It was very interesting to hear what was described by one journalist as the "new Government’s most important and ambitious speech of its first 100 days." This was on Tuesday, from the current housing minister Chris Bishop expressing a desire to re-balance the ratio of incomes against housing costs over the next decade or two. It remains to be seen how this will be achieved, but it is an admirable goal.
Certainly this would seem welcome to me, as the national news conversation ranges from the cost of living to child poverty. In my view, we often tip-toe around the more foundational issue lying beneath 'child poverty', the cost of renting or owning a property, particularly if one doesn't have access to 'the bank of mum and dad.'
I just checked and the median asking price for a house in Forrest Hill in the last year is 1.3 million and the median for all rentals (including tiny, unpleasant ones) is over $700 per week. The oft-retold stories of our church's beginning involve the gathering of young families into the church community, with a burgeoning Sunday School crammed into any available space. It's an identical memory where I was in ministry at Hillsborough. Hey, there must still be young families around here, as the schools are booming. But the demographics and priorities of families seem quite different now. We are in ministry in a different world, with many things competing with church on Sunday for the attention of families.
This is a very long-winded way of me mentioning Children's Day this Sunday. Our Moderator writes; "Every year, the first Sunday in March marks Children’s Day, a time for intentionally celebrating and cherishing our tamariki." Post-pandemic, we seldom see children in our church, and our ability to deliver a meaningful and relevant programme to them is much reduced. This should at least prompt us to pray and discuss what the future holds for FHPC, and how we authentically live and share the gospel in our neighbourhood as it really is right now.
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