LCNZ Update 20 December 2013

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

Metrosideros Excelsa … in the Highest
As I drove along the Kāpiti Coast just north of Wellington a few days ago, I noticed that nature itself, in the form of the New Zealand Christmas Tree, Pōhutukawa, is getting ready to greet the birth of Christ again. Brilliant red, sparking blooms are emerging from the deep green foliage … in much the same way that the blooming rose comes as a little flower in midst of coldest winter (Es ist ein Ros entsprungen, Lutheran Hymnal 622).

The One that we have called for to come … Saviour, Messiah, the One that will rescue us from the lonely exile of sin and the gloomy clouds of night … is blooming and blossoming right before us and in us, as we pray –

• O holy child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray. Cast out our sin, and enter in; be born (bloom / blossom / flower / grow) in us today.

Charles Wesley wrote that Jesus was pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel. I find the idea that Jesus would lay aside his divine privileges for any reason – especially for me; for you – is nothing short of incredible, but he did so in order that we might bloom and blossom again, that his incarnate love might come to life in us … and that we would no longer die –

• Mild He lays His glory by, born that we no more may die, Born to raise us from the earth, born to give us second birth.

He flowered that we might flower again. What a great reason for singing glory to God in the highest; glory to the new-born King.

I reckon the botanists knew what they were doing when they gave Pōhutukawa its botanical name, excelsa from the Latin, excelsus … sublime, the highest. I’d like to think that they wanted our native Christmas tree to be a reminder to us of the song the angels sang when God came to earth … Gloria in excelsis Deo … glory to our sublime and beautiful God who comes to be born in us that we might flower again in his love.

Wherever you are throughout Aotearoa this Christmas – the Coromandel Peninsula, out east at Te Araroa or up north, or even at the Basin Reserve – I encourage you to look for Pōhutukawa – Metrosideros excelsa … and sing glory to God in the highest.

• Because a tree had brought us doom, was Jesus born of Mary’s womb, To blossom high on Calvary’s tree the crimson bloom that makes us free. (Pōhutukawa Carol, Douglas Mews)

To you all – Ngā mihi o te Kirihimete; wishing you all joy and peace at Christmas. Me te aroha nui atu o mātou katoa; lots of love from us all here in the Whitfield family … Leanne, Mark, Chelsea, Brittany and Charlotte.

Christmas Worship Throughout the LCNZ

Mountainside, Auckland

• Christmas Eve, 6.00pm
• Christmas Eve – Carols and Readings, 11.00pm
• Christmas Day, 10.00am

North Shore

• 22nd December – Carols and Readings, 5.00pm

Botany

• 25th December, 10.00am

Hawkes Bay – Redeemer Lutheran / St Francis Cooperating Parish, Clive

• 22nd December, Special Young Peoples Service at Clive, 9.30am
• 22nd December, Community Carol Singing Service at Farndon House Clive, 7.00pm
• 24th December, Welcome Christmas Service at Haumoana, 11.30pm
• 25th December, Christmas Day Service at Clive, 9.30am
• 29th December at Clive, 9.30am
• 5th January 2014 at Haumoana, 9.30am
• 12th January 2014 at Clive, 9.30am
• 19th January 2014 at Haumoana, 9.30am
• 26th January 2014 at Clive, 9.30am

Whanganui

• 22nd December – Carols on the lawn, 6.00pm
• 25th December – Worship, 9.00am

Marton

• 25th December – Worship, 9.30am

Manawatu

• 24th December – Parish Service of Carols and Readings, 7.00pm
• 25th December – Feilding (9.00am) and St Luke’s Palmerston North (10.00am)
• 29th December – Feilding (9.00am) and St Luke’s (combined at 10.30)
• 5th January – Feilding (9.00am) and St Luke’s (combined at 10.30)

Wellington

• 24th December – Family Service, 7.00pm
• 25th December – Festival Service, 10.00am

Upper Moutere / Hope

• 24th December – Family Service, 7.00pm
• 24th December – Christmas Eve Reflective Service, 11:15pm
• 25th December – Christmas Day Service, 10.00am

Christchurch

• 24th December – Christmas Readings, Carols and Holy Communion, 7:30pm
• 25th December – Jesus’ Birthday Party, Carols & Birthday Cake for all!, 9.30am

Blessed Are the Peacemaker Seminars - February 2014
A reminder that during the month of February next year, the Director of Reconciliation in the LCA / LCNZ, Pastor Bruce Zagel and his wife Kathy will be conducting Blessed are the Peacemaker seminars throughout the LCNZ. Look out for seminar and registration details in the next issue of the Olive Tree, due out now.

National Office Closed During Christmas – New Year
The National Office of the LCNZ will be closed from Monday 23rd December to Tuesday 7th January 2014. However, during that time, Robert and I will pop in from time to time to check for phone messages and important emails.

Brief News Items
Children's Christmas Website – www.redboots.com.au is a Christmas website where you can watch a movie, read a story, play games and music, send e-cards, or find recipes to cook yummy Christmas food.

Happyland Online Advent Calendar – back by popular demand, our Happyland Online Advent Calendar is here again with a new look this year! We are putting together so much fun and inspiration in the lead up to Christmas, remembering that Jesus is the reason for the season! Go to www.happyland.com.au.

Happyland Stories DVDs Have Arrived! You can purchase Lutheran Media’s 'Happyland Stories' DVD for only $10. Contact them by filling in your details your details here. Stories include Master Chef, Life Saver, Forgiven, It's Possible and You are Special. T hey come with printable colouring-in pages and are the perfect gift this Christmas!!

Face to Face – you can tune into www.facetoface.org.au for your Christmas message on Blue Christmas, What is Christmas?, and Three Wise Men and a Baby.

Kia noho a Ihowa ki a koutou; the Lord be with you.

+MARK
Pastor Mark Whitfield BTh MSM
Bishop of the Lutheran Church of New Zealand / Pihopa o te Hāhi Rūtana o Aotearoa

LCNZ Update 7 December 2013

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

O Come, O Come Immanuel
As I write these words to you, the world has just heard that Nelson Mandela – anti-apartheid revolutionary, politician, philanthropist and one-time President of South Africa – has died at the age of 95.

An English newspaper wrote this –

• Nelson Mandela saved his country. Mandela, the prisoner for 27 years; Mandela, the masterly politician; Mandela, the healer and conciliator; Mandela, the tough negotiator, prepared to go to the brink – this Mandela was the man who rose to the level of events and guided South Africa’s miraculous rebirth. (The Telegraph, Saturday 7th December 2013)

Mandela was seen by many – especially those oppressed by years of apartheid – as something of a saviour; a messiah. His people had waited for him … and waited some more … and eventually he came as healer and conciliator; as peacemaker.

O come, O come … we waiting people cry in these days; not just in Advent, but throughout the earthly sojourn … O come, Immanuel and ransom captive Israel … come and be God with us … come and heal and make peace … come and save us from the apartheid (segregation) that embeds itself in our beings in the form of sin, and that has cut us off and isolated us from you, O God … and from each other.

The same newspaper that I quoted from above also said this –

• Nelson Mandela, in a moment of supreme crisis, saved his country. He did so by generosity and indomitable will. He was the kind of man who comes upon this earth but rarely. (The Telegraph)

You and I are waiting in these days for one who comes to save his people from the supreme crisis of sin and death. We are waiting for one who is generous in love; for one who comes by the Divine indomitable will and intention of the Father God, to love us back through manger and cross to himself.

• Thank you, coming Lord Jesus, for the gracious and servant ministry of Nelson Mandela to his people; to your people. O come, O come Immanuel; serve us with your grac and save us. Amen.

LCA / LCNZ Ordination Sunday
Tomorrow (Sunday 8th December), five men will be ordained as pastors in the Lutheran Church of Australia, including the LCNZ at a Service to be held at St Pauls Lutheran Church, Blair Athol in Adelaide. The names of the men together with their first call are –

• Levi Graham – Rainbow, Victoria
• Joshua Muller – Eudunda South Australia
• Michael Rudolph – Newcastle, New South Wales (LifeWay Lutheran Church)
• Stephen Cronau – Central Eyre Peninsula, South Australia
• Andrew Dockerill – Wodonga, Victoria

They will receive this admonition as they are ordained –

• Since you have this ministry by the mercy of God, care for God's people, bear their burdens, and do not betray their confidence. Give and receive comfort as you serve within the church. So discipline yourself in life and teaching that you give no offence. And be confident, for God has called you, and your labour in the Lord will not be in vain.

It will be a privilege for me as Bishop to lay hands on the ordinands as we pray for them –

• Heavenly Father, bless these men in their ministry of the gospel. Make them faithful pastors, patient teachers, and wise counsellors, so that your people may be gathered for praise and strengthened for service; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

College of Bishops
The Ordination Service comes at the end of the final round of meetings for Bishops in Adelaide. It’s been a busy year – General Pastors’ Conference, General Synod, the retirement of President Michael Semmler, the election and installation of Bishop John Henderson, together with the regular meetings, both face-to-face here in Adelaide and the monthly teleconferences.

I believe by the grace of God, I am continuing to grow into the role of Bishop of the LCNZ and into finding my place within the College. I acknowledge here the love and support of the other Bishops of the Church, including once again, the pastoral manner with which retired President Mike Semmler cared for me in the early stages.

Here’s something to look forward to (well, I hope you’re going to look forward to it) … the Bishops are coming to New Zealand! That’s right; next year in June the College of Bishops plans to hold its annual retreat in New Zealand. It is also my plan to give opportunity for each of the Bishops to preach in a congregation of the LCNZ on the Sunday before the retreat starts.

Board for Local Mission
Sharolyn Mollet represented the LCNZ at the first meeting of this new board recently (21st-23rd November) in Adelaide. This board was established by General Synod in April this year to focus on and support local (local = Australia and New Zealand) ministry opportunities and initiatives. I also intended being at this meeting, but due to other matters that needed my attention, I was unable to go. I haven’t had an opportunity to sit and talk much with Sharolyn about how things went, but I gather it was a good start to this new board. We pray that it will be a real blessing to the church and to us in our local contexts as we are given opportunities to share the gospel of the Coming One.

