06 February 2021 NZFTS War Cry

FAITH IN ACTION 06 FEBRUARY 2021 | Issue 6760 | $1.50

Uike Lotu: Tongan Prayer Week Amp It Up! Amplify 2021 Valentine’s Pals: Celebrating Meaningful Friendships

Gather my people, tell them I love them

Bones of our Whakapapa

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WAR CRY The Salvation Army

New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa Territory TERRITORIAL LEADERS Commissioners Julie & Mark Campbell | GENERAL Brian Peddle | FOUNDERS William

& Catherine Booth

The Salvation Army’s message is based on the Bible. Our ministry is motivated by love for God. Our mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human need in his name without discrimination. War Cry exists to support and advance The Salvation Army’s message, ministry and mission.

EDITOR Vivienne Hill | GRAPHIC DESIGN Sam Coates, Lauren Millington | STAFF WRITERS Holly Morton, Louise Parry, Bethany Slaughter | PROOF READING Major Colleen

Marshall OFFICE Territorial Headquarters, 204 Cuba Street,

PO Box 6015, Marion Square, Wellington 6141, Phone (04) 384 5649, Email warcry@salvationarmy.org.nz, salvationarmy.org.nz/warcry SUBSCRIPTIONS Salvationist Resources Department, Phone

(04) 382 0768, Email mailorder@salvationarmy.org.nz, $75 per year within NZ PRINT MANAGEMENT makeready.nz | PAPER Sumo Offset

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The Ecclesiapause I collect words like some people collect memorabilia. My latest acquisition is the word ‘anthropause’, a word created by researchers in 2020 as they studied the impact of Covid-19 lockdowns on wildlife. Its literal translation means ‘human pause’.

The study surrounding the 2020 human pause will be in-depth and long-lasting as we grapple with the positives of the planet sitting back and taking a deep breath.

But what of the Church? What impact will the anthropause have on the Body of Christ, the ecclesia? It might well look different in countries who have sustained extended lockdowns, such as the UK, but the impacts on the ecclesia in New Zealand will be significant. Maybe we could call it an ‘ecclesiapause’.

As a territory, we are responding to this ecclesiapause, this interruption to our normal, and examining our mission and ministry. We know that in order to be fruitful and successful in our mission, we must start with prayer; so as we launch into the Year of Prayer 2021 we are not only asking for the wisdom as a territory to move forward together, but also pausing to listen to God. It says in Revelation 2:29, ‘Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches’.

Moving forward together involves us all—including Fiji, Tonga and Samoa— and it also means responding to Te Tiriti o Waitangi (The Treaty of Waitangi) partnership. As an organisation and a church, we are aware of the power of forgiveness and reconciliation, and so in this edition of War Cry we look to Waitangi and the possibilities of God bringing healing to our land, in that place, at this time (see our feature on page 6).

Vivienne Hill Editor

All Bible references from the Holy Bible, New International Version, unless otherwise stated.

Articles are copyrighted to The Salvation Army, except where indicated, and may be reprinted only with permission.

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Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.

Vincent van Gogh

Revelation 14:6 ‘Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth— to every nation, tribe, language and people.’

Whakakitenga 14:6 ‘I kite ano ahau i tetahi atu anahera e rere ana i waenganui o te rangi, kei a ia te rongopai mau tonu hei kauwhau mana ki te hunga e noho ana i te whenua, ki nga iwi katoa, ki nga hapu, ki nga reo, ki nga huihuinga tangata.’

F

or he [Jesus] himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility … making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility (Ephesians 2:14,16).

Every year as Waitangi Day comes along, we as a nation experience and express a range of diverse emotions. We celebrate what is the nearest thing to the founding event of our nation. There is vigorous debate and protest regarding the many past and present failures to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi, as well as praise for many of the more positive steps taken over the last 20 or 30 years in healing the relationship between tangata whenua and tangata tiriti (Māori and non-Māori).

The idea that Jesus came with a ministry of reconciliation (houhanga rongo) is central to the gospel—reconciliation with God and with each other. This ministry of reconciliation has obvious individual, personal ramifications, such as when Jesus instructs people to reconcile with any person that has anything against them before making offerings to God (Matthew 5:23–24)— reconciliation comes before worship! Reconciliation also has strong social implications in bringing together otherwise fractured social relationships, such as those based on ethnicity, gender, class or status (Galatians 3:28).

Sometimes reconciliation has been understood as something akin to consensus—with consensus there is often an urge to focus on the positive, forget the past and avoid conflict by papering over the cracks of some painful realities that afflict the fundamental social relationships that undergird a community or nation.

Jesus, by his painful death on the cross, came to bring a much deeper kind of reconciliation than this.

John de Gruchy, in his book Reconciliation: Restoring Justice, has defined social reconciliation as a ‘...process in which there is a mutual attempt to heal and overcome enmities, build trust and relationships, and develop a shared commitment to the common good’.

Here, there is a sense of looking to build relationships, facing real matters of justice that are the source of conflict and a commitment to a journey. Alastair Reece, in Naboth’s Vineyard: Towards Reconciliation in Aotearoa New Zealand, sees reconciliation ‘...as a relational dynamic towards a restored community’, something that has similarities to a marriage relationship, with reconciliation being ‘an ongoing and never-ending negotiation between two parties’.

Reece goes on to suggest that reconciled relationships must include characteristics such as justice, forgiveness, truth and repentance.

Reconciliation is what Christ came to bring.

It wasn’t easy then and it isn’t easy now. The Bible gives Christians so much that speaks into what Waitangi Day represents. Along with all the above characteristics, much grace is required to live in a world that is never fully ‘just’ without ever accepting it as it is. After all, this is exactly where God finds himself with regards to each of us!

As we celebrate Waitangi Day, let us pray for our nation that through the Spirit of God we might all wrestle with the rich but costly reconciliation that Christ came to bring and not settle for a cheaper version.

BY LT-COLONEL IAN HUTSON

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QUIKQUIZ

1 Myopia is the technical term for what eye condition?

Paraoa Rēwena (Māori Potato Bread) This recipe starts with a ‘bug’ or potato yeast, which takes three days to mature. Once the yeast is ready, a delicious sourdough can be made from it.

Starter 400g floury potatoes 300g plain flour 55g caster sugar Bread 260g (1 cup) starter 350g plain flour 110g caster sugar 125ml hot water 1 Tbsp melted butter 1 tsp caster sugar, for sprinkling

Peel and slice the potatoes, then cook in boiling, salted water for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and mash until smooth. Cool, then place in a large container—it will need room to ferment.

Add the flour and sugar, mixing to form a dough-like consistency. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and leave in a warm place to ferment for up to three days in cold weather or one day in warm weather. The starter is ready when it begins to rise and bubble.

To make bread, place the starter in a bowl with plain flour, caster sugar and hot water. Stir to form a soft dough, then knead for three minutes or until smooth.

2 What was the name of the ship which rescued survivors from the Titanic in 1912?

3 Adding white to a colour produces what?

4 Which planet has the largest ocean out of Jupiter, Mars and Earth?

5 What blind man was healed outside of Jericho by Jesus?

Answers on page 22

Liberally grease a 1 litre loaf pan with butter and place the dough inside. Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm, draughtfree place for two hours or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Place pan in oven and bake for 45 minutes, then remove from oven and brush with the melted butter and sprinkle with the caster sugar. Return to oven for a further 15 minutes or until golden and just caramelised on top.

