Water, Sustainability and the 23rd Psalm Revisited
                 Elizabeth Brooke-Carr  has graced our site before,  and here she shares her memories,  and learnings,    from  being asked to repent her sins  . . .  surprise, surprise  . . .  for the use or misuse of water.  If you missed this delightful piece in the Bulletin,  read it now,

A Church Bell Vision
                 We reprint a stimulating paper presented recently by David Kitchingman  to the Explorers Group at Mornington. It's a demanding read,   as it  draws out some lessons from the traditional bell curve.   To continue the analogy  -   this paper is a "ringing" endorsement of the inclusive calling of the Church.   David calls for the Church to ring its bells again,  and proclaim  the diversity which is the gift of God.  

The Importance of Connections
                 In this "Connections" article from our Parish Bulletin Colin Gibson makes some interesting connections of his own.  He begins with Greta Garbo  . .   but where to from there?   Read it and find out  . . .

Your Will Be Done
                 In this sermon preached on Trinity Sunday Rev Donald Phillipps examines a traditional understanding of the "Will of God" in the context of contemporary drama and tragedy.    It's a warning against glib answers!

A Contemporary Liberal Theology
                 This statement from Methodist Minister,  Rev Dr Jim Stuart of Christchurch,  has attracted a great deal of appreciation and support on the Methodist Liberal Society network.     We commend it to all who struggle with us to express a liberal appr5oach to theology in these challenging times.     We reprint it here with Jim's permission.

The Power of Words
                 George Davis,  historian and Anzac researcher,  reflects on the contemporary significance of the Gallipoli battles of 1915.

Three Lost Poems
                 These following poems were written by members of the Y@M group (Youth At Mornington) after reading the three “Lost” parables: The Lost Sheep (Luke 15:4-7), The Lost Coin (Luke 15:8-9), The Lost Son (Luke 15:11-32).

Who wants to be 100?
                 Colin Gibson reflects on the Roger Hall Play 

Does God Have Pets?
                 A sermon by Colin Gibson from Mornington Church  on an occasion when children brought their pets to Church

Connections - March 23, 2008
                 Ken Russell's Easter Article looks critically at two traditional Easter assumptions

Good Friday and the Wahine Disaster
                 The usual ecumenical Good Friday services were held in the Mornington area this year,  with a cross-bearing procession linking the four churches.  At the Methodist service David Kitchingman drew attention to the proximity of the 40th anniversary of the sinking of the passenger ferry Wahine Iin Wellington Harbour,  and drew this interesting analogy with the events Christian remember on Good Fiday.

The Desert or the Garden
                 As a contribuition to Lent 08 Donald Phillipps wrote this thoughtful reflection  THE DESERT OR THE GARDEN on the place of the desert in the Biblical story,   and the recurring hope that the desert will in God's time become a garden.

Adam and Eve and the Snake
                 Stuart Grant's sermon from Feb 10 is a more than useful introduction to Lent,  and explodes a few myths and howlers that have long prejudiced the popular view of the Church,  and its attitude to all the things negatively associated with Lent  -  sin,   the fall,  temptation,  the role of Eve,  etc etc.

Two Funerals and a Legacy
                 The funeral of Sir Edmund Hillary,  Conqueror of Everest,  on Feb 22,  2008,  drew worldwide attention.  Pictures were re-broadcast around the world of a memorable state funeral accorded by the New Zealand Government.   The day was also significant within New Zealand for the funeral of poet Hone Tuwhare,  who many rate as one of our greatest ever  literary figures.  His death was particularly significant for us here in Dunedin as he died here,  having lived for many years at Kaka Point,  and having earned the love and respect of many in this city,  and well beyond.   We reprint Ken Russell's "Connections" article from our Parish Bulletin of Feb 3.

Following the Loving Example
                 We are printing a sermon entitled “Following the Loving Example” by a former member of our Parish, ROSALIE SUGRUE, preached at the Raumati Church in the Kapiti Uniting Parish in June 2007.   Rosalie has been a member of that Parish for almost nine years, and as  a lay preacher has led over 80 services  in 8 years.

Words and Music: Imagining God
                 A sermon by Rev Dr John Salmon,  President of the Methodist Church of New Zealand at Mornington Church,  Sept 2,  2007, guest preacher at celebrations marking 50 years of service by Colin Gibson as organist.

Colin Gibson - 50 Years
                 A tribute written by Ken Russell and published in the Parish Bulletin Sept 2,  2007.     The contribution of Colin as organist and chairmaster at Mornington Church,  and his growing influence as a hymnwriter within and beyond New Zealand,  was marked by a well attended dinner,   musical items,  and special service over the weekend of Sept 1 & 2.

