So how about the head of ASIO saying that one of our former politicians was a foreign government asset? It was one of those announcements, in an otherwise routine speech that landed like a dead possum onto a picnic table – it had to be disposed of, but even when it’s gone its presence at all still puts you off your meal.
This week I attended the funeral of Joe Mullins. Joe died old and full of years (103 of them). He and his wife Edith (who died in 2009) had six children, and what seems to me like a bajillion grand-children and great grand-children.
1. I’m struck as I read the New Testament just how much of it is concerned with finding unity across distance.
Be it cultural distance (Jewish and non-Jewish Christians); confidence to live as a distinctive Christian minority who, nevertheless, are intelligible to the cultures around them (the so-called “stronger” and “weaker” Christians); and, of course, the mountains of passages about how to handle conflict, disagreement and sin.
A surprising thought rings out through these texts – unity within the body of Christ is deeply precious, it is worth contending for and is more important than being right. This thought is easier or harder to believe based on what’s going on around us.
I’ve been away at a conference called Oxygen this week with Anna. It’s a conference for pastors and Christian leaders from around Australia and the south pacific to help us run refreshed in ministry. We’re coming back to you with loads of ideas to work through and things to try, and so it’s difficult to distil down a thing to tell you about – but let me try this:
Putting the World Cup to one side (if only for a moment) the big story of the week has been the Trump administration's treatment of children at their Mexico border. Many have called it disgraceful that cruelty to children would be used as a deterrent for asylum seekers. My FB and twitter feed have lit up with anger about this policy and happiness (of varying kinds) at the reversal of the policy.
I don’t know what you made of the Summit in Korea between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un but to me it felt ancient. My phone was bugging me with reports every half hour or so with reports of where the meeting was up to, the handshake, the photo, the opening remarks, the closed room, more photos, the joint statement, more discussion with Trump and Kim.
This week at church we're going to see how important words are. So from time to time I'll use this part of the weekly email to explain why our language at church might be a bit different to other churches around us/we've come from.
There are heaps of different names for small group ministries within different churches. Growth Groups, Connect (Kinect) groups, Bible study groups, Cell groups, Fellowship groups. Why go with Community Groups?
Contact Renew Church
Our church takes seriously the responsibility to create safe ministry. Learn more. Read our Privacy Policy
