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Cashmere Hills Presbyterian Church
linking with its communityIssue Number Fifity three, August 2008
Negative verses Positive
Many Years ago, 1980, to be precise (can you remember 28 years ago?) William McElvaney authored a book called, "Good news is bad news is good news." I don’t know why I thought of the book as I started to write this. Maybe it was because we are in the process of working through our building redevelopment programme where we seem to go two steps forward and one step back. Nothing seems to be as straightforward as when the dream started yet progress is being made slowly but surely. We can but continue to pray that what we are doing is in accordance with God’s will and has God’s blessing.
To get back to "Good news is bad news is good news." McElvaney commenced the book by telling of a time in the 1960’s when he was Minister of a new congregation launching a building programme. The plans called for a "unique free-form edifice" composed of concrete blocks and a bonding material called "archilithics." As the building progressed people gathered to pass their judgement. One said, "Looks like a sewage disposal plant." Another said, "An eyesore and a disgrace to the neighbourhood." To McElvaney the most memorable comment was by the person who said, "You may be offended by it, or you may think it’s the greatest. But there is one thing you cannot do in relation to this building. You cannot ignore it."
Many events happen in our lives that we would like to ignore. At other times we react to events with a very negative attitude ‘blaming’ others or ‘criticising’ others especially when things are not going as we would like. At a funeral a few weeks ago in one of the tributes to the deceased, the speaker commented that at a meeting where things were not going as the deceased would have wished, she turned to him and said, "There are a number of ill bred people here, Bruce, and they all hold a point of view opposite to ours." (or words to that effect) The mourners at the funeral erupted into laughter because they all knew that the comment was made in jest rather than malice.
Recent events which have had great profile in the Media have been:
- The visit of Pope Benedict to Australia
- Tony Veitch’s attack on his ex partner
- Winston Peters and the New Zealand First Party’s use of or declaration of gifted funds
- The collapse of around 23 Finance Companies in New Zealand,
- The collapse of the sub prime housing market in the USA
The interesting thing for me has been how, in the media, each and every one has been viewed positively and negatively. To give but one example, Pope Benedict’s World Youth Day in Sydney was a wonderful proclamation of the faith, yet the gloss was taken off by reference to past abuse of children by Priests of the Roman Catholic Church. Here the reporters constantly focused on what Pope Benedict wasn’t doing (apologising for the abuse) rather than focusing on the positive of what he was achieving. At least that is how it seemed to me.
I keep asking myself as I read of these events, "Where is God in this?" "How would Jesus want me to respond?"
I come up with two answers:
- Jesus didn’t "sweep things under the carpet." He had the grace to enter into dialogue with those with whom he had a difference of opinion. He was open to what they were saying and what they were trying to do. He showed them respect.
- Jesus was one who was always positive, trusting God’s love for the present and the future. It was this which allowed him to positively love others. For those of us who believe in Jesus today it is for us to love God and our neighbours in the world, both near and far away. Rather than profiting out of their discomfort or passing judgment on their motives or behaviour, does not Jesus ask us to stand alongside of them, acknowledging past wrongs but also looking to the future with hope, offering new beginnings?God bless.
David
Communion Services:
We extend a special invitation to all to join us for Communion, which will be held on Sunday 7th September & Sunday 12th October, at 10.00am
The day finally arrived. Forrest Gump dies and goes to Heaven. He is at the Pearly Gates, met by St Peter himself. However, the gates are closed, and Forrest approaches the gatekeeper.
St Peter said, "Well, Forrest, it is certainly good to see you. We have heard a lot about you. I must tell you though, that the place is filling up fast, and we have been administering an entrance examination for everyone. The test is short, but you have to pass it before you can get into Heaven."
Forrest responds, "It sure is good to be here, St Peter, sir, but nobody ever told me about any entrance exam. I sure hope that the test ain’t too hard. Life was a big enough test as it was."
St Peter continued, "Yes, I know, Forrest, but the test is only three questions.
First: What two days of the week begin with the letter T?
Second: How many seconds are there in a year?
Third: What is God’s first name?"Forrest leaves to think the questions over. He returns the next day and sees St Peter, who waves him up, and says, "Now that you have had a chance to think the questions over, tell me your answers."
Forrest replied, "Well, the first one—which two days in the week begin with the letter T? Shucks, that one is easy. That would be Today and Tomorrow!"
The Saint’s eyes opened wide and he exclaimed, "Forrest, that is not what I was thinking, but you do have a point, and I guess I did not specify, so I will give you credit for that answer. How about the next one?" asked St Peter.
"How many seconds in a year? Now that one is harder," replied Forrest, "but I thunk and thunk about that, and I guess the only answer can be twelve."
Astounded, St Peter said, "Twelve? Twelve? Forrest, how in Heaven’s name could you come up with twelve seconds in a year?"
Forrest replied, "Shucks, there’s got to be twelve: January 2nd, February 2nd, March 2nd, April 2nd…."
