The morning after Leah Broughton-Couch received an assignment in her Mormon congregation as music coordinator, she awoke awash with enthusiasm and ideas. One idea was to reach out to the community using music, particularly at an interfaith level.
Earlier in the year, Leah and her husband Derek were invited to St. Helier’s Community Church to attend an event. Leah recalls that they were made to feel very welcome.
Leah’s thoughts turned to the Community Church in her search for community interfaith activities. A phone call connected her with the Reverend Pauline Stewart. Leah made the suggestion they find ways to come together through music. “Let’s do it!” responded Pauline.
Thus began an interfaith relationship resulting in two Christmas events. Pauline linked Leah to the planning committee of the Orakie local government board. The board is responsible for the annual "Community Carols on the Green" event. Leah’s congregation was invited. On 7 December they performed a play celebrating 200 years since the Reverend Samuel Marsden presented the first Christmas message in Aotearoa-New Zealand 25 December 1814.
Leah planned for her congregation to present the Christmas Cantata, “The Saviour of the World." She asked Pauline if her congregation would have interest in participating. Pauline offered to provide a highly accomplished violinist, Marcello Napoli, together with an equally accomplished flautist, Mira Kim. Additionally, Stuart Weightman, also from St. Helier’s, agreed to conduct two numbers in the program.
On Sunday 14 December, Reverend Pauline Stewart and many of her parishioners together with members of the Glenn Innes Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints attended a presentation of the cantata. Many were touched by the music and its message.
Leah and Pauline look forward to the future. Their desire is to build and strengthen this special relationship.