Resources for faith and life |
Welcome to 'Conversations' ... Inspiration from Aotearoa New Zealand |
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Psalm 94: Praying for a world in trouble
(as Prayers for Others) Lord our God, shine out in every corner of our world. Rise up and bring justice for all in need of help. We hate to see children being hurt and families destroyed. Who hears the cry of the poor? It breaks our heart when people die from violent attacks. Who can break the power of evil? Leaders tell us whatever they want us to believe. Who knows what is true any more? You, O Lord, you see! You hear! You are at work! Who will stand against the wrong in our world? We pray for people who have been treated unfairly. Rise up, O God, and bring your justice! (silence) We pray for people who are attached because of their faith. Bless and protect your people everywhere. (silence) We pray for people who are sick or afraid. Our hearts are full of troubles, but your love reaches in. (silence) The Lord is our rock of refuge, our safe place in a troubled world. |
Brought to you by Silvia Purdie 
New ...
My edited book 'Awhi Mai Awhi Atu: Women in Creation Care' is finished and with the publisher!! Very exciting. Read all about it HERE |
Earth Day is coming up, 22 April. You are encouraged to pray for the earth in worship on Sunday 24 April.
Resources (including some bilingual ones with Te Reo Māori) HERE
Resources (including some bilingual ones with Te Reo Māori) HERE
Big news from me, and an invitation: join me on Wednesday 18 May, with Grow Seminars. I'm taking a 90-minute seminar on climate change governance for community organisations.
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A Psalm for the Weirding of the Weather
A climate change prayer for Harvest time Our ancestors trusted in you from the goodness of the earth - with them we sing: We plough the fields and scatter the good seed on the land, But it is fed and watered by God's almighty hand. He sends the snow in winter, the warmth to swell the grain, The breezes and the sunshine, and soft refreshing rain. Our children struggle to trust you with the earth. They begin to doubt its goodness, and yours, O Lord. as the heavens above send violent floods instead of soft rain as the sun shines harsh and the earth warms and warms and warms. As for us, we hold the stable past and the anxious future in this moment, in your presence: We thank you, then, O Father, for all things bright and good: The seed-time and the harvest, our life, our health, our food. We bring you our thanks and our praise as we bring you our fears. As the weather becomes weird we mourn for gentle times. As the earth becomes battered we grieve for tender things. We pray for fragile creatures we weep for lives cut short. All good gifts around us are sent from heaven above; Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord for all his love. Send us, also, Lord, the gifts we need in a changing climate. Amen. |
Looking towards Pentecost ...
Wairua Tapu, haere mai! Holy Spirit, welcome! Wairua Tapu, heke iho Holy Spirit, fall on us Wairua Tapu, tau mai Holy Spirit, rest in us Wairua Tapu, papahū Holy Spirit, set us on fire. 
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Highlights
A guest page by Mua Strickson Pua Highlights of Pasifika and Indigenous art, culture and history in Aotearoa. Mua's top pick for songs, documentaries and books, including a personal aiga (family) reflection on each. Linda and Mua Strickson Pua are based in Auckland. Their leadership encompasses many diverse contexts, currently leading in the contemporary arts, especially poetry and spoken word with Maori and Pasifika young people. |
News: I am now a Provisional Member of the New Zealand Christian Counsellors Association!
(This might not mean that much to most people but gaining a professional membership is kind of a big deal for those of us in the mental health world. I got to the 'provisional' stage yay! I am officially provisionally moderately approved of.)
(This might not mean that much to most people but gaining a professional membership is kind of a big deal for those of us in the mental health world. I got to the 'provisional' stage yay! I am officially provisionally moderately approved of.)
More News - a new book on the way!!
Over the last few months (since COVID lockdown threw some of my other plans) I have been working on a new book. 'Awhi Mai Awhi Atu' is a collection of stories of Women in Creation Care. And what a bunch of fabulous women they are too!!
Also includes a wide range of practical tools for churches for environmental action
and some wonderful poetry and prayer.
Over the last few months (since COVID lockdown threw some of my other plans) I have been working on a new book. 'Awhi Mai Awhi Atu' is a collection of stories of Women in Creation Care. And what a bunch of fabulous women they are too!!
Also includes a wide range of practical tools for churches for environmental action
and some wonderful poetry and prayer.
View recording of my webinar on Climate Change and Mental Health,
organised by Grow for the Mental Health Awareness Week. View HERE
organised by Grow for the Mental Health Awareness Week. View HERE
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New page:
Wellbeing and Climate Change Recording and notes from a recent A Rocha event in Christchurch. Ministry Supervision: now available online to where ever you are!
