願 父 神 所 賜 的 恩 惠 和 平 安 與 你 們 同 在
Grace and peace to you from God.
Fools Day
Did anyone fool you this April Fool’s Day? There’s a spider on your back. Work called; they said you can have the day off … you know the sort of thing.
Thank God there’s only one Fools Day each year and that it’s almost over! Who would want to be caught out again?
There is some thinking around that those of us who follow the cross are fools for more than one day of the year; in fact that we’re actually foolish all the time. You can understand why this thinking exists; St Paul was on to it when he wrote –
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing … (1 Corinthians 1:18)Yes; it must look pretty silly that we would look to an instrument of torture and death as the means of blessing and life; foolish even.
But that’s the way it is with God and the “back-to-front” gospel he saves us with … the first shall be last, blessed are the poor for they will be rich, lose your life and you’ll find it … that sort of thing. And that’s why St Paul concludes –
… but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18)Max Lucado writes –
Why is the cross the symbol of our faith? To find the answer look no farther than the cross itself. Its design couldn’t be simpler. One beam horizontal – the other vertical. One reaches out – like God’s love. The other reaches up – as does God’s holiness. One represents the width of his love; the other reflects the height of his holiness. The cross is the intersection. The cross is where God forgave his children without lowering his standards.As you continue your Lenten journey towards the cross of Jesus, don’t be put off by how foolish it might seem, but rather be drawn to its grace, its beauty, its love, and its power to save.
How could he do this? In a sentence: God put our sin on his Son and punished it there.
“God put on him the wrong who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
God on his throne. You on the earth. And between you and God, suspended between you and heaven is Christ on his cross. Your sins have been placed on Jesus. Jesus receives the blow. Since Chris is between you and God, you don’t. The sin is punished, but you are safe – safe in the shadow of the cross. (He Chose the Nails, ©2000 Max Lucado, Word Publishing)
The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hell-bent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense. This is the way God works, and most powerfully as it turns out (1 Corinthians 1:18-21, The Message).
Faithful cross, above all other, one and only noble tree, none in foliage, none in blossom, none in fruit your peer may be; symbol of the world’s redemption, and your load, most sweet is he. (Pange, lingua, gloriosi, Venatius Fortunatus 530-609, LHS-50)Bay of Plenty – Tauranga, Whakatane and Kawerau
Early next week I will be visiting these three congregations for the second time this year. In January I visited Tauranga, Whakatane and Kawerau to speak with them about what life and ministry might look like after their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with St Matthew in Hamilton concludes at the end of next month.
These three congregations are facing a future without a pastor regularly coming over from Hamilton to lead in worship, visit, conduct Bible studies, and inspire them to local mission.
It’s been a hard call to make, but is in keeping with the initiatives that came out of the Summit in 2010 where we as Church expressed a desire, that we believed God wanted us to make even better use of the resources he’s given us (people, time, location, money, facilities and opportunities). The MOU served to bring a pastor to these 4 congregations three years ago, but the time has come whereby having reviewed this arrangement we have decided that we need to make changes in order to make better use the resources and opportunities we have.
The Summit in 2010 encouraged the Church to consider -
- Rationalising assets by looking at utilisation versus value.
- Reviewing congregations in crisis and consider such solutions as providing more resources, merger or closure.
Planning for Ministry
In recent weeks, two congregations of the LCNZ – Mountainside in Auckland, and St Matthew in Hamilton – have engaged in Visioning and Strategic Planning. Both congregations invited facilitators from outside the Lutheran Church to prod and poke, to review and challenge, to ask the questions and to pose the possibilities … but most importantly to seek the voice and will of God … Lord, use us … God, how can we serve you best … how will you use us to enable your love to come to life in and through us?
From all reports, both congregations were blessed by the process.
I was in Hamilton for their planning and was delighted at the attendance and level of engagement by the people with the facilitator and the conversation, and I’m encouraged to hear that congregations are wrestling with what it means to be called the people of God; people called to proclaim Christ to a world that desperately needs him.
If your congregation wants to engage in such a process, please get in touch with me, and I’ll see what I can do to support you to make it happen.
- Lord, by your Spirit’s power, help us to seek you and your will, that we may do those things that please you and be useful for the sake of the gospel. Amen.
In a similar manner to what Hamilton and Mountainside are doing in terms of planning for the future, the members of St Pauls Christchurch are also looking to seek God’s will for their future. Pastor Brian Schwarz and Janet have been living and serving in Christchurch for a month now .. encouraging and building the people up in readiness for the future God has planned for them.
On 6th May there will be a special meeting at St Pauls where we are going to bring together some great minds, some enthusiasm and once again, a will to listen for God to speak and make his will known for this congregation. The Director of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod’s (LC-MS) Disaster Relief Program, Pastor Glenn Merritt will be with us to encourage us towards mercy in action as we consider how we might reach out from St Pauls to the community of Burwood and Christchurch with the life-saving gospel of Christ. Pastor Bruce Zagel (Director of Reconciliation Ministry in the LCA/NZ) also plans on being with us to offer his encouragement. And then there are the members of St Pauls … people really keen to see God rebuild their congregation and His ministry in and through them.
Exciting times ahead for Christchurch. Please continue to pray for them as well.
- Lord God, thanks for the wonderful things you are doing in Christchurch through all the churches who have heard your call to serve the community in its time of need. Inspire the members of St Pauls by your Holy Spirit, and rebuild them for the ministry of your love and grace that you have called them to. Amen.