The Satellite and the Stable
                 An article for Advent 2007, by Elizabeth Brooke-Carr.   This beautifully written piece examines a fascinating bi-story to modern space travel alongside the traditional Christmas story of Wise Men from the East.

A Tribute to Evan Lewis
                  EVAN LEWIS is the founder, designer and visionary of this website, the PRACTICAL DREAMERS DROP-IN CENTRE. Until about a year ago he was the Webmaster, pouring a great deal of dedication and energy into establishiong one of the best sites of its kind as a parish-based enterprise. But Rev Evan Lewis has been so much more than website architect, as explained by Ken Russell on a day, Nov 25, when the Mornington Church honoured him with a surprise service of appreciation for a unique ministry, rich with honest inquiry and theological integrity.

Not a Race Issue
                  An article written by Dr Rawiri Taonui, Head of the School of Maori and Indigenous Studies at Canterbury University. At a time when many commentators and talk-back hosts are laying all the blame on Maori for New Zealand's terrible record of child abuse, Rawiri Taonui offered a more objective and much less emotional assessment in the Sunday Star Times of August 5. We felt his contribution was a necessary correction to the populist view, and reprint it with the author's permission.

Christ as Myth
                  The writings of Ian Harris in his "Honest to God" series are read avidly by Christians from the liberal tradition. With Ian's permission we reprint an article from the Otago Daily Times which explores the Myth of Christ, and very usefully suggests that it is more liberating and enlightening for the modern Christian to hold to the mythology of the risen Christ, as distinct from the more traditional teaching that Christ is the model for Christian behaviour.

Answering the Call
                  In this Connections article for our Parish Bulletin, Elizabeth Brooke-Carr again demonstrates what a gifted writer she is. It is not only Church people who speak in mystical tones about THE CALL OF GOD - to Ministry, to Missionary Service, or whatever. Here Elizabeth describes the Call of the Bonspiel - a magical appointment at the Idaburn Dam in Central Otago that draws devotees of the special sport of curling, but only when conditions are just right - which they were here in the deep south in this Winter of 07.

David Kitchingman on "New Paradigms"
                  You'll need all your mental faculties in gear to keep up with this article from our Parish Bulletin "Connections" series. As an exercise in flying off on tangents. this one beats them all. You'll smile lot too. Very clever writing, with a host of astute observations about contemporary issues.

Daring Compassion
                  A sermon by Rev Stuart Grant. In this well researched sermon Stuart examines the biblical dimensions of compassion in the context of Easter. His illustration from the striking film "The Lives of Others", and his personal reminiscences of the German Democratic Republic, are very poignant.

A Hymn for Anzac Day
                  We at Mornington were among the first to sing the new hymn,  words by Shirley Murray and music by Colin Gibson.    We are convinced it is a hymn with potential for wider acceptance,  hopefully as a national hymn for remembrance occasions like Anzac Day.     As a means of commending the hymn,  and promoting some of its special features,  we are reprinting Ken Russell's CONNECTIONS  article of April 29,  and which includes the full script of the hymn.

Rod Mitchell's Ministry
                 Rod Mitchell's Ministry at Mornington/Glenaven has been much appreciated,  and with his permission we are printing two scripts of his preaching, a summary from  the first Sunday,  April 1,   and an edited script of last Sunday's sermon  ( May 6)   entitled   “Love is that skill which creates the appropriate space in which others may grow.”

Bible or Cellphone?
                Elizabeth Brooke-Carr asks some timely generational questions in a beautifuuly crafted article in the Bulletin March 18

Creation - Masters or Servants?
                Here is a challenging sermon preached by Donald Phillipps on March 11, raising huge current issues in a sound biblical context.

Three Incredible Readings
                We reprint Colin Gibson's Sermon of Feb 25 THREE INCREDIBLE READINGS and his striking "Banana Skin" prayer, which challenged us to a different approach to Lent

Music In the Air
                Music in the Air  is a bi-annual journal written by John Thornley. Here is a list of contents from the Winter 2006 issue.

An Emerging Jesus for an Emerging Christianity
                John Thornley's Jan 21 sermon with his permission. In it John tackles the issue of our contemporary perception of Jesus. As a former Vice President of the Methodist Church of NZ, and one who has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to articulate the the struggle to define Jesus coherently, we felt this sermon warranted wider circulation. John introduced his sermon with reference to two key texts in his preparation for the sermon: Marcus Borg's latest title Jesus (HarperCollins 2006) and Tom Wright's Luke for Everyone (SPCK 2001).