I am in the US through mid-September 2015 and am available to speak to your church or group about partnering with our ministry in NZ. Additional financial partnerships are needed.
Participate! integritynfaith@gmail.com
Religious Affiliation Fades
Participate! integritynfaith@gmail.com
Partnering with our ministry in NZ right now is mutually beneficial for American churches as we share our lessons learned in a postChristian context. The US Church is possibly 15-25 years behind NZ on the postChristian continuum.
POST•CHRISTIAN: variations of a context in which there's a disconnect between society and a once-strong Church. Disengagement from a previous Christian norm. True of much of Europe, nearly all of Australia & New Zealand, and now, most of USA.
Partnering with this ministry will reframe how you do ministry in your local context because many of the stories are substantially universal and the resources and strategies transferable.
POST•CHRISTIAN: variations of a context in which there's a disconnect between society and a once-strong Church. Disengagement from a previous Christian norm. True of much of Europe, nearly all of Australia & New Zealand, and now, most of USA.
Partnering with this ministry will reframe how you do ministry in your local context because many of the stories are substantially universal and the resources and strategies transferable.
• Shore Community Church • Refugees & Refuge House • Disciple making •
• Inter-Cultural Communications • Mentoring missionaries & leaders •
• Massey University Chaplaincy • Networking for Church Planting
... all in a postChristian country where most people have no idea of the gardens of Eden or Gethsemane, or of the existence of Genesis or James.
PostChristian ministry deals with a different
kind of poverty than what photos can show.
kind of poverty than what photos can show.
Religious Affiliation Fades
"New Zealand is one of only three countries in the
world where the non-religious are soon expected to outnumber the religious,
according to new research. New Zealand will join France and the
Netherlands as having the religiously unaffiliated - referring to atheists,
agnostics and those who do not identify with a religion - as the majority
group."
How to speak well in this social and cultural context? That's my daily challenge.
How to speak well in this social and cultural context? That's my daily challenge.
New Zealand Herald - April 2015
To lead myself and others into a restoring relationship with Jesus through creativity, relationship and recovery of what has been lost; with grace, gratitude and generosity consistently shining through for God's glory.
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| Steph & Hailey at a city event |
April/May Prayers Needs
In the midst of conversations to be had, reports to be written, meetings
attended and plans to be made, I have a speaking engagement on April 18th; the
topic is grace AND truth...
My intern of 8 months, Hailey, returned to her role at Ark Christian Ministries camp.
Then Spirituality Week on campus was in early May
Then I led a contemplative retreat May 9th
Then speaking on discipling at a conference in Taupo 20-22 May ....
Then I fly to US for 2+ month furlough which is an exhausting tour of churches & friends.
My intern of 8 months, Hailey, returned to her role at Ark Christian Ministries camp.
Then Spirituality Week on campus was in early May
Then I led a contemplative retreat May 9th
Then speaking on discipling at a conference in Taupo 20-22 May ....
Then I fly to US for 2+ month furlough which is an exhausting tour of churches & friends.
So pray too for wisdom to say no to anything else... I'm not
getting younger!
Also with some supporting churches diminished in size, I
need additional funding, whether from individuals or partnering churches.
Pray for good connections at a couple of IN, KY & OH
churches, please, or others you may know of.
24 Hours in the Life of Jill
Met with potential new church planting team, a 6 continent ICOM initiative, at Reuben & Anna's for dinner.
Then responded to urgent request of old neighbours' to stay with a 6 yr old boy until grandparents could arrive while mum & dad went to hospital to have a new baby.
Been to dentist for routine check, then to lab for routine blood tests to check liver enzymes which would indicate return of melanoma.
Emails.
Doing laundry while inputting ministry expenses into Expensify.
Hand is numb from a compressed nerve exacerbated by paddling a canoe for three days on the Whanganui River Feb 7-9 with my interns and friends.(I love to use exacerbate!)
Going for acupuncture at 4.
Bible study at 7:30.
Met with potential new church planting team, a 6 continent ICOM initiative, at Reuben & Anna's for dinner.
Then responded to urgent request of old neighbours' to stay with a 6 yr old boy until grandparents could arrive while mum & dad went to hospital to have a new baby.
Been to dentist for routine check, then to lab for routine blood tests to check liver enzymes which would indicate return of melanoma.
Emails.
Doing laundry while inputting ministry expenses into Expensify.
Hand is numb from a compressed nerve exacerbated by paddling a canoe for three days on the Whanganui River Feb 7-9 with my interns and friends.(I love to use exacerbate!)
Going for acupuncture at 4.
Bible study at 7:30.
 |
| Shore Community Church celebrates baptisms! |
Baptisms
Five
baptisms were to be celebrated rain or shine, but we are a transient church in
that we do not have our own building, we set up and tear down
every Sunday, and we usually do baptisms outside in a midwife's birthing
pool.
