It’s been wonderful to hear from Kevin and Sherry Harney this weekend. If you would like to buy a copy of their book “Organic Disciples” for $15, please email east@thestreet.org.nz
Our 30 days of 24/7 prayer kicked off on Tuesday and it has been awesome so far. We want to challenge every person to book in to go and pray in the prayer room for at least 1 hour in the coming week. We know that if we’re going to see the Lord move in the ways we dream He would, we need to be praying. Grab a friend and book a slot this week. Book here
We support a number of missionaries serving all around the world, and the latest Missions Newsletter is out now. This will help inform our prayers as we continue to lift our missionaries before the Lord.
Paper copies are available in services, or if you would like a copy in your inbox, please email
missions@thestreeet.org.nz
Have you read Simon and Jenny’s Senior Pastor update email yet? If you haven’t, please search your inbox for it and have a read.
Let’s all keep praying that the Lord would speak clearly to those He’s calling and provide leadership for East.
If you have college-age kids and you haven’t yet registered them for Easter Camp; today (Sunday 12th March) is the last day to register before the price goes up again. You can find all the information you need in this Parent info doc including how to register.
The tone of this post will be quite different to usual. It’s because there’s a burden on my heart that I want to invite you into. Recently, I was in a room of prayer when the Lord directed my attention to Psalm 24 and in particular, verse 8.
“Lift up your heads, you gates;
be lifted up you ancient doors,
that the king of glory may come in.”
- Psalm 24:8
There’s debate over what exactly the Psalm was referring to for the original readers but there is little doubt as to its ultimate meaning. This Psalm foreshadows The King of Glory entering Jerusalem as Jesus did when he rode in on a donkey.
What the Psalm suggests to me is that a city can be closed to the presence of God. That it can close its gates to the entry of the true king. Certainly this was true of Jerusalem in Jesus’ day because within a week of that entry, they had crucified him. If the literal gates were open to his entry, the gates of their hearts were not.
If you haven’t noticed it, Wellington is a notoriously difficult place to share the message of Jesus. There is a spiritual darkness and resistance to the things of God. It’s like over the years, giant gates have been closed to Him and they’ve been closed for so long that they’re stuck that way.
But as I was praying, there was a sense for me that we’re praying for these gates to be opened. We’re praying against the long term opposition to the things of God and the inauguration of a new season. A season where Jesus is welcomed in a way we’ve never seen.
Can I invite you again into the 24/7 prayer room or at least to bring a greater focus to prayer where you are. And as we do, to join in with the millions of prayers that have already been prayed over this city and pray that these ancient gates be lifted up so that the King of Glory may come in.
Much love,
Simon
This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>
In our services this weekend we shared an important message from Simon and Jenny our Senior Pastors, as we continue taking steps toward implementing long-term leadership for the new local services around the city. We are also looking to implement new leadership in a similar way at East as Simon and Jenny seek to transition out of their role here to fully devote themselves to the Senior Pastor role. If you’re on our database, look out in your inbox for an email from Simon on Monday (6 March). If you don’t get the email get in touch and we’ll get you added to the database. Most importantly, if you have a sense that the Lord might be calling you to get involved, please get in touch.
Last Sunday there were more baptisms across some of our other locations. At “Night” they baptised Evie and Natasha and at “Mt Vic” they baptised May!
Baptisms are such precious moments where everyone present is edified: the person being baptised experiences the joy of obedience; the person doing the baptising experiences the joy of administering such a powerful ritual, and those watching and listening to the testimony are edified in their faith as they hear a story of a life dedicated to Jesus!
If you still need to be baptised, we’d love to talk to you. You don’t have to be good enough, mature enough, or know enough - baptism is a step of obedience, stating publicly what God has done for you inwardly as you have surrendered your life to Jesus Christ. We’d love to help you take that step of obedience!
I have never seen a mountain jump into the sea. I also can’t imagine that such an event would go unnoticed, especially given the ensuing tsunami it would cause. But this causes a problem for faith.
In Mark 11, Jesus tells the disciples that if they believe and do not doubt, they can command mountains to throw themselves into the sea. The problem is that if this has never happened, either Jesus was wrong or people have never prayed with any faith.
But what if there’s a different way? What Jesus says turns on the ‘therefore’ that follows the word picture. “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24).
The word ‘therefore’ suggests that the mountain picture operates like a parable - a story that makes a point. Mountains are the most ancient and immovable objects. When Moses wanted to describe the eternity of God, he used mountains as the most ancient comparator he knew to show that God is even more everlasting (Psalm 90:2).
Could it be therefore that Jesus was never really interested in us praying for mountains? What if Jesus really wanted us to look at the most ancient and immovable problems in front of us and believe that God can and will throw them into the proverbial sea.
