For most this struggle is about leaving an old world behind; a world of familiarity and comfort. Sometimes it is the struggle of dealing with our sin; the struggle to confess and actually reach the point of repentance. We find it hard to understand the forgiveness which Christ brings, and we find it even harder to own up to our sin. At times it is the struggle of a crisis which grabs hold of us until we feel almost suffocated; freedom only comes when we grasp out to the saving hand of Christ. And then it is sometimes a struggle to escape a culture and/or a life which is so different to the one which Jesus offers to us.

Our hesitancy to take hold of the unknown is understandable. It requires a launch of faith. A friend of mine always says that faith is spelled r-i-s-k. Faith is a risk endeavour, it requires us to step out of the dark into the light, from the desert into the river, from blindness to sight and for us to leap up from our lameness. Without rising to this challenge we simply remain in the old world and all the promises of God are just “wishes” and “could-have-beens”.

Jesus enters into creation to turn the promise into reality. He came as a baby born in a stable in Bethlehem; He moved through this world, changing, restoring, renovating and healing; and He ended His life with a cruel death at Calvary. In His death He redeems us from the one thing which holds us back – the selfishness of sin. He sets us free in His resurrection and He pours out His Spirit, saying I will never leave you nor forsake you. Everything which Jesus did, He still does. He still restores, He still heals, He still forgives and He still gives us our life back. All He asks is that we come to Him in faith, and He will pour out the grace: “For it is by grace that you are saved, by faith (the “risk” step) – this is not of your own works, it is the gift (freely given) of God, so that no-one can boast (of his own achievements.)”

In this season of preparation for the Advent of our Lord, take the time to reflect on your own struggle (and resistance) and contrast it with His great offer of grace; yield yourself to Him and let Him bring the fullness of life alive in you.

While the year is winding down for most in the world, it has, in fact, already started for those who follow Christ. Our year begins with Advent – the four weeks before Christmas. This is why the season is so important. If we wait for the secular beginning of the year, the promise of new beginnings gets lost in the holidays, new year, new jobs, new budgets and so on. Instead we enter the secular year already prepared to go there with Christ. Advent is a spiritual season; one which we must not neglect. It is easy to get caught up in the cycle of the secular world … schools close, harvest ends, holidays are taken – yes, things do wind down in our secular lives as well but we must nonetheless be winding ourselves up in our spiritual walk with Jesus.

A similar thing happens in the weekly cycle. The world sees Monday as the beginning of the week. For us, it’s Sunday, the celebration of the Resurrection. Our week ends on Saturday, the day of rest and begins on Sunday, the day of worship. We begin with God; not in the workplace. If you begin your week at work rather than at worship then your priorities become misplaced. Your salvation becomes focussed on your effort rather than on the grace of God revealed in Jesus Christ.

So …. our year has started and we are looking forward to all the things which will happen from now on.

Today we have the last opportunity to bring food items for the Christmas Hampers but the opportunity to make donations for the Leprosy Mission via the Christmas Tree Envelopes goes on. Anne Sutherland will give us an update this morning.

On Wednesday we pack Christmas hampers at the SDA Hall for distribution to the less fortunate in Merredin and surrounds. All are welcome to assist.

Next Saturday evening is the Carols by Candlelight Service at the Rec Centre – we are hosting on behalf of the Merredin Churches Fraternal. It is also the Nukarni Christmas Tree event. Carol services will be held in Bruce Rock and Southern Cross next Sunday evening and in Mukinbudin on Christmas Eve.

Next Sunday Colin Chapman from the Gideons will share with us at Merredin Church on the activities of the Gideons and their commitment to get the Word of God into every hotel, school and hospital. There will be a Retiring Offering and offers of other means of support for the Gideons. We will also have a special morning tea to farewell John Rutherford who is leaving Merredin to live with his daughter.