Contact me to book in a FREE 15-min conversation to explore supervision with Silvia HERE |
Photo and painting by Jessica Ramage
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Place Sustainability Consultancy
a consultancy and resource for community sector groups to develop policy and practice for environmental sustainability.
a consultancy and resource for community sector groups to develop policy and practice for environmental sustainability.
Resource: The Rubbish Challenge
We all know that we make too much rubbish. Too much goes in the red bin, off to landfill. Too much stuff is only made for one use before getting chucked. Too much recycling gets contaminated and dumped. Not enough stuff gets composted.
This is not just a problem for our city councils. It is a problem for God’s creation, and so it is a problem for God and God’s people. We all add to landfill waste and so we all get to share in solving the problem. Could this even be a way of serving God? Could it be a face of mission in 2021?
How? By taking small steps.
To cut down on our rubbish, we think about what we use and where it goes. We make choices, about what to buy and how to dispose of what we don’t want any more.
The Rubbish Challenge is a series of little actions, one each month. Together they add up to a big impact.
The Rubbish Challenge is a resource for churches, groups, families and individuals. Each month there’ll be thought, a verse, a prayer, and a practical task to do. Plus links to more material.
10 Steps to Less Waste over 10 Months!
We all know that we make too much rubbish. Too much goes in the red bin, off to landfill. Too much stuff is only made for one use before getting chucked. Too much recycling gets contaminated and dumped. Not enough stuff gets composted.
This is not just a problem for our city councils. It is a problem for God’s creation, and so it is a problem for God and God’s people. We all add to landfill waste and so we all get to share in solving the problem. Could this even be a way of serving God? Could it be a face of mission in 2021?
How? By taking small steps.
To cut down on our rubbish, we think about what we use and where it goes. We make choices, about what to buy and how to dispose of what we don’t want any more.
The Rubbish Challenge is a series of little actions, one each month. Together they add up to a big impact.
The Rubbish Challenge is a resource for churches, groups, families and individuals. Each month there’ll be thought, a verse, a prayer, and a practical task to do. Plus links to more material.
10 Steps to Less Waste over 10 Months!
"Relationship Repair Kit"
offering eight practical and profoundly important tools for strengthening your marriage.
- in the Counselling section.
offering eight practical and profoundly important tools for strengthening your marriage.
- in the Counselling section.
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Life, the Universe, and God
Six Big Ideas about Creation DOWNLOAD HERE A six-part study on God’s Creation in Christian Theology: • an overview of leading writers in eco-theology • a range of perspectives • questions and suggestions for discussion and prayer • issues raised by the Covid-19 pandemic. |
"Letters about plastic"
I'm writing to businesses that I personally use to challenge them on their plastic packaging. Many companies in NZ are actively working hard to reduce plastic, and as consumers we need to be congratulating them on achievements and pushing them to do more.
Look me up on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/lettersaboutplastic
I'm posting on the Facebook page the letters I write and the responses I receive.
Join me - post your own letters there.
I'm writing to businesses that I personally use to challenge them on their plastic packaging. Many companies in NZ are actively working hard to reduce plastic, and as consumers we need to be congratulating them on achievements and pushing them to do more.
Look me up on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/lettersaboutplastic
I'm posting on the Facebook page the letters I write and the responses I receive.
Join me - post your own letters there.
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The Psalms in a fresh voice for kids, families and worship
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Resources for faith and worship:
GOD ... resources for worship, especially 'Calls to worship' and confession - prayers and home-grown 'psalms' - sermons - Communion liturgies - all-age worship ideas & reflections for children's ministry PSALMS ... reflections on Biblical Psalms interpreted and reworked for prayer and for use in worship LOVE ... poetry, discussions on marriage & intimacy and dramatic explorations of Biblical love stories ... reflections on grief and death SONG ... original music, for worship and for kids ... and lots of lovely photos! 
Because I believe ... that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true! that growing to maturity in Christ takes work that courageous honesty of heart and soul is required that worship is wonderful that each person is a taonga, a treasure, no matter the age, assets or abilities that the local church is the hope of the world. |
In conversation ...
... chatting with friends over coffee ... skilled professional support ... finding words for the moments and movements of mind & body, my spirit alive with God-Spirit ... getting to know Jesus Christ, ever curious as to what he would say and do ... bringing every fibre and phrase into the eternal conversation of Father Spirit Son ... with my people in my place and offered to everyplace ... with pain and with celebration, with beauty and with scars, with the sacred and the ordinary, with scripture, song and silence. All material here is copy-right free; you are free to copy and paste to your heart's content. I just ask that you acknowledge the source and help promote my website.
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