From 7 March, we begin a month of 24/7 prayer at a time when we face some mountains. We live in a culture that is proudly moving further from God, we all have people in our world stuck in unbelief, many in our city are bound up in addiction, violence, sickness, and poverty.
But what if we prayed like we meant it? Can I ask you to jump into this month of prayer. Let’s use this moment to come together. To cry out to the one who is able and command some mountains to throw themselves into the sea.
Much love,
Simon
This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>
The footage and stories coming out of the Hawkes Bay in recent days is staggering and it’s easy to forget that Auckland recently suffered serious flooding as well. Our hearts go out to all of those affected and we’re praying for them.
It’s also important for us to respond practically where we can. There’s a big surge of support coming from across the country right now and it’s tempting for us to rush in as well. However, it’s important that people get the right aid and we’re a bit too remote to know that.
For the purposes of getting some meaningful assistance to the Hawke’s Bay area, we have established a connection with Anglican Missions, which is doing a great job of getting funds and the right supplies into the hands of those who need it. The Street will make a donation to Anglican Missions in the coming days. If you’re wondering about a good way to personally help right now, we’d encourage you to also give to Anglican Missions. https://anglicanmissions.org.nz/donate/gabrielle/
It’s also important to remember that the effects of the cyclone will be felt for many years. We’re therefore working to build relationships with churches in the area to see how we might partner with them over a longer period of time as they seek to serve and care in the area.
*Please note this isn’t an endorsement of any particular theology or decisions the Anglican Church has made. This is purely the best avenue we have found to get financial support to the right areas.
If you are on our database you would have received an email this week about 24/7 prayer. We are so desperate to see the Lord do amazing things in our church, in our neighbourhoods, and in this city, that can only be accomplished by prayer. We want to be people who are more devoted to the Lord and to prayer than we have ever been. From 7th March to 6th April we are setting aside 30 days to pray 24/7. We have set aside a room in the Life Centre in Mount Vic that will be a constant sacred place of prayer for 30 days. We’re so expectant for what the Lord will do in us as we gather as a whole church to pray. So, register your slots now - let’s see if we can fill every slot and begin this year in the way we want to continue.
If you’re still undecided, watch this video from our lead pastors to see if they can persuade you! Watch here
I recently had the opportunity to go to France. I love the people and the food, the architecture and the artwork. But there were also niggles too. People can tell you’re not a local just by looking at you. Your phone doesn’t work so well making it hard to find information. And my primitive French is distressing. While I’ve been using an app to learn for the first time since school, apparently ‘le cheval mange une pizza’ is not actually that helpful.
By contrast, there was something truly wonderful about being back in sunny Wellington and feeling deep down in my soul that I was home.
The challenge is that as followers of Jesus, we belong to a different kingdom. This world will never truly be home. The values of our culture mean that we carry a sense that we don’t really fit in.
The risk is that this discomfort can lead us to assume that something is wrong. We can strive to achieve and belong and measure up just like everyone else. We’ll do anything to feel at home even though it never fully satisfies.
In his paraphrase of Romans 12, Eugene Peterson writes, “Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.”
It’s so true isn’t it? We don’t need to try to fit in, we just do it without thinking.
But I wonder if there’s a way to repurpose the discomfort. To ask God to remind us in those moments that it’s actually ok? What if they became opportunities to look forward to the day when we’ll see Jesus? You see then and only then will your soul fully feel like it’s at home because it’s the place you were made to be. I pray that the wonder of that day may help us deal with the realities of this day.
Much love,
Simon
P.S. If you’re still wondering, it means ‘the horse is eating a pizza’!
This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>
Simon has started the Senior Pastor blog back up for the year. His first one for 2023 went live on Friday - you can read it here https://www.thestreet.org.nz/news?tag=SPblog
It’s a great weekly read so why not bookmark the page in your browser and make a date to read it each week over a coffee?
Tom Field (Night Lead Pastor) and Jamie Rodwell (Worship Pastor) have a worship collective called Souvenirs. They have recently released an incredible new album called “A Billion Voices” and it is such a blessing. If you haven’t already checked it out we really encourage you to do so. This is what Souvenirs said on release day; “We pray that these songs would be a blessing to you as you listen and watch. We pray that The Lord would mend broken hearts, call prodigals back to Him, soften hearts and cause worship to rise from His people. Most importantly we pray that Jesus would be glorified and honoured through these songs.”
You can listen to it on all major streaming platforms and you can also find some of the videos on YouTube.
