Kia ora e te whanau
This update is being ‘assembled’ in the early hours in an Auckland motel room. I had the joy of sharing Sunday worship with Kaurasi Langi and the 10am Grey Street congregation of the Onehunga Co-operating Parish – probably one of the most culturally mixed (seemingly representing much of the Pacific), and partner rich (with strong elements of Churches of Christ, Congregational Union, Methodist, and Presbyterian Churches). Thank you for you welcome and embrace!
Late Monday afternoon found me with Methodist leaders of Tauiwi. I’d been part of this group for seven years, until two years ago. This was a peculiar experience as it was all so familiar, and yet…….
Forum 2025 – Our Future Together
Once again, please, put the dates in your diary, and plan to be there. This will be an opportunity for real engagement across the partners – Anglican, Methodist, and Presbyterian, at all levels. We’re hoping to have significant representation of both regional and national leaders engaged in our korero. We’re planning for the talking to be both horizontal and vertical, where we all get to hear and be heard. If you’re not present, you stand to miss out on what we hope will be a once-in-a-generation event which helps set a life-giving course for the Church in Aotearoa for the years to come. The forum is set down for Auckland (Onehunga Co-operating Parish) at Kings Birthday weekend starting at 9am on Saturday the 31st of May, and concluding around noon on Monday the 2nd of June.
Personal and Leadership Resources
- Brain science explains how to find joy hidden in your old habits
Finding life a bit flat, mundane, lacking? This article, originating from The Next Big Idea Club, helps us to understand the nature of novelty and how we can re-inject interest and enthusiasm back into our lives. It can be read here: https://www.fastcompany.com/91091021/brain-science-explains-how-to-find-joy-hidden-in-your-old-habits
- Two Productivity Techniques That Can Help You Do More (By Actually Doing Less)
Getting stuck can be crippling. Where do I start? How do I get this piece of work done? The first strategy offered is pretty much ‘common sense’, yet sometimes we need to be reminded of the obvious. The second strategy is novel, and hey, it just might work. It can be accessed here: https://lifehacker.com/work/two-productivity-techniques-that-help-you-get-more-done
- 3 ways to get better at learning effectively
Really a plug for committing to being a life-long learner, this is a how-to for fitting intentional learning in to a busy life and making it a priority. My suspicion is that if we lose our sense of curiosity then we’ve already got one foot in the grave. This article can be read here: https://www.fastcompany.com/91177826/3-ways-learn-more-effectively
- How Kamala Harris Uses the Mirror Effect, the Smile Advantage and Other Top Leadership Strategies
This article has some really worthwhile observations, and useful things to say. That it’s about Kamala Harris is incidental – it’s not a political endorsement. I’m left a little uncomfortable though, when what appear to be natural, inherent, and perhaps cultivated personality traits, are advocated as a way of effectively manipulating others. Yet, worth a read: https://www.inc-aus.com/andrea-wojnicki/how-kamala-harris-uses-smiles-laughter.html
Homilies
Trevor Hoggard’s sermon surveys the Lectionary texts of Proverbs 1:20-35, James 3:1-12, and Mark 8:27-35. He uses the Proverbs text central ‘characters’ – Lady Wisdom and Mistress Folly – as the lens through which to engage the other texts, inviting thoughtful responses to the issues that face us, rather than spitting out the first thing that pops into our heads. It can be engaged with here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb8gDkjCWGI
My response to the Gospel text of Mark 8 vs 27-38 is titled ‘What does a Messiah look like?’ I consider the difference in assessment of who Jesus is between ‘people’ and his disciples, and why he might have commanded them to being quiet on their view that he is the Messiah. It can be experienced here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqN-QCCQ1As
Again, it will help broaden our reach if you ‘subscribe’ and ‘like’.
Once again, use the videos as you will.
As always, if you find you’d prefer not to receive this weekly newsletter, please let me know and your address will be removed.
Ngā manaakitanga
Andrew Doubleday
UCANZ Ministry Facilitator