GROWING THE CHURCH THROUGH CHILDREN
ANGLICANLIFE.ORG.NZ
DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH
HOW WELL ARE WE INVESTING IN OUR KIDS? SEARCHING FOR THE IMAGE OF GOD
ISSUE FORTY TWO
JUNE-JULY 2016
SHOULDN’T WE BE AT CHURCH?
MISSION: IT IS TIME TO WAKE UP
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GROWING THE CHURCH THROUGH CHILDREN
HOW WELL ARE WE INVESTING IN OUR KIDS?
SHOULDN’T WE BE AT CHURCH?
A LIFE-LONG MISSION
FROM THE BISHOP: Mission: It is time to wake up THE BRIEF ARTICLE: Feed body and soul THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: Mission possible GLOBAL DISPATCH: The wonderful story of Mr. Ocan Charles
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CAPTURED: The Big Picture CULTURE WORKPLACE: Searching for the image of God PERSPECTIVE: It’s not about words
AnglicanLife is published bi-monthly by the Anglican Diocese of Christchurch. Editor / Jo Taylor-de Vocht, Contributing Writers / Cathy Maslin, the Rev’d Indrea Alexander, Contributors / + Victoria Matthews, Barbara Neville, Chris Jansen, the Rev’d Peter Carrell, Tessa Laing, the Rev’d Jill Maslin, the Rev’d Susan Baldwin, Lukas Thielmann, Jo Seagar, Margaret Burnett, Advertising Enquiries / Ivan Hatherley – ihatherley@clear.net.nz, Editorial Enquiries / Cathy Maslin – editor@anglicanlife.org.nz, Design / www.baylymoore.com, Printed by / Toltech Print, Sustainability / AnglicanLife is printed on recycled paper using vegetable-based inks.
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FROM THE BISHOP
MISSION: IT IS TIME TO WAKE UP Words: Bishop Victoria Matthews
“WHY ARE WE NOT CALLING FOR A RADICAL RE-COMMITMENT TO THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST IN OUR LIVES AND IN OUR WORLD?” General Synod/Te Hinota Whanui 2016 is just around the corner as I write this. A massive file of papers has arrived and more recently the papers for General Synod/Te Hinota Whanui have been posted online as well. The most talked about topic is the report A Way Forward and the resolutions that accompany the report. A Way Forward report was written in response to Motion 30 at the General Synod/Te Hinota Whanui 2014. But the question of the church’s endorsement of same gender blessings and the approval of possible new formularies to bless civilly married couples is not the only or most important matter to face our church’s highest level of governance in early May of this year. The meeting that will be held in Napier will also consider a change in confirmation teaching and its requirement for ordination. That may not seem very important but for those who are baptised as infants which is still popular practice among Anglicans, confirmation is the primary opportunity to not only publicly profess one’s faith but also in terms of education. It is a chance as an adult or young adult to actively seek out learning and engagement with the faith that has been handed down. I believe our church does a poor job of making disciples and so changing the status and name of confirmation is less than helpful. Is baptism complete initiation into the Body of Christ? Absolutely. To be baptised is to become a member of
the Body of Christ fully and finally. Nothing else is required. But confirmation as a means of assisting growth into the full stature of Christ is important. I am always amazed at how few schools and parishes use the option of confirmation to help people grow in faith and discipleship. But confirmation is also not the most important matter facing our church. The most important, I believe, will probably not be discussed at General Synod/Te Hinota Whanui in any helpful way. It is the fact we are shrinking and not growing. We are failing to evangelise to the people in our communities who do not know the Lord Jesus. General Synod/Te Hinota Whanui 2014 declared a decade of mission but frankly that has had zero impact thus far because we keep tripping over what constitutes mission. Why are we not calling for a radical recommitment to the Lordship of Christ in our lives and in our world? Now that would cause a few folk to wake up. Please join with me that whether it is at General Synod/Te Hinota Whanui 2016 or elsewhere, the Anglican Church in this Province will re-dedicate herself anew to radical, risky discipleship under the lordship of Jesus Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit. To God be the glory. +Victoria
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THE BRIEF
THE DEATH OF THE BELOVED REV’D CANNON GEORGE EHAU Words + Photo: Taonga Magazine Much-loved Priest the Rev’d Canon George Ehau, Priest-in-Charge, Te Hepara Pai in Christchurch, died suddenly on Thursday 31 March 2016. George was a faithful pastor, preacher, evangelist, and teacher over many years in Christchurch. He and his wife Wyn were a devoted couple, and loving parents and grandparents to their children and mokopuna. His tangi was held in Christchurch at the Wai-ora Trust, Harewood, which George and Wyn established in 1981. “We commend George, our brother in the priesthood, to Almighty God, and may light perpetual shine upon him. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.” — The Rt. Rev’d Te Kitohi Pikaahi, Vicar-General, Te Pihopatanga o Aotearoa.
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MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS RISING
WORKING THROUGH DISAGREEMENT
Christchurch City Missioner Michael Gorman is highly concerned about the severe mental health issues that are on the rise in Canterbury. In February alone the Christchurch City Mission’s intake social worker saw 139 clients, 25 of these were new, and nearly all were suffering from some degree of stress and anxiety. The City Mission applauds the Government’s recent injection of funds to support local mental health services and believes it is desperately needed. According to Michael the February quakes have reawakened anxiety and stress in Christchurch residents, “we are seeing many people who are feeling insecure and afraid.” Michael encourages anyone who is feeling stressed to seek help from friends, whānau, and mental health support services.
