hpc newsletter - june 2013

7/28/2019 HPC Newsletter - June 2013

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HPC Newsletter |JUNE 2013 Page 1

Blessed to be a blessing - for the longest time, this hasbeen the unofficial credo of the congregation. We havean official mission statement and vision, but who knowswhat it says. Blessed to be a blessing is our guidingprinciple. When you say these words in church, peoplesmile and nod their heads. The words ring true andinspire us. We aspire to live up to it. It is also verybiblical.

When God called Abraham to leave the past behind andjourney into an unknown future (Go to the land I willshow you), the Lord promised, I will bless you andyou will be a blessing all people on earth will beblessed through you. (Genesis 12:1-3) This has beenGods purpose with his people all along. God blesses usto be a blessing. To be blessed means more than toreceive good things from God above. To be blessedmeans that we are grounded in a relationship with Godthat allows Gods blessings to flow through us to others.

Paul says the same thing in slightly different words,Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord JesusChrist, the Father of all compassion and the God of all

comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that wecan comfort those in any trouble with the comfort weourselves have

received from God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

But what does it mean? What are the blessings withwhich we have been blessed? How does Gods blessingsflow through us? In what ways are we a blessing to allpeople? Are there people who should have been, buthave not been blessed through us? Are there things in us(attitudes, beliefs, values, habits, behaviours) thatprevent the blessings of God to flow through us to the

community? Are there things that we have to overcomein order to become a blessed community, grounded inGods love for the world?

Abraham had to leave certain things behind to go whereGod was calling him to go. He had to go in faith.

We have been talking for a while about the churchbecoming and being a missional church, in other words,the church purposefully engaging Gods mission in theworld. We are not here for ourselves. We are here toserve Gods mission. God calls us and sends us into theworld. He blessed us to be a blessing.

But what does that look like in our time and context?

These are the things that the Session has been wrestlingwith the last few months. As part of our deliberations, we

have started to study a book Becoming aBlessed Church: forming a church ofspiritual purpose, presence, and power byPresbyterian pastor and author GrahamStandish. We plan to continue studying thisbook in the fall. And we plan to createopportunities for discussions andworkshops where more of you can becomepart of the discernment of Gods purposewith Haney church. In the meantime, Iwould like to offer you a chance to read the

foreword to the book.

The Lordbless youand keepyou.

Gerard

H a n e y P r e s b y t e r i a n C h u r c h11858 - 216th Street

Maple Ridge, BCV2X 5H8

Phone: 604-467-1715Fax: 604-463-1730

E-mail:[email protected] Website:http://www.haneypreschurch.org
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.haneypreschurch.org/http://www.haneypreschurch.org/http://www.haneypreschurch.org/http://www.haneypreschurch.org/mailto:[email protected]


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There are a couple things to note regarding our church website.

One is a reminder that it is a useful resource only to people who make use of it. In addition to youth and congregational news,information and photos, please remember there is a page especially designed to assist with personal devotions. The Presbyter ian PrayerPartnership is posted there, along with a list of daily bible readings and a daily devotional all very handy to read wherever you haveinternet access during your summer travels.

The other is a heads up about possible changes on the site. Plans are in the works to include audio links to Sunday sermons . This mayrequire a change of server for the site, so stay tuned for updates.

Carol Garvin(Webmaster)

Foreword

I sat in the hospital waiting room with just one other

person, a fellow waiting for a doctor to return with a

prescription. Someone walking by said hello to theman, and he replied, Have a blessed day. A short

time later, I said to him, Now thats a great phrase,

Have a blessed day, because it says you are trustingGod to do the blessing. The man turned to me and

beamed. Thats right! he said and went on todescribe the power of his experience of Christ,

explaining, Blessed means He will make you rise!After the doctor brought his prescription, this

gracious man stepped into a nearby elevator, turned

around, and said to me, Have a blessed day. I waved

and said, He will make you rise! and the man was

gone. I thought, Wow! What a marvelous way tothink about being blessed. If God is going to make you

rise, then God is going to bring life and love and

power and presence into your life and into your

church. Thats blessedness!

Years ago George Odiorne wrote about the activity

trap in which we can get so enmeshed that we lose

sight of why we are doing what we are doing. He

observed that the activities become false gods or ends

in themselves. In the churchs own activity trap of

people and programs, we can easily lose sight of our

Lord. We lose touch with what it means to experience

Gods love, presence, and power. It is easy to be so

consumed by what we are doing forGod that we miss

the experience of being with God, the experience of

being blessed. Such is a common experience in

mainline congregations.

