CASTING A VOTE FOR THE KIND OF WORLD YOU WANT” – ANNA LAPPÉ

And yet, I am a slave-driver. If one or some of those 51 human beings appeared at my door, asking for food or clothing or shelter, I like to think I’d invite them in and share resources and hospitality. I have often imagined that kind of scenario: if a poor person in my community or from some conflicted country were to instantaneously teleport to my door, I wouldn’t be able to turn a blind eye (as we so often seem able to do when we think they’re ‘out there’). Then there’s The Hunger Games. The movies depicted a future in which young people from different ‘tribes’ were selected to fight to the death, in a sort of real-life game show. It mystified me why the fictional communities would acquiesce, knowing that every tribal representative, bar one, will die. Yet isn’t that what our society does? I collude in sending a child to mine mica instead of attending school. Someone I haven’t met works long hours or for little pay or with no health and safety safeguards, to maintain my lifestyle. A member of my home group talked to us about a small but proactive step she is making to help alleviate modern-day slavery. Normally she would buy a $3 bag of rice at her local supermarket, bypassing the $6 fair trade option on offer. She went on to explain that she’d spend the $6 anyway: She’d buy the $3 bag of rice and then donate $3 to charities that helped poorer communities. Personally, I think buying the $6 fair trade rice benefits the rice grower more directly and the overall outcome is the same, if not better. But she is taking action, and that’s good. (Now don’t get me wrong: I’m not suggesting that we stop donating to charities. However, in the long run we do want to put charities out of business—we look forward to a world where they are not needed!) So, am I willing to choose a slavery-free world, by owning less and buying ethically? Fifty-one children and adults are praying that I will.

Children harvesting mica for the Western cosmetic industry. Image: Courtesy of Terre Des Homes, Netherlands, that prevents child exploitation.

DID YOU KNOW? • There are more than 27 million slaves worldwide? That’s roughly the combined population of Australia and New Zealand. • Many Pakistani boys are signed away to bonded labour from the age of 13 to 30yrs? What did you do during that 17 years of your life? • More than 200,000 children are forced to work in India’s carpet belt of Uttar Pradesh. That makes it a pretty large operation, considering Honda, Sony, and Boeing each have fewer employees. Want to find out how many slaves you have? Go to slaveryfootprint.org and take the test.

GARDENING AND OTHER GOOD THINGS Words: Alison Jephson Traditionally when we hear the word stewardship we think of caring for creation, but there are other aspects to stewardship, such as financial stewardship and caring for our neighbours and communities. So who better to ask for wisdom about these aspects of stewardship than a group of Anglican Living residents who live at the Fitzgerald-Harper Gardens retirement village? Older people are often acknowledged for the wisdom they have gained through a life-time of experiences. For many of them, their first experience of making the most of what they had was in the years preceding and during World War II, when food and clothing were rationed, but when community and relationships were strong. “You ate what you grew” was a strong theme. And the enjoyment of sharing a harvest of fresh veges continues today with the village garden club having cultivated a particularly bountiful crop of tomatoes, beans, silverbeet and broccoli this year. Recent news articles may bemoan the amount of food wastage in New Zealand, but these residents remember using all left-overs for delicious soups. There was even a section entitled ‘Leftovers’ in some of the recipe books. With one income being the norm 14

Bill and Gladys White relaxing in the dappled sunshine at Harper Gardens Village, Fitzgerald.

in their early married years, and in the absence of cheap imported clothes, home sewing was an art that some of the people spoken with really enjoyed, and knitting is a skill that continues to be practised today. Financially, many pensioners continue to survive on their national superannuation only. The lessons learned earlier about how to live within their means have stood them in good stead for this stage of their life. That doesn’t mean they are not generous though. “During hard times you shared whatever you could with neighbours and friends.” And this was reciprocated. This sense of community and camaraderie is alive and well among the Harper Gardens residents. Cherishing relationships is key, and many older people I’ve spoken with especially cherish their relationship with God, recognising Him as the giver of all good things.