On Friday the 1st of April 2016, Professor Chris Marshall, an outstanding teacher and scholar, delivered a lecture to members of our Diocese about how the modern and historical church has and can work through conflict about doctrine. During the lecture Professor Marshall offered an introduction to the principles of addressing questions of church doctrine, as well as a fascinating examination of the Apostle Paul’s treatment of an important doctrinal disagreement during his time. This lecture is particularly helpful in regard to our Diocese’s continuing discussions about the A Way Forward report. Visit our website www.anglicanlife.org.nz to view a full recording.
THE BRIEF
Archbishop Winston meets with Maniyava villagers
CYCLONE WINSTON: THE REBUILDING PHASE THE ANGLICAN MISSIONS BOARD Cyclone Winston was the strongest cyclone to ever make landfall in the Southern hemisphere. It had devastating consequences for Fiji and islands nearby. Those who were least prepared were the poorer more isolated communities. There are three phases of an emergency of this kind, the three “r’s”: the “rescue phase,” the “relief phase,” and the “rebuilding phase.” Each phase is critical to the safety and wellbeing of the people. The “rescue” (and recovery) phase is the phase during and immediately after the disaster. The “relief ” phase is next and can take months depending on the devastation caused. This phase focuses on food, water, clothing, medical support, and temporary shelter for those affected. The response of the churches is critical at this point. They know their
communities best and therefore how to assess the need and get relief supplies to where they are most required. The “rebuilding” phase can take years. This can be the most difficult phase, because people sometimes forget that many still need help to rebuild their homes, their gardens, their communities, and their lives long after rescue and relief efforts have been completed. Anglican Missions is focusing its appeal efforts on rebuilding the very poor and remote community of Maniava which was struck by the full force of Cyclone Winston. Stage one involves rebuilding 33 homes at a modest cost of $7,000 each. Visit www.angmissions.org.nz for more information on recovery efforts and how you can help.
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THE BRIEF
EASTER SUNDAY SUICIDE BOMBING IN PAKISTAN UPDATE FROM VOICE OF THE MARTYRS On Easter Sunday 74 people were killed and over 350 injured by a suicide bomb attack at a crowded playground in Lahore, Pakistan. A Taliban splinter group admitted responsibility for the bomb which was deliberately targeted at the Christian community. According to a Lahore church leader ‘‘Gulshan-e-Iqbal is a very attractive and popular park in Lahore and on special occasions this park is always overcrowded with children and parents. On Easter Day after church services many Christian families went to this park
to have some recreational time.” Most of the dead and injured were women and children. The hospitals are now filled with the severely wounded, sometimes entire families. One injured three year old boy lies alone—nobody knows who he is, it is presumed his family were killed in the blast. Please pray for the bereaved and grieving, and that Pakistani Christians will respond in love to those who seek to harm them.
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FEATURE
GROWING THE CHURCH THROUGH CHILDREN —A PRACTICAL EXPLORATION Words: Cathy Maslin, Photos: Annabel Howe, Illustration: Stefan Downs
“IT USUALLY COMES DOWN TO WHETHER DECISIONS MADE ARE DECISIONS WHERE CHILDREN ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.”
Annabel Howe, Co-ordinator of “Oasis” the Children’s and Families Ministry at St Christopher’s, has made a conscious choice to focus her time and resources on introducing children to Christ. It was not a decision made in a vacuum. Exposure to a Christian run after school programme, mentoring by Carolyn Robertson*, and cold hard facts convinced her that this was an area where effort translated into lasting impact. The Bible advises us to, “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it” (Proverbs 22:6). Annabel points to research from the International Bible Society that confirms this piece of wisdom. “The main finding of this research group was that Biblical world views change very little when comparing people at the age of 13 to the same people at 40 years old.” Therefore, the importance placed on ministry to children before the age of 13 is a crucial component of evangelism and growing healthy churches. According to Annabel, the attitudes of adults in a congregation are also pivotal. “It usually comes down to whether
decisions made are decisions where children are taken into account—a big part of this is where finances are allocated to,” she says.
HOW IT WORKS AT ST CHRISTOPHER’S At St Christopher’s teenagers lead the children’s groups on a Sunday morning overseen by supervisors, mainly young adults, who were former group leaders. Paying the supervisors for three hours per week helps to ensure the quality of teaching, reinforces accountability, and prevents the loss of leaders due to pressure on them to acquire paying jobs. The groups are 18months-4yrs, 5-6yrs, 7-9yrs and 10-12yrs. The format for learning focuses on three core themes: knowing God, loving God, and living this out in the world. Material to support the teaching of the themes is chosen from a multitude of resources already available. Relationships and how they are lived out in Christian community is the building block of “Oasis.” Being accessible to each other every day of the week is an essential part of this. Each young leader’s attention is on their group and servant-leadership is practiced—no7
FEATURE
one is asked to do a job someone else isn’t prepared to do. Supervisors in leadership also model being accountable, correctable, and teachable, three qualities expected from the group leaders at St Christopher’s. These sit alongside grace and forgiveness. Annabel shares how being teachable works, “if I want to know what is important to a ten year-old I will ask the 11 year-olds for advice.” The first things group leaders mention to Annabel about Sunday mornings is being with others who care about them and whom they can serve with. The opportunity to exercise faith is seemingly as important as learning about faith. After being part of such a community, the children name their goal of wanting to be a leader. Annabel notes “their parents say that their attitude to being at church in general—but especially on Sundays—has completely changed, and some have fully embraced faith where previously they said they had none and didn’t want anything to do with it!”
