Cursillo Is Here, but Not Yet Thriving in Waiapu

Anglican Cursillo in Waiapu Report to Synod 2014

Cursillo is here, but not yet thriving in Waiapu.

A lay-led organisation linked internationally,Cursillo is assisted by clergy, who approve registrations in their own parishes and may participate in Cursillo events. Our hope is for more Waiapu clergy to become involved - in 2014 clergy from our neighbouring Wellington Diocese continue to assist with our events, which they willingly and generously do.

A discernible threadin our churches is how much we need to be “missional”, to be Christ’s disciples, to walk with Christ and do Christ’s work in the world. Well, the Three-Day Cursillo equips participants to front up to this message. Through Cursillo they develop a method to keep themselves honest in their day-to-day commitments, and find ways to become more effective Christian influencers within their own Churches and Parishes, and within their own families, communities and workplaces. Cursillo is a fantastic training ground for leaders.

In 2013 we had 102 Cursillo ‘veterans’ living in Waiapu. In 2014 we have a few more. Our challenge is to invigorate the Church in Waiapu through Three-Day Cursillos.

We are running a Three-Day Cursillo, ourstructured course in Christian living,this time for both men and women, 16-19 October 2014 at MiCamp Taupō. Enthusiastic Cursillo veterans are training to run the course. Registrations are open. We seek a groundswell of support. We have recently struggled to attract good numbers of registrations. It’s a bonus to have had registrations from Auckland parishioners hungry for Cursillo which is not available to them in their own Diocese.

Each Three-Day Cursillo has a follow-up day of “deeper understanding” which reinforces the Cursillo method of on-going spiritual developmentand apostolic action. This day is15 November at St Luke’s Havelock North. We also hold special days called Ultreyas which are gatherings of those who have experienced Cursillo and those curious about Cursillo, for worship, song, testimony & fellowship: in Rotorua (April) and in Havelock North (August).

A special joy of Cursillo in Waiapu is the way the strands of Tikanga Pākehā and Tikanga Māori are being woven together.

A ten-person Secretariat steers Waiapu Cursillo, reporting bi-annually to the New Zealand Anglican Cursillo Council, our enabling body serving five dioceses: Wellington, Waikato-Taranaki, Waiapu, Christchurch Dunedin, with +Victoria Matthews as episcopal overseer.

In the absence of a presiding Cursillo Bishop, Regional Dean Hawke’s Bay Rev’d Jenny Dawson has stepped into the breach to help make the value of Cursillo as a discipleship “prod” more widely known throughout Waiapu. Thank you, Jenny.

In planning for 2015 are two Three-Day Cursillos: Waiapu Combined 3 (men & women) in Papamoa April-May, and Women’s 3 in October in Hawkes Bay.

Gail Spence, Diocesan Lay Director, Anglican Cursillo in Waiapu