WWJV - What would Jesus Vote - Rev. Brett Jones
Interesting How God Leads & Guides by Pastor Matthew Needham
Celebrating Multiplication
Discipleship - A chasing after God by Rev. Joey Millington Church Celebrations & Updates
Tēnākoe,Maloelelei,NisabulaVinaka,Annyeonghaseyo, Fakaalofalahiatu,Kiaorana,Nǐhǎo,Hello!
Thismonthwearecontinuingwiththethirdinstalmentinour discipleshipseries.Weareverygratefultothosewhoare contributingtotheseries.Thereareadditionalresources availableontheWMCANZwebsitetosupportchurchesonthe journeyofbuildingdiscipleshippathways.
Wehearanencouragingstoryfromoneofourpastorsabout howGodhasguidedhimandmadeconnectionsonhis journeyandwealsocelebrate10yearsoftheWesleyan MinistryInstitute.
Haveyounoticedtheincreasedattentiononthepolitical landscape?Theelectionissomemonthsawaybutit’s probablyagoodtimetobelistening,watching,seekingand praying.
Prayersandblessings,
DeniseBarrington Editor
Congratulations to Warren Jack named a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the King's Birthday Honours List! Warren is a founding Servant Leader at East City Wesleyan with an extensive community and church contribution over many years. A worthy recognition of Warren's sacrificial service with Habitat for Humanity, LifeGrowth Community Trust and many other organisations/causes including ECW and WMCANZ
Rev. Stephenie Couch WESO Youth Ministry Leader and Director of Next Generations is on Parental Leave in preparation for the arrival of baby Couch Please contact the National Church office if you have any youth related questions
le Suipi Latu (ECW) has been appointed tional Youth Coordinator working with Rev ephenie Couch (Next Gen) to encourage and n youth leaders and young adults.
Congratulations to Josh Couch (right of Petra Bagust) who is part of the media team for Grey Areas which took out the gong for Best Entertainment Podcast (seasonal) at this year ’ s NZ Radio Awards! Josh worships at ECW.
Congratulations Pastor Kristen Jones who has been appointed as the new Assistant Minister at ECW.
Rev. Brett Jones: National Superintendent
We’ve reached that time in the election cycle when political parties are beginning to orient their actions and messaging towards the General Election on 14 October. This election comes as globally we are observing an increasing suspicion of authority, a greater level of polarisation between left and right and an acceleration of social change (somewhat fanned by the pandemic and social media). We are seeing some of this global influence reflected in our national politics with a challenging economic climate, a higher level of vitriol being directed towards politicians in general and the legacy of pandemic-related government action. So how might we approach our opportunity to vote? And in particular, WWJV? What
I’m helped in my own response by the WMCANZ statement on elections (included in this edition). But beyond that I am being shaped by some key thoughts.
Celebrating King’s Birthday, this year, got me thinking about the other King, who’s birthday we celebrate in December. Jesus is our King and we are first and foremost citizens of his Kingdom. Jesus’ kingdom plays by some very different rules as we discover when Jesus was cross examined by Pilate:
36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” (John 18:36)
We will be very disappointed if we try to overlap Jesus’ kingdom with the secular kingdom of the nation state. We are seeing the rotten fruit of this positioning in American politics, and it is compromising the witness of the church as a countercultural movement of Christ followers. In fact, there is no single political party that adequately
expresses the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the kingdom that has come and is coming. It is possible to discern echoes of gospel imperatives in virtually all political parties, but the reality is that different people will exercise their conscience in different ways.
The truth is Jesus never voted. His society did not offer him that opportunity. John Wesley had this to say about elections:
“October 6, 1774 I met those of our society who had votes in the ensuing election, and advised them.
1. To vote, without fee or reward, for the person they judged most worthy
2. To speak no evil of the person they voted against, and
3. To take care their spirits were not sharpened against those that voted on the other side.”
In a world which is increasingly divided, this would seem to be Good News. We don’t know how Jesus would have voted, but we do know how he acted. We know Jesus cared deeply for the poor and marginalised in our society. We know that Jesus was deeply concerned with unjust structures and systems that disadvantaged people. We know that Jesus was concerned with both personal sin and judgmental mobs. We can guess that Jesus would have called us to the way of love as John Wesley did. Perhaps the most important contribution we can make to the election process is to live out Jesus’ call to us in the Beatitudes to be peacemakers. To love God and people. Two ticks love.