We will have a Christmas Service in Merredin on the 25th (conveniently on a Sunday this year) and a New Year’s Service on the 1st (also Sunday). For the rest of January we combine with the other churches (as indicated in this Newsletter). On January 29th we will launch the Alpha Course at a Combined Parish (and town) service in Bruce Rock. The LentEvent program begins on February 22nd and we will start the E100 Bible Reading Challenge on May 13th.

Lots to look forward to as we journey on with the Lord in the wonder of His grace.

Shalom

The season of Advent continues … as we await the Last Day. Last Sunday, at the start of the Advent season we asked the question, “What would you do today if it were your last day on earth?” – today our focus is on the difference that Christ’s Incarnation, Presence and Expected Return makes in our life. You don’t need to be a Christ Follower for this reality to make a difference in your life – it will anyway! However, choosing to follow Jesus does turn this difference into a pleasant journey.

Today, in Merredin, we join together to celebrate the baptism of Reze Coetzee, the daughter of Fanie and Suzette. Today she enters into this journey as she is baptised into Christ. Some might say that she is too young to understand this, and that there is no conscious decision on her part. That’s true but, as I always say, with regard to the baptism of infants, when the parents are convinced of their own faith in Jesus Christ then they want their children to share that faith. Infant baptism, has two aspects to it – there is the covenant of Christ, in which God commits to receive and be with the child; and there is the covenant of the parents, in which they undertake to lead their child in the way of righteousness by the example of a Christian life. And, as at every baptism service, we all have the privilege of affirming our own baptism vows as we profess our faith in the words of the Apostles’ Creed.

I am still in the throes of planning the detail of our program/life for next year and some of this is included elsewhere in this Newsletter. The three main events are the Alpha Course talks which will be given during the usual Sunday services in each congregation. In Merredin this will finish by May 6th but the other congregations, who only have two services a month, will only complete in September.

The Alpha Course is a practical introduction to the Christian faith, covering such areas as Jesus, the Bible, prayer, the Holy Spirit, resisting evil, witnessing, healing and sharing faith. Many people around the world have been deeply influenced by the course which began as an introduction for new members at an Anglican Church in Central London. It has also been credited as being one of the vehicles which God is using in the present revival spreading through the United Kingdom. Another is the 24/7 Prayer Movement (which is connected to the same Anglican Church in Brompton). We will be setting up a Prayer Room along the guidelines of the 24/7 Prayer Movement during Holy Week next year.

Superimposed over the Alpha Course will be the LentEvent which runs during Lent from February 22nd (Ash Wednesday) until April 8th (Easter Sunday). I received the LentEvent Journey Guide and Resources this week. Having looked at the 2012 material, I see that it is much more focussed on the Sunday services (and group study) than on being a personal journey guide. That’s not going to work while we are focussed on the Alpha Course. I believe that it would be better for me to give guidelines and encouragement in the Newsletter than for each of us to purchase a Journey Guide. We will still use the LentEvent focus on “This One Life” and as an interest stirrer and fundraiser for Missions during the season.

We are however still going to use the E100 Bible Reading Challenge during 2012. In Australia, most Christians own a Bible, but only 39% will read it one or more times during the week. Only 20% of Christians read the Bible on a daily basis. One of the main reasons for not reading the Bible is that people find it hard to understand. The E100 Bible Reading Challenge features 100 carefully selected readings designed to give people a good understanding of the Bible story. The “E” stands for Essential and each of the essential 100 readings range from a few verses to a few chapters. The motivation behind the challenge is to build a regular habit of spending time with God through Bible reading and prayer.

Thank you to all those who completed the NCLS questionnaire and the Pastoral Information form. Copies of the latter are available for those who have not yet completed it. I had to fill in a very different NCLS form as the Pastor of the church. I found it quite inspiring and it affirmed for me that I am in the place where God wants me to be – both geographically and spiritually. I am convinced more than ever of my call to the ministry. The questions dealt with positive things like hope, satisfaction and confidence, which all got a big tick from me. It also dealt with negative things like unhappiness, depression and uncertainty which are not at all a part of my life.

