some good news

a verse or two

"And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters" Genesis 1:2b

A PCANZ Media Release:

On Sunday 14 August 2011 Presbyterian church-goers gave more than $70,000 – 365 $200 New World Supermarket vouchers – to homes in part of the red zone on the east side of Christchurch.

“The vouchers were given out to homes with no strings attached”, says the Rev Martin Stewart. “The homes are all in an area perceived as not needing help, so they hadn’t received much.”

After their regular Sunday church service, 130 people from St Stephen’s Presbyterian in Bryndwr, St Giles in Papanui and St Mark’s in Avonhead, went door-to-door to share the vouchers with people whose resources have been stretched more thinly than their own.

Martin says that “going over to that side of the city was sobering. There were many sad stories of struggle and wondering what is next. Without exception those who handed out the vouchers were touched by the welcomes they received”.

The Rev Martin Stewart, the driving force behind the project and minister of St Stephen’s and moderator of the Presbyterian Church’s Presbytery of Christchurch, says, “$70,000 was raised, some donated by people from here but most from far off places like Scotland … and Auckland! Foodstuffs offered a discount enabling us to purchase even more vouchers”.

The idea for the vouchers came in April, Martin says, when Highgate Presbyterian Church in Dunedin, (Martin was formerly the minister there) gave him and his wife Anne money to distribute in Christchurch “as we saw fit. The next day we gave the first $1000 of that money to a young family we did not know, and that we had heard life was tough for, in the damaged Avon loop area. I wrote about it on my blog and then someone from Wellington sent $15,000 – it soon ballooned to $70,000. It has been like witnessing the miracle of the loaves and the fishes right before our eyes”.

Martin says in many ways 365 vouchers to 365 homes is barely touching the need out east in Christchurch city. “It really is like we have only got a little bit of play-lunch to share and there are 5000 people hungry. But we sense that we are not alone in this enterprise. We believe that Jesus’ ‘kingdom of God’ is in this and we simply don’t know what kind of ripple of hope the vouchers will generate in the lives of the people we share them with. We are sure something good will come of it and that in a multitude of ways people who receive vouchers will pay it forward in some way.” [article from the PCANZ website]

Spiritual Walk and Musings: Focus on the good – not the road kill.

Last Sunday, the drive over to Takaka to preach at St. Andrews was spectacular, snow on Mt Arthur, the clear day, spring about to pop out its head, the calm of Tasman Bay. On the journey as I was taking in the vista at times I’d look on the road and see some road kill. It got me thinking. With all the bad news in the world, like the London riots, it’s like the media are preoccupied with road kill more than the beautiful vista. The media seems fascinated by exploring maggots and squashed intestines. Think of the story above with 365 vouchers given out. The same week of the riots around the world millions of people loved God and their neighbour and did far more good than any harm done that week. Be encouraged to look at the good – not the road kill.

Something to do: Does the good outweigh the bad?

I encourage you to reflect on the past year – yep that includes the earthquakes, Pike River Mine and all the other things. I wonder if even after the intensity of the grief and pain, which during certain moments must have been virtually unbearable – I wonder if when looking at the full 12 months, we notice how God’s grace far outweighed the bad things. Spend time this week focusing on the good of the past 12 months. I think you might be surprised.

To Ponder and Pray: A short prayer of thanks.

Dear Lord – even though much news is grim – your spirit is moving over the earth, going to and fro, working, healing, and enabling good – even if people don’t know it. We praise you oh God that we are not alone.

to belong

a verse or two

"For only a penny you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father's consent. As for you, even the hairs of your head have all been counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth much more than many sparrows!" Matthew 10: 29 - 31

Spiritual Walk and Musings: Oh to belong.

Well, the smouldering tensions have finally erupted. It was timely for Dr Donna Swift to publish her research on violence among girls – although scarily that violence is within our community here in Nelson. I hope and pray that that research and seeing what has happened in London and Norway will help the shakers and movers get real with some of the issues and not play a blame game. Rather may we all help the alienated belong!

