The last Monday I spent in New Zealand the District Superintendent had all the 365M students come together at His place. He wanted to show one more place of New Zealand. We first went to waitakere rangers regional park and saw the landscape as one over looks the beauty of God's creation.
We went inside and saw many Maori statures as they were detailed to the males they were created after and saw many of the native birds that live or lived in New Zealand.
We were taken to Piha and saw the breath taking iron sand shores and surf worthy waves and were accompanied by a playful dog that wanted to play fetch with anyone who would pick up his tennis ball.
We found food as people around us watched the ocean waves gently crashing onto the shores it was relaxing to witness.
The beauty of New Zealand can be breath taking. The beauty of New Zealand can awe inspiring.
The we went for a hike where my slow pace ended up losing everyone but loved the walk through the wilderness to the site of a wonderful waterfall. My legs were rubber the next few days after but the walking experience was rewarding in witnessing such beauty.
I think for me it reminded me in all the ministry I was allowed to do and all the classes I had to focus on that there was so much more in New Zealand.
Saturday, 18 May 2013
A meal to remember
The weeks before I left New Zealand I was invited to dine with Pastor Kili and Pastor Ori and their wives. I was honored by their invitation as I enter the restaurant called Genghis Khan Mongolian BBQ. You grab a bowl choose your raw meat and whatever you want to put in with it and take it the contents to the chefs. As you watch as the food is cooked in front of you.
However, I was suffering from a sore throat at the time and could not eat as much as everyone else. But then I found out there was ice cream and was a good feeling for a sore and burning throat.
We talked about the ministries I was involved from preaching, Sunday School classes with 12 to 15 year olds, to helping with their events, and having their support to help me in the events and workshops I created as well.
We talked about the good times and the smiles and laughter was something I needed. I am glad through such a great night I was accompanied by such an amazing person.
I was remembered that everything I have done to bring honor and praise to God in His ministry was seen by these pastors. My brothers in Christ talked and laughed of the good times in ministry and the future of New Zealand.
However, I was suffering from a sore throat at the time and could not eat as much as everyone else. But then I found out there was ice cream and was a good feeling for a sore and burning throat.
We talked about the ministries I was involved from preaching, Sunday School classes with 12 to 15 year olds, to helping with their events, and having their support to help me in the events and workshops I created as well.
We talked about the good times and the smiles and laughter was something I needed. I am glad through such a great night I was accompanied by such an amazing person.
I was remembered that everything I have done to bring honor and praise to God in His ministry was seen by these pastors. My brothers in Christ talked and laughed of the good times in ministry and the future of New Zealand.
Tuesday, 16 April 2013
Community workshop
The last big program I created for a community outreach and organized good networks this past Saturday from 10:00am to 2:00pm. This program was called 'Community workshop: life choices' it offered speakers from MSL training and MIT as well as heaps of food served by the MSL lecturer. It was a program focused on how to do interviews for employment and how to write resumes (which are called CV's in New Zealand). I worked on getting several speakers together over the course of four weeks. I had a friend print out 300 fliers for the event and had my youth and I walk the community of Takanini putting them in mailboxes the week before the event. I went to several pastors and their wives and asked them to send their youth to this event. I spoke with the youth leader in charge of the district to pass the information along.
The day comes as I got there early and cleaned the outside from the trash left behind from people in the community. I helped clean the inside of the Church and set up tables for information booths. I created an expo where MSL and MIT would be able to reach out to the youth in the community and the Church. The food and drinks came early, six plates, and each looked amazing.
Before 10:00am two ladies from the Samoan service arrived to learn and help them for possible employment it was exciting to see their faces as they walked in. The representatives from the different institutes were already there with information about career choices on the booths I had set up for them. But as 10:00am came no one else arrived. I texted the pastors who told me they were coming and received apologies instead of we are coming. I did every kind of advertisement I could think of with limited budget but no youth showed. I walked on the streets inviting youth I came across and over nine of them turned me down but three guys walked in for the food.
I had the program start around 10:30am as the first speaker showed her power point to the two wonderful ladies who showed up. I was greatly disappointed as I had to start giving apologies to the all the representatives. They understood and told me that now that we have created this network of contacts it can be done again. They will help out with budget and free courses to teach whatever I want them to teach to the people of the community and the Church. After lunch the second speaker arrived and we all joined as we listened to her speak of the many branches of MIT and how the different ventures the institute is doing.
The program ended early and I felt defeated with insight that I have created good networks with these people for possible expo's in the future.
We must take the good with the bad in ministry. In it all I had three ladies arrive to learn about the programs being offered and how to help them for future employment. I spoke to many youth and had one follow me the rest of the day.
It does not keep me down for long as I push forward knowing God has called me for missions but not only missions but also holistic ministry. Holistic ministry is one where it is reaching people on all levels of their lives, the pastor is literally walking along side the people to show the way. I will continue that ministry till my last breath helping people lost and broken and trying to create a better future even if it is for one person.
