This article was first published in eMessenger in February 2019.
Joint Day of Worship – Wednesday 20th February 2019
The New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS) will join with its member churches in a joint day of worship on 20th February 2019, to celebrate its 50th anniversary and the United Nations World Day of Social Justice.
At St Paul’s Cathedral in Wellington, NZCCSS member churches will take part in a prayer vigil from 12.30pm to 5.15pm. If you are Wellington on 20th February, please feel free to join in.
This will be followed by a service starting at 5.15pm at St Paul’s Cathedral. Everyone is welcome to attend, I encourage you to do so, and look forward to seeing some of you there.
For more information go to https://www.facebook.com/events/2019707228327676/
The Methodist Church has a strong history of social justice and is a founding member of NZCCSS, so the UN Day of Social Justice is a perfect fit for us Methodists.
Congratulations to NZCCSS on 50 years of working for a more just and compassionate society in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Neighbours Day Aotearoa – March 22 – 31
There is six weeks to go until Neighbours Day Aotearoa 2019 – get ideas and resources from https://www.facebook.com/NeighboursDay/ or http://neighboursday.org.nz/
Plan your event, register it on the website, win a t-shirt, and get to know your neighbours.
Methodist Alliance Updates
Communities of Practice
We have established communities of practice, which are meeting again soon to progress their work. The communities of practice are:
· Children & Families
· Housing
· Building Stronger Communities
· Communications & Fundraising
· Māori staff and Te Taha Māori
Our members continue to provide a wide range of services in these areas and also in the journey from ka mate (death in the midst of life) to ka ora (life in the midst of death).
The Tindall Foundation
The Methodist Alliance is a faith funding manager for the Tindall Foundation. We are entrusted by the Tindall Foundation to distribute their donation to local organisations in line with the Tindall Foundation’s goals and priorities. This seed funding provides flexibility for innovative services to develop which do not fit within the strict criteria of most government funding. It means that new innovative services to be delivered to the vulnerable in our communities and evidence gathered to provide a solid evidential base if government funding is sought in the future.
The Tindall Foundation funds have:
Created opportunities for young people to have experiences and learn skills which they would not have due to economic, social or cultural barrier
Lifewise’s services supporting rough sleepers in Napier with advocacy, literarcy, budgetting and community relationships
The hospitality mission at Manurewa’s Corner of Hope
Sinoti Samoa’s workshops supporting families
Wesley Community Action’s Babies Place programme that promotes the bond between parents and their children
Christchurch Methodist Mission’s programme “Men on a Mission” which is a course for socially isolated men with a range of activities including basic cooking, communication, self care skills, and work or training opportunities
You can find more information on the Tindall Foundation website https://tindall.org.nz/about/our-people/funding-managers/faith/
The new Connexional year
As we start the new connexional year, some of our parish members have new presbyters. We wish all presbyters starting in a new parish and the congregations of these parishes all the very best for this new beginning. It is a time of great joy and hope for the future. We wish you well in your new partnerships in ministry.
Feel free to contact me if you would like any further information on the Methodist Alliance, or any of the topics mentioned above.
Ngā mihi nui
Carol Barron, National Coordinator
03 375 0512 | 027 561 9164 | Carol@MethodistAlliance.org.nz
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