Summer
at Hope
WITH HAMISH GALLOWAY
Life is a beach?
Close your eyes and imagine yourself in the
following scenes:
1. On a spinning merry go round in a busy fairground
2. Walking alone on a meandering forest path
3. Lying on the golden sands of a sunny beach
Which of these images that most epitomises
your life right now? If you are caught up in the
Christmas rush it may be the merry go round!
As I write this 2 weeks before Christmas, I
realise I have just booked in my last lunch time
space between now and the 25th December!
Phew! But at the same time I am determined
to find space to be quiet and reflect on the
real meaning of the Christmas event. Sermon
writing is a great place for this – I love it,
quietly delving into scriptures and pondering
their meaning and application to the present
day.
And then the post-Christmas summertime can
provide a lovely time to get off the merry go
round and touch base with the things that get
neglected in our busy lives. Connecting with
family at Christmas. Reflection on where we are
at and where we want to go at the beginning
of a new year. Taking holiday time to for re-
creation.
This is an important element of what it means
to be human beings made in the image of
God. After 7 days of huge creative activity, God
stopped and rested. The Sabbath rest principle
is then incorporated into God’s guidelines
for life in all its fullness. It is a principle that
can find lovely expression in our Summer
breaks, holidays, vacations. So as you linger
over meals with family and friends, as you lie
on the beach, as you bury yourself in a big
and beautiful book (try ‘Keeping the Sabbath
Wholly: Ceasing, Resting, Embracing, Feasting’
by Marva Dawn), as you work with God on your
New Year’s resolutions, as you meander on that
forest path … my God be with you and work
his re-creative touch into your living for 2015.
God bless
Hamish
starts 18th january 2015
starts 18th january 2015
Hot Topics for Summer
Night church finishes with carols at West
Melton Community Hall
on Sunday night 21st December
- Night church resumes on Sunday 11th
January with in an informal discussion based
style in the church café. Convened by Ross
McKerras on Sunday’s 11, 18, 25 Jan and 1 Feb
in the Hornby Church café. A variety of hot
topics will be discussed during this series.
Cover Photo:
A Calling to the Quiet’
1. Praying from the heart
2. Praying with scripture
3. Praying in silence
12 o’clock drop – ½ an hour of prayer at church each week day for 3 weeks with the
invitation forthose unable to make it to church to do the same where they are at
Wednesday night corporate prayer: 7pm -8pm 21st Jan, 28th Jan and 4 Feb
West Melton 7pm Sunday nights starting 17 Jan 2015
Talieng Work
Laos Update
Last week we had two young Talieng girls
come to youth group. One, Miss Chanthi, had
come last year several times. The other, Miss
Phonesen, had never been. They are both from
Bouakeo’s village. Phonesen is the headman’s
daughter. This headman asked Bouakeo and
Karen to pray for his wife and mother in January
this year, then turned angrily against Bouakeo
and God during the summer school. Chanthi’s
father, along with all the other men in the
village, is vehemently opposed to Christianity.
Chanthi had been waiting for an opportunity to
come back to youth group, and finally made it
last Friday. She came with the purpose of giving
her life to God. And she did, hallelujah. And
Phonesen, though much more hesitant, prayed
for God’s revelation and forgiveness. Chanthi
and Phonesen then stayed the weekend with
our girls, received more teaching on Saturday
and went to church with them on Sunday.
Chanthi and Phonesen came back to Youth
Group last Friday night (28th) at Oudomsuk
Church. And at the end of the talk, they
confirmed their decision to follow Christ!
As we look back over this year, it’s been an
awful struggle. And we’re all tired. We feel
under pressure, and often feel as if we’re getting
nowhere. However, if we reflect on the growth
of faith in the lives of Talieng people, here’s the
list of people we know personally, where God
has used Lao Vida staff and visiting teams to
have an impact.