FAITHFUL STEWARDSHIP SOMETIMES MEANS JUST TURNING UP Words: Susan Baldwin Have you ever toyed with the idea of not going to church? Let’s face it, some Sundays we arrive at church for worship and we’re not exactly sure why we came. Perhaps, though, it’s not all about you? As I’ve said to my own congregation, sometimes we come to church because we’re the ones in need and sometimes we come because we need to be there for someone else. When we come to worship, expecting God’s Holy Spirit to use us where needed, we are faithful stewards of the gifts God has given us. Around Christmastime a couple from our church had visitors who were in the area for the funeral of a beloved parent. The visitors came to our church Sunday morning with heavy hearts. Also in church that morning was another couple who had recently moved to our district. It became apparent that the two couples knew each other—they’d met 30 years earlier when one had helped bring the other to a living faith in our Lord Jesus. Arriving in an unfamiliar church community on a Sunday morning at Christmastime and feeling pretty low, the visitors received what they needed: a compassionate ear and a surprisingly familiar face. It was a joyful reunion full of compassion and pastoral care. More recently, the Spirit moved once again, with another two people, strangers in this instance, being present at the same time on the right Sunday for a gift to be given and received. During the service, we were giving thanks to God for a situation well known around Canterbury. Maddie Collins of West Melton had just received a kidney transplant and, setbacks not withstanding, the early outcome was encouraging. Maddie’s grandmother was present for worship and a younger woman immediately went in search of her following the service.

The woman was eager to explain that she had heard Maddie and her mum speak a few years ago and that had inspired her to become a kidney donor. The talk had impressed upon her how significant the gift of a kidney could be for changing someone’s life. “I could do that,” she concluded and donated one of her kidneys. She was just so pleased to be able to tell a member of Maddie’s family that their advocacy had borne fruit. As Maddie’s grandmother explained afterwards, she felt enormously lifted by the news, especially after a tough couple of weeks of ups and downs post-transplant. This encounter had boosted her spirits tremendously and she couldn’t wait to get home and ring Maddie and her mother at Starship Hospital to share the news with them. Sometimes we are in church because of our need, and sometimes we find ourselves in church so the Holy Spirit can use us to meet the needs of someone else. As faithful stewards of the gifts God gives to each of us, we offer ourselves and our gifts willingly, and trust that the gift will be accepted and used. The next time you’re tempted to skip church, think of these two couples and say “Yes, Lord. I’ll be your hands and feet—here am I—use me.”

THE SWEET SOIL OF STEWARDSHIP Words: Edwin Boyce

One of Jesus’ well-known parables is that of the sower. In this, the seed represents the Word of God and the good soil refers to someone who hears, receives and understands the Word, and allows it to transform their lives. Imagine the good soil, and think about what made it good, what made it better than the other soils in the parable. I am not much of a gardener but my wife is. She tells me that good soil must have a good foundation. It needs to be fed nutrients to be healthy ensuring that plants will grow. And by tending poorer soil, we can make it good. It may take longer but by perseverance and attention it can become good soil. So, in hearing the Word (seed), the person (good soil) is brought to Christ; they become disciples of Christ and follow His commandments. The last commandment that Jesus gave his disciples before he physically left this earth was to go and tell others about Christ. Jesus gave His Church its mission, a task and responsibility to carry out: to preach the gospel of the Kingdom 16

of God and make disciples throughout the world, teaching them what Jesus taught. Disciples making disciples. The work of the Church continues, passing to each generation of God’s people and we have inherited it. It’s our role, as disciples of Christ, to make other disciples—it’s why we’re here. One way we can all consider fulfilling this responsibility is to give to the Church—our time, talents, resources, our money. And one way to give financially, other than tithing, of course, is to make a bequest in our wills. The beauty of this is: it happens in the future, when we are not around

to need the money; you don’t have to be rich—a gift of any size is gratefully received; it’s simple—you just ask your lawyer to put a percentage of your estate into a bequest; and it works—I have discovered that a bequest programme is the most costeffective means of raising funds for any organisation. Making a bequest to the church will help disciples to make disciples of the next generation so that the task Jesus set will be carried on. It will be used to nurture the soil so that the seed, God’s Word, will be received, understood, and accomplish results in the life of those who hear it. Disciples making disciples. Perhaps a bequest is something simple that you, as a good steward can do, helping our mission to continue until Christ comes again. Like this article? Take action! Chat to Edwin about this on diomanager@anglicanlife.org.nz. Or, for more information about making a bequest, talk to your parish treasurer or your lawyer.

