This Sunday we celebrate another birthday for our church. Another lap around the sun for the community of God's people we call City on a Hill with lots to thank and praise to God for his work amongst us.
But this birthday is a bit more significant than most.
From the very beginning we have wanted to be a church that would see as many people as possible in Wellington come to know Jesus and be saved by putting their trust in him. It's what we mean when we say that we want to multiply and mature wholehearted followers of Jesus.
We've also been aware that to reach our city we will need to see healthy gospel preaching churches in all the different communities that make up Greater Wellington. We would need to see local churches reaching local people with the same message about Jesus.
The planting of Night Church in February 2019 was a small step in that direction. A new congregation meeting at a different time but still in central Wellington. We have seen over the last five years that Night Church has been able to reach people that our existing Morning Church wasn't able to reach.
But planting in the Hutt Valley is a significantly bigger step for our church as we are geographically 'going further'. We're seeking to establish a new congregation which is on mission in a community that will have different values, culture and expectations to what we have in central Wellington. We will be sending out dear brothers and sisters into God's harvest field who we will not see as regularly going forward. We will be working out how we function as a single church but while meeting in three different times and locations.
With all that in mind, can I encourage you to prioritise coming to church at 10am this Sunday morning at Te Whaea as we commission these brothers and sisters for this new work?
Also, can I ask you to commit to be praying? Bringing the new congregation before the Lord as well as continuing to pray for our 10am and 6pm congregations?
If you are wondering what you might be able to pray, I think Paul's prayer request in Colossians 4 is a great place to start.
'Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.'
I look forward to seeing you this Sunday as we look back and look forward to what God is doing through our church to multiply and mature wholehearted followers of Jesus.
Grace & peace,
Andrew
eNews - 1st November 2024