It's all about Grace

A mate of mine is a Senior Minster of a church that was thinking about changing its name to “Grace Church”.  

He wisely carried out some focus groups in his community and found that almost everyone thought it was referring to a woman’s name.  Very few outside the church community had any idea that it might be referring to God doing us a favour.

As I was preparing some talks on how to live God’s way as we looked at our five purposes as a church it struck me how easy it is even for us regular church goers to fall back in to trying to earn God’s approval. 

We know that we join God’s family by God’s free gift but then we assume that we continue in his favour by our good life, and it’s all too easy to fall into that trap in the pulpit.  The truth is that we enter God’s family by His free gift and we continue to stay in His family by His free gift. It’s all about grace. Thank God for that otherwise we’d all be in strife.

So where does the “living a good life” thing fit in? Well, to go back to the family analogy, in my better moments I want to do things to serve my family because I love them.  It’s a joy to serve them. I get so disappointed when I realise that I’ve failed them, or when my failure is pointed out to me. 

Likewise it is a joy to obey our God. David put it so well in Psalm 19:8 “The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart.”

By Bruce Dingwall, Senior Minister

The Bali Two

We can’t get away from the impending execution of the Bali Two - Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran. Everyone, it seems, has a view.

The old biblical idea of “an eye for and eye and a tooth for a tooth” was meant to be a principal that stopped people going too far in their anger and desire for “Justice”.  It put limits, even on the state,  on the desire for vengeance – “you can go this far in your punishment of wrong-doing but no further.”
Each nation, and often states within nations, decide what is appropriate when it come to the ultimate punishment.

Drug dealing is a terrible crime. It pushes evil at the expense of lives to make money. (Not a lot of difference with gambling to my mind but that is another issue.)  Those who engage in pushing drugs deserve to be punished. No one disagrees with that.  The issue is whether or not the death penalty is appropriate.

A nation has every right to come up with its own set of penalties and execution does not of itself contradict the Bible’s command not to commit murder.  In the Bible murder is unlawful killing – taking the law into your own hands.  It does not include lawful execution. 

However, it is so final and I for one would not wish to consign a person to God’s final judgment without giving them every opportunity and all the time possible to repent.  And that is not taking into account the fact that a disturbing number of people have been executed over the years who were innocent.  

Furthermore, the death penalty punishes the innocent family.  You could argue that any alternative to the death penalty would do that as well, but the families of these two men seem to be saying very clearly that the death penalty will hurt them far more than life imprisonment. Not being in their shoes I’m in no position to disagree.

In the end we need to be sure that doing something that is “legal” does not diminish us as human beings or as a society.

By Bruce Dingwall, Senior Minister

Hunted by the Hound of Heaven

I was baptised recently. In the morning, I had a bit of a ‘freak-out’ moment when I realised there were 250 sausages on order for the post-ceremony BBQ. How many? It was both terrifying and humbling that there were so many in my new Christian family who were invested, happy and delighted in the choice I was making – even people I had never met – and wanted to celebrate it.

It struck me that ‘terrifying’ and ‘humbling’ pretty much summed up my Christian journey over the past six months. So how did I get here?

About 35 years ago, my family had a bit of a bad day. In the morning my Dad announced he was leaving the family home. And in the afternoon my Mum overdosed on sleeping tablets.

I don’t share this for the ‘poor, damaged, child’ angle. Mum pulled through and my Dad remains happily married to the woman who went onto become my step-mum and I therapied my wounds a long time ago.

I share it because what happened next impacted incredibly on how I viewed God, Jesus and Christianity.

You see, so-called Christian friends turned up with judgement about adultery and the sin of suicide.  The dogma obliterated the grace. And that skewed my viewpoint. Not helped by the bloke in the black dress at the front of the school chapel who failed to make Christianity relevant to me. Then, as a cadet journalist in Ireland, I saw too much fear and terror enacted out in the name of God to make it an appealing proposition.

New age spiritualism and yogic non-attachment called me far more than Jesus did, and pretty much formed my agnostic life for the past 15 years.

In New Age, God is there but in a distant, malleable way. An energy you can somehow harness through the power of correct thought. If your life isn’t going the way you hoped, then you’re not thinking the correct thoughts. So you pay for another course! New age exhausted me. I was tired of having to fix myself!

