Waiapu Current News
6 September
2010 Waiapu Synod – From the reports
Cathedral Chapter
The Organ Fundraising group is working steadily towards the $450,000 target to rebuild the organ. As at 31 March 2010 $173,000 had been raised with major grants still to be applied for.
Standing Committee
The Committee is investigating the possibility of ministry support costs being levied to non-stipended parishes as part of the annual assessment process rather than the current process of billing the charge separately. These parishes would continue to be levied on a flat charge basis but would be incorporated within the annual assessment levy.
The Committee, with the support of the Anglican Missions Board, has been considering forming a relationship with the Diocese of Popondota. The types of assistance required would include training and up-skilling of priests, administrative and systems upgrading and examination of the best use of land assets held by the diocese.
The model of four Regional Ministry Convenors has now been replaced by two Bishop’s chaplains.
A communications group has been set up to examine all means of communication within the Diocese. This will extend to the website, Waiapu News, E-News and other written and electronic forms. Priority is being given to a revamp of the existing website.
Waiapu Anglican Social Services Trust Board
The decision to place a moratorium on new services for 12 months from July 2009 has proven to be a wise move.
The Hartford Village at Papamoa remains the largest project for completion.
We held our own conference last year, which provided excellent speakers and workshops, and an opportunity for our organisation to see itself in one place; to see the work that we do, to meet with our people and for Parish personnel to come together with Services Staff.
Anglican Care (Waiapu) Ltd continues to operate well in difficult financial times. An increase in costs and therefore fees is likely if a Government review recommends an increase in staffing levels.
The greatest risk to the Board is funding. Due to the recession Charitable Boards that have provided us with funding have reduced income therefore have reduced their funding allocations.
Diocesan Ministry Council
DMC’s primary brief is around developing policies for ministry development in the diocese, and in suggesting priorities for that development. It has had involvement in the development of the Youth Intern programme, the School of Theology for Ministry, the Clergy Conference, and the Local Shared Ministry Conference. We have provided input in the process of developing a set of templates for Clergy covenants.
Bishop’s Chaplains, HB
In the past year there has been much work done on structural matters, looking at the whole shape of ministry in the smaller parishes, both LSM and vicar led. This is most obvious in Central and Southern HB and Flaxmere, but it is also impacting on other parishes in the HB region. A second change is the greater emphasis on the Bishop Chaplain’s role as “an extension of the episcopacy”, as the first port of call for people wishing to see the Bishop.
Bishop’s Chaplains: Bay of Plenty & Eastland
Since April the Bishop’s Chaplain role has been extended to include not just the Bay of Plenty but also the Eastland region. This role continues to include the three LSM parishes in the Bay of Plenty and the two in Eastland where I continue to be involved in a range of enabling including assisting with worship, attending Ministry Leadership Team meetings, running workshops, training and forums as well as visiting individual team members and parishioners as necessary. The role also incudes working with Vicar-led parishes. Again this year I have organised with the CEO of Social Services two series of cluster meetings as part of my role of brokering between parishes and social services. I continue as the chairperson of the Youth Oversight Committee for the Bay of Plenty Region and as chair the Bay of Plenty Joint Regional (Co-operative Ventures) Committee as well as attending the Regional Executive meetings in Eastland each month and the Bay of Plenty six times a year.
Diocesan Youth Ministry Facilitator
Youth Ministry is “alive and well” in Waiapu. We can be thankful to the many people who are dedicated to seeing this ministry grow. It is especially exciting to see the launch of our Year Long Youth Internship programme.
Youth Synod 2009 was very successful and it was especially pleasing to see the greater interaction between the Youth and Diocesan Synod.
“Youthtober” was launched at last year’s Diocesan Synod and many Parishes committed the month of October as a time to focus on the Youth and Young people of our Parishes and Communities.
Three Tikanga Youth Pilgrimage in October 2009 in Rotorua: Young people from all Three Tikanga attended from as far away as Christchurch and Auckland. This was an “amazing and spiritual journey” for many.
Anglicans @ Parachute: The Anglican Super group continues to grow and Waiapu plays a big part in contributing to this.
Top Parish continues to be a major highlight of the year, so much so that finding adequate accommodation for the 250 who attend is becoming more difficult. We are grateful to the many people who have become “Top Parish Supporters” and helped keep costs down for those attending.
AAW
The highlight of the year for AAW was the conference in Auckland to celebrate 40 years as an association & it was pleasing to note that Waiapu had the second highest number attending.