REACHING OUT In Annabel’s previous role she worked with many community children who had little or no teaching about Christianity. She says, “when asked what stood out to them the most, the children overwhelmingly named the safe relationship with someone older who was their leader and was genuinely interested in them. The children knew our actions were a part of our Christian service and it was the biggest witness to them.” Annabel’s comments give a clue as to what is important while undertaking outreach activities to children in the community who
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have had little or no involvement with Christianity or a church. The first step she recommends is following the church local mission rule of finding out what a community needs and meeting that need. This can be as simple as going in and asking “what are your needs?” Then, see if you have a viable way of meeting them. An example of an outreach St Christopher’s undertakes is partnering with the local primary school by applying for council funding and putting on a Christmas concert with a sausage sizzle. Both the church and the school put forward groups who perform. Showing Christ’s love to children in our community without strings attached comes first. There are, however, several practical tips Annabel suggests to make it easier for families who wish to connect into church life or understand more about Christianity. One suggestion is taking a strategic approach about who helps out at groups or welcoming at church; a familiar face makes people feel more comfortable with “all things church.” Another suggestion is buddying up families who come to a group and also on a Sunday with those who do not attend church. Finally, how about inviting a group to see what it is like at your church on a Sunday (for the whole or part of a service)? A “walk through.” Make it clear there is no expectation they will take part; the invitation is to watch. You may be surprised by the outcome.
STARTING FROM SCRATCH If there is currently no children’s ministry undertaken at your church or if your resources, both human and financial are limited—
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“WHEN ASKED WHAT STOOD OUT TO THEM THE MOST, CHILDREN OVERWHELMINGLY NAMED THE SAFE RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE OLDER WHO WAS THEIR LEADER AND GENUINELY INTERESTED IN THEM.”
don’t despair! Get a group together who are willing to work on prioritising families every day of the week. Annabel offers the following suggestions to help guide what your next steps might be: • Choose a dedicated learning space where children are welcomed each week. Include items helpful to parents (e.g. wipes, change table) alongside making your buildings child friendly (e.g. stepup stools for the toilet). • Undertake one family orientated service a term, for example celebrating “Mothers and Significant Women’s Day”—balloons, morning tea, a gift for children to make—the possibilities are endless. Keep a photographic record of the event to advertise it again the following year. • If you have teenagers 13+ years (even just one) in your church include them in your group and seek their advice on all aspects (e.g. choosing learning material). You want to convey the same biblical message you received but packaged to reach a new generation. By becoming involved teenagers have a personal stake in the church community. • Reflect on all the things grandparents do—anything that you can do in the role of support for families during the week, no matter how small, is greatly appreciated! • Consider finding a young person to help you set up an internet presence or Facebook page. Most new families searching for a church will look on the internet.
• Remember that alongside being greeted by name as they come in the door, the second most common reason given by children for returning to church is someone sent them a card. This could be for a birthday, a celebration or acknowledging an important event in their lives. Annabel exclaims, “You have so much to offer—think time, attention, acts of service, asking what someone needs, and you are 90% there! If you remember nothing else remember this: being small allows you huge scope in the level of attention and detail you can give each child and family that comes your way. Large churches simply cannot match up on things like home-baking, committed long-term relationships, and handwritten letters which speak to an age-old need that children and families are desperately missing.” Do you want to dig deeper into reaching children for Christ? Check out the two books Annabel says, “changed everything for her.” You never know where your journey will end up … • ‘Transforming Children Into Spiritual Champions - Why children should be our churches #1 priority’, by George Barna. • Making your Children’s Ministry the Best Hour of Every Kids Week, Sue Miller with David Staal. There is always more to learn and be inspired about when it comes to church and children. Most of it comes from the young people themselves! *Former Children’s and Families Co-ordinator of the Diocese of Christchurch
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HEADER
HOW WELL ARE WE INVESTING IN OUR KIDS? BARBARA NEVILLE REFLECTS ON THE CHILDREN AND MINISTRY IN THE DIOCESE OF CHRISTCHURCH REPORT. Words: Barbara Neville I am one of hundreds of adults who leave church on a Sunday morning with sticky, gluey fingers or glitter on my face. I do ministry with children. Despite the fact that finding something in a craft store to match a Bible lesson makes me as excited as a child in sweet shop, I take this ministry very seriously. I was delighted when I heard Bishop Victoria had commissioned a report on children and ministry in the Diocese 10
of Christchurch. It is encouraging that our leadership deeply values ministry to children. When I was asked to reflect on what the report means for children’s ministry in our Diocese, I was thrilled. Then I opened the report and begin to read. I read the first few pages and closed it. It was tough reading. On average only 575 children attend church on a Sunday morning
“UNDENIABLY, CHILDREN ARE THE FUTURE OF OUR CHURCH. HOWEVER, CHILDREN’S MINISTRY IS NOT ONLY ABOUT THE FUTURE; IT IS ABOUT THE NOW. ”
