Kia ora e te whanau
I’ll start by sharing an article I offered for the November edition of the Methodist monthly ‘Touchstone’.
The Ecumenical Basis for Mission
Appeals for an ecumenical future will often reference Jesus ‘Upper Room discourse’ found in John’s Gospel chapters 13 through 17. These chapters champion a Trinitarian basis for our relationship with one another – both with God, and inside the relationship within God.
Our relationships with one another are to reflect the relationships within the Trinity – relationships of absolute mutuality and interconnectedness – and are to be lived within the Trinity itself – “that all of them may be one,Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us – so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:21)
Let’s notice three things in this prayer of the Son
- That in our relationships with one another we imitate the relationships within God,
- That we are included in that relationship within God – now a fourth entrant into the relationship we have known as the Trinity – in our loving of one another and God, we belong in God.
- That this, our interrelatedness in God, then becomes the basis of our mission in the world. It’s who we are in God with one another that becomes the most powerful advocacy for the life-changing efficacy of the Spirit’s work within us. ‘Eternal life’ becomes seen by those who observe the strength of our in-God relating with one another. Those ‘outside’ see us and say to themselves “I want what they’ve got”.
Imagine, instead of seeking ideological conformity, we celebrated our differences, celebrating the graces we each bring, and prioritised our relating to one another within our Hahi – in open, generous, and honouring ways? At personal, local, regional, national levels?
Imagine, then moving beyond our particular sect, we extended this same grace to other Hahi?
And maybe, imagine moving in this grace even beyond other Hahi – recognising that the underpinning basis of all mission is “God so loved the World”.
Imagine if, rather than seeking to bend others to our way of seeing, we received each other as reflections of the life and love of God – recognising that we are all equally loved by God, difficult though we might find that to believe.
The most difficult part is that it needs to start with me, with Andrew Doubleday, and with each me among us.
Just imagine…….
Personal and Leadership Resources
1. 10. Maximize the health benefits of your daily walk
I stopped walking our dog about a year ago (the dog’s no longer up to it). I recently started morning walks again. On my own. Felt a bit odd at first. I’d forgotten what a rich time for thinking and prayer walking can be. It’s such a positive activity, and sets me up for the rest of the day. I imagine how much praying, thinking sharing life, the early apostles did as they walked the known world. And, how much the ‘wasted’ time, getting from one place to another, was the engine room for their life and ministry. This article adds a little more – it can be accessed here: https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/scientists-just-discovered-a-super-easy-way-to-increase-the-health-benefits-of-your-daily-walk/
2. 8 Reasons Every Pastor Should Laugh More
And not just every pastor, everyone. This article can be accessed here: https://blog.pastors.com/articles/8-reasons-every-pastor-should-laugh-more/
3. Chris Voss – Look for a ‘no’
Chris Voss was lead hostage negotiator for the FBI. One of the best books I’ve read describes how he’d go about it. It’s titled ‘Never Split the Difference’ with the byline ‘Negotiating as if your life depended on it’. Well worth a read, and having on your shelf. Here, he turns our usual way of getting agreement on its head, all in 20 seconds. This very short video can be accessed here: https://youtube.com/shorts/tWthV06ZIDo?si=TFqdK7YMTPcaP9Dt
Homilies & Preaching Resources
Trevor Hoggard’s sermon, includes the lectionary readings of Hebrews 9:24-28, and Mark 12:38-44. Trevor offers a comprehensive look at Jesus interaction with the religious leaders through Holy Week before concluding that the point of the story of the widow’s mite ultimately is to ‘Live as those for whom Jesus gave his all’. His sermon can be experienced here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8Yw5IEKaZQ
Jordan Redding is focussing on the book of Ruth for the month of November, recognising that only the first two Sundays are covered in the lectionary. His introductory video overview can be accessed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-iqXdgwj6k
My response to the Gospel text for November 10th of Mark 12:38-44 deals with story of the Widow’s Mite, where I explore a number of possibilities for why she gave the very last of her finances into the temple treasury. It can be experienced here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc7deKDuJDg&t=11s
Michael Godfrey (out of the Dunedin Anglican Diocese) hosts a conversation of 4 Theologians and Practitioners at the beginning of each week around the Gospel lectionary text for the coming Sunday. They examine four issues – one gives background to the text, then they consider their challenges, Good News, and application (the ‘so what?’). The site with all its options can be accessed here: https://www.calledsouth.org.nz/gospel-conversations/ The conversation for this coming Sunday based on that same gospel of Mark 12:38-44 and can be engaged with here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QXOgcmJKUs&t=60s
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Once again, use the videos as you will.
A reminder (again)
Once again, please don’t forget to mark the dates for our Biennial Forum in your diaries. It will be staged through King’s Birthday Weekened at the Onehunga Co-operating Parish in Auckland – starting at 9am on Saturday the 31st of May and finishing around lunch on Monday the 2nd of June.
Now would be a good time to start booking flights where this is the best travel option for you.
Finally.
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Ngā manaakitanga
Andrew Doubleday
UCANZ Ministry Facilitator