Welcome to our services of worship today. It is always a privilege to have you come and spend time with the Lord in worship with us.
This past week I returned to Christchurch after four weeks in Auckland where I have been attending lectures for two block courses relating to my Master of Theology degree through Laidlaw-Carey Graduate School. The courses I am currently undertaking are: “Themes and trends in Acts, then and now” as well as an in-depth study of “Pneumatology (Holy Spirit)”. These weeks have left my head fill of new insight and information which I will gradually piece together as I complete my assignments during the next couple of months.
So I am back on deck in the office on Tues / Wed, these being my two paid Opawa days of work each week and once again I am fully immersed in my various roles of husband, father, pastor and student.
This morning is our last service with Judy More as she departs for Puerto Rico on Friday. As we commission her today we are sending her out with our blessing and acknowledge the work of the Holy Spirit in preparing her to be willing and have the courage to follow this pathway.
Note: Our Senior Pastor, Rev Dr Steve Taylor is on study leave
I write this on Wednesday, my last Opawa day before commencing ten weeks of study leave.
One of the advantages of the staff team becomes obvious when the Senior Pastor is to be away for an extended time. Thus we have assigned weeks for Craig, Paul and Ken to be "pastor-on-deck". This includes co-ordinating the 10.30am services. They are also your first port of call if you have queries during the week.
Some of you might appreciate knowing how this is rostered out:
Week ending August 24 Paul
Week ending August 31 Craig
Week ending September 7 Paul
Week ending September 14 Ken
Week ending September 21 Craig
Week ending September 28 Paul
Week ending October 5 Ken
Week ending October 12 Craig
Week ending October 19 Ken
Week ending October 26 Craig
Week ending November 2 Paul
"Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you." 2 Thessalonians 3:16
The Taylor family leave this Friday (August 22) for a period of study leave in Adelaide. We will be guests of Parkin Wesley College and the Uniting Church (mix of Presbyterian and Methodist), who are providing housing, car, plus allowances. I return on 1 November, while the Taylor girls return October 14.
Study leave is a block of time to equip for more effective ministry. I work three days per week for Opawa and my study leave goals for Opawa are to:
*invest in good family time
*do some creative writing projects
*walk and reflect and process and pray.
Opawa is a very different church now, compared to the church I came to in 2004. I am seeking clarity for our next season. edit some of my sermons into internet resources for a US publishing company
I work two days per week for BCNZ (now Laidlaw College) for which my study leave goals are:
*to teach a course on Missional Church leadership
*to turn that course into a book for a US publishing company
The kids will not being going to school, instead working on a range of learning projects and having lots of fun. Lynne will be working on some parts of our AngelWings business and having lots of fun!
In order to pay for the family's flights, and for the fun activities, I am also doing a one day leadership seminar with the Churches of Christ denomination, two Bible studies at the Uniting Church Synod, plus teaching a five day block course at Tabor College.
All fun. I leave the church in very good hands - God’s and yours, confident that God who has begun a good work will carry it on to completion.
Following Jesus is not always easy. It can seem harder in the midst of a long, hard winter. At such times it can be helpful to remind ourselves that we should never walk alone. Stepping out in faith can sometimes seem lonely and scary...
... So may God sustain you in your walk of faith,
May the Spirit empower you through whispers of courage and hope,
May your friends be kind to you as you journey together in hope.
When the Riroriro Sang
by George McMahon (1922 - 1998)
Where were you when Grey Warbler sang
Up behind Bald Spur where we used to hang
on the rata vines,
under the great trees
and hear from the dark green valleys
The Riroriro
Sad and sweet and clear
And we heard when the hills rang
Again and again
A hundred echoing whistles from the speeding trains,
bound for Taneatua
Blow, blow, blow, blow, blow
from Waihou
And the Riroriro sang
as it did one hundred years ago.
It trilled clear when the tramlines and the water chutes
cut through the bush
And the thousand great roots bled
as man showed his disdain for their bleeding
And the Riroriro sang,
Unheeded and mourning and pleading.
And it sang when men tore the guts out of the hill
from the old Tui mine.
Dammed up there still
they lie poisoned and dead
Ready to spill when the earth starts to shake
And the Riroriro calls for the rain
...and the dam starts to break.
Will you care when the dam starts its slide?
And the river no longer the giver of life
its water the colour of liver,
writhes with the throes of the eels and the fish
and the Riroriro echoes shrill through the rain
Our own death wish
George Henry McMahon, October 1983
Each time there is a fifth Tuesday of the month, our Espresso congregation (which has been running on Tuesday evenings for just over three years) has a special mission focus. Sometimes this has involved helping out with the Christmas or Easter Journey, sometimes an individual shares about their work and we discuss how that work is part of God’s missional involvement in our world. On other occasions we have taken part in a community Spring Clean.
Our most recent 5th Tuesday was this past Tuesday. As well as hearing from Judy More about her coming mission work in Puerto Rico, we cooked up some meals that could be given to people in the community who came to the church needing food. Three teams of people made Tuna Bake, Bolognese Sauce and Winter Soup.
There are now 40 meals in the freezer (suitable for one or two people) waiting to be given away to people in our church and community. We deliberately chose meals that were simple and affordable and with each meal we will give recipe cards so recipients can learn to make these meals themselves.
This was a practical way to be involved in blessing our local community. We pray that those enjoying the meals will also feel a very real sense of the warmth and sustenance of God.