Tui Motu’s name rang out again and again — six times — at the Australasian Catholic Press Association’s awards evening last month. Like tūī song ringing through the bush, the awards for social justice, care of Earth, spirituality, faith in daily life and ecumenical dialogue knit us to our mandate of stitching relationships and conversations among our peoples, islands, regions and countries. And then we won a further award at the Australasian Religious Press Association evening for Michael Fitzsimons’s profile of a hospital chaplain and a commendation in the Publication of the Year category.

This bounty is poured on Tui Motu magazine on its 20th birthday. Who would have known in 1997 when Michael Hill and Francie Skelton published Issue 1 that we would be reading Issue 219 in 2017? To celebrate this milestone we’ve revisited our roots in this edition — the story of our name, our founding, the early hopes and our growing up. And while our name Tui Motu means stitching relationships, we’re featuring the tūī bird, whose exultant call compels and delight us, to image our hope for reconciling friendships, inclusive communities, social and ecological justice and grateful living. We have glimpses of past issues, as well as new material that focuses on the joys, heartaches, highlights and challenges of these days — particularly relevant as we prepare for the New Zealand General Election this month.

We are grateful to all those who have contributed to Tui Motu InterIslands magazine since its birth — our shareholders, subscribers, Board directors, Foundation directors, editorial teams and staff members, article and letter writers, artists, photographers and poets, volunteers for distribution, production and promotion, volunteers for proofreading and finance. This 20th birthday grows out of your generosity and commitment. Thank you!

And we are deeply appreciative of the thought, research, reflection, faith, art and craft of the many contributors to this birthday issue.

We’re offering again this year a daily “Creation Pause” email during the Season of Creation — from 1 September to the feast of St Francis of Assisi 4 October. If you’d like to receive them sign up on the homepage of the Tui Motu website or send us an email editor@tuimotu.org and we’ll join you up.

As is our custom our last words in this birthday issue are of blessing.

Tui Motu Magazine. Issue 219 Sept 2017: 2.