LCNZ Update 26 April 2012

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

Jonah Kroehn – He’s Alive
Friends … I’ve just been made aware that perhaps the use of my rather cryptic language in speaking about the baptism of Jonah Kroehn made it seem as if Jonah had died as well.

I’m really sorry if I’ve confused or worried anyone.

My intention of course was to simply acknowledge that in Holy Baptism one does die to sin and is raised to newness of life in Christ Jesus (check Romans 6) … and that’s why I referred to his baptism as a dying and rising all in one.

Jonah is well and truly alive!

Kogudus
I also forgot to mention that a Kogudus Retreat is taking place in Ngaruawahia this weekend called – Prayer: Growing in a Relationship, not Mastering a Technique. Please pray for blessing at and through this event.

Botany Lutheran Church
This Sunday I will participate in worship and preach at Botany Lutheran Church. After worship, the congregation will meet to vote on whether to make application for Vicar Tat Tsui to approved for ordination as a Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP). Two weeks ago Pastor Martin Schirmer and I conducted a colloquy with Tat, and a report on that still needs to go to the College of Presidents. Please continue to pray that God will bless this process and provide Botany with the pastor-shepherd they need.

Fruit That Will Last
The National Office has a box filled with hundreds of copies of a booklet entitled – ‘Fruit that will last.’ It is a guide to making one’s will. Inserted in it is a list of all aspects of the work of the Lutheran Church to which you might make a bequest. Of course, you can also make bequests to your local congregation.

To LCNZ congregations: If you would like to draw your members’ attention to the importance of making a will and how we should go about it, please let us know and we will send you the required number of copies of the booklet. We would like to hear from you by 15th May.

From the booklet –

A gift to your church is a gift of eternal value … producing fruit that will last. Your gift will make it possible for others to hear the good news of Jesus Christ, and to follow you to eternal life. A gift to your church is a gift that lasts. It continues to make a difference in the world.

Mā te Atua koe e tiaki
God be with you.

+MARK
President – Lutheran Church of New Zealand

LCNZ Update 25 April 2012

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

Anzac Day
I have just come home from singing in the choir at the ANZAC service in a packed Wellington Cathedral. Apparently numbers at Dawn Services and commemorations are up again throughout New Zealand; more and more it seems – especially the young – are acknowledging the sacrifice made by so many through many conflicts in order that our nation and other nations might live in peace. We let scripture affirm a great truth as we commemorate – no one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13).

My Father – Maurice Whitfield (A personal comment from our family)
Over the last week especially, my family and I have been blessed by the great comfort offered by the truth that our dear friend, Jesus lay down his life for my father. A week ago today, Dad was called to his heavenly home, aged 86 years and 2 days.

My wife Leanne wrote in an email to some –

Although we are sad to lose a loving father and granddad, we feel at peace, knowing that his suffering is over. He has been in poor health for some years, but in the past few weeks, he had deteriorated further, and when he was discharged from hospital the last time, about 10 days ago, he went to a nursing home at Bulls. We were at Marton on the weekend, and visited him twice. Both visits were rather emotional, as he was struggling to breathe, and had strong pain from an unknown origin. We had a family party (a very quiet party!) in the nursing home lounge with a birthday cake for him and Charlotte on Saturday. We felt that he could not live for much longer.

Last Wednesday morning, just after 5am, he peacefully breathed his last and passed from life to life everlasting. We are so thankful that through his witness to strong and committed faith, we are left with the sure hope of seeing him again at the end of our own lives. He has laid a foundation of faith for our whole family ... such a blessing.

So last Saturday we gathered at St Martins, Marton with about 230 others to celebrate the love of God in Dad’s life and in ours. We sang, we laughed, we prayed, we heard God speak his amazing love to us through his Word … and above all we thanked God that he loves us so much that he lays down his life – through his Son Jesus – in order that we might live at peace and in freedom into eternity. We continue to rejoice in the release and healing Dad now has from his earthly suffering, and in the gift of eternal life he received at his baptism which he now enjoys in all fullness in the presence of his Lord.

Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

A little additional note … we appreciate the many expressions of love that we have received from people throughout New Zealand and from other places in the world.