Social Concerns, under Joan Dallaway sends out regular newsletters and action items.
Overseas & Outreach, led by Pat Nairn, keeps us informed about our mission partners. What a wonderful response from the Diocese with the clean water project for Fiji. $22,000 was presented at Conference from NZ wide.
Hospital Chaplaincy
Whakatane Hospital: Reverend Dianne Neilson. A new addition this year was a service of thanksgiving for past and present nurses on International Nurses Day.
Tauranga Hospital: Reverend T Pewhairangi. Five new voluntary chaplains assistants were commissioned. There are two fulltime chaplains, thirteen chaplaincy assistants including three paid locums.
Hawke’s Bay District Health Board: Reverend Barbara Walker. QSO Co-ordinating Chaplain. The Hospital Chaplaincy Team comprising one fulltime Chaplain and 3 part time Chaplains supported by 11 Volunteer Chaplaincy Assistants. We welcomed Rev Pelly Pirikahu into her new role as a permanent part-time Chaplain within our team.
Tairawhiti District Health Board: Reverend Maureen Martin. The new Chaplain in the Turanga hospital as from the 1st June 2010.
Rotorua Hospital: Reverend Ray Bloomfield, QSM, JP. Rotorua Chaplaincy continues with the generous support of the Lakes District Health Board, the Anglican Diocese of Waiapu and our local community. I travelled last year to Canada to research a culturally appropriate training programme for Maori Chaplains. During my research I came to understand that my role should be more of a mentor role to allow Maori Chaplains to develop their own training.
Titoki Healing Centre Titoki
475 guests stayed at Titoki in 2009 from as far away as the diocese of Singapore, Hong Kong, the U K and Australia. Already by 284 have stayed for the first five months of 2010. The staff are constantly amazed at the healings that we see our Lord do for our guests. During the year there were a number of spiritual retreats designed and a number of workshops.
Overseas Mission
Mission Giving: The target of $167,000 set at Synod 2008 was exceeded in 2009 with the final result being $172,959. Synod 2009 set a new target of $176,000 and up to the end of March the rate of giving was 109% of the target.
Polynesia. The commitment made at Synod 2007 continues to be honoured. Finance and personnel are all organised for the building of the new church and community hall on Viti Levu but unfortunately this project has had to be put on hold because of legal issues connected with the proposed building site.
The parish of Waipawa has continued its efforts to provide for the seasonal workers who come to Central Hawke’s Bay during the harvest season.
Murgwanza Hospital,Tanzania The Waiapu Board of Diocesan Trustees has continued to support the Nursing School at this hospital in the Diocese of Kagera in Tanzania with a grant of $15,000.
The Mission to Seafarers
The Mission to Seafarers in Waiapu exercises its ministry in cooperation with its partner organisations. In the last year staff and volunteers have got on with visiting 756 ships during the year and welcoming a combined total of 12,988 Seafarers through the Seafarers’ Centres at Napier and Tauranga. Both centres have enjoyed deepened relationships with their Port Companies.
Waiapu Board of Diocesan Trustees
Permanent Fund 11c (per capital unit); Call Fund 5.0%. The value of the Units in the Permanent Fund increased from $1.92 per Unit to $2.19 per Unit as at the 31 March, 2010. The Board has an excellent relationship with the Anglican Insurance Board (AIB) and the insurer, Ansvar. The Board is able to top up insurance claims by $250 per claim thus reducing the effective excess on property claims to $250 per claim
Diocesan Registrar
A review of communication methods in underway to ensure information is communicated in a timely, efficient way. This review extends to e-mail, web, blogs, texting and facebook, in addition to the traditional forms.
Good progress continues to be made in establishing a catalogue and organizing material for the diocesan archives. The new hardware and software has proved invaluable.
The format and presentation of the Diocesan Accounts has been changed to show a much clearer picture of operations and closing positions.
The website, www.waiapu.com continues to expand its content with sections now added for current news, church services, synod papers and general diocesan information.
A major revamp of the site is currently being worked on. The new website is being designed to be far more user friendly and visually attractive.
The accounting systems of the Diocese and Social Services are currently being moved to a new platform which includes replacement of the existing servers and upgrading to a more sophisticated accounting package. Information security will also be strengthened by better backup processes.
Ministry Educator
It is an awesome responsibility and privilege to walk alongside those exploring a call to ordination, those who have been accepted by the ministry recognition panel, and those who have been recently ordained. At present I have 26 people ‘on the list’.