Olive Tree
The final issue of The Olive Tree is due out in the next week or two. Included in this issue will be more information on the follow-up to the Acts 15:36 Tour, plus lots of other good stuff. During the year we established an editorial team for The Olive Tree to work with Dan – Jill Hagen, Alison Preston, Jacinth Gutla, and Leanne Whitfield. We thank God for your willingness to serve in this way.

Blessed Are the Peacemakers - Seminars in the LCNZ
During the month of February next year, the Director of Reconciliation in the LCA / LCNZ, Pastor Bruce Zagel and his wife Kathy will be conducting Blessed are the Peacemakers seminars throughout the LCNZ. Pastor Bruce writes –

• Blessed Are the Peacemakers is a Bible study seminar on reconciling relationships and resolving conflict. In this engaging presentation, you see how God’s ministry of reconciliation can be lived out in daily life. You learn practical ways to apply your Christian faith in family, business, church, and even business and legal conflicts. Since all children of God are called to be peacemakers, this seminar is appropriate for every Christian. Church leaders with responsibilities for teaching and assisting others in their conflicts will find the seminar especially helpful for assisting others in responding to conflict in a biblically faithful manner.
• As Christians living in a sinful world, we often respond to conflict in worldly ways. Although we may know better, we often respond to conflict by trying to escape or by attacking others. When we do, relationships are damaged and the witness of the church is weakened.
• In Blessed Are the Peacemakers, participants learn how to change this problem. You study key Bible passages and acquire tools for applying the basic principles in everyday conflicts. You will be challenged to live, proclaim, and cultivate lifestyles of reconciliation in the family, workplace, and church.
• As people practice new ways of addressing conflict, conflict does not disappear. In fact, initially you may have to deal with more conflict. As people become more sensitive to God’s call for peace, they stop covering up the conflict that already exists. They begin to discuss and resolve their differences more honestly and constructively, and old unresolved issues are brought to light and dealt with. They likely will need guidance from church leaders as they struggle to use new skills. These requests for help become opportunities for discipleship. As a result, time and energy wasted on escaping from conflict or attacking others is redirected to glorifying God, serving others, and growing more like Christ, giving a living witness to the unbelieving world. 
• Blessed Are the Peacemakers covers the following topics – (1) understanding conflict from a biblical viewpoint, (2) identifying worldly and godly responses to conflict, (3) describing three opportunities for Christians in conflict, (4) how to confess your faults without justification, (5) how to forgive others as God forgave you, and (6) how to achieve genuine reconciliation.

The schedule is as follows –

• Saturday 1st February, 8.30am-3.30pm – St Pauls Christchurch
• Monday 3rd February, 6.00pm-10.00pm – St Pauls Wellington
• Monday 10th February, 6.00pm-10.00pm – St Lukes Palmerston North
• Monday 17th February, 6.00pm-10.00pm – Botany Lutheran Church Auckland

Information on how to register will be included the next issue of The Olive Tree.

Visit of Pastor Michael Steicke to the LCNZ
Pastor Michael Steicke, son of Pastor Lance Steicke has returned to the land of his childhood for a few weeks. Mike and his wife, Leanne are here as part of their Rest and Refreshment leave. During their visit Mike is preaching in various places –

• Sunday 22nd December, 9.00am and 10.30am – St Lukes Palmerston North
• Sunday 5th January, 9.30am – Whakatane
• Sunday 12th January, 10.00am – Mountainside Auckland
• Sunday 19th January, 10.00am – St Matthew Hamilton

Nau mai; haere mai Mike and Leanne; it’s lovely to have you back in NZ! Enjoy your time of rest and refreshment, and thanks so much for preaching on those four Sundays as well.

25th Anniversary of Ordination
Together with Pastor Mike Steicke and a few others, I am about to celebrate the 25th anniversary of my ordination. I invite you to thank God … not for me, but for his faithfulness to me and for his provision to the church of pastors and prophets and shepherds and teachers and musicians and flower arrangers and coffee serves and cleaners etc.

Brief News Items
The Council of Synod (COS) met last weekend. A large part of our meeting was spent doing more work on developing a sense of direction and vision out of the Acts 15:36 Tour. Members of COS ate together at a nice restaurant in Khandallah on the Friday evening and then enjoyed coffee, dessert and relaxed conversation in the Whitfield home.

Cantor, Rick Erickson (Holy Trinity Lutheran New York City), who visited Wellington in May this year, informs me that his choir will be singing two Christmas carols by New Zealand composers during their Christmas services this year.

Children's Christmas Website – www.redboots.com.au is a Christmas website where you can watch a movie, read a story, play games and music, send e-cards, or find recipes to cook yummy Christmas food.

Happyland Online Advent Calendar – back by popular demand, our Happyland Online Advent Calendar is here again with a new look this year! We are putting together so much fun and inspiration in the lead up to Christmas, remembering that Jesus is the reason for the season! Go to www.happyland.com.au.

Happyland Stories DVDs Have Arrived! You can purchase Lutheran Media’s 'Happyland Stories' DVD for only $10. Contact them by filling in your details your details here. Stories include Master Chef, Life Saver, Forgiven, It's Possible and You are Special. T hey come with printable colouring-in pages and are the perfect gift this Christmas!!

Face to Face – you can tune into www.facetoface.org.au for your Christmas message on Blue Christmas, What is Christmas?, and Three Wise Men and a Baby.

Kia noho a Ihowa ki a koutou; the Lord be with you.

+MARK
Pastor Mark Whitfield BTh MSM
Bishop of the Lutheran Church of New Zealand / Pihopa o te Hāhi Rūtana o Aotearoa

LCNZ Update October 2013

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

Why I Am Lutheran – Jesus at the Centre
Last week the Church celebrated Reformation Day. Reformation Day provides a wonderful opportunity for us to reflect on the blessing of being re-formed and re-newed and re-deemed in and through Jesus Christ. And it’s also a good opportunity for us to reflect on the blessing of being Christian, and especially Lutheran Christians.

In his book, Why I Am a Lutheran: Jesus at the Centre, Daniel Preus focuses us on Jesus – God’s greatest and most wonderful expression of his love for us.

Preus writes –

• “Why am I a Christian? Because Jesus is at the centre and it’s all about Him. I am a Christian by grace, a simple yet profound work of the new creation in water and word. I know Jesus loves me because “His Word gives life to water poured.” Because of Jesus, I face no punishment for sin, nor do I face an eternal death. I am God’s child, and He has given me His family of believers wherein he feeds me. God is so kind and gracious. Thus I live with faith in him and hope that is born of His promises.
• I am a Lutheran for the same reason I am a Christian. It is not by choice but by grace. The teachings of the Lutheran Church place Jesus ate the centre because the teachings of the scriptures place Jesus at the centre. No other confession demonstrates such fidelity to the truths of God’s Word. No other confession so glorifies Christ by placing Him at the centre of all it confesses and teaches. Being a Lutheran is truly all about Jesus.
• The entire sinful world is loved by Jesus.
• God saves us through the life, suffering and death, and resurrection of Jesus.
• The Holy Spirit creates faith by showing us Jesus.
• In Baptism, we die and rise with Jesus.
• In the Lord’s Supper, we receive our inheritance with the body and blood of Jesus.
• The pastor proclaims and distributes the merits of Jesus.
• All our prayers go to the Father through Jesus.
• All our good works flow out of hearts that trust in Jesus.
• In the bearing of all crosses in this veil of tears, our eyes are fixed on Jesus.
• We wait with joyous hope for the day when we will see the face of Jesus.
• Thus the Christian faith is all about Jesus. Being a Lutheran is all about Jesus. St Paul says, “No one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11).”

Why I Am a Lutheran – Jesus at the Centre, Daniel Preus, Concordia Publishing House ©2004

May Jesus always be the centre of your life and the centre of your congregational life too.

Acts 15:36 Tour (Update)
At the end of this month, the Council of Synod (COS) will hold their final meeting for the year. The focus of this meeting will be almost exclusively on developing the outcomes of the Tour to a point where we are able to present a clear future ministry direction to you, the church.

I realise that many of you are waiting to know “the results” and maybe had hoped that they’d be out by now. However, we need to proceed with this carefully and in such a way that the servant-leadership of the church (i.e. COS) have a united sense of where and what God is calling us to do and be in the future.

I’d like to repeat what I wrote in my last newsletter.

1. We are a church that has been in decline – numerically, and maybe also in understanding our place and God’s call to mission – for some decades now.
2. The stats (the data), your own health analysis, and the comments you made during our visit, confirm that our general health as a church is not good.
3. More of the same is not an option, if we want to see the church live and grow.
4. Things have to change.

And friends, this is the challenge and the opportunity we have … to submit to the Lord of the Church and to hear his heart for us … and to be prepared to be bold and courageous and trusting in Him, so that if changes in the way we’ve done things for years need to be made, we’ll make them for the sake of the gospel.

After the COS meeting at the end of November, I hope to share with you more information via the pages of the next issue of The Olive Tree on the vision and direction we as your servant-leaders believe God is calling us to.

