29 September 2011

LCNZ Update 29 September 2011

Kia tau ki a koutou, te atawhai me te rangimarie o te Atua / grace and peace to you from God.

It is wonderful to have finally settled in enough to be able to send my first LCNZ Update, even though it still comes at this stage from me in my capacity as President-Elect.

Office
Over the past 2-3 weeks I have gradually shifted from my office at St Pauls Wellington to the National Office at 14 Oxford Terrace, Mt Cook.  Attention in these opening weeks has been given to ensuring the new phone system works well, updating the wireless internet connections, setting up a new computer, as well as a general tidy-up of the whole office area.

Office hours remain 9.00am-2.00pm, Tuesday through Friday, although I am often contactable beyond those hours.

Please, if you're in the area, pop in and say 'Kia ora' and Wayne and I will make sure you're offered a cuppa.

President's Manse
Council of Synod are now working towards the purchase of a manse that meets the LCA/NZ Housing Standards. Several homes have already been viewed. Until such time that a new manse is purchased, St Pauls Wellington have been happy for the President and his family to remain in the St Pauls manse.

Council of Synod Meeting / Rite of Reconciliation
The President's manse issue has not been an easy one for the Whitfield family and for CoS.  Out of love for the LCNZ - its people, its president-elect, its leadership, and its future ministry - LCA President Michael Semmler appointed Rev Dr David Stolz (retired president of LCA, Victoria/Tasmania) to assist in working with the Whitfield family and CoS towards an appropriate housing solution.  Dr Stolz was also asked to lead us through a process and Rite of Reconciliation.

To that end, Dr Stolz is coming to Wellington this weekend.  The process and Rite of Reconciliation will be taking place on Saturday from 9.00am-12 midday, and we invite your prayer covering for this time of confession, repentance, and forgiveness and healing.  At the conclusion of the rite we will receive God's healing grace in the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and then with hearts filled with gratitude to our wonderful God, we will sing Now Thank We all our God.  Sing along if you wish wherever you are, at around 12 midday!

CoS will then have a short meeting in the afternoon to discuss among other things the President's manse, staffing requirements at the National Office, and the installation of the president.

Installation of President
This will take place on Sunday 30th October at 4.00pm at St Pauls Wellington, 12 King Street, Mt Cook, followed by a fellowship meal which will extend the LLL (Longest Lutheran Lunch) into the LLT (Longest Lutheran Tea). More details in the form of an official invitation will follow. Well done, Marton and Palmy. I've heard you're getting a bus together to bring people down.

Visiting
In amongst my shifting in to the National Office, I have managed to already start getting out amongst the people and congregations of our church - something I really want to do. During September I have led worship in Marton (2x), Halcombe and Tauranga. This Sunday I am visiting and preaching for the folk at Redeemer Lutheran in the Hawkes Bay. As things settle down a little bit more, I'm looking forward to arranging to visit the rest of you.

Meetings In Adelaide
From the 9th to the 18th October I will be attending my first round of meetings in Adelaide. These meetings will include College of Presidents, Graduate Interviews (Australian Lutheran College / Seminary), General Church Council, and a Hermeneutics Conference in the Barossa Valley. I'm also booked up for orientation meetings with Larissa Helbig (PA to President Semmler) and Debbie Venz (Business Manager of the LCA).

Calls
Some of you may / may not have caught up with the news that Pastor Milton Fritsch from Mountainside in Auckland has accepted the call to St Johns Lutheran Church in Ipswich, Queensland. Pastor Milton will leave New Zealand after Christmas. We give thanks to God for the servant-heart that Pastor Milton has had for the church here in New Zealand and especially for the church (including Botany) in the Auckland region. We wish Pastor Milton, Gaylea and their children every blessing as they conclude their time and ministry here, and as they prepare to return to Australia.

I will be visiting Mountainside on the 23rd October to start working through a call process with them.

I have invited Pastor David Lipsys (Christchurch) to have pastoral oversight of the call process at St Pauls Wellington; thank you David for accepting this invitation.

Please pray for both congregations as they seek to be led to call the shepherd God has set apart for them.

Have I Forgotten Something?
I probably have forgotten something, but then please just remember, I'm new to this. If there is something I have forgotten - and I know lots of good things have been happening (Kogudus, Twenty20 in Whanganui) - then please let me know what you want shared, and I'll endeavour to share it.

For now, peace and aroha to you all in Jesus' name.

Kia noho a Ihowa ki a kouto / the Lord be with you!

+MARK
President Elect - Lutheran Church of New Zealand