Vicar's Letter - 27 May 2022

Kia ora All Saints Whānau
 
“If the church doesn’t look, act, sound and think like Jesus its probably not the church of Jesus” This is a quote from Mike Frost from a Podcast he was on with his good friend Alan Hirsch where they discuss the re release of their book Re:Jesus  A wild messiah for a missional church.

As I heard this I was spurred to think about who we are as a community of Jesus followers and do we look, act, sound and think like Jesus? I’m sure on some level we would all respond with YES YES YES of course! But then again I know in my own life there are things I hold  back or try to do on my own or through my own strength. The journey of aligning our lives more and more with Jesus is a process that requires all of us to admit that we don’t have it all together and that we are together pushing and pulling each other closer to the Messiah.

This week we are shifting the culture in our parish by turning ourselves outwards. Towards those who don’t show up in our building not only on Sundays but ever! Increasing the missional DNA of our parish life with our first Go Sunday, stopping our usual gatherings as we collectively step out into our community. We have spoken about the Up In and Out Triangle before (see image) by which we are seeking to model our lives as Jesus lived, by connecting to the father (up) discipling one another, walking together, pushing and pulling each other along (in) and thirdly going out, as we watch Jesus reach out to those around him we too are called to go out! Connect, build relationship, proclaim the Good News. We get a great glimpse of this in  Luke 6:12-19 Jesus went to his father to pray, then when morning came he gathered his people, his disciples, and following that he went to the crowd to those around him.

“If the church doesn’t look, act, sound and think like Jesus its probably not the church of Jesus” Let us not become a place that doesn’t reflect Christ! Let us continue to push more and more, to hunger and thirst for more, to see the kingdom come in real and powerful ways. May we stand together, even when its hard and goes against what society or friends and family think or say, and say YES JESUS more of you, more like you and let us declare that to others.

Change can often bring a sense of uncomfortableness, anxiety or even fear of the unknown. I would like to lay down a challenge in this season that following a wild messiah comes with spaces we find ourselves in that are uncomfortable. As we take a collective step in an environment we haven’t been in before or at least for a very long time that we look to one another to support, encourage and invite along. Whether its Care for creation on Mt Vic, connecting with local families at the Kindy Clean, Clearing Litter with neighbors, feeding the community in Kilbirnie or being part of a group who are wrapping the community and Go Sunday opportunities in prayer step out together and follow a wild messiah into our community. Step out and create memories with our parish family.

Its not too late to sign up or if you are not sure where to land feel free to pop along to the All Saints Centre at 10am on Sunday for the community prayer opportunity led by Andy, or email me on [email protected].

May you be profoundly impacted by the space you are engaging in on Sunday, may you see the kingdom shining through, we pray for divine connections and conversations. But my biggest prayer is that we as a church family, our hearts are aligned more and more to the wild messiah Jesus

Love in Christ
​Guy 
 
 
 

---