With the concept of the blessed church, Graham

Standish brings us back to an understanding of what it

means to be the church that experiences God as well

as serves God. A blessed church, Graham says, is a

glimpse of what a church can be. It is a vision, a

glimpse of a healthy church uniquely grounded in a

relationship with God that allows blessings to flow

through it. Plainly put, the people of a blessed church

experience God rather than merely experiencing

church. They may talk about God and serve God, yet

their overarching desire is actually to know and

experience God in some personal and direct way.

We are experiencing a surge in thought, research,

reflection, and publication about the health, dynamics,

and effectiveness of the transformational

congregation. Yet among the principles and patterns

being offered to us, one overarching issue dominates

all thinking about the transformational church. A

church is alive not because its organization is busy.

Churches are alive because God is alive. Blessedchurches are in immediate touch with the living God.

We long for our congregations to pulse with life and

energy, to hope that our most significant experiences

of Gods presence and work among us are yet to come .

Most of us know intuitively that our congregations

present experience of God is not all there is. Because

it is so easy for us to be caught in the trap of present

demand, serving the program of the church whilelosing sight of our original purpose, we need a guide

into the experience of the blessed church. Graham

Standish clearly identifies the factors that have led

many congregations into a lifeless functionalism and

the God-given means by which our congregations may

become blessed churches. As he says, Becoming a

blessed church means becoming awake, aware, and

alive to the fact that Christ is in our midst, giving us

guidance, life, and love. May God bless your journeyas you become the blessed church. May God make you

rise! (E. Stanley Ott, Senior Pastor, Pleasant Hills

Community Presbyterian Church)


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The Banner Group (Shirley Lyster, Margaret Peck, Flora Thainand Janne VanNoort) recently finished a banner -- the Fruits ofthe Spirit. I would encourage you to take a few minutes to lookat the banner and appreciate thework that has gone into completing

this project.

The LEF had their year-end dinnerand I chose to use the Fruits of theSpirit as the theme for our devotion. Ifilled a fruit basket with each fruit from thebanner tree: a pear, strawberry, apple, orange,grapes, watermelon, bananas, plum and lemon.

Galatians 5:22 tells us But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentlenessand self-control. Against such things there is no law. Since welive by the spirit, let us keep in step with the spirit.

I invite you to think of early morning. It will be quiet. The skymight still be dark. The world is still asleep. The day is coming.

In a few moments the day will arrive. It will begin with the risingof the sun. The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for thenoise of the day. The calm of solitude will be replaced by thepounding pace of the human race. The shelter of the earlymorning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlinesto be met.

For the next twelve hours we will be exposed to the day'sdemands. It is now that we must make a choice. Because ofCalvary, were free to choose. And so I invite you to make some

choices.

First, choose love. Love on the banner isrepresented by a pear, juicy and sweet.No occasion justifies hatred; no injusticewarrants bitterness. When you arise for theday, love God and what God loves.

Second, choose joy as represented by thestrawberry which is such a delightful fruit.Invite God to be the God of circumstance.Refuse the temptation to be skeptical.Refuse to see people as anything less than

human beings, created by God. Refuse tosee any problem as anything less than anopportunity to see God.

Third, choose peace as represented by anapple, crisp but serene, often a calming andsoothing fruit to eat. Forgive others so thatyou may live peacefully. Live forgivenbecause God has forgiven you.

Fourth, choose patience. On the banner an

orange represents patience. Sometimes it is hard to get theskin started so you can continue peeling the orange. Patienceis a perfect choice for the orange. Overlook the inconveniences

of the world. Rather than complain that the wait is too long,thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of becoming

stressed with new challenges, face them with courage,tolerance and patience.

Fifth, choose kindness as represented by grapes.Grapes gather together in a cluster. People like to be

together and we so often show caring, concern, kindnessand compassion to one another. Be kind to others for theymight be alone, afraid, anxious or troubled. Be kind to theunkind, for that is how God has treated us.

