Refreshing lives, transforming faith, at the heart of the community Haere Mai, Piki Mai
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We have been busy celebrating
the sesquicentennial
of the diocese and
that is right and proper.
There is another anniversary
at this time, however,
that is relevant to us
and our ministry. It is 10
years since Elaine established
the Parish Nurse
ministry here at the cathedral.
From that small
beginning, the movement
has become a national
network of parish nurses
in different sorts of parishes
and ministry units.
The New Zealand Faith
Community Nurses Association
(NZFCNA) is
ecumenical, arranges
annual training conferences
, has a website (see
www.faithnursing.co.nz),
and provides a support
network for Christian
nurses in NZ. Valerie
Sirett has attended the
international symposium
in the US, with its global
network in all continents.
Parish or Faith Community
Nursing is becoming
a major component of the
pastoral ministry of the
church worldwide.
That’s not to say that
every parish has a nurse
on the staff because the
news is still slow to reach
some ministry units
about just what a blessing
having a parish nurse
really is. This in no twee
ministry but an opportunity
for the church to resource
its pastoral care
with the addition of a registered
nurse to care, to
counsel and to teach both
individuals and the whole
fellowship.
While I was in Adelaide
last year completing my
study leave, I was privileged
to do much reading
about the Parish Nurse
ministry. One consistent
theme was that this was a
holistic ministry, in which
people are cared for physically,
emotionally and
spiritually. Nurses utilise
many gifts whilst engaging
in this ministry, contributing
much to the wellbeing
of individuals and
the wider church family.
We have had a consistent
parish nurse ministry for
the past decade and for
this we give thanks. Begun
by Elaine who was
succeeded by Valerie
Sirett and supported by a
willing team of volunteers,
this ministry continues to
provide care and counsel
for a great many of our
parishioners. We offer our
prayerful support as the
ministry begins its second
decade in Nelson Cathedral,
the pioneer ministry
for the rest of the country.
To celebrate the 10th anniversary,
a special service
of thanksgiving is to be
held at St Michael’s
Church in Christchurch on
Friday October 24th . The
service is being held in
Christchurch because the
annual NZFCNA conference
will be taking place
there. St Michael’s was
chosen because it was
there that the famous
Nurse Maude used to assist
her vicar as a prototype
parish nurse.
What of the future?
Demands on the Parish Nurse
ministry may increase as
people live longer and
health costs increase.
At present our parish nurse
only receives an honorarium
plus working expenses
but in future we
may need to look at further
resourcing and developing
this vital pastoral
ministry to the whole person.
Doing so fulfils the
command of Jesus to “Go
into the world ... to
preach, to teach and to
heal.”
Congratulations to the
Parish Nurse team on
achieving 10 years of consistent
ministry.
“Life is never static,
but God’s love and care for us is unchanging,
no matter what happens”
Have you ever thought
you had things all
planned out and then
within a short space of
time everything
changes? Well, that’s
actually normal, but
when it happens, depending
on your personality
type, it can either
be exiting or exhausting!
Our 150th celebrations
have become
quite an event (still to
happen as I write). The
city, diocese and parish
are all heavily involved,
many people will visit
our cathedral on our
Open Day and view the
exhibits, listen to the
organ, children’s story,
prayers from around the
diocese and enjoy Devonshire
tea! It will be a very
special time.
Life is never static, but
God’s love and care
for us is unchanging,
no matter what happens.
There are
many, many parishioners
involved in making it all
happen and in order to
lighten the load it has
been decided not to hold
a Family Fun Night on
the 31st October this
year. Bookings have been
cancelled and new ideas
deferred until next year.
Our Let’s Worship Family
Service has also been
reviewed. September was
the last service in its present
format. On 5th October
there will be the Pets
Service and 19th October
the Art Festival service,
and of course on 14th
December there will be a
Nativity play for families.
Our young people
and their families are
very important to us and
we will be looking ahead
to what that means in
terms of family services
for 2009.
If you have
any suggestions then
please let me know.
Life is never static, but
God’s love and care
for us is unchanging,
no matter what happens.
God is our refuge
and our strength
Psalm 46
Trust in the LORD for ever,
for in the LORD GOD you have an everlasting rock
Isaiah 26:4.
May God bless us all
as we journey on together
secure in our
common faith.
Early September I attended
the Franciscan/Cathedral Parish retreat.
For twenty seven hours
there was a time of silence.
Over that time we
listened to addresses by
the Rev’d Raymond Pelly,
thought and read about
what it means to live a
Christian life, and examined
our own lives and
journey of faith.
An often painful experience
but one that brings
joy as your relationship
with God grows deeper.
During the times of silence
often thoughts
come, that you want to
share but that has to wait
until the silence ends and
then it’s often forgotten or
is not important.