Cut into slices and serve hot with butter, manuka honey or golden syrup.

Source: Aux-Captain Amiria Te Whiu

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TOPFIVE

Here are five te reo Māori translations for your favourite sports!

5. Whutupaoro—Rugby 4. Pahiketepōro—Basketball 3. Kirikiti—Cricket 2. Hōkī—Hockey 1 Netipōro—Netball

WARCRYIN HISTORY Given how this week’s masthead has been changed to celebrate te reo Māori in commemoration of Waitangi Day, check out this front cover of the 17 April 1915 War Cry with all the different titles from War Crys around the world.

Source: The Heritage Centre & Archives at the Ploughman Resource Centre, Booth College of Mission

Weird of the Week: Four times as many people speak English as a foreign language than as their native one.

SALLIEOF THEWEEK Beaven Turner (Sydenham Corps)

Beaven Turner has been heavily involved in Amplify this year, running one of the course ‘majors’, helping with workshops and checking in on other people’s workshops to offer support. He has also spent his evenings serving at the café. Beaven is Territorial Youth Secretary Captain Mat Badger’s pick for Sallie of the Week. Mat describes Beaven’s servant-hearted nature: ‘Beaven is someone who has gone above and beyond in his service to our time here at Amplify, but not just at Amplify, it’s just Beaven …

It’d be nice for him to be acknowledged.’

Valentine’s with Palentines Valentine’s Day is supposed to celebrate romantic love and affection, but the chocolates, flowers and gooey declarations can feel overwhelming and isolating for many. On February 14, Women’s Ministries encourages us to take part in Palentine’s Day—dedicated to the friendships that shape us and uplift us.

Rosy Keane (Women’s Ministries Resource and Media Specialist) suggests using the day to appreciate the other important relationships in our lives.

‘Actually, our relationships with one another are really important, not just our romantic ones’, says Rosy; ‘that’s just a bit of a way to redirect the romantic love which can leave lots of people feeling left out, into revaluing our relationships that are platonic.’

Each year Women’s Ministries designs cards to express gratitude to our pals which are available to print or share online; they also ask for people to share on social media something about someone who has been a good friend to them that they want to acknowledge.

‘It could be a cool thing for corps who are referencing Valentine’s Day, to talk about this as an alternative or a companion. Maybe that’s the point, right?

Like, yes, celebrate Valentine’s Day and, yes, celebrate the romantic partners in our lives. But, also celebrate the friendships that make us who we are and sustain us as well.’

Go to women.salvationarmy.org/ resources for this year’s Palentine’s Day cards and tell a friend that you appreciate them this month!

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He Whai Honore Ki Waitangi Worship at Waitangi

Worship at Waitangi is quickly becoming an integral part of Waitangi Day celebrations. Aux-Captain Amiria Te Whiu tells us how God impressed upon her spirit the vision for this God-honouring and healing time.

BY AUX-CAPTAIN AMIRIA TE WHIU

I

t’s July 2018, and I am in my prayer room on the foreshore of Te Tii Waitangi beach just outside our marae, ‘Te Tiriti o Waitangi’. The wind is still strong, and the sea is paru (dirty), dark and turbulent. The thundering waves hit the shoreline with great ferocity, depositing fallen tree trunks carried down from upriver, along with discarded fishing line, plastic bags, rubbish and bottles spewed up by Tangaroa (sea) from its hidden depths. The strong undertow has carved deep crevices in the sand, reminding me of the unseen scars on the whenua (land) and the bloodied wounds of my tupuna (ancestors) as they watched our whenua dissipate before their eyes.

Fighting back the tears, I begin to pray.

Te Whakamoemiti, The Prayer ‘Heal this whenua, Lord, heal the hearts of my grieving people of Ngāpuhi and forgive those who have trespassed against them. Forgive those who committed acts of land theft from tangata whenua (indigenous peoples) of this land and who did so in your name.’ Those words fell from my lips smoothly; I had spoken them so many times before in my prayers for healing and unity in this place of lament, which is the true meaning behind the name, Waitangi.

I cried out to God to bring healing to the hearts of the afflicted. I prayed that there would be victors in this story, not victims. Morehu (survivors), not casualties from our sordid history, so that the next generation would not have to carry the burden and the mamae and riri (pain and anger) of our ancestors, aggravated by broken Treaty promises, passed down from generation to generation. I prayed for this historical curse to be broken off once and for all and turned into a generational blessing for the mokopuna (grandchildren) living in the twenty-first century, ahakoa no hea, ahakoa ko wai (regardless of who or where they come from). I prayed for unity and healing between perpetrator and victim, colonialist and Māori, and I prayed for blame and anger to be lifted from the whenua, so that peace, truth and justice could prevail.

I recalled the Scripture from 2 Chronicles 7:14, ‘If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.’ As I did, the tears and hūpe (snot) intermingled and fell from my face.

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Te Kitenga (The Vision) and the Treaty Scroll With my eyes still closed, I raised my head toward the sky and felt the warmth of the breaking sun against my cheek and, right there in front of me, I saw a mighty scroll high above hidden in the clouds. In my spirit, I already knew what it was that God was showing me, ‘Te Tiriti o Waitangi’, the same kawēnata (covenant) on which my tupuna had placed their waitōhu (tā moko/mark). The kawēnata began to unravel and fall; the bottom of the scroll touched the whenua and spanned the breadth of the moana (sea)—it was as long as it was wide.

As it opened, I saw my ancestors’ names penned neatly on the pages, and alongside were their waitōhu.

But something else caught my eye; it appeared to float through the air toward me. It was an enormous white feathered quill, and the tapered tip was dripping a crimson red. An invisible hand guided it toward the scroll that bore my ancestor’s waitōhu; as it landed on the last page, it began to scribe the words, I love you (Ka Aroha Pumau Ahau Koe) written in red.

At that point, I instinctively knew what God was guiding me to do, ‘Ka kohia mai tāku iwi, me he korero atu ki a ratou, he aroha pumau tāku, mō rātou. (Gather my people and tell them I love them.)’

The mission was clear, and it was simple, but how the heck was I going to call a nation together to worship on the whenua at Waitangi? Who was I to do that?

Moments like this can cause us to ask, ‘Why me?’ But through my lifelong relationship with God, I have learned not to ask, ‘Why me?’, but rather, ‘Father, how can I serve you more? How can I serve your people better?’ Humbly speaking, I knew there was no way out of the situation, but I did know that God would guide every step I took from this point forward.

Whaka Whirinaki Ki Te Atua, Trusting God ‘Whakapaua tou ngakau ki te whakawhirinaki ki a Ihowa, kaua hoki e okioki ki tou matauranga ake. I ou ara katoa whakaaro ki a ia, a mana e whakatika ou huarahi. (Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight)’ [Nga Whakatauki, Proverbs 3:5–6].