CAPTURED

EASTER WINGS Lord, Who createdst man in wealth and store, Though foolishly he lost the same, Decaying more and more Till he became Most pore: With Thee O let me rise As larks, harmoniously, And sing this day thy victories: Then shall the fall further the flight in me. My tender age in sorrow did begin: And still with sicknesses and shame Thou didst so punish sin, That I became Most thin. With thee Let me combine, And feel this day thy victory; For, if I imp3 my wing on thine, Affliction shall advance the flight in me.

* Imp is a term from falconry meaning to graft new feathers onto the wing of a bird to repair damage or increase flying capacity.

“Easter Wings” by George Herbert, a 17th century Welshborn poet, orator, politician and priest of the Church of England. This poem is from his posthumously published collection of poetry The Temple. In the original manuscript, the wings spread horizontally across the page, making the wing motif easier to discern. This is a visual poem—a poem with shape and form. The text forms an image of wings, a central motif of the poem, becoming a multimedia experience as we see, hear and

engage with the poem. The poem, based on 1 Corinthians 15, is about the atonement of Jesus Christ, how even though we are sinful, we can share His resurrection power in the promise of His love. Our physical and spiritual resurrection is possible when we accept Christ has redeemed our soul. Editor’s Comment: This poem uplifts my spirit and reminds me that despite my sin, the hope I have in Christ’s resurrection allows me to soar. 17

WITH ONE VOICE BYRON BEHM, A YOUTH REPRESENTATIVE AT SYNOD, TALKS TO JO BEAN ABOUT HIS JOURNEY SO FAR.

Byron at Diocesan Synod, 3 May 2018.

When did you become a Synod representative? I started in 2015 when I was still at school, aged 16. I was a youth representative for the diocese. Why did you become a Synod representative? I was just interested, I guess. I had a friend who was on Synod and who was enjoying it, we chatted, and when the elections came around for the youth rep, I put myself forward. I thought “well, I’m into church and into politics, which means Synod combines both my fav things, so why not?” With much enthusiasm I stood in 2015, and was elected. Ok, so I was the only one who stood, but hey—I was elected, and I was stoked.

When you think back to 2015, what did you think of your first Synod experience? I was super excited, and I got a day off school which was an added bonus! I was interested to experience everything at the Cathedral [The Transitional Cathedral] and enjoyed seeing all the Diocesan reps together—people from South Canty, West Coast, rural and cities—all so different and all combining for one purpose. However, by the end of the first day, I was exhausted from all the debate, bamboozled by all the finances, I dragged myself home and asked my mum “Why? Why did we have to be Anglican?” I was in shock, so mum being mum, sent me off to bed for sleep: “It will all look better in the morning,” she said, and it did. The next day I went along a bit scared at what I would be greeted with, but overnight one of the other reps had become ill, so the debate and differing opinions were set aside and we all prayed together. It was during that prayer time I felt a real sense of unity and this bunch of different people became one church. So despite all the hard work involved, I came away with a sense of hope.

Now, looking back on your three years of experience, what is Synod really like? Well, it varies from year to year. I’m pleased to say that although the work is often challenging and seems to take such a long time, you do get things done, and that’s a great sense of achievement. After my first Synod I thought it was too hard to get anywhere, but then I became involved in the debate about refugee quotas, and realised that we could get things done, and make a real difference. It’s a deep sense of satisfaction when you get to speak to the government about the refugee quota and your voice is heard. Another debate I was involved in last year was a call to increase youth access to Synod—and this was successful too—so we do get things done. It might take a bit of time, and effort, but we can achieve things. What are some of the challenges you have faced during your time as a Synod representative? Well, the time it takes to get things done, of course. And as a youth rep, one of the challenges is not to feel intimidated by the stalwarts of the churches who are speaking. It’s hard to

imagine you have a voice when faced with a large number of people much older than yourself. But it’s a good challenge, and I have certainly learned to be more confident of my voice in the group. One of the most challenging topics I have faced is the current one on same sex blessings. I mean, there are four of us in the youth team, and we all have different ideas about this topic, so figuring out how to speak with a united voice when even all four youth reps can’t agree, is a major challenge. The way I see it is, that we focus on the end-goal—the main goal of the Church is to spread the gospel—so if you keep this overarching goal in mind, petty differences dissolve into the background and almost become minor issues. Challenges are great—they keep you on your toes. What blessings have you received during your time as Synod representative? Undoubtedly the people I have met at Synod—we have formed strong friendships that have lasted. I also love to hear the success stories that come out—like the amalgamation of St James’ Riccarton and St Martin’s Spreydon. Despite a number of differences in parish make-up and culture, they have truly worked hard to become one parish because they have come together for the greater good of the area they serve. It’s an inspiring story.