Weekend post ordination workshops are being offered regionally. The very popular post ordination retreat at Kopua remains. The annual Ministry Exploration weekend is planned for October at Titoki.
1 September
Hastings Anglicans pass Good Samaritan test
Last Sunday the Hastings five parishes got together for their annual combined service. The theme of the service was: “Who is my neighbour and what are my prejudices?” The Gospel reading for the day was the story of the Good Samaritan (in cartoon form). The guest preacher was Maku Potae, chaplain at Tongariro/Rangipo Prison. The group organising the service asked Maku to dress scruffily and to sit on the steps of St James’ church as people entered before the service, to see how they would respond to an unexpected “neighbour”. Would they act like priests and Levites and pass by on the other side, or like Good Samaritans?
Despite Maku putting on his convincingly best grumpy look and convincingly worst beanie, at the end of the service he assured the congregation that he was greeted by many of them as they entered, and plenty of them asked if there was anything they could do to help him.
A good lead-up to Back to Church Sunday.
1 September
African Bishops pull no punches
Four hundred bishops from Africa announced this week that 'business as usual' was no longer an option for the Anglican Church there and that Africans should "take their destiny into their own hands".
On the final day of the All Africa Bishops Conference in Uganda, the bishops issued a communiqué filled with commitments contesting the status quo in areas including politics, poverty reduction, violence against women, theological education and conflict.
It was a clear challenge from the Anglican bishops of Africa to the Church, the continent and the rest of the Anglican Communion, and it pulled few punches: "While we will always be prepared to listen to voices from other parts of the global Communion, it is pertinent that the rest of the world listens to the unique voice of the Church in Africa," wrote the bishops.
"The Anglican Church in Africa has continued to witness growth so that the centre of gravity of Christianity today appears to be shifting to the continent. Nonetheless, the Church's relevance and impact on global mission and to social, economic and political transformation of the continent remains a challenge."
The Church, the bishops said, needs to address the causes and effects of poverty and injustice on the people of Africa. "We must be actively involved in working with partners at all levels to ensure equal access to medical care, food security and the promoting of good health practices to prevent the major causes of death on the continent, with particular attention to primary health care for African families, especially mothers, children and the elderly.
"The Anglican Church in Africa must join the global movement that refuses to stay silent about the current socio-economic and political state of affairs. We should stop agonising over the deplorable state of African underdevelopment and start organising towards a proactive, pragmatic engagement with good governance and infra-structural development."
They also made several demands on those in authority, particularly in Africa. Such demands included human rights abuses: "We call for and actively work to bring about an end to all forms of abuse and forms of slavery. We demand the protection of our people, particularly our women and children, from human trafficking, sexual immorality, abuse and violence, and structural, cultural and domestic violence." There were also calls for national leaders to meet global poverty reduction targets.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to "Anglican orthodoxy and authority of Scripture" and the "Biblical standard of the family with man and woman as its foundation".
On the Anglican Covenant bishops wrote: "Whereas we accept the rationale for an Anglican Covenant, we realise the need for further improvement of the Covenant in order to be an effective tool for unity and mutual accountability."
The communiqué also contained statements on tackling climate change and on encouraging the Anglican Church in Africa to become more financially self-reliant and more strategic in its planning.
Jan Butter for the Anglican Communion News Service
26 August
Te Hapara Whanau Aroha Centre, Gisborne – 20 years of service celebrated
Cherie Hughes E.C. Practice Manager officially gifts the car and van from St Mary’s Tahatai, Mount Maunganui.
In July Te Hapara Whanau Aroha Centre in Gisborne celebrated their 20th birthday. A church service was led by Revs. Jack Papuni and Stephen Donald and everyone enjoyed a lunch prepared by parishioners and the THWAC Whanau. Bishop Rice blessed the vehicles – a van and a car - gifted to the centre by the two St. Mary’s Early Childhood Centres in Mt. Maunganui.
One of the younger participants.
25 August
Emergency services service
A Civic Service was held at The Church of the Cross in Turangi on Sunday August 22nd. This is currently a bi-annual event to celebrate, honour, thank and bless the volunteer services in the district.
Representatives from Police, Fire, St. Johns, Coastguard and Search & Rescue were on parade along with two representatives from the local Community Board. Those being honoured were piped into the Church by Gary Davis, one of our local pipers.