Finally – Sven and Linda have decided, after much prayer, to forgo the opportunity of a firm job in Melbourne, in favor of staying in WA. We are delighted – Linda will join Tegan at King Edward and Sven is waiting a response to a number of job applications. Meanwhile Quinten is changing jobs in a couple of weeks.

Shalom

tractor in Mumballup last Sunday. The sad news is that she

was Georgia Tilbrook, the granddaughter of Roy & Val

Tilbrook who worship at our congregation in Mukinbudin. She and her mum were in

the scoop of the tractor going to feed the pigs. Her mum got out and Georgia jumped

out a little later. Roy, who was driving the tractor didn’t see her and when he moved

forward she fell under the back wheel and died instantly. She was the daughter of

their son Mark and would have turned 4 years old in January. This is a very sad and

traumatic time for the family. Her funeral took place on the farm yesterday and most

of our congregation in Mukinbudin went down for the weekend. We have therefore

cancelled the Mukinbudin service this morning. Please keep them in your prayers. I

am reminded of Angus Buchan’s account of how God helped to restore his own

brokenness after his 4 year old nephew Alastair died in his arms after falling from the

tractor which Angus was driving. It is only in Christ that we can cope in situations like

this and it is prayer which brings us an awareness of His Presence with us.

I have been chatting with a few folk to gauge the response to the proposals for next

year which I outlined last week. By and large there is good acceptance and even a

stirring of excitement. One of the things which concerned me was how we would

physically be able to have discussion groups in the services after the Alpha Talks.

Normally Alpha is run in a meal setting with groups already sitting around tables.

Some folk have also indicated to me that they are uncomfortable in group discussion

settings, even if there is no requirement for them to be involved. So, on reflection,

and after some prayer, I think that we could dispense with the discussion groups

without detracting from the overall intention. We will, in any event, have opportunity

to chat over morning tea; and we do plan to have a responsive ministry time after the

service for those who would like it as well. I will provide a calendar of dates and

topics next week.

I have also been in discussion with the outlying congregations regarding the change

in services (which allow me to spend time with folk in each congregation). Bruce

Rock have requested that we change their services to every second week rather

than two consecutive weeks a month. They have also indicated that they might like

to have a go at doing one of the services themselves each month with help from

myself or one of the elders at the beginning. I will have a similar discussion with the

folk in Mukinbudin this week.

The Lentevent material for 2012 is now available for order at www.lentevent.com.

The theme for this year is “This one Life” and examines how we might live an

authentic Christian life, a life which is faithful to Jesus Christ. Although the study is

group based, it can be used as an individual study (which is the way we plan to use

it). It guides us into a daily pattern of personal prayer, meditation, worship and

study. The cost of the books has been increased to $12. I will provide details for

ordering next week.

If you didn’t get a chance to complete the NCLS survey form last Sunday, I am sure

that there will be opportunity today. Please take the time to do it – it provides

valuable information for church planning, particularly in the rural areas.

While we are filling in forms, I have again included a page for details of our

congregation members, adherents and others who would like to join us on our

journey of faith. The data is only for the use in the pastoral ministry of the church

and your privacy will be respected. Please complete it this morning, tear it out of the

Newsletter and hand it to me..

Next Sunday will be the baptism of Reze (Lisa with an “R”) Coetzee, the daughter of

Fanie & Suzette. We hope that you will join us as we welcome this child into the

family of God.

Shalom

I addressed this issue of connectedness and respect for one another last week when I wrote about the Bible Study at Bruce Rock – the way the curtain around the Court of the Tabernacle is held up by the poles (each of us) and the stays (our prayers for each other). This certainly seems to be an issue which God is revealing to us (me?) at the moment. Three times this past week I have overheard conversations which were critical (even damning!) of other Christian groups/denominations. I wonder where this comes from? In one case it was a preacher who was planning a sermon which was aimed at demonizing a Christian author. The author is in fact quite well known but this preacher couldn’t even remember his name and didn’t really know what he stood for – he had yet to do the research and then he was going to throw verbal stones at him. I chided him gently and asked him if we shouldn’t rather preach positively about Jesus than negatively about men.

