Greetings in Christ Jesus,
Pastor David Lipsys’ Photos and Communication from Christchurch following the 4/9/2010 Earthquake
“We are so thankful to God, that no lives were lost (apart from possible heart-attack death) and that few people were seriously injured in our earthquake of Saturday morning, from a previously unknown fault-line.”
“Suburbs of Christchurch in close proximity to the Avon River, like ours (Windsor/Burwood/Avonside) have had a lot of ground movement, and so most homes have extensive cracking of house walls, footings, paths and driveways. Older homes have lost chimneys and parts of roofs. All of this, in combination with extensive deposits of liquefaction sands and the NZ Defence Force personnel helping out, make our suburbs look like TV-news war zones! The many ongoing and substantial after-quakes - that deny us sleep and rattle our nerves - are the hardest things to cope with right now. We personally, have finally got electricity back on reasonably continuously, but haven't had running water or flushing toilets since the original quake at 4:35am Saturday! Most of the other people from St.Paul’s Lutheran Church have been spared damage to homes, with only some breakages of crockery and ornaments. Our church centre remains in great shape, with services and activities continuing on as normal.”
-- Pastor David and Janine Lipsys
From President Rob
Martin Luther’s great hymn “A Mighty Fortress” is based on psalm 46. Both his hymn and the psalm itself testify to the permanence and stability of God amidst the shifting changes of this world. When land masses move and tectonic plates slip, our world is shaken. The people of Christchurch and Canterbury are experiencing both the aftermath of one of the worst earthquakes in New Zealand in the last hundred years. Although injuries have been low, property damage has been high. The long-term psychological stress of living through the many aftershocks also impacts on people. We hear that so far members of our Christchurch congregation have had some minor damage to property. Pastor David and Janine Lipsys’ home, however, has cracked foundations and separations in the framework. Their home looks to have sustained the worst damage, and is still without water. Time will tell however, how much damage has been done to buildings.
Here is New Zealand, we have preparations for such events and can be proud of our government and emergency services in acting so quickly and efficiently in what could have evolved into absolute bedlam. Yet, even with the best of planning and recovery aid there will be those who will carry emotional and psychological wounds as a result of these days. In the Psalm we hear of God’s unshakable permanence and power. As Luther wrote in the hymn, “he is a bulwark never shaking”. Although during the Protestant Reformation the battle Luther describes is against Satan and human corruption, the Psalm itself addresses even more broadly a world that can so quickly change.
Psalm 46 (New International Version)
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
Selah
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah
8 Come and see the works of the LORD,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
he burns the shields [b] with fire.
10 "Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."
11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah
Twenty 20 Leadership Program
The Lutheran Church of Australia has commenced a pilot program to train 20 people in leadership for further equipping leaders in our Church. Adrian Stolk of Wanganui and Katharina Borszik of Hamilton have been selected from our LCNZ and will enter the program commencing this month. Funding for this will be from the Lutheran Church of Australia, the Lutheran Church of New Zealand and self-funding from participants. Congregations are encouraged to sponsor some of Adrian’s and Katharina’s expenses. During our Summit in July we identified “equipping lay people with leadership skills” as an initiative that was needed both throughout the LCA and in our Lutheran Church of new Zealand. So, this is one of the first decisions from our Summit that is being put into action.
The Council of Synod Notes: CoS met on August 20-21 in Christchurch. Some of the Issues discussed in the two days include the following:
1). Follow up to the Summit.
The report of Shannon Hood the facilitator for the LCNZ summit was discussed. A key issue identified was the proposal to move towards a structure of regional parishes overseen by an ordained pastor, with lay people and Regional Lay Ministers taking up many local ministry roles.
2). Christchurch Ministry
Council of Synod met with the Christchurch Ministry Team to discuss ministry in the parish. A wide ranging discussion identified the need to encourage lay people to take up more active leadership roles.
3). Move to Wellington
The countdown is on the way to shift the LCNZ national office from Palmerston North to Wellington, as approved by Synod delegates.
Key steps include:
· Obtaining office premises (initially a lease)
· Locating a suitable Wellington manse
· Hiring a Wellington based Administrator for the office
4). Grants approved included:
· $20,000 to the new Waikato- Bay of Plenty parish, with up to $10,000 for parish travel, and $10,000 from the Taumaranui sale proceeds. (Gateway is also granting $5,000)
· Up to $9,000 to Wellington from the Hintz fund to repair the manse roof.
5). Rest and Recreational Leave
Pastor David Lipsys had three months R&R leave approved, to start on 15 October.
Gateway Gift Trust Board
Key decisions approved included
· Cashing out the Spicers investment portfolio, and reinvesting this in interest bearing deposits, mainly with LLL,
· Allocating the foregone interest on a $50,000 deposit with LLL to offset part of the interest due on the LLL loan to Botany
· A $5,000 grant to the new Hamilton-Bay of Plenty regional ministry.
The board also note that the Gateway-funded upgrading of the Hamilton manse had been successfully completed, at a cost of a little under $100,000
-- D. Preston
Kogudus Retreat:
This weekend 42 people will be gathering for the Kogudus retreat at Foxton Beach Camp. For 17 of them it will be their first experience of Kogudus. Pastor Lee Kroehn will be taking his turn as the retreat pastor. The theme of the weekend is “The Truth That Will Set You Free”.
In your prayers please remember the residents of Christchurch and surrounding region, those affected by the Victorian floods, and so many other who have experienced disaster.
God Bless,