across the Diocese of Christchurch. Close to 70% of our churches have under ten children attending. Within that, 25% have no children. One third of our churches do not budget for children’s ministry and in some cases volunteer parishioners buy their own resources. I clicked close on the report. It was like reaching that place in a book where you are afraid there is no way the story can end well. But the story doesn’t end there. In total, 93% of our churches have special Christmas services which include a child-oriented aspect and 48% do so at Easter/Holy Week. Over 70% of the clergy who responded had some involvement with children’s ministry. We have twelve churches who have committed/paid people in children’s work, and 289 wonderful parishioners volunteering for this amazing ministry. As a Diocese, we touch the lives of 4,600 children in community-based ministries. This report gives an understanding of our current strengths and weaknesses, but more importantly it outlines the opportunities for our future in children’s ministry. It is clear in this report that we are engaging with more children in our outward-facing ministry than we are in our church communities. We have wonderful outreach programmes and church holiday services; we need to find bridges so that the children and families being touched by those ministries can journey across and also find belonging in our churches. In order to do this, we may need to challenge our parishes to consider innovative ways to enable children to continue their spiritual development within the church body. We need to hear and answer our Saviour’s plea to “Suffer the little children to come unto me…” (Matthew 19:14). What would it take to bring more children into the church? Children’s ministry workers interviewed described a desire to see children with a sense of belonging, but that attitudes toward children in their churches could be improved. Vicars need to stand beside their children’s workers creating an ethos of acceptance. Adults need to be loving examples to the children attending the church. Our second task is to encourage all our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to join us in this great mission. We need more of our churches to join us in this calling. We need to raise children’s ministry leaders for the future. Undeniably, children are the future of our church. However, children’s ministry is not only about the future; it is about the now. Children are a fundamental part of the body of Christ. If they are absent from the body, a vital part of the church is missing. Would Christ stand in our midst and say, “Where is the child? Where is the boy with the fish and the bread? Without him, I cannot feed the masses!” Children are not optional; they are essential. It is exciting and challenging times for children’s ministry. There is so much to do to help our children learn to follow Christ for their whole lives, and we get to do it with glitter, glue, games, and Lego. What could be better?
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FEED BODY AND SOUL Words: The Rev’d Indrea Alexander
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As winter begins, All Saints Methven launches another season of feed – an outreach to the ski field on its doorstep. The Sunday evening “church with a difference” is especially tailored to attract members of the 200 strong Mount Hutt workforce. Vicar Mike Keith says that at the end of a busy ski weekend, “people can come right off the staff bus and straight to feed.” There they are offered “a feed of physical food and a good feed of soul food.” From 6-7:30pm people relax around tables for a cooked evening meal, a short talk or audio-visual presentation, and discussion over dessert. Between 20-30 people usually attend. Some are overseas Christians looking for a winter church home, others are unchurched. The initiative was the brain child of previous Vicar Rev’d Dave Clancy, who also established Mount Hutt ski field chaplaincy. When he left, the parishioners ran feed themselves for a season until Mike arrived at Christmas time three years ago. “When I came I brought a new flavour to it, but it’s very much a church ministry from All Saints,” says Mike. Church members donate food and money, pray for feed, and help set up and clean up. “We’re just a small church doing what we can to reach out to our community.” All Saints Methven has 30-40 people on a Sunday morning and an aging congregation. Numbers aren’t growing as a result of feed. “People come [with the ski season] and then they leave, we don’t see the fruit… the church family sees it as kingdom ministry.” And they love hearing how feed is building God’s kingdom. One new Christian who came to feed is now involved in Christian outdoor education in Australia. Another person who came along was put in touch with a church in Wellington and has come to faith.
At feed and through the ski field chaplaincy, Mike is involved with many people who are a long way from home. A large proportion of Mount Hutt’s staff come from overseas. Many are young and feel the impact of being away from their home and support structures. As chaplain, Mike is “there to support them” as they face emotional and mental health concerns, alcohol, personal issues, and inter-personal conflict. Mike has also been used as a mediator to aid in conflict resolution between staff and management. The chaplaincy role is voluntary and takes at least a day a week. Mike does it with the blessing of All Saints and Mount Hutt management, who “really appreciate the role.” They give me a season pass, so I’m able to be part of the mountain as well.” And he knows what to do on the slopes. He did some ski racing while growing up in Australia “and I do race in the Masters at Mount Hutt once a year.” At one time he thought skiing was all behind him. When he left school he went with a group of young people to do rural mission. They had to pay $50 towards fuel for the trip. The following weekend he went skiing, and it hit him that he was spending considerably more than $50. “It was a moment of revelation—I wanted to do ministry.” He put aside skiing for 12 years after going into ministry and then saw the advert for Methven parish. Skiing and ministry have come together in an unexpected way. “God has a sense of humour. I feel very blessed,” says Mike. Mike is looking forward to the upcoming season and is hoping for another good turn out—“we cook in faith!”