• We continue to pray Holy Spirit: open our hearts to discern and to hear the will of God; his plans and his purposes for us. Almighty and gracious God, you want all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Increase the power of the gospel in the hearts of the faithful members of the LCNZ, that your Church may spread the good news of your salvation. As we proclaim the saving cross of Christ, may he draw all people to himself, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Spice Girls Revived
A few weekends back, the Spice Retreat of the LCNZ was revived after about a 10 year break. My wife, Leanne who organised the retreat, writes the following –

• The Spice Retreat for wives of LCNZ pastors and SMPs was held at the Home of Compassion convent in Island Bay, Wellington on the weekend of 18-20 October, 2013. This retreat was a revival of an older tradition which was first begun by Ruth Olsen in the 1990s. Five out of a possible seven pastors’ wives attended the retreat, with Pauline Simonsen generously giving her time as retreat leader.
• Last year, I felt that the time might be right to revive the Spice Retreat. A pastor’s spouse plays an important role, not only as a wife and usually mother, but also as a partner in ministry, confidant, prayer partner and ‘sounding board’. They can feel as if they live in a goldfish bowl, under the gaze of many who pass judgement on them. Pastors’ wives in NZ are generally quite isolated from one another, with rare opportunities to meet each other.
• The theme for the retreat was ‘Bloom where you are planted’, and the weekend included study and guided meditation, prayer and worship. We also enjoyed walking in the lovely gardens of the convent, especially the flourishing vegetable garden tended by 90 year old Sister Loyola and her helpers, and the community garden that they have established. A documentary movie, ‘Gardening with Soul’, had recently been released. This movie focused on the work of Sister Loyola and her life of service to people in need through the Sisters of Compassion. We went to see the movie at a small cinema in Brooklyn on the Saturday afternoon, and as women in ministry ourselves, it was a great encouragement and provided plenty of food for thought. After our return to the convent, we were thrilled to meet and chat with Sister Loyola. On Sunday morning, Bishop Mark joined us to lead in worship and Holy Communion.
• The Spice Girls (as we referred to ourselves) were deeply appreciative of the support of the church, through LSM and LLL. An online survey was carried out in the week following the retreat, and without exception, the participants said they had felt very encouraged through the retreat. There was strong affirmation of the role Pauline played in supporting and leading us through the weekend. We agreed that Wellington and the Home of Compassion was a great location. We were in a peaceful place, yet only about 15 minutes from the airport which was just as well, as high winds on the Friday evening meant that Diane Davison’s flight from Hamilton could not land in Wellington, and she had to be picked up from the airport much later, after being brought by bus from Palmerston North. If we had been further from Wellington, the logistics would have been much more difficult. The Home of Compassion is a comfortable, very lived in environment, and the food provided is plain and plentiful – perfect. The rates charged for spiritual retreats are very reasonable.
• The Spice Girls have indicated through their online feedback that they would love to have an annual opportunity to meet. This week most of the church workers who gathered at our home on Wednesday night as part of Church Workers’ Conference, spoke about how much they appreciated the nurturing and support given to their wives.
• Thank you to the members of the LSM and LLL Boards for supporting me in pulling the Spice Retreat together. I feel it was a very worthwhile venture. Leanne Whitfield

Pastor David Lipsys Announces Completion of His Ministry in Christchurch
On Sunday 27th October, Pastor David Lipsys announced to his people at St Pauls Christchurch that he would be concluding his ministry there on Christmas Day this year and seeking Leave of Absence. Pastor David said to his people –

• It is with a fair amount of sadness that I inform you today of my intention to resign my call as your pastor – a ministry that I have now held full-time for a month over 10 years; and prior to that, I was also part-time assistant pastor here for about 18 months. This will take effect from the end of this year.
• There are many factors behind my decision; but suffice to say, with this duration of service – and with relative peace and tranquillity now restored about 3 years after the destructive earthquakes – I feel the time is right.
• I am not seeking another pastoral call at this time, and I do not have any other employment to go to – but I’m on the look-out for something locally, as Janine and I intend to remain in Christchurch, at least for the time being.
• I thank God, and you all, for the opportunity to serve here among you. May He guide and bless you, as you strive to live as His people! – DAVID

I invite you to pray for David and Janine as they have made this important decision, that the Lord will bless the decision they have made and lead them to further opportunities for ministry and service in their community of Christchurch. And pray for the people of St Pauls as they now seek the Lord’s will with regard to future ministry.

• Gracious God, you have called us in our baptism to be your servants. You have enabled us to respond to your call as a community of believers. Thank you for the partnership in the gospel that you created and blessed between the people of St Pauls in Christchurch and Pastor David and Janine. As we receive news of David’s resignation, strengthen both David and Janine for the mission you still have placed before them and reveal to your people at St Pauls your plan and purpose for them in the future also. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Installation of Pastor Rodger Russ
On Sunday 27th October, St Lukes Lutheran Church was filled with people – mainly members of the Manawatu Lutheran Parish – who welcomed God’s gift to them of Pastor Rodger Russ.

Special guests, including Iain Lees-Galloway (MP for Palmerston North), Jim Jeffries (Palmerston North City Council), and Rev John Hornblow (Urban Dean for Anglicans in Palmerston North), were also present to welcome Pastor Rodger.

A special moment was the mihi whakatau (the formal Maori welcome) at the beginning of the service where Rodger and I were called into the church (karanga) by Jude Nelson (Te Punga) and where Rodger was invited to become one with the people of God in this place in their worship, life and mission. Parish Chair, Lawrence Satherley did a wonderful job with his “Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.”

God bless you dear saints of Manawatu as you share life and ministry with Saint Rodger.

Graduate Interviews
During my most recent visit to Adelaide for a College of Bishops’ meeting, we also interviewed the final year class at Australian Lutheran College (ALC). Please continue to pray for these men, together with wives and families (in some cases), as they conclude their days of formation and training at the Seminary, and as they prepare to receive their first ministry assignment.

Longest Lutheran Lunch
A number of our congregations participated in the Longest Lutheran Lunch on the Sunday of the Commemoration of the Reformation (27th October). My prayer is that the Lord blessed your event and used you and it as a way of expressing God’s hospitality and love to many people. The next issue of The Olive Tree will include a report from around the LCNZ.

Next Round of LCNZ Meetings
The final round of meetings for the year has started. The Finance Advisory Committee, the LLL, and the Lutheran Support Ministries have already met; the Gateway Gift Trust Board meets in Auckland this coming Sunday evening, and the Council of Synod meets in Wellington at the end of the month.

For a small church I reckon there is a lot of business and administration to look after. Please pray for your servant-leaders as we attempt to look after what needs looking after, without losing focus on the main task of the people of God – proclaiming the gospel of his Son to our friends and family and neighbours and communities.

Margaret Mayer
Many in the LCNZ will know Margaret Mayer, wife of Pastor Rolph Mayer; Margaret and Rolph have served in interim ministry in the LCNZ. I’ve been informed that Margaret was recently involved in a serious traffic incident. She has spent some time in Intensive Care with many broken bones and lots of bruising. Please keep Margaret and Rolph in your prayers also.

Death of Priscilla Bennett
Again, many of you will remember the interim ministry of Pastor Ron Bennett and his wife Priscilla here in the LCNZ. News came through of Priscilla’s death some days ago, and I want to share what Ron wrote as he informed us of her dying –

• My beloved Priscilla went into a standing Jesus with His arms stretched out to welcome her to her new home. However, I believe a “miracle" happened a minute before she went to heaven. Her shallow breathing from an open mouth seemed to tell me "I need something from my husband before I die." So I closed her mouth and leaned down to kiss her and she puckered up her lips to reach mine … my last kiss … and a minute later she left her body. I then told the body, "Thanks for being the body that carried the spirit of my wife … which is now in heaven."

We thank God for the ministry of Ron and Priscilla here in New Zealand, and together with Ron we thank God for his gift of Priscilla.

Lutheran Masses
If you love the music of Bach … music written for Divine Service in the Lutheran Liturgical Tradition … and if you happen to be in Wellington in March next year, don’t miss –

• The Bach Collegium Japan presenting The Lutheran Masses
• Thursday 6th March 2014 at 7:30pm in the Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington
• Tickets available at http://premier.ticketek.co.nz/Shows/Show.aspx?sh=LUTHERAN14

Hey Face-bookers … Lutheran Highlands Seminary – Ogelbeng Papua New Guinea
LCA Missionary, Greg Schiller writes -

• Hi there bishop! I wonder if any in the LCNZ are interested – I started a Facebook page for Lutheran Highlands Seminary, Ogelbeng where I now serve. The address is www.facebook.com/lhsogelbeng. Blessings, Greg.

The Gateway Gift has supported Greg’s work in PNG, so why not “become a friend” with the Seminary and watch, learn of, and pray for the work that Greg does.

Church Workers’ Conference – Wellington
Last week, most of the Church Workers’ of the LCNZ gathered at St Pauls Wellington for the final conference of the year. We also welcomed back to NZ Pastor Bob Kempe who is Co-ordinator for the LCA’s Continuing Education Program for Church Workers. Here are some of the things we did –

• Bob led us through a study of Galatians.
• Pastor Joe Kummerow (Mountainside) led us in an exegetical study of one of the readings for this last Sunday.
• Pastor Chris Janetzki (Upper Moutere / Hope) led us in our Opening Devotion on Wednesday morning in the grounds of the Botanic Gardens.
• We did a tour of Parliament.
• We visited the LCNZ National Office.
• We shared highs and lows with each other and prayed for each other.
• We enjoyed the hospitality of Pastor Jim Pietsch and the folk at St Pauls.
• We ate at a lovely restaurant in Khandallah … there’s a good steak deal on Wednesday evenings, eh!
• We sat back and relaxed over coffee and dessert at the Bishop’s manse.

Whakatane 50th
This weekend the saints of God at Whakatane Lutheran Church will be celebrating 50 years of God’s blessing to and through them. Former Bay of Plenty Pastor, Robert Hamann will be preaching at the Divine Service on Sunday morning.

My greeting to Pastor John and the members of Whakatane Lutheran on behalf of the LCNZ read in part –

• This weekend you will look back with thanksgiving, and you have opportunity to look forward in hope. So, with thanksgiving for the past and hope for the future, my prayer is that you dedicate yourselves and your lives to the mission which God gives us as the Church of Jesus Christ in the community of Whakatane.
• For 50 years the living hope that is ours through belonging to Jesus Christ has been proclaimed, received, celebrated and lived out at Whakatane Lutheran. O give thanks to the Lord for this, for he has been and continues to be good! And whatever God has planned for you all, also be assured of this – (He) knows the plans (He) has for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11).

Does 2 + 2 Still Equal 4? A Word to Students … End of Year, Exams and All That Sort of Stuff
About 36 years ago I was getting ready to sit School-C (School Certificate). Remember that? I’ve been there, done that, like many of you have. But now it’s the turn of my 15 year old daughter, and heaps of other young people throughout the congregations of our LCNZ.

I realise lots of things have changed and that it’s not called School-C or UE anymore; I only hope that 2 + 2 still equals 4.

