Blenheim ministries teach values, share memories
The two congregations in the Blenheim Methodist parish have ministries that focus on opposite ends of the life span.
John's
Rev Gloria Zander says John's
In February Wesley Church used storyteller Elizabeth Miller of Invercargill (know professionally as Dreamweaver) as a "high-impact" artist to launch John's Patch. With the success of that initial trial the congregation has now hired local storyteller, Tracy Null to front the story room on a weekly basis.
"John's
"We try to convey values such as kindness and respect in an interactive way. One of our stories was the Maori myth of how the rainbow came into being. Along with discussing the impact of rainbows, children made rainbows to wear."
While children discover life's values in John'
She is the only minister in
"A choir of 10 women come with me when we take services in the rest homes. We sing the old songs and I always recite the 23rd Psalm. Often people have distant memories and can remember the old hymns.
"When someone with Alzheimer's attends services in the church and they begin to move around one of the members of the congregation walks with them until they settle down."