Yoga and meditation gave peace but felt empty – I was dessicating my soul in my striving to non-attach.  I kept forgetting we are relationship driven. We are not built for non-attachment!

Deep down I wanted a relationship with God. I wanted that still, small voice of calm. But with all my childhood baggage from Church and religion, I couldn’t figure out the right path. I was also petrified of vulnerability. After a parent attempts suicide, there’s a lot you lock-off in self-preservation.

So I am blessed that God hunted me down, put Jesus squarely in front of me, and made me listen.

It started with a failed job interview. One of the job criteria was a practising Christian, active in church. No surprises, then, that I didn’t get the gig. And the interviewer was kind and graceful but pleasantly steadfast in telling me that my faith wasn’t there. And he said something about structure…

Someone recently reminded me how God presses on us, this insistence that shoves at you. Jesus and that phrase about structure kept pushing into my brain. I kept telling myself it was because my ego had been pricked.

But the Easter weekend that followed was packed with too many ‘insistencies’, too many signs to ignore:

·      The Bible falling off the shelf at my feet at a holiday house communal library – with no one nearby to cause it to fall, and with at least a hundred of other books that could have fallen.

·      The yacht at Palm Beach, the sail unfurling, emblazoned with the words ‘Mister Christian’.

·      Awaking with specific lyrics from Jennifer Warnes’s ‘Song of Bernadette’ playing over and over in my head around 3am each morning for four days in a row, when I had not heard her music in probably a decade.

In the end, on Easter Monday morning at 3am, I sat bolt upright and asked, “What? What are you trying to tell me?”

And a voice that was of me, but not of me, said clearly: Sort out your baggage around Christianity. You have all this unconditional love and non-judgement for other religions. You need to get rid of your stereotypes about how ‘Christians’ should be. Sort out your faith.

The next morning I asked my husband’s opinion, a small bit of me hoping he’d give me a ‘get out a jail free card’. Instead he responded: “Well, Phil, Jesus did have to ask Peter 3 times….”

I thought I’d just do some research. C of E stuck me as similar to Anglican. The kids attend school in the area so I found Menai Anglican online, spotted that a Christianity Course was running and picked up the phone. I’d missed a couple of weeks, but figured I could do some catch up - some solo, distant education.

Again, God was having none of it. Instead of a quick video download in my own time, I ended up having theological emails with an associate pastor who was refreshingly honest. There was no watering down, which was a change compared to what I had known. It was my first adult conversation with a Christian who was happy to unpack his faith and really let me rummage around in it – whilst kindly challenging me both intellectually and spiritually.

It was obvious he wasn’t going to let this seeking soul just do distant education! I found myself at a 10am service. Then another. Then an 8am. Then a 6pm.

As my heart whispered to me how astounding this love, the cross, the resurrection was, my head was on the sidelines, arms folded. Could a man really have come back to life? Well, then, I got to do the CE course. Which helped my head catch up with my heart.

I liken my new-age relationship with God before like some faulty light bulb. That flickered on and off. Jesus reached past me and screwed in the bulb.

As soon as I accepted Jesus, it literally clicked into place. How liberating it was to go: I am more sinful and flawed than I could ever imagine, yet at the very same time I am more loved and accepted in Jesus than I could ever dare dream.

And after all my new-age work? The ease of this astounds me every day. Just keep accepting the grace. And I pray that God just keeps me, all my flawed ego self, out the way.

Being loved, no matter what, gives you an incredible blank canvas of trust and grace from which to create. Jesus died for me.  How can I do anything but humbly accept?

My acceptance gave me a new freedom to embrace the joy. After trying to be all yogic, trying to non-attach, to not feel, all this… it is like going from black and white to technicolour.

All my numbed nerve endings fizzed back online. And even if there are hurts – all that sensitivity I tried to hide, the vulnerability I was so fearful of – what are they compared to the pain Jesus’ took on for me? My biggest wounds are like a broken nail compared to crucifixion and taking on the sins of the world. Vulnerability delivered me joy, faith and more.

Six months ago I would have laughed at anyone who said I’d have a Bible app on my phone and be writing a blog about my Christian journey.

Preparing this testimony, I was asked to share examples of how my life has changed since I accepted God and Jesus. But I can’t give examples of incidents, because this isn’t incidental to my life.

It is like breathing. The edges have been smoothed. I’m sure my husband would agree that the ‘point scoring’ of life has dropped away.