I found a neat little prayer that may be useful for the young people of the LCNZ as they face college and university exams –

• Loving God be with me now, as I prepare for my exams. Thank you for the many talents and gifts you have given me and for the opportunity of education. Calm my nerves and anxiety, help me to remember all that I have studied, to express it clearly and to answer the questions the very best that I can. Holy Spirit, sit with me in my exam and always. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

God bless you all during this time.

Kia noho a Ihowa ki a koutou; the Lord be with you.

+MARK
Pastor Mark Whitfield BTh MSM
Bishop of the Lutheran Church of New Zealand / Pihopa o te Hāhi Rūtana o Aotearoa

LCNZ Update 26 September 2013

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

Words With Friends
I have to admit to currently being reasonably hooked on a game that I play on my iPhone. It’s a game’s called Words with Friends, and it’s really ‘on-line’ scrabble that can be played with anyone, anywhere, and at any time with someone who also has a smartphone or an iPhone or a tablet. Leanne and I play against each other … even when I’m far away from home. If you can get ‘QIS’, yes even without a ‘U’ with a triple word score, you’ve done well!

At the face of it the name of the game suggests that one has conversation with friends. Well, you don’t; it’s scrabble and it’s about winning, and there’s very little conversation apart from saying things like, “blow, you’ve won again!”

I really like the phrase Words with Friends though.

Last Saturday (21st September) was the commemoration of St Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, and the gospel reading for the day tells us about Jesus having words with friends –

• And as Jesus sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples.

As you know, the Pharisees – the ones who really considered themselves worthy of the title friends of God, got a bit upset and wanted to know why Jesus would be eating with such unfriendly-to-God people … tax collectors and sinners … disreputable characters, crooks and riff-raff.

Remember Jesus’ answer? It goes like this –

• But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” (Matthew 9:9-13)

God was where he was supposed to be; where he intended to be, where he wanted to be, where his heart was … with sinners, and tax collectors, with crooks and riff-raff … having conversation with the likes of us, poor miserable sinners.

Here is God having words with friends. And not just any word(s) either, but a word of love and life, a word of forgiveness and acceptance; a word of restoration and ‘be well.’

• Thank you Lord God for being friendly with us folk who need your friendship, because without it we would die. Thank you for bending down from heaven; for coming down from heaven in the person of your Son so that you could have words with your friends … with us. Thank you that there was no greater love than the love you showed for us by laying down your life for us … your friends. Amen.

Words With Friends – the Acts 15:36 Tour
Some facts –

• 19 days of tour, with a bit of a break in the middle.
• Close to 2500 kilometres of driving in the car.
• A few thousand kilometres of air travel between the two of us.
• 12 locations, 12 conversations, approximately 36 hours of talking.
• Over 180 participants in these conversations from around the LCNZ (more than a third of all regularly worshipping Lutherans on an average Sunday).
• 9500 words of notes taken.
• The same jokes used by Shannon each time; fresh laughter from Mark each time.
• Many, many words of reflection and debrief between Shannon and Mark as they drove between places.
• A moment of prayer on the Auckland motorway where Mark (driver) did what his Mum taught him as a boy, and closed his eyes to pray.
• An emerging sense of the health of the LCNZ and its congregations.
• An emerging sense of how seriously we need to address the health of the church.

The Acts 15:36 tour was a wonderful opportunity for me as your Bishop and pastor, together with Shannon as facilitator, to come and have words with friends … to come and see how you were doing.

Thank you for your incredibly warm and friendly welcomes; the meals, the hospitality, the conversations, the wonderful consideration of and wrestling with the issues of God’s ministry in and through you, at your place.

Last Saturday the Council of Synod (COS) and the Lutheran Support Ministries (LSM) group met in Wellington to hear Shannon and I debrief on the tour and to hear my vision for the future of the Lord’s church in New Zealand in light of the conversations with his friends and mine over the last 3 weeks.

More debriefing and conversation needs to take place at a national leadership level in order for us to fully get our heads, our hearts and minds around what it is that we believe God is calling us as a church to do.

1. One thing I will say is this – and this was also what came out of the LCNZ Summit in 2010 which gave foundation to this tour: We are a church that has been in decline – numerically, and maybe also in understanding our place and God’s call to mission – for some decades now.
2. The stats (the data), your own health analysis (Alex to Finn), and the comments you made during our words with friends time, confirm that our general health as a church is not good.
3. More of the same is not an option, if we want to see the church live and grow and become a means by which more are invited to be friends of God.
4. Things have to change.

And friends, this is the challenge and the opportunity we have … to submit to the Lord of the Church and to hear his heart for us … and to be prepared to be bold and courageous and trusting in Him, so that if changes in the way we’ve done things for years need to be made, we’ll make them for the sake of the gospel.

We need to work with what we’ve found out from the tour; please pray for your leadership and work with us as we desire to become what he desires us to be –

• He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing (Ephesians 2:10, The Message).  

• We pray Holy Spirit: open our hearts to discern and to hear the will of God; his plans and his purposes for us. Almighty and gracious God, you want all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Increase the power of the gospel in the hearts of the faithful members of the LCNZ, that your Church may spread the good news of your salvation. As we proclaim the saving cross of Christ, may he draw all people to himself, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Words With Friends – Anglicans and Lutherans in the Hawkes Bay
During the Acts 15:36 Tour visit to our sisters and brothers at Redeemer Lutheran in Hawkes Bay, we discussed the possibility of meeting with and having words with our Anglican friends with a view to exploring how we might share worship, ministry and life more closely together.

As you know, the Anglican Church in Aotearoa-New Zealand and the Lutheran Church of New Zealand have reached an agreement called Common Ground, which enables both denominations to explore the possibilities of working more closely together, especially in locations where one or the other group is quite small.

On Tuesday evening I returned to the Hawkes Bay to attend a meal and meeting – some words with friends – as we Lutherans were the guests of the members of St Francis in Clive. As we met we shared our respective histories, our dreams as to what a closer relationship might look like, our fears and concerns, but most importantly we shared a desire to explore what life more closely together might look like.

We are doing this carefully. While we are exploring the possibilities of working more closely together with friends from other traditions, it is also our desire to retain something of our Lutheran identity, by still being able to meet regularly together as Redeemer Lutheran for Home Group ministry and worship. In a spirit of real Christian love, such as is found between friends, the members of St Francis indicated that they would be only too happy for us to do this.

We’re in the early stages of conversation and planning, so I ask you to keep this in your prayers. Pray especially for two important events coming up –

• 6th October We have invited members of St Francis to attend a Lutheran worship service
• 3rd November The members of St Francis have invited us to lead a Lutheran liturgy / worship service in place of their regular worship on that day.

• Father God, how good it is when our lives point to you and when brothers and sisters live together in unity. It is like an oil of blessing pouring down; spilling out and running over. Father, Spirit, Son, Three-in-One, pour out a blessing on your church in the Hawkes Bay as we explore the possibilities of sharing more closely in worship, life and ministry together. Draw us together, under the banner of Christ; unite us in purpose, and fill us with love. Amen.

A Word From a Friend – Pastor Tat Announces His Resignation From Botany
Last Sunday (22nd) the announcement of Pastor Tat Ming Tsui’s resignation as Pastor at Botany Lutheran Church was made.

Tat’s final service will be on Sunday 29th December.

Pastor Brian Shek, Asian Ministry Coordinator for the LCA, came over from Brisbane to assist with the announcement and to read a pastoral letter from me to the congregation in Mandarin and Cantonese. Part of my letter read as follows –

• I am sure that for many of you this announcement brings great sadness and a sense of wondering what God has in store for your future ministry here at Botany, so let me first offer you a Word of Godly promise as written in Jeremiah the prophet – For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope (Jeremiah 29:11).
• Be assured, that even though a season of ministry at Botany is about to conclude, the Lord will provide all that is needful so that you may continue to be a blessing to many.
• The journey to this announcement has been one that Pastor Tat has shared closely with me as his Bishop. From the time before Tat’s ordination, we have maintained a close Bishop-Pastor relationship, where we have shared the joys and challenges, and the disappointments and the blessings of ministry. There have been wonderful occasions where we have talked together, prayed together and shared in worship together; all the time aware of the Lord’s almighty provision and grace.
• Throughout Tat’s ministry, he and I have cultivated a good and collegial relationship whereby we have been able to regularly reflect on aspects of the Lord’s ministry at Botany Lutheran Church. At the same, I have also had a very warm and positive relationship with the leadership and the members of the congregation. Through many hours of conversation and meeting over recent months, and through prayer, Tat believes that God had led him to a decision to resign from ministry at Botany Lutheran Church.
• In the same way that I have offered my love and care for Tat and for you through your leadership, I commit to continuing to love and care for you as we work together to discern God’s future for this congregation.
• I invite you to pray for Tat and Irene as they have made this important decision, that the Lord will bless the decision they have made and lead them to further opportunities for ministry and service in his name. And please give thanks also for the blessing that Tat and Irene have been among you over the last 2+ years.

After this letter was read, Pastor Shek led in a rite of prayer and blessing for Pastor Tat and Irene. Please pray with us –

• Gracious God, you have called us in our baptism to be your servants. You have enabled us to respond to your call as a community of believers. Thank you for the partnership in the gospel that has been enjoyed with Pastor Tat and his wife Irene. As we receive news of Tat’s resignation, strengthen them both for the mission you still have placed before them, and when the time comes, may they go from here knowing our love and our continuing partnership. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Another Friend Arrives – Haere Mai Pastor Rodger Russ
The Manawatu Parish (St Lukes Palmerston North and Trinity Feilding) are getting excited. It’s only a matter of days / weeks until Pastor Rodger Russ arrives to be their new pastoral friend.

You may also wish to share in their excitement and joy by being present at Pastor Rodger’s installation service on Sunday 27th October, 10.30am at St Lukes Lutheran Church, Church Street, Palmerston North.

• Lord Jesus, we pray that you would watch over Rodger and provide travelling mercies as he prepares to leave friends and family and a familiar place to come us here in New Zealand to begin ministry amongst your people in the Manawatu. Amen.