In Bouakeo’s family and village community (Dak
Deun Village):
Bouakeo’s sister Kaem (who died in September),
a believer
Bouakeo’s father, interested
Bouakeo’s brother Sengvan and his wife,
committed believers
Sengvan’s brother in law, a committed believer
Miss Onvi, a sister, a determined believer
Miss Orlakeo, a cousin, a new believer
Mr Dondee, a cousin, a secret believer
Mr Ning, a believer
Miss Chanthi, a friend, a new believer
Miss Phonesen, the headman’s daughter, a new
believer
In Thakmany’s extended family
Mr Ui, a nephew, a believer
Mr Doon, a nephew, interested
Mr Tik, an uncle, a committed believer
Please continue to pray for the Talieng tribe. In
the Asian Outreach book of Lao ethnic groups,
the Talieng are described as a group that isolates
itself and is very cautious about integrating with
other people. In our experience, there’s an ethnic
pride and a characteristic determination and
independence about the Talieng people.
There’s a fierce pride in their beliefs. This
of course is a good thing when we know
the living God. But when there’s pride and
determination in their animist beliefs, it’s
very hard for people to be open to a “new
and living way”. Pray that God will break
through that pride and determination,
and bring more people into the light.
Pray for the list of people above, that He
will continue to nurture and hold these
young people and Bouakeo’s father. May
they become beacons of light and hope in
communities held in darkness.
tournament. The team is doing well soccer-wise.
But please pray that they have opportunity to
talk more and to set an example to these young
men about a different way of life.
The female staff are now beginning to study the
road code. This is a big hurdle for them. Please
ask that our Father would help them see the
benefit in getting their license and so enable
them to persevere and try to understand
the idea of road safety. Pray for patience in
Thakmany as she teaches them!
New Staff
Staff
Meuan is in hospital (as of Saturday 29
November). She had been having seizures
since Tuesday last week (25th), so as soon as
we had papers from her village we took her
across to Ubon. They did an MRI and discovered
a parasitic infestation in her brain, which has
caused cerebral edema. So the combination of
parasites and swelling have caused the seizures.
The neurologist says it’s curable. And Meuan is
now on medication for the edema and to kill
off the parasites. Please pray for God’s hand to
be on her as she suffers through this treatment,
which is likely to cause more seizures over the
next few days. We hope she will be home later
this week.
Thakmany is starting a new venture, going
out to Km 25 church on Sunday mornings to
help the young, uneducated girl who is trying
to teach children. She can barely read herself,
and doesn’t know how to teach. So Thakmany
wants to invest in her and in the children of Km
25. Please pray for God’s hand of protection and
favour on Thak as she starts. And pray for God’s
blessing in the lives of the children at Km 25.
Please continue to pray for Geena as she travels
around NZ. She’s in Christchurch this week, and
hopes to have opportunity to speak about Laos
to anyone interested! Continue to pray that as
she travels, she has opportunity to speak, to
raise awareness of the msn field here that really
needs workers who love Him and will give their
all so that some may come to know Him.
Please continue to pray for Jan and Theua,
as they lead the 12 young men in the soccer
Lao Vida is in need of English teachers for the
coming year. We have more students than we
can handle, and have refused entry to over 100
students this term. We will continue to do so, as
we have no desire to grow bigger in the English
school. He has always provided everyone we
need to keep viable. So we continue to depend
on Him to provide for the coming year.
Protection for Lao Vida
Please continue to uphold Lao Vida’s safety in
this country. A friend has recently been banned
from ever entering the country again. We don’t
know what he did wrong. It was a long time
ago and has marked his whole time here with
threats. But it’s a reminder to us that we live in a
people’s democratic republic! So we are totally
dependent on Him for our continued favour
with governing authorities.
We continue to pray for humility, servanthood,
forgiveness, mutual affection, kindness and
joy to be the hallmarks of our team. We are
dependent on Him in all things.
Memorial Service
Women’s
21st dec @ 2.30pm at hornby
afternoon tea to follow the service
Women’s Cafe
An opportunity to remember those who have passed on.
Please bring a flower to place on the communion table.
Email the name and a photo of loved ones to
[email protected] by 18th December.
Join us at Women’s Cafe for yummy, free
speciality coffees and home baking. Preschoolers
are welcome to come along and morning tea is
provided for them too!
