Whā - Rāapa 4 Hakihea - Pūtake 

Day 4 - Wednesday 4th December - Pūtake

He kaupapa mō te rā

Pūtake

Pūtake is all about reason, meaning and purpose. We know the Christ-mas season is all about Our Creator God, choosing to become God-With-Us through the birth of Jesus Christ.  This knowledge invites us into an openness of understanding afresh the pūtake of Christ-mas. 

E hoa ma, ina te ora o te tangata. My friends, this is the essence of life

He Karaipiture (Bible Reading)

Kenehi/Genesis 1:6-13

Nā, ka mea te Atua, “Kia whai kikorangi a waenganui o ngā wai, hei wehe i waenganui o ngā wai.” Nā, ka hangā e te Atua te kikorangi, ka wehea e ia ngā wai i raro o te kikorangi i ngā wai o runga o te kikorangi. Ā, ka oti. Nā, ka huaina te kikorangi e te Atua ko te Rangi. Ā, ko te ahiahi, ko te ata, he rā tuarua.

Nā, ka mea te Atua, “Kia huihuia ngā wai i raro i te rangi kia kotahi te wāhi, ā, kia puta te tuawhenua.” Ā, ka oti. Nā, ka huaina e te Atua te tuawhenua ko te “whenua”; ā, ko te huihuinga o ngā wai i huaina e ia ko ngā Moana. Ā, ka kite te Atua, he pai.

Nā, ka mea te Atua, “Kia pihi ake te tarutaru i te whenua: te otaota whai purapura, me te rākau hua, ki runga ki te whenua, e hua ana ōna hua, he mea rite tonu ki a ia, kei roto nei i a ia ōna purapura.” Ā, ka oti. Nā, ka whakaputaina e te whenua te tarutaru: te otaota hoki e hua ana ōna hua he mea rite tonu ki a ia, me te rākau whai hua, kei roto nei i a ia ōna purapura he mea rite tonu ki a ia. Ā, ka kite te Atua, he pai. Ā, ko te ahiahi, ko te ata, he rā tuatoru.

Then God commanded, “Let there be a dome to divide the water and to keep it in two separate places”—and it was done. So God made a dome, and it separated the water under it from the water above it. He named the dome “Sky.” Evening passed and morning came—that was the second day.

Then God commanded, “Let the water below the sky come together in one place, so that the land will appear”—and it was done. He named the land “Earth,” and the water which had come together he named “Sea.” And God was pleased with what he saw. Then he commanded, “Let the earth produce all kinds of plants, those that bear grain and those that bear fruit”—and it was done. So the earth produced all kinds of plants, and God was pleased with what he saw. Evening passed and morning came—that was the third day.

Whakarongo/Titiro Mai (Listen/Watch)

Te Pīhopatanga o Te Tai Tokerau – the Māori Anglican Church in Auckland and Northland set out to record a full set of hīmene (hymns) that Māori Anglicans have sung since they were published in the 1860 Māori medium Book of Common Prayer. This is just one of them - Hīmene 116.

Ngā mea waihanga (Create)

This mirror was bought for $5 at the recycle store and engraved with a dremel. The style of toi (art) Taiao in this way is simply to reflect on the image you see when you stand in front of the mirror then relove the piece with a new imaging of you & Taiao.

He Whakaaroaro (Reflect)

Creatively celebrating Advent and Christ-mas honours our God, God’s creation and the birth of Jesus, God-With-Us. We have practices and rituals we turn to year after year to mark the reason for this season. Throughout human history, people have been makers, often for very practical necessary reasons as well as celebratory. Within our celebration history of Christ-mas is the tradition of homemade gifts, decorations and hospitality. Today we can buy so many things at Christ-mas and in our busy lives the practices of making gets easily lost. Making something from natural materials connects the season with Creation and our Creator God. Creating something from scratch can be a practice we undertake as a way we can pay attention to the purpose, the reason for the season. 

Whakahokia mai (Respond)

Make or create something this Christ-mas season as a spiritual practice of celebration of God of Creation.

Karakia (Pray)

E te Kaihanga, whakahangia mai tōu mauri ki te iwi. Whakamana mai ā mātou kupu, ā mātou mahi, hei whakanui i a te Karaiti. Whakapuāwaitia i roto i a mātou, te mīharo mō te whenua me ona mea katoa. Tohutohungia mai ki āu tikanga rāhui. Tukua mai āu manaakitanga ki ō mātou whanaunga, hoa hoki. Kia mahi ai ki taua Karaiti kei roto nei i a mātou katoa, kia taurite ai, tō mātou aroha ki te aroha o te Karaiti mō rātou. Āmine.

Creator, breathe fresh life into your people. Give us power to reveal Christ in word and action. Awaken in us a sense of wonder for the earth and all that is in it. Teach us to care creatively for its resources. Give grace to all whose lives are linked with ours. May we serve Christ in one another, and love as he loves us. Amen.

ANZP Prayer Book - p12-13.