17 February 2005: The new SCMA website is being launched tonight. New and updated information will be available at http://www.scm.org.nz/home/ from this time. Please direct any questions to webmaster@scm.org.nz.
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17 February 2005: The new SCMA website is being launched tonight. New and updated information will be available at http://www.scm.org.nz/home/ from this time. Please direct any questions to webmaster@scm.org.nz. |
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The Newsletter of the Student Christian Movement of AotearoaApril 1998No. 33------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS JUST GRADUATED! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- AKONGA: THE SCM AOTEAROA MAGAZINE The third issue of Akonga is now out, thanks to a heap of hard work by the editors Hilary Mather and Richard Davis and all the contributors. It is of a very high standard, and not to be missed by anyone wanting to know what has been going on in SCM. Issues are only $6.00 each. Get in quick and order a copy before the end of June from Akonga, C/- Richard Davis, PO Box 9049 Wellington/Whanganui-a-Tara. After that contact the National Office about spare copies. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- SCM AUCKLAND Apart from hosting the National Conference, SCM Auckland has been busy with feminist bible studies and learning about the hermeneutic cycle method which recognises the authority of our own experience as well as that of the biblical authors. Also having inter- religious dialogue with the University of Auckland Bahai Group. Their Yearly Organisational Meeting (YOM) is on the 11th of May, and they will visit the Saint James Centre the week after that. For the rest of their programme, check out their website at http://www.ausa.auckland.ac.nz/clubs/scm/scm_prog.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- SCM CANTERBURY For this term, SCM Canterbury members have broken with the traditional weekly forums, and opted for two public forums, with follow-up discussions the next week. This is appropriate for the amount of preparation time people have, and the need to try to take seriously the need to present a non-fundamentalist Christian option to students. The theme for the forums is "Active Inspiring Non- fundamentalist Christianity". The first forum will have three people talking about how the Christian Tradition has inspired them in their lives with particular reference to feminism, peace activism, and environmentalism. The second forum will have Nancy Eisland, author of "The Disabled God: Toward a Liberatory Theology of Disability" speaking. This book has profound insights which can be applied to the discrimination and inclusion of all minority groups, including people of sexual minorities. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- SCM OTAGO ... had a forum on Queer Spirituality, led by Amanda and Andrew. Other SCMers learnt what it feels like to be different, and shunned by people you love. Also how oppression works in society against queer people. There was a range of opinions represented in the discussion, and they revisited "nature versus nurture" ideas. They talked about trying to find spirituality in oppressive circumstances, both in the history of the church, and in the present. Another forum was on Atonement; introduced by Ester Prebble who is a post-grad. theology student at Auckland. They explored what atonement is, whether it is a valid idea, and talked about how it is attached to ideas of guilt and manipulation. There was expression of the feeling that something is wrong in the world: is original sin a valid explanation? where did it come from? can it be fixed by atonement - either in the traditional Christian sense of Christ's crucifixion, or by us in our lives? Coming up is a forum on meditation. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- SCM VICTORIA Alyson Murrie-West spoke about her experience as a gay (probationary) minister and living with persecution in the Presbyterian Church. She also talked about her ministry at a HIV/AIDS hospice in Seattle, USA; about trust and living in the same poorer area as many of her clients had to. Often people have to choose between buying food or buying medicine. They also had a visit to the Film Censor. Impressions were that they were really clued up, and are more progressive than they used to be but that some of their reasoning would not be the same as SCMers. There is a strict but vague set of criteria for censorship, and it depends on them being moral guardians as to what will cause "public harm". Lastly SCM Vic. had men's and women's caucuses. At the women's caucus, they looked at three turning points in their lives, such as confirmation, leaving home, going overseas and going to church for the first time. Important women were identified, with a number recognising the importance of mothers and grandmothers in some participants formation. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- STUDENT EMPOWERMENT FOR TRANSFORMATION ...is a an international leadership programme focusing this year on Globalisation and Higher Education and being held in Chaing Mai, Thailand. Remember that application forms must at the office before the 24th of May. Information and forms available from your Local SCM Group Administrator. The applications invite you to think about how the New Right has affected your university. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- AUSTRALIAN SCM GENDER CONFERENCES SCMers from this country are invited to attend the ASCM Women's and Men's conferences in the Adelaide Hills from Monday 6th July to Thursday 9th July. It promises to be a cracker time to widen internal and external horizons! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- AIDS MEMORIALS Remembering friends and family we have lost, and "Rekindling the flame in the world-wide fight against AIDS". Events are being held in many cities and towns in Aotearoa on Sunday 17th May, ring your local gayline or NZ AIDS Foundation office for details. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- SCMA TRUST The SCMA Trust is ready to function - we just need some suitable people as trustees. So we appeal to Senior Friends who would be willing to help us in this way to contact us. Don't be shy to enquire! The Trustees will need to look after the assets of SCMA and give the income generated to SCMA to use. Also if SCMA disappears for a time, it will be up to the Trustees to determine whether a new group meets the aims and tradition of WSCF/SCMA suitably enough to be beneficiaries of the Trust. This is our long-term survival strategy, recognising that something as dynamic as SCMA will go through cycles. All donations will be gratefully received and put to use maintaining the important contribution of SCM to education! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- NORTH OF THE NORTH RETREAT SCM Waikato and SCM Auckland have co-operated for a retreat on second weekend of May. Both Movement Animators; Jemma Allen and Mary McLaughlin will be assisting with it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- SUMMER THEOLOGY CONFERENCE Remember CWP? The consultation between SCMA and Youth of the Conference of Churches in Aotearoa New Zealand that occurred in May last year? The consultation found that CCANZ and SCMA were natural allies, and agreed to the aim to catalyse ecumenical youth gatherings. At last we see some fruits from building up this relationship. We have been approached by the Christchurch Methodist Mission and College House Institute of Theology to co-host a summer theology conference. The dates and programme are yet to be decided upon, and SCM will have a major part of the planning. College House is willing to arrange all the logistics of the conference, including arranging for the agreed speakers and workshop facilitators. SCMers need to decide what content we desire. It has already been suggested that worship be a fundamental part of the time together, and that skills workshops be included as well as theological ones. Plusses are: 1) The conference should be big enough to have different "streams" to cater for diverse interests and the different needs of "old" and "young" SCMers. 2) School leavers will be encouraged to come through the CCANZ churches. 3) We will be able to look at theology in the same academic way that we approach our studies. 4) SCMers will not need to do all the arrangements! 5) With SCM's involvement, the whole conference will have a distinctly radical edge that will give it a life of its own! We are considering dates at the end November, or end of January. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- CCANZ YOUTH Two SCMers, Warwick Kelly and Emmeline Taptiklis, represented SCM at the initial planning gathering for the new CCANZ Ecumenical Youth Programme. They had a great time. Emmeline says: "Most of the other participants were really happy to act as contact people for SCMA, especially in terms of introducing high school students to the concept of SCMA before they leave school." And they apportioned some funds to the Summer Theology Conference. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- 1998 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The AGM will be held on the 4th and 5th of July after the National Conference. Any proposed amendments to the constitution must be at the national office by the 23rd May, and any business must be notified to the national office by the 6th June. A major source of information to everyone are the annual reports, which are needed from all national positions including: All national coordinators, the NCG, Treasurer, National Administrator, Nairn St Property Manager, Leadership Conference Project Group, National Conference Coordinator, Trust Working Group, Akonga Editors, Web Master, Administrator's Supervisors, and people involved in WSCF activities. Also, work out who will do each local SCM group report. Please get the reports to the office by the start of June so they can be circulated nationally. Remember, they don't need to glamorous, just a brief report of what has and hasn't happened in the year, any recommendations for the AGM to consider, and an estimate of the time and expense required for the position. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- NATIONAL CONFERENCE The National Conference of SCM Aotearoa is from Monday 29th June to Friday the 3rd July, with the SCMA Annual General Meeting on the following weekend. the Conference is being hosted by SCM Auckland, with Quentin Duthie as Conference Coordinator. The Theme: SCMA has been long involved in analysis, protest and networking. This conference has the aim of taking our activism a step further by looking a lifestyle options that both support more liberative initiatives than the present systems in Aotearoa and give opportunity for us to witness to these alternatives to others. The Foci: Excursions: Peoples Centre, Trade Aid, Waipareira Trust. Key speakers: on business and social responsibility, and law. Workshops: focus on sexuality, creative liturgy, and ecology/organics. Bible study, and discussion on lifestyle commitments. The Fun: Five fun nights including: Senior Friends, mah-jongg, port and chocolate, poetry and mulled wine, and a raving party. The Venue: Marcellin Hall, 30 Korma Rd., Mt. Roskill, Tamaki-makau-rau/Auckland. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- ROBERT GIBSON METHODIST TRUST ...provides grants to people who have difficulty attending tertiary institutions without assistance. Preference is given to applicants with some church connection. Significant amounts are granted. Contact the National Office for details. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- SCM UPDATE is compiled by the National Administrator of SCM Aotearoa. Your contributions, news and information are welcome! Submission date is the 25th of each month. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------
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