I find myself in a range of places – the café, getting my back adjusted, a business networking event - and God insistently tells me to share the blog and my experience of returning to church.

God: ‘Tell them!” Me: “Really?” God: “Yes, now” – and so I do and every time, every time, I end up in a conversation with someone who has been wondering about going back to church after having a poor experience.

So now, whilst I do still question, I trust. And so, even when He’s telling me to step forward and I feel like it’s off a cliff, I trust and honour that He knows what He’s doing. So I step forward and the bridge – or path – appears.

And getting baptised? I now recognise that God and Jesus were always on the look out for me over these past 43 years; they had my back.  But I hadn't got their's.  I needed to reciprocate.  Choosing baptism was my testimony to them, saying: "I'm sorry it took me so long.  Thanks for chasing me down.  Here I am."

Yet despite that, for the 42 intervening years, I know God and Jesus were always on the look out; they had my back. But I hadn’t got theirs. I needed to reciprocate. Choosing baptism was my testimony to them, saying: “I’m sorry it took me so long. Thanks for chasing me down. Here I am.”

Finally, although I say God chased me down, and Jesus worked his grace – there is one more important factor.

The past six months have clearly demonstrated that, just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a supportive husband, an amazing ministry team and an engaged congregation to raise a new Christian.

So on the days that you wonder what exactly God and Jesus are up to in your life – and I’m pretty sure we all have them – please remember each time over the past six months I saw you here at church – even if we have never spoken – I saw you here.

In worship. Treading the path. And it gave me joy and encouragement to keep stepping forward on mine. Thank you.

By Phil(ippa) Lowe, a member of our 10am Service, and a PR/Communications Manager who takes God and Jesus seriously, but herself not so much.
 

Reflections- Article Preview from our Autumn MAC Magazine

REFLECTION AND PRAYER GATHERING- 2PM SUN 6 APRIL AT CHURCH

Recently I’ve been reflecting on the noise of life. 

It can take over our headspace, squeezing out other things.

What sparked this reflection was a sermon I heard in January at my brother’s church. The sermon was on James 1. It helped me think more clearly about an issue I have been tossing around for a while. 

From James 1:18 – 21, and 25:

The Father . . . ‘chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created.  My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. . . . The man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does.’  

                                                                                                                              

The preacher suggested that, since the passage is about the centrality of God’s word, and the response to it we need to make so that the ‘righteous life that God desires’ grows in us, it is to God and his word that we should be quick to listen, and be slow to speak with him about our concerns – the noise of our lives.

That noise is powerful. 

It is the accumulation of all that is on our mind and in our hearts.

We have probably all had the experience of listening to a great sermon – the word being taught – and suddenly finding that our attention has been pulled away by life’s noise. We may have had a good look at a Bible passage in our growth group, but the prayer time that follows may have little to do with praying the passage into our lives, and have barely any focus on God himself, and how we are developing in our relationship with him. How easy it is for the noise of our lives to take over our time with God.

Not that it is wrong to bring our concerns to God. Far from it. We are encouraged, if not commanded, to do so (Psalm 62:8, Phil 4:6). It underlines our dependency on God.

But if the noise of life is the focal point of our relationship with God, that relationship is out of balance and we will struggle to grow. It is a bit like the husband who adores his wife and takes her to a fabulous getaway, to spend some quality time together and to give them both, but her especially, a break from the demands of caring for their young children. But the children are her ‘noise’. They are all she talks about. They are on her mind the whole time. She can’t step beyond her role as a mother and throw herself into her role as wife and lover, even for a short time. Her relationship with her husband is the foundation of her family. But she is giving it - giving him – very little attention, even when the opportunity is provided. Yes, she is a caring mother, but the relationship with her husband will shrivel if she does not nurture it, however hard that may be for her while the children are little.

How can we get to a place where loving God, and caring about what he cares about, drives us at least as much as the concerns of our own lives, if not more so?

We know James wrote a letter about action, so doing is important. But the preacher I heard referred to a step James mentions that it is easy to skip over.

James says we must ‘humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you’.  

God has already saved us from remaining dead in our sins and given us ‘birth through the word of truth’. The word is already ‘planted’ in us.