This critical spirit is not of Christ. To be sure, Jesus spoke strongly against the Pharisees, but He also said that “whoever is not against us is for us”. (Mark 9:40) His opposition to the Pharisees was because they had put themselves up as being superior because of their supposed relationship with God. The one thing which Jesus really got angry about was this attitude of superiority but He loves the servant heart.

My prayer is that we, as a congregation of God’s people, will never think of ourselves as being “better” than anyone else. We are saved by grace (we did not deserve it!) and out of that grace we should look to others with the same attitude of grace. Paul, in telling us to have the same attitude as Christ Jesus, says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” (Phil 2:3,4)

Be as Christ towards others, loving them with grace unto salvation.

Shalom

David

Businessmen’s Fellowship, the Emmaus Gathering (for the first time in

Merredin), a wedding at the Emmaus Gathering (also, I think, a first!

Congratulations to Bob Burbridge and Sue Johnson). This morning Kay Eva

will share with us some of her work in Cambodia. Thank you Kay.

Kay’s testimony and sharing this morning comes at an opportune time as we

prepare our planning for next year. One of the areas which we are looking at is

the LentEvent program of the Uniting Church. The program started from a

congregation in South Australia and has now been adopted by Uniting World

(the Missions arm of the Uniting Church). It had been also been adopted

specifically by the WA Missions Group to replace the previous Missions

program held in September.

LentEvent is a planned devotions program held through the 40 days of the

Lent period (the time that leads up to Easter, commemorating Jesus’

preparation for ministry in the desert temptation; and the 40 years of the

Exodus). The devotions are designed to help us reflect upon and identify with

those who live in spiritual and physical poverty. One of the “traditions” of Lent

is to “give up” something and to donate the money saved to mission. (At

school I always gave up pumpkin and spinach, which I disliked intensely).

However the idea is to rather give up something which is special to you. This

may be your Foxtel, or daily coffee, or something else which is a part of our

First World life. One of the suggestions is to follow Wesley’s practice of a

Friday Fast (Thursday evening to Friday evening) and to set aside the cost of

the three meals. This money would then be given to Missions, either through

Uniting World or to one or more of the Mission activities which we support as a

congregation. Watch this space for more news, or you can go to the LentEvent

website at www.lentevent.com

At our Bible Study at Bruce Rock we doing a study on the Tabernacle. Last

week we were looking at the “curtain” which surrounded the Outer Court of the

Tabernacle area. The symbolism and relevance for us today is quite amazing.

The curtain was made of fine woven linen (probably white) held up with

(probably crooked) acacia poles fixed into brass bases and topped with silver

capitals. To keep everything standing up there were stay ropes connected to

the capitals fixed with pegs to the ground. Our study suggested that the poles

represented the believers (crooked, because we are still sinners) but covered

with the righteousness of Christ (the white linen curtain). We are standing on a

solid foundation of the Word and crowned with the helmet of salvation. But

most important was the suggestion that we only remain standing against the

desert winds because we are connected together by the righteousness of

Christ (the curtain) and the supporting prayers of the people (the stays). It

might be a stretch of the imagination but it certainly challenged us to think

more clearly about our role as believers together in the Body of Christ.

This year our congregation is responsible for the Carols by Candlelight service

which is part of the Churches Fraternal program. It will be the closing event of

the Shire’s Christmas Gala Day on Saturday December 17th at the Leisure

Centre. I have found a delightful Christmas Play called “The Dream” which

mixes a modern day story with the birth of Jesus and involves all the

townspeople in the whole message of Christmas. We need a Director/

Producer and 14 people of all ages and genders to play the parts. I am trusting

that our Reparatory Team will put their hands up (if they are not too involved in

the production of “A Christmas Carol”) but we will also need a whole bunch of

others. If you are interested please put your name on the list in the tea room.

The Operation Christmas Child boxes will be taken to Perth this week so

please get yours to the church as soon as possible, or phone me 90411117

and I will collect from you on Monday.

