Tuesday through Thursday we were at church workers conference in Otaki. It was a great conference - in house training from Delta Ministries on team building and leadership. That means there were lots of fun leadership "games" and also some great debriefing sessions! It was awesome to have Shannon teaching us throughout the day, while his partner Michael was downstairs praying for us and our ministries in New Zealand.
I was excited to learn more about my leadership style: pioneering. That means I like setting a vision and working towards it, however, often I get "bored" with implementing it, so instead move on to a new challenge. My other two high scores were management and strategic planning. Ken found out he was also those three, but in a different order! No wonder we work so well together! :)
It was also a great week for the pastors to be lifted up in prayer and re-energize. During the conference, it really dawned on Ken and I how much we love New Zealand and the people who are working in the Lutheran Church. The LCNZ has been under such attack lately...we realized that it seems that there is not a single parish that hasn't been filled with pain - and lots of it! And being such a small body doesn't help the pain, but instead makes you feel isolated from the rest of the world. However, we believe that God has different plans in store for the LCNZ! Please keep the pastors and lay workers of the LCNZ in your prayers - they need support, energy, hope and protection from the negativity and obstacles that are constantly hitting them.
The lake outside the lodge (pictured above)
The view from our room
Monday night's sunset
Another beautiful area on the grounds
Church workers isn't all work...bowls with the LCNZ President Rob!
Pastor/President Rob
Saving "Sandy" one of the team-work "games"
Pastor Max (our interim for the Manawatu)
Training sessions with Shannon (one of the Delta Ministries team leaders)
On Wednesday Ken had to drive back to Palmy to teach his BCNZ course - however the drive back to Otaki was horrific! A huge storm was coming across the island, with hurricane force winds! He ended up parking on the side of the highway behind a jack-knifed truck for safety (especially seeing as how a large tree fell down in the road in front of where he was driving!!) He made it back to the conference safely (phew). But at 3pm that day we lost power and it never came back on. So we enjoyed cooking our lasagna on the barbie and having dinner by candle light!
We got back home Thursday afternoon and went back in to the office to catch up on some work after unpacking and picking up Pepper. She overstayed her welcome at Lois and Roy's - she seemed to get into a tuff with the cat, so they asked if we wouldn't drop her there anymore! Pepper pepper...
Friday morning Ken had a dentist appointment for cavities...luckily it was a quick, fairly painless (well, not financially! haha) procedure. Youth went really well that evening. He got to connect with the student who wanted a Bible since his dad was late to pick him up. However, please continue to keep a certain student in your prayers as she is so negative, has no desire to be at youth, and is quite disruptive in Bible studies.
Saturday Ken and I made it another Starbucks-day, enjoying a cup of coffee while reading. I was especially caught by 1 Chronicles 29:18, my new prayer, "O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thought sin the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts toward you." I really felt that after the CWC and the burden Ken and I felt for the ministry of the Lutheran church in NZ, this verse spoke right into that!
That night Judi and Lawrence invited us over to watch the All Blacks play the Wallabies, and Anna (their daughter) and her boyfriend Robbie came over too. It was a really good game (we creamed those Aussies)!
Sunday Ken and I were both super busy - I helped the youth as they led worship (they did a wonderful job too!), Ken had a confirmation event that afternoon (the youth went to the Islamic center to compare our faith to theirs since they just finished the Apostles Creed, the basic tenants of the Christian faith) and that afternoon we spent in the office getting things done for this week since we leave on Thursday and won't be back until next Tuesday (we are going to Faith Incubators in Auckland and then spending the weekend skiing on the volcanic Mount Ruhapehu). However, it was awesome that although we did so much work on the "Lord's day," He made Himself the forefront of everything we did, thought, worked on, talked about...it was really special! We both went to bed Sunday night feeling as though we had just spent the entire day worshiping the Lord - and it was a good thing!
Monday morning I went to get my hair cut! I felt I was beginning to look like a hippie, so went to the hairdressing college to get the chop! I really like it and am glad I did it. We took Pepper to the park in the afternoon and got caught in some "sun showers" again! I don't like this new habit of getting soaked taking the dog for a walk! That evening we enjoyed a nice dinner at the Grand with Kate and Damien. They are leaving next week for Australia for a few months before heading over to England to work for the next few years! We will really miss them, but understand their "travel lust" :)
The hippie
Viola!
So, it was an eventful, joy filled week! We feel so invigorated to ministry here in Aeotearoa for these next six months.
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