In other parts of Europe a similar time bomb is waiting to go off with a lot of youth being disillusioned with who they are; with what the haves have and the have not’s don’t; and the never ending question of “where do I belong...who am I”. An example of this is in Germany where third and fourth generation German born Turks are feeling displaced with nowhere to belong. Due to satellite TV they speak Turkish and identify with Turkish culture and so are not really considered part of Germany, but because their parents were born in Germany they are not wanted back in Turkey either – and so where do they belong? Similar issues are happening in the Pacific Island and Korean communities here in NZ.

To belong is so important. To be connected is vital. I wonder if sometimes people text in public not to say anything to the person they are texting but so people walking past will see they are connected, have friends and belong.

For me, one of the best things about God is I belong. God knows the number of hairs (or not) on my head, I am his child, belong to his family and when I allow God to commune with me – it is deep, it is satisfying, it is sweet, it fills within me something that even the best food or U2 music can never fill. With God one knows they belong. And at St. David’s we belong, we are God’s sons and daughters; we are part of a family that is not only worldwide but one that transcends time.

The context of the Bible reading above is for Christ’s disciples to not worry when being given a hard time for their faith. It would seem to me faith in God is a very belonging thing – yet often we are too frightened to share that good news, and yet, that very good news helps the alienated belong and in the act of us sharing it we then too belong at a deeper level.

Something to do: Help people belong.

At St. David's we ARE helping people belong – but we still should ask – is there more we can do? If we are to help the alienated belong, we have to accept them as they are – their dress, their mannerisms, their language, their music, their smoking...... we are to love and we are the ones that should make the changes.

To Ponder and Pray: Pray for restorative justice and not retribution or punitive justice....

One concern I have is for just justice to those involved in the riots. Why is it bankers who caused a different kind of violence a few years ago get a golden handshake ("The best way to rob a bank is to own one.") but going by the tone of words from the British PM and London Mayor it would seem the young looters (who stole a lot less) will be strung up – why don’t they get a golden handshake for pointing out societal problems. Surely the crimes by the banking / commercial sector were worse than the youths. Pray to the God of justice, that the justice will be fair – because at the moment it looks like politics and power plays will prevail and only alienate a group of people who already feel as if they don’t belong.

to help our neighbour

a verse or two

Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet'; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' Love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13:8-10

Spiritual Walk and Musings: To help our neighbour.

After I got back from the Hanmer Springs Presbytery gathering, the headline news on the radio last Friday was the NZ dollar going down and the share market doing it’s thing. I must admit it was good to be away for a few days from all the so called “news” because I question if the dollar doing its thing is really headline news? Of course the dollar would go down sooner or later, and does it really matter? I’m thinking of this in the light of Jesus’ teachings which suggest we ought to prioritise other things over material things; of Jesus’ words describing how storing up stuff that will rust or that moths will destroy is rather pointless.

Surely the famine in the Horn of Africa is much more important and should be on the news more than it is (and in ways that are helpful and informative instead of sensationalist ways that just leave us more numb to it all). To all St. David’s folk, is there something you can do to help regarding the famine? I know I’m just spinking but perhaps we could all fast for a couple of days and the money saved by not buying food could be sent to an aid organisation.

On the Bible reading above, Peter Graystone says the following. “Here are two dangerous questions: 'Have I obeyed all the commandments?' and 'Who is my neighbour?' The first is dangerous because it is possible to think that we have fulfilled our duty toward God by deciding, 'I have obeyed enough.' But the question God wants us to address is, 'Have I loved enough?' and to that we can never answer yes.

The second is dangerous because once we have worked out who our neighbour is, it is tempting to go on to ask, 'Therefore who isn't my neighbour?' When Jesus loved the world to the uttermost it went beyond rules and commandments, and it did not stop until it encompassed every human of all times and places. That is the extent of the love which we are called to copy. Daunting!”

Something to do: Give help towards the 12 million people starving in the Horn of Africa.

Why not visit someone in church who has the internet and then together over coffee (Fair Trade stuff mind you), explore websites like Oxfam, TEAR Fund, World Vision or Christian World Service and see how you can help – because it does help. (Our Church website has links to some of these aid agencies http://stdavidschurch.co.nz.)

To Ponder and Pray: For the Horn of Africa.