Shalom

David

SPECIAL REMINDERS

For those involved, the next Parish Council Meeting will take place in Merredin

on Saturday November 5th. Please mark the date in your calendar.

The Gideon’s Faith Fund Dinner will take place on Wednesday October 26th

at 6.45pm at the Senior’s Centre. Cost is $25, funds raised are used for

purchase scriptures for placements around the world. All welcome – RSVP

Colin Chapman 90411230.

Ride for Life are hosting a Quiz Night Fundraiser at the Seniors Centre at 7pm

Friday November 4th. Cost is $10. Call Jen Adley on 0458673643 to book.

We continue with our series on the Ten Commandments today, looking at the first of these – I am the Lord your God, you shall have no other god before me. This is foundational to all the rest of the commandments. It sets the sovereign, exclusive authority of God and claims His right to instruct us with regard to all the other commandments. Without this first commandment, none of the rest matter – there is no reason for us to keep them. And vice versa, if we believe that the commandments not to murder, or steal, or dishonor one another have value then we have to believe in the God who gave them to us.

I will be away for most of this week at the School of Ministry as part of my ongoing ministerial development. The theme is “Ecumenism and Ministry – Trends in World Christianity”. It includes an extensive study in the Book of Romans, reflections on baptism and Holy Communion and an all-embracing look at the future of the churches. I missed out on the Minister’s Conferences in Vanuatu, Alice Springs and Adelaide this year (for a number of very valid reasons) but this looks like a really good substitute. Every minister in the Uniting Church is required to undertake some form of development study each year. This is a really good discipline for ministers who can too easily become introspective and caught up in the busy rush of parish work.

Next Saturday is the Great Eastern Gathering at the York Uniting Church. I’m really sorry that you are getting this information so late and I apologise for that. Be that as it may, could I encourage you to think about attending – even at such short notice, and despite the fact that the Ladies Guild are planning to visit York on the following Tuesday anyway. It is a great opportunity for us to get together with other congregations in our region, to share stories and to get feedback about the wider church from our Regional Pastor.

The newly formed Young Adults Group – there were eleven at the first meeting (from all across town) are meeting at the Higgins’ Farm next Saturday evening for a Bonfire. It is a group for those who have left school but not yet married (or had children), who want to have fun together and explore what it means to be a Christ Follower. They will meet on the first and third Saturday of each month – one meeting will be a gathering and the other an outing.

The Walk to Emmaus begins in a fortnight with the Men’s Walk from Thursday evening September 8th to Sunday afternoon September 11th. (The Ladies Walk is the following weekend – September 15-18). I attended my first Walk in 2000, thirteen years after entering the ministry and it dramatically changed my understanding of the Grace of God, and what it means to be a Christ Follower. I have attended several Walks since then as a Team member and continue to learn more. Its hard to describe the experience though I can tell you what happens on the Walk. There are 15 talks about the Christian Life, there are times of reflection, there is lots of food to eat and lots of laughter and sometimes tears. But these don’t really tell the whole story. I suppose it is about being overwhelmed by the love of God through His people for three whole days. Its not too late! Speak to Steve Higgins (Men’s Walk) or Sal Marais (Women’s Walk) if you would like to attend. The cost is $210, and we stay at Kobyeela, in Katanning.

Wow! Its going to be a busy September! The Marriage Course begins on Tuesday September 13th with an introductory dinner. The course itself lasts seven weeks and consists of a candlelight dinner (romantic music included) with your spouse, some video input from Nicky & Sila Lee (Holy Trinity Church, Brompton) and private discussion times with your partner. The cost is $200 and includes all the meals (BYO) and a course manual for each person.

And its the Annual Synod Meeting on the weekend of September 15-18. Bob French and I will be attending from Merredin. There are some interesting discussions in the pipeline and the induction of the new Moderator, the Rev Ron Larkin.

