Let's be real, death is not something that most of us are comfortable talking about. Who wants to think about the death of family or friends until we absolutely have to? As it turns out, beginning to talk about death before it is strictly necessary can do so much for when we are faced with the reality. To clarify, in this episode of Sunday Sanctuary we are not talking about sudden, unexpected death. This episode we are talking about the eventuality of natural death that faces everyone.

Join Petra Bagust as she talks to paliative care nurses and clergy alike, to unpack the advantages of opening ourselves to conversations about the end of life. First up, Petra heads south to talk to Ann, a palliative care nurse (and mum of producer Sam), about her experiences of walking alongside many families as they face the death of a loved one. Later in the episode, Petra is joined by Anglican minister and chaplain to New Zealand's film industry, Kevin Denholm (otherwise affectionately known as Rev Kev ;). Kevin had a slightly different summer to most, leading eight funerals for residents of Aotea/Great Barrier Island. Haere Mai!

Sacred Texts:

The Tale of the Three Brothers from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I

Featured Music:

• Fourth of July by Sufjan Stevens
• Someone Great by LCD Soundsystem (Lyrics)
• Pine Trees by Mary Lattimore (played during the contemplative practice)
• Statue Of A Woman by Novo Amor (played at the end of Ann's interview)

Books suggested by Ann:

• With the End in Mind by Kathryn Mannix
• Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
• Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
• When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is a special sort of unsettled feeling reserved for moving to a new place, even if it's just across town. The destabilisation that so often comes with a new locale can linger for a while as we re-establish where home is for us. Although, sometimes the place we consider home stays the same while we move. Either way, this tricky feeling can be a tough one to navigate.

Come on a journey with your host Petra Bagust, as she talks to producer Josh about his childhood, which was spent between Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Thailand. Hear one man's story of his father's move from Taiwan to the USA in the '60s, and finally, our Community Life segment is released out into the wild, as producer Sam heads to Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland's Cornwall Park!

Sacred Text

• Stay True (pages 11-12) by Hua Hsu

Featured Music

• Hell Hole by Erny Belle
• Bounty by Tiny Ruins
• Nathan Haines' cover of International Flight by David Snell (played during Community Life)
• Summer's End by Julie Byrne (played during the benediction)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When was the last time you faced disappointment? When you look back at that time, did it seem like the feeling sat with you for a long time? Disappointment is one of those feelings most of us would love to move along from as soon as possible. What if, however, there is a different way of looking at disappointment, and maybe even some good to be found within....

Join Petra Bagust on this special episode as our Atlas of the Heart segment with Grace McArthur returns for the first time in 2024! Petra also heads to the Life FM studio in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland to talk with Sela Alo about his view on disappointment.

Sacred Texts

• Atlas of the Heart (pages 43-52) by Brené Brown
• My So Called Lungs (18:53 - 21:13) by Radio Diaries

Featured Music

• Let Down by Radiohead
• Money or the Bag by French for Rabbits
• Rivers That You Cannot See by North Americans (played during Benediction)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've all heard the saying that comparison is the thief of joy. But have you ever thought about how many different areas of our lives it applies to? We can spend so much of our time worrying that we aren't keeping up or meeting some unspoken expectations. So how do we learn to run our own race?

In this episode, Petra Bagust talks to two wonderful guests (who are also good friends in real life), counsellor Charlotte Cummings and Baptist Pastor James Beck.

Sacred Texts

• Baby Race from Bluey
• There's a Hole in the Sidewalk by Portia Nelson

Featured Music

• Let Me Get There by Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions ft. Kurt Vile
• Stressed Out by Twenty One Pilots

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wouldn't it be nice to just have all the answers? We're sure you've had moments of wishing it was possible to skip all of the tension and uncertainty, replacing it with sure-footed confidence. Unfortunately, that is not the reality we live in. There is, however, much to gain and learn from embracing the mystery of life. You might even find some hope.

In this episode, Petra Bagust is joined by development coach Nikki Bray and Rev. Spanky Moore, who share their insights and experiences with learning to embrace mystery.

