Advent Greetings – 2025
Greetings to
friends and whānau (family) at the start of the (new) Christian year. 2025
has brought its usual mix of gains and losses, but we are still making the most
of opportunities individually and together.
Marty’s and
Andrew’s Year
A momentous decision this year was for Marty to leave the Dunedin Hospital Chaplaincy and move more seriously into the Master of Counselling Course (Narrative Therapy). This included taking on first semester papers full time with a routine of studying at a distance (including “going to work” at the University of Otago Library study spaces… and trying to beat other keen students to the best seats!). It also included travelling up to the Waikato four times during the year. The rest of the year has been a mix of some Restorative Justice clients, back to part time with the master’s and picking up some research assistant hours at the Social and Behavioural Research Unit at the University of Otago School of Social and Preventive Medicine. This has involved some fascinating “hands on” research looking at long term cancer survivor plans (or lack of) and then a study on younger men’s mental health and spirituality. The cancer work connected to Marty’s own cancer story (40 years this November since he was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphona) but also opened connections with the Cancer Service at Dunedin hospital, creating an opportunity for a clinical placement there in 2026.
Andrew has continued his role as Registrar of the Diocese of Dunedin, with a new bishop (the Rt. Rev’d Anne van Gend) being installed at the end of March. It seems that there is no “easy way in” to these kinds of roles even though Anne was working previously as Ministry Educator. Andrew has taken on a few more “ministry administration” tasks over the year, such as organising and running the technology for monthly on-line services (the Scattered People of the Good Shepherd), weekly Nourishing Faith resource sharing and pulling together seasonal resources for the church year. In the office two temporary (1-year fixed term) posts have been recruited to around Property and Administration Support. Only 13 months to go until the pension kicks in, but Andrew is still a little unsure of what his work future will be like. One technological shift for both Andrew and Marty has been the judicious use of Artificial Intelligence – it certainly does help deal with more mundane tasks, as long as the outputs are watched like a hawk.
Hellos
and Goodbyes
We’ve continued to entertain guests over the year, including Marty’s nephew Isaac and his new wife Alex (Perth), Sergio (Auckland), Sherrill and Craig (Auckland), Margie (Palmerston North), and Mike (Christchurch), with Paul Woodward (Nelson) staying for a bit over the summer holiday period. In April we celebrated one year of married life, reflecting that a lot seemed to have been packed into that time.
This year we have farewelled Marty’s Aunt Sheila Pritchard (Auckland), Tonya Justice,
Kim Clifton, Eleanor Doig (all based in Dunedin). We’ve also welcomed Marty’s niece
Kate (and Tim’s) first child Orchard as well as Kristen and Nicholai’s daughter
Isla.
The Keep @ 13 McGeorge
Avenue
A quieter year around the house, but we did some kitchen repairs and after receiving a quote for more painting, Marty purchased a sander, rolled his sleeves up and got into painting internal window trims. Late October saw some serious wind damage around Dunedin: we thought we had escaped it (apart from the garden shed being damaged beyond repair), but unbeknown to us, tiles had slipped from the roof and water was pouring into the spare bedroom. This is when insurance is handy, and the damage is (mostly) sorted now. As December approaches, the garden has moved up a gear with the joy of Veges, flowers and the work of weeds!
Out and
About in Our World
After our holiday in February, we took a few days off in winter to explore further around Kurow, Omarama, Waimate, Lake Tekapo… and promptly were struck down with a virus (Covid) in on our return! A better trip was around Marty’s birthday where we based ourselves in Roxburgh and did a few e-bike stretches on the Otago Gold and Clutha River trails. It’s great to have the bikes not only for commuting to work but for the on the spur of the moment local adventures, especially around the Otago Harbour and Peninsula. Mike and Sergio visiting in September was the perfect excuse to see Jesus Christ Superstar at the Regent… 50 years since Andrew saw a travelling Australian version in 1975.
In all the enjoyment we continue to have in our
environments, we continue (with many in the world) to be in states of despair around
what is happening in Israel and Gaza, Russia and Ukraine alongside the lack of
progress in tackling climate change. It feels like we are “going backwards” in
New Zealand in many important areas, especially in protecting our environment and
upholding Te Tiriti O Waitangi. We have tried to find ways to respond to this: by
our own targeted giving, changing banks (for Andrew) away from ANZ to a New
Zealand based alternative less invested in fossil fuels… and continuing to be
in sacred spaces of prayer that include actively “remembering” our world.
Take
care as 2025 rolls into another year of opportunity and change.
Arohanui - Andrew and Marty