A Friend Goes Home to Be With Jesus – Death of Pastor Don Baron
News of the death of Pastor Don Baron only filtered through to me about a week after he’d died. I have informed LCNZ congregations of Don’s death, but have waited until this update to include the following information.

Former LCNZ President, Steen Olsen writes –

• We had been aware that he had been on the final stages of earthly pilgrimage for a while. Don and Ia-Mei responded to the Lord’s call in retirement and faithfully served Tauranga and surrounds for a number of years. Such was their commitment that they even bought their own house. They will be remembered and loved by our congregation there. I am also grateful for his friendship and thoughtfulness. It was also a please to visit and stay with them.

Don’s son, Chris writes –

• Warm Aloha - love & friendship - to our dear Family & Friends,
• Donald Baron, Ia-Mei's husband of 46 years, serenely took Jesus' hand and never let go as he was drawn homeward to Heaven just after 9 pm Honolulu time, Wednesday 9/11, 2013. Don had been born May 6, 1931. His transfer Home with the Lord was painless, peace-filled and fulfilled – with God's Word of steadfast assurance in his soul, and Christ's loving, peace-giving Spirit indwelling his.
• Don transited from his temporary 'earthly tent' (see Bible quote, 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verses 1 to 8, also written out toward end of this email, along with other Scripture quotes he asked to be conveyed on this occasion) painlessly, while asleep here at home, where he had received hospice care with us since returning from major intestinal bypass surgery and hospitalization in late May (end-stage [4] colon and abdominal cancer was discovered in April). In Don's own words he wrote aforehand to pass to you, he "went Home to be with Jesus my Lord to await the resurrection of the body at His return."
• Don invested quite a lot of thought and heart, during the seasons beforehand, into leaving written instructions about what he requested be conveyed to all family & friends. He wanted a service celebrating God's goodness and gift of Life and Heaven through Christ.
• Memorial Service: Saturday, September 28, 10am at Chinese Lutheran Church of Honolulu.

Don himself wrote –

• Dear friend,
• Each one of us has a Day - it's the Day that Jesus Christ, my God and Savior, calls me across the bridge of time to eternity with Him. My Day has already come, and I am with Him. There is now a joy utterly beyond my imagination, to be with my Savior and await with Him the resurrection of the body, which He purchased at such high price for me. I am a justified ("just-as-if-I'd never sinned") person, declared innocent by Jesus and dressed in His own robe of righteousness.
• My 'Life-Verse' from the Bible is: 2 Corinthians chapter 5, verse 15, 17-21
• And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be a sin offering on behalf of us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
• Please give God thanks with me, and pray that my life work may continue on deeply fruitful for eternal life in the lives of people I got to know (and those they get to know) on earth.
• With love, your friend, and brother through Christ, Don Baron.

I’ll never forget Don introducing me to the phrase – the church exists for its non-members. Don was a passionate pastor; deeply committed to God’s friendship with sinners … a child of God who always had a word of love for the friends of God.

Words With Friends – Given and Shed for You
This Sunday, our 8-year daughter Charlotte, together with a number of other young people at St Pauls Wellington, will receive Christ’s body and blood in the Lord’s Supper for the first time … and they will hear the words of love and friendship, given and shed for you.

As you hold your hand out … your heart even, this Sunday and each time you have opportunity to receive the body and blood of Christ in bread and wine, and to hear God’s words with his friends – given and shed for you, be assured of God’s deep love for you.

These words, “given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins,” show us that in the Sacrament forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation are given us through these words. For where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation (Small Catechism, Martin Luther).

Words With Friends – a Reunion of the Lutheran Women of New Zealand
One last chance to see if there is sufficient interest in holding a Reunion of Lutheran Women of New Zealand.

We have envisioned a one day event held in Palmerston North with the invitation for participants to stay over and worship the next morning.

If interest is sufficient, we plan to hold this reunion early 2014, possibly March/April.

Please can you express your interest by replying to Vicki at manawatulutheran@inspire.net.nz or at PO Box 47, Palmerston North Central, Palmerston North 4440 before 30th September 2013.

Leave
I will be taking two weeks leave from Sunday 29th September to Sunday 13th October. During my leave you can contact the Assistant Bishop, John Davison (07 8395768) or the LCNZ Administrator, Robert Hagen (04 3852540).

On my return on Sunday 13th, I immediately head to Adelaide for a College of Bishops meeting, graduate interviews, and a meeting of the Mission Directors.

Kia noho a Ihowa ki a koutou; the Lord be with you.

+MARK
Pastor Mark Whitfield BTh MSM
Bishop of the Lutheran Church of New Zealand / Pihopa o te Hāhi Rūtana o Aotearoa

LCNZ Update 1 September 2013

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

Let’s See How They’re Doing – the Acts 15:36 Tour
The weather’s warming up. In fact, we’re hearing that we’ve had the warmest winter on record here in Wellington. So last Monday I got out into the garden, mowed lawns, weeded, checked the pruned roses and generally tidied things up … because I’m getting ready to plant some new things this spring and to watch new growth on the plants that have been there for a while.

One of the great joys for me in planting new things is going back every day or so to check on them to see how they’re going. Have the seeds popped through the surface of the soil? How are the new shoots growing on the pruned roses? What are the signs of new life, and what might I need to do in order to encourage better growth?

I’m a gardener who loves to see how they’re doing!

And I’m a pastor who loves to see how God’s church is doing too! That’s why I’m coming to your place sometime in the next 2-3 weeks, along with Shannon Hood, to visit you … to see how you’re doing.

It doesn’t matter to me that the words, “let us go … and see how they are doing” (Acts 15:36) resulted in something of a sharp disagreement between Paul and Barnabas (v.39). The important thing here is that Paul wanted to do all he could to strengthen the churches (v.41).

Just over three years ago the members of the Lutheran Church of New Zealand (LCNZ) met at a Summit facilitated by Shannon Hood. You (the LCNZ) expressed a desire to see the church become as effective as it could in being the means by which God’s love could come to life in our congregations and in our communities.

You said:

• We want to be strengthened spiritually
• We want to have appropriate and skilled leadership in the church
• We want to have good communication throughout the church
• We want to develop a pro-active mission culture
• We want to look at what God has given us – location, facilities, people resources and opportunities – in a God-pleasing way, and if necessary ‘rationalise’ in order to reach as many people as we can with the love of God in Jesus Christ.

In recent weeks you’ve been invited to complete the Vital Signs survey, and to consider some questions –

1. Looking to God: what convictions about the future of our ministry is God placing on our hearts as we hear His word preached?
2. Looking Around: what is going on in society around us?
3. Looking Back: what have been the 10-20 ‘defining moments’ in the history of our ministry leading up till now?
4. Looking In: what is the unique gifts/role that our ministry brings to the kingdom of God?

My prayer is that this process has allowed you as the LCNZ to do something of a health check in your own congregation and location. It is also my prayer that as the tour unfolds it will offer an opportunity for every LCNZ congregation to realise the Spirit empowered functioning of church life as God intended it to be – alive, dynamic and fruitful.

Just as the Word of the Lord in Acts 15 had been preached and had opportunity to take root and to produce fruits of love and service, so too, the Word has made its home in the hearts and lives of the members of the LCNZ.

How’s it growing? How’s it going? How do you believe God is equipping and calling you to share Jesus with the community in which you live?

In the spirit of the Acts 15:36-41, Shannon and I are delighted to be coming to your place to (1) see how you’re doing, and (2) to encourage and strengthen God’s church.

By now, I hope you’ve got the dates marked in your calendar, but just in case you haven’t, here they are again. This way you’ll also know which congregation to be praying for specifically during the next 2-3 weeks –

• September 2, Marton
• September 2, Whanganui
• September 3, Manawatu
• September 5, Botany & Mountainside
• September 6, Hamilton
• September 7, Tauranga
• September 8, Whakatane
• September 8, Kawerau
• September 10, Wellington
• September 14/15, Hawkes Bay
• September 18, Upper Moutere
• September 20, Christchurch

Lord God, Lord of your Church, we pray for the Acts 15:36 Tour throughout the LCNZ. We pray Holy Spirit: open our hearts to discern and to hear the will of God; his plans and his purposes for us. We pray for Shannon and Mark as they visit each congregation, as they listen and speak, as they offer encouragement and as they ask questions that invite us to consider your call to your ministry in our locations. Give safe travel to Shannon and Mark and watch over their families who remain at home while they tour. Almighty and gracious God, you want all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Increase the power of the gospel in the hearts of the faithful members of the LCNZ, that your Church may spread the good news of your salvation. As we proclaim the saving cross of Christ, may he draw all people to himself, in whose name we pray. Amen.

During the Tour
If you need to contact me during the Tour, please call Robert Hagen at the National Office first (04 3852540) or call Assistant Bishop John Davison (07 8395768). They will track me down if it’s urgent and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

Kogudus – Growing in Discipleship
You are warmly invited to Kogudus Retreat IV on Discipleship: Developing as a Functioning Follower of Christ on 6-8 September 2013 at Foxton Bible Camp, Foxton Beach.

The retreat seeks to deepen your walk with the Lord through worship, teaching, discussion and prayer ministry.

Kogudus is an Estonian word that means Christian fellowship. The retreat format provides an environment of encouragement in which you can ask and discuss questions, share what you have already learned and just simply grow in exercising your faith.

The retreat begins meeting by 6pm on the Friday evening to start with a meal and conclude at 2pm on the Sunday. In between there is a mixture of teaching, prayer, good food, laughter, opportunity for a walk, fun, and fellowship.

Download the brochure from the LCNZ website.

Another Euthanasia Bill
Last year Maryan Street drafted a private member’s bill entitled: End of Life Choice Bill. This bill, if it became law, would legalise euthanasia and physician assisted suicide. The bill provides that a person making the request to die must be mentally competent, as attested by two medical practitioners. The person concerned must suffer from a terminal illness which is likely to cause death within 12 months, or from an irreversible physical or mental condition that, in the person’s view, renders his or her life unbearable.

