Dear sisters and brothers,
We’ve been working our way through the early chapters of Genesis recently, as you know. It’s highlighted a couple of things for me I’d really forgotten. One is the matter of time.
Since at least the 1960’s our culture has become increasingly impatient. The love of change for change’s sake, the rise of easily available credit, built-in obsolescence in relationships, material goods, programs and many other features have arisen from this impatience. On the personal level, we have learnt to so manage our lives as to gain instant satisfaction. On the political level we expect our leaders to deliver instantly on promises. On the communal level we want everything from the food we eat to the roads we drive on, from the telecommunications we need to the medical progress we expect to be delivered yesterday. (I know, I know, I may sound like a grumpy old man who only thinks the so-called “glory days” had things right. I’m aware of that tendency in me, but I still think it’s true that much of our thinking and expectations are driven by an impatience that comes out of a deep dissatisfaction with the way things are.)
What has struck me again as we’ve listened to Genesis is that God has his own timing for things. Thousands of years could pass and still a profoundly world-changing promise like that of Genesis 3:15 remained unkept. Humankind tried to take over the world as if the promise of God mattered for nothing. And they (we) kept on doing it. But, as the apostle Peter says, “Do not forget this one thing, dear friends: with the Lord a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promises, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 2:8-9). So, it was not till God himself willed it, as the apostle Paul says, “When the time had fully come”, that “God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the Law to redeem those who were under the Law.”
In our instant culture we do well to remember this.
Speaking of time, in this Covid season we are of course all concerned with when we can return to meeting face to face again.
So, I can now share with you some plans and ideas we have as a staff for this.
One definite plan now in place is to have Friday Arvo Kids at St Peter’s return to meeting. This will recommence on Friday October 9, in the week before school term 4 begins. Pray for this all to run well and that kids in the habit of meeting online will all return. Pray specially that the older kids “graduating” from Arvo Club will happily transition to Friday Youth.
Our staff and helpers are now working on plans for our 10am and 6pm services at St Peter’s to return to face to face meeting as at Sunday 15 November. There are two things to note about this, which you will get sick of me saying (well, I hope not, especially the second!)
Firstly, church will be very different in the following ways. Both services will have to be held in the hall because we will still need to livestream them to those who will be unable to join us. The 10am service, usually held in the School Hall, will have to continue in the Church Hall as the School Hall has poor internet access and it would be a huge job to set up and remove equipment in that space. Numbers will be limited to just over 30, not including the tech and service teams. We will need to book a seat in some form. We will not be able to mingle before and after the service, we will have to sign in and answer the questions we are asked everywhere now as we enter; sit apart; not sing or share in (usually corporate) prayer, and probably have to wear masks. There is strong doubt as to whether we could have an accompanying kids’ ministry. Please be assured our staff and other helpers are trying hard to make face to face meeting as beneficial as possible and as simple as possible, and we ask for your prayers as we reach towards November 15.
Secondly, just as in pre-Covid19 days meeting on Sundays involved many people willingly and generously giving their energies, expertise and time to ensuring things all ran well, so in these days the same will be true. We will need people to step up and accept responsibilities as they become known and advertised. While we all need to think seriously about our involvement, it’s going to be quite complex. We need to remember there are those among us who will not be comfortable attending a “public” meeting for fear of contracting the virus. We must not judge one another. We need to remember there are those among us for whom it will all be too hard. We must not judge one another. And there will be those among us who will need a prod to step up! Rather than judge, we need at all times to remember to love one another. I encourage us all to see what is being planned as a challenge from the Lord to love one another well. (John 13:34)
More about this next week.
I also want you to know that our staff are starting to think and plan for Christmas and what the celebration of our Saviour’s birth will look like at St Peter’s, St Andrew’s and MIC this year. We hope we can run a Kids “Christmas Special” Club in December. We may end up decentralizing our community carols and suggesting and providing for you to run a kind of neighbourhood Christmas event in your front yard or communal area. A video Christmas message, goodies to enjoy, handouts to present and a visit from groups of our musicians in the back of a Ute! Whatever form our Christmas takes, I want you to know we are working on it (and are open to suggestions).
During these two weeks some of our staff will be on well-earned leave, but don’t forget to keep praying for both our church life and our connected schools.
Pray for the staff taking leave.
Thank God for the generous-hearted tech teams as they serve us so effectively.
Pray we will take every opportunity to use our live-streamed services for the benefit of others.
For our schools:
St Peter’s Primary: Give thanks for the link with St. Peter’s Church and for the opportunity for Ministry staff and teaching staff to present the Gospel to our families each week.
Broughton Anglican College: Thank God for our Year 12’s being so resilient in a very difficult year for them: pray for them all, however, as they continue to struggle with the pressures and prospect of HSC very soon.
Campbelltown Anglican Schools Council: Thank God for those retiring from Council and for the 4 new members due to take their places in October.
Prayerfully yours,
Deryck
Acting Senior Minister