"Hold it," interrupts St Peter. "I see where you are going with this, and I see your point, though that was not quite what I had in mind… but I will have to give you credit for that one, too. Let us go on with the third and final question. Can you tell me God’s first name?"
Sure," Forrest replied, "it’s Andy."
"Andy?" exclaimed an exasperated and frustrated St Peter. "Okay, I can understand how you came up with your answers to my first two questions, but just how in the world did you come up with the name Andy as the first name of God?"
"Shucks, that was the easiest one of all," Forrest replied. "I learnt if from the song, ‘Andy walks with me, Andy talks with me, Andy tells me I am His own.’"
St Peter opened the Pearly Gates and said: "Run, Forrest, run!"
In Memory of the Rev Alastair McKenzie
Alastair was a regular attender at our Cashmere Church in his youth, a member of the Bible Class, and know as the life and soul of a party, with a good sense of humour. He was also a competent organist and pianist and lover of technology.
After training as a teacher, he felt a call to the ministry and entered Knox Theological Hall in 1954 and was ordained in 1956. He served as minister of the Knapdale Parish (near Gore) for four years and then, in 1962, became a Chaplain to the NZ Army. The Vietnam War saw him overseas with the army, and this was followed by two years in Singapore with the combined British, Australian and NZ forces.
Other appointments were as Chaplain Commandant, and Chaplain at Rangi Ruru Girls’ School, where he is widely remembered not only for his Chaplaincy, but also (with the help of some senior pupils) as the builder of a small aeroplane, which did fly!
During the last decade his health deteriorated and he died on 1st July this year, aged 83. We extend our sincere sympathy to his wife Janet, son David, sister Elizabeth, and other family members.
Forthcoming Services
Sunday 10th August -10.00am - Family Service (Hiroshima Day/Peace Sunday (Sunday nearest 6th August –Hiroshima 1945)
Sunday 17th August - 10.00am - Morning Worship; 4.15pm - Rhodes Home Service
Sunday 24th August - 10.00am - Morning Worship; 11.30am - Healing Service
Sunday 31st August - 10.00am - Morning Worship, followed by AGM
Sunday 7th September - 10.00am - Communion (Father’s Day)
Sunday 14th September - 10.00am - Spring Flower Service/Family Service
Sunday 21st September - 10.00am - Morning Worship; 4.15pm - Rhodes Home Service
Sunday 28th September - 10.00am - Morning Worship; 11.30am - Healing Service
Sunday 5th October - 10.00am - Morning Worship
Sunday 12th October - 10.00am - Pet Parade (Family Service & World Communion)
Sunday 19th October - 10.00am - Morning Worship; 4.15pm - Rhodes Home Service
Sunday 26th October - 10.00am - Morning Worship; 11.30am - Healing Service
Sunday 2nd November - 10.00am - Morning Worship
Watershed?
We are most certainly at a watershed in history. As Christians, we care about God’s creation. So the question for us is how will we do this time around. Will we be at the forefront of positive responses to the challenges - or will we be dragged into the area reluctantly! And part of the responsibility you have given us as a Church and Society Committee is to be alert to issues such as these and to help in developing appropriate responses. That is a big assignment to pick up!Our use of the planet’s resources has been very extravagant, so we need to look at how we use them.
That also raises the issue of even more comprehensive recycling. There is the huge issue of rubbish, of how we package goods, of how we use plastic - apparently there is a region of the Pacific Ocean off the California coast where plastic rubbish covers an area the size of Texas.
There is global warming, which seems to be impacting much more rapidly than had been anticipated, if the polar ice caps are taken as a criterion.
The energy crisis is not going to lessen. The price of oil is destined to rise dramatically over the next decade, and so must our whole approach to travel, locally and globally, day-to-day and also as we think of vacations. Renewable sources of energy should be utilized, and we cannot just jump to using bio-fuels and promoting nuclear energy as those approaches raise so many serious problems.
In this issue we have picked up the issue of the global food crisis, and re-printed the helpful summary from the CWS newsletter to give a convenient précis of the issues.
Issues of oil, food, and water supplies are demonstrably impacting on international relations already, but this is going to intensify. And there are the potentials for the ‘clash of civilizations’ – a clash which is not inevitable if we follow Gospel guidelines.
These are practical issues for us now, and our young people feel the challenge in these issues. It is showing in what is happening in our society. Our parish is ignoring our responsibility to the youth of our area, where there are three primary schools, drainage towards an Intermediate school, where our area is formally relating to two high schools, let alone other single sex and private schools to which other children go. We have a responsibility to take part in their spiritual growth, to inspire them with vision and hope, and put them in touch with the living God in a way their schools cannot. We are all relating to our grandchildren and other youth to some extent in this regard, but we are irresponsibly under-rating what we could and should be doing as a parish in this field. Are we going to continue to default in this critical area?
But as Christians we can provide positive, responsible leadership in all these areas!
David Troughton
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