Thank you for joining me again on my ministry and travel path! My path in 2025 started near the end of January with some exploring, and venturing into new experiences. First up, visiting in New Zealand, but adventures further afield in the north island than in the past. Previously I’ve mostly stayed in the Auckland vicinity, focusing on the NCIA/General Church Swedenborgian congregation. But they have now sold their building, as have many small congregations around the world, and are meeting virtually with an occasional in-person event. I missed the in-person church gatherings in Auckland, and going to the familiar physical building. Before I began visiting there as an adult, my father used to visit the New Church in Auckland on a regular basis when I was growing up in Australia. This was in a way a personal loss for me. It is even more of an emotionally painful and challenging process to wind-up a church organisation legally and financially for the people who have worshiped together for decades, and worked hard to keep it going. And equally challenging to sustain relationships and maintain a sense of community. But they are doing just that, though, through social media and group video meetings.
Denis and Lis Keal are very active in the group, and were my wonderful hosts. I’ve known Denis since I was 6 years old. First up, a trip to the active geothermal area around Rotorua, in the central region of the north island. The area has many hot springs as well as the Lady Knox Geyser, in the photo. We soaked in some hot mineral pools, and toured the Waiotapu Scenic Reserve, where we saw and smelled many hot mud and sulphur pools. We also walked through the mainly Redwood Whakarewarewa Forest, which is also home to native species like Golden Fern Tress
Our final stop in Rotorua was the Mitai Maori Village, for a celebration of the Maori culture. The original Maoris were a Polynesian people who traveled to New Zealand centuries ago. We saw warriors paddling a war canoe, enjoyed musical entertainment and traditional haka dances, had an authentic Hangi dinner, and walked through the old village site and the forest, lit up by glow worms.
My final few days in Auckland were spent touring Hobbiton, the movie set for the Hobbit movies, and visiting with church friends. In the photo gallery above, the tiki pole was actually at the Mitai Maori Village, as we descended down to the river where the warriors demonstrated traditional war canoe chanting. The rainy-day Hobbiton photos show part of the village in the hill, the “party tree” and tent, a fully built Hobbit home that we toured inside including my demonstration that I’m almost Hobbit-sized : ) and the bridge to the Green Dragon Inn.
Once we were back in Auckland, Denis and Lis hosted an extended family gathering, and a smaller gathering of church people. Rev. John Sutton is pictured here with his wife Jenny and their fur-baby. As I mentioned earlier, lovely as it is to catch up with some of the church members, I still felt the heaviness of grieving the loss of what-had-been. Though I do support the notion that old structures might need to fade away so that a vibrant new spirituality can emerge.
We also visited Hugh and Jenny Keal in their Retirement Village on two occasions. Hugh has continued his passion for garden railways by using his 3D printer to create an entertaining steam-powered miniature railway system – pictured above.
After almost a week of venturing further afield in summer-time New Zealand, with less of my usual emphasis on the church group, I was ready to fly 13 hours back into the wintery northern hemisphere, for my first visit to a country in the Asian continent.
