Connections: Celebration, Wisdom and Commentary from Dunedin Methodist Parish.

Edited by Ken Russell and Colin Gibson

Arising from a New Zealand context and touching on universal issues, Connections offers 45 responses from the people of Dunedin Methodist Parish to the challenge of being church and living out the gospel in their community.

A comment from one member typifies the strong faith, humble attitude, realism and grace which the Parish brings to its work:

“My faith, such as it is, helps me to live as well as I can, and motivates me to do what I can to help others.”
Readers will find themselves laughing, surprised, angered and affirmed, but mostly, nodding in agreement and encouraged in their personal spiritual journey and in their Christian responses to the people around them.

The articles, selected from weekly contributions 2007–2013, are grouped into five broad categories, and cover diverse topics, including:

• Celebrating God’s Creation: What makes a mountain or the ocean a sacred, liminal space? The links between chaos, creation and compassion. The blessings of birds, forest and simplicity.
  
  
• Responding to the Gospel: Following Jesus simply. Raising children well. Resisting greed, giving, receiving and sharing. Remembering loved ones and dealing with loss. Getting people’s attention.
  
  
• New Ideas for Being Church: The value of ritual. Changing location brings new perspectives. What if Jesus returned today?
  
  
• Seeking Justice: Putting people ahead of money. Fighting poverty. Communicating through building relationships. Lessons from the Delhi Commonwealth Games.
  
  
• Working for Peace: Opposing violence against women. Peacemaking, power and politics. The cost and futility of war. Finding personal peace.