Where are the George and Mary's?

Monday Night I Was honoured to share dinner with George and Mary. Mary Cooked a beautiful roast chicken and we had an amazing trifle for Dessert. Over the meal together and over coffee after tea, they began to share their story. They shared about their passion, a passion to love their brothers and sisters.

A passion to open their home and lives to visiting speakers, to visitors to the church, to Invest time into the younger people at church through such things like bible Studies and being involved In key leadership positions while maintaining a healthy family balance.

Are the George and Mary's being squeezed out of church life by over crowded lifestyles, by heavy work demands, by unrealistic church commitments?

I salute the George and Mary's I Know at Opawa Baptist. I thank God for you. And I try to make sure I don't just tickle your ears through sweet words, but display the ultimate complement in my Imitation of you.

We are looking at Mary and Elizabeth's as a church. How about the George and Mary's?

Wonderful Worship experience

Had a great evening at Church on Sunday evening as OBY ran the Youth Service.

Well done Amy and the team for putting so much effort into the Service.

Well done Paul McKessor for the Lights and Lasers which really creates a unique worship space.

Great meeting...

Wonderful turnout for the meeting last night...

Thanks for coming Al, hope it was encouraging...

Moving...

I'm moving flats. I got confirmation yesterday for a shift from Holly Rd to a new Flat in St Martins.

I've been in Holly Rd for 3 and 1/2 years now and I felt recently that it would be time for a change. Holly Rd is a great flat, it's cheap, central, large rooms and living areas, an upstairs balcony which was magical during the summer with candles, chill out music and a quiet glass of red while reclining in a Lazy Boy. A little slice of paradise.

Where I'm going to is a little smaller, but also only has 2 other Flatmates. This makes things a little more comfortable and easier to invite others round for tea etc.

It's closer to work, so petrol will be easier. and has a great open living area and flow into an outside deck.

There are a few logistics as far as finishing up at Holly Rd, but it's a matter of finding a person to move into my room, or if no one is willing to take on the lease, then to find new tenants for the flat. Minor details...

BTW, if anyone is looking for a great, large, very sunny room with a balcony, central to the city, only $75 per week plus exp ($50 for food, sky, power, phone) then let me know. This will not stay vacant for long!!

Congrads Burnside.

Burnside capped off a good year in the Christchurch Metro Club competition by wining the Telecom Trophy over the weekend.

Most of these players I played against last year. We were sharing earlier tonight about one of our "toys" we are passionate about. This is mine.

As I shared tonight, I wore this boot for the last time last year against Linwood at Middleton Park. It still has the mud on it from the game. I played for 6 minutes of the game. The second scrum of the game collapsed and I had to leave the field because my back had given in. I have never been able to play rugby since and will never be able to play again.

There is quite a hole in my existence at present. It may seem silly to some, but the first game of rugby I ever played was in 1982 at Middleton Park and I have played every year since. It seems a little strange on Saturdays. Saturdays were always Rugby Days. I miss the companionship and rush of running onto the field, the physicallity of hitting a front row, the legalized violence of rucking, the gracefulness of lineouts, the challenge of getting enough oxygen into the brain to hold consciousness for 80 minutes. I may not have been the most talented player and sometimes regret not putting more effort into my game, but I really felt at home, both on and off the paddock.

It feels like saying goodbye to a longtime friend, someone you know you will never see again.

Yes, you could say it was a passion.

One I really miss.

Who Me? On Television?

Found my namesake's TV programme.

apparently he was a bit of a smooth dude with a liking for the ladies...

Blogging from the Friendship Centre...

Great to see how far the wireless internet access reaches, I'm writing this from the A Frame over the road from the church...

Now all we need to do is get access to Amy's office...

Art Church?

Saw an old friend at the supermarket on Sunday. We got to talking and in a passing comment he referred to our church as "The Art Church" in such a way as to reduce our contribution to the Ecclesiastical gene pool of Christchurch only to Art. He himself comes from a large Charismatic church, describing it as a "Third Wave" church, not Pentecostal, but "Third Wave."

Apparently a "New Wave" of God was supposed to have hit Christchurch recently and they were riding this.

I wonder if that's what others see us as? The "Art Church" would it be so bad to be associated with art? He was very quick to point out that one of his esteemed leaders was moving in signs and wonders, and that was their focus as a ministry and asked if we saw many healings or signs of deliverance?

I thank God for the miraculous and deliverance that may have taken place at his church, I feel no inkling at all that I needed to compete or boast of the things God is doing here at Opawa.

I still came away from the meeting with a sense of disappointment.

Not too sure why?


"Never mud wrestle with a pig. In the end you're both covered in mud but only the pig enjoys it..."