IRCA 2023 Conference Sequel Oceania

Conference Sequel to IRCA 2023

Held on Friday 26 to Saturday 27 May 2023, Alexandra, Aotearoa New Zealand

Resources from this event

Day 1 ZOOM Recording

Bible Study – Isaiah 35 and Flourishing presented by Rev Dr Ann Fritschel

incomplete video – transcript with slides of remaining presentation

Farming God’s Way

Rural Chaplaincy – pdf of visual presentation

Embodied, Contextual, and Rural keynote address at IRCA 2023 in Dubuque, Iowa, by Dr Heather Major

Day 2 Morning Session ZOOM Recording

The first part of the morning featured karakia ata – morning prayer – led by those who attended the conference in Dubuque. These are the prayers that opened the first full day of the IRCA conference. Following this Damon, Christina, and Anne share their highlights of the conference and this leads into discussion about the place of a regional grouping – IRCA Oceania – whether it would be valuable to be connected in this way.

The session after morning tea begins with Manasa introducing himself and making connections to those in the room and in the ZOOM room. Wessley Manasa Vatanitawake attended the IRCA 2018 Conference in Lincoln, Aotearoa New Zealand and is based in Fiji. Manasa has a background in journalism and a passion for the people and lands of sea of the Pacific. Through previous work for the Fiji Conference of Churches and connections with the Pacific Conferences of Churches he maintains links with communities all around – Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia.

The picture shows Manasa addressing the Lincoln conference.

Manasa is currently working as a volunteer with the Methodist Church at the Institute of Mission and Research, Pacific Theological College in Suva, Fiji, which provides education for people from across the south Pacific region. He spoke to us under the mango trees where the internet reception was at its best. He had noted that our semi-circle gathering in the room was like Pacific sharing around a circle – talanoa. The time with Manasa – like all our time together – was a rich blessing of talanoa, of telling our stories. We picked up the recording after he had made these introductions.

Click here for the video dedicated to Manasa’s presentation and our conversation with him.

Below is the video Manasa shared during the presentation.