Haratua - May David Moko Manatū Iriiri Māori: Kaihautū Kōrero: Anzac Day dawn service Invercargill. Kia ora tātou

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1 Haratua - May 2016 David Moko Manatū Iriiri Māori: Kaihautū Kōrero: Anzac Day dawn service Invercargill. Kia ora tātou Denise and I had a week in Southland and central Otago recently. Spending a few days in Invercargill with Chris and Karlene Lee. Chris is the pastor at Eastside Baptist church and Karlene a specialist with mental health services in the Southland region. They both have a huge commitment to Glengarry community, a lower socio-economic area of town where the church is situated. The church has a focused Māori ministry, called Tūmanako Mātou (hope together). Throughout my visits there I have continued to see the church be resourceful with their intent to be relevant with Māori whānau living in that community. One of their problems is they ve outgrown their facilities it s a good problem. The leadership team have drawn up plans for much needed extensions. However, the affordability reality for such a project, at the moment, on their own, is beyond the churches capacity. They do need prayerful and generous intervention. Would you consider praying for financial provision for this extension project, or consider being an answer to their prayers by generously giving. Contact me for more details. We then drove to Alexandra. Central Otago is such a beautiful place to travel through or be at this time of year. The sun reflects the autumn colours more brilliantly Denise couldn t believe it, she started to see another side of me hahaha! Central Otago autumn colors Arrowtown. This is only the second time we ve been here and caught up with Derek and Andrea Pyle again, spending a couple of days with them. A real passionate, busy and hospitable couple I guess what you would expect from hard working ex-northland farmers, who ve been in pastoral ministry for many years around the country. In fact Derek is coming into retirement soon from pastoral ministry at Alexandra Baptist church. He has lessoned his role, therefore time, and the church have appointed another

2 pastor. But over the last few years Derek has been the Regional Mission Leader for the Otago / Southland Baptist association. A role that has him covering huge distances through that region as a pastor to our pastors really, plus an inspiration to us all. Whether Derek is traveling or at home Andrea holds down the multitude of other activities they re responsible for. Like their purpose built hostel for seasonal workers mainly men from Vanuatu and a myriad of other locals, whānau and of course people like us coming and going. The last few days of our week away we spent in Queenstown actually for our 26th wedding anniversary so we re just starting, April 28th is our special day. We enjoyed some R & R, shopping not!...too expensive although I managed to get something for Denise while she wasn t looking. So we enjoyed the scenery, food, people we met even the traffic jams in QT made us feel at home. Away from QT was great too, at Arrowtown and over to Wanaka where fortuitously we bumped into Jim Patrick, pastor for Wanaka Baptist church and incoming Baptist president for 2017 so had a catch-up with him and Lois over lunch I reckon Wanaka should be the new Tauranga. Before we went away I met with Tracy Kirkley, Auckland regional manager for Christian Education Commission CEC are responsible to provide Christian Religious Education or Religious Instruction (RI) programmes to state primary schools throughout NZ and have been doing so since Every week 2,500 volunteers representing 16 major denomination go into more than 600 state primary schools throughout NZ to provide RI for around 60,000 children. Tracy wanted to share a concern for prayer among our networks. Explaining a certain lobby group are seeking to expunge all RI from state schools this link will give some background recent failed court action to ban Bible lessons from schools will not be the last attempt to remove religious instruction from the country s state schools - and it puts karakia under threat as well. Banning religious practices in schools, may inevitably extend to removing karakia from schools as well, says Professor Moon. Should any court action be successful in achieving this ruling, an important part of the culture of our schools will effectively be banned. Karakia are a set form of Māori words, or prayers, to state or make effective a ritual activity and significant event, such as hui (meetings); tangihanga (ritual of farewell to the deceased), and/or unveilings. Professor Moon explains how any attempt to remove karakia from schools will be a breach of the Treaty of Waitangi. Maori cultural expression is guaranteed in the Treaty, says Professor Moon. The case being fought against religious instruction in schools threatens this very right, and is a form of cultural and religious censorship. The Secular Education Network, which has supported recent court action, describes practices like karakia as indoctrination which fall under the category of religious instruction rather than religious studies, explains Professor Moon. However, secularists pushing for religious instruction to be banned in schools are backing themselves into a corner - either they apply the principle of the ban to karakia and insist on its removal, or they don t, in which case they will be shown to be inconsistent. Tracy thought we needed to be aware this included karakia by them not recognising cultural practices or rituals as an exemption. A court hearing was held and this recent media release by Dr Paul Moon is certainly helpful from an academic and Māori perspective. 4 May 2016 Karakia in schools under threat from court action, says academic Dr Paul Moon, Professor of History at Te Ara Poutama AUT s Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Development says that a Dr Paul Moon is Professor of History at AUT, in the Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Development. As always I hope you enjoy the rest of this pānui and we're always interested in your feedback, or hearing from you. Korōria ki te Matua he runga rawa David Moko