We Wesleyans have been given the unique opportunity to partner with Scripture Union NZ (SUNZ) to take part in the training camps they offer for their camp leaders! (They specialise in camp ministry!)
This training camp is aimed at those working with young people, planning any church or youth camps. Our hope is that this would be a time of inspiration, learning what "adventure based learning" is and how you can bring that into how you lead youth and youth ministry to help encourage growth in young people's faith! For some of you, it might even be the inspiration to get more involved in planning yearly camps with the Wesleyans.
Registration link specifically for Wesleyans.
GATHERNorth 25-26Nov
PōnuiIsland
GATHERNorth 25-27Aug
Waikato
Whatisthedifferencebetweenasecularconcertexperienceanda worshipserviceonaSundaymorning?
Bothcanbedescribedasa“spiritualexperience,”andIbelievethey bothlegitimatelyare.Thereissomethingaboutgatheredpeople singingtogether,unitedforonepurposethroughmusic(andother elementsofthe“event”),thatelicitsaspiritualexperience.Heartsare liftedinbothexpressionstowardsomethinggreaterandbeyond–transcendence.
Aspastorswhoareprimarilyresponsibleforguidingpeopleona journeyofdiscipleship,whydoweencouragepeopletoattenda Sundaymorningworshipserviceratherthanasecularconcert/show? Theanswerisobvious:becausetheyworshipJesusonSunday morningandnotanexperienceorartist.Whilethisistrue,Iwanttogo onestepdeeper.
Thesecularconcertexperienceelicitsaspiritualexperience.People paygoodmoneytosingsongstogetherandhave“amoment”with theartistandthoseinattendance.Agoodtimeishadandtheconcert endsleavingtheexperiencelargelyunresolved.Theyapproached beautyandtranscendence–dareIsayashadowoftheTranscendent –onlytohavethemomentend,hopingforanotheropportunityto haveagreatnightoutlikethatinthefuture.
IntheSundayworshipservice,thecongregationapproachesbeauty andtranscendencedirectedtowardtheTranscendentOnewhohas enabledimmanence(GodrevealedinChrist,existinginand throughoutthecreatedworld).Whilethisisamoveinthecorrect directionthatdistinguishestheSundayservicefromasecular concert,somethingelseneedstotakeplace–agroundingofthe transcendentandimmanentthatallowsforresolve.
Without this the Sunday service turns into what the secular concert inevitably creates: spiritual consumers chasing after beautiful moments of transcendence. An idol of the experience is created. What grounds us in something real, that resolves this corporate moment? The Eucharist (Communion). It is the focal point of all religious experience, transcendence, beauty, immanence, love, and satisfied human desire. In the Eucharist the person who experiences something spiritual in the service has a place for that moment to land. While having an altar call where people are prayed for as the moment of response is good and appropriate, it still leaves the moment unresolved. This experience needs to be grounded. The Eucharist does this.
What does this have to do with discipleship? EVERYTHING. Are we modelling a way of relating to God that reflects culture or the story of the Bible revealed in Christ? Are we making disciples who chase after the experience with God rather than God, himself? The Eucharist makes this distinction perfectly clear: God revealed in Christ on the cross is the focal point.
Congratulations Wesley Ministry Institute (WMI) on reaching your 10th Anniversary! Formed in 2013, WMI is the ministry formation and preparation college of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Aotearoa-New Zealand.
The National Council was excited to celebrate 3 significant multiplication moments at its last meeting on 17 June.
CityCrossLinkKaiwakawasapprovedasanewchurchplant (FoundationChurch)underthepastoralleadershipofLayPastor ArmandCatalong.InApril2022CityCrossLinkestablishedaBible studyamongFilipinomigrantsinKaiwaka(northofWellsford).The groupgrewandbegantotakeonamulti-culturalflavourwithalocal Maorifamilyjoining.ByFebruary2023,Sundayworshipserviceswere underwayundertheumbrellaofCCL.PastorArmandwasaccepted asaMinistryStudentasthegroupcontinuedtogrow.