In his hymn “O God of
earth and altar” G.K.
Chesterton wrote of the
“easy speeches that comfort
cruel men.” How often do
we says things we often
regret saying and how often
are our “easy speeches”
made to affirm our superior
knowledge and opinions.
Paul in his second letter to
the Corinthians has a lot to
say about “boasting”, especially
in chapters ten and
eleven but I admire his
words in Chapter 11:30 that
shows us Paul’s true humility
when he writes:
“If I must boast, I will
boast of the things that
show my weakness.”
Times of silence give us the
opportunity to look at ourselves
and see ourselves as
we really are and how far
along the path we have travelled
on our Christian journey.
Here is what the
Archbishop of Canterbury
has to say in his book on the
desert fathers about speech.
One day, as Abba
Macarius was dismissing
the gathering, he said to
the brothers, ‘flee brethren!’
One of the old men asked
him, ‘where could we
flee to that is further
away than this desert?’
Macarius put his finger
to his lips and said, ‘flee
that.
However physically remote
we may be from
the obvious temptations,
there is always the damage
that can be done by
speech, by the giving and
receiving of doubtful
truthful perspectives, the
half hidden power games
of our talking,”
“Whoever speaks must
do so as one speaking
the very words of God;”
George Bernard Shaw, who
once worked as a music critic,
dined in a restaurant which possessed
an excruciatingly bad
orchestra. At the first interlude,
the conductor inquired what Mr
Shaw would like the orchestra to
play next. “Dominoes,” replied
Shaw.
As most of you know, because
of arthritis I don’t get to hear
many orchestras, good or bad,
these days. Well, that’s not
quite true : several times a week
an orchestra plays music in our
house, all due to Sky television
arts’ programme. So, stop feeling
sorry for me -I’m not deprived
after all. And if you
don’t already know, I want to
tell you about one of the orchestras
we’ve been listening to.
Even if your choice of music is
country and western, rather than
Mozart, Beethoven et al., you do
need to know about this particular
orchestra.
Click to enlarge
With acknowledgment and thanks to
Josh McMillan who drew this cartoon
in response to
last month′s Canon′s Cupboard
It is called the West-Eastern Divan, conducted by Daniel
Barenboim, and no, it is not the
kind of divan you stretch out on.
It is named after a book of
Goethe’s poems. The marvellous
thing about this orchestra is
that it consists of young musicians
who come from a terrible
history in Israel and Palestine, a
history of trying to kill and
maim. Barenboim, the only
Israeli to hold a Palestinian
passport, founded the orchestra
along with the late Palestinian
writer, Edward Said. They
have had a tumultuous reception
in both countries, in London,
and especially in Germany
(where, on one occasion, they
made a pilgrimage to the Nazi
death camp at Buchenwald).
Barenboim and Said some years
ago had established a music
foundation in Ramallah to encourage
excellence among disadvantaged
children playing
music. Watching and listening
to them play Beethoven’s 3rd
Piano Concerto with smiles of
delight on many of their faces is
incredibly moving.
Barenboim wrote recently of the
huge difficulty of growing up in
a country which is extremely
creative, but sometimes “frankly
stupid”. In his new book,
called Everything is Connected:
the power of music, he says that
joy and sorrow can exist simultaneously
in music and the acceptance
of the freedom to express
this is music’s most important
lesson. “You can’t
make peace with an orchestra,
but you can create conditions for
understanding... The orchestra
is not a project for peace; it’s a
project against ignorance. It is
absolutely essential for people
to get to know the other, to understand
what the other thinks
and feels, without necessarily
agreeing with it... I’m trying to
create a platform where the two
sides can disagree and not resort
to knives.”
The Anglican Church also offers
this. As Rabbi Jonathon Sacks,
Chief Rabbi of Britain and the
Commonwealth, speaking at the
conclusion of the recent Lambeth
Conference talked of his
pleasure at being able to stand
addressing the Conference and
embracing his friend and colleague
the Archbishop of Canterbury,
he continued :
No other movement of
faith, no other
Archbishop could have
done this. This is your
gift as a church; your
ability to live with diversity,
your ability to
live with difference, and
to work with profound
disagreement. This is a
gift to the world and
you must not let it go.
Children’s Ministry and its Relevance to the Cathedral
Want to stay young?? Get involved in children’s ministry!
At her recent workshop for children’s ministry
workers, Rochelle Grace (StraNdZ, National Office),
made this statement:
The churches that have no children’s ministry are dying.
Rochelle is a dynamic communicator who travels
extensively around NZ, helping to train, encourage
and inspire those of us who recognize the
importance of nurturing young families in the
church environment. She’s seen it all and knows
what she’s talking about.