Today is also “Make Ministry Happen” Sunday in the Uniting Church. Its an opportunity for you to consider when God might be calling you into ministry in one way or another. The new role of Pastor has opened tremendous opportunities for us to break out of the mould of the formally trained ordained minister. Speak to me, if God is speaking to you! The “Explore the Ministry” Day takes place on September 10th in Perth.

What challenged me about his life was his fierce (he was however a gentle man) determination to live his life committed to God. He would spend an hour each morning and evening with his Bible meditating on the Scriptures for the day. He prayed with deep devotion for God’s guidance every day. It struck me that this kind of life would be considered as pretty weird today, and yet his books “Cost of Discipleship” and “Life Together” remain best sellers. His definition of the “costly grace” of Christ versus the “cheap grace” of humanism remains as a standard for evangelicals of all ages.

In the light of this challenge which I have received, I have felt led to preach on the Ten Commandments over the next several months. I will deal with one of the commandments each Sunday so in the end it will cover ten sermons. I will be away at Emmaus, Synod and for my weekends off so it will not be consecutive but I would invite you to make every effort to attend each of these services. For Bruce Rock, Mukinbudin and Southern Cross it will take even longer because I am at each of these congregations only twice per month so we will go well into next year.

Why the Ten Commandments? God gave these “words” when He brought His people out of Egypt as an instruction on how to live in relationship with Him and with each other. They address ten questions about life …

1. Do you honor anything or anyone above the one true God?
2. Has God been replaced by something physical or material in your life?
3. Have you dishonored God’s name by using it in a frivolous manner?
4. Is your work more important than your relationship with God?
5. Do you honor your father and mother?
6. Do you value human life?
7. Have you kept your marriage vows?
8. Do you respect other’s rights of ownership?
9. Do you tell the truth?
10. Are you content with what you have or do you covet the possessions, relationships and successes of others?

To God, our answers to those specific questions about behavior and morality demonstrate our belief and trust in Him.

As part of this series we will have only one reading at each service – Exodus 20:1-17 which we will read together each time. I’m really looking forward to sharing my thoughts with you.

The next Marriage Course launches on Tuesday September 13th. It is an excellent vehicle for building up your marriage relationship. Each of the 8 evenings consist of a candlelit dinner for two with some video excerpts and a private discussion between the couples at their tables. The cost is $200 per couple which covers the sixteen meals and a manual for each person. It is more than just an eight week course, it helps build communication and relationship in each marriage that will last for the rest of your life. There are some brochures available. The course is open to anyone – they don’t need to be members of our congregation, indeed, they don’t even need to be churchgoers at all. So invite your friends!

We also have some brochures for the Yealering CampFIRE which happens at the end of this month. The main speaker is Max Champion and his topic is “Singing the Lord’s Song in a strange land; Christian living in a neo-pagan society”. Its an interesting and very relevant topic – let’s head down to Yealering where we “take over” the town for the weekend. Its a camping weekend and happens on an “arrive when you can, leave when you must” basis.

Other good news on the family front is that Quinten and Tegan have been granted Permanent Residence in Australia. We are delighted. Linda is waiting for the Letter of Invitation to undertake the Midwifery Bridging course at King Edward in October and then they will also cross the Indian Ocean to make their home here in Australia. Meanwhile Garth has completely renovated his house and is putting it on the market. Times are tough for small businesses in South Africa which are not able to get Black Empowerment status and he and Roxi plan to also come to Australia to make a new start as soon as Samuel’s passport and birth documents are in hand.

The Moderator, Rev Ken Williams will be preaching at Southern Cross this evening. When he visited our Parish (for my induction two years ago) he visited the congregations in Merredin, Mukinbudin and Bruce Rock but did not have the opportunity to visit Southern Cross. He has made it one of the aims of his Moderatorial term to visit each of the congregations in the Presbytery. He will step aside at the Synod Meeting in September. The Rev Ron Larkin will then take office as the new Moderator.

