2 Busy 2 Blog!

That hasn't happened to me before! I  normally get around to writing and reflecting once a week or every ten days or so, but it's all been a bit full on. Funnily enough, the world hasn't paused on its axis due to this omission... We stick a few things up on the Education by Extension Department's Facebook page - or rather, the faithful Jokapeci does - pretty frequently. And just now, I'm going to cheat by simply putting a few pics up here and commenting on them. Nothing profound!

It was very soggy until just a few days ago and so it was wellies to work. 

And my old drawers had a makeover - look. Like them?

We're really going for our new strapline

We  believe in

THEOLOGY

for ALL

for LIFE

Hoping that I can increasingly play a small part in opening up what that means to different groups, so that we really start to move beyond this it's 'only for ministers'  mentality.

Crystal Valerie Tuilomani Kalouniviti paid us a visit. She's my 'yaca' - namesake. (That's been on a previous post; try to keep up). She's giggling, singing, expanding and keeping her Mum and Dad, Lome and Koli, bursting with pride! A joy to see her again.

I can now confirm that postcards from Gothenburg to Suva take 1 month exactly: 21 Sept to 21 October.

My cousin David went. To see the Volvo museum, among other things.

I love getting postcards. They're such simple, cheerful things. And it still floors me that a small piece of cardboard with a pretty picture, some friendly squiggles and an unusual stamp on it can find its way thousands of miles across the globe and not get lost. 

SEND ME POSTCARDS! Well, only if you want to. No pressure.

And Deidre Madden visited her old haunt. Hoorah! 

Deidre was Director of PTCEE for 10 years until November 2013 and I'm of course the inheritor of much of her faithful work and have heard her spoken of many times around the campus.

She was full of ideas and experience, touchingly concerned about and attentive to a course that hadn't been in quite the shape she'd have liked it to be on leaving, and had a good catch up with colleagues on campus and friends at the Anglican Cathedral where she was much immersed.

Here we are, swapping notes and sorting stuff. 

God Bless, Deidre as you return to Australia and take care of yourself.

Praising for all that is past. 

Trusting for all that's to come

And that's the best I can do until next time! 

Does it add up?

It could be put off no longer. I did the 2016 Education by Extension Departmental budget this week. On paper we've got 2000 FJ$ (about £600) excess income over expenditure. However, the two major items in the income column have yet to be confirmed: grants from the World Mission Fund of the Methodist Church in Britain (optimistic) and another from a German mission agency (trying to be optimistic). The rest of the income will be locally generated from student fees and coursebook sales, plus extra Pacific Church support if we can drum it up, and I've carried over the contingency sum that's already banked in a high interest account. So, no wiggle room at all, sadly. We can also create income by selling our materials and services - like textbooks that we happen to have on the shelf, or my teaching and marking stints - to the residential school or other internal programmes within PTC. But I really feel uncomfortable about that 'buying from Peter to pay Paul' approach in an ecumenical Christian College when we're all in the same business. Cross-charging seems unethical and self-defeating to me. Not least when some departments doing that add 10% for good measure. (Meditate upon Deuteronomy 23.19-20 and discuss!) However, the reality is that as the year rolls on, with the prospect of Graduation second week in November, belts get tightened and it can be a real struggle to pay the Xmas salaries. An e-mail came around this week saying all new library orders were on hold until the new year. And yet, the ground is being tentatively marked out for the building of new and improved housing on campus, so we sure are people of faith. 

The World Mission Fund of the Methodist Church in Britain has a Just Giving page by the way. And our name's 'Pacific Theological College Education by Extension'. (Just thought I'd slip that by you). 

Yesterday, 9th October, was Fiji Day marking 45 years of independence from Britain. The Fijian ethnic group here at College generously put on a wonderful morning tea for the whole community and sang to us. We prayed for this great nation's future, especially for the wise choice, shortly, of a new President. God Bless Fiji.

