LCNZ Update 30 August 2012

Kia tau ki a koutou te atawhai me te rangimarie o te Atua
願 父 神 所 賜 的 恩 惠 和 平 安 與 你 們 同 在
Grace and peace to you from God

A Strong and Praying Council of Synod
This past weekend, your Council of Synod (CoS) met in Wellington for its latest round of meetings. We began on the Friday evening by hearing St Paul speak to and encourage us –

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak. (Ephesians 6:10-20)

We, your servant-leaders acknowledge that we must be strong in the Lord and that we must function in the strength of his power so that the Lutheran Church of New Zealand and its members may be supported to continue to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ with boldness.

In view of the fact that St Paul points out that God’s people will be attacked and undermined in the ministry of Christ’s gospel, he encourages us to put on the whole armour of God and to pray in the Spirit at all times. We pray against this wily and devilish reality in Martin Luther’s Evening Prayer when we ask that the wicked foe will have no power over us.

And so your Council of Synod began a prayer journey this last weekend which will see each member commit to intentional prayer with another member of COS; a prayer partnership we hope and pray will make us strong in the way we function as a servant-leadership body, a prayer partnership we hope and pray will make us more loving and caring of each other, and a prayer partnership that will support the Lord’s ministry through our church.

COS members have been encouraged to regularly email, phone, or text one another in order to be intentional in this prayer partnership. And it may interest you to know that the LSM are also overseeing the establishment of an LCNZ Prayer Chain.

• We pray in the Spirit – clothe us in the armour of God that we may stand strong against the devil, always ready to proclaim the gospel of peace … we pray in the Spirit – wrap your church, the Lutheran Church of New Zealand around with the armour of God, that we may boldly make known the mystery of the gospel. E te Atua atawhai whakarongo mai ki ta matou inoi; God of grace you hear our prayer, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Report From Council of Synod Meeting
What follows is a summary of some of the main matters discussed and decided upon at the Council of Synod meeting this last weekend –

• We heard that the local authorities in Whakatane are planning to begin work on the stream in the township that has caused flooding issues with our manse there. In the meantime COS made a decision to rent the manse for anywhere between 18 and 24 months. We expressed our appreciation to Roxanne Bakke who does an amazing amount of work looking after the Whakatane manse.
• In an attempt to be more efficient and focused in our serving on COS, Pastor Member, Chris Janetzki has offered to draw up draft portfolio responsibilities for each member.
• President Mark and Vice President John have been invited to convene a Planning Group to start organising the Convention of Synod of the LCNZ next year. Thought is being given to asking Botany Lutheran Church to host this event.
• There is always an attempt to have mission as the main focus of our COS meetings. President Mark attempts to set a pro-active mission focus as he reports on his engagement with pastors, church workers and congregations around the LCNZ. Once again we spoke of the need for the people of the Lord’s church in New Zealand to be people of the Word – i.e. reading the Bible and having regular devotions. Interestingly, the theme for the LCA/NZ General Synod next year is ‘Growing in Christ.’ Unless we feed on him, how will grow?
• COS are looking to explore the possibility of lay representation on the General Church Council (GCC). This is permissible under GCC guidelines and would reduce the amount of time that President Mark is away from the LCNZ and his family.
• COS voted to negotiate a 1-year lease for new office space in Molesworth House in the suburb of Thorndon in Wellington from the beginning of November. Our lease at Oxford Terrace runs out at the end of October. A Task Force continues to explore the possibility of a ‘low-cost’ option for locating the National Office at St Pauls Wellington.
• COS has appointed Mr Robert Hagen as the new LCNZ Administrator. Robert will begin his orientation next week.
• COS were also informed that Anna Kroehn has been appointed by Lutheran Support Ministries (LSM) to the position of part-time LSM administrator.
• A reminder to all congregations to ensure they are registered for charitable status so that members can claim tax deductions on donations with the encouragement to donate the deductions to further support the work of sharing the Gospel through the ministry of the church.
• COS was informed of an initiative from Lutheran Support Ministries (LSM) which is setting up a Prayer Network across New Zealand to pray for the LCNZ, members, committees , congregations and ministries.

Haere Mai (Welcome) Colin and Mary
Pastor Colin Hartwich and his wife Mary arrived in Wellington last Friday to begin a locum ministry at St Pauls Wellington and St Francis Mauriceville West (Wairarapa) through September and part of October. We welcome them to our place and our church, and wish them much joy as they live and serve amongst us.