The service was conducted by the Ministry Leadership Team from this Local Shared Ministry congregation, with a small group of lady members making up a choir to lead the singing.
A blessing of personnel and equipment took place, outside the Church, after the service followed by morning tea provided.
The service was well received by all with requests being made to make it an annual event.
Pictured: Some of the congregation at the service
26 August
Sydney: Tribunal rejects move to allow deacons to preside at Eucharist
The Anglican Church of Australia's Appellate Tribunal says it disagrees with the Diocese of Sydney's decision that people other than priests may preside at Eucharist.
Sydney's diocesan synod in 2008 overwhelmingly agreed that lay people and deacons could be permitted to preside at Eucharist and consecrate the communion elements, a role usually limited to priests.
The tribunal, consisting of three bishops and four senior lawyers, has given an advisory opinion both on lay administration, which is not sanctioned in the Diocese of Sydney and on administration by deacons, which the diocese practices.
Since the 2008 decision, some Sydney parishes have allowed deacons to preside at Eucharist where a priest is not able to do so. The diocese does not allow lay people to do so.
The tribunal's advisory opinion considered both lay and diaconal presidency and concluded that a general synod canon would be required to implement either practice. The tribunal was not asked to consider the theological merits of persons other than a presbyter administering the Lord’s Supper, given a previous opinion which endorsed its doctrinal validity. Instead, it considered only legal argument, the release said.
A 1986 opinion had declared that lay and diaconal presidency at Eucharist was consistent with Scripture, the Book of Common Prayer and the Thirty-Nine Articles, which are the bedrock of the Australian church's constitution.
"The advisory opinion of the tribunal will doubtless receive attention at the diocesan synod to be held in October," a diocesan spokesperson said in the release.
Lay presidency is widely rejected throughout the Anglican Communion and is seen as a break from tradition and the church's historic Ordinal. The Evangelical Lutheran churches in both America and Canada authorize lay and diaconal presidency in certain extraordinary circumstances. Lay presidency is practiced as an exception in the United Methodist Church.
The Diocese of Sydney first endorsed the principle of lay presidency in 1985. Two years later it received a report that there were no doctrinal objections or legal impediments to lay presidency. The diocese became the first Anglican diocese in the world to support legislation allowing lay people or deacons to preside at the Eucharist when in October 1994 the synod voted in favour of lay presidency.
The Anglican Church of Australia's canon law commission ruled in 1995 that the introduction of lay presidency would not be possible under the church's national constitution.
In October 1999, the Diocese of Sydney approved a five-year trial period which would allow trained lay people to preside at Holy Communion, with the permission of the archbishop and the local parish. A few weeks later, then Archbishop Harry Goodhew of Sydney vetoed the measure, saying that the bishops at the 1998 Lambeth Conference had "expressed such a clear view" on such issues. Since October 2001, the diocese has been investigating legal options for commencing the practice of lay and diaconal presidency.
[Episcopal News Service]
18 August
The Fastest Growing Church in the world.
The Fastest Growing Church in the world.
Rev'd Blake Ramage at work.
Have you discovered the latest church in Waiapu yet? Reputed to be the fastest growing church in the Diocese, if not the world, OMGod is a brand-new church for the dicoese, but if you’re looking for a building with pews, you won’t find it.
By the end of its first week “OMGod our church” had 300 members and while you might recognise quite a few people from this diocese and the wider New Zealand scene there are also lots of others from all around the world joining.
Comments from those who have joined have included “Thank you for providing this wonderful opportunity for us folks out there who believe but find it hard physically to get to church.” And “Well done. My Autistic son has taken real comfort in Christian beliefs but really struggles with the social side of attending Church. He's very happy!”
OMGod is a church for today’s connected world; an online community built exclusively across popular social media sites like Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.
“Many churches have websites and an online presence, but this the first Anglican church operating solely on online social networking sites,” says our youngest vicar, Blake Ramage, the Vicar of Holy Trinity, Gisborne. OMGod is Blake’s brainchild, and he’s convinced it will offer something for everyone, regardless of religious persuasion, personal background or age.
“At any time of the day,” says Blake, “People can click onto OMGodChurch.com or the Facebook group and find something to ponder. The content will always be fresh and give food for spiritual thought.” The format will include ‘Thought of the Day’ comments and videos, as well as prayers, songs, discussion topics, and information about social issues. Everything is designed to be as accessible as possible, especially to people with no church background.