So what, then, does it mean when James says we are to ‘accept’ it? The preacher said that it means to take it into ourselves, to sit under its authority, humbly, and without anger – rebellion, resistance, impatience. We need to ‘look intently into the perfect law’, to work it into our lives. This is similar to the Old Testament concept of meditation – being still in God’s presence, taking time pondering his word, chewing it over, wrestling with it, taking it on board.

If we are quiet before God and quick to listen, the Holy Spirit has more opportunity to grow within us the righteousness of Jesus - to grow in us his life, which was planted in us when we were given new birth (2 Peter 1: 3-4). Nurturing this life is not something we can do on our own. What we need to do is to make ourselves available for the Spirit to grow the word in us.          

If you’ve ever tried being still before God, letting the Holy Spirit remind you of things the word says, letting the things of God ‘gel’ within you, just spending time loving God, then you will know that it can be a time when the words of the two disciples who met the risen Jesus on the road to Emmaus, can be true for us. ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us . . . and opened the Scriptures to us? ’Luke 24:32.

You will also know that, despite our best efforts to spend quality time with God, with every intention of being quick to listen and slow to speak, the noise of our life can take over so very quickly.

It can be easier to be quiet before God in the company of others, even if we are communing with him privately, in our own hearts. Guided reflection can help us set aside our noise. It can help us stay focussed.

Some of us are getting together for Reflection and Prayer, for about an hour, in the church, on Sunday afternoon 6 April at 2pm. The focus of our reflection will be Easter. We are planning for it to be a gentle, non-threatening time. We will read God’s word, sing, there will be a time of guided reflection, and a time to be still before God on our own with a suggested focus.

Whether you are an old hand at this, or whether it is something new to you, everyone is welcome, from the young to the not-so-young. No RSVP needed. Just turn up.

We are looking forward to sharing with you as together we wait on God to do his work in us. As the joy of sharing in Jesus’ life grows within us, individually and as a community of God’s people, so we will grow in the freedom to delight in our relationship with God, and to be more keenly attuned to his agenda.

By keeping on looking ‘intently’ into the word of life, the mind-boggling benefits of being ‘in Jesus’ will become more real to us. James says we will ‘be blessed’ in what we do.

- Jenny Kennedy

READ THE FULL ARTICLE and more in the Autumn Church Magazine due out next weekend. 

Comments and discussion on this article are welcome and encouraged. 

Women's Hot Topic Evening - Why Envy?

When I was first asked to speak on envy, I had never really thought about it before.  I didn’t even think I’d been effected by it..... until I started to think seriously about what envy was and how it showed itself in our lives.  As it turned out “envy” was and is EVERYWHERE - even shops and perfumes have the name “envy”! 

However, what disturbed me most as I read and talked with people, was that most of us didn’t really think it was big deal - after all, it didn’t really hurt others....... or did it?

Envy is the source of almost every other sin, it destroys other people’s lives as well as our own, it skews our thinking and decision making in destructive ways.  For these reasons, I love speaking on “envy”- it challenges me to take a long hard look at myself, and reminds me that God gives us hope to turn our lives and thinking around, and an antidote to this most secret of sins.

I hope and pray that as women leave the evening at Menai Anglican Church, they will be challenged and given hope as I have been.

By Ainsley Poulos  

Ainsley is married to Archie and has three kids, 4 chickens, 2 rabbits and a guinea pig. She loves teaching God's word in an engaging way and helping women come to see how it speaks to every area of their lives.  Ainsley helps run EQUIP Women’s Ministries and chairs EQUIP ministry wives- a conference encouraging the wives of ministers.

In her spare time, she works as a speech pathologist (http://www.eastsidespeech.com.au/about/our-people)

WOMEN’S HOT TOPIC EVENING AT MENAI ANGLICAN CHURCH

WEDNESDAY 28 AUGUST 7.30pm – 9.30pm

Volunteering at Menai Anglican Church Kids Club (MAK Club)

Hi, 

My name is Joshua and I have been serving as a volunteer for Menai Anglican Kids Club (MAK Club) since it started several years ago. I have always wanted to serve in ways that matter most to God. The Bible clearly states that children are a blessing from God (Matthew 18:2-6). Being part of the MAK Club Team gives me the opportunity to make a difference in children’s lives and in a very positive way too. When I serve in children’s ministry (MAK Club) and teach children about the great love God has for them I also have the chance to indirectly influence the future generations that are to come. I also love seeing the children learn about God's love and existence in 3 high impact fun filled days. It is also a great encouragement to me when I see the amount of people who come together and volunteer their time to help make MAK Club a memorable experience for all the children who attend.