Next weekend several folk from our congregation will be in Katanning for the training preparation for the Walk to Emmaus Weekend in September. I am the Spiritual Director for the Walk and Steve is one of the Lay Directors. Kevin Tengvall and Sal Marais will be giving talks and Gerhard Seymour is a Table Leader. Tania Higgins & Margie will be in the kitchen. Please pray for us.

The Planning Day last weekend was a great success. We came up with a lot of food for thought and some directions in which the Lord would have us go. For me, the best thing was the first exercise in which we were asked to list (a) the things we were happy with in our Christian Walk, (b) where we would like to be better and (c) the help which you expected from the leadership in the church. Summing up, the group indicated that they were generally happy with their degree of faith and trust in God but by and large felt that they could improve upon their reading and understanding of the Scriptures and in their prayer relationship with God. There was also a strong desire to form geographically based homegroups where we could meet to encourage each other in the faith, to study the Scriptures and to develop our prayer lives. The elders will be looking at options to introduce these ideas.

The congregation representatives in Bruce Rock and Mukinbudin also expressed some concern about awkward service times. I will explore options with them. One idea put forward was that they would begin the service earlier and lead it themselves until I or another preacher arrives from Merredin. I like that idea. I have felt that my Sunday morning “dash” around the Parish has limited the opportunity to fellowship with any of the congregations and I have been trying to overcome this through the visiting program. All of this is good.

In the sermon this morning we will be looking at God’s eternal plan that we should be conformed into the likeness of His Son. I find the Kingdom parables in Matthew 13 give us some direction of God’s intention. In the parables of the mustard seed and the yeast we see that the Kingdom GROWS. In the parables of the treasure hidden in the field and of the pearl, we see that God’s intention for us is WORTH EVERYTHING WE HAVE. And in the parable of the net we see that God allows NO ROOM TO COMPROMISE. God is at work making the Kingdom happen and conforming us into the likeness of His Son. From our side we must not put anything in the way of God’s intention (we can, because we have free will). This means that nothing should be valued above God’s purpose for us – there is no treasure or comfort which has more value than being conformed into the likeness of Christ. And further, we  dare not compromise the process by limiting our options ie by being lukewarm. God’s plan is continually being revealed in both old and new treasures – God has led His people in times past and He will continue to do so in times to come. He knows how His intention will be best achieved and our role is to be awake to that direction and purpose at all times. Following Christ is not a “walk in the park”, its an intentional choice which we have to make every moment of every day.

As I see it the early church was primarily concerned about relationships (with God and people) rather than with ritual and religion.

Over time the Church seems to have drifted backwards – our book of rules and regulations has got thicker and we are no longer reading the Scriptures or praying as much. Church has become an organisation with a building, a minister and a service of worship (not too much different, it seems, to the Temple, priest and sacrifice!).

Today many people in our culture are no longer able to relate to church as it is – our culture is now less religious and more spiritual; less formal and more relational. The truth is that people are searching for a relationship with God and with others (exactly what the early church was offering) but as they see it, the church is not offering that anymore. Instead it is offering a meeting in which many watch and listen but few participate except with a cup of tea afterwards. Many people feel condemned by the church (and by God). We have created a culture in the church which is quite alien to the world – we have rituals, language and rules which exclude virtually anyone who has not grown up in the church culture. Indeed even many of those who have grown up in the church culture have found themselves excluded now because they have adapted to the rapid changes in technology, changes in social norms and advances in scientific understanding in the world today. (Galileo was excommunicated from the church because he taught that the world was round rather than flat!) Not that every hypothesis is necessarily the truth. (Concerns about primal evolution and same-sex relationships come immediately to mind).

If we want to be the church which Jesus intended we need to rediscover His purpose – that we are witnesses to the resurrection of Christ, preachers of repentance for the forgiveness of sin and relationship builders between God and people. We need to be a Fresh Expression of the church in today’s world so that we are not simply serving the dwindling group of people who are part of present day church culture but creating dynamic new ways of connecting with the people in our community with whom we interact every day during the week.