The Fiji Times chose to mark Independence Day with this lead story which I reproduce with grateful thanks to and acknowledgement of Sikeli Qounadovu. Here's how getting to school looks for some of Fiji's children.

Students of Tubarua Village in the interior of Naitasiri during their four-hour trek covering 10km to get to their school after Sunday lunch, crossing the Wainimala River more than 20 times. Picture: JOVESA NAISUA

Tough walk        Sikeli Qounadovu

Saturday, October 10, 2015

EDUCATION is a luxury and to some extent life threatening for the children of Tubarua Village who have to cross the Wainimala River 32 times to reach the nearest school to them, Nakurukuruvakatini Primary School. In the past five years, at least 10 students have lost their lives along the treacherous route.

Noemalu District representative Kaliova Tivulu said villagers of Tubarua had to watch in vain when a Year 3 student on horseback was swept by strong currents of the raging Wainimala River early this year. "Keimami qai cici yani me keimami saga me vueti koya sa bera (When we ran to try and save her, we were too late)."

The children - starting from kindergarten, who are all boarders have to cross the Wainimala River 32 times to reach the school. They leave their homes on Sunday afternoon and return on Friday afternoons, which Mr Tivulu said was a normal routine.The Fiji Times accompanied the school children as they journeyed down the Wainimala River on Sunday October 4 - from ankle deep to knee deep and waist deep, the children sang songs and shared jokes.Despite the challenges they faced, they were in high spirits. They formed a line and held each other's hands while crossing the river - just to ensure that no one was swept by the strong currents.

"The good thing about these students is despite their geographical location, they have the urgency to come to school and their attendance is 100 per cent," headteacher Sekonaia Ledua said. Mr Ledua added so far this year, they had had to take four children to the health centre because of sickness associated from walking bare feet and crossing the river.

Nakurukuruvakatini Primary School has a school roll of 162 student - 72 of which are borders.Tubarua Village is the last village in the district of Noemalu, Naitasiri. To reach that village, one has to cross the raging Wainimala River for four and a half hours.

Meanwhile Divisional Education Officer Central, Serupepeli Udre said they had already approved the construction of an infant school for villagers in the upreach of the Wainimala River. He said they were asked to hold the construction of the school as the road needed to be constructed first.

"The infant school was to cater for children in Nasava, Nasauvere and Tubarua villages - to look after those in kindergaten and from Year One to Year Three. Depending on the number of students we could have one to two teachers."

As we celebrate Fiji Day today, we should spare a thought for those who are less fortunate and be grateful for things we have. The Fiji Roads Authority says they will first need to upgrade the road leading to Sawanikula village before a road is constructed for villages within the district of Noemalu.

Fiji Roads Authority Manager Rory Garland said their next phase would be the construction of the road from Sawanikula to Korovou Village which should be completed in 2017. "We will then look at the next phase and how we can continue the road to reach the other villages," he said last night.

On a change of subject, and possibly a question to British Methodists mostly - recognise the guy in the picture?

It looks awfully like Rev Eden Fletcher, doesn't it? Well spotted. Former minister at Brunswick Methodist Church, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. And what's he doing in Suva, one might ask? Well, he's on his way to Vietnam (it's sort of on the way...) as the British Methodist Church's latest mission partner. Eden descended as a blessing among us for a week, to have a bit of retreat and reflection time, and to meet and talk with others who've 'moved in mission'. So he's spent his time meeting Julia Edwards and myself in Suva, the Neals up at the Methodist College, Davuilevu, and had few nights at the Catholic's Pacific Regional Seminary with 'the boys' as Rector Fr Mick always calls his priests in formation! He also joined in the Wednesday evening Bible study at Nanuku (having only flown in from the UK that day, God love him), much to the group's delight.