PastorJoelDetaloreflectstheencouragementoftheCCL"parent" congregationforthisstep:“TheServantLeadersandMinistryLeaders ofCCLAucklandareunanimousinoursupportofArmandandthe wholeKaiwakateam.Last5FebruarythewholechurchofAuckland cametoKaiwakatolaunchtheopeningofourworkthere.Fromthat dayuntilnowwearesupportingtheKaiwakaworknotjustinprayer butwithresourcesaswell".
City Cross Link - Auckland was approved as a Pioneer Church recognising the growth of the church since it was planted in 2019. CCL has rapidly expanded its network across Auckland and beyond. Satellite small groups are meeting across the city. As the church has grown, it has become more multicultural, but continues to minister in a specialised way to Filipino migrants. Rev Rudyard Alejo has been recruited from the Philippines to assist Pastor Joel Detalo with the growth of the church and the opportunities to plant new churches.
Rev Alejo has been granted a Religious Workers visa and will join us in New Zealand in August. Please pray that all goes well as he and his family transition out of life and ministry in the Philippines and into life and ministry in NZ, as well as for their travel.
WaikanaeChurchPlantwasreceivedasaprojectunderthe umbrellaoftheWMCANZ. MattandAngelaSwankhavebeenon thechurchplantingjourneysince2022. Itallstartedasaconnection atfamilypicnicsandbbqsandtransitionedintoaninformalchurch gatheringintheSwankhomeonSundayafternoons. Mattdescribes theircall:
AngelaandIhavehadaheartforplantingavibrantdisciplemaking churchintheKapitiregion.OverthelastfewyearsGodhasgrown ourheartforallofKapiti,especiallyforWaikanaeandOtaki.We believeGodhascalledustocultivatereproducingdisciplemakers inthisareaandregion.
Matthasbeenundertakingfortnightlycoachingandsharingwiththe DirectorofMultiplication-MikeYates. Thegroupisnowatastage initsdevelopmentthatitappliedtobecomea'project'ofthe WMCANZ.MattandAngelabothcomefromadenominationthatis verysimilartotheWesleyansintheologyandpractice.Foraperiod oftimeMattranayouthministryandworshipministryfora WesleyanchurchinMichigan.Theyarebothexcitedaboutthe possibilityofbeingpartoftheWMCANZmovementhereinNZ.
Matthew
Aboutfiveyearsago,whenIwaspastoringachurchinAuckland,we wouldhave“MissionsMonth”wherewewouldhavespecial speakersandmissionsrelatedministry.Oneoftheguestspeakers spentthewholeSundaymorningfocusingonthenationofAlbania. Thisgavemeaninterestingoingthere,butwhenImadeinquiries throughthismissionorganisationIfoundthatthedoorformewas closed.
InNovember2020ItookupthenewroleofpastoringOmokoroa CommunityChurchintheBayofPlenty.OneofthefirstthingsI noticedwasthatonthewallinthefoyertheyhadamissionpartner inAlbania,soIthought,“MaybethisisGod’stimingandconnection forme.”
AcouplefromBritain,AndrewandSue,wentonholidaytoaquiet GreekIsland.SuehadherBiblebesideherbed.Onedaythecleaner cameuptoherandsaid,“AreyouaChristian?”Suesaid,“Yes,”to whichthecleanerreplied,“SoamIandIamAlbanian.”Theykeptin contact.
AndrewandSueshiftedfromEnglandtoOmokoroaandintroduced thechurchtothislady,whowasnowmarriedandinvolvedin ministryinAlbania.ABibleplacedbesideSue’sbedmanyyearsago eventuallyledtomyAlbaniamissioninJanuary2023.
I invited another believer to join me, Tim Garland, who at the age of 78 went on his first mission trip. Click on the button to see the video of our actual mission:
God’s Good News transforms lives and gives hope for the future. This year Scripture Union's WAY2GO children’s ministry conferences will explore how we can help children and families to experience this for themselves, for their families and their communities. As we consider our changing world, how do we best approach this, as we seek to walk in the footsteps of Jesus who gave the greatest invitation of all? Way2Go has lots of dates and locations for their conferences and is coming to a place near you.
Registrations are now open! Choose from a range of workshops.