Too often, children’s ministry is seen as the poor
relation to everything else that goes on in church
life. At the same time all or most of us want to see
the congregation at the Cathedral grow.
It’s very true to say that there’s “no gain without
pain”.
This means that we won’t get healthy
growth without each of us making the effort to
welcome and cater for the young families who
regularly attend the Cathedral.
There’s a need for
volunteers to set up and run the crèche each
Sunday so that young parents can take time out
and enjoy the service.
There’s a need for others to volunteer their time
and talents to Sunday school.
Those of us already involved are greatly rewarded
by getting to know these vibrant young
people! It’s an honour and a privilege to help fulfill
this role, and greatly rewarding, even if it is “out
the back”! It’s lovely and warm out there and lots
of fun!
Let’s add a big thank-you here also to those who
already are involved!
Your ongoing contribution is
much appreciated!
Debby Smith Children and Families Worker
Ph 545 8908
Not everyone knows
Nelson Cathedral has
a crypt. What is a
crypt?
The catacombs of the early Christians were known as cryptae, and when churches came to be built over the tombs of saints and martyrs, subterranean chapels were built around the actual tomb. As early as the reign of Constantine I (AD 306–37), the crypt was considered a normal part of a church. Later its size was increased to include the entire space beneath the choir or chancel; the crypt of Canterbury Cathedral is an elaborate underground church with its own apse
Apart from the apses, clearly crypts had, and
still have, their uses!
Our Christ Church Cathedral
crypt was once
used by our youth
groups but in recent
time it has been there
unloved and unwanted.
No longer.
Click to enlarge
Madeline Barrow and
Watene Maori members
with Archdeacon Te
Hawe Whakaruru and
Dean Charles, following
a blessing of the crypt as
a Watene Maori office
Our crypt has been
cleaned out and has
now become the
turangawaewae for
the ” Watene Maori” [Maori wardens]
of our region.
The kaiwhakahaere of
the wardens, Madeline
Barrow, is excited
about their group being
part of the whanau
of the cathedral
Our Watene Maori are
volunteers, who fund
raise to cover expenses
such as petrol
for their vehicles!!.
Madeline Barrow
meets with her Ropu
Watene at the crypt on
Mondays and Tuesdays
to get the planning and paperwork
for the week done.
Her group consists of
Verna Barrett, secretary
and youth worker,
Harry Matahaere who
is a Friend of the
Court, and Toni Barton
who looks after
people the courts put
into community services
[Toni doesn’t
dress for her job in the
wardens uniform!]
As early as the reign
of Constantine I (AD
306–37), the crypt
was considered a
normal part of a
church.
Beyond
this core group
there are all told, I understand,
more than
40 wardens busily engaged
in various duties
[often connected
with the courts] in our
Te Wai Pounamu region.
We look forward to
getting to know, and
share our faith and
prayers with, these
new members of our
Cathedral whanau.
Trafalgar Steet and the Church on The Hill (circa 1863)
Click to enlarge
When we look at the church on the hill at the top of Trafalgar Street in 1863 [the probable date of this photograph]
it is difficult to put ourselves in the mind of Edmund Hobhouse when he arrived in 1858, preparing himself
to be consecrated as Bishop of a new Diocese of Nelson.
Edmund Hobhouse
Edmund Hobhouse, a scholarly Anglican priest, was entering a world so far away from Oxford University with its priceless libraries and fine medieval architecture.
In September 1858 the settlement of Nelson with its fewer than five thousand people was made a city by royal
decree of Queen Victoria and along with that Nelson was made the centre of a new diocese.
Consecration
Christ Church, the “church on the hill,” where Edmund Hobhouse was to be installed as bishop, had not however been officially
made a cathedral. It took another thirty years before Bishop Harper, Primate of New Zealand, formally consecrated
Christ Church as the Cathedral for the Diocese of Nelson
By that time, 1887, Christ Church as Bishop Hobhouse knew it had been extended beyond recognition. The
large wooden cross however hung in the chancel of Christ Church cathedral today is made from rimu timber
from the church of Bishop Hobhouse’s time.
Part of the 150th celebration of the City and the Diocese
We do not need to tell
Anglicans that Praise
Be, TV ONE′s key religious
series screens
throughout the year on
Sunday mornings at 9
am.
The long-running
series which began in
1986 was last recorded
in our Christ Church
Cathedral in 2001. A
congregation of over a
hundred folk, coming
from local churches,
made a recording of
Praise Be in the Cathedral
on Wednesday 17th
September as a part of
the 150th celebration of
the city and the diocese
Be ready to tune in to TV ONE
at 9am on Sunday 16th November
to see and hear our Nelson offering to Praise Be
The conductor for the
this recording of
Praise Be, Bishop
Richard Ellena, has
worked with congregations
to produce Praise
Be on several occasions.
