Overflow - Issue 25 by WMCANZ

From the editor

Tēnākoe,Maloelelei,Nisabulavinaka,안녕하세요,Fakaalofalahi atu,Kiaorana,你好,Noa‘ia,Hello!

1Samuel3:10

TheLordcameandstoodthere,callingasattheothertimes, “Samuel!Samuel!”

ThenSamuelsaid,“Speak,foryourservantislistening.”

Withsomanythingscompetingforourattentionit’simportantto slowdownandtaketimetolistentoGod.Samuelhadtheprivilege ofhearingGod’saudiblevoice,thoughhedidn’trecogniseitatfirst. SamuelministeredunderElianditwasEliwhoadvisedhimofhow torespondtothecall.

Atthistimeofyeartherearesomanyareasoflifethatweneedto seekGod’svoicein.Familiesmakingdecisionsaboutschools, studentsmakingdecisionsaboutstudy,businessandorganisations makingannualplans.

ThisisagoodtimeforustofindtimetospendwithGodandreflect onourownplans.HowisGodcallingyou?

Inprayer,

DeniseBarrington Editor

Avoid the call....if you can

National Superintendent: Rev. Brett Jones

“If you can avoid a call to the ministry, you should,” he said. It seemed a bit negative. Surely, the goal was to convince me, not deter me. I was puzzled over this apparently poor advice.

I’ve always been a person who says, “Yes!” Ever since that first “ yes ” to Jesus.

When the local church I was “dating” as a new believer appointed a new Youth Pastor I said “ yes ” to going to the Vision Meeting. When he cast vision for a refreshed youth ministry, I said “ yes ” to the call to be a leader, despite being woefully underqualified for such a role.

When a worship leader asked me to play piano in church I said “ yes ” despite being pretty bad! They hid me at the back with the mic turned off! But God used my availability and blessed me with opportunities to improve and serve

When I was nominated to a leadership position for the first time helping lead worship ministries I said “ yes ” . The pastor at the time said “no!”. He engineered my nomination to be withdrawn. It was the first time I encountered the politics of the church but it didn’t stop me saying “ yes ” .

When I felt a burden to stop leading in a sweet spot to help lead in an under-resourced area, I said “ yes ” . I didn’t want to be where God was not.

When church planting became a thing in my world, I said “ yes ” (three times) and encountered God’s provision in the most amazing ways. Saying “ yes ” sometimes comes with a parachute. Not always!

When I said “ yes ” to the ministry, it came after a lot of “ no ’ s ” . There seemed to be so many reasons to disqualify me. I finally encountered

the advice I received. “If you can avoid a call to the ministry, you should.” I gave it my all in avoiding the call. But I couldn't. If you can avoid the call, you might just not be called.

When I said “ yes ” to first being nominated as National Superintendent, I said “maybe”. And then “ yes ” . But God said “ no ” or maybe “not yet”. It was a “ yes ” that came with much soul-searching and a decent amount of personal cost. And it made saying “ yes ” a little while later, quite a bit harder and less clear than I would have preferred. If you can avoid the call…again, I tried hard to avoid it, not in a sense of disobedience, but with the weight of obedience in full view.

I’ve always found that God meets my “ yes ” with His YES! I’ve hardly ever regretted saying it. There is so much power in remaining “soft” to the possibility that God is doing a new thing in our lives. To say “ yes ” when the “ no ” seems more convenient. To embrace the call that becomes unavoidable!

Hearing the Call - From the 2023 Ordinands

In the WMCANZ ordination service of 2019, Lex Akers said, “We have two ordinands tonight and that is great, but I cannot help but think there are more sitting in this room. ” I felt like I was physically being pushed back in my seat. Maybe I was trying to hide? That morning I had experienced a moment with God, where I very clearly heard, “But I want you too.”

I had spent that year making space for God calling Brett into the National Superintendency. What I was really making space for was the calling God was placing on my own life.

When Lex spoke, I knew that what God wanted was for me to go back to study theology as an old lady. Being obedient to a later in life call was scary, uncomfortable and difficult. It was also lifegiving, growing and faith building. I took the call one step at a time and tried not to look too far ahead to where God was taking me on my calling into ministry journey.

That’s a good thing too, as it had a few twists. When people ask me how it’s going, I have to answer with, “God is so good! I am so blessed to be willing to answer the call and step into what God created me to be!”

Rev. Kristen Jones - East City Wesleyan Church

Need Childcare while at ConneXion?

We've got you covered!

An exciting FREE children's programme is available on Saturday 9th November (day time) during ConneXion for parents who are attending the keynote sessions. Spaces are limited, and children MUST be booked in with your registration.

Click Here to Register!

ConneXion

Including National Conference

8 - 9 November 2024

Held at East City Wesleyan Church, 219 Burswood Drive, Botany

Registrations for ConneXion are now open on the WMCANZ website. Visit the events page on the website or click here to register and find out more information. ConneXion is FREE - registration allows our hosts to be ready with hospitality. REGISTRATIONS CLOSE FRIDAY 11th OCTOBER

Hearing the Call - From the 2023 Ordinands

The reinforcement of Gods call.

Isaiah 6.8-13. “Whom shall I send as a messenger to my people? Who will go for us? Is today stronger and louder than before?

Always, God has confirmed to me in some way the call He has on my whole life. In the beginning through going my own ways that ended in disappointment and distress until I remembered the Lord God of my ancestors…Mum, Dad, Granda, and I called out and He heard me and in committing my whole life to God through Jesus Christ, I saw and heard for the first time what God had prepared for me before time.

Prevenient Grace; His Holy Spirit on me before I believed ( through life and circumstances) both good and bad.

Justifying Grace; I believed In Jesus Christ and the word became a living word to speak life into me

Sanctifying Grace; Gods working through all of life, confirming, encouraging, disciplining, challenging, shaping, leaving me alone, touching me, using all things good and bad to mature me (be perfect) grow up, put on and put off.

This last year after being ordained I see God opening doors that continue to confirm to me his call and plans. The fruit of the ministries like; Prayer, English Language for Internationals, Ministerial Training, Rebuilders for men, discipleship, show this can only be God at work drawing and growing His church. I have nothing to offer anyone except God's words of life and hope. I leave these words with you. “He came to seek and save the lost”

Blessings: Rev. Norman Kingston Millwater Wesleyan Church

TheHornblowMemorialMinistryTrainingFundis activelyseekingdonationstofurtheritsmissionin fundingPastortrainingandresourcingchurchplanters.

Donations:

YoucanmakedonationstotheCapitalFundorforAnnualGrants-just telluswhichareaintheREFERENCEfieldadincludeHMMTTinthe

PARTICULARSfield

BankAccount:03-0206-0380248-00

Pleaseemailaccounts@wesleyan.nzwithyourdetailsto receiveadonationreceipt.

Bequests:Youcanmakeabequestinyourwill oraddacodicil

“IleavetoTheHornblowMemorialMinistryTrainingTrust,Charity RegistrationNumber:CC46561:$ foritsgeneral purposesandIdirectthatthereceiptoftheTreasurerorotherduly authorisedofficershallbeasufficientdischargetomyExecutors.”

Teamwork Makes the Dreamwork

Michelle Yates: Director Global Mission

On July 31st, The WesMed NZ team of Dr Amanda Mitchell and Michelle Yates (nurse/psychotherapist), headed off to Bougainville for their 8th two and a half week Medical Mission. Their first trip was in 2013, with Rev Kathy Clifford.

The invitation for WesMed to serve the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Bougainville, came from NS Rev Nathaniel Sulis. WesMed Bougainvillean team leader, Pastor Isaac Garnean, prepared the church well for their arrival. He created the WesMed schedule with a number of WMC Bougainville leaders and Pastors, Safe House administrators and the Buka Hospital CEO Dr Tommy Wotsia.

WesMed praises God for the obvious ways He shows His blessing through many of these partners in Bougainville.

The team were welcomed with open arms in Bougainville, with many loving gestures of hospitality offered and support given from within the church. They had a boat and skipper dedicated to them for the first week of their trip, which was based on the west coast of Buka Island and the outlying islands of Petats, Shell and Matsungan.

The second week was spent on the east coast of Buka Islands in the churches. It was a tremendously satisfying trip- running 10 churchbased clinics, providing 639 individual patient consultations; conducting two mental health and wellbeing seminars in Safe Houses; a Holistic Wellbeing Seminar provided in a church, 200 pairs of reading glasses given and distributed 130kgs of goods/vitamins/ anti-biotics/clothing.

The aim of these WesMed mission trips is to bring comfort to those who are suffering, in the Name of Jesus.

WesMed are extremely grateful for the generous donations from people/churches from the WMCANZ which help make this effective ministry possible.

Event Calendar

Daylight Saving Begins | 29 September

National Council | 5 October

Auckland Prayer Breakfast | 24 October

ConneXion | 8 - 9 November

Donations

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.

03-0206-0380248-000

Particulars: e.g. 'J Smith' Reference: e.g. 'Donation'

Please email accounts@wesleyan.nz with your details to receive a donation receipt.

Thank you!

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Looking for your local Wesleyan Methodist Church? Click here to find your nearest Wesleyan Methodist church. Services are held in English, Fijian, Rotuman and Tongan with several churches using multiple languages in their worship.