• Again Lord, we say thank you for providing shepherds for our souls and for your church. Thank you for Colin and Mary. Amen.

Installation at Mountainside – Sunday 9th September
An exciting day looms for the members of the Auckland Lutheran Parish, and indeed for the whole of the LCNZ. If you’re anywhere near the Auckland area on the 9th September, then consider calling in to Mountainside Lutheran Church to share in the joy of welcoming Joe and Julie and their children – Lucy, Emily, Nicholas and Alexander to New Zealand, and to the joy that is the installation of a pastor to ministry in this parish.

Mountainside Lutheran Church
Sunday 9th September, 10.00am

• Lord Jesus, continue to watch over Joe and Julie and their family as they settle in to life in New Zealand and prepare to begin ministry amongst your people at Mountainside. Amen.

Your Place – Upper Moutere … feature on Radio New Zealand National
Check this out … Upper Moutere featured on Jim Mora’s Afternoons on Radio New Zealand this afternoon (Thursday 30th August). Most of the initial 140 immigrants were Lutheran Protestants, but within a few short years more than a quarter of them had left the district. It was, in fact, a settlement built around a pub. A Mr Cordt Bennseman built an inn between Richmond and Motueka, and the town grew around it. Present day Upper Moutere is not a great deal larger than it was 160 years ago. Follow through to the Radio New Zealand website to listen to the interviews, featuring Jenny Briars. There’s even mention made of the great Aussie pastor in UMO … Chris Janetzki. The publican told Radio NZ that Chris played rugby for the local team and that he thought that he would have to be a prop (go Rangers!!), but we all know that Chris is one of the finest fullbacks in the valley!

175 Stories … where history comes to life!
As part of the 175th anniversary celebrations for the LCA/NZ next year, a collection of 175 stories that will together reflect the history of Lutherans in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and South-East Asia will be compiled. These stories will be about ordinary Lutheran men and women who exemplified service or who figured in significant events in our Lutheran narrative. The stories, which will be about people now deceased, will tell not only what they did but also something of their personality and faith. Lay people will feature prominently in the collection. We realise that not everyone can write confidently, so suggestions and ideas for stories are also invited. Examples of stories are available upon request. Please send stories (around 500 words), with a photo if possible, and suggestions for stories to Dr John Koch: john.koch@lca.org.au or to 34 Gallery Road, Highbury SA 5089. Also include the author’s name and contact details.

Mā te Atua koe e tiaki
God be with you.

+Mark
President – Lutheran Church of New Zealand / Te Hāhi Rūtana o Aotearoa

LCNZ Update 10 August 2012

Kia tau ki a koutou te atawhai me te rangimarie o te Atua
願 父 神 所 賜 的 恩 惠 和 平 安 與 你 們 同 在
Grace and peace to you from God

Excerpts From a Letter to the Lutherans of Aotearoa-New Zealand (with a bit of help from St Paul)
I’ve loved the readings from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians over recent Sundays, and I’ve had the privilege of preaching on them as well.

In this update, I’ve simply picked out some of the best bits and I offer them to you as encouragement.

Long before God laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son. (Eph.1:3-6)

It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone. (Eph.1:11-12)

Christ brought us together through his death on the cross. The Cross got us to embrace, and that was the end of the hostility. (Eph.2:16-18)

I ask the Father to strengthen you by his Spirit – not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength – that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God. (Eph.3:14-19)

God can do anything – far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. (Eph.3:20-21)

Get out there and walk – better yet, run! – on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline … pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences. (Eph.4:1-3)

Stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness. (Eph.4:4-6)

We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love. (Eph.4:14-16)

Take on an entirely new way of life – a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you. (Eph.4:20-24)

Tell your neighbour the truth. In Christ's body we're all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself. Don't use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don't stay angry. Don't give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life. Watch the way you talk. Say only what helps, each word a gift. Don't grieve God. Don't break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don't take such a gift for granted. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you. (Eph.4:25-32)

• Dear Lord God, help us watch what you do and then do it ourselves, like children who learn proper behaviour from our parents. God, what you mostly do is love us. By your Spirit help us keep company with you and learn a life of love. Help us to watch how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Help us to love like that. Amen. (Eph.5:1-2)

(All quotations from The Message, ©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson)

Chinese Gold – 28th / 29th July
Just as the Chinese are heading the medal table at the Olympics, so too our sisters and brothers from Botany Lutheran Church (BLC) ‘took the gold’ a couple of weekends back, excelling in their ability to prepare and facilitate a wonderful celebration to mark the ordination of Tat Ming Tsui as a Specific Ministry Pastor (SMP).

