The latest in "Gospel Conversations" as well as other resources to sustain you in your journey...
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Gospel Conversations
This week's Gospel Conversation: Pentecost Sunday, May 19 2024. John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15
Pentecost Sunday! A time of celebration, wonder, joy and sheer confusion! Today we ponder Jesus' words as he tries to prepare his disciples for what is to come by promising them the multi-faceted care of the Paraclete. Jesus in John's gospel can be challenging to understand, so join Judy, Mary-Jo, Anne and Michael as they toss some ideas around that might be worth considering.
Click HERE to watch the conversation
Last week's Gospel Conversation: Easter 7, May 12 2024: John 17:6-19
For the next couple of weeks we're continuing with Jesus' final discourse in John's Gospel, in which a sometimes bewildering whirl of ideas, commands, and comfort, are given to the first disciples - and us. In one of our inter-continental discussions, we are joined by Matt Jeffries from the Arthur Rank Centre in the UK, Jerry Morris from the Methodist church of Wisconsin, and Peg Riley from Christchurch. Together they explore our relationships with the church, with God, and with each other in ways that will - as the Spirit does - challenge and comfort you.
To watch the conversation click HERE
See all the videos in this Gospel Conversation series on our website
For last year's Conversations, click here.
Faith Communities Videos
See our website for the latest videos
Pentecost
If you're planning a Pentecost celebration and are seeking resources, one of the best places to start is the Bible Explore website. Put together by our Tikanga Pakeha Children and Families' facilitator, Diana Langdon, there are excellent resources and ideas there for any congregation.
Trinity
Trinity Sunday is often thought of as a difficult week on which to preach - for good reason! It is basically impossible to come up with a model or "explanation" of the Trinity which doesn't veer into one heresy or another, but it's also not ideal to ignore it completely! So what do we do? One great approach is to not attempt to explain anything, but simply celebrate the fact that God is in God's very essence, relationship and love.
But if you're game, there's a fascinating discussion of a very ancient way of understanding the Trinity blended with quantum physics HERE. It sounds complicated and occasionally you may think, "This is beyond me!" But if you keep listening, you may find it makes sense.
Or, if you've ever encountered the Athanasian Creed and found it, like the Trinity, completely incomprehensible, there's a great, clear, 3 min visual which uses just the same way of talking about the Trinity in a nicely comprehensible way. Find it HERE.
Finally, if it's helpful, here's what you would find on a bookmark in Holy Trinity Church in Port Chalmers if you happen to pop in to pick up a Timothy Mouse for your collection:
Most of our churches tend to be named after saints. At first glance it looks as if Holy Trinity Church might be named after a doctrine…. Which doesn’t sound so much fun! But in fact Holy Trinity goes straight to the heart of things. Here we’re not remembering people who have followed God, as we do with saints. We’re remembering the One they follow—and that is always worth doing!
We can’t make the idea of the Trinity work logically any more than a human could be reduced to a formula. If God exists, which we believe God does, God must be well beyond the comprehension of the minds of one little creature on one little planet in one little galaxy. Yet we can still know God through what God has told and shown people over the millenia. We know that this One God was called “Father” by Jesus. We know that the people who knew Jesus best knew that in some way Jesus, too, was God—God come to earth to show the depth of love God has for us. And for thousands of years people have experienced the inexpressible quickening within us which is God the Holy Spirit. God is one, but we know God is three. That’s the Trinity.
Deepening Faith
The Deepening Faith webpage has been updated to include the ideas above, plus a whole range of other resources. Note, too, that Anne Gover has recently gifted her huge range of study notes to anyone who will find them useful. These are simple-to-use, informative and engaging studies which cover biblical characters, books, baptism and a host of other topics. If you are part of a small group (or would like to start one) these will make your preparation easy! Find them in a dropbox folder HERE.
Resources from Elsewhere
New Issue of the Anglican Journal of Theology in Aotearoa and Oceania: This issue explores the kaupapa (theme) of Missions, Culture and Colonialism in Aotearoa New Zealand and Beyond. Drawing on a range of perspectives and disciplines – historical, theological, missiological, and indigenous – this issue examines aspects of the history and present realities of missions in this country of Aotearoa New Zealand and in other global locations, including South America. As such, this is perhaps the most “global” collection of essays and articles so far published by this journal. To download Volume 3 Issue 1, please click here.
5 tools you can use to connect different generations in church - By Diana Langdon: How can we create and fully make use of intergenerational opportunities?
Thy Kingdom Come
(From the website here)
Thy Kingdom Come (TKC) is a global ecumenical prayer movement that invites Christians around the world to pray from Ascension to Pentecost for more people to come to know Jesus.
Since it began in May 2016, God has grown TKC from a dream of possibility into a movement which unites more than a million Christians in prayer, in nearly 90% of countries worldwide, across 85 different denominations and traditions- so that friends and family, neighbours and colleagues might come to faith in Jesus Christ.
Every person, household and church are encouraged to pray during the 11 days in their own way.
It is our hope & prayer, that those who have not yet heard the Good News of Jesus Christ and His love for the world, will hear it for themselves and respond and follow Him.
Specifically, we again invite each and every Christian across the globe to pray that God’s Spirit might work in the lives of 5 people who have not responded with their ‘Yes’ to God’s call.
Thy Kingdom Come with Children!
(From the website here). A wonderful new series from the Cheeky Pandas, in collaboration with The Jesus Story Book Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones, is out now!
This is a fantastic resource for children, with 6 new episodes, as well as super-fun accompanying activity packs, worship packs, and widgit sheets. To help spread the word, why not order or download these postcards to share with families in your church?
We really hope and pray that these resources will inspire children in their faith and to know the love of God, in Christ, for themselves.
About Nourishing Faith Videos and Podcasts
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