So 'shine' is a lot easier and more pleasant.
Some spoke their testimony, their journey thus far. Others wrote it out.
There were seven baptisms in the end, and ongoing conversations with others
will likely lead to more. One was in my present Bible study. Another was
in one of my Life Group. |
| Steph, Jane, Hailey & Jill on a blustery Auckland day. |
We've Moved
The first few months of the year have been taken up with finding a house to rent, packing, moving & unpacking amidst the usual and unusual ministry opportunities. During that time, I developed lateral epicondylitis in my left elbow while trying to protect the compressed nerve in my right wrist. We are a houseful of women and there was much to be done.
We hope for a good winter because there's only a single pane of glass between us and the outside and this house has many windows. A big thanks to Denise Sears who remade curtains during her visit while others on her team helped with 'settling in' tasks inside and out.
We found a place to rent on a side street off a busy road... so a little noisy but good access to buses.
There are only 4 bedrooms and I've already had up to 8 people sleeping here, but the younger longterm residents were generous to sleep on mattresses on the floor for the times needed.
13 'guests' have come & gone over the two months we've been in, plus the regular four of us who share.
The rent is NZ$630 per week which is best we could do in a safe area.
We have yet to see averages & norms for utilities. It's been a good summer weather wise. Let's hope for a good winter. We also have a wood burner stove & a fireplace, so maybe firewood is more cost effective.
We are grateful for your thoughtfulness & generosity in helping with moving costs, and the ongoing partnership that keeps the ministry influential here.
The first few months of the year have been taken up with finding a house to rent, packing, moving & unpacking amidst the usual and unusual ministry opportunities. During that time, I developed lateral epicondylitis in my left elbow while trying to protect the compressed nerve in my right wrist. We are a houseful of women and there was much to be done.
We hope for a good winter because there's only a single pane of glass between us and the outside and this house has many windows. A big thanks to Denise Sears who remade curtains during her visit while others on her team helped with 'settling in' tasks inside and out.
We found a place to rent on a side street off a busy road... so a little noisy but good access to buses.
There are only 4 bedrooms and I've already had up to 8 people sleeping here, but the younger longterm residents were generous to sleep on mattresses on the floor for the times needed.
13 'guests' have come & gone over the two months we've been in, plus the regular four of us who share.
The rent is NZ$630 per week which is best we could do in a safe area.
We have yet to see averages & norms for utilities. It's been a good summer weather wise. Let's hope for a good winter. We also have a wood burner stove & a fireplace, so maybe firewood is more cost effective.
We are grateful for your thoughtfulness & generosity in helping with moving costs, and the ongoing partnership that keeps the ministry influential here.
Interesting Conversations
I've had interesting invites to speak to classes at Massey University lately! Sociology (religion & identity in diverse society) and Social Work practice (self-care). I again presented the Christian perspective of Spirituality in Death & Dying to nursing students.
Any chance to speak the Gospel is a good opportunity.
I've had interesting invites to speak to classes at Massey University lately! Sociology (religion & identity in diverse society) and Social Work practice (self-care). I again presented the Christian perspective of Spirituality in Death & Dying to nursing students.
Any chance to speak the Gospel is a good opportunity.
We have volcanoes erupting in two different places and quakes continue to jiggle Christchurch. Nine quake/aftershocks in just 7 days, one over 5.0 Check Geonet for updates
LATEST: A new vent has opened up near the Te Maari Crater area on Mount Tongariro. Volcanic activity at Mt Tongariro could continue for weeks, months or even years after Tongariro rumbled to life after being dormant for more than 100 years last night.
Last night's eruption was a total surprise, so "we have to expect the unexpected", GNS volcanologist Michael Rosenberg said.
The mountain erupted at 11.50pm, sending ash across roads and prompting a potential threat warning for central North Island regions.
The eruption threw rocks and spewed ash from the Te Mari craters, near Ketetahi hot springs, on the northern side of the mountain, GNS Science said.
Roads were initially closed and flights will be disrupted because of ash.
WITNESS ACCOUNTSTruck driver Tama Coker was heading across the Desert Road while the eruption was happening and said the noise was like a train.
"There was a big flash," he said. "I thought it was lightning and then it started raining sand. It was pretty thick. I heard it rumbling like a train."
Coker said that when he drove through the Desert Road he could not see the white lines on the road.
"I could just see the yellow glare on the mountain. I only had visibility of about 10 to 15 feet in front of me. It was a bit scary. "It's something I'll probably never see again in my lifetime."
"It's a volcano. If it goes. It will go. We'll all be vapourised. Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe have erupted regularly over the years. Now it is Tongariro's turn." said a local resident, David Bennett.
NZ's a busy place!I have walked the Tongariro Crossing. The beauty of the area is a result of violent geothermal activity over the years.
We often think of such events historically.
Auckland itself has up to 60 volcanic cones that shape the landscape, skyline and shoreline.