I have found that working with children has taught me patience and this is a wonderful ‘fruit of the spirit’ (Galatians 5:22-23) gift to have when you are surrounded by many excited and squealing children.

Joshua Mendez 

Are you are interested in volunteering for MAK Club?  This year it will take place from 25 - 27 September.   Call 9541 0990 or email office@menaianglican.org if you can help.

What Being In A Growth Group Means For Me

I have been a part of a Growth Group/Bible Study group now, either as a member or a leader, for nearly 30 years.  I have been in many varied groups, from mixed young adults, to men only, to mixed groups. Currently I am co-leading, with Karen, a mixed group of adults – some married, some single.

I have seen so many things happen over those years, not the least of which is the way God has moved and shaken me up to mould me into the person I am today.

Growth Group participation is a given for me as a Christian, I simply cannot do things on my own and what better way to do it then with a group of people who share the same values and reason for living that I do.

So, here are some of the benefits of being in a Growth Group that I see, in no particular order:

Supper. In business they say the best discussions are had around the coffee machine, so never underestimate that time where we socialise beforehand with a cuppa and a biscuit; mind you it seems to only be the men who eat up!! We meet about 15 minutes before the more formal time and it’s a great way to chat and catch up with what’s been happening during the week gone and helps build the relationships, particularly for any new members.

Accountability. Sometimes in life we need other people to keep us on track and spur us on to accomplish our goals. A Growth group is perfect for doing that. We can be honest with each other and share our worries and concerns in a confidential environment without judgement but in a way that enables us to be accountable to someone who cares.  

Social Events. Once a term we strive to have a meal together. Occasionally we study the Bible as well as eat, but mostly we just enjoy a meal and a chat together and share conversation. It’s another great way to get to know each other better.

Studying the Bible and hearing different perspectives. We spend about 45 minutes to read and study the Bible, varying the way we study it, from following along with the current sermon series in Church to using Life Guide study notes on books of the Bible or topical subjects or characters.

I like the idea of hearing other people’s point of view. Our group is a diverse mix of so many different people who are Christians – e.g. age, gender, office workers, work from home people, some have degrees; some run their own business, some are crafty, some excel at hospitality. We are all at different stages of our journey. The one thing that is not different is we are united by our love for the Lord and a desire to grow closer to Him each day.

It is refreshing to hear a different point of view on a scripture I have read numerous times before. That is one way we grow as Christians.

Encouragement. Another primary reason I go to Bible study each week is for the encouragement I receive from the people in our group.

Sharing personal struggles and seeking advice. Over the course of the years, I have shared our stories of loss, our fears, temptations, and weaknesses. Sometimes a member of the group might offer a helpful suggestion, and sometimes there is no answer. That's when we are able to support each other, and love each other through times of struggle, to pray together, and encourage one another as best we can. There aren't always answers, but knowing you’re being held up in prayer can go a long way to calming fears.

Praying for each other. Usually after studying the Bible we spend about 30 minutes writing down and sharing our prayer requests and of course praying for each other, usually in groups of 3-5 people. We stress the importance of confidentiality that what’s shared in the group stays in the group. We also encourage everyone in the group to use these in their personal daily prayer time; it helps to know others are praying for you.

Celebrating life's many blessings. Over the years there are so many great things that happen to us and our Growth Group experiences many of these together. Our groups have been: a source of encouragement, support, Godly counsel, and friendship that can never be replaced.

Outreach Focus. One of the key things I love about our group is that we want to grow and serve God and see how He wants to use us. Some years ago we felt led to head up the Anglicare Food Drive collection in the Barden Ridge area on behalf of our church. We listened to the call to action and as a result we have been blessed to see God work so powerfully each year. So many contacts have been made in the community, so much help from so many people in our Church, and every year we seem to hear more touching stories. It’s fantastic to see so many other groups and individuals share our vision.   

Growth groups are a sure way to get to know others in our church community more intimately. We are a large church and there is no way you can get to know every person. But you can get to know every person in your group, well. And we can support each other and share each others’ burdens in a group. We don’t always do that perfectly because none of us is perfect. But we can do the best we can with the gifts that God gives us in the intimate nature of our groups.

Nigel Beckman