Dunedin

Upcoming and Recent Events - Past Events

A Rocha in Dunedin: Since a public meeting in late July 2010, we have been working to set up a Dunedin branch of A Rocha Aotearoa New Zealand. An establishment group has planned a programme of events around Dunedin, for Creation Care, education, and communal worship during 2011. We’re planning one event each month, on the afternoon of the third Sunday, concluding with a shared tea and some kind of creation inspired worship at a local church.

Do you live in the Dunedin area and want to do something for the care of creation? Do you want to discover others with similar concerns? Do you want to be part of a movement of hope?

Come and join us in hands-on, practical activities as we explore possibilities for the future!

Upcoming and Recent Events

For more information about upcoming events, please email us at new.zealand@arocha.org

Past Events

July 2011 – Weekend camp, St Martin's (/Quarantine/Kamau Taurua) Island. After six months of visiting conservation initiatives around Dunedin , and sharing ideas and fellowship, we need to begin making some decisions about our future. We started doing that at a camp on Quarantine Island over the weekend of July 15 – 17. It was a great weekend of conservation work – the St Martin ’s Island Community had heaps of plants to plant out, and lots of other jobs to do as well. Also, sharing the A Rocha vision and possibilities for us in Dunedin , exploration of the island, hanging out – in the sun or by the fire, different kinds of worship, lots of talking, and good food! One of the special guests was Kristel van Hout-Howes, A Rocha Aotearoa New Zealand's National Director.

June 2011 – Excursion to Tomahawk/Smaill’s Beach Sand Dune and Streamside Revegetation Project. This is one of Dunedin’s key coastal conservation projects. A workday began at 10.00 am, with a barbecue at midday, and beginning again after 1.00pm. Planting concluded about 3.00pm, and we then proceeded to Musselburgh Baptist Church for afternoon tea at 3.30, a presentation by Ruth Goodwin of her research on conservation farming in Zimbabwe – “Farming God’s Way,” and concluding worship led by folk from the church.

May 2011 – Excursion.

April 2011 – Visit to Sinclair Wetlands. For more information, please click here (application/pdf, 96.8 kB, info).

April 2011 – Easter Camp.

March 2011 (1pm) – Visit to Orokonui Ecosanctuary. We were involved in maintenance and clearing work at Orokonui. For more information, please click here (application/pdf, 65.8 kB, info).

March 2011 - Sixth meeting of establishment group.

February 2011 – Fifth meeting of establishment group. After a reflection and prayers, we reviewed the event on Sunday 20^th February 2011 at Leith Church and Craigieburn Reserve. We also planned the next event, to Orokonui Ecosanctuary on Sunday 20^th March 2011, and also the visit to Sinclair Wetlands in April.

February 2011 – Visit to Craigieburn Reserve Conservation Project.

Admiring old growth Rimu in Dunedin ’s Craigieburn Reserve, and releasing new growth from their burden of weeds. What might these trees one day become?

The A Rocha Dunedin initiative group ran its first event on the afternoon of Sunday 20^th Feb. A bring and share lunch at the Leith Valley church was followed by a brief introduction to A Rocha and a longer, fascinating presentation about the nearby Craigieburn Conservation Reserve, by guest Paul Pope who manages the reserve on behalf of the Dunedin Amenities Society. New Zealand’s oldest conservation organization, the society was founded in 1870, not long before the owners of the reserve decided to cease from further milling of their mature Rimu forest. In a time when much native forest was simply being cut and burned to free land for pasture, and when there was a ready market in five kilometer distant Dunedin for building timber and firewood, this decision by relatively poor subsistence farmers has never yet been fully accounted for, but it has provided a gift of inestimable value to the people of Dunedin and beyond. Following a tour of the reserve, both its magnificent Rimu and its archaeological sites, the group then set about “releasing” recently planted trees from their surrounding burden of weeds and long grass. One participant commented that to speak of releasing rather than weeding was especially fitting for an organization which is wanting to witness to the gospel of Christ in its care for the earth! The afternoon concluded with a soup and buns tea back at the Leith Church, followed by a contemplative service reflecting on three Biblical gardens – Eden, Gethsemane, and the garden of Resurrection, led by the Leith Church sustainability group.

November 2010 – Third meeting of establishment group. We mapped out a proposed programme for the first half of 2011 – see details of proposed activities, above.

October 2010 – Second meeting of establishment group. After a reflection and prayer, we had 'research reports' on a number of conservation initiatives around Dunedin. We agreed to plan a 6-month long “Introduction to A Rocha” that could involve working visits to a number of these projects, and thus expose people to different aspects of Creation Care around Dunedin. Given the attendance at the first introductory meeting, and subsequent interest, we could hope for 30-40 people at some of these events. We agreed to plan for events on the afternoon of the third Sunday of each month.

August 2010 – First meeting of establishment group. After devotions and prayer, there was discussion about the establishment of an A Rocha initiative group in Dunedin – a suggestion of a period of group activity/ establishment may be best to precede the formalities of registration; awareness of the continuum on which people are placed, between those enthusiastic and able for physical projects, and those less physically able but keen to nurture the appropriate community life, faith, spirituality, education and information sharing. Any group formation/activity needs somehow to recognize the whole range of interest. There was discussion around some of the things we hope to do, appreciation of the value of partnering with existing projects, and the agreement to 'research' existing conservation projects in the Dunedin area.

July 2010 – Meeting to explore prospects for establishing an A Rocha branch in Dunedin. Those gathered introduced themselves and prayed, then Selwyn Yeoman introduced A Rocha with a very brief historical overview, and outline of the “Five Commitments”: Christian, Conservation, Community, Crosscultural , Cooperation. We viewed the DVD, “Why Should Christians Care for Creation?” This was followed by a free ranging discussion around the question, “What need is there for this here?” Discussion then moved to the four levels proposed in an invitation that had been sent out: 1. Regular gatherings to build a community, study, pray, plan and prepare resources; 2. Organizing or participating in events; 3. Seeking ways to engage our churches on these issues; 4. Developing a project in our area through which we can demonstrate our hopes and involve others. IN WHICH OF THESE COULD PEOPLE SEE THEMSELVES INVOLVED …AND HOW?