Anglican Parish of Clevedon

Six Years and still counting

31/5/2016

From Linda's Desk

Thank you to all who celebrated my sixth year anniversary with the Parish. It was lovely just to take time to enjoy each other's company. I have taken the opportunity to have a fresh look at how we do things - a continuation (you could say) to the process began in the last year's ministry and mission review.
Part of the review process has meant the establishment of a Finance and Property Team - this will be a sub-committee of Vestry responsible for recommending to Vestry those matters which relate to finance, stewardship and property. We are looking for a non-Vestry member if you are interested please talk to me. Meeting times will be the third Wednesday at 5:30pm in my office.
The other important change is to establish a two-monthly Mission and Ministry meeting that anyone involved in any ministry or missional work can attend. This is to encourage and nurture all involved in the ministry and mission within and beyond the parish and to enable us to view what we do in a holistic way rather than separate parts, We held our first meeting last week and about a dozen people attended. After a time of reflection on a piece of scripture we mapped the ministry and mission that already takes place. I hope as many as possible come along.
We also held our first "Over the Fence" morning tea on Friday 13th May. A "Gold Card Event". this is a simple morning tea for anyone who wishes to come and chat "over the fence". You are encouraged to bring friends or neighbours who might enjoy it. The next one will be Friday 10th July, 10am - 11:30ish. Please come along.
We have welcomed a new student from St Johns College. Bruce Allport. Many of you will have met him and his wife Leanne. Bruce will be with us for the next three years and has already become an enthusiastic member of our community. If you haven't met Bruce and Leanne yet, please take time to introduce yourself to them.
It is exciting times in our parish and I continue to feel God moving us forward and strengthening us in so many ways. May God bless each one of us as we live as the embodied Good News in the world.
Linda.

0 Comments

Jesus Heals

27/2/2012

I watched in frustration the item on Campbell Live last night concerning the uproar created by the church displaying a billboard that said “Jesus Heals Cancer”. As I listened to the discussion and the church’s response two things struck me: The first was the lack of pastoral concern the church had with regard to those facing loss through cancer. I would never deny the healing that comes through Christ but I believe we need to be very cautious and compassionate in how we express that. We do not control the healing, we do not control God to suggest otherwise is hurtful. What does this message “Jesus heals Cancer” suggest to those who are not healed?

The second thing was in the discussion with the consumer advocate that suggested “sensible people wouldn’t believe it “ The whole discussion of the billboard was based on the premise that it was a false claim and the most important question seemed to be could the church be forced to remove it because it was false advertising. I wonder how Jesus would fair in this day and age with some of the claims He made.

The Meaning of life

22/8/2011

I’ve just been part of two funerals one for a national icon and one for a very good friend. It’s funny they have both led very different lives but for each of them their faith was at their core and their lives were a model of love and justice. Both had big funerals and will be greatly mourned.

It really struck how true it is that the measure of a man or a woman is not in the things we have or the skills we develop or the sport we play or the place we live the measure can only be in the relationships we develop we have. It was humbling in both cases to hear the time each of these people had taken to be part of other people’s lives.

They had their priorities right: it is people, it is people, it is people. Echoes of Matthew 25:31-46 ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these; you did not do it to me.

Nice weather we are having.

23/7/2011

It struck me the other how important the weather is. Whether it’s summer, autumn, winter or spring - it is a shared experience. We can strike up a conversation with complete strangers about the rain; too much - not enough, or about the temperature; too hot - too cold or the wind, or the humidity. It is a meeting place of our experiences. And that is important. It seems to me in these somewhat individualistic times we need to have those shared experience even if it is only the weather. We lead (by choice dare I say) very busy lives and I think we can miss the little moments in which we share our lives with each other.

I was thinking about my own life growing us in New Zealand – Weddings, baptisms, 21st were high points in family life. We collectively shared the transitions in our lives. They were shared experiences that were intergenerational and included friends and family. And often neighbours were part of the celebration.

