June 30, 2006
Pastor's para
I am just back from 2 weeks in the United States. It is so good to be home, back in my own bed. I will be enjoying going through the mail and catching up with family. It is an important time. But if I were to spend the rest of the year at home, with my mail and my family, you will probably think I am selfish.
It is an important life principle. It is easy to be consumed by our own needs and concerns. This applies both as individuals and as a church.
Hence Self Denial. Once a year we remind ourselves that we as Opawa Baptist exist not for ourselves. We use material from Tranzsend, the Baptist missionary agency, as a tool to help us explore our values and our lifestyles.
The theme of Self Denial this year is “Found Wanting.” In the face of world poverty, will we focus on our own needs, or the needs of others? In the face of God’s love for this world, will we focus on our own needs, or the needs of others? Financially as a church we are slightly behind budget. It is tempting to focus less on Self Denial. But that would cause us to be “Found Wanting.”
Practically, there is a “Found Wanting”clay bowl available for everyone to take home. Over 3 weeks we will focus on the theme of the theme of Found Wanting - in our prayer, worship, preaching. Each of us are invited to consider what we might give in prayer and finances. Sunday 23 July we will collect up the bowls and give the money to the work of God in the world outside New Zealand.
Let us use the weeks of Self Denial to consider our life balance.
June 23, 2006
Pastor's para
God@work. What does the Bible say about the meaning of work? How can churches equip people for their marketplace roles? What does it mean to love God and neighbour – heart, soul and mind – in our daily life? These are questions key to Opawa Baptist’s vision: enabling people to walk and grow with Jesus and reflecting his love in our communities and beyond.
To help us focus on this, over the next months I am offering the following resources
God@work sermon 1: June 25
God@work sermon 2: July 31
God@work study group: 3 weeks of discussion and interaction in August (either Monday evenings or Saturday mornings).
My first hope is that two sermons will cause 30 of us at Opawa to be part of a God@work study group – 3 weeks of talking, learning, applying, praying more together.
My second hope is that 15 of those 30 people will realise that this issue is essential to their mission as part of Opawa and is bigger than a 3 week study group. These 15 people will decide a way to meet regularly to pray and resource each other.
My third hope is that 2 or 3 people from Opawa will emerge to provide ongoing facilitation of this regular God@work resourcing. (2 people have expressed interest and I think we need one more male leader).
Today we start this God@work process. Welcome to Wayne Kirkland, married to Jill, with 3 daughters. Wayne is a Wellington car dealer and works for Signposts Communication. He is co-author of “Where’s God on Monday?” and “SoulPurpose – making a difference in life and work.” He’s got a lot to offer us as we think about God@work.
June 18, 2006
Pastor's para
Some things I have been praying for this week:
Offerings: I’ve been thankful for the upward trends in offerings...
Spirited Exchanges: This is a new ministry in our midst that offers a monthly listening space for people struggling with issues in relation to faith and church. It was meant to be gathering for a second time on Monday, the day that it snowed... It’s not easy starting something, especially when Christchurch freezes!
Junior Doctors in our congregation, who have needed such wisdom this week, discerning between competing loyalties to friends, colleagues and patients needs, both in the short and long-term.
Traveling Steve: I fly out to Idaho, USA, mid-afternoon Sunday June 18 to speak at a conference on Ministry in a Postmodern Context, followed by participation in an International Think Tank on Mission to Western Culture. I am at both events because of my blend of local church pastoring and Bible College lecturing i.e. a “thinking practitioner”. I return Saturday July 1. By nature I am a flightless bird, so I have been praying for smooth travel, quick re-adjustment of the body clock and that the remaining Taylor family won’t feel too “left behind.”
June 09, 2006
Reflection on the Pentecost Art Installation
The installations, designed to look like lightening, depicted the Spirit descending at Pentecost, with the little houses symbolising God coming to dwell amongst us intimately. The leaves descending with the branches were fresh live leaves stitched together. The leaves scattered under each branch depicted the Spirit striking the earth and spreading out in an explosive fashion.
Using tortured willow spoke of the pain of the birth of the church. Their sensual form reflects God’s extravagant love for us all. The fact that the branches weren’t worked by machine but were all worked by hand spoke of the hands-on physical involvement of God in the formation and birth of the church. The tips of the branches were sharpened, like lightening, dangerous and unpredictable.
Sycamore seeds released from the ceiling spun down amongst the branches and leaves as a symbol of the Spirit. The seed contains everything that a sycamore is, and has the potential to become a mature tree, just as the Spirit contains everything God is.
The hope is that this installation will grow and be added to next year.
Pete the Painter
(More pics here)
June 06, 2006
Congratulations
To Michial and Lawrence
on the safe arrival of
Elyjah Thomas
(Born Sunday 4 June)
June 04, 2006
Pastors para
During the week we have gathered to pray for our life as a church; 9 people on Monday, 20 on Tuesday, 25 on Wednesday (including 17 young people), 12 on Thursday. (Is that a good turn out? Do the numbers matter?)
Thanks to Sylvia, Alastair, Paul and Anne and Rebecca who provided prayer leadership. Thanks to the Ministry Leaders who provided information as fuel for prayer. Thanks to all those who prayed, both at home and at church.
On Friday and Saturday evening we gathered to enjoy the gifts in our community; to enjoy our brains, our storytellers, our musicians. On Saturday over 60 people booked to learn and grow through teaching. We explored the Scriptures wanting to understand more about the Spirit and Jesus and the Spirit and Church. We expressed our learning in practical, hands-on ways. People flew down from Tauranga and Auckland to join with Opawa folk and learn from Peter and Joyce Majendie about Easter and Christmas Journeys. Thanks to all those who gave of themselves to make such a rich and lively weekend.
We gather today on Pentecost Sunday. Our worship invites each of us to step into the gift of God’s Spirit. As it says in 2 Timothy 1:7; “God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.”
May this be your experience this Pentecost week.
June 02, 2006
on wednesday and thursday
This is the week leading up to Pentecost. Like the early disciples in the Upper Room in Acts 1, the church is gathering to pray each day ...
On Wednesday 17 of our young people turned up and young and old prayed together for youth, for mission and for pastoral care.
On Thursday we prayed for spiritual growth, community ministries and worship. Rebecca led us in prayer for the first time.