Bishop David formally launched the new church with a ribbon cutting ceremony, a video-clip being posted for the occasion. “It doesn’t quite fit with the way we normally do things,” admits Bishop David, “but we are convinced that this emerging church will be worthwhile because it represents the church moving towards the wider community, rather than us expecting the wider community to come to us. OMGod fits well with where the Waiapu Diocese is heading.” “Our Diocesan vision puts a high priority on us connecting with the under 40s and OMGod will make significant strides towards that age range. It will, in terms and styles, be familiar to them. I’m very excited by all that it will offer both the diocese and the wider church.”
Unfortunately a couple of weeks into the Facebook launch there was an internal problem with the group pages, resulting in the OMGod page becoming unavailable – temporarily it’s hoped. The OMGod website remains accessible at www.omgodchurch.com and a new Facebook Fan page has been established at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/OMGod-our-church/118745564840962?ref=ts. This page will be officially ‘launched’ on Friday 20th August.
18 August
Growing Through Grief Research launched in Rotorua
Photo Caption: Karisma Vala GTG Co-ordinator Rotorua, Rotorua Mayor Kevin Winters, Carol Goldie-Anderson, Todd McClay MP Rotorua, Rev'd Gaelyn Brake GTG Co-ordinator Rotorua at the launch of the research project in Rotorua 6 August.
An exciting and interesting research project by Joy Tomoana was recently launched to the wider public at Rotorua. Over sixty people gathered at St Luke’s church for drinks and nibbles and the presentation of the findings on Friday 6 August. They represented many community organisations. Included were his worship the Mayor, Mr Kevin Winters, several City Councillors, the Rotorua Member of Parliament Todd McClay, as well as school principals, social workers, hospital staff, doctors and teachers. Carol Goldie Anderson made the presentation highlighting the special nature of the research project and the positive findings about the effectiveness of the Growing Through Grief ‘Seasons’ programme. Some of what makes it so effective is the way the young people support each other and learn from each other. Through the process they learn new ways to communicate feelings and give expression to their experiences of loss and sorrow. At last we have definitive confirmation rather than just the intuition of the facilitator’s and users that this programme really helps children grow through their grief. Thank you Joy for completing this valuable work.
Alex Czerwonka
18 August
NZ Archbishops respond to Roman Catholic comments
Last month a statement by a Vatican official that linked paedophile offences with women’s ordination, and the debate relating to the ordination of women bishops in the Church of England, have been followed by a statement by Archbishops Moxon and Turei on our church’s understanding of sexual equality.
“It is timely for us to reflect again on our own position in this church on this matter.
The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia long ago affirmed and provided for the ordination of women to all levels of ordained ministry, as deacons, priests and bishops.
This has resulted in widespread, in-depth and effective ministry, with a unique and special character, across all three Tikanga.
As the Church of England comes close to providing for the ordination of women bishops, we pray that all three orders in that church will benefit as richly as we have done from taking this step.
This church also takes part in Anglican-Roman Catholic dialogue, both here in New Zealand and abroad.
For some decades now, our affirmation and celebration of the ordination of women has been a feature of our contribution to these conversations.
We draw our authority for these ordinations from scripture, tradition and reason, as well as from the decisions of many General Synods of the Anglican Communion.
At a time when the Vatican-based Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has restated its commitment not to proceed in this way, we affirm again the fundamental value of all ordained women within our church.
For us, such ordinations are a profound enrichment of the sacraments – and when ordained women and men work together in ministry and mission, we have found this both invigorating and life-giving.”
++David Moxon, Senior Bishop of the New Zealand dioceses
++Brown Turei, Pihopa o Aotearoa
++Brown Turei, Pihopa o Aotearoa
Puketapu Hall
Puketapu Hall in place
12 August
Historic Hawke’s Bay building settling into new home
The historic Girls’ Friendly Society Building moved from its site at St Matthew’s, Hastings, to make way for the new St Matt’s school block, has finally reached its new home alongside St Michael and All Angels, Puketapu. Now that it is on the site, builders will redevelop the building to make it into an asset for both the parish and the diocese. The building will be linked by decking to the church, painted to match the church, with new doors and windows to match the style of the church and to provide easy access between the two buildings.
In its quiet garden setting a few minutes from Napier, it will also be an ideal day retreat centre for small groups.