Terrified by the thought of reaching out, this Scripture encouraged me to begin sharing the vision with others across the country and having hard conversations to find those who would believe in the dream, carry the concept and build momentum and support. Over seven months of many discussions, prayer, worship, fundraising, arranging 8 Te Whakaara 06 FEBRUARY 2021

and planning, it finally seemed that God’s desire to see an ecumenical body of Christ come together to worship and pray on the sacred whenua at Waitangi was going to happen. We identified the 3–6 February 2019, Waitangi week, to launch Worship at Waitangi.

Taku Hau Kainga ki Waitangi (my whānau from Waitangi) was excited. Hapū members from Ngati Kawa, Ngati Rāhiri, Ngati Rēhia and ecumenical church leaders from Te Taitokerau (north), Te Taitonga (south), Te Tai Hauāuru (west) and Te Tai Rāwhiti (east) gathered to support the vision. Even those I least expected to support the concept wanted to be involved.

Leaders Brian and Hannah Tamaki, supported by two thousand Tu Tāngata members, would support the vision and would gather to join me in leading a peace march to the Waitangi National Trust Flagstaff, where we would pray over the nation.

THOSE WORDS FELL FROM MY LIPS SMOOTHLY; I HAD SPOKEN THEM SO MANY TIMES BEFORE IN MY PRAYERS FOR HEALING AND UNITY IN THIS PLACE OF LAMENT, WHICH IS THE TRUE MEANING BEHIND THE NAME, WAITANGI. Others also contributed: Cindy Ruakere, singer/songwriter and apostle; Jay Ruka, author and speaker; Steve Apirana, singer/songwriter and evangelist; the waiata group from The Salvation Army; Darlene Raharaha, Māori Evangelical Hāhi Auckland and New Beginnings Kaeo. Hone Mihaka from Taiamai Tours offered a waka, enabling the first Christian rōpu (group) to land at Te Tii Waitangi beach with other waka that make the journey to Waitangi every year on 6 February.

Pastor Helen Herbert from New Beginnings Kaeo would lead that excursion. Still others would contribute financially. The Salvation Army Whangārei Corps offered kai for the week, while others volunteered their time and servanthood to the marae. I was so humbled by how God moved the hearts and minds of people at that time.

‘WRITTEN IN RED’ CALLED THE NATION TO A THREE-DAY TREATY CELEBRATION OF COMMUNITY BUILDING AND ECUMENICAL WORSHIP TOGETHER. ‘E Ihowa, me pēhea taku mahi i a koutou, kia pai ai taku awhina ki to koutou iwi? (Lord, how may I serve you more, how may I serve your people better?),’ I prayed.

‘Na ka utua mai taku e Ihowa; i ki mai ia: “Tuhituhia te kite; kia marama rawa ki nga papa, kia tere ai te kaikorero”. ‘Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it”’ (Hapakuku 2:2, Habakkuk 2:2).

E Aroha Ana Ahau Ki A Koe, Kua Tuhia Ki Te Whero, I Love You, Written in Red

By November 2018 everything was in place, and there was an element of excitement in the atmosphere as we prepared to launch Worship At Waitangi, in February of 2019. We decided on a theme song to reflect what God had written on the scroll from my vision. ‘Written in Red’, by the Gaither Vocal Band was chosen.

With the concept sown and the vision written across accessible twenty-first century tablets—Facebook, Twitter, various websites, texts and more—people quickly spread the word, just as God had instructed. ‘Written in Red’ called the nation to a three-day Treaty celebration of community building and ecumenical worship together. It was a call for people to attend a first-ever event celebrating God’s love for Waitangi, his people and this nation. To hear stirring gospel music, life-changing testimonies and the vibrant sounds of life on the whenua was thrilling. It was an opportunity to see people from all walks of life connecting and bringing peace to a place with a troubled past, a chance to walk our ancestors’ paths, and understand the relationship between the Bible and the Treaty of Waitangi. Worship At Waitangi 2019 offered people the opportunity to walk together in a new way—kei raro te korowai aroha e kore here a te Atua (under the cloak of God’s unconditional love).

I Nuku Te Atua i Te Whenua, God Moved on the Whenua ‘Ka koa hoki ki nga mea pai katoa i homai e Ihowa, e tou Atua, ki a koutou ko tou whare, a koe, me te riwaiti me te manene i roto i a koe. (And he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey)’ [Tiuteronomi, Deuteronomy 26:9].

In 2019 the Lord God moved in that place, and we worshipped him with one voice, one mind and in one accord, and he released healing upon the land and unity among the people, from that little place called Waitangi, my home. Over two and a half thousand people gathered to be a part of Worship At Waitangi that year, we marched and we prayed to release the blessing from this whenua onto all the nation.

Kua tau kē te Rangimarie o taku wairua, and my spirit was at peace. But unbeknownst to me, there was more to come. Just as I had thought it was over, job well done, etc, God quickened into my heart that it was time to let go. He had moved in this land, and now God was telling me to move.

I knew this was just the beginning of what was to come for Worship At Waitangi, but had no idea that I would not be directly involved any longer, and I struggled.

Pahia Mai Te Rakau, Passing The Baton However, eventually, I got it. God wasn’t asking me to give up; he asked me to pass the baton forward and look for successors.

The Psalmist David gave me a glimpse of how important it is to pass the baton on to the next generation so that they in turn can carry it forward, empowering others to tell of God’s praiseworthy deeds and of the wonders he has done. Why? So that the next generation would know, trust and believe (Psalm 78:4–7). The Salvation Army was God’s succession plan for Worship At Waitangi. Kia mau kē koutou te mate kite, (Hold fast to the original vision). And so this year The Salvation Army Māori Ministry will facilitate Worship at Waitangi.

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Focus!

Have you been paying attention? (No, we’re not talking about the television show.) Do you find yourself nodding off during meetings, struggling to follow a conversation or barely keeping up with university lectures?

Sometimes this reflects that we are not as skilled at being intentionally present in situations as we would like, regardless of whether we are interested or not. Some people have innate short attention spans. However, the ability to improve our focus is something we can all practise.

1. Recognise what you stand to gain; for example, absorbing information, building deeper relationships.

2. Be present: don’t worry about the past or fuss over the things you still need to do that day, live in the moment.

3. Heighten your awareness: be conscious of what you are doing, and why and how. Monitor your feelings in the moment. Have an eye for detail of all the little things comprising the world around you.

4. Set goals; for example, set a countdown for ten minutes in which you stick to one task (after which you can reward yourself with a one to two minute break). Continue building the set time as your focus improves.

5. Take smart breaks. Don’t start a new task. Sit in silence and peace for a quiet moment. Listen to refreshing music. Go for a short walk.

6. When you can control your environment, create a good working zone. Use neutral colours, keep a clean desk, work outside if that engages you.

7. Banish or block out distractions. Recognise when your mind is wandering—or has already side-tracked—and refocus.

8. Don’t multi-task; give your full attention to one thing.

9. Find a strong emotion to assign to the task—whether it is negative or positive—this will keep you emotionally invested.

10. Doodle or take paper notes during meetings, presentations or lectures. Sometimes just moving the pen will keep your mind engaged.