And hey, guess what? We only found Vietnamese Sisters Lucia and MyHanh, from the 'Daughters of Charity' religious order, in Nausori - not far from Suva. (That was Sister MyHanh in the earlier photo). How good is that? They've been in the US for a number of years, and are now on mission here, so a beautiful exchange of life histories, Vietnam experiences and prayers of encouragement were enjoyed by Eden and myself over afternoon tea in their peaceful home. How God connects his global people is as marvellous as it is mysterious. Go well Eden. Fiji won't forget you.

Beat the lali - let us praise God!

for journeys and meetings

for mission in humility

for giving and receiving

for openness to one another

Screen printing by the Pacific Theological College Women's Fellowship

Women's Doings

My word, I couldn't be accused of neglecting sisterly matters this week. Methodist Women in Britain will be proud of me. Do visit their website by the way - it's great. 

On Friday evening I was at the annual elections for the Pacific Theological College's Women's Fellowship Executive. Up for grabs were the roles of President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. Here's the old Exec. From the left, Ruci (Methodist Church Fiji), Selina (Angllcan Fiji), Elena (Congregational Christian Church of Samoa) and Temalesi, (Methodist Church in Fiji). 

Half an hour later, after one or two adamant (but perfectly acceptable, in my view) 'I decline' responses to nominations and a bit of to-ing and fro-ing, the white smoke went up (or was that the tea urn overheating?) and the Executive transmogrified into this. 

Did you spot that Selina (brown shawl) is still there, God love her? But not as Secretary, as VP now. The new President, standing, is Ta'ofi whose husband Rev Iosefa is doing his PhD here. They're from the Methodist Church in Samoa. On her left is Florence Santa, Anglican Diocese of Melanesia, Solomon Islands. And Alofa Crawley, American Samoa, seated, green dress, pursed lips, is the new treasurer. I think the caption for Alofa could read, 'Pay up your subs girls, or else'. (They know I'm teasing!) Seriously, I wish the new Exec the wisdom of Anna, the laughter of Sarah and the enterprise of Lydia as they get into full swing. There's an exceptional amount of 'Martha' work required of women here, often in the kitchen, and many a question raised by that in some minds, not least mine. But it's done with selfless skill, unquenchable energy, admirable efficiency and great humour. Awesome.

I was at another Women's Fellowship gathering on Saturday afternoon to talk about the Book of Esther and whether she shows us what it means to be 'True to our Destiny'. Invitations to speak sometimes come with unnervingly particular requirements, but it keeps a mission partner on their toes. This was at Wesley Central Mission, and when I entered the Lower Hall, quite early, to find chairs in rows and the 1933 red hymn book, I smiled and thought - affectionately - yep, I'm pretty sure it's a traditional Methodist Ladies' Fellowship waiting to happen and I'm in the right place.

And then it's Pinktober, don't you know. That's a month long awareness campaign on risks, early detection and prevention of  Breast Cancer that gets a lot of publicity here. A bunch of us from College, urged on by the effervescent Kini our bookshop manager, were up at 0530, pretty in pink, to join a walk and event in one of the town parks. Some Zumba warm up and cool down was on offer, blood pressure testing, free pink T shirts, healthy(ish) refreshments, and breast exams by a doctor in a tent.

The main speaker was Deaconess Asena Daumaka Senimoli who's a student here at PTC and getting closer and closer to achieving her Bachelor of Divinity degree, despite her surgery and journey through breast cancer. She's been studying in 'mixed mode' as we say, doing what she can when she can, and has a couple of our Extension courses on the go as we speak. So I know Asena quite well: she often pops into the office for encouragement, and was moved to hear her speak. One of the issues she's had to contend with is that complex relationship between Fijian traditional medicines and treatments; scientific tests and clinical options at the CWM hospital; and the power of prayer along with the trust in a God who heals. Asena's husband, family, relatives, colleagues in ministry etc, all had their words of advice and caution, along with suggestions about what to go for and what not to go for. If you're not careful, all that can do your head in. Asena had to make some difficult and firm choices. She's full of faith but equally full of conviction about the need to seek medical treatment quickly. She's now cancer free. The event was on her birthday and there was a huge cake for her to cut. O Happy Day.

