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Green Sunday Celebration

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On 10 September the Pitt Street Methodist English-speaking congregation marked Green Sunday. The service included three hymns with a creation focus written by New Zealanders; a talk about the place and importance of bees in our world; and linked the Lectionary reading from

Romans 13: 8 -13 with the theme - moving from the darkness of environmental degradation towards proclaiming the light of sustainability. We also dedicated three trees and some ground cover plants before the congregation moved outside to replenish the planter boxes and plant the new greenery.

A number of people brought plants to share with others and bee-themed bookmarks and clips were distributed to the children.

The planting activity took place to the backdrop of noise from a skill saw being used in the construction of the base for the pou Whakatuu. Whakatuu is a gift to the church from Whakamanatia, a community-facing group, formerly based in the whare / Caretaker’s Cottage adjacent to the Church. Their Kaupapa is creating life-giving experiences for the dispossessed and disenfranchised who are part of the street whanau, several of whom live within the shadow of the historical building that is Pitt Street Church.

The placement of Whakatuu symbolically facing into the community and folded within the body of the church, and the preparation and serving of an afternoon boil-up attracted the interest of passersby. The boil-up, funded by the Karangahape Road Business Association. drew people together to share food and memories. Discussions included the recent death of Teare Turetahi, a respected Rangatira, who had devoted his life to the encouraging mana-enhancing programmes.