11. Combat disinterest by making the targets of your attention more engaging; for example, can you make it a game or competition? Be creative—enliven a dull task or change its pace.

12. Where possible, begin with a task you enjoy or choose a conversation point you can equally enjoy listening to and talking about.

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SOME PEOPLE HAVE INNATE SHORT ATTENTION SPANS. HOWEVER, THE ABILITY TO IMPROVE OUR FOCUS IS SOMETHING WE CAN ALL PRACTISE. You are unlikely to find a one-stop solution straight away, and finding a tactic that works for you will be a personalised process.

The mind is another muscle which needs training; celebrate its growth. If you only managed to catch five consecutive minutes of your lecture this week before you zoned out, challenge yourself to stay engaged for ten next time. When you meet someone new, try to remember their name and one topic they mentioned for when you see them next.

Sometimes, negative reinforcement works; for example, reminding yourself that if you don’t focus on your online lecture, you will have to rewatch it or risk missing important course material—but positive enforcement is typically more effective. It is fine to have the occasional daydream, but encourage yourself to keep widening your attention span and getting the most out of every moment.

Source: Psychology Today

TESTIFY! Wimutu Te Whiu is the husband of Aux-Captain Amiria Te Whiu from Māori Ministry, pictured here with their granddaughter Ashanna Apiata.

He details his journey to salvation and a relationship with Jesus Christ.

I was born in 1950, at Rawene Hospital in Hokianga. My parents were devout Roman Catholics, like their parents and grandparents before them. The Northern Hokianga was predominantly a Roman Catholic district. Like my father, I was baptised at a Catholic Church named Hāto Kereti /Hato Remihio. The church’s land was gifted by my great-grandfather Kereti Te Whiu, the first convert into Catholicism; the church was named in honour of him.

When I was growing up, I remember a local priest giving my whānau a Bible.

There was a particular shrine in our home that housed a small cross and a large statue of Mary. The Bible was wrapped in a white cloth and placed in the linen cupboard in our home.

As children, we were not permitted to touch it or read the Bible because it was considered ‘tapu’, very sacred.

I was only allowed to read the Catholic catechism prayer book. It was expected that I would learn to read English and Latin from this book, as I was destined to become an altar boy.

Through the Catholic Church’s teachings, we were taught about the Holy Trinity and the Godhead. We celebrated Jesus during the Eucharist, or communion ritual, consecrated by a priest, including Christmas and Easter celebrations. I saw visible images of Jesus depicted in the Stations of the Cross. His name was mentioned as we prayed the devotions and the rosary bead prayers. I was taught these would help discipline me as I got older.

Symbols and ceremonies were high on the Catholic liturgical calendar that required dedication and participation

I FELT SOMETHING WITHIN ME LONGING FOR A RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMETHING I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH… from our whānau and other whānau.

Māori was spoken and sung, and powerful moments of worship were practised in te reo. Priests were greatly venerated—treated like Jesus himself.

The Sunday lunch table was always set for a king at our place. The priest would eat before any of us and be given a koha (donation) before leaving, to show our respect.

relationship reserved only for the priests.

Now I found myself wanting more of what my aunty had. Her deep sigh at the end of our conversations was her way of expressing her great satisfaction from hearing the sweetness of the word of God in te reo. She would turn her Bible upside down on her knee, sit back in her seat and say ‘Awe, Koro!’ (boy). Nothing else needed to be said.

On the southern side of Hokianga, I had a 93-year-old kuia (aunty) I loved and respected. She was of the Jehovah’s Witness faith. She never forced her religion or belief on anyone.

Each time I visited her, we would talk, and she would ask me to translate passages of the Bible into Māori. I did that willingly. Deep conversations between us left me wanting more. I felt something within me longing for a relationship with something I was unfamiliar with, never experienced.

One day as I returned to visit her, she had been through her things, and she was waiting eagerly at her door for me to enter her small house. With a massive smile on her face, she held out her arms to greet me then led me to her seat, where a black book with red words written on it ‘Paipera Tapu’ (Holy Bible) sat on a small coffee table beside her.

She handed it to me, and I held on to it, ki taku poho piri ai (close to my chest).

I knew that the Bible would lead me to salvation and this was the beginning of my relationship with Christ.

That longing was never encouraged in the Catholic Church, that personal

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12 firezone.co.nz 06 FEBRUARY 2021

Amplify is The Salvation Army’s annual territorial creative arts camp, welcoming people between Year 11 at school to age 30 from Salvation Army centres around the territory.

Delegates each chose a major and minor to learn over the week (such as drama, spoken word, sports ministry, dance, preaching and much more) along with enjoying night church, daily Bible studies and heaps of fun activities and workshops.

Excitingly, Amplify attracted a record attendance in 2021, with a bunch of young people turning up for the first time! Held at Silverstream Retreat in Lower Hutt from 11–17 January, people travelled from all over New Zealand to get creative, form close friendships and go deeper with God. Unfortunately, due to border restrictions, no one could travel from the Pacific Islands this year, but that didn’t mean young creatives in the Pacific missed out on the fun—funds were specially allocated for Fiji, Tonga and Samoa to run their own activities on home shores.

Kudos to the Amplify organising team and everyone who served—whether by running majors, minors and workshops; volunteering in the café; speaking at night church; leading worship; or working tirelessly behind the scenes—for putting on a great week of connecting with each other and with God.

Lessons from Night Church Monday Night: Captain Nathan Holt: Act now, don’t wait—let God use you now, where you are.

Wednesday Night: Captain Kylie Tong: Living a life of holiness = a life of freedom.

Friday Night: Claire Gardner: Let God refine you like gold and silver.

Sunday Morning: Captain Nathan Holt: Listen, respond and be a warrior for God.

THE BIG GAME It wouldn’t be Amplify without the annual Big Game.

The 2021 edition began with the ‘Amplify Cup’—a race that’s been compared to the Melbourne Cup, with one difference: instead of actual horses, riders galloped the course on the shoulders of young people wearing horse masks.

Following the Amplify Cup, three teams were formed—The Salvation Army, The Salvation Navy and The Salvation Air Force—to face off in a large military competition. ‘I’d summarise it as a big, chaotic game that involved lots of smaller games and lots of water,’ Territorial Youth Secretary Captain Mat Badger says. Following physical challenges, heaps of water and plenty of cheating (policed by guest military officer, Captain Doug Newman), The Salvation Army prevailed as the victors!

Photography: Gabi Gardner and Georgia Cotter

BY BETHANY SLAUGHTER

Here’s what the campers had to say about Amplify!

1 What has been your standout moment(s) of camp?

2 How has God used this week to speak to you and what will you take out of Amplify?

3 What’s the best meal you’ve eaten at camp?

4 What made Amplify special in 2021?

CHEYnE

Blenheim Corps | Major: Preaching Minor: Dance—Hip-Hop Going to Booth College of Mission to look in their library for preaching—that was really cool.

The messages in the night services have definitely hit home. I’ve felt the presence of God a lot in them. I’m hoping to go back home and preach some sermons, and my corps officers are already looking forward to hearing some.

Bacon and egg pie.

Being such a small group from Blenheim this year, we’ve had to reach out and hang with other people, which has been good—getting to know more people.