More than 300 people packed into All Saints Anglican Church in Howick for a concert of wonderful music on the Saturday before the ordination – much of the music in the concert praised God and proclaimed his love for all people in Christ. I commend the members of BLC for their vision of engaging with their community and for their commitment to giving witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ. We pray that many lives were gently touched by the Spirit of Jesus as a result of this concert. I believe this concert is intended as an annual event.

Then on the Sunday morning, the Spirit gathered about 150 people together for the ordination of Tat. People travelled from as far away as Turakina Beach (who came from there?), Wellington, Hamilton, Brisbane, and Mountainside (which isn’t very far away, eh). There was a real sense of joy in the Lord amongst the congregation and a deep sense of gratitude to God for providing them with a new pastor. My conversations with various members of BLC reveal that the Spirit is stirring this congregation in amazing ways towards being intentional about sharing Jesus – the Bread of Life – with Auckland.

During the service we also acknowledged the wonderful way that God had worked through his servants, Pastor David and Annie Chiang in establishing BLC.

• Again we pray: thank you Lord God for watching over Tat and Irene, and the members of Botany Lutheran Church during this time of preparation and affirmation of call on Tat to become a pastor for this congregation. We are grateful to you for your provision of pastors and we thank you for the foundational ministry provided by your Spirit through the ministry of Pastor David and Annie. Grow this congregation in faith, hope and love. Amen.

Haere Ra (Farewell) Rex
This Sunday marks the end of the locum ministry of Pastor Rex Mickan at Mountainside Lutheran Church in Auckland. Thank you Rex for your faithful ministry in the Lord’s church here in NZ; we wish you blessing as you return home to Sydney. Pastor Colin Hartwich will be the next locum pastor at Wellington / Wairarapa, beginning at the end of August.

• Thank you Lord God for providing pastors for your church and especially for those who come and serve during vacancies – Pastor Rex Mickan and Pastor Colin Hartwich. Thank you for their ministry of encouragement among us. Amen.

It’s Almost Naumai / Haere Mai to the Kummerow Family
Please continue to pray for Pastor Joe Kummerow, his wife Julie and their family as they prepare to relocate to New Zealand – and particularly to Mountainside at the end of next week.

• Lord Jesus, we pray that you would watch over Joe and Julie and their family and provide travelling mercies as they prepare to leave friends and family and a familiar place to come us here in New Zealand to begin ministry amongst your people at Mountainside. Amen.

Meetings, Meetings … And More Meetings … In Order to Bring Glory to God
Tomorrow the next round of quarterly meetings for the LCNZ begin in Wellington – Finance Advisory Council (FAC) and the Lutheran Layman’s League (LLL) meet on Saturday 11th August; Lutheran Support Ministries (LSM) meet on Saturday 18th August, and the Gateway Gift Trust Board (GGTB) and the Council of Synod (COS) meet on the 24th and 25th August.

The leadership of your church have some very challenging and important matters to discuss during this round of meetings.

I believe the real challenge for us is to make sure that all of us – those of us in national leadership and those of us worshipping and serving in local congregations – remain absolutely committed and focused on the task that we have been called and claimed for through our baptism – viz. to let our light shine to the glory of God the Father.

These days it’s very easy to become distracted by things that take us away from the main task at hand. St Paul will even encourage us in our second reading this coming Sunday, not to make room for the devil (Eph.4:27).

I’ve been asked by some on COS to ask you – the church we serve – to pray for us in these coming days and meetings – so that we will remain focused on Jesus and on the task of proclaiming him to New Zealand, and not be distracted by things that should not distract us.

• Almighty God, direct and guide us by your Holy Spirit both to plan and to accomplish those things that will benefit Your Church and glorify Your name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Mā te Atua koe e tiaki
God be with you.

+Mark
President – Lutheran Church of New Zealand / Te Hāhi Rūtana o Aotearoa