Do you have any advice for a young person, or anyone really, thinking of becoming a Synod representative? Yes: Get lots of sleep before Synod— it’s a tiring process and being braindead doesn’t help you participate to your full potential. If possible, come and observe at Synod before you stand—that way you know what you’re getting in to and how it works. Prepare your speeches before you speak so you are confident in what you are saying. At lunchtime, grab the sushi quick! It goes faster than you would imagine… and while the work can be challenging it is also rewarding, provides opportunity for personal growth, and gives you a sense of satisfaction when you achieve things. But most of all—be passionate— you can’t debate a topic you’re not passionate about, so get stuck in and really delve into the issues, learn from all sides, and give yourself, and others, a voice Being a Synod representative puts you in a role of stewardship within the Church. What have you learned about stewardship through this process? I think I’ve learned responsibility, and how to be accountable to someone, and for myself. People rely on you, are counting on you to speak for them, and you have the opportunity to be the voice for others. It’s a great privilege. And it’s how you can care for the group you represent.

Byron, I hear you are not just a Diocesan Synod representative but also speak at General Synod, Te Hīnota Whānui. What’s the difference? From the Diocesan Synod, four lay people and four clergy (one of these is the Bishop) are sent to each National Synod meeting called General Synod which meets every two years. General Synod has the oversight of the whole province and the constitution. But there are some fundamental rules like—we can’t change scripture, we can’t change the 1662 prayer book (we can write new liturgy based on it), and we can’t muck with the ordination process—but outside of that, the decisions we make have consequences—not just for us, but for future generations. We have a responsibility to the wider church and our Diocese and a lot rides on the choices we make moving forward. At the diocesan level there is a lot more change that can happen: Bishops, clergy and parishes can come and go—but General Synod decisions can last decades even if you are only part of it for a very short time. One thing you might not be aware of, is that when you vote at Synod, both at the diocesan level and at General Synod, you are being asked to vote your conscience, not just tow the party line (of your parish or diocese). It’s a delicate tension really—because while you’re there to speak for your parish / diocese, in the end, it’s a conscience vote—it’s up to you, how you really feel you’re being led by God. That’s what makes it so exciting.

CULTURE

‘L’ IS FOR LIFESTYLE: CHRISTIAN LIVING THAT DOESN’T COST THE EARTH BOOK BY RUTH VALERIO (INTERVARSITY PRESS, 2008)

Review by Sara Cornish

“OUR GRANDCHILDREN WILL CERTAINLY ASK US SOME HARD-HITTING AND INCREDULOUS QUESTIONS AS TO WHY ON EARTH WE CONTINUED LIVING AS WE DID WHEN WE KNEW WHAT WE KNEW.”

Valerio pulls no punches; the affluence we enjoy in developed countries has come at great cost to people and the planet, therefore we must dramatically limit our lifestyles. Her book is a handy introduction to a range of issues—including food, globalization, money, recycling, and water—identifying action points and suggestions for further reading. Christians are called to be activists for God’s righteousness and justice in the world. Our call is rooted in who God is: a God of compassion who is actively involved in his creation and sets his people apart for a different way of living. Caring for God’s world, compassion for the vulnerable, opposing injustice are all characteristics of a Kingdom people seeking to follow Jesus Christ as we await his return. For most of us, embracing a simpler lifestyle will be a gradual process; the author admits that parts of the book remain an aspiration for her, too. To avoid feeling overwhelmed (as I have on some occasions), I recommend reading this book in pieces, selecting a few chapters that interest you and adopting achievable steps towards a fairer and more sustainable lifestyle.

