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.
Tuesday, 16 April 2013
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.
Sunday, 17 February 2013
One step forward and two steps back 2
The day after the fishing trip was the workshop for the community garden. I had prepared for it as the a few days before I made a good account with a local owner and he gave us as many pallets as we wanted. Dave Avery from Diabetes Projects Trust and Gardens4health was my guest speaker for the event. He came and helped me days before transport the pallets by renting a van. It was a blessing to find a way to move all the pallets we needed over but it was up to Dave and I to load and unload them.
On the day of the actual event I got to the Church early like usual for me. I start to prepare as I would have breaking the youth up into groups. One group to break down the pallets, another group digging around the community garden, another group working on creating compost bins, and another group working on creating a worm bed. I had everything ready to go and now it was time for me to have patience...
As 10:00am came the start of the event no one showed. I stood next to Dave as we were breaking down some pallets to use as examples as his wife helped take the nails out of the stripes taken from them. One new member of the Church came walking around the corner as he lives locally and was geared to help in anyway. A man I recently met who came to my youth night, he recently came to New Zealand to learn flight training to take the skill back to his country in Papa New Guinea. The four of us continued the work ahead as we waited, however, neither congregation came and the day found its only workers to be the ones already on the Church grounds.
Embarrassment and frustration set in as I worked knowing I can not do the work of many but I will do as much as I can. Born and raised on a beef farm I learned hard work and it has been ingrained in my being and soon enough I will be back out there at the garden digging and hammering because the job is not done. This is but a moment to look at and remind me that ministry can be tough but noting easy is worthy doing. We must continue to stand and reach out to those broken and lost even if I am the only one standing. I know where I stand is firm ground because of my faith in my Lord.
The harvest is ready but the workers are few.
On the day of the actual event I got to the Church early like usual for me. I start to prepare as I would have breaking the youth up into groups. One group to break down the pallets, another group digging around the community garden, another group working on creating compost bins, and another group working on creating a worm bed. I had everything ready to go and now it was time for me to have patience...
As 10:00am came the start of the event no one showed. I stood next to Dave as we were breaking down some pallets to use as examples as his wife helped take the nails out of the stripes taken from them. One new member of the Church came walking around the corner as he lives locally and was geared to help in anyway. A man I recently met who came to my youth night, he recently came to New Zealand to learn flight training to take the skill back to his country in Papa New Guinea. The four of us continued the work ahead as we waited, however, neither congregation came and the day found its only workers to be the ones already on the Church grounds.
Embarrassment and frustration set in as I worked knowing I can not do the work of many but I will do as much as I can. Born and raised on a beef farm I learned hard work and it has been ingrained in my being and soon enough I will be back out there at the garden digging and hammering because the job is not done. This is but a moment to look at and remind me that ministry can be tough but noting easy is worthy doing. We must continue to stand and reach out to those broken and lost even if I am the only one standing. I know where I stand is firm ground because of my faith in my Lord.
The harvest is ready but the workers are few.
Fishing in New Zealand
I woke up Friday morning half asleep as I knew I needed to drive soon to begin my day of going fishing. I took my jeans, my black hat, my long sleeve red shirt, and sunblock. I was out the door and saw how early it was as the sun did not even want to be up at this hour. Now years ago I worked a factory job where 4:00am was common time to start my work as we worked 12 hour days. After having the time to sleep when I want it is different to wake up earlier then excepted. This fishing trip would be the first time in my life I would be fishing from a boat. The first time fishing for snapper. The first time fishing with the Pastor from Takanini and his family. The first time to fish in the ocean. The first time to fish in New Zealand. Many first times were being broken that day. As I was still half asleep I still remembered how to drive where I needed to be. I always wonder about the unconscious state of some people as stories have proven that if someone drives to the same location many times their unconsciousness could do the same as well while they sleep. This was not the case for me as I was only half asleep, the other half was wide awake.
I drive where I needed to be and change vehicles and go from driver to passenger. Soon enough we reach the docks and I tried taking pictures but the flash would break the reality of light in the dark. I wanted to reject reality of light only reaching several feet ahead of me. If my eyes can see so should my $120 camera. However, the fact was reality could not be changed as often as it is in my own mind. Once more I found myself greeting people I have never met before and helping the packages and rods onto the rented boat. I was curious never being on a boat to go fishing would I be seasick?
As hours went by I realized I was not vomiting and therefore my stomach would be the media portrayal of seasickness. I would not be the person feeding the fish personally. It was interesting to fish in the ocean and taste the salt water as it would splash against the boat and race into the sky. I caught seven snappers but only two were keepers. The Skipper and his mate helped me with fixing my line and taking the fish off and because of that I felt I was on vacation. Of all the thousands of time I have gone fishing back home in the States here I am being helped.
As the sun was not clearly out and the clouds surrounded us for most of the day I decided not to apply the sunblock I brought with me. But at the end of the day I realized the wrong decision that was as my face, ears, and neck were bright red.
When getting back the family lined up all the fish and separated them to each family. The rest were smoked and deep fried. I had fins and one fish head where I was shown to suck out the fish brains. Not a usual sentence I would be typing, to say I was taught to suck fish brains. From my own taste buds the taste was similar to pudding called tapioca. Here are some photos so you can join me in the adventure I had:
I drive where I needed to be and change vehicles and go from driver to passenger. Soon enough we reach the docks and I tried taking pictures but the flash would break the reality of light in the dark. I wanted to reject reality of light only reaching several feet ahead of me. If my eyes can see so should my $120 camera. However, the fact was reality could not be changed as often as it is in my own mind. Once more I found myself greeting people I have never met before and helping the packages and rods onto the rented boat. I was curious never being on a boat to go fishing would I be seasick?
As hours went by I realized I was not vomiting and therefore my stomach would be the media portrayal of seasickness. I would not be the person feeding the fish personally. It was interesting to fish in the ocean and taste the salt water as it would splash against the boat and race into the sky. I caught seven snappers but only two were keepers. The Skipper and his mate helped me with fixing my line and taking the fish off and because of that I felt I was on vacation. Of all the thousands of time I have gone fishing back home in the States here I am being helped.
As the sun was not clearly out and the clouds surrounded us for most of the day I decided not to apply the sunblock I brought with me. But at the end of the day I realized the wrong decision that was as my face, ears, and neck were bright red.
When getting back the family lined up all the fish and separated them to each family. The rest were smoked and deep fried. I had fins and one fish head where I was shown to suck out the fish brains. Not a usual sentence I would be typing, to say I was taught to suck fish brains. From my own taste buds the taste was similar to pudding called tapioca. Here are some photos so you can join me in the adventure I had:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)