06 FEBRUARY 2021 Te Whakaara 13

MAHINA

Christchurch City Corps Major: Preaching | Minor: Event Management

Night church—especially the second one. It was a very emotional moment for me. The first night church there was a part of the sermon which was like, ‘don’t wait around, take the initiative to start your own journey, go down the path that you want’. A part of my journey that I want to work on is being more vulnerable and surrendering myself. Then, when we went to night church on the second night, one of the lyrics in the very first song was ‘I surrender myself’.

He’s been helping me open up to people more and it’s allowed me to do a lot of firsts. I shared my testimony for the first time with the preaching group and I performed for the first time.

Bacon and egg pie or the enchiladas.

Being able to form relationships with different people from complete opposite places to me.

It’s special how stuff like Amplify can really bring people together.

NELSON

Porirua Corps | Major: Sports Ministry | Minor: Cultural Art

Meeting new people from all over New Zealand.

Through Bible study—connecting and sharing.

You can be yourself and express your feelings. To be more open is what I’ve learned from Bible study.

Butter chicken.

The people—it’s all about the people.

ANITA

Johnsonville Corps Major: Filmmaking Minor: Dance—Hip Hop I’ve really enjoyed the night services. The music’s been really good.

In the night churches, talking about freedom and love and what he wants for me. After camp, with my filmmaking, I want to do some more videos for church.

Spaghetti Bolognese Having a good Bible study group to hang out with and meet new people.

14 firezone.co.nz 06 FEBRUARY 2021

SIOBHAN

Winton Corps | Major: Preaching Minor: Dance—Hip-Hop

Our Bible study—hearing other people share their testimonies and connecting with our leaders, Joe and Jeannine (Serevi).

I took away that I need to forgive myself and forgive others. I’m hoping to go back to my church and preach, and also to share my testimony. Most of my friends aren’t Christian, but I think it’s good to share testimony so that they can see that even through my struggles, I’ve kept my faith. I’m going to become a senior soldier; I made that decision after night church. And my friend, Sammy, had a vision for me which really spoke to me. It was a tree and it was growing strong and sheltering people. I want to be a human rights lawyer, and I hadn’t even told her that. I was like, ‘that’s kind of perfect’.

JYRA

Invercargill Corps | Major: Drama Minor: Dance—Hip-Hop

The comfort of this place.

You always feel included.

It’s a bit of a challenge, but I know that after this camp, there’s something that’s going to change about me, like my attitude and my point of view in the world.

Quesadillas.

The people and their energy.

ELLEN

Porirua Corps Major: Music Performance (Singing) | Minor: Songwriting

Bacon and egg pie, and the enchiladas.

The people! Seeing so many Christians who believe in the same thing as you, connecting with God and connecting with them through God.

LUKE

Johnsonville Corps | Major: Filmmaking | Minor: Dance— Hip-Hop

I’ve loved the worship. You can really get into the moment and have great experiences God. WInton Corps |with Major: Preaching Minor:Through Dance—Hip-Hop meeting a whole bunch of new people.

SIOBHAN

I’m moving to Auckland, so I’m going to continue meeting with the amazing people I’ve met.

Well, I’m a vegetarian and they keep lumping me in with the crazy vegans! But they had some veggie samosas that were mean as.

Definitely the campers. You’ve got the learning from the majors and minors, but it’s really the people you spend it with.

Bible study.

I want to learn more about God and the Bible.

Cream chicken.

Knowing different friends around New Zealand and being close to God!

ANTHONY

Johnsonville Corps | Major: Music Performance (bass guitar) Minor: Songwriting

The Monday night church service. Playing on stage was really fun, and we just genuinely had time worshipping God. I feel like throughout the week God’s been telling me to go with the flow, and he’s got a plan for me, so I can trust in that. I want to keep developing my musical ability and start writing my own music, then put it out on Spotify and music platforms, hopefully in the next year or two.

Spaghetti Bolognese.

The fact that we’ve had the biggest turnout so far is cool. It’s been really good to see everyone again and meet new people.

06 FEBRUARY 2021 Te Whakaara 15

LUKE

Napier Corps | Major: Leadership Minor: Photography

The church service was pretty epic for me. The Holy Spirit came over me and told me to walk up the front, let everything go and be a soldier of God. I’ve been thinking about becoming a warrior for God for some time now, so that really spoke to me—as well as getting to pray for three people.

I’m looking to start a trade. I prayed for it in church, to get a job, and then within 45 minutes, I rang my partner and she said, ‘Steve has come over, he wants you to call this person, they’ve got a job for you’. I was like, ‘Okay God, you can work fast, and you can work slow, you can work whenever you want to with me. I’m in the midst for you!’

HETA

Johnsonville Corps Major: Sports Ministry Minor: Craft Meeting all the new people and building new friendships.

Probably at night church, when everyone was told to go up to the front and embrace God. That really stood out to me … that’s something I’ve never experienced before. I really hope I can get closer with God, especially because I’m new to this stuff. I want to experience for myself the things that I’ve heard other people talk about.

Enchiladas.

The people, the atmosphere and everyone making this camp really enjoyable.

Lolly cake.

Meeting new people, being able to open up to people and share my testimony. I used to be a shy person, so I think coming to Amplify has opened my mind up to bigger and better things.

JOSH

Tawa Corps | Major: Preaching Minor: Spoken Word

Erin

Johnsonville Corps | Major: Music Performance (singing) Minor: Songwriting It’s been really cool to hear people speak at night church.

Definitely new friendships and some new skills on how to write songs.

‘Jim’s Nugs.’

Spoken word has been great.

Learning a different way to unfilter how I think and get raw and honest with myself, then express that with others and be vulnerable is awesome. And in preaching, the work that goes into it is amazing. Learning about that has been awesome, to see the depth you can go into.

Being able to take those preaching skills and use them for myself to dive deeper … and then with spoken word, it’s definitely a way to keep my heart in check with God and stay vulnerable.

I love it!

Steak—it beautifully fell off the bone, so props to the cook.

It’s just God breathing on people.

We are missing a lot of people due to Covid-19 restrictions this year, but I feel like we’re all a tighter group.

TE WETENE

Napier Corps | Major: Leadership Minor: Songwriting

Church has been pretty good.

You can feel the Holy Spirit a lot in there.

That sometimes he puts fears in the way so that you can become stronger, break those barriers down and unlock those chains.

Last night—we don’t know if it was chicken or fish, but it tasted good!

As long as Jesus is here, it’s special.

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Samoa's First AMPLIFY

BY MISIPATI NIUSULU

There was excitement in the air as 21 youth and 7 leaders gathered at Taumeasina Resort on 14 Jan to 16 Jan for our first-ever Amplify.

Yes, it was truly a memorable event for most of our young people who have never been to Amplify or a creative arts camp before. The promise from 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT), ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him’, was our key verse.

The regional leaders, Lt-Colonels Rod and Jenny Carey were the special guests, together with seven other speakers. Sessions included gender groups, leadership, education and development, dance and drama, music/leading worship, sports, and addictions.

The presenters inspired and challenged us all to make a difference in our world for Christ.

