Peaceful skies in Forrest Hill before the weather craps out again 10/02/23
I write this on Monday afternoon, as Cyclone Gabrielle lurks menacingly a couple of hundred kilometres north of Aotea / Great Barrier Island. I think about what might get blown away, and needs tying down. Then I think about my frozen shoulder waiting for a hydrocortisone injection and how it wouldn't be much use to anyone for sandbagging or securing flying bits of roof or whatever. I guess we wait and see.
Not soooo long ago we were having a summer of blazing heat and dry, when the smoke from Australian bushfires drifted eerily across the Tasman. Now this. More rain and wind than we could ever want. Is there a happy medium? We hunker down and hope for some gentler weather.
A lot of things are challenging the churches at the moment. Our congregation members have multiple obstacles to wholehearted engagement with the usual way we do church. Hoping for some normality Post-Covid, we find economic, weather, accommodation and many other challenges disrupting us.
It seems clear that church will be quite different in five years from now. Recent events are hastening this. The challenge is to stay ahead of it and not just let change happen to us, but to be part of a deliberate Holy Spirit-led development process, with a focus on unity. Not that everyone's ideas will be the same, but 'above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony'. (Col 3:14 NLT)
How can we maintain openness to change in one hand, and adherence to solid biblical principles in the other? I'm reminded of the old Boy's Brigade hymn; which our organist at Howick Baptist (back in the day) played with a particular brand of swagger and showmanship, such was his way;
We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Steadfast and sure while the billows roll,
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love.
I'm suggesting to you that we can stay ahead of the game with a lot of prayer. We can facilitate change with a bit of swagger and originality, meanwhile 'grounded firm and deep in the Saviour's love.' At least that's the plan. Amen/Hallelujah!
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