A Dying and Rising … All In One
In the same way that my Dad died and now lives eternally through baptismal grace, Jonah Kroehn – son of Pastor Lee and Anna Kroehn (Manawatu) has also died and been raised in Christ. Last Sunday at Hope Valley Lutheran Church in South Australia (I think that’s where it was), Jonah was, as scripture says, buried with Jesus by baptism into death and raised to walk in newness of life with Christ (Romans 6). Our prayer is that Jonah will continue to grow in this beautiful baptismal grace.

Haere Mai Martin & Liz; Haere Ra Bob & Lynette
The LCNZ continues to be blessed through the locum ministries of pastors from across the ditch. Just before Easter Mountainside and the North Shore welcomed Pastor Martin Schirmer and his wife Liz, and St Pauls Wellington welcomed Pastor Robert Wiebusch and his wife Lynette. We’re so grateful for these ministries and especially over the Easter weekend. Bob and Lynette have since returned to Australia; Martin and Liz are here for a little longer.

Which Brings Me to Calls
On Sunday 1st April St Pauls Wellington called Pastor Vince Gerhardy from Caboolture in Queensland, and last Sunday (22nd April), Mountainside called Pastor Joe Kummerow from Wodonga in Victoria. Please continue to pray for the Spirit’s leading and guidance as these pastors consider their respective calls to serve in the LCNZ.

Mā te Atua koe e tiaki
God be with you.

+MARK
President – Lutheran Church of New Zealand

LCNZ Update 4 April 2012

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

Good Friday … Good Easter … All’s Good
It’s a bit of roller-coaster weekend, this one we’re about to embark on … supper together … a betraying kiss in the garden from a friend … a trial of sorts … a rooster … “no, I’ve never met him before” … a bloke called Barabbas … crucify him crucify him … a cross, some nails, a green hill outside a city wall … “my God my God why have you forsaken me?” … “it is finished.”

One of the prayers we will use in worship this Good Friday says this –

Friday is sacred and labelled as “Good” because of what you came to do for us on the cross, Lord Jesus;
die for our sins only to rise again from the dead.
Today we ponder your words from the cross: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
On account of this cry, Lord Jesus,
you remind us that you know our human pain and abandonment;
Continually remind us that nothing, not even death itself,
can separate us from your love for us.

The Pharisees and scribes remember that the one that had just been killed claimed he would rise again after three days. So a guard is placed on the grave, but three days later comes an announcement from that resting place of death – he is not here; he has been raised.

Friends, this weekend, roller-coaster as it might seem … through all sorts of emotions and twists and turns … is a good weekend. The message you will hear in our churches this weekend, from pulpits, from pastors and lay-worship leaders, will be the proclamation of the Gospel – Christ on a cross for sinners, for the forgiveness of sins.

Together with the Easter morning acclamation – he is risen; he is risen indeed, alleluia! – it is all good news and raises those who hear it to new life.

May you hear this message again and live!

Celebrating the Easter Weekend in the LCNZ
Here’s what’s happening in terms of worship during this holy weekend in our churches around Aotearoa. If you’re holidaying around the country and away from home, consider setting aside some time to worship somewhere else –

Botany
Maundy Thursday 7.00pm Service (foot-washing, stripping of the altar)
Good Friday 7.00pm The Supper / reflection on the way to the cross (at Formosa Camp Site)
Easter Sunday 10.00am Service at Botany (lighting of the paschal candle)

North Shore
Easter Sunday 5.00pm Easter Worship

Mountainside
Maundy Thursday 6.45pm Passover Service
Good Friday 10.00am Passion Narrative
Easter Sunday 10.00am Easter Worship (followed by Easter Egg Hunt for the kids)

St Matthew Lutheran Church Hamilton
Good Friday 9.00am Divine Service with Holy Communion
Easter Sunday
 8.45am Fellowship Breakfast
 10.00am Divine Service with Holy Communion

Whakatane Lutheran Church
Good Friday 9.30am Divine Service with Holy Communion
Easter Sunday 9.30am Divine Service with Holy Communion

Kawerau Lutheran Church
Good Friday 11.00am Divine Service with Holy Communion
Easter Sunday 10.00am Divine Service with Holy Communion

Tauranga Lutheran Fellowship
Easter Sunday 10.00am Divine Service with Holy Communion

