Pandemic offers unexpected gift to be considered

The pandemic that has gripped the world and the ongoing restrictions being placed on religious communities has provided the church a gift.

Opportunity to have the space and time for innovation is a rare thing for a ‘‘busy’’ community going about its business.

Many church communities have adapted to online community. Pastoral care has been expanded, and the communities that I’m aware of have made more meaningful connection through regular phone/email/video contact.

I don’t deny that there are things that we miss: Corporate singing, sacraments, the passing of the peace and a cuppa afterwards.

It is time to break off the shackles of oppressive and unfit for purpose infrastructure, models of governance, and approaches to ministry that keep people as passive participants.

We must become nimble and responsive. This pandemic and the space created by it is an invitation to be liberated from our enslavement to ways of being that haven’t served the body of believers or its mission for too long.

In arguing against the restrictions we are effectively saying; ‘‘we are just another consumer service/product and should be treated as such’’.

This isn’t about the Government not trusting churches. It is about them believing us to be more than we currently are.

Church, it is time to stop being selfish and to embrace the opportunity to be innovative and experience liberation. Another opportunity like this might be another generation or more away.

Reverend Aaron Douglas – Anglican Church, Otatara people whose outstanding efforts and civility kept us all going throughout the lockdown.

It was wonderful to see their employers recognising their commitment by awarding them the 10 per cent bonus, but I was dismayed to see that for many, this only brought their pay up to the living wage.

Supermarket workers should now be fully recognised as essential workers by all of us, and, like all other essential service workers, should be paid at least a living wage in recognition of this fact.

I appeal to Countdown and Foodstuffs CEOs to sign up to the living wage movement now.

I believe that the great majority of New Zealanders would welcome this positive move and be happy to pay the marginal extra costs involved.

I am sure such costs could be recovered by supermarkets without penalising low income New Zealanders.

Kindness (and fairness) should not stop as Alert Levels drop. We can make a better world after our shared experiences of Covid-19. Douglas Black, Otatara