Summer Gathering 2024-25 - El Rancho, Kāpiti
Summer Gathering starts on Friday, 27th December 2024 from 3pm when registration opens, with Mihi Whakatau from Mana Whenua in The Elm Hall at 5.15pm. This will be followed by our first evening meal together and whangangatanga/getting to know each other and the camp.
Our theme of “Meeting in the Middle” is both a reflection of having a venue in the middle of Aotearoa and of connecting young with old.
Meeting in the middle points to a way of thinking and acting that reaches across divides, looking for the Light within everyone whilst remaining steadfast in our commitment to challenging injustice. How, for example, do Quakers with our Pākehā heritage, navigate the space between Tangata Tiriti and Tangata Whenua, at a time when that framework is politically challenged?
Our programme
Many thanks to the many Quakers (over 100 of you) who participated in our survey, focus groups and Citizen’s Assembly to help us plan a programme to reflect this theme. You asked us to focus more on our young people, and to create an intergenerational programme. With your ideas, we have planned:
- - Morning Intergenerational Ako programmes where we ako/learn, play and craft together on the big issues of our time (and have fun doing it)
- - Afternoon Circles (previously called Interest Groups) to include learning, art, physical activities and trips led by you
- - Keep all the popular events that everyone loves – Ceilidh, concert, all-age Olympics, Epilogue to name a few
- - To experiment with some Home/duty groups made up of children and young people (with the support of adults)
- - A later breakfast
It takes time and energy to run a Summer Gathering and especially to try new things. Some will work better than others, and all will work even better with your support, encouragement, and holding us in the Light. We hope you will support us in exploring new ideas this Summer Gathering so we can all learn from them.
Eventually Summer Gathering finishes, and for us that will be on Thursday, 2nd January 2025 with breakfast, clean up and long farewells till we meet again.
El Rancho relationship with tangata whenua. “The gift of land, created by God, gives life.
Land is a blessing.
Since ancient times the land of El Rancho was held within the care of local iwi. Today El Rancho and Takamore Trust/Te Ätiawa recognise that we both have important connections to this land.
The land is now designated under the District Plan as Wāhi Tapu.
The land is also a spiritual sanctuary for people to discover, refresh and mature in Jesus Christ. Together, Takamore Trust/Te Atiawa and El Rancho have an on-going relationship as "Kaitiaki - stewards of this land".
Links to Registration Documents
Summer Gathering 2024-25 Provisional Programme (Check it out)
General Information (Detail on what to expect)
Guide to Registration (Help to navigate the online form)
Online Registration Form (Complete this and you’re in)
(click here to view an El Rancho promo video)
Contact: sglocalplanning@ym.quakers.nz to get in touch with a real live Quaker on the organising committee