Hope in testing times

(First published as a column for Trinity Uniting Church Wellington Point's weekly pew sheet "The Messenger" 16th August 2015)

This weekend my family and I have headed “home”. Back to the town I grew up in and the place where Sonya and I first set up home. The reason being that I am once again offering my gifts to serve the Bundaberg Relay for Life - a local community event run by the Cancer Council – as the event MC for the 12^th year in a row.

Relay is primarily a unique fundraising event for the work of the Cancer Council, but it is also a community building event. Taking part is more than just showing up, you are actually part of a community within a community. The 18 hour event is designed to take participants on the journey of a cancer patient through highs and lows and that Cancer treatment and research is not a quick process. It takes time, commitment and endurance (both physical and emotional).

One part of this event is the Candlelight ceremony, where the focus is on those who have fought the battle against cancer and lost. It’s a time to grieve and mourn and for some reason in Bundaberg especially, it always features words of reflection from a “religious” type – a minister or elder usually. Although God isn’t always directly spoken of, the inference is there. But why at such a secular event would that be so important?

I think in part, it’s because faith in something other than the here and now can be very important in this type of journey. Something to give you courage, to maybe even offer comfort. I don’t know as I’m not a Cancer Survivor, but I know that I clung to my faith when I lost my Dad to cancer 7 years ago this week. God gave me strength when I needed it most; physically and spiritually. Not only that, but once again we see an example of the Church pouring out God’s love in abundance in a time of remembrance and grief. 

That’s perhaps why one verse from this week’s Hebrews reading struck me as a timely reminder of the true humanity of our Saviour. The author of Hebrews points out clearly that Jesus was tested and suffered and through that is able to provide comfort, peace and healing. Remember that Jesus was called Immanuel…literally meaning “God with us”. God became fully human whilst being fully divine. God journeyed with us in our humanity, suffered as a human and willingly went to the cross in place of us, taking upon his shoulders all our mistakes and all of our short comings and providing us with Grace and forgiveness.

So if you are feeling lost and lonely or grieving a loved one. If you feel like you are being tested somehow; remember Jesus and pray: Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested. (Heb 2:18)

What is True Freedom?

(First published as a column for Trinity Uniting Church Wellington Point's weekly pew sheet "The Messenger" 9th August 2015)

Have you ever wondered about Freedom? What does freedom truly mean? All around us we have freedom. We are free to worship where and when we please, we are free to vote for whomever we please, we are even free to come and go as we please no matter the time of day or night.

On Sunday August 2nd, I visited Logan Uniting Church to hear and be challenged by the former head

of the Evangelical Alliance in the UK and Micah Challenge International, Rev Dr Joel Edwards. Joel came to England from Jamaica when he was 8 and for 13 years of his adult life was a probation officer within the UK justice system. He was also formerly a Commissioner on the Equality and Human Rights Commission for the UK. So he has a unique understanding of what freedom means.

But what is freedom for us? You can be challenged by a speaker of the calibre of Joel Edwards, but unless you actually take something away from that challenge and put it into action then you’ve perhaps missed the point. So what challenged me?

Joel commented that during his time as a probation officer, he would be working with young offenders whose situation was similar to his…black, single parent homes, lack of privileges and opportunities, poverty… and then halfway through the week he would leave that behind and head off to a church bible study.
Sooner or later, he said, the 2 worlds had to collide. If they don’t and you’re a bored Christian, then you have obviously compartmentalised. You can’t pretend that one doesn’t affect the other. 

Sometimes our worship space can be a distraction. We’re so busy worshipping God that we forget that God also calls us to be a presence in the world. That’s why at the end of every worship service we are “sent out” or “commissioned” to show God in the way we live our daily lives. This is probably why Matthew West’s song “Do Something” struck a chord with me when I first heard it. In it he challenges us that when we ask of God “why don’t you do something” about poverty etc in the world…God replies “I did..I created you”. 

How is God mobilising God’s church and mobilising people in a quest for freedom. Freedom means we don’t just show up and do mundane Christianity. Joel quoted Bill Hybells – the driving force behind Willow Creek’s global leadership summit: “What makes you angry? What upsets you? It’s very likely that the thing that makes you angry, moves you to tears, may be the thing that God is calling you to do”. 

So get angry, get praying and find out what it is that God created YOU to DO SOMETHING about.

https://youtu.be/b_RjndG0IX8 (Matthew West - Do Something)

https://vimeo.com/135314998 (Joel Edwards sermon at LUC 2/8/15)

Mission comes from within

(First published as a column for Trinity Uniting Church Wellington Point's weekly pew sheet "The Messenger" 2nd August 2015)

Welcome to my first column for The Messenger while Rev Linda is away. I’m still new here and finding out more everyday about what happens. 

A challenge for “The Church” is that the world is constantly changing and if we are to continue to remain relevant to the community, we as Christians have to change with it and continue to look at ways in which we are embedded with the community.

So it was with interest that I attended a guest lecture on Wednesday at Trinity College that both challenged and informed me about new ways the church is engaging with the community in very real ways.

Mark Berry at Trinity College Queensland, Wednesday July29

Mark Berry is a former youth worker who is now part of a “new monastic” community in Telford England. He shared his experiences over the last 10 years of their community vision of being a sacrificial and sacramental community within their community. This vision isn’t one of cloistering away from the wider world like some monastic traditions, but actually re-imagining how they become “church” and how that then relates to the community they live, work, play and raise a family in. New Monasticism is reframing mission; wanting to be in the community, walking around and discovering how just being part of the community instigates mission in God’s name.

This concept is underpinned by a quote from the prophet Jeremiah (29:7) “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” The New Monastic community is also filtered by the way Jesus sent out 70 disciples to share “peace” with all they meet (Luke 10). 

Our church is in a unique position in this community to share the gospel not only in word but in action. We don’t need to go to the lengths that the New Monastic community has in the UK, but they do provide something worth thinking about in how we can provide a Christian presence in Wellington Point.  The Uniting Church has always been strong on social justice and community engagement. But health, education and social commentary are just part of the story. Through some of the projects already underway, Trinity Wellington Point can continue to be a Vibrant, Accepting and Nurturing church that looks outward and inward with integrity and love.

To watch the entire lecture (Mark is a very engaging speaker) check out this youtube link -> https://youtu.be/BehYekWRc1A and to find out more about Mark’s New Monastic community you can do so here -> http://markjberry.blogs.com/about.html

 

Until next time, grace and peace. Your Student Minister, Matt.