New Wine Report - January 2012

This past month has been busy in the vineyard. We started off the month with a special visit from our Bishop who was in the area for an ordination in Lansing. I was up north to perform a wedding and Doc stepped up to help with the preaching through Philippians. As always, Doc excels as a preacher and challenged us to live a life of love and service.

Our Advent Series, "Warning: Christians Under Construction", helped us to think about ways we can grow and serve as we anticipate the Lord's return. We are hopeful He will finish the good work He has begun in us. If you would like to listen to the series again or for the first time, audio sermons are online at www.NewWineMission.com.

December has always been a great month for outreach for the New Wine community. As Rob Robertson, President of our Trustees, likes to point out "Jesus likes a good party!". So we threw several parties giving us chances to invite people who do not regularly come in contact with our community of believers. The Smith's started us off with their annual Christmas Party in the beginning of the month. Then we had parties at both Taecken's Terrace and Elmcrest Senior Apartments. Our Monday Cell and Men's group went caroling and delivered treats and presents to a single mom and child we adopted this year. One of our Cell groups packed up holiday goodie boxes for troops to do their part to brighten some of our military personnel overseas.

Some sad news is that the Anglican Mission in America's leadership has had a falling out with our Rwandan leadership. The church and I are still under the Archbishop of Rwanda's oversight, but our relationship is confused at best at this moment in time. We are praying for direction and reconciliation to happen in the leadership of our Mission. I do not understand all the dynamics, but it is very clear that spiritual powers of darkness are at play here, probably because so much good has happened through AMIA in recent years. I have heard we have started over 200 new congregations since 2001. No wonder Satan is at work stirring the pot.

Our Katie has completed the preparation portion of her mission school and now is in the field in the middle east for the next 3 months. She had some problems getting away from New Zealand but has caught up with her team. After only a day or so in the field, the team was robbed while they were away from the shelter and Kate's Apple laptop was one of several items stolen. She seemed to take it in stride, but again I see these things as having spiritual causes that challenges me to pray for her as she is on the front line. The enemy does not like it when we find success and is looking at all times to undermine things in the spiritual as well as real life.

Please join us in prayer as this new year begins. Deb still has no really good leads on a job. It is critical she get one soon for us to continue in our work here in Michigan. Those who are prayer warriors, I ask you might double your efforts in praying for us. Your prayers and financial support have been a great encouragement as the church finished the year a little bit ahead once again. He knows exactly what we need when we need it.

Christmas In the Mission

When we felt led to start New Wine Anglican Mission in 2005,  I knew we were not to do church as usual.  We wanted to be "New Wine" that did not go in the old structures and forms that were not producing much fruit for the Kingdom.  We have not been perfect.  We still fight against the strong pull to return to life in the church as we knew it, but by God's grace we are trying to be different.

Last week was a great example of doing both the "old or ancient things" in a new way.   Our Monday Cell group adopted a young mom and her 2 year old son.  They have had a very rough go of things, but with the help of  a strong Christian recovery ministry they are making a new start of things.  Monday night we set aside our regular gathering and we took over presents we bought for her and her son.  We brought hot chocolate and cookies and prayed over this family in her second floor apartment on the North side of Flint.  This was not a one time encounter.  We will be following up with them in the weeks and months ahead.   We are now part of her support team.   This felt so much more like "relational ministry" rather than "arms-length" outreach which has been our habit in the past.

The Wednesday Cell group hosted their 3rd annual "Christmas Party".  Over 40 people from the senior apartment in Davison came to visit, eat and sing Christmas carols.   This was  a ministry of blessing and this cell group has been a major influence in the community life at Taecken's Terrance.  The weekly fellowship engages 15-20 people in God's Word.  We just finished our study of Matthew and will begin a book study called "Too Busy Not to Pray" by Bill Hybel.

Thursday night we then did a special Anglican "Lessons & Carols" Service at Elmcrest Senior Apartments in Flushing.  We set up our power point projector and keyboard and in their commons room made an instant church setting.   Here about 30 people gathered for a reading of the Christmas story and the singing of half a dozen appropriate carols.  The Good News is proclaimed in such a simple way in this  great service that we took to the people rather than expecting them to come to us.   Perhaps next year we could take this to an even more public gathering space.  

Finally we had over 40 people gather at the Community Room on East Street in Flint for Christmas Eve.  We broke out the silver chalice and vestments as we remembered the birth of Jesus.  He was the Light that broke into darkness 2000 years ago and can still bring light to the darkness of suffering, fear and pain in our lives today.     (This years music was once again beautiful as we have come to expect from Anne and Deb.)

Outreach and Celebrations made this one great Christmas in the Mission.


Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!!!

Looking Like Jesus

Sunday December 18th was the last Sunday of Advent and the last of the four part preaching series:  "Warning: Christians Under Construction".   (Check out our audio sermons posted at www.NewWineMission.com)  We lit the last purple candle on the Advent Wreath.  We have taken down the Yellow Warning Tape and put away the Tool Box and Hard Hat, but hopefully we have come away from our times of worship this Advent encouraged. 


Yesterday we read through the last chapter (chapter 4) of Paul's letter to the Philippians.  We were encouraged to stand firm joyfully in the midst of troubles believing that God will complete the good work He has begun in us.   When times are hard and things are falling apart, personally or even in the church, we are reminded that God is not worried.  God is not frustrated and giving up on us.  God is hard at work, as we yield ourselves to Him, with the goal of helping each of us and us together to look more like Jesus. 