Phil Coates at Gateway Baptist is trying to put together a list of local people who may be willing to help churches in the area with small maintenance jobs for a small fee. It wouldn’t be regular but as things come up a church may reach out to see if you can help. If you’d be keen to serve the local churches in this way please get in touch and we can connect you with Phil Coates.
Jenny and I had the privilege of a longer break this summer. It was a much needed break after last year and I hope and pray that you were able to get time to rest, reflect and replenish.
Since coming back, people keep asking me whether I feel rested and ready to crack into the year. It’s an obvious question but the answer I give is probably not. I feel really rested and I’m looking forward to the year but I don’t feel like charging out of the gate. I don’t feel like I’ve got all the energy in the world or have all the solutions to the challenges we face.
I wonder if you can relate. I’m hearing this sort of thing more and more and I wonder if it’s a bit of a Covid hangover. The last three years have taken their toll and perhaps the things that usually replenish and refresh us just aren’t cutting it anymore.
But with all this in mind, here’s why I’m not worried about the year ahead.
We can replenish here.
We have the privilege of living in one of the most beautiful and condensed cities in the world. It means that whether your thing is walking in the hills, being by the sea, eating good food, spending time with friends, those things are never too far away. The other day, I squeezed in a 10 minute swim in the ocean after work and I suddenly felt a million miles from challenges. I realise I can replenish here.
We know what to do.
Chances are you know the things that refresh you - the things that fill your tank. But when we’re in a particularly challenging season we need to double-down on some of those things. It’s always good to have a think about whether you’re making time for those things in the first place. I know worship fills my tank but I need to make time for sitting at the piano and singing. I also realise that friendship is something I’ve neglected and need to pay attention to. I wonder what you need to pay attention to or may have let slip?
We always need Him
The final reason I’m not worried is the most important. If I was hitting the year at full speed and feeling great, there’s a risk that I’d be struggling by Easter due to self-reliance. The truth is that what we need to accomplish is impossible in our own strength. It means I’m starting day one with an acute awareness that I am in desperate need for the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. It means I’m prioritising time for prayer and encountering the Lord more than ever before. Whether long or short, how can you be prioritising time with the Lord as part of your rhythm to ensure we all continue to rely on Him?
Much love,
Simon
This post is part of the Senior Pastor’s weekly blog. Go to the blog feed >>
In the Waitangi Day video last week, Anna mentioned some resources that would be available on our website. You can find these along with the recording of our Waitangi Day panel from 2022 by following this link.
If you weren’t aware, there is actually another church that uses the Miramar Uniting building after us which means we have to be gone by 12.30. This is why we have morning tea before the service at 9.45 each week rather than after the service. We know getting out of the house can be a struggle on a Sunday morning but if you can make it for 9.45, it’s such a great opportunity to have a quick chat with others before the service gets started. It also gives you time to get your kids checked into Kids Zone if you’ve got kids.
On the topic of morning tea, it’s always such a treat if someone has been able to provide some homemade baking! If you would be keen to contribute in this way please get in touch and we can give you access to the sign-up sheet.
Christmas and the summer are often a time when we take stock of our lives and consider what changes we would like to make. Maybe part of that thinking for you has been how you might get involved in serving at church! Our services require lots of amazing people to make them happen each week and I know there will be a way for you to play your part if you’re not already.
All of our teams need people, so have a look and see if something matches your gifts and abilities:
Kids Zone - If you enjoy being with little ones, or you are good at explaining things simply and love having fun this is a great space for you. (Police vetting is required for this role)
Worship - If you love to worship, and enabling the church to glorify Jesus through songs is something that excites you, we’d love you on this team.
Sound and Media - If technology doesn’t scare you and you’d rather be behind the scenes than on the stage, this is perfect for you.
Connections - This team works hard on some more practical tasks each week to create a welcoming environment for us to gather together
Set-up - If you are physically able and can move equipment around this is the team for you
Rostering - Maybe you’ve got some time in the week, are good at connecting with people and enjoy admin this could be for you
Service leading - A great service leader is confident speaking to a room, and is sensitive to what the Holy Spirit is doing
If you’d like to find out more about any of these we’d love to hear from you. Our email address is at the top of the newsletter.
We have been so saddened to see all that has gone on in Auckland with the flooding over the last couple of weeks. We are connected with a church in Auckland that also runs a CAP Debt Centre. They are supporting some of their CAP families through the flooding with groceries and food vouchers. This week, we as The Street gave them a gift of $1000 to support this and we’ll keep in touch with them in case more needs arise.
As a church we have set aside funds in our budget to enable us to be generous in moments like these. We are grateful to all of you who give financially and sacrificially so that we are able to do this.
If you want to know more about giving financially to The Street, you can do so through the church app or at www.thestreet.org.nz/give