Sixth, choose goodness as represented by the deliciouswatermelon. Go without a dollar before taking a dishonest one.Be humble before boasting. Confess before accusing. Look for

the best in others. Choose decency, honesty and goodness.Seventh, choose faithfulness. Faithfulness is represented bybananas which are joined together in bunches. Today, keepyour promises. Be true to your friends and colleagues and theywill not question your word. Your family will not question yourlove for they know how faithful you are to them.

Eighth, choose gentleness which is represented by a plum.Plums can be fragile and should be handled gently. Choose tobe gentle as nothing is won by force. If you raise your voicemay it be only in praise. If you clench your fist, may it be only inprayer. If you make a demand, may it be only of yourself.

Ninth and the last fruit of the spirit is self-control. This last fruit is a lemon tart andsour it can be fitting if at times as youstruggle with self control.Endeavour to be a spiritual being and letyour spirit soar. Seek to live in peace andcontentment. Be impassioned by your faith.Be influenced by God. Be taught only byChrists teachings. Choose self-control.

Our fruit basket is full. The fruits of the spiritare love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, andself-control. Therefore as we strive to live bythe spirit, let us keep in step with the spirit.Commit yourself to the fruits of the spiriteach day. It might seem like an immensetask but, if you succeed, give thanks. If youfail, seek the grace of God. And then, whenyour day is done, with a joyful spirit and athankful heart, place your head on yourpillow and rest.


4/8


Summertime, and the livin' is easy*

Not all of us have opportunities to take vacations, but I think everyone arrives somewhat

breathlessly at summers start, relieved to be able to move into its saner schedule and

slower pace.

The choir recently held its last practice of the season. While the instrumentalists continue to

play whenever they are available in the summer, choir members look forward to their break. My

additional term as choir director has also concluded and a new director will be in place for the fall. I

have been blessed by the opportunity to participate in the music program of Haney Church since

1994, both as a member of the choir and periodically as its leader, and I treasure the fellowship, music-

learning, singing and worship experiences weve

shared.

Please watch the church bulletin during the

summer for updated information on our music

ministry and its fall schedule.

Carol Garvin (Choir Director)

* Summertime, Gershwin & Heyward, 1935

So the last thing on your mind as you anticipate thelong hot days of summer is Christmas. Let us assureyou were talking Haney Presbyterian Family Bazaar,Saturday, November 16. Seems like forever away butthe lazy days of summer are great for all kinds ofprojects stitching up an apron, knitting a scarf,picking berries to make jam and sorting out the attic

for treasures.

So whatever your plans are this summer--enjoy! Butevery so oftenthink Bazaar and come September wewill already be rolling along so that it wont be nearlythe effort to switch into high gear in October.

Five-seventh of the group finishing the projects before summer sets in.Flora took the picture and Elsie is busy packing for her trip to Germanyright after Fathers Day.

Hope youll join us beginning

We wish you all a great summer.


5/8


How good is it that God aboveHas never gone on strike

Because He was not treated fair

In things He didnt like!And said, Thats it! Im through!Ive had enough of those on earth.

So this is what Ill do:Ill give my order to the sunAnd cut the heat supply;

And to the moon: Give no more light!Ill run the oceans dry;

Then just to make things really toughAnd put the pressure on,Turn off the vital oxygen

Till every breath is gone.

You know He would be justified,If fairness was the game;

For no one has been more abused,Or met with more disdain than God;

And yet, He carries on,Supplying you and me

With all the favours of His graceAnd everything for free.

Men say they want a better deal,And so on strike they go,

But what a deal weve given HimTo whom all things we owe!

Now we dont care much whom we hurtTo gain the things we like;

But what amess wed all be inIf God should go on strike!

- Anonymous(From the Michighan Lutheran, May 1981)

Submitted bySue Reaveley

For the past year, I have sent baptism cards to mark the

anniversary of our childrens baptisms, trusting that these cardswould remind our children of an important date in their faith

journey as well as start a faith-based conversation within your

family. However, there are many children in our congregation

who were baptized in other congregations. If you know the

baptism anniversary of your children or grandchildren and

would like them to also receive these cards, please let me

know.

Paddy

We are hoping that the HPC library will soon have a new and inviting profile. At the time of this printing the

librarywill have its own computer; one that was previously used in the office. The first major project will be the

cataloguing of every book in the system. This will make a difference in the non-fiction section, as all of these

books will now be placed on the shelf according to their subject. e.g.: Prayer, Family Life, Missions, Biography,

Bible History, etc. There will be a bulletin board to assist you, stating these subjects and their assigned Dewey

decimal numbers. A list of newly acquired titles will also be posted on the board. We hope eventually to havemore shelf space to display new books, seasonal books or books on specific topics.

