Colourful Dreamer

I am about to send the following proposal to Otago Universtiy to do some research on Anglican Youth Worship. If you have any comments I would appreciate hearing them. Research Topic To explore both how the Anglican liturgical tradition is being used in worship for young people within the Anglican Church (Tikanga Pakeha in New Zealand) and the influences upon those who run youth worship, be they clergy or youth worker? Whilst the literature is clear about the power of the liturgical tradition both for shaping worship as a communal encounter with God, and as a tool for long-term faith and life formation, my experience in a variety of settings is that this tradition is rarely used in worship for young people in the Tikanga Pakeha Anglican setting. My observation is that the youth leaders who organise and run worship are either unaware of, or choose to ignore the power of, the liturgical tradition. I wonder about the role of their upbringing and experience of worship in leading them to org...

As I watched the various programmes last night about NZ at war, what stuck me most was how grateful I feel that I have lived at a time when I did not have to go to war, and be put at the mercy of foreign generals and comanders who really at times should not have been in control of a tea party, let alone a large number of men. I just feel lucky and grateful that I have not had to do that, and for me ANZAC day is about remebemring all those who did. I was struck by the news calling them "fallen heroes". But were they? Or were they ordinary New Zealanders who died, frightened, fighting for there lives, and the lives of their mates around them, wondering alot of the time what it was all for. Not heroic, not glorious. I remember in a war cemetry in Singapore among all the glorious notations one that said, "sorely missed". Much more honest. We should remember them as ordinary blokes whose lives were too often wasted. And we should also remember all those who came home, an...

Today is ANZAC day, the day we remember New Zealanders who have fought and died fighting overseas "protecting our freedom". Well, most of the time, especially in the First World War, it is hard to know what they fought for. It is commentated on the day the ANZAC and other forces landed in Gallipoli to distract the Turkish forces and allow the Anglo French fleet to take the Dardanelles and attack Constantinople. April 25 1915. I have just finished watching the dawn service at Anzac Cove in Gallipoli, Turkey. The ANZAC spirit was born there, Australia – New Zealand (although listening to the Australian defence minister it seems it was really all about Australia). We were reminded of how poorly thought out, poorly planned and poorly led the whole expedition was. The story of the whole war really, incompetent British generals wastefully sacrificing the lives of there men, especially their colonial soldiers in poorly thought out, poorly planned and poorly executed battles that mos...

I was sent this today. iti s a little naff, but does raise some interesting questions, like: what is poverty? and how am I poor? One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people can be. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?" "It was great, Dad." "Did you see how poor people can be?" the father asked. "Oh Yeah" said the son. "So what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father. The son answered, "I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to...

I have been really bugged over the last few months about turning 50. When I turned 40, it took awhile, but I eventually got over it. I remember going for a walk at Rissington about 1 ½ months before the day and working it through, and coming back at peace with turning 40. why is it so much harder this time? Well, when I turned 40 I said to myself, “well that is the first half over, the rehearsal, so let’s get on and live this life!” And not a lot changed really. My youngest was still at preschool, and so I kept going to Playcentre several times a week. And school was still very important, and would be for a long time yet. All of them were still really involved in al the things kids do, and we were involved in what parents do. And it was going to be a long time before that changed. Well this time, my eldest has left home and is at university. Michael is in year 12, and will probably leave home in the next two years. And within five years Rebekah will have left too. Life will not just ca...

Life has been very busy lately. Easter was full on, as I have said. Before that I was at a series of meetings in Auckland and in Wellington. I have several events coming up, The Big E in Auckland on mission shaped youth ministry, General Synod, Anglican Youth Forum, and Manu Rui in Dunedin, plus designing an interactive labyrinth for Lambeth. But, this weekend I am off to Rotorua for a 100km cycle race, and then a wedding in Havelock North. It will be nice to have a break with no expectations. Having the cycle ride to train for has been great. I have had to do long rides, 80 or 90 km up some big hills, away from work, and all that needs to be done. It is great to have that. And it keeps me a bit fit. Not that the waist shows much benefit. But tommorrow, back to organising Toru things, getting ready for General synod etc... Yeah!!! I love this job