Overflow Magazine - Issue 1

Issue 01 | June 22

Overflow

ISSN 2815-8199

Over f l o w

In this Issue On Mission: Grow Reflections on Refresh Spotlight on Local Congregations Welcome to our New Pastors Media Prayer Day and much more!

On Mission: Grow

By National Superintendent Rev. Brett Jones As a recovering couch potato, I have a mantra, “The body is evil, it must be punished”. Now as a motivational statement, it’s theologically unsound, bad for body image and only marginally useful as an exercise prompt! But it makes me laugh at myself, and draws me to a scripture that resonates with the season we are in: 24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way to get the prize.

25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Running is hard in this season. What we hoped was a pandemic sprint, turned into a marathon of lockdowns, illness and deaths. Along the way we’ve struggled with the impacts on mental health, financial stability and ideological conflict around vaccination, mandates and government legitimacy. Many of us have discovered something surprising: we didn’t train for this.

Now I don’t just mean pastors and church leaders, although it’s true. Most of us have not trained for crisis management, infection control and the long-term effects of what has reached trauma levels for some. Every industry has faced the energy-sapping demands of sustained change in an uncertain climate. What I mean is that our core discipleship has been deeply challenged. Running the race has become harder than we remember. It’s challenging to think about mission in this environment and the “how” of our new Mission Statement.

Equipping & Empowering Leaders and Churches to: REACH people with Christ GROW disciples in Christ SERVE communities through Christ

1 Corinthians 9 calls us to reflect on how we as individuals and churches will “GROW disciples in Christ”. As I consider my physical health, I am aware that sometimes the wrong kind of growth can happen! Calorie-rich environments with low activity levels (what I call “lockdown”) will not produce the kind of growth that we hope for and Paul calls us to. What’s needed in my physical life and my spiritual life are the same: a nutrientrich diet with the right balance between activity and rest. And when it comes to activity, I am learning that putting my body under pressure produces the right kind of growth. In fact, without the right kind of pressure, I am likely destined to grow in the wrong direction! But I am also learning that fitness requires the right rhythm of rest and recovery.

In this season of pressure we might decide that growing disciples is not possible. That being a growing disciple is not possible. But maybe we are wearing our pre-pandemic diets right now: calorie-rich with the wrong kind of activity. We have not trained for this moment. What might life look like if we responded to the season as an opportunity for growth under pressure?

We’d be living with a greater focus on a nutrient-rich diet - digging into the scriptures and engaging with the sacramental and preaching rhythm of congregational life We’d be living with a greater focus on the right mix of activity and rest - getting back on mission but ensuring Sabbath rhythms are part of our new normal We’d be taking the opportunity to train in solitude and in community balancing personal devotional time with engaging in the worshipping community and small group life Your life is a beautiful gift from God, it will benefit from living according to its design!

Spotlight on Local Congregations Living Waters Wesleyan The church opens its doors weekly as a community drop-in centre, provided shelter and warmth with a cup of coffee and a biscuit for those waiting.

Getting alongside people from the community, just chatting with them and providing practical and spiritual help as they talked about their families, their situations, their needs, and desires, enabling Christ to move in their lives and bring them deeper into the life of Living Waters.

On 14th March 2022, Rev. Jone Kacivi, was inducted as the new Pastor. We continue to uplift Living Waters Wesleyan in prayer as the Kacivi family adjust to life in Napier and serve in their new community.

Rev. Jone Kacivi inducted as a the new Minister at Living Waters Wesleyan

Click here for more information on Living Waters Wesleyan

Papakura Wesleyan On 23 January 2022, Papakura Wesleyan inducted Pastor Ashan Rodrigo as their Lead Pastor. They meet every Sunday at 10am to worship in person, and online through Facebook live stream.

Papakura Wesleyan has long been committed to serving the local community through Redhill Community Centre and Little Sunbeams Early Childhood Centre. Redhill Community Centre and its community partners provide a variety of community opportunities from its facilities. These include school holiday and youth programmes; playgroups; rock climbing; fitness classes; basketball, volleyball, and table tennis; and fully-funded counselling.

One of Papakura Wesleyan's highlights is its weekly 'Bread Table' event, a family-friendly community night which brings together people of all walks in life for a time of fun and games, tea and coffee, and conversation and belonging. It is a church in love with Christ and its community.