Asena's in the middle, flanked by Tua and myself. 

If you haven't had enough on the women's theme yet, I also attended this week, the Executive Committee of 'Weavers'. This is a programme that's been running about 25 years (same age as the Education by Extension programme at PTC) belonging to the South Pacific Association of Theological Schools. I've mentioned them before: SPATS. Weavers has a brief to promote theological education for women all across the South Pacific and to encourage member colleges to put a bit of oomph into that area too. They often don't.

There's talk of scholarships and murmurings about a possible conference, but it's a bit 'watch this space' I think. The majority of the Executive have been associated with Weavers for most of its life, and it's impossible not to notice the many, 'well...we used to...' kind of sentences. I'm really interested to hear and read about what's gone on in the past and to be helpful in looking to the future, if there''s any way I can be. Not least because - selfishly - many of our Extension students are female and any solid support for them via Weavers would be terrific. There's been some. More would be wondrous. We'll see! Enjoy looking at the woven Samoan mat above and be suitably inspired to pray for 'Weavers', please.

---=---

Just going back to Pinktober for a minute, recognise the senior gentleman in the baseball cap in the refreshment queue?

I wouldn't blame you if not. It was his wish - as it often is if he can get away with it - to blend into the crowd, queue for his T-shirt like anyone else, stand and listen attentively to Asena's speech (politely refusing a chair when offered), and be accorded no special favours.

He just happens to be His Excellency the President of the Republic of Fiji, Brigadier-General Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, CF, LVO, OBE, MSD, KStJ.

It was one of the most beautiful things I've seen for a long time.

Pacific juggling

I guess Pacific juggling is done with coconuts at it's best. Being wary of ones big toe. At the moment, mission and ministry here feels a bit like juggling coconuts (or parrot mangoes, now in season and an excellent thing, by the way). Not quite sure why at this time particularly, but it just does. Here's what I mean.  

Saturday - it's the last of the year's College sports days and I should be at that, cavorting with the white team (not skin colour). But there's more than a bit of pressure coming from the women of the Dudley Circuit to go to the Women's Fellowship rally an hour's minibus ride away because they're doing things about trauma healing. And because I help out at the Nanuku settlement church and some women will be going from there. Do you toss a coin or pray for God's direction? A bit of both. In the end I give a jar of chocolate 'medals' for distribution and a profuse apology to our student sportsmaster Filemoni, and pitch up at the rally which means catching the minibus at 7am. Rev Dr Jerusha Neal speaks with trademark energy on a 'footwashing' theme in the morning and the trauma healing sessions with local Pastor Umila Prasad are in the afternoon. I wasn't entirely sure what to make of it all, to be frank, but that's not the first time I've felt like that at Women's Fellowship rallies. In a number of countries. Is it me? Probably. But then, it's not about me. Here's Aunty Lala, Shelley, Daisy and Mala.

Sunday - I take a 0730 Communion service at Dudley church and a 10.45 preaching service at Wesley, pausing in-between for a cuppa with Dudley's youth fellowship. Here we are.

Tea and buns evolves into an in depth conversation with the school chaplain - about truancy and suicide, among other things. And there's a whole blog entry in itself... 

Back to base for some marking, drafting a long overdue article, some e-mails and a 6.00pm student led ecumenical service in the PTC chapel followed by food of course, and fellowship in the Fale. 

Juggling far too many 'f's there.