See the insert in today’s Parish News. It has answers to some Frequently Asked Questions, a list of prayer points and a written prayer. Take it home and knock hard on God’s door!

Who killed Christ?

a verse or two

7 I am telling you the truth: I am the gate for the sheep.8 All others who came before me are thieves and robbers...Those who come in by me will be saved; they will come in and go out and find pasture.10 The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life – life in all its fullness. John 10: 7 – 10

Spiritual Walk and Musings: Did the Jews kill Jesus?

I’ve just watched Jesus: The Cold Case by Bryan Bruce. And I think he is way too simplistic in saying that it was Pilate who did the deed. Look around at life, look at the reasons for events, think of the other crimes Bruce explores. Think to the tragic events in Norway. Things can’t be explained away with just one simple answer. In the case of Norway some people will want simple answers – but life is complicated. Why does Bruce not mention Jesus being questioned by Herod? And to say “the Jews” didn’t do it. Which “Jews” does Bruce mean? I know Jewish folk who would never do something like kill someone but Jesus really did upset the Jewish religious leaders of his day. He really did put a spanner in the works of the people who had power and didn’t want to lose it.

So it is way too simplistic to say it was Pilate only. It was in fact a strange mixture of circumstances, a God ordained mixture. There were the religious Jewish leaders worried about losing power – Jesus was becoming a threat to them (and add to that internal politics of the Sanhedrin and the Pharisees – both against each other and personal agendas by individuals within each group, think of the power which Caiaphas had); then there was Pilate, the Roman Governor, wanting to keep control of things (especially from zealots and trouble makers) – for Pilate – his role in the crucifixion is complicated series of events that lead to the outcome, and he was facing pressure from Rome; and then there was Jesus himself – he knew his hour was near, he knew he was God the Son – God incarnate (and not just a peasant Jewish lad). The amazing thing is that with all this complicated mixture of events including just the normal politics of the day, the normal cause and effects of the day, in the end it was still God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit’s decision if he would or would not die. And so God the Son prayed in the garden of Gethsemane – “Father not my will but yours”. Jesus was struggling with the terror of being a good man dying too young; struggling with the foreknowledge of how painful crucifixion was; and also the responsibility of the weight of it all, knowing this death was an atoning death, a death that would atone for sin committed by all people.

Who killed Christ? A complex mixture of people, but more so, it was our sin, our selflessness, our pride, our doubt. And God died freely so that we might have life, life in all its fullness.

Something to do: Re-read the account of Jesus’ crucifixion.

In the documentary Jesus: The Cold Case, I found the idea there were no eyewitnesses to Jesus’ crucifixion absurd. Go and read the account. Mary and John were there – right to the end! To say there were no eyewitnesses is poor scholarship. Something else I thought unprofessional early in the programme was to say was how Golgotha was only about 3 meters wide. The landscape around civilisation changes a lot in 2000 years – to believe that a rock formation is now how it was 2000 year ago is naïve. Likewise there is no problem with putting a cross into rock, a crow bar and slave could fix that in no time and once the hole was dug, it made a perfect strong foundation to place a cross time and time again. Only poor thinking would suggest they would dig a new hole for each crucifixion. I think this showed early in the documentary a tendency to make strange and wild speculation about things (that were not really that important) to try and undermine years of quality scholarship. There was also a tendency to seek unbalanced information that would agree only with Bruce's own ideas and therefore let him push his own agenda.

To Ponder and Pray: Jesus taught Love.

I don’t know about you but I was not brought up to hate Jewish people (or people of other faiths) and I was brought up in a Christian home. Yet Bruce seemed to be implying Christians are a hate filled lot. Sadly some followers of Christ are stuck in a rut of hate, but not all. Throughout history much more good has been done in the name of Christ than bad—a zillion times over. No doubt the gospel writers would be disappointed that over the centuries some people have used the gospel writings (and other Old and New Testament writings) to justify evil. But that does not mean what was written was incorrect; instead it means that all too often we interpret the Bible to suit our own life style instead of a life of obedience in following Christ.

Do pray against religious intolerance and against hate towards other faiths. Jesus taught Love, love even for enemies. And pray we live our lives for Christ and not ourselves.