Continue praying for Pastor Ashan and Samantha Rodrigo and the congregation as they minister together in the Redhill community during this time of transition.

Induction service for Pastor Ashan Rodrigo

Click here for more information on Papakura Wesleyan

Reflections on Refresh Retreat

By Rev. Fotu and Vuli Waqabaca, Pastor New Life Wesleyan

Friday 20th May, Flaxmill Bay I arrived quite late with my wife as we have to attend to a visiting health team at our church that Friday afternoon. Luckily, the Director of Operations was still able to pick up his phone after 11.30pm to allow us into our room.

I had just been inducted to the position of Senior Pastor of New Life Wesleyan Church out in Henderson area, Auckland and I am really trying to familiarise myself with what it is to run a whole church well-being.

On Saturday morning, we woke up and after prepping ourselves physically, we went straight into our normal daily devotion, then breakfast, then we prepared for the first session together.

Denise, took us through the ‘Lords Prayer’ and our group was tasked to do a presentation on what is the implication of verse 9 and 10 as in Mathew 6:9-13. "9.Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name. 10.Your Kingdom comes and will be done on earth as it is in Heaven”.

For this, as a group, we were overwhelmed with how Unique, Pure and Genuine our God is. “It makes sense while Jesus teaching His disciples this prayer to use when praying, He put the emphasis for us to know that when we pray, we are praying and serving an untouchable God.

Refresh 2022

Most powerful and most presence, through and in all things, nothing that can be compared with Him and no one will ever confine Him in whatever material ways minds can think of or heart desires”.

Therefore, in our Art work diagram, we drew the Global map and indicating the Love of the Father is outside the global map to show that He is the Creator of the Universe and no space, energy or matters can determine what our God is? This is simply because, He is our Creator and we are the created being.

Admittedly, “I believe that every Wesleyan believer, despite colour or races, language or knowledge, the well off and the unfortunates; there is a level platform of worship being created here in this ‘Lords Prayer’ to qualify us all believers to worship Him in spirit and truth, in whatever physical condition you’re in”.

We really love this refresh Retreat and recommend it. Even though we have to go through winding roads up to Flaxmill Bay, it’s worth it, when God opens our eyes to see the wonders of serving Him in spirit and truth.

Refresh 2022

Introducing............ our newly licensed Ministers

Pastor Kristen Jones Kristen was licensed as a Minister on 8th May and is serving at cession|community in Auckland.

Pastor Norman Kingston Norman was licensed on 3rd April and is serving at Millwater Wesleyan Church in Auckland.

Pastor Matthew Needham 50

Matthew was licensed on 12th April and is serving at Omokoroa Community Church in Tauranga.

! s g n i s s e l B d n a s t a r g n Co Kristen, Norman and Matthew

Media Prayer Day Sunday 3rd July 2022 For the past two decades, CBA has run Media Prayer Day (every second year). It’s a call to NZ churches to pray for the people who make up NZ media – and it’s coming up again on Sunday 3 July 2022. Today’s media wields extraordinary power in shaping the ideas and values of our culture. In NZ, this power to influence the national conversation is held by a relatively small number of people.

As Christians, we are called to pray for these people in places of leadership and responsibility (1 Timothy 2:2). On 3rd July hundreds of Churches throughout the country will take a few minutes of their Sunday service to join together in prayer for those working in New Zealand’s mass media. Click here for stacks of ideas and downloads to help make your church service more creative and memorable.

Introducing George Bryant's New Book

NZ2050 What’s NZ2050 about?

"It’s about the sort of future we are creating for our children and grandchildren. Change is occurring so fast, so what will our society be like in 28 years? How will we live?

What sort of people will we be?

What values will we hold? What will it mean to be Kiwi? How will education, farming, religion and many other aspects of life develop in Aotearoa? What sort of society are we creating or do we want to create? What will be better or worse than now?"

Where are we heading as a nation?

George Bryant from an interview with NZ Booklovers

Price: $26.95 Email bryantgw@xtra.co.nz to purchase

Click here for more information on George Bryant's books

Employment Opportunities Senior Minister - East City Wesleyan, Auckland www.ecw.org.nz ECW is an all-age, multicultural Wesleyan Methodist church based in East Auckland. Through prayer and discernment ECW is seeking a visionary new Senior Minister to lead the congregation and its ministries into a new phase of discipleship, outreach and growth.

