Posts Tagged ‘Rugby World Cup’

Kiwis resort to prayer in pursuit of World Cup

Tuesday, October 4th, 2011

What is it with New Zealand churches? Not to be outdone by the All Saints Anglican community in Invercargill, who are proudly flying an All Black flag, one of Auckland’s most talked-about Christian establishments, St Matthew-in-the-City, has gone the whole hog. Fearlessly “progressive” – trendy, in other words – it tells those interested in going along not to expect anything so passé as a Bible study group. What it can promise is unstinting support for the All Blacks. Outside, on a huge billboard, is a poster featuring a ghostly David Kirk, captain of this country’s one and only World Cup-winning side, and the instruction “Pray like it’s 1987”. One other thing: St Matthew-in-the-City produces a publication entitled OMG (the text generation will get it). The subject for debate in the current issue is: “Has religion come to this?” Quite.

 

Read the article...

School Term changes good for traffic, bad for Pompallier students

Friday, September 30th, 2011

The Ministry of Education last year instructed schools to adjust their terms to allow for a longer than normal holiday in October. The Ministry said the move would ease traffic movement in Auckland during the World Cup Pompallier Catholic College principal Richard Stanton said the school term changes would disadvantage this year’s NCEA students. “Instead of having four Read more

Fiji given a Hail Mary Pass by Britain

Friday, September 30th, 2011

Perhaps we should not be surprised that Fiji dropped the democratic ball after the Hail Mary pass that their Colonial masters gave them at independence: a nation divided by tribal and ethnic barriers. In the course of Britain’s colonial rule so many Indians were imported to work in the cane fields, that by the time Read more

The gospel according to Brad

Friday, September 23rd, 2011

The gospel according to Brad Thorn is now available, as part of a rugby-themed edition of a Bible chapter published to coincide with the Rugby World Cup. Godzone is a re-vamped version of the Gospel of Luke, featuring the  text of the New Testament interspersed with the life stories of 10 international players whose lives Read more

Tonga 31 Japan 18 – but Japan is a winner

Friday, September 23rd, 2011

Tonga 31-18 Japan; Tonga slew the giant. But Japan is a gentle giant and champion in terms of social justice and equality They may have lost the game but they gets the trophy for off-the-field fairness. Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand’s rankings rate Japan champion in terms of social justice and equality. While being one of Read more

Priest’s cup role ‘divine intervention’

Friday, September 23rd, 2011

Father James knows he has his work cut out for him today.

As the chaplain assigned to the Italian rugby team which meets Russia at Trafalgar Park tonight, he will be quietly praying for a better result than a fishing expedition he took part in on Tasman Bay last Saturday.

Read the article...

Rugby faithful offered view from pew

Tuesday, September 20th, 2011

A church is opening its doors to Rugby World Cup fans looking for a family-friendly place to worship our national game.

Equippers Church in Masterton has set up a cinema screen to watch the rugby action in an alcohol-free, family atmosphere.

Read the article...

Public blessings and prayers are bursting out all over

Tuesday, September 13th, 2011

Minsters of religion may not figure so prominently in civil ceremonies as they once did, but God, seems to be irrepressible. Public blessings and prayers are bursting out all over.  In the USA, and worldwide there has been an extraordinary outpouring of prayer In his column Brian Rudman points out that God is getting in again via the Read more

New Plymouth Church hosts 9/11 memorial service

Tuesday, September 13th, 2011

Just hours before they took the field against Ireland in the Rugby World Cup on Sunday, the USA Eagles were given a psychological boost at a 9/11 memorial service in New Plymouth. The service in St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church was attended by US dignitaries, including the US Ambassador to New Zealand David Huebner. Hundreds of Read more

Crow’s topless parade buckles under public pressure

Tuesday, September 13th, 2011

Porn king Steve Crow has buckled under public pressure to can his latest Boobs on Bikes parade through central Auckland.

The topless parade featuring  women riding on motorcycles, was scheduled for the same day as the Rugby World Cup game between France and the All Blacks, Saturday September 24.

Read the article...