Te Pouhere
Today's story helps us to understand the part we play in a three tikanga Anglican church. This has some lovely connections with our previous two Sundays (Trinity Sunday and Disability Awareness Sunday) where we have been exploring three as one, and our differences and commonalities.
What is Te Pouhere?Te Pouhere Sunday is the second Sunday after Pentecost, and is the day on which this Church celebrates it's Constitution / Te Pouhere, which establishes the three Tikanga (cultural streams) of this Church in this Province of Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia. The Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia has three beautiful cultural strands or ways of doing things -- Maori, Pakeha and Pasifika. This relationship came into place in 1992, and the word Te Pouhere means constitution -- which, in te reo, also means a hitching post for a waka. There is one post (Christ) with three waka tied up to it.
Te Pouhere Sunday reminds us that we are woven together as one beautiful church, and that all our diversity, experience, culture and wisdom makes us stronger together. We bring our stories, experiences, worship, prayers, faithfulness and trust in God together, to share as one body. Our Three Tikanga (anglican.co.nz) The 1992 Constitution of this Church provides for three partners to order their affairs within their own cultural context: Tikanga Maori; Tikanga Pakeha; Tikanga Pasefika. Within Aotearoa New Zealand, Tikanga Pakeha comprises seven Dioceses, Tikanga Maori comprises five Hui Amorangi, the boundaries of which differ from those of the dioceses. Tikanga Pasefika encompasses Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and the Cook Islands, and is known as the Diocese of Polynesia. The Tikanga Maori Hui Amorangi are: Te Pihopatanga o Te Tai Tokerau, Te Pihopatanga o Te Manawa o te Wheke, Te Pihopatanga o Te Tairawhiti, Te Pihopatanga o Te Upoko o te Ika, and Te Pihopatanga o Te Waipounamu. The Tikanga Pakeha Dioceses are: Auckland, Waikato and Taranaki, Waiapu, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, and Dunedin. The Tikanga Pasefika Diocese of Polynesia incorporates the ministry units of Polynesia in New Zealand, Vanua Levu and Taveuni, and Viti Levu West, and the Archdeaconries of Suva and Ovalau, Samoa and American Samoa, and Tonga. |
Leaders InputFor Visio Lectio project images for Te Pouhere Sunday (Aotearoa), see Easter 5 (Year C) or Ordinary 31 (Year B).
Created by the Anglican Diocese of Auckland. © Sarah West. All Rights reserved, shared with permission.
Gospel Conversations 2025: The week the conversation offers 9 suggestions of paths that could be followed in tackling this well-known passage.
Gospel conversations 2022: This week the conversation weaves discussions on the Gospel reading with reflections on what Te Pouhere means, and could mean, for us.
Gospel Conversations 2021: Drawing on all four gospel readings it explores what the Bible may be urging us towards in terms of our Tikanga relationships, and what this unique way of being can offer the world. |
GreetingsWhy not add some new vocab to your session?
Games / StartersSharing the Load:
You will need: something heavy, or an old towel Ask a volunteer to pull the item (or person) from one side of the room to the other. Then get three people to do it together. Which is it easier or harder? Why? Three Strands: You will need: several pieces of string/wool/cord + something heavy. You will also need to do some testing beforehand to get the string thickness / weight heaviness right. Tie one piece of string to a heavy weight. Ask someone to pull the weight over to another spot. The string will break. Tie two pieces of string and repeat. The string will break. Tie three pieces of string and braid them together. Together they will be strong enough to pull the weight. Why could three move the weight when one couldn't? Three Legged Race: You will need: some soft strips to tie legs together. Pair up the kids and get them to run a three legged race with their legs tied together. Talking points: It can feel uncomfortable walking with someone else. They walk differently, their legs are longer/shorter than mine. It takes practice to learn to walk together. Why might we choose to walk together as a church? Relay Race: You will need: a pile of items (try blocks, balloons, plastic eggs, etc). Mark a starting point and a finishing point. Put the items at the starting point. Challenge a volunteer to get as many items to the finishing line in 1 minute. (Repeat with different kids if you want). Then get three people to do it together at the same time. Which way moved more blocks? Variations:
Children's TalkI wonder how you found those games? Were they different with one person or with three? Were they harder? easier? What did you notice?
