Tuesday Ken was busy getting things ready for the adult Bible study - this month we will be studying the most common religions in New Zealand. So Tuesday night we took a look at why it's important to study religions, and then how exactly to study religions. We used Christianity as an example of how to study religions since it also proved to be a great review of our own faith. Then we looked at some Christian variants (ie Mormons, Jehovah's Witness, etc...) It should be a great few weeks of study as we are purely looking at these religions to learn more about them, not to create apologetics against them. It is important as these other religions grow in New Zealand that Christians learn more about them not to attack them, but instead to be able to understand them as well as interact with them as friends and neighbors (because isn't that what Jesus asks us to do when he says to love your neighbors - there is no stipulation as to what kind of neighbors they have to be to be loved). So over the next few weeks there will be guest speakers coming in to teach on Islam, Buddhism, Maori pre-contact religions, and secularism (which will be a round table discussion as to if this is even a religion). Should be good stuff! Close to thirty folks came Tuesday night, which is the best turn-out for the Adult studies yet.
Wednesday Ken taught his second to last BNZ class! As much as he loves the course and teaching, it will be nice after next week when it's over so we can have more time on saturdays and mondays to go tramping now that the weather is getting nicer. That afternoon we enjoyed a nice lunch with the seniors of the congregation. There were quite a few more this year than last, so that's a good thing (I think!) That evening I led our music team - we learned a few news songs together (which is always good fun as well as a challenge). And Jen is back from her world travels, so it's good to have her voice in our group again. In fact, our group is finally it's full size after two months of people traveling/missing. So that feels great. I also spent most of Wenesday making final preparations for the Advent Sunday services coming up next month - I am really excited to see how the monologues for the Advent wreath go as well as the new song that the congregation will learn by Parachute called One Day.
Friday (Happy Halloween!) I met with one of the lay preachers to discuss the 30th November "outreach" service. It is going to be a "pre-Christmas" kick-off (as it is the first Sunday in Advent) and we planned out the readings and what he would be preaching on. Our interim pastor will be gone by then, but the service outline looks great! Jen and I are going to teach the Sonshine kids the song "This Little Light of Mine" with flashlights to click on and off for that service for them to sing for everyone (fits great with the Advent theme of Light). That evening Ken led the youth in their first of five Remix studies (where they take a modern song and study it from a Christian/Biblical perspective). The youth all seemed to enjoy it and they had a good time on their candy hunt - there was candy hidden all over the church for them to find. I stayed home to give out candy, but only five kids walked by...on the other side of the road!!!! So I ended up eating the candy (not all of it!)
Saturday was spent buying food and preparing for the confirmation evening - all the confirmands were coming at 6pm for a special family dinner (that I was cooking! yikes!) and then at 7pm they were to share with their families and anyone else who wanted to come from the congregation their statements of faith. About 30 people came to support them in their statements of faith and stayed to enjoy a cuppa. We ended up getting home a little after 9pm just to turn around and head to the local watering hole to relax and watch the Bledisloe Cup (All Blacks vs Australian Wallabies and we won!!!) Good times.
The food for Sat evening's dinner
Chef Ellie busy at work
Ken set up/decorated the tables
Ken introducing the evening
Catherine wrote a song for her statement of faith
Sam gave a speech and answered questions
Amanda and Rachel used this picture of falling backwards blindfolded to explain faith
Fabian gave a speech about his faith
Mitchel added in a new verse to Psalm 23 and played it with his Uncle from Christchurch
All the confirmands receiving a Bible from the parish chairman Paul Argyle
Enjoying a cuppa after the celebration of faith
Sunday morning was All Saints Sunday as well as Confirmation Sunday. The two events fit perfectly together as we remembered those who have passed away in the faith, and celebrated those who were today confirming their faith. The service went wonderfully and then we headed out to the Nelson's for lunch. The sunshine was out so we enjoyed it all afternoon on their porch before heading home at 5pm. Then we took Pepper on a nice long walk by the river to enjoy the late afternoon sunshine as well. Ah, springtime! That night we watched the movie Hotel Rwanda...wow, what a shocking film! I highly recommend you watch it if you haven't. It's important that this story be told.
Confirmation Sunday
Enjoying the sunshine that afternoon
Pepper and Ken getting ready to race...on your marks, get set...
...Go!
Pepper and I in a tree
Today, Monday, Ken took some time to read and relax as well as prepare for his last BNZ class. Plus he had a 12 mile run. I cooked up some yummy chocolate chip pancakes with boysenberries for breakfast and we made some surf n turf for dinner (shrimpies and steak - yum!) So it's been a great day of relaxation, especially after the busy weekend we had.
Some good news - Ken and I learned that Ken's Uncle Rick has offered to purchase our round-trip tickets to South Africa! What a blessing! So we are moving forward with that planning. We are also beginning our visa process - lots of paperwork and medical stuff we have to get moving on. At church we found out that we have a pastor coming in January! He has just graduated from seminary and will be moving here with his wife, son and a baby-to-come in April! The church is just ecstatic about it. We are glad that there will be someone to shepherd the place once we leave in early Feb.
So thanks for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. We are incredibly thankful for your support!
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