Click
We are on the lookout for an energetic, experienced, and peoplefocused Head Teacher/Centre Manager to lead our capable teaching team in delivering quality early childhood education.
Little Sunbeams is a Christian early childhood centre, licensed for 30 children between the ages of 2 and 5. For the past fifteen years, we have been serving our local community, providing quality Christian early education so tamariki can come to understand God’s love for them.
This exciting opportunity would suit someone who is a keen problem solver with excellent communication and selfmanagement skills to guide the centre into the future while maintaining a caring nature towards tamariki, parents and whānau.
If this role sounds like you, find out more here. You can also visit our centre and meet the staff.
TheDirectorofDiscipleshipandTrainingiscalledtothemissionof facilitatingpathwaysfordiscipleshipandopportunitiesfortraining inandacrossourlocalchurches.Theirroleistoequipand empowerWMCANZMinistersandleadersastheyworkto transformlives,churchesandcommunitiesthroughthehopeand holinessofJesusChrist.
TheroleoftheDirectorofDiscipleship&Trainingisoneof leadershipandassuchisprimarilyfocusedonleadership, facilitationandconsultancy.Itisapeople-focused,ratherthantaskfocused,role.WhilsttheDirectorofDiscipleship&Training undertakessomepracticalworkthefocusisonleadingotherswho undertakethiswork.ThisrolereportstotheNational Superintendent.
Keyresponsibilitiesinclude:
Providingleadershipinthefollowingareas:
Providingconsultancy,resources,trainingandsupportto localchurchesastheydevelopdiscipleshippathwaysin theircontext.
PartneringwiththeNLTtosupportandresourcetraining plansacrossthemovement
DevelopServantLeadertrainingmodules.
DevelopPartnershipmodulesforlocalchurchadoption.
Identify, develop and deploy discipleship resources/programmes to local churches. Identify, develop and deploy Wesleyan discipleship resources as appropriate.
Develop and lead teams within the areas of discipleship and training.
Providing leadership to the WMCANZ as a member of the NLT and (as required) National Task Groups.
Monitoring developments and identifying best practice in Discipleship.
Actively liaising with National Officers, National Treasurer, NLT members, and others to ensure that the above are undertaken in a way that integrates with, and supports, their responsibilities.
Demonstrated local church ministry leadership experience. Demonstrated communications experience.
Proven ability to work well both independently and in a team setting.
Ideally experience in portfolio management, communication, strategy, training or leadership development.
This role is part-time up to one day per week.
Please contact National Superintendent Rev. Brett Jones (natsuper@wesleyan.nz) to apply or for more information.
www.wesleyan.nz
Australasian Centre for Wesley Research (ACWR) 13th Annual Conference
Theme: ‘Reconciled Interrelationship’: Wesleyan Perspectives On God, People, and the Land.
For more info: https://www.acwr.edu.au/2023-conference
National Resource Centre
Tuesday: 9am - 2pm
Thursday: 9am - 2pm
www.wesleyan.nz
NationalChurchContacts
NationalSuperintendent
Rev.BrettJones-natsuper@wesleyan.nz
Ass'tNationalSuperintendent
RevAtuLagi-pastoralcare@wesleyannz
DirectorofOperations
Rev.PeterBenzie-dirops@wesleyan.nz
National Resource Centre
219 Burswood Drive
Botany, Auckland 2013
Ph: (09) 271 6460
Email: office@wesleyan.nz
Overflow Editor
Denise Barrington
Email: overflow@wesleyan.nz
NationalTreasurer
KerrinThomson-treasurer@wesleyannz
DirectorofGlobalMissions
MichelleYates-missions@wesleyan.nz
DirectorofMinisterialFormation
RevMelissaPowell-nbmf@wesleyannz
DirectorofMultiplication
Rev.MikeYates-churchdevt@wesleyan.nz
DirectorofNextGenerations
RevStephenieCouch-youth@wesleyannz
We invite you to make donations to the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Aotearoa-New Zealand. Join us to make a difference and reach the lost with the grace and holiness of Jesus Christ.
Using the WMCANZ bank account number below, please include your first initial and surname in the particulars field and 'donation' in the reference field.
03-0206-0380248-00
Particulars: e.g. 'J Smith' Reference: e.g. 'Donation'
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