Those signing the Memorandum of Cooperation in Joint Ministry, (L-R): Rev Adrian Skelton (Gisborne-Hawkes Bay Presbytery), Bishop Mark Whitfield (LCNZ), Shirley King (St Francis, Clive), Bill Groves (Redeemer Lutheran, Hawkes Bay) and Bishop Murray Mills (Anglican Diocese of Waiapu).On Sunday 23rd March a congregation of almost 70 people gathered at St Francis Cooperating Parish in Clive (near Hastings) to welcome and embrace our small Redeemer Lutheran Church. Since the retirement of Pastor Trevor Jurgens in April last year, a dedicated group of people from Redeemer Lutheran and from St Francis Cooperating Parish have met together, talked together, prayed together and planned together for even more togetherness, which culminated in the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation relating to joint ministry activities.
All the various denominations participated in the service (Anglicans, Presbyterians and Lutherans), and I was delighted to be able to preach on Psalm 95 - O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
And what joy there was … and praise and thanks to God for this beautiful thing that he has done. And to show that hearts had been joined, we held hands in a large circle around the church at the end and sang our blessing song.
A member of the cooperating parish that welcomed our Lutheran sisters and brothers wrote the following in a letter to me last week –
Our negotiations with your people have invigorated our Parish … and we look forward to continuing our association with you and your local members.Here is a wonderful example of a small Lutheran congregation in the LCNZ finding new life, new purpose and new energy for ministry, in relationship with others from other denominations in the family of God.
- God of unity, thank you for bringing together our people with others who share the faith and your love. Bless their worship, their ministry, their service, their fellowship, and their life together. Amen.
Last week I had the pleasure of visiting my own congregation – St Pauls, Wellington. This time I was there as Bishop; not as member or musician. Last Tuesday evening I sat round table with the leaders of the congregation and the few who braved the wet and windy conditions to come out as well. We talked together about many things including the relationship of St Pauls to the ministry of the LCNZ, how St Pauls might function as a regional church, a community church, and an ecumenical church, and I answered many questions.
The conversation continued, albeit a little more formally when I addressed the congregation during worship on Sunday. During my presentation, I told them the stories of what God is doing through you – his people – in the LCNZ.
I'm looking forward to doing this sort of thing with and for you all as the year progresses.
Cos Exec Goes to the Heartland
A couple of weekends back the COS Exec met at St Martin Lutheran Church in Marton. The Exec held its regular meeting in the morning, and then after lunch we met with a number of members from the congregation. The main purpose of this meeting was to discuss the possibility of a new SMP (Specific Ministry Pastor) for St Martin.
That’s right! God is so good; so faithful, that he is providing the saints (the sheep) at Marton with another possibility for them to have a shepherd after his own heart (Jeremiah 3:15).
Thanks Marton for inviting us! We’ll continue to pray for you and work hard towards making an SMP shepherd for you possible.
If anyone else would like the COS Exec to visit, you only have to ask. If we’ve got the time and can afford the bus-fare, train-fare, or whatever, we’d love to come to meet with you, pray with you and support you.
- Once again God, we’re in awe of your faithfulness and love for your people. Thanks for providing another pastor possibility for your people at St Martin. Bless the process from here with your grace and love. Amen.
Jaswanth Kukatlapalli (from St Pauls Wellington) has almost completed his ALC (Seminary) training for the ordained ministry in the LCA. He is coming to Auckland to do his vicarage (practical training) with Pastor Joe Kummerow and the members of Mountainside Lutheran from June through to November. And then, God-willing, he will be approved for ordination in the LCA/NZ.
Preparations are well underway for welcoming Jaswanth ‘home’ and for giving him a valuable practical training experience in Auckland. The Church really appreciates the willingness of Pastor Joe and the members of Mountainside for making this possible, and for taking their part in forming another pastor for the Lord's Church.
Kogudus Retreat III – Spiritual Gifts
Just a wee reminder that the Kogudus Retreat III on Spiritual Gifts is being held this weekend (4th to 6th April) at Camp Morley, Clarks Beach, Pukekohe.
This retreat aims to help you discover your spiritual gifts, personal style, and God-given passion for serving in the body of Christ and your community.
It may be too late to register for this one, but just in case it’s not, why not email Simon Lieschke for more information – simon@lieschke.net?
FAKEBOOK … NATIONAL YOUTH CAMP … 7th to 10th July
Fakebook … making connections in the modern world.
- Have fun in the snow
- Make new friends from all over NZ
- Grow in your faith together
- Ruapehu Christian Camp Owhango (near Taumarunui)
- Cost is $150.00 pp
Chronic
How do you make sense of suffering? Just when life seemed to have fallen into place, Pastor Stephen Abraham was knocked down with chronic pain.
Lutheran Media has produced a series of 5 new mini movies that are being released every couple of weeks. The series is called "Chronic". It tells the story of Pastor Stephen and Therese Abraham and is designed to give people hope in the midst of suffering.
Go to www.facetoface.org.au to watch a 30 second clip promoting the series about the upcoming Chronic Pain series. It's also on www.youtube.com/luthmedia and called "Introducing Chronic".
There is also a free booklet on Chronic Pain that you can order by emailing us at luthmedia@lca.org.au.
'Noah' Study Guide
'Noah' has started screening in New Zealand. Reviews are mixed. Some Christians say it should be avoided because it doesn't mention the name God. Others say it's a brilliant opportunity to engage with non-Christians. To help you work out whether you love or loathe 'Noah', Pastor Richard Schwedes has posted a two-page resource guide on his blogspot.
In the Next Update
In the next update I’ll include Easter weekend worship opportunities in every part of the LCNZ
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