Fortnightly on Wednesdays from 10am at Hope
Hornby.
Start date for 2015: 4th February
Women 2 Women
Women’s Bible Study and worship. Creche
available for preschoolers. Come along and join
us!
Fortnightly on Wednesdays from 9.30am in the
Hornby Reima Centre.
Start date for 2015: 11th February
Time 4 Mums
Halkett
Mums, come along and get to know some other
mums! We craft, get speakers in and talk about
what being a mum is like! Home baked morning
tea and childcare provided.
Fortnightly on Wednesdays from 10am in the
Rolleston Community Centre Lounge.
Start date for 2015: 4th February
Knit n Stitch Together
sunday 25th january 2015
no service at west melton. 11am service at
halkett.
All knitters, crocheters, stitchers of all skill levels
welcome to come along.
For more information: Lesley Geayley (349 8440)
Fortnightly on Wednesdays 7pm at Hope Hornby
Start date for 2015: 4th February
For more information on Women’s Ministry and what’s
going on contact Kate Goodall:
[email protected]
join us for
$2 Lunch
Sunday 15th February
At Hope Hornby
Yummy lunch and a great way to
meet someone new. Tickets available
for puchase after the services.
YOU’RE INVITED TO A
New
People‘s
Lunch
8th Feb at 12.30pm in the church lounge/crèche
An opportunity to meet some of the leadership
from Hope Hornby and others who are new to the
church.
Children welcome.
For catering purposes please RSVP to
[email protected]
or 980 2296 extn 223
West Melton Carol Service
7pm Sunday 21st December in the west melton community hall
Come along for a night of carol singing and telling the age old story!
Please bring a plate for supper and a non perishable food
item for the christmas appeal. Children are welcome to dress
up as shepherds or angels.
Rolleston Combined
Churches Carol
Service
6pm Sunday 21st December
Rolleston Community
Centre
Games and activities for children from 5pm.
Wet weather venue rolleston school hall.
Growing Godly
Families
Christmas
Appeals
1. Sano Diyo, India - Help us purchase a new security
system for Sano Diyo in India. Pick up an envelope from the
church office in order to make your donation.
2. Christmas Hampers - We are looking for donations of
unperishable food to put into Christmas hampers for families in our
church who find this time of year difficult. Food can be dropped
off to the office during the week or placed in the boxes at all sites
Take time to invest in your family.
Courses starting February 2015.
contact 980 2296 or www.hopechurch.net.nz for more info
on a Sunday.
Hope World WideUpdate
Introducing Meuan
Meuan is the new trainer on staff at Lao Vida in
Laos
She is 27 and has been with Lao Vida for four
years. Andrew & Karen trained her from scratch.
Meuan has always done well at Lao Vida, as a
student and then as a worker. She now trains
the housekeepers and previously trained
othser students at children’s ministry.
She comes from a desolate spot on a dry
plain in southern Laos called ‘Sanamxai’. It is
so desolate that it is hard to understand why
anybody would live there. Temperatures in the
summer are well over 40 degrees.
Her family are dirt poor. They are rice farmers,
meaning they have a small plot and are pretty
much subsistence farmers. They are a believing
family but suffer heavy persecution from local
authorities. In this area Christians are really
Summer Sermon Series
Life under the sun
Studies in ecclesiastes
hated, they are even shot at and arrested.
Earlier this year Meuan married a much
younger man (he’s 21). This is the way it goes in
Laos because there are not too many Christian
males around. He is extremely lucky. They are
doing fine, she’s training him well.
Hope Kids Sunday
Teams relievers
(ROL and creche)
We need relievers for
programmes after Christmas.
Contact
[email protected]
or sign up in the foyer
Starts 28th January
Rolleston
sharedlunch
21st December
bring along something to share for lunch after the service.
Christmas Services
at Hope
24th December - 6.30pm @ Hornby
A family friendly Christmas Eve
Service
24th December 9.30pm @ Hornby
A reflective Christmas Eve
Service
25th December 9.30am @ All Sites
Christmas Service