It might surprise you to know that we are already doing this. Just look at Muckaround. Have you wondered why we don’t have many children in church and at Sunday School? We have not lost our Sunday School at all, they are now involved in Muckaround. Something like 18 children come along each Friday and it has effectively become our “Sunday School” – I think its brilliant! And so too with Ride for Life. We are connected with organisations, helpers, parents and students who would probably never otherwise connect with church – and we are seeing some really life changing things happen. I don’t think that we should necessarily expect any of these people to come to traditional church to be “counted” as part of our congregation in the traditional way but we do need to see and minister to them as part of our faith community. This means that we really do need to have a whole new idea of what it means to be church.

We have to now be witnesses to the resurrection and preachers of repentance for the forgiveness of sin in a different context. We have to make disciples in a completely new way – Sunday Church, Bible Study and Prayer Meeting is not going to cut it. So how do we do it? I guess we begin on our knees – we pray. We listen to God and we practice sharing our own faith in Jesus Christ in those situations. Its never going to be easy but I believe that God is calling His church to a new place.

So I invite you to prayer: to pray for direction and guidance from the One whose Church it is.

I invite you to share: at the Planning Morning next Saturday when we will continue the process of discovery of what it might mean to be the Church which Jesus intended.

Note from Luke

This weekend I would like to share some thoughts on the importance of living in unity, as the body of Christ. We are all a part of this movement we call the ‘Uniting’ Church, but are we really ‘uniting’? Why is it so important to God that we recognise our call to live as one body, and “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace”? (Ephesians 4:2) My prayer is that we will all be challenged to strive for greater unity within our churches and start to become the answer to the prayer of Jesus – that we may be One. (John 17)

The Fresh Expressions Conference in Perth this past week was very inspiring. The movement had its “formal” beginning in the Anglican Church in England about 6 years ago but in a sense, it is a movement which is as old as the church itself. Simply put, “A Fresh Expression is a form of church for our changing culture established for the benefit of those who have no contact with church.” Followers of Jesus Christ have always had to contend with the issue of a culture which is alien to the promise of the Kingdom of God which was announced in the incarnation, death and resurrection of Jesus. The fact that there are many different cultures, and that these are constantly changing has made it all the more difficult. By nature, we like the status quo; we prefer tradition; we like the way in which we have always done things – there is nothing wrong with that; but if we are to truly engage with those who have yet to know Jesus, we have to do things differently. Forcing a Eurocentric Church into an African culture just does not work, nor will we be able to bring the good news into our contemporary culture without recognising that it is quite a bit different to the culture which we have created within the church.

And so, Fresh Expressions happened – an intentional recognition that we have to engage the culture on its own terms if we are to be able to share the gospel. Its happening all the time anyway! The MoPS group, where Mothers of Pre-School Children are given an opportunity to have “timeout” and to be encouraged is nothing less than a Fresh Expression of church. The Barefoot Cafe, where folk can come to church to share lunch and a game of table tennis at our church is a Fresh Expression of church. Muckaround is also a Fresh Expression of church (or Sunday School!).

What we have to do is to recognise that people unfamiliar with church and with the gospel are unlikely to enter into the territory which is so familiar to us. Instead we have to create opportunity to encounter them in the places and activities which they find comfortable.

The next phase of Fresh Expressions is already on its way – its called “Mission-shaped church”. Now that’s not new either! When Jesus commissioned His church, He did in fact commission it as a mission-shaped church. We just got so engrossed in what we were doing as church that we lost sight of the fact that the culture around us was changing quite dramatically and fairly rapidly. The church of the future is likely to be very different from the one we have now – in the world of rapidly changing technology we are likely to see much more of the building up of social network communities on the internet. Sermons being delivered into homes and small groups via satellite – in fact it is already happening! I can see rural congregations in WA served by local lay leaders for pastoral care and community building and by “professional” teachers/preachers via online live video broadcasts into each of these communities. In a way we will see the modern hi-tech version of St Paul’s ministry to the many small communities in Asia Minor such as Ephesus, Philippi, and Colossus.