For some church provides that shared experience and I must confess I didn’t understand that until I was in my late 30’s. Until then church was about “what they do at church” and not about church as community. A community in which I am welcomed just as I am, and I am part of a community that offers welcome too.

Community grows when we share our common life together. So thank goodness for the weather we all share it together and it can begin conversations that can become so much more.

A bit of a break

15/7/2011

I've just had a week off. Part of it was spent with my two sisters and my brother in law at Bowen town Motor Camp at Waihi Beach. It was a great weekend together. I am very grateful that i have family to enjoy good times with - and to share the not so good times as well. One of the highlights was a walk on Sunday morning along the beach and back along the street. There was this amazing street lined with banksia trees and every one of them had a tui singing in it. It was just one of those incredible moments. We kept stopping to drink in the sound. For me it was like the church of creation with the tuis offering back to God the gifts of their song. Fantastic. The weekend was also full of laughter and silly things – important times to share.

On the Saturday night we went out for dinner –my birthday – my choice. I suggested we went to a particular restaurant – my reasoning was it was on the beach and we could enjoy the view while dinning. We all agreed that would be great – none of us taking the time to think that we were going out at night and couldn’t see the sea any way. It struck us all how easy it is to go along with something that sounds right. How many times in history have we gone along with something because it sounded right without critically examining it? – I just very glad I didn’t follow the suggestion – to ring up the sailing club and ask them if we could see the sea from their restaurant if we came for dinner. They would have probably replied yes but only with night goggles.

Yes we are allowed to smile at church

3/7/2011

When I was little I used to go to church with my Grandmother. It was a very serious affair. Hats and gloves: children seen but not heard. Little wonder church and I parted ways when I was about 11 but the great thing was God and I didn’t part ways. And we journeyed together to this place in my life. And proof that God has a sense of humour I am now an Anglican priest. This brings me to a comment made by someone yesterday.” I enjoyed the service it was uplifting and fun”. And then the person said “church doesn’t have to be serious all the time”. Well said that person. Worshiping God is a serious business but we worship God with our wholes self-including the parts that laugh. Jesus loves us - all of us and calls us to be honest in who we are in worship. I was thinking if he didn’t love each and every part of us I probably wouldn’t be here. Reminds me of that really old Sunday School song “Jesus loves me, this I know” I wonder sometimes about those who don’t know.

Hospitality and Welcome

25/6/2011

It seems ironic that the church is foundered on the teachings of the most welcoming and most hospitable God and yet, for many outside our walls, we have a reputation for being quite the opposite: for being inward looking rather than welcoming and for offering judgement rather than hospitality. Too much time in a holy huddle not enough time at the coal face of life? Well yes and no. The truth is the church is made up of people living at the coal face of life. The church is full of ordinary people warts and all and we are most definitely not in a position that allows for the judgement of others. Christ always welcomed everyone and it seems to me we are called to do the same. Now that’s hard. It is easy to welcome those we like or those who are like us but the rub is we are asked by God to welcome all. What does that mean? How for does that go? I need to think about that.

Trinity Sunday

18/6/2011

Trinity Sunday always stretches the minds of preachers and those listening. So many attempts to find the appropriate metaphor to explain the Trinity. It’s a bit like the TARDIS of Dr Who fame. What’s inside the phone box is impossibly large for the phone boxes dimension and yet those know love Dr Who accept it is so. I think God is like this we get caught up in trying to describe what is indescribable. Larger than the limits of any words. When I was a bit younger I really disliked being told "it's a mystery" as an explanation to things like the Trinity. When I was a teenager I wanted everything explained because I needed to know everything. I find as the years go by I realize I know less and less and what’s even more surprising is I am ok with that. The questions are often more interesting that the answers. Trinity is about the fullness of God and every time I try to use words to explain it I fail. Dare I say it “is a mystery”.

Beginnings

15/6/2011

Welcome to our new web site it seems fitting that it is just up and running as we celebrate Pentecost - a time of change and transformation. As a faith community we are committed to listening to God and discerning where the Spirit may take us. Not always easy to let go and let God as it means letting go of our fear and replacing it with love and trust.Only God know's where we may end up.