We care about your choices Variety is the spice of life! With our ever-changing social programmes, you can choose when to be involved and when to have quiet, private time. And, at meal times, enjoy a choice of two tasty, nutritious main dishes prepared fresh by our chefs. There’s also a choice of location with Fitzgerald in Linwood and Bishopspark in the city. Visit our website to ﬁnd out what else makes our two retirement villages and care homes so unique and special.

anglicanliving.org.nz 03 977 0896

CULTURE

WHAT A BEAUTIFUL NAME Review by Cathy Maslin Brooke Fraser has given Kiwi’s a wake-up call. In the Bible, Nathanael (soon to be one of the disciples) comes out with an exclamation upon hearing where Jesus hailed from, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” (John 1:46). The same might be said of Brooke’s home town: “Naenae! Can anything good come from there?” Obviously so. Now married to an Australian (many things can be forgiven) Brooke composed the song What a Beautiful Name in Australia with Ben Fielding for the Hillsong Church. The song’s popularity quickly rose after its release in 2016, won multiple awards, and this year was awarded a Grammy for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song. The award is a testament to Brooke’s authenticity as a singer/song-writer of mainstream and Christian music, but she doesn’t seek worldly accolades. She has throughout her life remained passionate about writing music as a way to express her own thoughts and beliefs—rather than being side-lined by popularity or money. As a result her work contains a certain genuineness and freedom of expression that attracts. What a Beautiful Name is an easy song to listen to, and sing along with, and its lyrics extol God’s glory in creation now fully revealed in Jesus. It is a song of adoration, unfolding the beauty, wonder and power of Jesus and all we are given in His name. Have a listen.

GLOBAL DISPATCH

LATIM, THE LORAX AND OUR LIFESTYLE Words: Tessa Laing The other week I sat with Latim, aged 11, poring over ‘The Lorax.’ I was curious to see what he’d make of this Dr Seuss classic, with its quirky rhymes and heavy themes of greed of environmental devastation. The fluffy topped truffula trees grabbed his attention. “They look like tuku trees! What if they cut down all the tuku trees?!” he exclaimed, wide eyed. It’s actually a perfect parallel. In Northern Uganda, tuku trees are a self- seeding, slow-growing hard wood that provide an extremely useful building material. No one is planting them, yet they are felled at a disturbing rate. 22

Latim’s tuku tree revelation got me thinking about environmental thinking in Gulu vs New Zealand, and the invisible connections between our lifestyles. My neighbors in Gulu have some of the smallest carbon foot-prints on the planet. Latim’s mum, Florence, lives on a tiny patch of land in a mud-brick hut, uses 40 liters of water each day and a tiny solar panel to charge her phone and light their room, only eats meat a few times per year, eats 95% locally grown, vegetable-based food, and moves exclusively on foot or bicycle.

GLOBAL DISPATCH

Of course, her sustainable lifestyle is no choice. Like many in Gulu, Florence dreams of driving a car and regularly eating her favorite goat meat. At church, Florence’s pastor preaches ‘be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth’ but never about biblical stewardship of the planet. While littering is taboo in New Zealand, Florence was confused when I bothered to pick up a plastic wrapper she tossed on the path. Of course, the irony is that the carbon-choked consumption in countries like New Zealand directly contributes to problems in Latim and Florence’s life here. Gulu’s onceregular weather patterns have become unpredictable. Late rains ruined Florence’s peanut crop, which left her struggling to send Latim to school. In Gulu, climate change is a current reality, not a future threat. This story, ultimately, is not like the Lorax. Even if Latim grows into a local environmentalist and protects the tuku trees, Gulu’s environment could still be devastated by people he will never meet. How much we drive and fly in New Zealand is contributing to whether crops grow in Uganda. Living

The tuku trees in Uganda. Image: Tessa Laing

here makes me constantly aware that being good stewards of God’s created world can’t be disconnected from loving our neighbors. Being good stewards has to involve radical change, individually, and collectively. Turning off lights and recycling isn’t enough. We can’t wait for technological fixes. It’s going to take sacrifice, shifting to a lifestyle that is closer to Florence’s. Less meat, less petrol, less stuff, less flying; just less. We were created, from the beginning, to live in shalom with God, with each other, and with God’s creation. Unless we acknowledge that our lifestyles and collective habits are destroying this shalom, we can never change. “UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”[Dr Seuss] Unless. If you want to know more about personal changes you can make, or how to get involved in making collective changes in Christchurch, get in touch with Rosalee Jenkins (Anglican Advocacy). Call her on 027-3685459 or email her advocate@anglicanlife.org.nz

Latim and the tuku trees, a good look-a-like to the truffula trees of Dr Seuss. Image: Tessa Laing

Nick and Tessa Laing have been working in medical support and community justice work in Uganda since 2013. Image: Courtesy of NZCMS.