Thursday afternoon started off with worship and Lt-Colonel Jenny Carey bringing God’s word about our identity in Christ. The young people were asked to place their names on God’s tree as a reminder that we are all part of God’s family.

The youth music team, led by Viki Kisila, brought much encouragement and led us in awesome times of anointed worship.

The Bible study groups were led by Aitu Fesuiai, Larafina Tanielu Stowers and Viki Kisila (Amplify attendees 2019). The youth really got into the word with passionate discussion about how it applies to their daily lives. During the evening Major Miriama brought a message on ‘presenting our lives to God’. The Holy Spirit moved powerfully, with many re-dedicating their lives to the Lord. The talent show night was full of laughter and some surprising talents from our youth and leaders.

The camp was brought to a close on Saturday afternoon by Lt-Colonel Rod Carey who challenged the youth with a message from John 15:16, ‘You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last…’ Again, most of our young people came forward for prayer. God is moving mightily in the hearts of our youth. Viia le Atua!

For all our young people, this will be a lifetime memory. The transformations that took place and the testimonies at the end of camp were amazing. Wow! God is faithful.

We are very grateful for the ongoing support from Youth Mission Resource Developer Vanessa Singh and the generous financial support from Salvationists and friends in New Zealand. Faafetai tele lava. A big thank you to Misipati Niusulu (Youth Leader) for all his planning, organising and hard work, as well as Major Miriama for her leadership and oversight.

06 FEBRUARY 2021 Te Whakaara 17

Tongan Salvationists’ New Year Get-Together The first full week (Sunday to Saturday) of each year is an important seven days in the life of a Tongan and is called ‘Uike Lotu—Prayer Week’. It’s also commonly known as ‘Uike Ha’amo’ or ‘Uike Fakahekeheka’. The week’s focus is on the preparation of our journey at the beginning of the new year through daily prayer themes, specific Bible verses, sharing, fellowship and, of course, delicious food.

On Saturday 16 January 2021, at Ōtāhuhu Corps, Auckland, 67 Tongan Salvationists met together to pray, share testimonies, fellowship and share the lunch provided. This was the first such occasion for The Salvation Army, Northern Division. After the meeting it was estimated that there are 100-plus Tongan Salvationists living in Auckland.

Auckland is known as the world’s largest Polynesian city.

Fifteen percent of Auckland’s population are Pacific Islanders.

In the 2018 New Zealand Census, 82,389 people identified as being part of the Tongan ethnic group, making up 1.7 percent of New Zealand’s population. This is an increase of 22,056 people (36.6 percent) since the 2013 Census, and an increase of 31,911 people (63.2 percent) since the 2006 Census. Sixty-four percent of Tongans living in New Zealand are living in Auckland.

The plan was to identify and meet with our Tongan Salvationists who have left Tonga, know which Salvation Army corps they connect to and ask them to share how they are involved and participate. It was also about understanding their family needs and challenges and discussing a way forward.

A working group was formed to coordinate and network. We are planning quarterly get-togethers in the Tongan language, to help us understand how we can engage with The Salvation Army strategy for the Pasifika people as Salvationists in our division and also in the territory. We are also discussing possible ways that we can support the Tonga region.

Since 2021 is a year of focusing on prayer, we, as Tongan Salvationists in Auckland, are looking forward to doing mission together—‘caring for people, transforming lives and reforming society through God in Christ by the Holy Spirit’s power’.

We concluded our get-together with the Bible verse in Isaiah 43:10–11 and with prayer. ‘“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no saviour.”’

Malo, lotu mo e tapuaki Kau Tau Fakamo’ui, ‘Aokalani

By Major Sila Siufanga 18 Te whakaara 06 FEBRUARY 2021

GAZETTE Promotion to Glory: Major Winifred (Winnie) McNabb, peacefully on 20 January 2021, from George Manning Rest Home Christchurch at the age of 88. Winifred Norma Bond was born in Tangarakau (between Whangamomona and Ohura), on 28 February 1932. Winnie entered The Salvation Army Training College from New Plymouth Corps in 1953 as a cadet in the Heralds session. Winnie was commissioned on 25 January 1954 and appointed Assistant Officer, Rotorua Corps. On 15 January 1955, Lieutenant Winnie Bond married Captain Pearce McNabb and together they served as the Corps Officers in Dannevirke (1955), Upper Hutt (1957) and Kilbirnie (1959). A change of focus came when Winnie and Pearce were appointed to Putaruru Training Farm in 1960 before returning to corps appointments as the Corps Officers in Devonport (1962), Eden (1964), Timaru (1965), Dunedin North (1968), Ashburton (1970), St Albans (1974) and Napier (1979). In 1982, Winnie and Pearce were appointed Assistant Officers, Wharerangi Eventide Home, Taupo. This was followed by appointments as the Corps Officers of Feilding Corps (1983) then Linwood Corps (1988). In January 1992, Winnie and Pearce were appointed Assistant Managers, Bethany Village, Christchurch. It is from this appointment that Winnie and Pearce retired from active service on 1 September 1992, settling in Linwood where they were actively involved in the Linwood Corps. Major Pearce McNabb was promoted to Glory on 1 May 2012. We honour Major Winnie McNabb for her 38 years of active officership and her continued service in retirement. Please uphold Anne, Jill, David, Raewyn and extended family members in prayer at this time of grief and loss. Well done good and faithful Herald of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Appointments: Effective 8 March 2021: Captain Stephen Campkin has been appointed as Business Administration Support Officer (in preparation for future appointment), at Territorial Headquarters.

Effective 8 March 2021: Captain Elizabeth Campkin has been appointed as Divisional Children’s Mission Director (in preparation for future appointment), at Central Divisional Headquarters. We pray God’s blessing on the Campkins as they prepare for their new appointments.

Effective 8 March 2021: Captains Gavin and Veronica Rivett have been appointed as Corps Officers, Hastings Corps, and Directors, Community Ministries, Hastings. We pray God’s blessing on Captains Gavin and Veronica Rivett as they prepare for their new appointments.

Bereavement: Pat Angove, the mother of Captain Janet Green, and the grandmother of Captain Andrew Green, passed away in Napier, on Tuesday 26 January 2021. We ask you to uphold in prayer Captain Janet Green, and Captains Andrew and Sarah Green, along with other family members, at this time of grief and loss.

In chapter 25 of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus provides three compelling pictures that relate to the end of time. His words in respect to the final judgement confronted his listeners and also confront us with what it means to be counted righteous. Those who feed the hungry, satisfy the needs of the thirsty and give hospitality to the stranger were seen to have done this as if to Christ himself.

It takes both attentiveness and effort to respond in the way that Christ describes. The busyness of life and the relentless pursuit of simply keeping on top of things often consumes all we have to give in time, resources and energy. The effort of accommodating yet another something can simply seem too hard. Indeed it was like that when Christ was born—remember how most of the world was preoccupied with other things, and missed the magnificence of the whole event?