I would like to remind you that the church has two book clubs. There is a small group that has been meeting for a

number of years on a monthly basis. Each month we select a new title, alternating between fiction and non-

fiction. We then meet on the last Thursday of each month to discuss our recent read. Our pastor initiatedTheology Caf last fall. He chooses a more in-depth, theological book; divides it into sections and we meet

monthly on a Monday evening to discuss and learn from the

book and additional handouts. This past year we have read

Eugene Petersons book, The Jesus Way. These clubs have

been very edifying in my life.

Many new titles have been added to our book selection overthe past year. From the readers of these books, the

feedback has been positive. There are stories that will make

you laugh and stories that will make

you cry. There are books that

will instruct you and those

that will share life

experiences. There are, of

course, different tastes and

different motives amongst

readers. You are

encouraged to come and

check it out (literally) foryourself!

Submitted by

Marla van Hilten


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7/8


Submitted by Lorraine Cornish

1. YOUR THUMB is nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are theeasiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C.S.Lewis once said, a 'sweet duty'

2. The NEXT FINGER is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includesteachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the rightdirection. Keep them in your prayers.

3. The NEXT FINGER is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, the primeminister, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guidepublic opinion. They need God's guidance.

4. The FOURTH FINGER is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, asany piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or inpain. They need our prayers day and night. You cannot pray enough for them.

5. And lastly comes our LITTLE FINGER - the smallest finger of all which is where we should place ourselves inrelation to God and others. As the Bible says, "The least shall be the greatest among you". Yourpinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other fourgroups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray foryourself more effectively.

Don't tell God how big your storm is. Tell the storm how big your God is.

One of the pleasures of summer is the opportunity to slow down and step back from our regular routines in

order to discern what God might intend for our future. As I look ahead to the fall, I am sure of some things and

am beginning to dream about others.

When it comes to the faith, our chronological age is not all that important: God is speaking to all of us,

regardless of our age. What is important is that all of us are part of the community God has called together.Family ministry is not just for people who come to church with their children or grandchildren: it focuses on

aspects of our church life that include everyone, seniors all the way to toddlers.

Being together across generational lines is one of the ways we pass on the faith. As our children spend time with

mature believers, people who have walked the way of faithfulness for many years, they build relationships that will

sustain them in their own faith journey. In the fall we can look forward to more opportunities to be together,

adults and children alike.

Heres the dates we have set so far:

Second Sunday at 7pm starts September 8th. This is a youth/young adult evening service jointly sponsored by

Haney, St. Pauls and Calvin Presbyterian Churches. As the name implies, we meet at 7pm at St Pauls, the

second Sunday of every month. High school students and up, I hope youll join us. We do need drivers.

Corn MazeSeptember 13, 6pm. Lets get lost together! We end the night with a campfire.

Sunday School starts September 14. Children aged 3-10 start in Church and then move downstairs for their

lessons.

We Believe starts September 20, 4.45pm. We start our night with pizza, have a bible study (often related to the

Sunday service) and occasionally prepare skits for worship.

Friday Night Youth starts September 20, 6-8pm for children and youth aged 5 to 18.

Advent Intergenerational Eventand Potluck Lunch Sunday November 24 prepare to celebrate Advent at

home.

Paddy


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- by Sandra Goodwin

Last night I took a journey to a land across the seas.

I did not go by boat or plane, I traveled on my knees.

I saw so many people there in deepest depths of sin,

But Jesus told me I should go, that there were souls to win.

But I said, "Lord, I cannot go and work with such as these."

He answered quickly, "Yes you can, by traveling on your knees."

He said, "You pray, I'll meet the need. You call and I will hear.Be concerned about lost souls, of those both far and near.

And so I tried it, knelt in prayer, gave up some hours of ease.

I felt the Lord right by my side, while traveling on my knees.

As I prayed on, I saw souls saved and twisted bodies healed,

I saw God's workers' strength renewed, while labouring in the field.

I said, "Yes, Lord, I have a job, my desire: Thy will to please.

I can go and heed Thy call, by traveling on my knees.

Submitted bySue Reaveley

hpc newsletter - june 2013

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