The miraculous experience of one man who defied incredible odds to survive the Tongan tsunami.

The full extent of the devastation is not yet known, but recovery will be long and slow for the Pacific kingdom.

Local women invite you to join the World Day of Prayer on Friday, 4 March in your community. Aotearoa New Zealand is one of the countries that started this annual event.

In June, Whanganui Trinity Methodist Women's Fellowship held a "Fun Fashion Parade" as a fundraiser.

William Barr, former Attorney General to President Trump, has just published a memoir on his time serving President George Bush and later, President Trump. The title is, One Damn Thing After Another. Life can feel a little like that at the moment.

It is natural to ask questions in times of sudden crisis or disaster. We react in different ways and we tend to ask various questions instantly.

Readers share their news and views.

Four distinct views of Christ are discernible in the community today.

Joshua Robertson and Falanisesi Fusitu'a Hafoka, two Pacific leaders and lay preachers with a strong connection to the Methodist Church of NZ, were recognised fin the 2022 New Year’s Honours List. And Mataiva Robertson, was an award recipient last year.

Jo Kernot, a friend of Trudy Downes, lives in New South Wales where she is general manager of a nursing agency. In December Jo’s family contracted Covid-19. She shares that experience with Touchstone readers.

Lifewise Auckland is pleased to announce the appointment of Murray Reade, Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Pāoa, as its incoming Chief Executive.

Adrian Skelton of UCANZ, and lay preacher Viv Whimster reflect on church unity and gospel readings.

Aotearoa New Zealand, along with the rest of the world, is going through a tough time with Covid at the moment. Although there are stunning examples of communities coming together for vaccine drives there has also been a disturbing lack of social cohesion during 2021.

It is important for Churches to think about ‘emergency preparedness’. As a starting point, faith-based organisations can start developing a ‘site specific plan’ for their property and an emergency response plan.

This year Methodist Mission Southern (MMS) will launch Young Women’s House in Invercargill, a purpose-designed residence for our teenage mums, with an average age of 17 years, who are living in unsafe and unsuitable situations.

Betty Brown, one of our Kaikarakia in training from the Waikato Rohe, is a kairaranga (weaver) who uses her expertise and knowledge in raranga (weaving) harakeke (flax) to teach others.

A new year is a new beginning. It is like a new birth. As the year begins, we feel that we need to make changes in our life, start a new path, do new things, and say goodbye to old habits, problems, and difficulties.

Summer holidays as we understand them do not feature in Bible stories. However, many Bible characters embarked on epic journeys mostly on foot.

Michael Lemanu, Tauiwi Children, Youth & Family Ministries National Coordinator shares a blog,Young Eyes, written for TYTANZ (www.missionresourcing.org.nz/tytanzblog).

Welcome to a New Year. I hope everyone had an enjoyable Christmas with their friends and families and managed to obey all the rules we have with the Covid epidemic.

Christian World Service is appealing for Tonga after last month’s devastating double disaster. The immediate concern was for basics like food, water and shelter, but Tongans will need significant help in the months ahead.

Last year Christian World Service’s annual Christmas Appeal focused on the urgent need for justice in many places.

As the world is ending, a meal is enjoyed. With the table set, words of gratefulness are spoken, then those gathered are blessed by a simple prayer. It's a compelling scene, a moment of slow and meditative grace, amid the biting political satire that is Don’t Look Up.

John Meredith reviews a book written by Rosemary Riddell.

Gary Clover reviews a book written by Christine Platt.

What was Friendship House? The simple answer is that it was one of the buildings owned by the Christchurch Central Methodist Mission in the 1960s. But it was much more than that.

There are more important things than bicentennial celebrations – and it would be wholly inappropriate to begin this 2022 selection of historical Methodist events and people without giving, firstly, serious and compassionate thought to the thousands of Tongan people whose lives have been affected by eruption and tsunami.

O lea ua tini pao le uto e pei o le faiva i vai, ua sili ofe fo’i tautai matapalapala e pei ole fetalaiga i le aiga-tautai e ala i le fa’amoemoe sa lupe o nisi o le aufaigaluega; lea ua mafai ona fa’aulufale aloia i o latou nu’u e tusa ai ma le Tusi Tofiga a le Ekalesia.

“Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place?