PASTORAL LETTER - February 2000

My Dear Friends,

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen" - Ephesians 3:20f [NIV]

Well, we are now into another new year, the new century and a new millennium! For all the hype and the doom and gloom predictions, nothing very terrible happened. Electricity and water stayed online. The dread Y2K bug kept well clear and computers did not crash. Now we can give ourselves to the programme we have designated MISSION 2000. As indicated late last year, Session is concerned that we need to set the past with its controversies and uncertainties behind us. We need to gear ourselves up for relevant mission and service to congregation, community, nation and world. We need to commit ourselves afresh to the Lord - and to one another - for service in this place. We appreciate that some may have been holding themselves aloof from formalising their membership with us until the situation within the PCANZ was resolved. We feel such an outcome has been arrived at as a result of the decisions of last year's General Assembly. Thus, whether you have come from another Presbyterian parish or from a congregation of another Christian tradition, we would urge you to take your place fully with us here in active participation, fellowship and service. We believe it is a matter of fundamental discipleship. It is also an important spiritual principle. Otherwise, it is easy to regard oneself as a perpetual visitor and not really involved, easy to regard oneself as not being responsible or accountable, and thus easier to drift away. We are concerned that we consolidate ourselves as a people of God in love, faith and commitment as real disciples of Christ, and so serve here truly as a church in the 21st century.

In the light of such resolve, following our custom for many years, we have a verse for the year to give point and purpose to our endeavours. It comes from Paul's Letter to the Ephesians, which spells out what it means to be the Church of God, whether in the first century - or in the 21st. Let it encourage us in coming weeks and months. The verse occurs at the conclusion of Paul's great pastoral prayer for the church in chapter 3. Notice the focus here is primarily upon God himself, and only secondarily on the people.

EXPECTATION: As we face the new year and the new century, what are our spiritual visions, hopes and aspirations as individuals and as a congregation? Can we put past disappointments, discords and failures behind us and turn positively in faith and trust to the Lord our God? He is always faithful. He will never let us down. The verse assures us that God "is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine". This not just theory, day-dreaming or wishful thinking. It is hard practicality - "he is able to DO". God fulfils his promises. He achieves desired-for outcomes. In common parlance, He gets things done! This is what we see in the ministry of Jesus - not just words, but actions. We see it in the story of the young church in the Acts of the Apostles, or as some might put it, the acts of the Holy Spirit. See too, the degree our expectation might assume. It is not limited to what we might "ask" for - or our shopping-list prayers. It includes our faith and our vision - things we dream of or can scarcely "imagine" as being possible. This part of the verse reminds us of Jesus' word in the Gospel about God's goodness to us as "a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over" [Luke 6:38]. Paul assures us that God "is able to do IMMEASURABLY MORE than ALL we ask or imagine". In a word, our expectation from God can go far beyond the totally of our prayers or even our imagining. It speaks of superabundant generosity and grace. Let's work that into our year.
Let's not limit what God can do. Let's live beyond the boundaries!
POWER: Paul makes it clear such outcomes are achieved "according to his power that is at work within us". Notice the link between expectation and power is not merely that of cause, but rather of degree. It is not "because of", but rather "according to", which surely signifies the limitless power of the living God can be brought to bear on the situation facing us as the church. Elsewhere in his letter, Paul speaks of this power in terms of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead [1:19f]. This is the "power that is at work within us". There is no might be, could be or should be. It is a statement of present fact. Through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the power of God is working away in us and among us - not just others. We need to lay hold of this spiritual potential for ourselves - eagerly, joyfully and obediently.
GLORY: It is precisely because of his sovereignty, faithfulness, grace and mighty power, and because of all he has done for us in Jesus Christ and continues to do in us and for by the Holy Spirit, that the glory belongs to him alone. The resplendent glory of God is manifest in and reflected both in the Church for it is His Church, and in Christ Jesus for he is the eternal Word of the Father, his unique Son, the One through whom he wrought is saving purposes for a lost world. Such glory belongs not just to the here and now of our time - but "throughout all generations, for ever and ever!" Truly, as the psalmist says, "One generation will commend/praise your works to another" [145:4]. That is what we are about in Mission 2000 - to the glory of God. God bless you all.

Yours very sincerely,

J O EVANS