Monday. In the office at 7.15am and make a list......  Produce 2016 draft budget by 30th and see Finance Director; read papers for PTC Executive on 24th; mark Worship and Liturgy Diploma assignments; fill in questionnaire on global trends in theological education; set up potential 'immersion' visit for a British mission partner in training, progress communications with the Anglican Diocese of Melanesia and the Uniting Church in the Solomon Islands about going to do some workshops there; see student from American Samoa currently on campus to make sense of inherited, indecipherable scribbles on her file about cross-credits; research best books to buy with remnant of library budget for 2015; plan Wednesday Bible Study for Nanuku, plan Chapel worship and write morning reflection for next week; continue with article I'm writing for SPATS journal; rehash the script about PTCEE currently in the 2015 handbook so it's updated for 2016 and submit to Academic Dean; go through the most up to date version of accreditation standards (only about 90 pages) and see that our courses and credits fit the bill; oh, and look for a pregnant cat around the campus (or possibly camp-puss) because I've got mice and want to raise a lean n mean little tiger to sort them out.

Tuesday: The list winks at me and flaps an accusing paper corner in the gentle breeze that wafts through the office as various other things occur. One student wants an in-depth conversation about King Uzziah. Another wants to know about Pishon. (It's a river in Eden, Genesis 2.11). I have a gentle and good natured session with both of them about how enlightening it can be to use a Bible concordance or dictionary and how satisfying when we take responsibility for our own learning. I think it sounded less pompous than that... Anyhow, they potter off to the library unoffended. I start to tackle the budget but am now mentally exercised by King Uzziah. (2 Chronicles 26). Pride goes before a fall is his main lesson to humanity. And don't try pretending you're a priest when you're not unless you want a nasty skin disease. 

Some of the morning is taken up with farewell-ing Dr Emily and hello-ing Dr Michael. There's a speech or five and then morning tea. Welcomes and goodbyes properly done are crucial here, culturally. A mature student comes to restart his lapsed BD by Extension (Hurrah! All that editing IS worth it!) and pays up for his next course. But he wonders if I can sort out some complications from way back when he did some contact classes but didn't seem to be credited for them. He needs to explain at length about this and I gladly listen but haven't got a clue really. Will raise it with colleagues and see if we can untangle this particular washing line. The phone rings and it's the Manager of Church Partnerships in the Pacific for Uniting World, Australia. May she call in Thurs to consult about a conference on Women's Theological Education. She may, but Thursday's the College Executive all day. (Papers still not read). We'll make time at some point during the day. I faff about with some of the business on Monday's list, but then it's 3.00pm all of a sudden and I've promised to wave off Lek and his friend Liam, two young Korean students who've been studying English at the University of the South Pacific for the past 5 months and are now leaving Suva for Nadi (place of holiday resorts and the international airport). I leap in a cab, zoom downtown and fortunately locate them already sitting inside a big bus which is loading passengers outside Holiday Inn. Lek looks touchingly pleased to see me and miserably crestfallen at our parting. I've been a bit 'Aunty Val',  had them 'round and cooked the occasional meal. We do pseudo-parental hugs, I tell them to let me know they've arrived safely, and off they go. It's very unlikely we'll lose touch as Lek, with a Church media background, is ever present on every imaginable form of social media. 

There's a cheap and cheerful food court not far from Holiday Inn where you can get a mug of instant and a splash of milk for the equivalent of 33p, rather than tourist designer coffee at enormous expense. I trundle off there for a sit down and stare into space for half an hour feeling guilty about not going STRAIGHT BACK TO THE DESK! The Principal tells students off - and by implication staff too -  if we're spotted committing the terrible sin of 'going into town' during the day. But I figure that if you're at the desk by 7.15, rarely take a proper lunch hour and quite likely do something work related at home after sundown, it's a healthy thing to go for a walk by the sea wall or pop into town for the essentials at some point during the day. I feel sorry for our students; the majority of them perfectly experienced, mature, Church leaders in their own right, well able to make decisions about use of time, being ticked off like naughty primary school children if they dare to hop on the bus - maybe to go to the medical centre or the bank (which doesn't open on Saturdays anyway). Especially if they're glued to the seat  writing a long, drawn out thesis. The brain needs a break and the legs need a stretch.

