Johnsonville Uniting Church Easter Newsletter April 2014 Minister s Message If a man is crossing a river And an empty boat collides with his own skiff, Even though he be a bad-tempered man He will not become very angry. But if he sees a man in the boat, He will shout at him to steer clear. If the shout is not heard, he will shout again, And yet again, and begin cursing. And all because there is somebody in the boat. Yet if the boat were empty, He would not be shouting and not angry. If you can empty your own boat Crossing the river of the world, No one will oppose you, No one will seek to harm you. (Chuang-tzu) At the eleventh hour when the anger Jesus evoked by his actions crystallised into a trial, Jesus took his personality out of his boat. He stood before Herod (a very bad-tempered man indeed) and let his accusations flow through him like air through emptiness. It is a living example in our Christian tradition of the truth of the boat story. How did Jesus do it? Herod asked him. And Jesus replied: The boat story teaches us to take our person, our personality, out of the space we occupy in the world, out of the vessel of our body. This JUC Easter Newsletter April 2014 Page 1
teaching goes against every impulse of our mind and heart. It contradicts the socialisation of our westernised culture. It defies reason. Only our souls can make sense of it and we have been made deaf to the voice of our souls by the white noise of our thoughts. Jesus was good at soul talk. He was an exceptional listener to his own soul and an extremely good communicator of its truths. The real Jesus was always trying to take his personality out of his actions. He was always pointing past himself and through himself to God. Jesus didn t make his ministry about himself we did. We think we are following his example when we create charismatic leaders, when we let our personalities get in the way of our spiritual practice. I am a Christian, we say. This is how Christians should behave. Jesus never said, metaphorically speaking, I am a Christian. He probably never said, I am a Jew. He worked hard at emptying himself so that there would be more room for God to grow and expand inside him. Let s follow that example this Easter. Let s be empty people. Let s create a bigger and bigger space within ourselves for God to fill. Anna Gilkison Chairperson s Message While driving up the highway recently we noticed the following message on a billboard, note, it wasn t a TUI billboard. Body piercing saved my life Reflecting upon this as we drove north we realised what great power that message holds. It doesn t mean the body piercings as we see them each day; it means the wooden cross and nails of the Easter story and the sacrifice given for us at this time in the Church calendar. Each day something like five million marshmallow chicks and bunnies are produced in preparation for Easter sales. Imagine if instead of those chicks and bunnies, five million crosses were produced each day and put up for sale in memory of the body piercing that saved our lives. How do you think they would be received? Let us reflect on the cross: Crosses are not the place where faith is killed but where it is proven: to us the cross is the way of the lost JUC Easter Newsletter April 2014 Page 2
the cross is the hope of the hopeless the cross is the water of the seeds the cross is the consolation of the labourers the cross is the source of those who seek water the cross is the reminder of the huge gift made for us. It is the time for us to invigorate ourselves with the Easter Gospel. This is the place and this is the time; here and now God waits to break into our experience. To change our minds, to change our lives, to change our ways. To make us see the world and the whole of life in a new light. To fill us with hope, joy, and certainty for the future. May this Easter be a time of joy as we appreciate and honour the sacrifice made for us. KNOW GOD KNOW PEACE Boyd Dunlop Easter Services and Activities GOOD FRIDAY: 10.00am - Quiet service based on a screening of Station to Station Followed by The Combined Churches Easter Walk EASTER SATURDAY 19 April: 11.00am 3.00pm. Continuous screening of Station to Station. A Film Installation by Massey University student Huei Yin Wong. What on Earth is a Labyrinth? view the labyrinth in the JUC grounds. EASTER SUNDAY: 10.00am - Family service Please encourage your friends to join with us for an Easter event. Here is something you can take away and give to someone for Easter. They will be in a basket in the foyer ready for you to take; together with a timetable of Easter events. Jelly beans for Easter from Johnsonville Uniting Church Orange is for the sunset of Jesus life that we remember at Easter. Red is for the blood He shed when He died for us. Black is for his death and the three days of darkness in the tomb. Yellow is for the Glory of the resurrection. Purple reminds us that He is the Kings of Kings. JUC Easter Newsletter April 2014 Page 3
Blue reminds us that God can wash us clean on the inside. Pink is for our new birth and new life through Christ. Green is for growth. God s Holy Spirit helps us to flourish. White reminds us that God is pure and good. Easter morning breakfast: Please join us on Sunday 20 th for breakfast. 8:15 am in the Lounge - $5 per person to cover expenses. Yummy food and good company guaranteed. Family Group News A picnic was held recently at Aotea Lagoon with our friends from Sts Peter and Paul. The day was sunny, the company was excellent and a great time was had by everyone. Dates for Diaries Saturday 28 June 2pm Our Annual Afternoon tea and entertainment plan to be there and bring a friend. JUC Easter Newsletter April 2014 Page 4
Crosses in Johnsonville and Newlands The Cross, the principal symbol of the Christian religion, recalls the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the redeeming benefits of his Passion and death. The cross is thus a sign both of Christ himself and of the faith of Christians (from Encyclopædia Britannica). With these thoughts in mind I did a check journey around Johnsonville and Newlands to see how prominent crosses are in our community today. Here is what I found: The cross above St Michael and All Angels in Newlands Road. The Cross above St Andrew's Catholic Church, Trebann St, Newlands The Cross above Sts Johnsonville. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, The Cross above our own Johnsonville Uniting Church. JUC Easter Newsletter April 2014 Page 5
And the most prominent of them all: The Cross in the front lawn of St John s Church, overlooking Johnsonville. James Barton St Oswald s Banner At the special communion service in February 2014 to mark ten years of the joining of St Oswalds with Johnsonville Uniting Church a very colourful large banner was on view. (Details) The banner was made by Lois Robertson to celebrate St Oswald Union Parish s 40th Anniversary in 2001. A very active Bible Class and members all gave ideas for the banner. They wanted the banner to represent Newlands and so there are scenes of early Newlands, a cross over the hills, a rainbow, the Southern Cross, pohutukawa and kowhai and the people. JUC Easter Newsletter April 2014 Page 6