Touchstone

February 2026

Tēnā koutou katoa

Welcome to the February issue of Touchstone, the first for 2026.

The excitement and anticipation of a new year, new resolutions and new beginnings can be tempered by a daunting sense of how much deprivation, poverty, war and chaos needs addressing, at home and globally.

Rev Sandra Williams from Levin Uniting Church summed it up succinctly and positively in the January edition of The Bridge, her parish community newsletter. She wrote, “Sometimes when I look at the needs of our world and our community and consider the work we are called to, it is difficult to not become overwhelmed. At such times and as we continue on our faith journey, we do well to remember Jesus' promise to the first apostles from the gospel of Matthew:

        "And remember I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matt 28:20)

This issue of Touchstone includes many positive and inspiring articles. Rev Peter Norman has written a reflection on what it means to be Methodist in Aotearoa in 2026. Rather than seeing the decline in numbers, Rev Peter alludes to a church being rewoven by covenant people. He draws on a paper written by the late Donald Phillipps - first delivered in 2003 and revised in 2010 - titled The Ethos of New Zealand Methodism – A Personal View. The significance of ethos – as relevant now as when Donald wrote those papers - combined with new governance structures, revised disciplinary frameworks, deeper Treaty partnerships, the establishment of Te Hāpai Ō Ki Muri, and the affirmation of the voices of rangatahi are just some of the changes that are reshaping Te Hahi Weteriana.

Waitangi Day celebrations are about to unfold and our church leaders including President Te Aroha Rountree, Tumuaki Te Taha Māori Rev Dr Arapera Ngaha and General Secretary Rev Tara Tautari will be participating in services and proceedings at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds. Content in this edition includes a service in English and Te Reo, and other resources to commemorate Waitangi Day. Readers are invited to join online the live Dawn Karakia Service being screened (Māori TV, TVNZ1, TVNZ +, Sky Open) from 5am on Friday 6 February.

Alice Dimond, Ngai Tahu, a project leader for Tokono Te Raki shares an innovative pilot programme encouraging rangatahi to determine and empower their future. Mō Āpōpō Future Makers brings rangatahi together to think creatively about the future Aotearoa that they want to share in. Mō Āpōpō deliberately recentres Māori perspectives and stories as a mechanism to break rangatahi thinking out of the status quo, weaving stories and cultures in a collaborative spirit that creates something much greater that the individual parts.

Along with reflections, reviews and thought-provoking theological perspectives, this month’s edition brings news of our people living and sharing faith, church and community in many different ways.

I hope you enjoy the content.