The day comes as I got there early and cleaned the outside from the trash left behind from people in the community. I helped clean the inside of the Church and set up tables for information booths. I created an expo where MSL and MIT would be able to reach out to the youth in the community and the Church. The food and drinks came early, six plates, and each looked amazing.
Before 10:00am two ladies from the Samoan service arrived to learn and help them for possible employment it was exciting to see their faces as they walked in. The representatives from the different institutes were already there with information about career choices on the booths I had set up for them. But as 10:00am came no one else arrived. I texted the pastors who told me they were coming and received apologies instead of we are coming. I did every kind of advertisement I could think of with limited budget but no youth showed. I walked on the streets inviting youth I came across and over nine of them turned me down but three guys walked in for the food.
I had the program start around 10:30am as the first speaker showed her power point to the two wonderful ladies who showed up. I was greatly disappointed as I had to start giving apologies to the all the representatives. They understood and told me that now that we have created this network of contacts it can be done again. They will help out with budget and free courses to teach whatever I want them to teach to the people of the community and the Church. After lunch the second speaker arrived and we all joined as we listened to her speak of the many branches of MIT and how the different ventures the institute is doing.
The program ended early and I felt defeated with insight that I have created good networks with these people for possible expo's in the future.
We must take the good with the bad in ministry. In it all I had three ladies arrive to learn about the programs being offered and how to help them for future employment. I spoke to many youth and had one follow me the rest of the day.
It does not keep me down for long as I push forward knowing God has called me for missions but not only missions but also holistic ministry. Holistic ministry is one where it is reaching people on all levels of their lives, the pastor is literally walking along side the people to show the way. I will continue that ministry till my last breath helping people lost and broken and trying to create a better future even if it is for one person.
Monday, 1 April 2013
Easter at the Beach
This Easter time was joyous in celebration from Thursday night at Oak Tree Service (Samoan congregation) then Good Friday service at Otara Church. Saturday to the Otara flea market which lead me into being invited to a umu. A Samoan meal traditionally cooked in the ground with pork, chicken, potatoes, fruits. Sunday service from the Samoan service to the Niuean service with a feast afterwards.
Easter Monday I had the chance to go to the beach and assist in four baptism with a BBQ afterwards. It was a time of celebration for the resurrected Lord to having four children deciding to follow the Lord and give up the old ways. It was good to see their energy and their desire for this moment of dying into the old ways and coming up as a new person. A moment where their sins are washed away in the beach that motioned over them. It reminded me of the movie, 'Brother where art thou?' where the three escapees come across a baptism service and you can hear them singing, such a beautiful song.
Easter Monday I had the chance to go to the beach and assist in four baptism with a BBQ afterwards. It was a time of celebration for the resurrected Lord to having four children deciding to follow the Lord and give up the old ways. It was good to see their energy and their desire for this moment of dying into the old ways and coming up as a new person. A moment where their sins are washed away in the beach that motioned over them. It reminded me of the movie, 'Brother where art thou?' where the three escapees come across a baptism service and you can hear them singing, such a beautiful song.
Thursday, 21 March 2013
Otara Flea Market
A place in Auckland where mixed cultures come together to buy and socialize. It is a place of fresh fruits, some I have never seen before, and items from different cultures. You can find necklaces, dresses, shoes, jangles (flip-flops), music, carpet, sunglasses, green stone carvers, American sportswear, flowers, and much more. As well as the different cultural foods as you listen to gospel, Samoan music, and sometimes even country music being spoken. You will walk across individuals who have a guitar or a speaker and hear their talent. You may even see dancers. As each Saturday morning the market opens from 6:00am to 12:00pm people come and go and you never see everything the same each time.
I have taken the time to sit down and observe the people as pacific islanders, Chinese, German, Americans, and other people groups walk through the market.
It is amazing what I see and hear and I am glad God has given me the chance to be here.
I have taken the time to sit down and observe the people as pacific islanders, Chinese, German, Americans, and other people groups walk through the market.
It is amazing what I see and hear and I am glad God has given me the chance to be here.
Harvest is Ripe but the workers are few
The community garden has had its ups and its downs as the past two months were the driest Auckland, New Zealand has seen in a long time. People's garden's were dying and as I had trouble watering the garden because of no outside source nor fire hose could be used. Yes, I used a fire hose to water a garden...lol. I tried carrying water from inside the Church to the garden but after 2 hours of doing it I became tired and the garden seemed to thirst for more.
I have pulled fruits from the garden and walked through the community creating relationships and talking with people. I would start by saying, 'hello, I am pastor of the Church of the Nazarene (pointing where the Church is) and we have a community garden and I was wondering if you would some fruit for free?'
Not everyone rushes at you after hearing the words fruit and free but several people I talked to as Wednesday I gave out carrots.
I worked on the garden as the carrots were grown to close together and struggled to survive as they twisted and turned around each other. But it was interesting to see the different designs creation can do to live.