Photo left: The Rev’d Mike Keith competing in the Mount Hutt Masters - Photo by Tetsuro Mitomo
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SHOULDN’T WE BE AT CHURCH? Words: Chris Jansen, Photo: Jono Smitt
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It’s Sunday morning at 9:30am and I’m sitting on a deck outside a student flat opposite the beach I’m sipping a flat white, freshly brewed on a coffee machine which is temporarily resting on a builders bench against the house. The sun is just breaking through the mist and warming the 20 friends sitting around eating pancakes. Just a thought…shouldn’t we be at church? Oh that’s right, we are at church—surf church! The Board Room (affectionately known as surf church) reaches out to surfers over summer on Sunday mornings from 9am. Breakfast is served, a message is shared and discussed, and there is time for surfing before and after. The Board Room is organised by a keen team of locals from Sumner Redcliffs Anglican church. It’s been fantastic for us to consider “what does a community of faith look like in our backyard of Sumner?” An expression that authentically connects our passion for God and for his creation, a place for genuine relationships to be forged while we discuss the meaning that God brings to our lives. This summer we met on the front deck of a flat on Sumner’s Esplanade with about nine of the flatmates who live there along with
various others. This relaxed venue was perfect as we were close to the surf—a natural gathering place for many. Numbers ranged from 18–25 each week with mostly unchurched young adults attending. Unfortunately, the lease for the flat expired in March and the tenants dispersed over Christchurch. After this we meet in Scarborough Park next to the Sumner clock tower. This was not ideal as we had no power/water available and we saw an immediate drop in numbers. It highlighted for us just how important venue is to our ministry. The next chapter for the Board Room is our group’s dialogue at present. What expression of faith would be most relevant to our colleagues, neighbours, and fellow surf lovers? And, what format and setting could that occur in? On the last Sunday in March the Board Room provided/sponsored breakfast for 60 competitors at the annual “Single Fin Mingle” surf competition here in Sumner. Winter will allow us to develop these future thoughts with a view to the Board Room emerging once more in Spring in its next fresh expression. For more information on the Board Room contact Grace Downs at downscrew@xtra.co.nz or Chris Jansen at chris@leadershiplab.co.nz.
Photo: Cam Haylock, Youth Pastor at Sumner Redcliffs Church and Board Room team member, carves up the surf in Banks Peninsula.
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Follow the historic Kings Highway to Petra in Jordan. In Turkey, see Istanbul, Gallipoli and many biblical locations. So many highlights! Enquire now to take part in this amazing journey.
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THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS
MISSION POSSIBLE Words: The Rev’d Peter Carrell, Director of Education for the Diocese of Christchurch.
I love the Mission Impossible series starring Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt. In his hands the impossible mission always turns out to be possible. Near the start of each film Hunt is given his mission which, true to the Latin origin of “mission,” sends him out on his task. Cue parachuting from a burning plane etc.! Christians have their own “mission impossible” in which God sends us out to a world which may ignore us, reject us, or even kill us. What is that mission? What does it mean to be sent? How do we know when we have succeeded? The simplest mission statement in Scripture comes when Jesus says to his disciples “As the Father has sent me, so I send you” (John 20:21). Our mission, first of all, belongs to God. It is the mission of God (missio Deo) and it is the same mission which God gave to Jesus. When we think about that, it is pretty awesome. Even Ethan Hunt doesn’t get missions as awesome as that. But what is the mission of Jesus that is now our mission? In three words the mission is to “save the world” (John 3:16-17). We are not asked to die on the cross, as Jesus did, in order for our sins to be forgiven, the
powers of darkness to be defeated, and the infinite love of God to be demonstrated. But, we are tasked with spreading the news of what Jesus has done in order that people may believe in Jesus and so “have life in his name” (John 20:31). Ethan Hunt succeeds in his missions because he has some amazing skills, from clinging to the outside of speeding trains to killing people instantly and silently, with the odd tiny gadget thrown in which can enable escape from otherwise certain death. Christians are not equipped in the same way but we are given the same Holy Spirit who empowered Jesus (John 20:22). We have a mission, it is from God through Jesus Christ, and to accomplish the mission, we receive the Holy Spirit. But how do we know when we have succeeded? Perhaps the answer to that question is for God to reveal, when the time is right. What we can see, as plain as day, is that we have not yet succeeded. While much is good in our world, the powers of darkness rule over many territories and the love of God is unknown to many. Ethan Hunt never gives up until he proves the “mission impossible” is possible. And neither should we.