That’s why the first call of the 2021 Year of Prayer is to ‘Make Room’. Will we host Jesus who comes to us perpetually in the form of others who seek solace and help? Will we be open to the disruption of our own plans, so as to make room for welcoming Christ’s presence and sit at his feet as Mary did? (Luke 10:38–42) It could be argued that the pace of life in Jesus’ time was markedly different than today. The question is whether the frenetic pace is serving us well deep in our souls. We are constantly presented with choices, and in choosing many good things we actually miss out on the best.

As with the church at Laodicea, Christ says: ‘Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me’ (Revelation 3:20).

Colonel Heather Rodwell

…TAKE SOME TIME TO SET A REGULAR ‘RHYTHM OF LIFE’…

We are now well into 2021, and maybe you have made and broken the usual New Year resolutions—eat less, exercise more, take up a hobby—or maybe the experiences of 2020 have given you cause to pivot your life and to reframe what is of importance and significance, to consider a ‘a rhythm of life’ which will become a pattern of living that offers life in all its fullness this year.

A rhythm of life, or a rule of life, is different from the goals, intentions or resolutions we tend to set for ourselves. Resolutions are usually task-based and measurable, and they’re often focused on what we do. A rule of life, on the other hand, helps you become or be. A rhythm of life is a schedule and set of spiritual practices and relational rhythms that help us create space in our busy world for us to be with Jesus, to become like Jesus, and to do what he did—to live ‘to the full’ (John 10:10) in his kingdom, and in alignment with our deepest passions and priorities.

Spiritual formation educator, Ruth Haley Barton, writes in her book Sacred Rhythms: Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual Transformation, ‘A rule of life is a way of ordering our life around the values, practices and relationships that keep us open and available to God for the work of spiritual transformation that only God can bring about.’

The first example of a Christian rule of life came from the Desert Fathers, a monastic community of mystics living in Egypt around the third century AD. The most well known is that of St. Benedict of Nursia, written fifteen hundred years ago, which was created to help his community of monks translate their faith into habits and rhythms of their shared daily life. The Benedictine Rule, roughly broken down, gives instructions that bring shape and support to four areas of life: prayer, work, relationships and rest. Their desire was to make room for God and to make room for love and service. His famous rule has inspired many communities and individuals to develop their own rules with a similar intention.

So, before the pace of this year already sets the agenda of your days, maybe it would be helpful for us all to take some time to set a regular ‘rhythm of life’ that is best and specific for each of us, so that the rest of the year will see us shaped as God’s people, serving and loving from the well of God’s grace.

Captain David Daly Territorial Secretary for Mission

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06 FEBRUARY 2021 Te Whakaara 19

HUIA COME HOME

by Jay Ruka

Huia Come Home (2017) has become something of a handbook for both Māori and Pākehā. For Te Ope Whakaora, the Army that brings life, Jay Ruka’s perspective on the narrative of Aotearoa (described on the book’s back cover as ‘a tale of two cultures, warring worldviews and the things that got lost in translation’) is informative, challenging and essential reading. War Cry offers this extract on the whakapapa of Jesus in honour of Waitangi Day celebrations, and to further strengthen understanding of our shared history and the living story of reconciliation and redemption we are all called to as Salvationists.

Chapter 14—Tuawhā: Worldviews Dem Bones (p.97)

The Māori word for tribe is ‘iwi’, ‘a large group of people descended from a common ancestor and associated with a distinct territory’. Iwi is also a word for ‘bone’; so if someone asks you what tribe you are from, they are essentially asking whose bones are you from. Your iwi shows who you are connected to and where you are connected, by way of whakapapa or genealogy.

Matthew begins in a way that Western readers miss the significance of. Its opening lines present a ‘record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ…’ or, in the original Greek language, Biblios Geneseōs Iēsou Christou, which means, The Book of Genesis of Jesus Christ. It is obvious to a first century reader that a comparison to Genesis is being made. That’s why the New Testament begins with Matthew and a long genealogy that most of us never read. This long list of names is culturally significant—it locates Jesus not just in his cultural context, but with the explicit idea that he is of his cultural context. He did not land on earth from a planet called Krypton and formed like Superman. Rather Jesus was born into the Jewish cultural story. For a Jewish reader, and for a Māori reader, this kind of context is exciting!

The Whakapapa of Jesus (p.99)

The Whakapapa of Chronicles

Can you recall in your distant memory a little nursery rhyme called Dem Bones? It goes like this: ‘The knee bone’s connected to the thigh bone; the thigh bone’s connected to the hip bone…’ and on it goes. It’s a classic. It was one of those kindergarten tunes that taught you about body connections. It is a song about bones and connections; about joining the dots and seeing how things fit.

What can the insight of whakapapa teach us about the Bible, theology and how we practise our faith? Quite a lot actually.

Let’s look at the sections and genres of genealogy given to us in the Scriptures.

I’ve heard it said that it would make more sense if the New Testament began with the Gospel of John instead of Matthew.

The Book of John starts with that famous line, ‘In the beginning…’, echoing the book of Genesis. So why not make that the start of the New Testament? It’s a rational sentiment.

20 Te Whakaara 06 FEBRUARY 2021

The Old Testament books of Chronicles offer us another example of whakapapa.

Our Christian Bible rearranged the Jewish Scriptures in a systematic way, ordering the books by size, largest to smallest and lumping categories of kind together. Originally, ancient Israel placed the Chronicles as the last books, but we missed the point and moved them to sit by Kings because they share similar stories. However, the purpose of Chronicles is completely different. It takes the old stories of Kings and reframes

them for the generation of Jews who were born in exile, outside of Israel.

Chronicles begins with an extensive genealogical history, taking thirteen chapters to give us a vast list of tribe and family genealogies connecting the people to Jerusalem. Their genealogies are significant because a new generation needed to be located in their history, learning how that history related to the land they had never seen. They were written for a generation in identity crisis who needed to remember who and what they were connected to. Chronicles reveals their whakapapa, their source of hope, as they begin a new exodus journey home.

The Whakapapa of Genesis There is another genealogy found at the very start of the Bible in Genesis. Because we don’t understand the nuances of the Jewish culture and writing, we miss the fact that the structure of Genesis is arranged in sequences of what is called toledoth (genealogy of whakapapa). In Genesis, there’s a line that reads, ‘El’e toledoth’, which in the English can be rendered, ‘This is the account of…’; or ‘This is the history of…’; or ‘These are the generations of…’ This phrase is used ten times in telling the story of the heavens and the earth, the origins of humanity and the genealogies from Adam to Jacob.

Genesis is a book of whakapapa. It tells the Hebrew origin stories, moving from the generic to the specific. It describes how God is deeply interested, involved and connected with his creation.

Yet we’ve taken these whakapapa accounts and filtered them through a Western, enlightened, scientific worldview, attempting to turn the Book

YOUR IWI SHOWS WHO YOU ARE CONNECTED TO AND WHERE YOU ARE CONNECTED,

BY WAY OF WHAKAPAPA OR GENEALOGY.

WE MUST LEARN WHERE WE’VE COME FROM AND HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE BECAUSE AS A NATION WE ARE SHIFTING INTO A NEW ERA OF CHANGE. of Genesis into something it’s not, a Year 11 science manual.

Can These Bones Live?