It was planned to have Bishop David open it as part of the centenary celebrations for St Michael’s on 10 October this year. Unfortunately, constant wet weather delayed the moving of the building onto its new site, and therefore, with a further six weeks of restoration of the building, plumbing and landscaping, it will not be ready in time. Vestry has therefore decided to delay the combined opening and centenary celebrations until 13 March next year.
11 August
CWS appeals for help for Pakistan flood victims
As you will have seen in the media, Pakistan is experiencing the worst flooding on record. Roads, bridges, homes, livestock and crops have been washed away. The death toll continues to rise and officials now estimate 15 million people have been affected. Please give generously to help with urgent food, shelter and medical needs.
Our partners on the ground are increasingly concerned for people’s mental wellbeing along with their material and physical needs. “People in the affected areas are most vulnerable and they had hardly managed to get their lives back together after the 2005 earthquake. Again everything they had is taken away from them,” says CWS-Pakistan/Afghanistan Associate Director Dennis Joseph. Every year since, many of the provinces have faced crisis after crisis with floods and most recently conflict. Now this.
Dennis shares the story of Mehr Nisar, a fifty year old widow from Punda Balla Village. “I lost my husband in the earthquake, and I was living in a pre-fabricated shelter with my son after that. This has now been destroyed as half of the land under the shelter was washed away.” There are many more like Mehr Nisar who wait for better times ahead so that their lives are no longer at a stand-still.
Showing you care will help them survive physically and mentally. We urgently need your support.
- $48 could provide a family with a week’s food and a plastic sheet for temporary shelter.
- $118 could provide a family of 6 with vital emergency food for a month.
- $200 could provide an all-season tent and plastic sheeting – offering a family longer-term shelter.
Donations can be made:
· online at www.cws.org.nz
· by phone 0800 74 73 72
· post a cheque to PO Box 22652, High St, Christchurch 8142
· make a deposit into the Christian World Service Account: 06 0817 0318646 00 (if you require a receipt please send us your name and address and details of the deposit). Please reference as Pakistan.
(CWS press release)
11 August
Auckland to host Anglican Consultative Council
Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion has confirmed that the 2012 meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council will be held at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Auckland. No dates have been announced.
Bishop John Paterson has been selected to chair an official planning group, which identified the mission theme of ACC-14 as something to continue.
Standing Committee also agreed that separating the [US] Episcopal Church from the rest of the Anglican Communion "would inhibit dialogue and ... would therefore be unhelpful," according to a July 26 bulletin from the Anglican Communion Office.
The proposal for separation came on July 24 from Dato Stanley Isaacs, a Standing Committee member from the Province of South East Asia, but was not passed "and the group agreed to defer further discussion until progress on Continuing Indaba project had been considered," the release said.
The Continuing Indaba project is intended to enable clergy and laity to share their experiences of listening to homosexual Christians and to offer the opportunity for US Episcopalians to hear stories of mission in contexts far removed from their own.
The Standing Committee usually meets annually but has met biannually for the past three years. It oversees the day-to-day operations of the Anglican Communion Office and the programs and ministries of the four instruments of communion – the archbishop of Canterbury, the ACC, the Primates Meeting, and the Lambeth Conference of bishops.
From Anglican Taonga (abridged)
4 August
OMG! It’s an online virtual church
LET US SURF: OMGod is a church for today’s web-connected world, an online community that is the brainchild of Blake Ramage, vicar of Holy Trinity church in Gisborne.
OMGod is an officially-endorsed Anglican church but if you’re looking for a building with pews, you won’t find it.
It is a church for today’s connected world . . . an online community built exclusively across popular social media sites like Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.
“Many churches have websites and an online presence but this is the first church I know of that operates solely on the internet,” says 26-year-old Rev Ramage, vicar of Holy Trinity Church in Gisborne.
OMGod is Blake’s brainchild and he is convinced it will offer something for everyone, regardless of religious persuasion, personal background or age.
“At any time of the day, people can click on to OMGodChurch.com or the Facebook group and find something to ponder. The content will always be fresh and give food for spiritual thought.”
The format will include Thought of the Day, comments and videos, as well as prayers, songs, discussion topics, and information about social issues. Everything is designed to be as accessible as possible, especially to people with no church background.
“People don’t have to be ‘religious’ to join. We are committed to OMGod being presented in a way that’s interesting, helpful and easy to digest for everyone.”
Finding a way to manage an online-only church has caused a few in the Anglican Church to scratch their heads.
“It doesn’t quite fit with the way we normally do things,” admits the Right Rev David Rice, Bishop of Waiapu.
