Poetry published

Heinke Matheson (left) hands the Rev Sarah Mitchell a copy of Here I Belong, a collection of poems by her late husband, Dr Peter Matheson, at the book’s launch last Wednesday at Knox Church.

Three weeks before he died, Dr Matheson, a retired theology professor, sent 39 poems to a group of friends, including Knox Church minister Graham Redding.

As a result, Dr Redding — with support from Mrs Matheson, their children Catriona and Donald, Joy Cowley and Father Mark Chamberlain — oversaw the publication of Here I Belong, bringing together the "prayer, protest and poetic vision" that characterised Dr Matheson’s life.

At the launch, Knox choir and the congregation sang some of the poems, set to music by Knox choir director Karen Knudson, as they had done six months earlier at Dr Matheson’s funeral service at Knox Church.