Shirley Murray: Peace is Her Song

Name: Shirley Murray: Peace is Her Song
Start: 2024-10-16T16:00:00+12:00
Location: Knox Church, Dunedin - Official

Schedule

Wed Oct 16 2024 at 04:00 pm

UTC+12:00

Location

Knox Church, Dunedin - Official | Dunedin, OT

Dunedin book launch for Peace is Her Song
Presbyterian Research Centre (PRC) and Knox Church Dunedin are proud to present Anne Manchester (pictured) in the local launching of her new book on the life and music of Shirley Murray, Peace is Her Song. This event will be held at 5:30 pm on Wednesday 16 October, at Knox Church Dunedin, preceded by refreshments and book-signing at 5 pm.
Journalist Anne Manchester began her career working on the Presbyterian and Methodist newspaper Crosslink, and later served as editor of the nursing journal Kai Tiaki Nursing New Zealand. She has published three books and edited others.
Hymnist Shirley Murray wrote more than 400 hymns during a career spanning four decades. Not only is she considered New Zealand’s greatest hymn poet, her international reputation is equally significant, with her hymns appearing in more than 140 collections across denominations, countries and continents.
Peace was the theme she explored most, though issues around social justice, human rights, inclusivity within church and society, and ecology all feature strongly. Using economical and contemporary language, she moved the church away from a diet of hymns from past centuries and other countries to hymns that express a modern Aotearoa and southern hemisphere identity.
This new biography (338 pages, with two photo sections) covers Shirley’s personal, intimate life story – her student years at the University of Otago, marriage to John Murray, motherhood, life in rural Taihape, and work as a researcher for the Labour Party in the 1980s. Her relationships with composers from New Zealand and around the world are also explored.
Anne will be selling and signing books on the night. Hewitson Library also has a circulating copy of the book.
There is no admission charge for this programme, and the public are warmly welcomed to attend. For further information, contact Jay Robinson, PRC, 03 473 0775.