Experts agree that the bill is flawed and confusing and that it would have unintended consequences for terminally-ill patients and their families. For example, when is somebody ‘mentally competent’? How sure can doctors be that somebody will die within 12 months? Doctors are not known for getting their predictions right as to when a patient would die. What exactly is an irreversible physical or mental condition?

The bill is opposed by the NZ Medical Association, the Society of Palliative Medical Physicians, The Palliative Care Nurses of New Zealand Society and Hospice New Zealand.

Care Alliance
Last year a Care Alliance Trust was set up with the purpose of fighting this bill. Its website is: www.carealliance.org.nz Among its members are MPs opposed to the Bill and the Nathaniel Centre (bio-ethics centre of the Roman Catholic Church) and many medical organisations.

The Time to Oppose This Bill Is Now
A private member’s bill goes into a ballot box. Currently, there are 78 bills in the box. On a regular basis a bill is drawn at random from the box. This means that Maryan Street’s bill might come before parliament any time.

As things stand there would be a majority of MPs in favour of the Bill, including all the Green Party MPs.

Maryan Street has been touring the country to drum up support for her bill.

What Can We Do?
The Care Alliance is looking for testimonials and stories re end of life situations. For example, if a loved one was helped to die without major suffering as a result of good palliative care, then, such a story could be published on the web-site. New Zealand offers palliative care of a very high professional standard. Naturally, they would be edited before being put on the web-site. They should be based on evidence.

Let us keep reminding ourselves and the people we come into contact with that life is a precious gift from God. Let us pray for doctors and nurses. They are called to heal, comfort and support all who are suffering in body and mind. They are not called to kill people.

(I am grateful to Petrus Simons for preparing this information on the Euthanasia Bill)

Radio New Zealand Interview With Cantor Rick Erickson
During his visit to Wellington in May this year, Cantor Rick Erickson from Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (New York) recorded an interview with David Morriss on Radio New Zealand Concert. This was broadcast a week or so back, but is still available to listen to on-line.

Face to Face Mini Movie
Check out the latest Face To Face Mini Movie titled "A Second Chance". A real life story of reconciliation between a father and his son. Please select the following links to download and play the movie clip –

A Second Chance (WMV 23MB file size)
A Second Chance (MP4 23MB file size) After selecting the link, select to save the file.

Once downloaded, open the folder and file to play the video. There are other Mini Movies and resources available on www.facetoface.org.au and www.youtube.com/luthmedia.

Signing of Covenant of Cooperation Between the Methodists and the Lutherans in Kawerau
Since 2006 the Methodists and the Lutherans in Kawerau have been worshipping and “working together in ministry and mission.” On Sunday 8th September I will have the pleasure of signing the renewed covenant of cooperation in Kawerau.

The covenant, amongst other things, says the following –

• With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, we desire to manifest and maintain together, in the bond of peace, this unity which has been given to us in Christ.
• Together we agree to work together in ministry and mission, and continue to seek ways of manifesting the unity that is ours in Christ.

Please pray for Pastor John Davison and the members of this Methodist-Lutheran cooperating congregation.

Safe at Church
Pastor Keith Stiller (Professional Standards Office, LCA – Queensland District, and one-time pastor of St Pauls, Christchurch) has recently conducted two Safe at Church workshops in the LCNZ … one at Mountainside (24th August) and one at St Pauls Wellington (25th August). He was supported in his presentations by the LCNZ’s Professional Standards Officer (PSO), Jill Hagen.

Grow Ministries
Marjon Gerson (Mountainside) and Fiona Burmeister (Manawatu) are heading off to the Board of Child, Youth and Family Conference being held in Brisbane next week. Please remember Marjon and Fiona and their families in your prayers. Both Mums have young children and this involves others helping out for these Mums to attend this conference.

Jesus gave his church the commission, ‘Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you’ (Matthew 28:19-20). This command undergirds the new structure of the Lutheran Church of Australia’s (LCA) Board for Child Youth and Family Ministry (BCYFM). The board aims to provide a ‘one-stop shop’ for resources, programs, training and support that grow children and young people into mature adults of faith.

From the Recent Council of Synod Meeting
The Council of Synod (COS) and Gateway Gift Trust Board (GGTB) met at Botany on the 23rd and 24th August. Points of interest from the meeting included, amongst many other things –

• Report from the Bishop / Mission Director
• A conversation led by the Bishop on how we maintain focused on the Mission of God through his Church, while taking care of “admin & business”
• The need to do a review of the Administrators hours, expectations and salary
• Consideration is being given to bringing Pastor Bruce Zagel (LCA Director of Reconciliation Ministry) to the LCNZ early in 2014 to conduct Reconciliation coaching throughout the church
• The establishment of a COS Executive which will meet in-between regular COS meetings (often by teleconference)
• The GGTB spent some time looking at the major grant applications for next year

Longest Lutheran Lunch
IT’S TIME TO REGISTER FOR THE 2013 L O N G E S T LUTHERAN LUNCH – PLEASE DO SO BY 30 AUGUST! This year’s Longest Lutheran Lunch is on Sunday 27th October … or not. (It can be whenever it suits your congregation best).

Register your event at www.longestlutheranlunch.org.

Lutheran Women of New Zealand Reunion
We’re trying to find out if there is sufficient interest in holding a Reunion of Lutheran Women of New Zealand. We have envisioned a one day event held in Palmerston North with the invitation for participants to stay over and worship the next morning. If interest is sufficient, we plan to hold this reunion early 2014, possibly March/April.

Can you please express your interest by replying to Vicki at manawatulutheran@inspire.net.nz or at PO Box 47, Palmerston North Central, Palmerston North 4440 before 30th September 2013?

News From the LCA
Celebrating LCA History
The current edition of Lutheran Theological Journal contains a number of articles celebrating the history of the LCA including: Celebrating 175 years of Lutheran theology in Australia (presented by Dean Zweck, Erich Renner, Vic Pfitzner and Jeff Silcock at the recent General Pastors Conference); Location, location, location: a short history of 104 Jeffcott St (the 2013 ALC opening lecture presented by Bishop John Henderson); Kavel and the missionaries by Lois Zweck; and Scripture, the divine and the human in the negotiations leading to the Theses on Principles Governing Church Fellowship and Theses on Scripture and Inspiration by Geoff Lienert.

Copies of this issue are available from the LCA National Office at admin@lca.org.au. Or why not subscribe to Lutheran Theological Journal for $35.00 a year by contacting ltj.subs@lca.org.au.

Working Together in Indonesia
Last week LCA Mission International Program Officer Glenice Hartwich returned from a visit to some of our partner churches in Indonesia. This included Nias Island, where she visited the BNKP (Lutheran Church on Nias Island) Senior High School in the town of Gunungsitoli. Last year on Easter Sunday, 16 classrooms at the school were destroyed by fire. Glenice reports ‘What a privilege it was for me to be able to give them the gift of $1,800 which the students and staff of Yirara College (Alice Springs) had shared from their chapel offerings, to help with the rebuilding of the classrooms. The students and teachers of the Nias Lutheran High School were so encouraged and inspired by this most generous gift, and by the fact that even though the students of Yirara hadn’t met them before, they showed the love of Jesus to them through this gift’. To find out ways in which you or your congregation can support our partner churches in mission please contact LCA Mission International on 08 8267 7334 or bfm@lca.org.au.

Middle East Attacks on Christians
The Bishops and Representatives of the Eastern Churches in NSW have issued a statement, through the NCCA, condemning attacks on Christians and Christian organisations in the Middle East which have risen to unprecedented levels in recent times. The Bishops ‘condemn these actions which stand against the basic notions of freedom of religion, morals, and human rights. We support our people in our Motherlands in their aspirations for a prosperous and peaceful future for their countries. We ask our fellow Australians, as well as the Australian government to stand with our nations of origin; to speak out against these atrocities and do all what is in their means to stop these acts of violence immediately’. The full statement is available on the NCCA website at www.ncca.org.au.

Kia noho a Ihowa ki a koutou; the Lord be with you.

+MARK
Pastor Mark Whitfield BTh MSM
Bishop of the Lutheran Church of New Zealand / Pihopa o te Hāhi Rūtana o Aotearoa

LCNZ Update 2 August 2013

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

Sitting at the Lord’s Feet and Listening
Almost two weeks ago, I set off to my first Bishops’ Retreat with the Sunday Gospel for Pentecost 9 (21st July) ringing in my ears and in my heart. You know the story … Martha distracted and busy; Mary sitting listening to Jesus.

Not that the regular College of Bishops’ meetings are distracting, but there was something very special and wonderful about the 4 days I spent with the other Bishops in retreat just out from the CBD of Brisbane; we weren’t distracted by the usual business and time constraints of meetings and agendas, and yet we were able to talk business – issues of faith, life, the church, God’s mission – in a relaxed manner.

Every year the Bishops of our church meet for 3-4 days of retreat. This year we were served well by our chaplain, Pastor Tim Jaensch (retired President of LCA QLD), who led us each morning in worship and in Bible study on the Letter to the Hebrews.

And like our own Church Workers’ Conferences here in the LCNZ, we listened to each other tell his story, or rather the story of God’s faithfulness in each of our life and ministry journeys.

We sang, we prayed, we walked through bush on the side of Mt Cootha in balmy 22deg warmth … and occasionally someone said or did something very funny, and we laughed!

In my two years of this Presidential-now-Episcopal journey, I’ve not sensed affirmation from God as I did during these days.

We also had time to get to know our new Bishop, John Henderson, and to offer him our love and support.

From the retreat I shifted about 3kms closer to the CBD of Brisbane to the QLD District Offices to meet for two days with the other three District Mission Directors. Again, I was encouraged, affirmed and inspired by our time of meeting together to be intentional with God’s mission of the gospel here in the LCNZ.

During my time in Brisbane I visited St Peters College, Indooroopilly for the first time and played a quick tune on the organ in the chapel, we were introduced to some of the 80 staff who work at the QLD District Offices, we walked along the South Bank of the Brisbane River, and we sipped cider and chatted.

But most of all … we sat quietly and heard Jesus speak … directly through his Word … and through those who he has placed alongside each of us to share the ministry journey.