Well, I noticed that... (add in your thoughts and what the kids noticed), e.g. the person found it easier when there was a team and they had people to help share the load and stop them from feeling too tired. It made me think of when we see people in a waka (canoe). They each have a paddle to help. Show them a picture of a boat/waka. Today is Te Pouhere Sunday which is the celebration of the three strands that make up our Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand. The three strands are tikanga Maori, tikanga Pakeha and tikanga Pasifika and they belong together because we all follow Jesus. Just like the games we played today, these three strands make up one really strong strand which is our church. The different cultural expressions of these strands weave together to make our Church. We celebrate our differences but we also come together to share the good news of Jesus in so many ways. (Remind them of the way the wool was stronger in the Three Strands game - or if you skipped that one just use a piece of wool as an illustration – show the kids a single strand and get one of them to try and break it. Then show them the braided one and do the same…hopefully it will be too hard). Chat more about how three strands are stronger and how lucky we are in the Anglican Church to have three cultures to draw on and complement each other. Questions
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Activity: Woven CrossesA craft using a paper plate to weave a cross
Show the kids our three tikanga cross (see below) and talk about the meaning and symbolism. Have they seen it anywhere before? (Maybe in your church?) Te Ripeka Whiringa Harakeke (The Woven Flax Cross)
The artist, Ross Hemara, was asked by the Anglican Church to design an indigenous cross, picking up strands from all three Tikanga of the church in these islands.
Archbishop David Moxon shares info here about the symbolism. Then try this Paper Plate Yarn Cross craft (Non-Toy Gifts) but use red, white and black to make your own three tikanga crosses. Prayer StationsPray for our wider Church and Communities
Put out a blown up map that includes New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. You may like to mark any places, people you have links to. Or pictures for particular issues or celebrations you are aware of in particular places (try and have a mix of things to celebrate and things that need help). Give the kids post it notes and ask them to draw or write a thanks prayer and a please help prayer and stick it on the map. Thank you God for... Please help... Braided Prayers
Have a selection of pieces of brightly coloured ribbon/string/wool. Get each person to choose three different colours. Tie the three pieces of string together at one end. Children can tape the end of the string to a table while they braid or take turns holding the thread while a partner braids. If desired, they can add beads into their braid as they go. As they plait, pray together for our church to appreciate both its differences and our strength together. The unity of the braid makes the ribbon much stronger than they were separately. How might this be similar when we join with others in community and with God? Origami Waka In Te Reo, Te Pouhere means a hitching post for a waka (boat). There is one post (Christ) with three waka tied up to it. Make a place for the prayers. This can be a big map, a cloth, a table. If you are in church you might place them on the altar when you go up for communion. Write or draw prayers for our three tikanga on a piece of origami paper. Then fold it into a waka. Place the waka on the place you have made for them. For little kids it may be easier to simply provide some cut out waka/boat shapes for them to draw their prayers on. Prayers in many languagesWe can finish our prayers by saying the following sentences in any of the languages honoured by Te Pouhere Sunday:
Tikanga Maori: Te Reo Kia tau te rangimarie! (Peace be with you!) Tikanga Pasifika: Tongan 'Eiki 'alo'ofa e (God of Love) / Tali 'emu lotu (Grant our Prayer) Tikanga Pasifika: Samoan Think of something to be thankful for & respond with this phrase: Faafetai lava (Thank you very much!) Tikanga Pakeha: English God of love, Grant our prayer BlessingGod of the southern seas and these islands
through baptism you have given us an inheritance into one family, give us grace to walk together in the unity of Christ Jesus; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen |