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GLOBAL DISPATCH
THE WONDERFUL STORY OF MR. OCAN CHARLES Words: Tessa Laing, Photo: Tessa Laing
“WHERE WE LIVE, ALCOHOL IS A PLAGUE, BRINGING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, LIVER DISEASE, AND UNPRODUCTIVITY.” Everyone at our church knows Ocan Charles. We know his warm eyes, his blunt manner and his big black bike. He regularly admonishes us for our soggy singing: “God is not happy with this volume!” We’ve heard his story a million times, but we’re always eager to hear it again. While his testimony is as dramatic as any televangelist could wish for, the true attraction is his integrity. His story always starts “I used to be a very good drunkard…” And by all accounts, he was. As a youth, he was abducted by a rebel army. He eventually escaped, but kept drinking. One day some friends found him lying unconscious in a ditch. When he came round, they told him, “look, you’d better get saved or you’ll die.” That day he met Jesus and accepted salvation in all its forms. He never drank again. The friends took him to their church, St Catherine’s, where he has grown and served ever since. Two years ago, we launched a new group, mixing together members of our church with members of our neighborhood to tackle problems in our community together. Ocan was one of our founding members. We started with many hopes. Could St Catherine’s Christians express
Ocan Charles constructs a new long-drop roof for his family.
their faith in the God of justice by getting practical? Could we introduce our changeseeking neighbours to Jesus as we worked together? Last year, we started fighting for new alcohol laws in our district. Where we live, alcohol is a plague, bringing domestic violence, liver disease, and unproductivity. We are fighting to ban “alcohol sachets” which are 40% spirits in 100ml plastic packets, sold for 20 cents. For Ocan Charles, the campaign is deeply personal. You could see it in his face on the day we marched
to present over 10,000 signatures to Local Government. He was our spokesperson. Un-phased by the cameras, he passionately schooled the media on our campaign. Last month, the law was completed. We certainly got practical. But have we been sharing our faith? When I think about Ocan’s story, I think of those friends who spoke so honestly to him, who lovingly brought him to a safe space at St Catherine’s. In our group, we’ve laid the ground work: community. Two years ago, people dribbled into our meetings an hour late. Now many come early just to catch up and chat. We’ve been through a lot together fighting for this law. Could it be time to start some serious conversations about what motivates us? Conversations about the God who pulled Ocan from a ditch to be a leader? I know I can count on Ocan to share his story, one more time. Tessa Laing is a mission partner with NZCMS, based in Gulu, Uganda with her husband Nick. She coordinates a church-based community organizing group called ‘Wakonye Kenwa,’ while Nick manages eight rural health centers under the Diocese of Northern Uganda. Check out their blog, ugandapanda.com. 17
CAPTURED
THE BIG PICTURE The winning artwork from Anglican Advocacy’s “The Big Picture” art competition which focussed on the issue of child poverty. The artwork was created by Whangarei Girls High School and it has recently been part of an exhibit touring Timaru, Temuka and Waimate. It represents the people in the community of Whangarei who are unrolling ladders to help the 22 percent of the city’s population who live with the various forms of poverty depicted in the work.
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CULTURE
THE SECRET CHORD BY GERALDINE BROOKS (WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE) Words: The Rev’d Jill Maslin Lay your Bible to one side and let this account of King David’s life sweep you into the First Testament world. With her customary skill, Geraldine Brooks has written a book that is an easy read, yet at the same time, holds considerable depth. Be prepared for those passages that come and surprise you with their richness of language and imagery. While any story of King David will necessarily be a fictional biography, this has been well researched and resounds with what we know of his character and history. Narrated by Natan, David’s prophet, the King’s passionate relationship with God the “Name,” is a consistent strand of the story as it weaves its way through the violence and rawness of the time and the politics and complexities of Kingship. At the book’s conclusion, you will come to your Bible with a richer understanding of David, king and human being.
“THE LITURGISTS” PODCAST Words: Lukas Thielmann The Liturgists are a collection of artists, musicians, and writers that collaborate to create art and experiences for those who feel spiritually homeless or frustrated and marginalised by the wider church. Their podcasts usually follow a topical format using interviews, music, and poetry to dive into difficult issues and questions. What always strikes me is the open, honest, and pastorally minded way the two regular hosts (Michael Gungor and Mike McHargue) navigate issues. Their episode titled “LGBTQ” is a great example of their openness and humility when interviewing people with radically different opinions. I think that this sensitivity is a product of their respective faith journeys (see the episodes “Lost and Found” parts one and two). Through their faith journeys they have gained an ability to appreciate wonder and mystery and they bring this openness to discussions that are very relevant to our contemporary context. It’s definitely worth a listen.
TRANSFORMING CHILDREN INTO SPIRITUAL CHAMPIONS: WHY CHILDREN SHOULD BE YOUR CHURCH’S #1 PRIORITY BY GEORGE BARNA Words: The Rev’d Susan Baldwin In truth I wasn’t that fond of this book. The author seemed to be surprised when his market research and statistics discovered what the Catholic and Orthodox churches have known for centuries—that ministry to children is essential. My disappointment was that most of his ideas required a large multistaffed church. He does however, identify three factors on the path to effective ministry to children that are attainable by any church: 1) The leadership of the church must be invested and advocate for allocating the church’s resources and motivating people for ministry to children. It isn’t a “cute” thing to be done as an afterthought. 20
2) Every church’s ministry to children needs to promote a biblical worldview providing young people with the information, experiences, skills, and encouragement required for spiritual growth. 3) An effective ministry to children is about perseverance. It is a long-term goal and process which will not see an overnight or immediate result. Barna’s book is a cautionary message to churches whose primary ministry is bringing adults to faith and where ministry to children is far down the list. If your vestry or parish council needs convincing about its ministry to children and would be helped along by some research and statistical analysis on the subject, then you’ll find this book helpful.
CULTURE
PERSIAN CHICKEN FROM – A BIT OF WHAT YOU FANCY BY JO SEAGAR Words: Jo Seagar This is one of my oldest recipes. A real oldie but goodie. I have been making versions of this for 40 years and it always impresses guests. It is one of my most requested recipes. Difficulty: Easy Serves 4 - 6 Ingrediants: 2 onions 1 cup water 1 cup red wine 1 tablespoon chicken stock powder 1 tablespoon mild curry powder 3 tablespoons tomato purée or paste 6 large chicken breasts, skinless & boneless, approx. 1.5 kg 3 cups sliced button mushrooms 5 spring onions, finely sliced 1 cup seedless grapes, green or black 400 g can apricots, drained & sliced ½ cup coarsely chopped parsley ¾ cup prepared mayonnaise 1 cup cream, lightly whipped
Roughly chop the onions and place in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or casserole dish. Add the water, wine, chicken stock powder, curry powder, and tomato purée. Simmer for 30 minutes until the liquid has reduced and the mixture has a chutney-like appearance. Stir frequently during the cooking time. Meanwhile, cover the chicken in hot water and poach until cooked through, about 30 minutes. Check by cutting through with a knife. Cool and discard the water or save to use in a soup. Shred the chicken into bite sized pieces. Add the chicken, mushrooms, spring onions, grapes and apricots to the tomato mixture. Cook for about 5 minutes to warm chicken through, then fold in the parsley, mayonnaise, and cream. Serve immediately. This is great with rice or noodles and a crisp salad, but is also very good served chilled as a spicy chicken salad.
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DIALOGUE
A LIFE-LONG MISSION Dr. Sue Bagshaw chats to Jo Taylor-de Vocht about her mission to improve the wellbeing of Canterbury young people. Words: Jo Taylor-de Vocht with Dr. Sue Bagshaw
“WESTERN CULTURE IS THE PROBLEM, IT LEAVES OUT THE NURTURING OF THE SPIRIT WHEN WE TRY AND DEAL WITH ISSUES OF THE MIND.” 22
DIALOGUE
Sue, why have you made the wellbeing of young people your life mission? “I have always worked with young people whether that be through Family Planning, Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services or in my own family. Young people have so much potential, they have massive energy. I love watching people grow to capture a richness in life they wouldn’t have otherwise.” How does this work in with your Christian faith? “I first became a Christian through Operation Mobilisation which is a Christian mission service that travels around the Pacific in boats helping out local churches and planting new churches. I thought I was a Christian before I went but actually I met the Lord during this time. I was very inspired by the wife of an American preacher on the boat. Her main message was about love—that life is about love. I listened to her and watched what she did and thought ‘yeah that’s for me.’ “You have to base your work out of knowing you yourself are loved. When you realise how much God loves you, it’s incredible. I make sure I love the best I can in action. God is no man’s debtor, whatever you do for God you always get repaid so much more!” What do you believe are the main interactions between spiritually and mental health issues when it comes to young people? “That is a question we shouldn’t have to ask. The Greeks were terrible, they split us into bits: ‘mind,’ ‘body,’ and ‘spirit’—but we are all one! Just like we have God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. When I talk about this to our Sunday school children I describe it like water, it is all H2O but it can be liquid, gas, or solid—it’s still made from the same thing. Likewise our ‘mind,’ ‘body,’ and ‘spirit’ are totally interlinked. Western culture is the problem, it leaves out the nurturing of the spirit when we try and deal with issues of the mind.” Right, so in ministry how can we know if we are doing the right thing when it comes to helping young people with this stuff? “Well it’s like humility, if you know you are humble then you’re not humble! If you know you are doing the right thing, well, are you? We always have doubts. We always need to ask ourselves about what we are doing, how we are going with boundaries. You have to always be checking in with God. I ask myself ‘what effect am I having on this young person?’ ‘Is it good for their growth or not?’
“I do struggle to bring up spiritual issues with young people. How do you raise spiritual issues when it is often the last thing a young person thinks about? At the moment I tend to ask the question ‘do you ever think about something bigger than yourself that helps you?’” What role does prayer have in all this? “I like a story I encountered in a church in London. There was a village without water and the villagers needed to trek a long way up a mountain to find water every day. Then someone had the idea of connecting bamboo rods to bring the water down from the mountain and into the village. We as Christians are the bamboo rods. Prayer is how we connect people to the Holy Spirit. I pray for most of my patients.” What do you worry about or hope for when you think about one of your vulnerable young people walking into a church? “I worry that they will be put off by dogma and ritual. Young people are scarred off by dogma and church often makes them feel guilty. I hope that they will realise that they are meeting a really caring group of people who ‘listen to me, accept me, and value my contribution. Even though I might not feel I have a contribution to make.’ I hope people in churches will see beyond the mask, beyond the rough, swearing exterior and connect with the vulnerability.” What do you think church leaders need to be especially aware of right now in terms of vulnerable young people? “An overwhelming sense of insecurity. Physically in terms of homelessness or moving around all the time, and mentally in terms of what parents might do next or changes in schools. Schools are not predictable anymore, they are changing the way they do things, NCEA is changing—there is a lot of experimentation in education. There is also no guarantee now of a job after school. It’s a really hard job market at the moment. “Another factor is that because most young people don’t believe in God this means they don’t have a focus point of absolute. There is no right or wrong anymore, it is all relative—this is another insecurity.” Sue is a GP and the Director of 298 Youth Health Centre in Christchurch. She is currently working on building and launching a one stop Youth Hub which will include accommodation, health services, mentoring, education, social support, and hopefully an art centre and café. She needs $5,000,000 to do this! To support her work visit www.298.org.nz.