Let’s See How They’re Doing – the Acts 15:36 Tour
Just a wee reminder to all pastors and leaders in LCNZ congregations to keep preparing your people for the “Acts 15:36” (let’s see how they’re doing) Tour in September. I believe that while I was away on leave, or shortly after, while I was in Brisbane, the survey and associated information was sent out and made available to you.

You all have the dates when Shannon Hood and I will be visiting ‘your place, so I encourage you to set aside the time when we will be at ‘your place’ and be prepared to be there when we visit, so that you can be part of God’s exciting future for his Church.

The Last Few Weeks; The Next Few
Leanne and I had the privilege of attending the Installation Service of Bishop John Henderson along with about 350 others (and many more, possibly including you via the web) at St Michaels, Hahndorf (near Adelaide) on Sunday 14th Adelaide.

We also had opportunity to have a meal with members of the former congregation we served in Adelaide, Immanuel Lutheran Fellowship (Novar Gardens).

We also enjoyed 3 days holiday on the beautiful Wairarapa Coast … without TV, and then I headed to Brisbane.

Tomorrow a new round of LCNZ meetings begins – Lutheran Support Ministries (LSM) in Wellington, and the Finance Advisory Committee (FAC) in Auckland. I encourage you to pray for these meetings, and particularly for the new people on the committees.

I am also visiting the Hamilton – Bay of Plenty parishes (GO THE CHIEFS!!) this weekend. I’ll be preaching in Tauranga on Sunday morning and then attending a meeting to discuss the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that holds the Hamilton – Bay of Plenty parishes together. I ask for your prayer covering for this meeting as well, as we review and plan for the future.

On the following weekend (10th and 11th August), I’ll be attending a regular LLL Board meeting in Christchurch and a farewell lunch for Ahi Allen, and then flying to Auckland to worship at Botany on Sunday morning, and assist in conducting a Review of Ministry for Pastor Tat and the congregation there. Pastor Brian Shek, Coordinator of Asian Ministry in the LCA is assisting me in this review process. Again … that’s right; I’m going to ask for prayer … please pray for blessing on all involved in this review process.

Our third Council of Synod (COS) meeting for the year and the first for the new COS members will be held on the 23rd and 24th August at Mountainside.

It’s Almost Longest Lutheran Lunch Time Again
Jonathan Krause, well-known to us in the LCNZ, and volunteer co-ordinator of the Longest Lutheran Lunch, writes –

Who say’s there’s no such thing as a free lunch? The crowd was hungry. They’d been out all day, and night was approaching. They’d enjoyed what they’d heard, but now the tummy rumbles were turning into tonguey grumbles. People really were hungry … not just for food, but for Jesus’ message of life. (Though they may not have known that yet.)

5000 people. Five loaves of bread. Two fish. Doesn’t really add up, does it?

Enter Jesus. First he cared that people were hungry. He wanted them fed. Second, he wasn’t put off that the resources at hand seemed too small for the task. Third, well you know the story … the baskets left over prove this meal was not only FREE, people left full and content!

It’s Time to Register for the 2013 L O N G E S T Lutheran Lunch – Please Do So by 30 August!
This year’s Longest Lutheran Lunch is on Sunday 27 October … or not. (It can be whenever it suits your congregation best.

This is our third annual Longest Lutheran Lunch. With more than 100 congregations taking part in each of the first two years, we’ve proved this is a great way for your people to have fun and fellowship … but more importantly to look up from the hymn-book to the him and her who live next door, are friends at work, who were members once then drifted away, who are family but don’t normally come to church, who are doing it tough and maybe just like the idea of a free lunch and a chance to chat.

Register your event at www.longestlutheranlunch.org

Lutheran Women of New Zealand Reunion
From Vicki Wood, Past President of the Lutheran Women of New Zealand (LWNZ)

To Pastors, Women’s Fellowships/Guilds and Past Members of LWNZ

I have been approached several times from interested persons enquiring of the possibility of holding a Lutheran Women of New Zealand Reunion.

I would appreciate it if you could forward this letter to your Women’s Fellowship/Guild, Parish Fellowship or any past members of Lutheran Women of New Zealand you have in your congregations.

This letter is to enquire if there would be sufficient interest in holding a Reunion of Lutheran Women of New Zealand.

We have envisioned a one day event held in Palmerston North (10am – 3/4pm?) with the invitation for participants to stay over and worship the next morning. This event could include a Devotional Worship time, catered celebration lunch, time for fellowship, reminiscing and reflection and in the tradition of Lutheran Women of New Zealand, a time for fellowship/learning/teaching around the Word of God.

If interest is sufficient, we plan to hold this reunion early 2014, possibly March/April.

Please can you express your interest by replying to Vicki at manawatulutheran@inspire.net.nz or at PO Box 47, Palmerston North Central, Palmerston North 4440 before 30th September 2013.

Any further suggestions or ideas would be appreciated and taken into consideration.

Warrambui Internship 2013
Warrambui is a unique Lutheran retreat and conference centre near Canberra. Warrambui’s mission is to serve; to impact the lives of people through the power of the Holy Spirit by being a loving, vibrant and growing community with a heart for Jesus.

The Warrambui Internship Program encourages its interns to focus on the cross of Jesus Christ in all things, not looking at what they can gain but what they can give.

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me (Luke 9:23).

Internships are offered each year for 12 months for up to six young people to come and serve, grow and be discipled. Interns help in the operation of Warrambui and are involved in food preparation, teaching programs to school children, general maintenance, and serving the needs of 5000+ customers throughout the year.

Interns are given opportunities for spiritual and personal development led by an Intern Coordinator and Warrambui Senior Staff.

If you’re aged 18-24, and wish to know more about this exciting opportunity, contact the Intern Coordinator for an information pack: Phone: +61 (02) 62201000 Fax: +61 (02) 62201001 or Email: internship@warrambui.com.au

Applications close 27th September 2013.

Kia noho a Ihowa ki a koutou

The Lord be with you.
+MARK
Pastor Mark Whitfield BTh MSM
Bishop of the Lutheran Church of New Zealand / Pihopa o te Hāhi Rūtana o Aotearoa

LCNZ Update 8 July 2013

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

Speak Out for God; Does That Ring a Bell?
During this weekend just past (6th & 7th July) I was privileged to join with the members of St Pauls Lutheran Church in Christchurch to celebrate 25 years of God blessing them and allowing them to be a blessing in and to the suburb of Burwood.

One of the things I was most looking forward to was being able to present St Pauls with the bell from St Johns Halcombe which recently closed. However, we discovered during the weekend that the bell is still on its way … so I spoke to a large picture of a bell that Pastor David put on the PowerPoint screen instead.

I spoke about how church bells have primarily been used to call people to worship, and I made a connection with how the people of God are called and claimed in their baptism to be one of the means by which others are called to worship and to fullness of life in Christ.

Just over a month ago the St Johns bell rang for the last time over the village and surrounding farmland of Halcombe in the lower central North Island.

For the majority of the 138 years of St John’s Lutheran Church, this bell called people to worship and called people to life in Christ … or as Thomas Merton would say in his Thoughts in Solitude –

• The bell says “rest in God and rejoice.”
• The bell says "Christ is risen, Christ is risen!"
• The bell says "God is good, salvation is not hard. His love has made it easy!"

I’m not sure exactly what the members of St Pauls are going to do with this bell … whether it will be hung outside in a bell tower, or inside the building somewhere as a tangible reminder of the season of God’s good ministry at St John’s Halcombe.

Whatever they do with it, I encouraged them to allow the bell to remind them of the call and claim that God has placed on you as his people in this particular location … to be a community of faith that is –

• Going in the power of the Holy Spirit, to the people of Burwood, Christchurch and beyond, making them disciples of Jesus Christ: knowing Christ; growing in Christ; serving Christ; sharing Christ; worshipping through Christ (St Pauls Mission Statement).

And my friends wherever you’re reading this, whatever congregation or community of faith you belong to you … this sort of thing should ring a bell. You already know this; this is the Mission Statement of God … it’s out there, just like a bell ringing … it’s public … it’s you, in the power of the Holy Spirit announcing to the world, announcing to your community that you exist to be the means by which others are brought to know and to live in Christ.

We read in the Word –

• But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you – from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted (1 Peter 2:9-10, The Message).

So speak out for him, ring a bell; tell someone about Jesus!

Here is the (slightly modified) prayer we prayed as we handed the bell over at Halcombe just a few weeks back –

• We thank you heavenly Father, for calling many to worship by this bell in the village of Halcombe, and we thank you for continuing to call us by your Holy Spirit to worship you. Continue to use this bell both to call people to worship here at St Pauls and as a reminder to this community of faith and to us all that you alone O God are good, and that you have chosen us to call others to the only good and abundant life there is … life in Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Let’s See How They’re Doing
We read in the Acts of the Apostles –

• After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Come, let us return and visit the believers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord and see how they are doing” (Acts 15:36, New Revised Standard Version).

Planning is well underway for Shannon Hood and me to conduct an every-congregation-in-the-LCNZ visit in September. It’s a bit of a health-check visit, as the Word above says … we’re coming to see how you’re doing.

This visit grows out of the LCNZ Summit, facilitated by Shannon in 2010 –

• WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT? It gave an opportunity for approximately 50 people from around the LCNZ to be asked questions by Shannon that got us thinking about how we could be most effective in sharing Jesus with the people of New Zealand.
• WHAT HAPPENED? We were excited that God invited us to wrestle with the ways in which we are being his people – the Church … and we started asking what we might need to change in order for us to be able to do this.
• WE SAID Let’s do it better! And we identified 5 initiatives to work at – 1. Increase Spiritual Depth 2. Increase Leadership Capacity 3. Improve Communications and Engagement 4. Develop a pro-active Mission Culture 5. Leverage our Assets to support Ministry and Mission
• WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN NOW? We’ve invited Shannon back, so that he and I can visit every congregation in the LCNZ to offer encouragement and support as each congregation considers the initiatives and works towards being a place where the love of God comes to life.

Information has been sent out to all pastors and leaders in LCNZ congregations in the last few days, and you’ll be able to read more about it in the next issue of the Olive Tree.