3 Alan Jamieson (right) Senior Pastor of Southwest Baptist Church in Christchurch and Matua Douglas Ateremu McNeill (left) a member of the church and also a member of the national strategic team of Manatū Iriiri Māori. Whakairo On 3 April 2016, in Christchurch the South-West Baptist Church whānau consecrated two whakairo or carvings which have been installed into the foyer space of the main church buildings on the corner of Cobham and Lyttleton streets. They are tohu, signs or indicators of our continuing journey to be authentic and inviting to all the different ethnicities and cultures which make up the wider church and communities. They are also tohu in the sense of guiding and encouraging this journey - a journey that springs from and draws inspiration from our Māori cultural heritage here in Aotearoa, New Zealand. The Celtic symbolism of warmth that Christ would want our place and our whānau to look a lot like his; people from all different walks of life, colour and persuasion, just like the people who live around us. Pou: Pōwhiri (Welcome there is a place here for you) The main carving is a pou which is installed at the end of the foyer between the main entrance doors to the gymnasium and is called pōwhiri or welcome. It encompasses our story of the gospel in the setting of south-west Christchurch. Typically, in a wharenui or meeting house, the pou are the main load bearing structures for the whare and decorative panels or poupou line the walls. They tell the stories and histories of tipuna/ forebears and whakapapa/ origins of the whare and its people. But for we who are comfortably at home here, the pou is an encouragement to us Pou, they are tohu, signs or indicators of our continuing journey.

4 There are three big themes encompassing the pou: 1. Welcome, come on in, it doesn t matter who you are and where you are from, we will make space in this special place. 2. We are on a journey, it s migratory in nature and transforming, the pathway before us might narrow but there is guidance and sustenance on the way. 3. There is a destination even if we only see and experience it dimly, it is found in our shared experience of the cross, it allows access to the heart of God Almighty Key elements of the themes above Whāriki: the flax mat adorning the entranceway, a welcome sign and also used as a gift to seek forgiveness of an insult or offence. Symbols to represent all the iwi who are being welcomed: Māori koru (for new life); the flower representations from Asia and the Pacific; the Celtic knot symbols from Europe; the aniwaniwa/rainbow from the African continent and Moriori patiki stick figures; the English agriculturalists. Symbols of journey/migration: ngongo migrating cricket bird; the hekenga/ voyage of the waka and puhoro design (for speed); the three large piko/ fern fronds representing past, present and future. Te ara whāiti, the narrow path of the sweeping red panels on the left The Celtic symbolism of warmth and the radiant heart of God the Father is accessible through the shared experience of the cross of Jesus Christ; peoples from the four winds can find a place here represented by the faces carved from different types of wood. Whakairo 1.to carve, ornament with a pattern, sculpture 2.carving Pōwhiri 1.to welcome, invite, beckon, wave 2.invitation, rituals of encounter, welcome ceremony, welcome Pou 1.to establish, plant, anoint 2.post, support, sustenance, landmark, teacher

