MESSAGE FROM THE PASTOR
To whose glory?

As some of you may have seen on my Facebook status, we (Anna and I) went and watched Conclave. I was so impressed with the movie I gave it a 10/10 rating. It was probably the best movie I have watched in the last two years.

Without giving it away, Conclave is set in the Vatican, at a time when the cardinals of the world converge to choose the next Pope. For those of you who are not familiar, for a candidate to win, they have to acquire a two-thirds majority vote, and the cardinals will remain sequestered until this is done. The process ends when white smoke is seen rising up from the Vatican roof, signalling that a new pope has been elected.

While the acting is almost flawless and the filming is even better, what caught my attention was the intricacies within the cardinals circles. There are subplots within the main plot that sadly bring out the politics in the church. Not surprisingly, those who enter the walls of the Vatican with a prayerful posture looking for the candidate ordained by God look out of place, even foolish, as they interact with those looking for power, glory, and an edge over their opponents. Factions are quickly formed, not over belief and theology, but over politics and power. Align yourself to the right group, and you are sorted.

While it's easy to point a finger at the Catholic Church, I believe that this is a common scenario in many religious institutions. Churches and organisations claiming to follow Christ and ask for direction end up following human instinct and personal preference over the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

My personal challenge now has been to ask the question, “To whose glory?” We have a lot happening as a small congregation. Families group, home groups, youth group, intermediate groups in the community, and working through finding a permanent venue, as well as developing a strategic plan.

I pray that as we go through all this, we will ask the Lord to open our spiritual eyes and to realise that we do this for his glory and not our own. That all we are and what we do is to glorify him and make his name known in this city. So a question for all of us to ponder during the week: “To whose glory are you doing this?”

Mato

CHURCH SUNDAYS

Towards the cross

As we continue with our sermon series, this week we are in the middle of John 14, specifically vs. 15-24. The promise of the Holy Spirit from Jesus. For the next two weeks, we will be talking about the Holy Spirit, but talking is not enough; it will be a time to experience the Holy Spirit together. We are really excited because it is not up to us; it is up to God himself, and since Jesus promised, he will definitely deliver. Join us this and next Sunday as we talk about the Holy Spirit.

COMMUNITY

Upcoming events 🐝🧺

Fancy spending a weekend helping out with some gardening and then a picnic in the park? Well you’re in luck…

First, a working bee to whack away some weeds and tidy up the HCC grounds will take place on Saturday, followed by a families hang out on Sunday. Details below:

GIVING

If you would like to contribute to HCC

We really appreciate everyone who has been giving to HCC. It is because of your generosity that we continue to operate. So please know that we value each contribution and that we are grateful for each member individually.

You can contribute by either using the offering box at the entrance of the church or by giving online.

You can make a donation to:

S.B.S Bank Halswell Community Church

Account: 03-1369-0389284-00

Ref: Tithes and offering

Particulars: Your Name