LOOKING AFTER EARTHQUAKE DAMAGED SPACES, PLACES AND PEOPLE Words: Jo Bean Four long years and a life-time ago, Celia was a forestry student. Then the 2010– 11 earthquakes hit and her life, and career, changed. The devastation which caused so many to vacate Christchurch had the opposite effect on Celia—she wanted to stay and help restore the city. Post-quake, Celia, like many others stepped into the breach and started helping out the Church Property Trust (CPT) team with the huge volumes of calls and questions coming in from parishes and insurers. When the CPT Recovery Team was established, Celia, having already proved herself, was appointed as a Project Co-ordinator. Looking at the big picture as well as the detail is something Celia and the team do really well: a programme of work was scheduled out to the end of 2018. Calls had to be made to prioritise the workload and some of the deciding factors were projects that were already underway, closed buildings that needed reopening, projects where funding was readily available, and a need within the community for at least one usable space where many were closed.

Restored and repurposed, the new St Saviour’s at Holy Trinity Church, Lyttelton

One of Celia’s most memorable projects was St Saviour’s at Holy Trinity in Lyttelton. The Chapel itself has a fluid history having been first at Lyttelton, then cut into 10 pieces and transported across the hill to Cathedral Grammar School. The school eventually outgrew it, so offered it back to the Diocese—once again it was cut into 10 pieces and sent back to Lyttelton as a replacement for the Holy Trinity Church (destroyed in the June 2011 earthquake). One of this project’s unique challenges was to incorporate heritage aspects from both buildings in the final structure, as well as provide a new functional space for the current congregation and its members to come. “It’s unusual to move a heritage building and still retain its heritage listing,” says Celia, “but in this case, although St Saviour’s was previously noted as Category 2, the final structure has been classed as Category 1.” This was because a huge effort was made to re-use salvaged timber, re-install the pipe organ (1865) and repair and re-use some of the original windows of both buildings. A bell tower is also planned that will use the salvaged Belfry roof from Holy Trinity.

THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS

KEEPING FAITHFUL TIME Words: Rev’d Dr Megan Harvey

Celia’s focus was on people before buildings so she kept asking, “who’s impacted and what are their needs going forward?” Image C/o St Peter’s Church

Celia feels fortunate to have been given this opportunity to work on such a variety of projects but says it’s the people and the community that she finds provides the drive to get excellent outcomes. “It’s not just a job and not just about buildings—it’s about people’s lives, their community, the way a building is used, what the community needs and what resources can be used to meet that need.” As we chatted, I wondered what makes Celia a good project coordinator. Her kete includes: her ability to see the global picture and not just the isolated church site, and her empathetic listening / communication skills, being able to acknowledge concerns and prevent them from escalating, and working to find win-win resolutions. But above all, it seems that Celia displays empathy and care for people, and a passion for getting things right. Celia is now taking these project skills into the commercial sector—we are sad to see her go, but wish her well, knowing that for Celia, people will always be at the heart of a project.

Christian stewardship is about the ethical and moral care of what we have been given in this, God’s kingdom. We all know in Genesis Adam is commanded by God to take care of the land and we are used to thinking of ourselves as being stewards of land. But what about the gift of time? How faithful a steward are we of that? Most important in our stewardship of time is what we give to the church. We all live busy, modern lives. Finding time for the activities of the kingdom can be challenging. Here we are called to look at our priorities. Our families and work matter, but what else is important to us? If the church, God and His kingdom are important how much time do we give them? How do we spend our time in church? Are we completely attentive? Is it enough to worship on a Sunday? What of mission and outreach? These can be difficult questions, but as good stewards they are ones we must ask. Balanced alongside this is the time we spend caring for ourselves to be our best selves. Psychology keeps telling us the value of down time in order to work (minister) at our best. So, to take time out to watch the latest Star Wars film is no bad thing if it helps you to be a good and faithful person. Watching every Star Wars film made in one week is probably not advantageous. As faithful stewards over our time we need to think not only about being charitable and productive with our time, but also about what nourishes us. Faithful stewardship is much more than what we usually think. We live in a materialistic, consumerist world that can, and does, move in contrast to what Christians are called to be. Stewardship is a great call on our actions as children of God. In the end it is about doing all that we can to make sure that God’s kingdom, in its entirety, is a place of love, integrity, justice, kindness and peace.

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