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WORKPLACE
SEARCHING FOR THE IMAGE OF GOD CATHERINE WILLIAMSON, SUPERVISOR OF WOMEN’S SERVICES AT THE CHRISTCHURCH CITY MISSION, DISCUSSES HER WORK AND HOW IT HAS GROWN HER FAITH. Words + Photo: Jo Taylor-de Vocht
Catherine’s job as Supervisor of Women’s Services at the City Mission involves managing the Women’s Night Shelter and Walsh House Women’s Drop in Centre, along with its associated social work services. She looks a touch harried when I arrive at her office; she is juggling the many challenges of running the centre while most of her staff take a well deserved break over Easter. Indeed, it is 9:30am and the drop in centre is already full of women eating breakfast, catching up with volunteers, and taking a minute to relax in a safe environment. Despite this, her eyes soon start shining as she begins to talk about her work. She tells me this is her dream job, “I didn’t know what to expect when I started 17 years ago, but I fell into a job I love—it’s the right fit for me. “When I think about how my faith interacts with my work, the thing that sticks out to me is the way I experience the many faces of God through what I do. We are all made in God’s image, and, if we are all made in God’s image then each woman I meet is a face of God. We don’t 24
Catherine Williamson and friends in the City Mission’s balcony garden.
all get to see such diversity in the image of God, it is a real privilege. Before I came to this understanding I think I had a limited picture of who God was.” In Catherine’s work sometimes the image is blurry. “The faces of God I encounter are not neat and tidy. I am challenged by what I see, what we humans can do to one another. And yet, I am always lifted up by the resilience I come across. Not in terms of women being unaffected by the hard things that have happened to them, but in their
ability to survive…it is amazing.” Catherine believes her experiences at work have extended her faith, “I am not confined by the barriers I once was.” She goes on to describe a defining experience when she first started her job at the Mission: “I went for a walk with a group of women and saw a couple of people I knew. When they saw us they crossed the street. I was shocked! These were people I recognised, people who would normally stop and say hello. But then I realised that I knew the women I was with, I had a relationship with them, these people didn’t. I can’t judge my friends who crossed the road because before I had this understanding, would that have been me walking across the road?” Catherine hopes that one day, services like the one she helps provide won’t be needed. “I dream that one day women won’t need a service like this, but for the women that are here, I dream that this will be one step on their journey to mixing in their own communities and growing to their fullness.” To find out more about the City Mission and how you can support their work visit www.citymission.org.nz.
PERSPECTIVE
IT’S NOT ABOUT WORDS MARGARET BURNETT, A CURRENT RESIDENT AT ANGLICAN LIVING BISHOPSPARK, SHARES WHAT SHE HAS LEARNED ABOUT CHRISTIAN MISSION DURING HER CAREER. MARGARET IS A RETIRED SOCIAL WORKER FOR ANGLICAN SOCIAL SERVICES. Words: Margaret Burnett Growing up in the church I constantly heard that God is love but it was my career as a social worker that showed me that love is not just a word. Love is an active, creative, energy force that enables people to grow and blossom. During my time as a social worker I watched as people found courage, relaxed from tensions, and became more loving themselves. This always brought me joy. When talking about the church’s mission, I do not believe it is to fill the pews. Rather, the church’s primary mission is to help people into a relationship with God. When individuals have a relationship with God they expand as people and give back to the whole society in all sorts of ways. It’s about creative love. And, creative love is not just about helping those who are disadvantaged, it’s also about struggling for justice in the community. However, as a minister or church leader I don’t think we should take this all on ourselves. Instead we should focus on enabling people in our community and supporting their ideas for mission to flourish. I haven’t always lived up to this, there have been times that I have knocked people backwards or ruled the roost. All our lives we go on developing and learning. In order to fulfil the church’s mission to help people into a relationship with God it is important to live out a life of caring. There is no point in saying you are a caring body and not doing
caring acts. I believe if people are growing they will automatically be more concerned for other people. But how do churches, especially smaller churches, attract the people they need to act out the church’s mission? To do this the church needs to realise that it is an institution in a society where institutions do not attract the younger generation. I would query whether in the next 100 years the church will exist as it does now. I believe it will exist in a very different way. Older people in small churches may look back on times when the Sunday school and youth group were full, but we have to understand that it will not be the same again. Instead, I think churches have got to give a lot of thought to what church could be like. There is a yearning for spirituality which is alive and well out there in the world, but it won’t take the forms that people like me have known all of our lives. This, I see, as the challenge for the future. We know the experience of being in relationship with a God whose nature is love. We are aware that there is a spiritual appreciation in the community outside the church’s doors. We have to keep trying to work out how to link spirit to Spirit. What we develop may not look like the church we have known in our life time…but I find it exciting to venture into the unknown. 25
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