Steve Taylor's Pukehinahina Cross Call to Worship

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I found this 2012 Pukehinahina Cross Call to Worship posted at sustain:if:able kiwi, the blog of Steve Taylor.  He is currently the Principal of Uniting College for Leadership and Theology in South Australia and the author of The Out of Bounds Church? Learning to Create a Community of Faith in a Culture of Change.  He also writes monthly film reviews for Touchstone and has blogged regularly since 2002.

The following are his posts from June 13, 2012 and June 20, 2012:


June 13, 2012
a contextual visual for mission 2
Other visual theologies of mission here and here.

Pukehinahina Cross, St Georges Anglican Church,
Gate Pa, New Zealand. Used with permission.

Carved by James Tapiata for St Georges Anglican Church at Gate Pa. Used by permission. Not to be used in any form without permission from St Georges.

The greenstone Maori fish hook is entwined around the cross, to remember Christ’s mission as a fisher of people and to show the ties between two people – Maori and Pakeha. Greenstone is of immense importance in Maori culture, both spiritually and historically. Although not stated on the church website, the fish hook is likely to reference “Hei-Matau”, a common Maori carving pattern, in which fishing was simply a way of gathering food. In this context, it would symbolise prosperity, determination, leadership and good health, as well as safe journey over water.


June 20, 2012
Finding words for worship

I’ve been asked to provide a call to worship at the Church Synod on Friday evening. My general rule of thumb is to work with what’s engaging me. Last week I posted this,

Pukehinahina Cross, St Georges Anglican Church,
Gate Pa, New Zealand. Used with permission.

Which, with a bit of research, over the weekend I have shaped into the following Call to worship -

Leader: The cross,
offering reconciliation, making enemies friends,
All: May we, reconciled and reconciling, feel again Your call to mercy

Leader: The greenstone,
an item of treasure and value in Maori culture
All: May we, Your treasures in earthen clay, hear afresh Your call to value each other

Leader: The fishhook, carved in reference to Jesus invitation,
Come follow me: I will make you fishers of people
All: May we, Your fisher folk, experience anew Your call to mission

Leader: The fishhook, a pattern commonly carved in Maori culture
a symbol for a journey, speaking of the need for shared courage, wise leadership and safety in troubled times
All: May we, Your pilgrim people, find together new courage, wise leadership and surprising joy,

Leader: In our shared journey, Shaped always by this cross of Christ. Amen