5 Tohu aroha - A token of love There is a second carving which has been installed in the foyer. It sits to the left of the pou and is a gift to South-West Baptist from Grace Vineyard Church. Following the major earthquakes of 2010 and 2011, they found themselves homeless and moved in with us and shared these facilities for three years. The carving is a sign of their love and affection for us, an acknowledgement of the years where we co-shared these spaces and endured each cramping the other s style and space. It also signifies the extraordinary lengths to which friend and stranger, church and unchurched, those with and without, put aside differences and stretched out arms to embrace and comfort like Jesus would would have. He would want that to endure beyond disaster and become part of the fabric of how we do life together. This is a reminder to us and to everyone who enters this whare. The two carvings are joined by the symbolism of the remnant of red brick in the right bottom corner of the pou. Both of these are commissioned works by the tohunga whakairo, Riki Manuel. Article courtesy of Matua Douglas Ateremu McNeill. Duncan Andrews: Kaiwhakahaere Manatū Iriiri Māori: Nga Mihi Tēnā koutou tātou katoa, Ngā mihi nui ki ou tātau hoa rangatira, ngā whānau, ngā tamariki, mokopuna, ngā kaimahi, ngā Koroua me ngā Kuia, e mauana ki a Ihu Karaiti.mokopuna, to all you our hard workers, our elders, confidently trusting in Jesus Christ our Lord. Pānui May 2016 The Auckland waterfront in 1852, waka plying the waters of the Waitamata, with the city of Auckland in the background. I present this month s Pānui about trusting God in the storms of life. I wish to share this as an encouragement to all of you out there who are going through a similar experience. My wife and I are going through very difficult financial times. My darling wife, Ngahuia of 23 years, has experienced a sudden unexpected loss in hours of work. This makes paying the mortgage very difficult. I admire the faith of my wife as she trusts God for our provision and has his peace. I must admit that I have doubted God because I don t see things getting any better, even though we have been trying our best to stay a float. I realize that I have been trying to understand things with my own senses, when I should be going to the Lord about it. I realize God is trust worthy as he has shown his faithfulness in the past. He has answered prayer for us

6 when we have had other problems that seemed insurmountable. I have to remember that God knows exactly what is going on and does care for us. I got really negative during my times outside of work and was panicking inside. While I am waiting I will confess the promises I know God has given us, it comes from deep inside us, I have an anchor in his word to hold onto. Now one of the ways the Lord speaks to me is through Christian literature, I am currently reading One minute with God by Dr Keith Ellis (Sixty supernatural seconds that will change your life). In this paperback book Dr Ellis describes his one minute encounter with God. He testifies about how his six year old son Justin, contracted spinal meningitis and ended up in a coma. In Dr Keiths desperation he cried out to the Lord, Why would you allow this to happen to us? In this moment Dr Keith had a visitation from the Lord, Suddenly the room was full of light, I was instantly afraid and could not move I felt the intense presence of the Lord enter the room. It was then that I saw him right in front of me, Jesus had come into the room. The light was so bright and blinding, his eyes were as flames of fire. Without him saying a word, I knew that he knew everything that was going on in our lives. His eyes told the story. Later Justin received healing from the Lord while in hospital to the amazement of the doctors and nurses, friends and family. But Dr Ellis had to learn a very important aspect of Christian faith, Dr Ellis shared that most Christians react out of their circumstances. When God gives you a word concerning the victory of your circumstance, you must confess this truth by faith. While we are waiting for our victory we must do all we can in the natural, but we must also back this up by agreeing with what God has told us. For my wife and I we are looking at going on an interest only payment schedule and have help from a CAP manager (Christians Against Poverty) who is negotiating the terms for us with our bank. Whānau please pray for Ngahuia and I as we wait on the Lord for a positive outcome, we appreciate your prayers. Till next Pānui take care and my Gods rich blessing be on you, carry on and fight the good fight, stand firm in his love, hold onto and cherish your Lord and King and one another. Mā te Atua koutou hei manaaki, kia tiaki. Mauri Ora. Duncan.