WhanganuiGood Friday Easter walk with other churches around Whanganui East
Easter Sunday 9.00am Easter Worship

Marton / Halcombe
Good Friday 9.00am Community Good Friday walk (starting at Living Hope, continuing to Roman Catholic Church, the Gospel Chapel, The Square, finishing at Elim for refreshments)
Easter Sunday
 9.00am Worship with Holy Communion
 11.00am Worship with Holy Communion (Halcombe)

Manawatu
Maundy Thursday 7.00pm Worship with Holy Communion
Good Friday 9.30am St Lukes Palmerston North
 10.00am Trinity Feilding – Ecumenical Event at the Civic Centre
Easter Sunday 9.00am Trinity Feilding (with Holy Communion)
 10.30am St Lukes Palmerston North (with Holy Communion)

Wairarapa
Good Friday 5.00pm Fellowship Tea and Worship (66 Park Road, Carterton)

Wellington
Maundy Thursday 7.30pm Worship with Holy Communion
Good Friday 10.00am Worship
 8.00pm Good Friday Vespers – Membra Jesu Nostri (Buxtehude) as part of the Bach Cantata Vespers series of worship services offered at St Pauls
Easter Sunday 10.00am Worship with Holy Communion

Upper Moutere / Hope
Maundy Thursday 7.00pm Worship
Good Friday 9.30am Worship
Easter Sunday 9.30am Worship

Christchurch
Maundy Thursday 7:30pm Informal Holy Communion and stripping of the altar
Good Friday
 9:00-9:55am Christ’s Passion service
 10:00-noon Annual “Journeying with the Cross” inter-church pilgrimage via 4 Burwood churches (starting at 212 Burwood Road; finishing with hot cross buns at St Paul’s, 130 Burwood Road; offering received for Christchurch Women’s Refuge)
Easter Sunday
 6:30-7:00am “Son Rise” Celebration
 7-8:30am Easter BBQ Breakfast
 9:00am Easter Celebration with Holy Communion

Nau Mai / Haere Mai
Last Sunday the members of St Pauls Wellington welcomed Pastor Robert and Lynette Wiebusch back to New Zealand. Robert and Lynette are offering a short locum ministry at St Pauls Wellington (including the Wairarapa) from Sunday 1st April to Sunday 15th April. And welcome also to Pastor Martin and Liz Schirmer who have arrived in Auckland just in time for the busy Easter weekend. They will serve in locum ministry from now until the end of May. May the Lord bless your time and your ministry amongst us.

Call News
On Sunday, St Pauls Wellington issued a call to Pastor Vince Gerhardy (Caboolture, Queensland) to be their next pastor. The call committee at Mountainside has been interviewing possible candidates with a view to conducting their next call meeting sometime after Easter. Please continue to pray for the Spirit’s leading and guidance on these call processes.

Bach Cantata Vespers
8.00pm Good Friday – St Pauls Wellington
If you’re around Wellington over the Easter weekend, why not come along to the special Bach Cantata Vespers for Good Friday at St Pauls?

Membra Jesu Nostri
Dietrich Buxtehude

Ensemble Abendmusik

Lisette Wesseling, Anna Sedcole & Rowena Simpson sopranos
Emma Drysdale alto & Mark Whitfield counter-tenor
John Beaglehome tenor
Timothy Hurd bass
Richard Apperley director

Lord, In Your Mercy: Hear Our Prayer
Can I suggest the following for inclusion in your prayers –

• The people of Fiji in the wake of flooding and storms
• Protection of lives and property here in New Zealand as we prepare to experience the same weather system that has affected Fiji
• Pastors, worship-leaders, musicians and anyone with the responsibility of leading us through a wonderful weekend of worship
• Pastor Vince Gerhardy as he considers the call to St Pauls Wellington
• All Kiwis – as they pause and holiday this weekend – that somehow, somewhere they might get an idea of what the weekend’s really about and catch a glimpse of the Lord Jesus who has died and risen again for them
• Those who are about to be joined to Christ and his death and resurrection through Holy Baptism – that they and we all may continue to daily die to sin and be risen to new life with him

Mā te Atua koe e tiaki
God be with you.

+MARK
President – Lutheran Church of New Zealand