Key competencies required for the role include: - Visionary strategic leadership - Collaboration - Pastoral care - Evangelism and outreach - Discipleship focus - Biblical teaching and preaching - Cultural awareness - Effective communication This is an outstanding opportunity to serve in partnership with God as He fulfils His purposes through and in this part of the body of Christ. We would love to hear from you.

Click here for more information

Children's Ministry Pastor cession|community, Auckland Add a little bit of body text

www.cession.org.nz

cession|community is seeking a passionate, child focused person to lead Children's Ministries. This role functions across the Church and community space . combining Sunday children's ministry with mid-week community initiatives.. You will have proven experience in working with children and adult volunteers in the education, pastoral care and/or developmental areas. You will be a motivated self-starter who loves working with a team. Relevant educational qualifications are preferred.

Click here to apply

Event Calendar National Leadership Nominations open | 1 July Minister's Connect 7.30pm | 21 July ConneXion 2022 | 4 - 6 November Auckland Prayer Breakfast | 17 November Click here for our full WMCANZ National Calendar

Donations We invite you to make donations to the Wesleyan Methodist Church of Aotearoa-New Zealand. Join us to make a difference and reach the lost with the hope and holiness of Jesus Christ.

Using the WMCANZ bank account number below, please include your first initial and surname in the particulars field and 'donation' in the reference field.

03-0206-0380248-00 Particulars: e.g. 'J Smith' Reference: e.g. 'Donation' Please email treasurer@wesleyan.nz with your details to receive a donation receipt.

Thank you!

Looking for your local Wesleyan Methodist Church

Click here to find your nearest Wesleyan Methodist church. Services are held in English, Fijian, Rotuman and Tongan with several churches using multiple languages in their worship.

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From The Editors Desk................

Tēnā koutou katoa, Bula vinaka, Mālō e lelei, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Noa'ia, Ni Hao, Magandang araw, Greetings. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 NIVUK. Great beaches, bush, mountains, streams, farms; it’s beautiful where I live. Only challenge is when there’s not a lot of rain. Too dry means challenges for families who rely on water tanks for their homes.

If you get the timing just right you can use this time to do maintenance on your tank, make sure there are no leaks. Regular maintenance of the entire system is needed to keep your tank full. Then the rains come and you can hear the water overflowing the gutters. Yay, full tanks!

It’s the same with our walk with God. Developing a regular spiritual maintenance schedule helps to keep our tanks full and the overflow can be used to water the gardens in which we have been planted.

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I pray that this edition of Overflow helps you to think about your own spiritual maintenance schedule. So, thanks to everyone who has shared here so that we can all be filled to overflowing.

Denise Barrington Editor

www.wesleyan.nz Find us on Facebook!

National Resource Centre 219 Burswood Drive Botany, Auckland 2013 Ph: (09) 271 6460 Email: office@wesleyan.nz

Overflow Editor Denise Barrington Email: overflow@wesleyan.nz

National Church Contacts National Superintendent Rev. Brett Jones - natsuper@wesleyan.nz Ass't National Superintendent - Church Development Rev. Mike Yates - churchdevt@wesleyan.nz Ass't National Superintendent - Pastoral Care Rev. Atu Lagi - pastoralcare@wesleyan.nz Director of Operations Rev. Peter Benzie - dirops@wesleyan.nz Director Ministerial Formation Rev. Melissa Powell - nbmf@wesleyan.nz National Treasurer Kerrin Thomson - treasurer@wesleyan.nz National Missions Ministry Leader Mrs Michelle Yates - missions@wesleyan.nz National Youth Ministry Leader and National Youth Consultant Rev. Stephenie Couch - youth@wesleyan.nz National Children's Ministry Leader Rev. Lauren Millington - children@wesleyan.nz

Our Values | Enduring Foundations | Embracing Grace | Embodying Oneness Flourishing Churches | Celebrating Belonging

ConneXion 22

Streams Community Church, Panmure, Auckland

4th - 6th November

4@@thew6 November

Put this date in your diary and plan to attend!

Look out for further information on ConneXion 22 over the coming months.

ConneXion 2020