It is quite difficult to get clothes onto new-born babies. They are just not used to the arm and leg movements required to put on tops or pants. But they soon learn and it becomes a habit. Indeed, after a few months it is easier to dress a baby that is protesting and fighting than…
When I regularly went tramping on the edges of the Mackenzie Country and in the Ashburton Lakes / Upper Rakaia area I checked river levels frequently so that I knew how rivers behaved and at what time it may be safe to cross them. I was amazed at how in severe weather events river levels…
This Sunday is Trinity Sunday. According to the Lectionary of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia this is the last Sunday of the season of Easter. So the next Sunday we return to Ordinary Time. There are two parts of ordinary time in our liturgical calendar—one between Epiphany and Lent and the…
When you look at the chancel window you will see St Paul holding a scroll in one hand, with the other hand resting on a sword. Sword and scroll / book have long been symbols associated with St Paul. Some say they represent the letters that he’s written and his death by a sword. My…
As I am writing this the weather seems to have turned from summer to winter in one night. This morning, when I stepped into the cold air and falling rain, I wanted to retreat back inside and snuggle up beside a nice fire to read a book. It just felt like hibernating weather. Sometimes I…
The Sacraments are the “outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace, given by Christ to the Church”. These signs strengthen us and mark our identity as children of God, as those who belong to the family of Jesus Christ. Along with other Protestant churches, the Anglican Church recognizes two sacraments: Baptism and the…
Our baby son Sebastian is quite keen to explore new foods at the moment. Indeed, he’s so keen that if he sees something new and interesting, he refuses the food that’s on his plate and screams for that new thing, even though he may later realise that he doesn’t like it. Nevertheless, there are some…
One of the most beautiful times in art and architecture—and some may say in sophisticatedsocial life—was the Edwardian period, the time from the beginning of the 20th century to the First World War (even though Edward VII died in 1910). In Europe, this time was known as “La Belle Epoque”—the beautiful period, which is generally…
Earlier in the year, controversial broadcaster John Banks’ contract with a radio station was terminated, because he seemed to agree with a caller that Māori were from a stone-age culture. Many commentators were enraged by such an offensive comparison. People pointed to signs of sophistication in traditional Māori culture to show that the caller was wrong. For me as an archaeologist the…
This Sunday is Palm Sunday. It is the day when we remember how Jesus was welcomed with enthusiasm into Jerusalem. The crowd waved palm branches, shouted for joy and welcomed their hero. And then, a few days later, the crowd called for Jesus to be crucified, to be done away with. Jesus was no longer…