Peace.
Lifestreams @ Medbury: News and Roster
Dear Lifestreamers,Many of you may have heard that Natalie Harbott's step-dad, Bruce, died after a long struggle with cancer last Sunday at 5pm. I invite you to continue joining our prayers together this week as we lift up Deborah, Mike, Priscilla and Natalie in their time of mourning.
Bruce's funeral will be held this Monday, 1pm at St Barnabas' Church. Natalie has been deeply involved with the St Barnabas' community and all who would like to support Bruce's family at this occasion are welcome.
Worship the Lifestreams' Way
Due to icy conditions in the Medbury hall last Sunday we decided to postpone the Worship workshop on Assisting at Communion. At this stage it seems as though Medbury switched off the heating for the
entire holidays! Thanks to those of you dedicated worshipers who endured at the risk of hypothermia.
I would like to continue with the Assisting workshop after worship next Sunday. I anticipate a very low key session that should take no more than 12minutes including a handout to take away.
Below is the new list of dates for each workshop. If you have volunteered for a particular ministry can I please emphasize the importance of these workshops; they will give us all the best chance to touch base and to ask any questions or give suggestions as to how certain ministries are done.
18th July - Assisting at Communion
25th July - Reading Scripture in Public Worship
8th August - Preparing and Leading Prayers
15th August - Being a Welcomer or Sides person
22nd August - Hospitality/Morning Tea
Future date - Preparing and presenting a Personal Testimony in Worship (Open to everyone)
The main purpose of these training sessions is so that each of you feel comfortable doing what you're doing.
A FEW WORDS
'One of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray..." '
- The Gospel according to Luke 11:1
With these words of the disciples in front of us I consider the following words of Christian philosopher Dallas Willard worth pondering.
"As a disciple of Jesus I am with him, by choice and by grace, learning from him how to live in the kingdom of God...I am not necessarily learning to do everything he did, but I am learning how to do everything I do in the manner that he did all he did." -Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy.
Next Sunday we'll continue exploring Paul's letter to the Colossians and ask 'What does Jesus know about reality that we need to know in order to live in the manner he did?'
TERM THREE
Friday - Artist’s Way Course 4.00-5.30pm at St Barnabas
“The Artist’s Way provides a twelve week course that guides you through the process of discovering and recovering your creative self. It dispels the ‘I’m not talented enough’ conditioning that holds many people back and helps you to unleash your own inner artist. One of its basic principals is that creativity is God’s gift to us. Using our creativity is our gift back to God.
The course will be led by Vicki Sharman Gilmour and will involve some further commitment of time each week to work through the material. Costs involved are the purchase of the book The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, approx $30 and possibly a gold coin donation if we need to run a crèche for pre-schoolers. Fridayzone, our after school programme runs at the same time to cater for school age children. This course would be suitable to invite interested friends to.
Email or talk to Vicki to register or for more details.
MEN'S NOOMA FILMS AT LE CAFE
Andrew and I are trying to sort a good time for an introductory men’s Nooma series for about 6 sessions once a fortnight 7.30pm on Thursday nights at Le Café (near the arts centre).
Nooma is a series of 10 minute (approximately) engaging talks delivered by a guy called Rob Bell. He aims to present a well presented view of where bible and God meets our lives (or the other way around). It can be a little bit over cool but I think it is generally pretty thought provoking and interesting.
What do you gents feel? We could start beginning of August if such a time frame works for you?
Beer, coffee, food etc are definitely good things that Le Café has in abundance to keep us strong whilst we watch the films and chat about it.
Please let Andrew and Paul know your thoughts.
MEANWHILE, THIS SUNDAY:
Readings
First reading: Mary Cropp
Colossians 1:15-28
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross. 21 And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him— 23 provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, became a servant of this gospel. 24 I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. 25 I became its servant according to God's commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
Gospel Reading: Harriet English
Luke 11:1-13
1 He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." 2 He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial." 5 And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, "Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.' 7 And he answers from within, "Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs. 9 "So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? 12 Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
Welcoming: Anna Webster, Mary Cropp
Prayers: Vicki Gilmour
Ministry of Healing: Mary Cropp, Charlotte West
Sidespeople: Moka Ritchie
Assistants: Vicki Gilmour, Steve Wakefield
Kidzone
Bubbles: Christine Fokkens, Anthony Fokkens
Splash/Xstream and GRID: Angela Brown, Jonathon Brown
Morning Tea: Ian and Marette Wells
Thanks again to all of you. As always I can be contacted either by email andrew@stbarnabas.org.nz or phone at the office 351 7064. My cell phone is 021 201 4798 and home 351 7392.
May Christ's peace be with each of you this week!
Andrew McDonald