Ah yes, Pacific juggling. Not only between the myriad competing priorities and pressures that ministry and mission here raises. Lots of us have those in bucketloads. But - how to improve at the trickier, more ideological juggling, where it's so easy to drop the coconut? And difficult to know exactly what service in Jesus's way demands. How to keep a steady eye and a firm hand on an ever-circling and interchanging set of attitudes and assumptions, conformist and nonconformist choices, opportunities for compliance or rebellion, staying with the herd or exploring new pastures, speaking up or shutting up.

You can't keep them all in the air.

And Jesus said...
Consider the lilies, how they grow,
they neither toil nor spin.

Luke 12.27

This week's sermon in flowers

PTC Chapel

Thanks be to God

Ecumenical, botanical, recreational, educational...

Well, in ecumenical news, great to have meetings this week with the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand and some of their theological education and ministerial formation team at the Knox Centre for Ministry and Leadership. This is a Centre that works in partnership with a whole variety of groups and networks, including Te Aka Puaho, the Pacific Island Synod, the Council of Asian Congregations, Presbyteries, United District Councils, and congregations. Here's a picture of some of the Knox Centre community

The visitors came to us, we didn't go to them, though I'd love to return the favour one day. As you can imagine, if you're familiar with this blog, they were well feasted and festooned Pacific-style here at the College, and lots of constructive conversations went on about ways we could perhaps serve and support one another's work. They might, for example, opt into some of our Bachelor of Divinity by Extension courses. They could also help to widen our pool of potential writers and resource persons, maybe. There's already a long history of relationship with the Pacific Theological College and the PCAZ; you can see some of the archive photos here. We hope the latest encounters have given it a bit more oomph!

In botanical news, things are blossoming and blooming around House 12, The lemongrass (left) is lush, and I enjoy breaking off some stems, tying them in a knot, and steeping them in boiling water with a tsp of brown sugar or honey for refreshing lemongrass tea. Smacks lips.

The chillies are doing OK too. Need to redden up a bit but they'll get the hang of it shortly. See below.

Then the pineapples are popping up. I was completely amazed and admiring of Dikesh, Shelley's teenage son, who willingly came to weed the pineapple plants in their stubborn spikiness. He refused all protective garments and didn't seem to mind having shredded arms by the end of it. What a star.

And then of course, the fascinating, fiery and utterly exotic - to the English eye - crabclaw plants which I never, ever tire of. Used to pay an admission fee to Birmingham Botanical Gardens to see those and now they're just outside the back door. 

It really is a  most beautiful, fruitful campus, of which I never tire...

In recreational news, Rugby World Cup fever is upon us of course. Here's this morning's Fiji Times.

'...what we have over other teams is the brotherhood we have with each other. We look after each other and we'd die for each other, and that's the spirit we'll be taking through into our first game'.

Against England. Did I mention that?

And in educational news, we're all muscling in to plug a gap or two in the residential programme because of staff shortages. Here I am about to tackle the marking of the MTh Book Review assignments. The kettle is on, the pen is twitching, the brain cells are being cranked into life. Well, it is Saturday afternoon! All good stuff and genuinely looking forward to the new or refreshed learning I'll benefit from while doing it. Because that's always the way. Eyes down for a full house! 

The MMPs

What a pleasure it's been to have Wande Ebofin staying at House 12 this week. 

Wande is another of that weird and wonderful species, the lesser spotted Methodist Mission Partner, often seen nesting around hospitals, schools, community projects and churches. You can read her blog here. 

MMPs come in different plumage and inhabit various territories. Wande is currently in East New Britain, Papua New Guinea and was born in the UK, raised in Nigeria, and has felt a powerful call from God on her life to move in mission. So it was fascinating to hear of how her gifts and graces have been put to use in Nigeria, the UK, the Bahamas, Sierra Leone and now PNG. Amazingly, the 5 MMPs serving in the Pacific all touched base in Suva this week, and here we are. 

