Dunedin Meeting is delighted to welcome you to this year’s Summer Gathering to be held in a beautiful rural setting in the heart of Southland: - not far from the Catlins, which boasts a petrified forest of 160 million years old to the south and to the north the magnificent Nuggets resplendent with lighthouse atop and sealions basking below; also close to Gore with the largest collection of Rita Angus on show in New Zealand, the Hokonui Moonshine (Whisky) Museum, the Mandeville Aviation Museum, and a fabulous aquatic and ice-skating centre. Opportunities to experience some of these treasures will be included in the programme. We encourage you to spend a few days before or after exploring this surprising yet unsung corner of NZ.

Our theme is 'Rainbow of Quaker Grey', which weaves threads from our Quaker history together with exploring how we live alongside others who have black/white mindsets, while recognising our own contradictions. At times in Quaker history Friends dressed very plainly, as a witness against greed, vanity and exploitation. Grey stands for liberation from dominant absolutes and the rainbow for the rich variety of life and how we choose to live. So bring your gifts, hopes and insights to share.

For part most mornings Summer Gathering will be offering three streams of all-age involvement: crafts, activities and 'Quaker topics', which we hope will combine depth and fun. Outside the programme will be plenty of opportunities for interest groups, activities, relaxing and sharing stories. The children’s programme is integrated with the rest of Summer Gathering.  A crèche will be available during morning sessions as needed. Children age 15 and younger attending Summer Gathering without their parent/caregiver will need to have one or more proxy parents. Please indicate so on the Registration Form.

The venue offers a variety of adventure activities, a dining hall, a meeting room and small converted chapel. The bunkrooms all have ensuites and there are a small number of rooms with twin beds. We expect bunkrooms not to be fully occupied. There is room for camping and three powered sites. A list of suggested items to bring will be included in information sent out after registration. A bus to Camp Columba will leave on 27 December from Dunedin railway station at 1 pm and the airport about 1.30 and return on the last day. The cost will be $18 each way. Our first meal together is dinner on Thursday 27^th December. Our last meal will be breakfast on Friday 4^th January. Our own wonderful cooks plan a largely vegetarian menu, with some meat, which is humanely and where possible organically farmed.

Register early to take advantage of the generous discount. Please use the electronic form below when possible - it will save a lot of time and energy for the organizers. However you can still register and send cheques via snail mail. Financial assistance is available to those attending Summer Gathering. Contact your Monthly Meeting Overseers for details. There is specific financial assistance for Young Friends. If you have questions about registration or the facilities, please contact us at: Summer Gathering, PO Box 6083, Dunedin North, Dunedin 9059, or by email summer.gathering.nz@gmail.comor phone Valerie (03) 476 1747 or Greg & Nicole (03) 442 1722.

So bring your inspirations and expect to be surprised and have fun. We look forward to meeting you.

Dunedin Summer Gathering Committee 

 

Click here for Online Summer Gathering registration form (save postage and time!).
Please fill it out once for each attendee.

 

When you fill this in, the data is automatically added to an online spreadsheet, so it would save a lot of time for the organisers, who would not have to key in all that data again.   Please pay the appropriate fee by Direct Credit, with your family name as reference.

 

Click here for Online choices for the Chores Roster.

Summer Gathering information (and printable registration form) can also be downloaded here.

 

You can return to the general Summer Gathering page