A few years back, I was asked to write a song to celebrate the 50th anniversary of women's ordination within the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand. As a result, 'Mothers of Faith' emerged.The story behind the song can be read more fully here.On Monday, the Very Rev Margaret Reid Martin, the first woman ordained into ministry in the PCANZ in 1965 passed away. She was a pioneer. You can read something of her story...
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I had a message from a friend asking if I had 'The Grace' in Te Reo Maori. I was sure I did. I'd used it before. But it actually proved more difficult to find that I expected. In the effort of making it easier for you (and me) next time, here it is.Kia tau ki a tatou katoa Descend upon us Te atawhai o tatou Ariki The grace of our Lordo Ihu Karaiti of Jesus ChristMe...
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Until a little more than a week ago,I was involved in a production of Les Miserables. It has been a bit of a life goal. Without a doubt it is my favourite musical, for its gritty story of grace and its anthemic music. Over the last four months I have immersed myself in the character of Marius, the young man who falls in love, loses his love, risks his life for a revolution, and then...
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A ministry friend just asked for the story behind my song, 'Christ Before Me'. Since I wrote it up for him, I thought I'd share it here as well. Before I wrote this song, I developed the lyrics as a poem. They are a paraphrase of a section of an ancient Christian prayer called, 'St Patrick's Breastplate.' I used them as part of a spiritual practice where I would write them on a piece of paper, then...
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This is a mural sent to me by Rebecca Wilcox. She's an artist and youth/family worker at Miramar Uniting Church in Wellington. You can see more of her art here. However this piece was not something Rebecca did alone, but more of a collaboration between her and some of the young people she works with. She drew the tree outline, and then gave her young people pictures of birds to be inspired by, or trace...
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Recently I was at a worship service and there were a variety of others leading bits of the service. At one point someone led us in a prayer of confession. I think it might have been responsive, in that we (the congregation) had bits to say throughout it. Then afterwards, the leader led us in a further prayer, asking God for forgiveness for what we had confessed.Later in the service, in fact, right at the...
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