Methodist Mission Southern: Support Networks & Community

We celebrated the Methodist Mission Southern's 133rd birthday with a joyful gathering of kai and kōrero. Coming together we were reminded of how our interconnectedness creates our community. We received tiny Kahikatea tree seeds to plant, and the analogy of how this specific tree’s roots grow wide, not deep, and that they intertwine with each other to support the enormous height of each individual tree (New Zealand’s tallest indigenous tree) whilst creating a community with connected strength at the roots. Planting tree seeds is certainly faith in the future.

The Reverend Donald Phillipps describes MMS’s beginnings “By the 1880's in England many of the denominations had become deeply concerned about the plight of the urban poor, in particular. The title of a book written at that time – The Bitter Cry of Outcast London - encapsulates the acute sense of responsibility that many Christians felt. Urban missions in the main cities of England were established, and this example was followed in Australia, and then in New Zealand, all within a decade. The founder of the Dunedin Methodist Central Mission in 1890, William Ready, was himself the product of the London slums but was one of the lucky boys saved from its squalor and hopelessness by an act of charity. He became a minister of the Bible Christian Church (a smaller offshoot of Wesleyan Methodism) and was sent to New Zealand in 1887. When he came south in May 1890, charged to do similar work, he began in the way he believed was most appropriate – he stood on a soap box, sang a hymn, gathered a crowd, and invited them to worship the next day.”

The Mission's kaupapa, centered around providing and creating support networks, is one of the many strengths of our Youth Transition Houses. Recently, a resident decided to convene a meeting with all their supports to develop a plan for addressing current issues they are facing. This gathering presented a valuable opportunity for them to visually see the size of their support network, with everyone in the same room discussing important matters. The presence of their supporters reinforced the interconnectedness and width of support, instilling confidence about the future.

Just like the roots of the kahikatea tree establish vital connections, these supports intricately weave the Mission into the fabric of the wider communities of Otago and Southland, connecting the Mission's kaupapa with others and fostering a symbiotic relationship that nurtures growth and vitality. More evidence of the Mission's network support can be seen at our Early Childhood Education (ECE) center, Little Citizens, where the families of the attending children are supported by our Taituarā a Hapori, facilitating agency and advocacy for those in need. Sustaining Tenancy clients are connected with budgeting services and offered physical assistance when required.

Community represents the interconnectedness that binds us together, and in times of adversity, it is through this connection that we find solace, support, and attainable solutions.

“The minute we become an integrated whole, we look through the same eyes and we see a whole different world together.” Azizah Al-Hibri

With faith we continue to create community, we will plant our seeds and invest in solid foundations, living in the embrace of others with wide, interconnected roots that allow us to cultivate resilience and thrive in the community we serve.

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