“But we were convinced that nutting out the management and accountability side of OMGod was worthwhile because it represents the church moving towards the wider community, rather than us expecting the wider community to come to us.”
Bishop Rice says OMGod fits well with where the Waiapu Diocese is heading.
“Our vision puts a high priority on us connecting with the under-40s and OMGod will make significant strides towards that age range. It will, in terms and styles, be familiar to them. I’m very excited by all it will offer both the diocese and the wider church.”
The church name is a play on the popular acronym ‘OMG’ for the remark, “Oh My God”.
Debbie Gregory, Gisborne Herald, 31 July
FOOTNOTE: Indications this week are that there has been a very promising initial response to the service.
Gone to Suva, everyone...
Lloyd Ashton of Anglican Taonga, reports from Suva on the installation of our newest Archbishop, Winston Halapua of Polynesia, and on the commitment to youth ministry woven throughout the service.
Maybe 2000 souls jammed in and around Suva’s Holy Trinity Cathedral, with the overflow crowd spilling out on to the broad verandahs that surround the nave, and the lawns beyond.
There were plenty of special moments during the two and a half hour service. Bishop Victoria Matthews, for instance, spoke of “an overwhelming sense of hope, and a sense of the power of the Holy Spirit at work, especially in the music – and in the ministry of the young people.”
Archbishop David Moxon agreed. The young people, he said, had given “massive energy” to the service.
In bald terms, the young people contributed three things: There was the sermon, which was preached by Sepi Hala’api’api, who is the Youth Co-ordinator for the diocese. And two action songs.
In her sermon, Sepi said that while the focus for the day was on God’s calling of Winston Halapua, “it is also a breakthrough for youth… to feel that the church celebrates youth ministry as an integral part of the Great Commission of our Lord.”
As she finished her sermon, perhaps 100 young people, all kitted out in identical specially made Pacific motif dresses and shirts, formed ranks in front of the altar and stretched down the central aisle to the back of the cathedral. Another 100 young people, also kitted out in that special dress, rose to their feet in the mezzanine gallery above the sanctuary – and, as one, they launched into a specially choreographed dance to the Hillsong chorus: The Power of Your Love.
Bishop Kito Pikaahu later spoke of seeing the “The Diocese of Polynesia in all the splendour of its diversity” in the service – and as those young people acted their worship, and sang by turns in Fijian, Tongan, Samoan and Hindi, you knew what he meant.
Sepi’s sermon, of course, and those two choreographed songs also tell you something else – that youth ministry will be a defining focus of the episcopacy of Archbishop Winston Halapua.
Where the young people and their new bishop are concerned, it’s been a case of each one setting the other challenges – and each rising to those challenges.
Four months ago, at the Diocesan Electoral synod, the young people produced an eight-point statement about what they yearned for in their new bishop. They longed for: a God-fearing , visionary leader who is able to serve ; someone who is approachable, humble , and loves all races; someone who will challenge unjust structures – and who will be a role model , not only for young people, but for the church as a whole. The synod’s choice, they said, “would directly affect the future of youth in the mission of the church in the 21st century.”
Bishop Winston clearly took that message to heart. Because in Gisborne in May, just as soon as he confirmed by the General Synod as the new Bishop of Polynesia and the new Archbishop of this church, he straightaway asked Sepi to preach the sermon at his installation.
Archbishop David also saw yesterday’s celebration as “a natural transition – a building on the best of what’s been going on here for decades.” He pointed out, for example, that yesterday’s preacher – Sepi Hala’api’api – is herself the daughter of a former bishop in the diocese, the late Rt Rev Viliami Hala’api’api.
As Bishop Victoria has already pointed out, the other outstanding aspect of the service was the music.
At Bishop Winston’s request, Richard Ellena, the Bishop of Nelson – who’d been acting as commissary during the period between Bishop Jabez’s death and his successor’s installation, also wrote a new hymn.
Stephen Donald and Marie and Jimmy Gilpin from Waiapu attended the celebrations.
4 August
St Peter’s on the Rock, Mamaku celebrating 100 years
In early November next year St. Peters Church in the heart of the Mamaku plateau will be celebrating its centenary.
The local community are keen to contact anyone who may have had an association with this little church over those years in order to invite them to the celebratory church service and social event to mark the occasion.
Contact Jan Gifford, West Rotorua Parish,P.O. Box 176, Ngongotaha, or e-mail stbarnabasclose@xtra.co.nz