I hope my time here does not end with garden being left by its self but continued to be the example of an outreach to the community to fight obesity and type 2 diabetes. It is an outreach to create relationships and bring families into the Church. I see a Church is not a building nor the bricks or the wood but the people. A Church that does not fight against the social injustices around them or does not help the needs of the people is not really the 'Body of Christ'.
In sharing the food from the garden I have worked hard at I have seen certain foods disappear as I hope it went to a family that truly needed it. It is an outreach to help those who are in need. I am not asking them to come to the Church but build a relationship with me as we walk together in life.
I have pulled fruits from the garden and walked through the community creating relationships and talking with people. I would start by saying, 'hello, I am pastor of the Church of the Nazarene (pointing where the Church is) and we have a community garden and I was wondering if you would some fruit for free?'
Not everyone rushes at you after hearing the words fruit and free but several people I talked to as Wednesday I gave out carrots.
I worked on the garden as the carrots were grown to close together and struggled to survive as they twisted and turned around each other. But it was interesting to see the different designs creation can do to live.
I hope my time here does not end with garden being left by its self but continued to be the example of an outreach to the community to fight obesity and type 2 diabetes. It is an outreach to create relationships and bring families into the Church. I see a Church is not a building nor the bricks or the wood but the people. A Church that does not fight against the social injustices around them or does not help the needs of the people is not really the 'Body of Christ'.
In sharing the food from the garden I have worked hard at I have seen certain foods disappear as I hope it went to a family that truly needed it. It is an outreach to help those who are in need. I am not asking them to come to the Church but build a relationship with me as we walk together in life.
Make me a Priest
In ministry and classes a person can be overwhelmed, it is interesting that person can not be just whelmed, and as my classes increased my writing has decreased. I have been preaching in the Samoan congregation and the English congregation. I have been asked to teach Sunday school lessons and I have been doing that for several weeks as well in the Samoan service.
Lat week I spoke with my group of 12-15 year olds about the temptations of Jesus as he was tempted on three levels such as: physical, intellectual, and spiritual. The three levels we are all tempted in our lives by the evil in the world. Jesus had the chance to avoid the cross. He could have worshiped the evil and claimed domain over the earth. Scripture tells us Jesus had the command to call a legion of angels to his side at any moment. A legion consisted of over 35,000 angels. He could have shown the world that he is the messiah and avoid the insults, torture, torment, and the cross.
In the lesson plan the focus was to know scripture as the evil in the world can even quote it to their misuse of it. In a game of I called 'dress the royal priest' I found the excitement and how the youth thought outside the box.
I watched and took pictures and timed them to see how they did in comparison with each group.
Its funny of the years I have spent in ministry I have often been confused with being a monk or a catholic priest for my own singleness. I remember a conversation in 2003 where I sat in a car with a woman named Missy as she asked me why I chose to be monk. After laughing as I do, a trained deep laugh similar to a villain from a Saturday morning cartoon, I answered her in saying I am not a monk.
I see the disciplines in our life as a Christian, as a Pastor makes the world believe us to be singled out as people who refuse to be apart of the world. I chose to walk in the world and stand beside the broken, the hurt, the lost and show them I am a real person willing to live among them. I am not typical 80's Christian who thought separation and fences were a good idea. In doing holistic ministry a person needs to be there for others on all levels of their life and you can not be able to do that with a fence between you.
In saying this I taught my class the about the royal priest, Jesus Christ. It was a good time to see them understand what I was talking about and see the connection.
Lat week I spoke with my group of 12-15 year olds about the temptations of Jesus as he was tempted on three levels such as: physical, intellectual, and spiritual. The three levels we are all tempted in our lives by the evil in the world. Jesus had the chance to avoid the cross. He could have worshiped the evil and claimed domain over the earth. Scripture tells us Jesus had the command to call a legion of angels to his side at any moment. A legion consisted of over 35,000 angels. He could have shown the world that he is the messiah and avoid the insults, torture, torment, and the cross.
In the lesson plan the focus was to know scripture as the evil in the world can even quote it to their misuse of it. In a game of I called 'dress the royal priest' I found the excitement and how the youth thought outside the box.
I watched and took pictures and timed them to see how they did in comparison with each group.
Its funny of the years I have spent in ministry I have often been confused with being a monk or a catholic priest for my own singleness. I remember a conversation in 2003 where I sat in a car with a woman named Missy as she asked me why I chose to be monk. After laughing as I do, a trained deep laugh similar to a villain from a Saturday morning cartoon, I answered her in saying I am not a monk.
I see the disciplines in our life as a Christian, as a Pastor makes the world believe us to be singled out as people who refuse to be apart of the world. I chose to walk in the world and stand beside the broken, the hurt, the lost and show them I am a real person willing to live among them. I am not typical 80's Christian who thought separation and fences were a good idea. In doing holistic ministry a person needs to be there for others on all levels of their life and you can not be able to do that with a fence between you.
In saying this I taught my class the about the royal priest, Jesus Christ. It was a good time to see them understand what I was talking about and see the connection.
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