This current
production includes a
lively composition,
words and music by
Bishop Richard, Go
out into God’s world
sung in conjunction
with God Defend New
Zealand. Another local
composition Creator
God We Come to You
has words by Dean
Charles Tyrrell set to
music by Bishop Richard.
The organist for the
recording, Hilda Bester,
was complemented by
the St Barnabas music
group led by Rebecca
Monopoli.
The following verse was handed on to one of our team members by the late Joy Drogemuller.
We thought you may enjoy and perhaps, identify with, the thoughts expressed!!
My Children are Coming Today
My children are coming today.
They mean well.
But they worry.
They think I should have a railing in the hall.
A telephone in the kitchen.
They want someone to come in when I take a bath.
They really don’t like my living alone.
Help me to be grateful for their concern.
And help them to understand
that I have to do what I can
as long as I can.
They’re right when they say there are risks.
I might fall.
I might leave the stove on.
But there is no challenge, no possibility of triumph, no real
aliveness without risk.
When they were young and climbed trees
and rode bicycles and went away
to camp, I was terrified.
But I let them go.
Because to hold them would have hurt them.
Now our roles are reversed. Help them see.
Keep me from being grim or stubborn about it.
But don’t let me let them
smother me.
We arrived at Bridge Valley
Christian ranch on a
cold and wet Friday morning,
but received a warm
welcome with a hot drink
round a log fire. We met
our fellow participants,
Franciscans and people
from other churches, including
several from the
Cathedral.
Click to enlarge
Rev’d Dr Raymond Pelly with Rev’d Yvonne McLean at the Parish Retreat
After a Celtic Eucharist,
we were introduced to our
leader from Wellington
Cathedral, Rev’d Dr. Raymond
Pelly. He explained
how he would direct the
retreat with six addresses.
He would show us mainly
religious pictures and comment
on them, followed by
a personal response to the
picture from Sister Wendy
Beckett. She is a Carmelite
nun and one of the best
known art historians today
after her award winning
BBC TV programmes were
aired around the world.
During the two days there
were breaks for drinks and
meals which were excellent.
We followed the daily
offices of morning, midday
evening and night-time prayers.
“Are we alive to
God that other
people can
recognise?
Are we faithful to
our calling?
Shall we allow
ourselves to be
loved?
Are we a source of
healing for others?
Do we know when
to be silent and
when to talk?”
After the first address
we were silent until
after the final Eucharist,
where those who wished
were offered healing as
well. I think we all felt the
need for it after the challenging
addresses. Between
set times there were free
periods where we could
meditate, read, walk or sit
in the beautiful grounds
with a splendid view of the
snow-capped tops of the
Richmond ranges. It was
what the Celts call a “thin
place” as God seemed to be
around us, especially as
Saturday was warm and
sunny.
Rev’d Raymond ended by
posing some questions:
Are we alive to God that other people can recognise?
Are we faithful to our calling?
Shall we allow ourselves to be loved?
Are we a source of healing for others?
Do we know when to be silent and when to talk?
The Eucharist with healing
followed and the silence
ended. There was a lot of
talk over an excellent supper.
I think our minds were
still on a spiritual journey
we’d been taken along. I
for one felt enriched by the
experience and challenged.
In each meditation session Dr Pelly put up different images on the screen. His
reflections on the paintings included reading personal responses from Sister
Wendy Becket.
For many of us Sister Wendy Beckett [named after the Christian
martyr Thomas a Becket] was a new discovery.
Who was she?
Sister Wendy Becket, a nun and art historian began her novitiate in 1946 in the
order of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and studied at St Anne′s College at
Oxford, Outside of her academic studies, she lived in a convent that maintained a
strict code of silence.
Health problems in 1970 forced her to abandon teaching. She lives in a caravan in
the grounds of a Carmelite monastery at Quidenham, Norfolk and dedicates her
life to monastic solitude and prayer. She allows herself two hours of work per day
to pursue her favourite subject of art and interpreting the Christian message in
paintings
In 2007, Sister Wendy gave her blessing to Postcards From God, a new West
End musical penned loosely around the events in her life. Hopefully there will be
more opportunities for us to keep silence and immerse ourselves in the world of
Sister Wendy.
AAW
What of the future?
“Life is never static,
Early September I attended
the Franciscan/Cathedral Parish retreat.
For twenty seven hours
there was a time of silence.
George Bernard Shaw, who
once worked as a music critic,
dined in a restaurant which possessed
an excruciatingly bad
orchestra. At the first interlude,
the conductor inquired what Mr
Shaw would like the orchestra to
play next. “Dominoes,” replied
Shaw.