Sacred Texts

• From Here to There by Nikki Bray (buy a copy here)
• John 20:24-29 (Tree of Life version)
• The Welcoming Prayer by Thomas Keating

Featured Music

• New Wanders by Motte (played during Nikki's reading)
• Mysterious Ways by U2
• If the Sun Is Shining by Zach Winters
• Le Moulin by Yann Tiersen (from the incredible film Amélie)

The article from The May Magazine that Petra mentions at the beginning of the episode can be found here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Isn't it so true that as we journey through this thing called life that we are often experiencing both highs and lows at the very same time, usually colliding into each other? Like going home for a holiday but then falling sick while there, or celebrating a child's wedding but also grieving the season change, or as shared by one of you - throwing up while hiking and feeling awful but also enjoying the incredible view.

In this episode, Petra Bagust speaks with Hana Seddon of The Salvation Army and author of Beholding, Strahan Coleman, about their experiences of navigating the duality of life's highs and lows.

Sacred Texts

• Excerpt from My Inner Sky by Mari Andrew
• Clip from Are You Mental?'s Depression episode (2020), produced by Mick Andrews

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this first episode of Sunday Sanctuary for the year, we ask the question - what on earth are we alive for? Is there such a thing as a 'calling'? If so, how do we find out what it is for ourselves?

Join Petra Bagust and she explores this with two friends of the show, Te Karere Scarborough (co-principal of the newly-opened Te Wānanga Ihorangi) and Frank Ritchie (broadcaster and media chaplain), hearing their personal experiences and thoughts on the subject of purpose.

And as per our Sunday Sanctuary rhythm, we kick off these conversations with 'sacred texts' -

• Up by Pixar
• Let Your Life Speak by Patrick J. Palmer, pages 16-17

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

T'was the day before Christmas, and all through the house
Many a creature was stirring, even the mouse
The jobs were all done in a hurry, but also with care
In the hope that some peace soon would be there
In the evening, with all now safely snug in their beds
As hopes for some joy and wonder danced in their heads.

On this episode of Sunday Sanctuary, we decided to keep it simple. Petra's guest this episode is one of our favourite reverends, Spanky Moore. He very graciously shares about what his year has been like, and how in the midst of it all he has still been able to find moments of wonder, joy, and peace. Whether you hear this episode on Christmas Eve or come to it in the new year, we hope that it might inspire some ways for you to find the wonder and joy present in your life as it is.

All of us on the Sunday Sanctuary team would like to say a massive kia ora to everyone who has listened this year! We put a lot of love into this show and we love to hear about what it means to you. If you'd like to tell us about what part Sunday Sanctuary has played in your life this last year and/or what parts of the show you like best, we'd be very thankful. Feel free to message us on Instagram, we're @sundaysanctuarynz. Your thoughts will come in really handy as we talk about what Sunday Sanctuary looks like in 2024.

Mā te wā,

Petra, Steph, Josh, and Sam

Awe

The moment of awe in this episode was inspired by this article from Sports History Weekly. There is also a documentary on the Lithuanian basketball team called The Other Dream Team, released in 2012. 

Sacred texts:

The book of John, chapter 1, verses 1 - 5

Rev. Spanky Moore referenced quotes from two rabbis:
1) "Never once in my life did I ask God for success or wisdom or power or fame. I asked for wonder, and he gave it to me." - Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, from his book I Asked for Wonder: A Spiritual Anthology

2) "Some years back I hit a skid in my personal life. Though I knew objectively that I had much to be grateful for, it was hard to acknowledge a sense of gratitude. It was difficult to notice the positive that was out there beyond the slog of getting through every day. But now and then, I’d feel the impulse to take out my phone and capture a slice of beauty. These fleeting glimpses of splendor broke through my horizon of pain and lifted me up…." - Rabbi Hara Person, from a meditation written for The Center for Action and Contemplation

One final thing. If you're needing a playlist of Christmas music, we've put together A Sunday Sanctuary Christmas on Spotify. Enjoy!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.