From the back row left it goes Wande, Jenny Longbottom, Julia Edwards, Yours Truly. And then front row right to left, Graham Longbottom and Rev Dr Donald Samuel  - not an MMP but now on the Faculty here at College who kindly led some devotions for us on our Retreat day. Donald knows about moving in mission too, having served in South India, Botswana, American Samoa  and now Fiji. 

Jenny and Graham are medical doctors and have been at Helena Goldie hospital in the Solomon Islandsdoing fine work. You can read more about them on their blog. Julia is already a Suva colleague and you can find her latest news here.

At which point, I shall leave you for a while, because I'm the one cooking dinner for us tonight and I need to go and tackle one of our remarkably tough and unyielding pumpkins with a sharp instrument. The pumpkin usually wins.

I'd invite you to join us, but - honestly - would you want to have dinner with a bunch of Methodist Mission Partners? You know what they're like....

The Wisdom of Solomon

Pastor Solomon Bebe e-mailed the PTCEE office this week, from the Churches of Christ in Vanuatu (remember Cyclone Pam headlines earlier this year?) He serves Louvinvili Church, Langana Area, East Ambae, South Pentecost. Little by little, step by step, Pastor Solomon notched up his courses by Extension with steely determination and has gained an excellent Certificate in Theological Studies. 

As with many other students dispersed across this liquid continent, attending a graduation at PTC here in Fiji hasn't been physically possible. So how great it was to receive these pictures from the ceremony in Vanuatu where his achievement was rightly recognised. Many congratulations Pastor Solomon and God Bless you in your ministry.

The Fiji Methodist Conference edition of Nai Tabe  (think Methodist Recorder if you happen to be a British Methodist!) came out this week and I was delighted to see an article I'd submitted about lay theological education in it. Many Fiji Methodists study with us already, love the courses and are stretched and enriched by the ecumenical and regional reach of the programme. The interest in our little PTCEE stand at the pre-Conference Choir Festival was very encouraging indeed, with many requests for application forms and Conference attendees taking the opportunity to call in personally and see us while they were in Suva. It's such a blessing that being a non-denominational programme, yet fully supported by the mainstream Churches, we can welcome everyone with open arms. Here's the article. 

We believe in…..Theology for All

I always look forward to reading Nai Tabe and was greatly uplifted by a headline in June’s edition on page 5: Towards Quality Theological Education for Lay Members of the Methodist Church in Fiji. Absolutely! Three cheers! And not just in the Methodist Church, but in every Church across the globe, please God.

Our General Secretary, Rev Dr Epineri Vakadewavosa, was sharing about future changes in the pipeline for Methodist residential theological education at Davuilevu, the Deaconess Training Centre, MLT and the Divisional Schools. All very interesting to contemplate. But, as we know, the majority of lay people in the Methodist Church don’t go to Theological College full-time and are not training for Ordination or to be employed as Church workers. The majority of lay people are simply doing their best to live out their Christian faith in ordinary, daily life, as market stallholders, rugby players, farmers, sailors, teachers, taxi-drivers, nurses, teachers, police officers, parents, grandparents – you name it. For sure, their Christian faith and spirituality as Pacific people is going to be deep and strong and sincere: their commitment and loyalty to the Methodist Church commendable. But how’s their theological education doing? Does it, as Dr Vakadewavosa states, enable them ‘to understand and respond constructively to the contemporary world?’

In the many changes and challenges of today’s societies, it’s simply not enough to leave theological education to the Talatala or the College lecturer. They may not be conveniently to hand when we find ourselves in a gripping theological discussion with our friendly, Muslim taxi-driver about why Christians recognise Jesus’s divinity and don’t regard him only as a prophet. Or when our children, who’ve been learning about Pacific climate change at school say, ‘But Mum, we learnt in Sunday School that God promised there’d be no more floods after Noah’s time’. Or when you come out of Church on Sunday having listened to a preacher saying things in a sermon that you felt were really very dodgy or suspect, but you don’t feel confident enough to challenge him or her theologically and respectfully. Have we found ourselves in any of those situations, or similar ones? What theological responses did we have? And let’s remember, ‘theology’ isn’t about being ‘academic’ and having super-human brains. The word (from theos and logos in the Greek) just means understanding or knowledge about the things of God. And we can never get enough of that, surely?

