Higher Values for Ecological Economics

Speaker:- Laurie Ross
Worship Leader:- Shirin Caldwell

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Follow this shortcut to the bottom of the page for the various readings, videos, etc. shared in the service.

Laurie Ross © 17 May 2026

Kia Ora, E te whanau.

I am delighted to be invited to speak to you again today in this beautiful building and in this beautiful fellowship. Tēnā koe Shirin, Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

Introduction:

The development of Science, Technology and Military Intelligence has not been balanced by collective development of Spiritual Intelligence. This is essential for Evolution of Human Consciousness, in order to save Humanity from Nuclear War Apocalypse and Ecological Destruction of Earth.

Guest speaker Catherine Delahunty has had a lifetime of working for justice. She is an ally and champion of the people of West Papua, who live under occupation.

Speaker:- Catherine Delahunty
Worship Leader:- Rachel Mackintosh

Catherine Delahunty © 19 April 2026

No text this week.

Meditation / Conversation starter

• What did you learn today?
• How will it affect what you do to live our values of Justice and Interdependence?

Links

Opening Words:- “West Papua: A freeman’s dream” by Krystal Selwood Juffa

Chalice Lighting:- “We Are Not Alone” Adapted from Michael DeVernon Boblett

Reading:- “The Buddha, the angry man, and the gift”

What if fear is not a flaw to be fixed, but an invitation to be answered? This sermon explores stories of courage – what it means to take trembling steps into the unknown and what holds us when we do. If you have ever stood at a threshold you did not choose, wondering whether you had what it takes to cross it, this one is for you.

Speaker & Worship Leader:- Keola Whittaker

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Follow this shortcut to the bottom of the page for the various readings, videos, etc. shared in the service.

Keola Whittaker © 19 April 2026

I. INTRODUCTION

Now picture the crowd in this story.

Jesus is passing through Jericho, and the whole city has come out to see him. It is loud and pressing and alive with anticipation. And somewhere at the edge of that crowd is a man named Zacchaeus — a tax collector, a collaborator, a man who has made himself comfortable by extracting money from his own people. Everyone knows who he is. Everyone knows what he’s done.

And this man wants to see Jesus. But he cannot get through. He is short, and the crowd — the very people he has harmed — are standing between him and what he is reaching for. So he does something that must have looked absurd: he runs ahead and climbs a sycamore tree.

I want you to hold that image. One of the most compromised men in town, up in a tree, alone above the crowd that has every reason to keep him out. Straining toward something he is not sure he deserves to see. Not knowing whether the door is open. Not knowing whether, if he came down, anyone would make room for him.

We celebrate the autumn equinox with a general focus on connecting with Nature at this special time of the year. Expect a short pagan ritual, a special altar, a bit more participation than usual, and a 2-part talk. Part 1 concerns contemplation of this special midpoint between days of light and night and earth’s energies relative to our own energy. Through a story or two, Part 2 focuses on our spiritual connection with Mother Earth as our precious planet faces another tipping point.

Speaker & Worship Leader:- Barbara Thomborson

No recording this week

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Barbara Thomborson © 22 March 2026

Autumn equinox’26, part 1: contemplation of this special midpoint between days of light and night and earth’s energies relative to our own energy

How many of you say autumn is your favourite season? How about second favourite one? Yes, many people like or even love autumn very much. There’s so much to love about early autumn: the warm afternoons leftover from late summer but the cool nights to make sleeping easier; the long, languorous, golden sunsets; the early vegetables and fruits along with produce of late summer; leaves of changing colours that we know will start falling soon; even the moody skies and mystical mist – this seasonal change sometimes feels magical. I love the anticipation of cooler, fresher air; the change in weather that requires long sleeves and heavier fabrics, jackets and raincoats. Where I’m originally from, we say no such thing as bad weather – you just need the right clothes.

Discovering the essence of humanity from stories – seminal moments in a teaching career.

Speaker & Worship Leader:- Maria Hayward

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Maria Hayward © 15 March 2026

A brief caveat: these stories include mention of suicide and incest.

I want to share some stories today – stories that derive from my early teaching experiences. Stories that shaped me into a different type of teacher than the nuns and others who taught me.

I learnt something even from just remembering the stories I’m going to share with you today. These are stories about how I, as a teacher, most poignantly and most intensely was able to develop and strengthen my pedagogy; and this learning derived in significant part, from the students themselves. I could tell so many refugee stories, but the following are from my secondary school teaching experience, and one is from my adult teaching role.