So, we see in Scripture three weighty portions of whakapapa. Each section corresponds to a significant epoch of time. First, Genesis reflects the cosmological beginning of the creation account. Next, Chronicles focuses on post-exile Israel with a displaced generation coming home to their land to begin again. And finally, Matthew marks the arrival of the Christ, who is located in his Jewish history and land, signifying the beginning of an entirely new pact between God and humanity. When Scripture makes whakapapa explicit, it announces the commencement of a new era by remembering history and locating people in their landscape.

It is for this reason we need to know our whakapapa: as individuals, as a society and as a church. We must learn where we’ve come from and how we got to where we are because as a nation we are shifting into a new era of change.

Our shared whakapapa locates and immerses us in the land and story of Aotearoa. Knowing the story we belong to gives us shape and meaning as we move forward as a nation. Whakapapa helps us consider, with both hindsight and foresight, the ideas and initiatives we adopt and how they connect with our deeper story.

An awareness of whakapapa helps our connection with creation. It helps us see our kinship with creation by observing when species and phenomenon appear in time and space, like a vintner to her

vineyard or a farmer to his field, or just like the whale, the kauri tree and the star. Whakapapa causes reflection on the repercussions our decisions have on a life that is much bigger than just ourselves.

In our modern world, Descartes in his cave has been replaced with the privatised masses caved in by our phones. As the world gets more and more technologically savvy we become more isolated from our relationships. Human connections bow to online connectivity—but a healthy understanding of the principle of whakapapa is the antithesis to a repetitive me-centred, individualised pursuit. Whakapapa is a value that bonds us to one another, inspiring us to move forward in unison.

Now, remember Dem Bones, that old rhyme we began the chapter with?

Well, it’s not actually a nursery rhyme.

It’s an old gospel song. It was created to recall the vision the prophet Elijah had of bones connecting and rising to new life. Each stanza of the original song ends with this declaration: ‘Now hear the Word of the Lord’. I think that declaration appropriately fits right now.

We must reconnect to our whakapapa, to our lineage, and we must move together as a storied people in our magical location on God’s good earth. We are not called to be skeletal amnesiacs. The bones of our history are rattling and waking, calling us into an awareness that we, as a body of people, existed well before now through the actions and intent of our ancestors. We are now reaping what they have sown—and there is a bountiful harvest for us as we connect to our history and understand our whakapapa.

Jay Ruka (Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Koata, Ngā Puhi) has worked in full-time Christian ministry since his early twenties, as a youth mentor, mission director and church minister. He is currently serving as co-leader of St Mary's Anglican Cathedral in New Plymouth, as well as director of the Sir Paul Reeves Education Centre. He is married to Erin; they have three children.

06 FEBRUARY 2021 Te Whakaara 21

OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENTS Commissioners Mark (Territorial Commander) and Julie Campbell (Territorial President of Women’s Ministries) 4–6 February: Waitangi Day Celebrations 7 February: Whangārei Corps (Julie only) 7 February: Kaitaia Corps (Mark only) 11 February: Fiji Division Officers Councils (online) 14 February: Midland Division Welcome Meeting 15 February: Midland Division Officers Councils 16 February: Tonga Region Officers Councils (online) 16 February: Central Division Officers Councils 17 February: State of the Nation Report Launch Colonel Gerry Walker (Chief Secretary) 4–6 February: Waitangi Day Celebrations 7 February: Kaitaia Corps 11 February: Fiji Division Officers Councils (online) 14 February: Central Division Celebration Meeting 16 February: Tonga Region Officers Councils (online) 16 February: Central Division Officers Councils 17 February: State of the Nation Report Launch Colonel Heather Rodwell (Territorial Secretary for Women’s Ministries and Spiritual Life Development) 4–6 February: Waitangi Day Celebrations 7 February: Whangārei Corps 11 February: Fiji Division Officers Councils (online) 14 February: Midland Division Welcome Meeting 15 February: Midland Division Officers Councils 16 February: Tonga Region Officers Councils (online) 16 February: Central Division Officers Councils 17 February: State of the Nation Report Launch

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22 Te Whakaara 06 FEBRUARY 2021

Māori Map Master!

‘He answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind”; and, “Love your neighbour as yourself”.’ Luke 10:27

Look at this map of our territory. Can you choose the correct Māori location name for each of the blank spaces?

You can also mark your own home on the map!

(If you need some help, the translations are at the bottom of the page.)

Tauranga Moana

Māori names

Counting Codebreaker!

Can you learn how to count to ten in te reo Māori by solving this codebreaker?

3-2 = W

11+2-1 = K

5-2 = U

3+3 = R

2+2+1 = M

6-2 = A

1+1 = 0

4+3+1 = I

4+5 = T

5+6 = E

10-3 = N

12-2 = H

Hāmoa Haukāinga Kirikiriroa Ōtautahi Ōtepoti Pōneke Tāhuna Tāmaki Makaurau Tauranga Moana Tonga Waihōpai Whakatū Whītī

ONE = 9 | 4 | 10 | 8

TWO = 6 | 3 | 4

THREE = 9 | 2 | 6 | 3

FOUR = 1 | 10 | 4

FIVE = 6 | 8 | 5 | 4

SIX = 2 | 7 | 2

SEVEN = 1 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 3

EIGHT = 1 | 4 | 6 | 3

NINE = 8 | 1 | 4

TEN = 9 | 11 | 12 | 4 | 3

Jesus asks us to love our neighbours as ourselves. Our neighbour is more than the people who live next door to us. To prove this point, Jesus told a parable of a Jewish man who was travelling on the road to Jericho when he was ambushed by robbers. They took his belongings and left him hurt on the ground.

The first person to see the injured man was a priest, but he passed by on the other side of the road. Next to come along was a Levite, but neither did he stop to help.

Finally, a Samaritan arrived. Even though Samaritans and Jews were enemies, he bandaged the injured man’s wounds, put him on his donkey and walked him to the next town. Once there, he paid for the man to recover at an inn and told the innkeeper he would cover any further expense.

Do we want to be people who walk past those in need? Or do we want to love others fully, no matter who they are?

Jesus was illustrating that we should show this sacrificial love to everybody in our lives—friends or strangers— because they are all our neighbours.

This Waitangi Day is a good time to reflect on our nation and all the people who live here in Aotearoa—they are all our neighbours.

THINK ABOUT...

How can you intentionally lift somebody else up this week?

06 FEBRUARY 2021 Te Whakaara 23

Translations: Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Kirikiriroa Hamilton, Pōneke Wellington, Tāhuna Queenstown, Ōtautahi Christchurch, Ōtepoti Dunedin, Waihōpai Invercargill, Whakatū Nelson, Whītī Fiji, Hāmoa Samoa, Tonga Tonga, Haukāinga Home.

LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, LORD. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.

HABAKKUK 3:2 (NIV)

Gracious Father, if ever we needed you, we need you now.

The whole earth is groaning; and we your people are suffering as we see the impact of our neglect of you, your will and your ways. Even your Church is in disarray.

Forgive us for our foolishness and half-heartedness.

Renew us by your Spirit that we may truly be a people who are marked by your design and motivated by your desire.

Renew us in the hope of the gospel and arouse us again to live out your calling, partnering with you in the mission.

May your Kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

AMEN