Season's Greetings

Tēnā koe, greetings of the season to you,
 
2024 has been quite a year on many fronts, and we would like to thank you for your interest in Kāhui St David’s, and for being a part of this story.  It’s a beautiful thing that’s happening here – and it’s only possible due to your support. 
 
We have held and enabled numerous successful musical and performing arts-based events and programmes, and created valuable opportunities for musicians and for diverse audiences.  It was also an honour to host two beautiful funeral and tribute services.  We are looking forward to the first weddings at Kāhui St David's in the New Year!  Weddings and funerals here also support musicians.
 
We are delighted to be developing further exciting programmes that will see the building begin to serve its fullest potential for the whole Auckland region.  
 
Kāhui St David’s is already making a difference. Our inspiration, and aspiration, is to make the world a better place, on our watch, to meet the hopes and dreams of those who have served this country at war and through peacekeeping.  We will remember them.


Save the date

Please mark the evening of 24 April in your calendar: The Art of Remembrance 2025 (Anzac Eve, the night before Anzac Day).  To make this event possible, we are reaching out now for expressions of interest to sponsors and donors for support.  It means a lot to Veterans.  Please donate, help as a volunteer, or purchase an artwork.  It is now a much-loved remembrance tradition - but we do need help in 2025 to deliver it.


Passing of Sir Bom Gillies KNZM

It is with regret that we mark the passing of Sir Bom Gillies KNZM, the last living member of the 28th Māori Battalion.  We send our condolences to the whānau of Sir Bom and the Battalion.
 
In the words of Lieutenant-General Bernard Freyberg, who commanded the 2nd NZ Division, 'no infantry battalion had a more distinguished record, or saw more fighting, or, alas, had such heavy casualties as the Māori Battalion.'
 
It was with the blessings of Sir Bom that a plaque to honour the 28th was installed in the Great Hall, nearby the plaques dedicated to the 29th and 30th Infantry Battalions.  Whānau of the 28th Māori Battalion, and all Veterans: the  Lamp of Remembrance is illuminated here every day, for you.

mage courtesy Jessica Chloe Photography

Sara Hughes Colour Quartet taking flight!

There remain only three full sets to purchase before Christmas, and a small number available in the New Year. That will conclude an incredibly successful project. Artistically outstanding, and the funds raised have illuminated, and made the place functional, and are making it possible to get through what is an incredibly challenging time for the charitable, musical, community and heritage sectors.  We are all four!  

Big thanks to all who have been able to purchase the Colour Quartet artworks. Special thanks to Sara Hughes and to Gow Langsford Gallery for your generosity.


Discover The Pattern Project from Sara Hughes !

We're excited to share this great project with you - The Pattern Project, a fundraiser for Owairaka Primary School's Garden to Table programme.

The Pattern Project Totes that are available, feature imagery from the unique 200sqm pavement artwork that was led by Sara Hughes and painted by all the children at Owairaka Primary School in 2021. This bag celebrates children’s creativity and the various cultures represented in the school. All funds raised from purchase of the bags go directly to support the school’s wonderful Garden to Table programme where children learn to grow vegetables and cook healthy food.

We invite you to support Sara and the children of Owairaka Primary School - such a wonderful Christmas present idea!


Star Volunteer

Each newsletter, we love to share with you the incredible work being done by volunteers.  A star volunteer for 2024 is Christopher Goldsmith. Pure gold, in fact!
 
Chris has worked tirelessly – just about every weekend this past year – restoring the 1905 Croft Pipe Organ. He has led a team of volunteers to clean all 1000 pipes, from 25mm to several metres tall. Chris has restored bellows, pipes, slides, copper wires, introduced new wind pipes, fixed countless broken parts, and tuned it back to life.
 
This organ is now amongst the great pipe organs of this country.  It has breadth, depth, subtlety, and voices of many choirs and instruments all in one!  Here’s to you Chris: thank you.


Greetings of the Season

Merry Christmas, and however you celebrate at this time of the year, we send you, your family and friends, all the best of the season.  Our thoughts are also with those in war-torn places. 

Quoting from The Music of Silence by David Steindle-Rast:  'As the Paulist motto has it, "It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness."  What candles can we light?'
 
From Kāhui St David’s – the living memorial – we wish you peace.