One of the most inspiring and liberating movements in the Church around the world since the 1970s has been that of TEE – Theological Education by Extension. That means ordinary Christians opening their minds and hearts to theological exploration and education in their normal, day to day lives. No College required. I’ve had the huge joy of meeting and working with TEE groups from Churches in Zambia, Brazil and Sri Lanka, to name just three places. And TEE is right here in the Pacific too: ready to serve believers, ready to equip believers. By the grace of God, helping believers to do just what 1 Peter 3.15 urges: Always be prepared to make a defence to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence. (RSV)

TEE students generally study by themselves, in their own place and at their own pace, benefitting from courses which are accessible, affordable and applicable to real life. However, learning communally is much more interesting and productive (certainly in the Pacific!) so it’s great when TEE students meet regularly in small groups to encourage and learn from one another. TEE is an ecumenical movement, not a denominational one so the best TEE groups might have Methodists, Catholics, Anglicans, Pentecostals - you name it – sharing and learning together. And in many parts of the worldwide Church, Conference officials, Ministers, Priests, Pastors and Preachers are TEE students’ biggest encouragers and supporters. Gone are the days of an artificial and unhelpful polarisation between ‘residential’ and ‘non-residential’ theological learning. How can we be nervous that lay people might learn too much about God and God’s purposes? We can only be grateful that the Holy Spirit is at work through the energy and commitment of everyone who feels prompted to go further and dig deeper. (Praise God for every lay person who says, ‘Much better for me to learn more about how the Books of the Bible really came to be written than to be obsessed by the latest happenings on ‘The Bold and the Beautiful!’) 

TEE studies can lead to recognised, accredited Certificates, Diplomas and Degrees, if people wish to journey down that road. But equally, they contribute to the ‘university of life.’ Is there a TEE group in your local congregation or among the Churches of your neighbourhood? If not, wouldn’t that be a wonderful thing? Would you like to pray about it with others and take the first step?

In his foreword to a book called Diversified Theological Education: Equipping All God’s People, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu of South Africa writes, ‘The fundamental concern and foundation of TEE remain the same: the biblical foundation that all God’s people are called to ministry and mission, and the concern to enable all to gain relevant skills for their mission’.

Theology for ALL God’s people, not just some. What a vital vision for the 21^st Century.

The Revd Dr Val Ogden, a Mission Partner of the British Methodist Church, is Director of Theological Education by Extension at the Pacific Theological College, PO Box 388, 78 Vuya Rd, Suva, Fiji. Information about TEE courses (Certificate, Diploma and BD) and application forms can be found at www.ptc.ac.fj/ptcee or by e-mailing ptcee@ptc.ac.fj or by calling +679 330 7989. You can search for PTCEE on Facebook and on Twitter @PTCEdbyEx. We also love to have visitors. Come and see us – you’re welcome!

And finally, love was in the air on Saturday. The community was invited to Tetabo Nakara and Alisi Tira's wedding in the PTC Chapel and then in the community space we call the 'fale' for the Reception. They're a couple of more mature years - Alisi is here from Kiribati doing her PhD and Tetabo is one of Kiribati's political leaders. At their reception, the new husband spoke very movingly of how as young people they had met, fallen in love and 'courted' for seven years but were forbidden to marry by their parents. Much remained unsaid in this public speech of course, but a sense of the trauma of it all was palpable. Alisi remained single while Tetabo entered a marriage which was to last 16 years, until his wife passed away earlier this year. He was encouraged by friends and colleagues to remarry, took a deep breath and sought out Alisi, not expecting to be accepted second time around. He was. Thanks be to God!