If you’re a member of the LCNZ, I encourage you to set aside the time when we will be at ‘your place’ and be prepared to be there when we visit, so that you can be part of God’s exciting future for his Church.

Update on Pastor John Davison’s Father
As many of you know, Pastor John’s father, David, has spent some time in hospital in recent days with a heart condition. Many of you have prayed for David during this time, and I’m delighted to share with you a recent email update from Pastor John on Saturday 6th –

• Hi everyone, an update on my Dad, David Davison. Dad went home from Wellington Hospital late this afternoon. The pace maker was successfully installed yesterday. We thank God for his treatment and pray that his health continues to improve. Thanks again everyone for your prayers on his and our behalf. God bless. John.

The Halcombe Offering
On the day when we closed St Johns we invited the LCNZ to contribute to a special thank offering which would go to a ‘new start’ ministry – the Village Bank in Cambodia. That offering amounted to $3000.

The new Executive Secretary of Australian Lutheran World Service, Chey Mattner recently wrote to me –

• Dear Pastor Mark, Thank you for your email! 138 years is a very long time, and it’s hard to imagine the sadness of saying goodbye to a church where there must be so many stories and memories. That the people of St John’s and the Lutheran Church of new Zealand decided to think of others rather than themselves at this time is a good lesson for us all. We’re humbled with the gift and look forward to expressing our thanks in a more formal letter in the next week or so. Please pass on our thanks to those who contributed to this. In Christ, Chey Mattner.

Lay-worker Position Available
Please be advised of the current lay worker position available: Warrambui Retreat & Conference Centre – Camp Director – Full Time. For further details go to: http://www.lca.org.au/employment-opportunities.

On Your Hearts – the Grow Ministries Newsletter
Here is the web link for the June edition of On Your Hearts – the Grow Ministries newsletter (sorry for it reaching you a little late) – https://www.faithink.com.au/docs/on_your_hearts_june2013.pdf

Articles in the June edition include:

• Learn, Play & Serve: Model all of these faith forming elements in your children’s and youth ministry--encourage families to be involved in service and fellowship events together within your learning/teaching structure. “For it is not a question of whether we are faith teachers or not, the question is what faith are we teaching.”
• Renaming and Reclaiming a Faith Practice. An article by Debbie Streicher, an associate of Faith Inkubators and Vibrant Faith Ministries. “Providing tools and resources for people doesn’t mean they’ll ever use them. As a congregation, we became more intentional in everything we did.”
• Re-thinking Child, Youth and Family Ministy: Grow Ministries first National Conference—5-6 September 2013, Brisbane, QLD. Guest presenters include Pastor Greg Priebbenow, Lead Pastor St John’s Lutheran Church, Bundaberg and Monty Lysne, Director of Discipleship Ministries, St Peter’s Lutheran Church Loxton.
• H2H Training and Information Day: Saturday 7 September 2013. Brisbane, QLD. This is the day following the National Conference and will be filled with great information for the new and existing congregations. Monty Lysne, former H2H Director for Faith Inkubators US, will facilitate this day—don’t miss this great opportunity!
• The Lord’s Prayer: On Sunday 28th July the Gospel reading is Luke 11:1-13—Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer. Spend some time during this week or the month of July praying The Lord’s Prayer in different ways…lots of suggestions on the back page!

Blessings, Jodi Brook – National Director of GROW MINISTRIES, LCA Child, Youth and Family Ministry

The Last Couple of Weeks; The Next Few
On Sunday 30th June I attended the Farewell Service for Dr Michael Semmler, retiring President of the LCA at Faith Lutheran College in Tanunda.

On Monday 1st and Tuesday 2nd July I participated in the debrief interviews with pastors who graduated in late 2011, and on Wednesday 3rd, I participated in the first round of interviews with this year’s graduating class.

This weekend, Leanne and I will be attending the Installation Service for Bishop John Henderson in Hahndorf (near Adelaide). From the 21st-25th July I will be attending a College of Bishops’ Retreat in Brisbane, and then will attend a Mission Director’s meeting (also in Brisbane on the 25th and 26th July.

Annual Leave
I am now on two weeks annual leave until Saturday 20th July. During my leave - if you have an administrative or urgent pastoral care need - you can contact the Assistant Bishop, John Davison (07 8395768) or the LCNZ Administrator, Robert Hagen (04 3852540).

Kia noho a Ihowa ki a koutou; the Lord be with you.
+MARK
Pastor Mark Whitfield BTh MSM
Bishop of the Lutheran Church of New Zealand / Pihopa o te Hāhi Rūtana o Aotearoa

LCNZ Update 23 June 2013

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

Clothed in Christ; Our Shelter From the Stormy Blast
Many of you will have heard that Wellington was hit by a massive storm this last Thursday. We’re being told it was the equal, if not worse than the storm that contributed to the Wahine disaster in 1968 (The Wahine was an Interislander ferry travelling from Lyttleton in the South Island to Wellington in the North Island that hit rocks in the entrance to Wellington Harbour during Cyclone Giselle, resulting in the loss of 53 lives).

During the storm on Thursday, winds of 200km/h were recorded on Mt Kaukau, one of the highest peaks in the Wellington region. As the storm lashed the city, we were being encouraged to stay off the roads and to stay indoors.

But I had to go out. I needed to take one of our daughters to a piano lesson. The storm wasn’t yet at its worst, but it was still pretty rough. There were already broken branches and debris lying everywhere and rock falls on some of the hill roads around the city. The wind was picking up in intensity and the rain was almost horizontal! It wasn’t much fun being out in the storm.

So it was just absolutely wonderful to get home and to walk through the front door into a warm and dry house. It was lovely to be home and to be sheltered from the stormy blast.

This Sunday we will hear words from St Paul as he writes to the Galatians – All of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ (Galatians 3:27).

Your baptism is shelter from the storms; in particular the storm that was brewing from before you were even born; remember this – in sin my mother conceived me (Psalm 51:5). This sin thing is a storm that keeps raging and battering away at us all the way through life.

You and I need shelter somewhere; a place we can call home … a place where we can come in from the storms of sin and whatever storms are battering us.

There is such a place, and that place my friends is Jesus. Here, by the grace of our baptism we can be wrapped, clothed, and sheltered in Christ. How wonderful that each day we can come home to him.

• Father God, continue to wrap us and clothe us in Jesus Christ by the grace of our baptism. Thank you for sheltering us from the storms of life and from the storm of sin. Welcome us home to the shelter and warmth of your love. Amen.

Halcome - Walk of Faith
The second edition of the Halcombe Journal prepared by Anne Somerville will include photos of the closing service and a few extra stories. To order please send your name, address and telephone number to Anne at –

• P.O.Box 33318 Petone or • By emailing anne.somerville@xtra.co.nz by 1st August 2013

The cost will be $10.00 and that includes postage. If you have a snippet, short story or a contribution to add, please send them to Anne before 1st August.

LCNZ District Convention of Synod
The Church gathered at Botany Lutheran Church on the weekend of the 8th and 9th of June under the theme, Where Love Comes to Life … Growing and Going. A synopsis of the Convention is on the LCNZ website, and the next issue of the Olive Tree will contain stories and reports from the Convention.

Orientation for the New Council of Synod
On Saturday 22nd June, the new Council of Synod (COS) met in Wellington for a handover / orientation meeting. We welcomed new members – Jill Hobden (St Matthew, Hamilton), Caroline Samsom and Ray Meharg (Mountainside, Auckland) – and were grateful that two retiring members were also able to be with us to assist with the orientation. It’s exciting to have a new look COS and a new look Lutheran Support Ministries (LSM) team; two groups of people dedicated to efficient oversight of the church in order that we may be focused on and effective in our witness for Christ. Please pray for the servant-leaders of the LCNZ.

Manawatu Call
This Sunday an exciting announcement will be made in the Manawatu Lutheran Parish – Pastor Rodger Russ has accepted the call of the parish to be their pastor. Pastor Rodger will leave his current parish (Woodville, Adelaide) and come to us in early October, with an installation date to be set for mid-late October.

Give thanks to God for his provision of a shepherd for the people of the Manawatu … and in near-record time!

• Lord God Heavenly Father, we thank you that your Holy Spirit has stirred in Pastor Rodger, leading him to accept our call to be pastor in the Manawatu Parish. Watch over him as he concludes his ministry in Adelaide and as he prepares to come to us. Amen.

Lay-readers Needed for Redeemer, Hawkes Bay
Our sisters and brothers at Redeemer Lutheran in the Hawkes Bay would love to hear from some lay-readers in the lower central North Island who would be prepared to assist with one or two services in October and November. For more information, please contact me at the National Office or the chairperson of Redeemer, Bill Groves at wgroves@orcon.net.nz.

25th Anniversary – St Pauls Christchurch in the Suburb of Burwood
On the 6th and 7th July, St Pauls Lutheran Church Christchurch will celebrate 25 years of belonging and ministry in the suburb of Burwood. There are celebrations planned for the Saturday and Sunday, and I hope to present St Pauls with the bell from St Johns Halcombe during this weekend. We hope and pray that this gift of the bell will remind the members of St Pauls (and us all!) that we are called to invite the communities in which we live to worship … and to life in Christ.

LCA Meetings and Events
Over the next 3-4 weeks I will be traveling to Australia for various meetings and events –

• 30th June Farewell Service for Dr Michael Semmler, retiring President of the LCA in Tanunda
• 1st-3rd July College of Bishops meeting in Adelaide, including interviews with seminary graduates
• 14th July Installation Service for Bishop John Henderson in Hahndorf
• 21st-25th July Bishops’ Retreat in Brisbane
• 25th-26th July Mission Directors’ meeting in Brisbane

Annual Leave
I will be taking two weeks annual leave from Monday 8th July to Saturday 20th July. During my leave you can contact the Assistant Bishop, John Davison (07 8395768) or the LCNZ Administrator, Robert Hagen (04 3852540).

Kia noho a Ihowa ki a koutou; the Lord be with you.
+MARK
Pastor Mark Whitfield BTh MSM