Pastor’s Pen
Hi Friends
A warm welcome to you if you are visiting us today. I hope that as you worship
amongst us that God will meet with you and make himself known to you.
Over the last few weeks we have started to look at what the Bible says about
the kingdom of God and Jesus as King of God’s kingdom. I am hoping as we
have been thinking about this you have begun to get a clearer picture of God
and to see him in a new light. Pastor and scholar Don Williams candidly
acknowledges:
Now, I ask honestly, is this the God whom we worship? Or is ours a
“lesser god?”… I have sat in the privacy of my office with heroin
addicts who mask their needle tracts with tattoos, sexually abused
children who pay for their rape with anorexia and bulimia, homosexuals
consumed with lust who cry out for love, couples whose marriages have
spawned “buyers’ remorse,” AIDS patients with icy fear encircling their
hearts. Faced with this pain over the years I have often asked myself,
“How can I possibly bear the burden of these broken, hungry people
who have found their way to me?” And deeper still, “How can I bear
their burden when I admit (in a moment of candour) that I carry many
of the same things as well?” “Physician heal thyself!” No wonder there
is such a despairing exodus of pastors and priests from our churches
today. No wonder sensitive souls turn to psychology, social work, or
political action for answers. Here, they conclude, at least some tangible
good can be done amidst the enveloping darkness. However, our
longing is for more than this. Whether we know it or not, we long for
the kingdom of God.
I must confess that after being a Christian for over thirty-five years, I
have only recently begun to see the God of the Bible clearly as the
mighty King who invades both this world and my life in order to
establish his reign and bring all things under submission to him. For
too long I have worshiped a “lesser god” whom I (and most of the
church) have shaped to fit our secular perception of reality, our mancentred vision and limited, rational mind-set.
And what about you – who have you been worshipping? For myself, as I have
been thinking about what the Bible says about the Kingdom of God, my picture
of God is starting to get bigger and bigger and as he has got bigger and bigger
my prayers and expectations of him have grown in proportion. My prayer is
that our Kingdom of God series will do the same in you.
God bless you,
Pastor Matti
Cycling with Belinda & Roland
Helen & Gary Simes’ daughter and
son-in-law are riding a tandem bike
from Alaska down the west coasts of
North and South America to
Argentina! On the way they are
doing volunteer work for the
Salvation Army. You can keep up
with
their
exploits
on
www.cyclingwithsally.com.
Special Occasions
Birthdays
Wed 25th Helen Simes
Anniversaries
Mon 23rd Lee & Angela Taylor
Congratulations to all those celebrating
this coming week. Collect your chocolate
at next week’s service
Coming Events
This is a fundraising event for MAF
(Missionary Aviation Fellowship) to
raise money for a new plane.
For
more
details
check
out
www.mafnz.org.nz or see Aggie
Brown about sponsoring Frank
Carter’s 2220km motorbike ride
through New Zealand.
Eagles’ Nest
Simon & Jennifer Eagle’s
address is as follows:
179 Old North Road
R.D.2
Kumeu 0892
Tel: 412 2934
new
Car Boot Sale
The last car boot sale for 2009 will
be on 5th December, so this is your
last chance to clear out some stuff
before Christmas and make a few
dollars. Phone Mike 2977831 to
book a space for only $5.
After the Service
Please do not bring food and drink
into the auditorium after the
service. Also please be sensitive to
those who may be receiving prayer
ministry.
Dec 5th Car Boot Sale
Dec 20th Christmas Production
Dec 25th Christmas Day Service 9.30am
www.mcbc.org.nz
If you miss a service on the Sunday,
don’t forget you can download the
weekly newsletter and message from
our website. Click on the appropriate
links.
Enjoy an espresso from the Red
Sofa Café after the service. Profits
support various ministries in the church.
Need Prayer?
If you or someone you know has a prayer
need there are a number of ways the
Church can help:
• Prayer Chain - The Church prayer
chain is a group of dedicated prayers
at MCBC, who will stop what they are
doing at any time and pray for
requests that are passed on. Contact
person is Marjorie Corbett on 2670747.
• Healing Ministry Team – This team
is available for those who have a
healing need. Contact person is Bruce
Rea on 267-7244.
Over Day/Night
Life Groups & Other Meetings
Group
Location
Hosts
Phone
Tuesday
10.30am
Gildersleve’s
Group
28 Norman Close
The Gardens
David & Muriel
267 2605
Tuesday
7.30pm
Rogers’ Group
5 Chibnall Pl
Conifer Grove
Mike & Denyse
297 7831
Wed’sday
7.00pm
SYGWAN
Youth Group
Youth Room
Nathan & Jaime
Taylor
270 6146
Wed’sday
7.30pm
Prayer 4 MCBC
@MCBC
The Church
David Hydes
267 9845
Friday
6.30pm
Face to Face
Facebook
Phillipa Rea
Kirsty Couper
0273301103
0211185902
Welcome to
Manukau Central Baptist
Church
It is recommended that you check with hosts if you would like to join a group
for the first time.
22 November 2009
Other Activities
Christian Preschool
9.00am
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
Contact:
Robyn Allen
Time Out Playgroup
9.00am
Wednesday
Contact:
Anna Best
269-3117
263 5100
Missionaries Supported by MCBC
Pat – Afghanistan
Ross & Cindy Meyer – Bangladesh
Rex Booth – Caleb Ministries
Please pray for them regularly. The first Sunday in every month is an
opportunity to give towards their support.
Delightful Duties
Kitchen:
Hosts:
Creche:
Counters:
Barrista:
Barrista 2:
Cashier:
Lock up:
Today
D Fyfe + J Corlett
The Newricks
J Koopman + D Rogers
D Brown + R Cossey
S Nelson
L Tabor
M Rogers
Kitchen:
Hosts:
Creche:
Counters:
Barrista:
Barrista 2:
Cashier:
Lock up:
29 Nov
Jul The Porters
The Gildersleves
M Pao’o + C Barton
J Rea + T Singh
C Nelson
L Nelson
D Havill
10.00am
Worship Gathering
Today’s service led by Matti Koopman & Ruth Pahina
Message by Trent Hodson
PRAYER MEETING
CRECHE
JUNIOR WINDOWS
WINDOWS
INVADING JANDALS
All welcome. Held in the Chapel. 9.30am
Under 4s at the back of the foyer 10.15am
Age 4 to Yr2 downstairs room 10.15am
Years 3-6 in the Preschool building 10.15am
Yrs 7-9 in the Preschool building 10.15am
A special welcome to guests today.
We are delighted to have you with us and hope you’ll be encouraged and
blessed at our service today.
Songs will follow one after the other. Please stand, sit or kneel, as you are
comfortable.
Church Contact details:
Pastor
Church
Matti Koopman
262 0339
Ph: 021 879 729