This is our hope that as we press near in worship, study and by faith, God will make us more like Jesus.  We confess that individually and at times corporately we do not look much like Jesus.  Yet we hold fast to the promise that He will keep growing us more into the image of the Son.  

My challenge to those gathered Sunday was for each of us to submit to the Lord inviting Him to work on one area of needed change in our lives.  I also asked the fellowship to enter into the Ministry of Encouragement by lifting up those we see who are acting and doing things like Jesus would.   After the service I actually heard people saying to each other:  "My you are looking more like Jesus today!"   What a great way to head into the holiday season.  May our family and friends see Jesus in us more and more.

Saturday night New Wine Trustees and wives joined Deb and I for our monthly dinner gathering.  We take time to laugh and eat together before reflecting on the needs and fruit of the ministry.  We usually end with a time of intercessory prayer.  This past year has been a blessed one with many opportunities for ministry in our cell groups and on Sunday morning and through our missionary outreach.   We rejoice in what has been accomplished and that our financial needs for 2011 have been met,  including a special donation to meet pension obligations for the rector and reimbursing half of the Kulchar medical expenses for the year (this came to $3,800).  We are so grateful for the faithful support of this ministry!

We concluded our night together praying for 2012.  We are praying for numerical growth this year and conversion growth.  Pray with us as we seek ways of shaping the ministry this year to be more intentional in reaching unchurched people.

Remember:  Christmas Eve Service starts at 7pm and there is no Sunday morning service Christmas Day.  

Weddings & Backyard Brawls

A week ago Saturday, December 3rd, Deb and I headed up north so I could perform a wedding for a young couple we met through our seminarian Micah Chisholm. The bride was Stephanie Chisholm's identical twin sister. It was a privilege for Deb and I to counsel with Emily and Tyler Gotowka the last few months. I am confident they desire to live out their vows before each other and the Lord. Their heart felt conviction made for a beautiful Christian wedding.

The Gotowka wedding had been planned for some time. It was a destination wedding in that it took place at Castle Farms, an event center in Charlevoix, Michigan. The facility looked like an old stone castle. The chapel was lovely and the meal and dancing  was great!  (Despite my facial expression in the picture I really did have a good time.)  This was the 41st marriage I had been asked to officiate. Each one reminds me of the vows I made to Deb over 31 years ago as it does for all married persons who attend such services.

Marriage has the potential of being the highest expression of human love. I know I would give my life for Deb and that she would do the same for me. I know she is committed to standing at my side in good and bad times. We are told that marriage is a picture of the way Jesus and the Father are committed to loving each one of us. Jesus is the groom and we are His bride. He is terribly fond of us and is constantly pursuing after us. But just like our experience of marriage on earth, our relationship with Him takes work.

On Sunday mornings in Advent we have been looking at our life as Christians. In a series entitled "Warning: Christian Under Construction" we are considering the fact that we still have room to grow in our relationship with God and with those around us. This past Sunday we considered how in our lives, the world and even in the church we still have conflict. We can do only a little to affect conflict in the world, but most of us can affect the conflicts in our own backyards.

The church is filled will people whom the Lord is still working on. People who do not love as they ought. People who do not serve as they ought and thus sometimes fight even though we ought not. My admonition, like Paul's advice to the church in Philippi, was to forget what lies behind and press towards being more like Christ. (Phil. 3:13) We are called to keep working at our relationships. We are to work at listening to each other, sharing with each other and forgiving each another, just like we must do in marriage. If you were not present you can hear the sermon in full online at:

http://www.newwinemission.com/Audio_Sermons/

I am so glad the Lord has not given up on me, His church, even the World. I am glad He is committed to working at our "marriage" and He wants me to keep working on my relationships with those around me. May we be patient with one another and the church as He continues to build us up and work on His church.

New Wine Report - Dec 2011

This afternoon I broke out our Advent Calendar and we started counting down the days to Christmas. I put up the lights and last Sunday we lit the first Advent Candle. It is the season of anticipation!

We anticipate the joys of Christmas and the remembrance of Jesus coming among us in bodily form. We anticipate His return when this age as we know it comes to an end. We anticipate the end of the battle between the powers of darkness and light. We anticipate the end of the falleness and brokenness of this current age often filled with suffering, death, and tears. We, with Paul, believe that to be with Christ is our gain and at times I wake up thinking I am ready for the end: "Come Lord Jesus, Come". Yet the Father is patient. He is waiting for the perfect time and until then there is more work to do. There are more who are in darkness who need to come into the light.

At New Wine we are so aware of people in need everyday. Yesterday, I learned of a family who needs to seek bankruptcy protection because they have no jobs. Our local Outreach food closet is serving over 200 families a month when only a few years ago it was 60. At the YMCA the other day I overheard a man share how he was facing cancer yet had no faith to help him cope. The physical and spiritual needs around us are so great.

We are people on mission. If you have not been to our website and new blog:

http://www.newwinemission.blospot.com/

Please check it out. There you can read about how the Lord spoke to us through His Spirit on our last Listening Retreat. In our time we reflected on the nature of our spiritual battle and our need to always be listening and connected to the Lord in these end times. Our theme seemed to be "Word of God Speak". I rejoice that the Lord is creating in us a community of people eager to hear from the Lord.

One way we are trying to expand the teaching aspect of our work is that we have a link on our blog to our updated website where we are now posting a recording of the Sunday Sermon. People who miss a Sunday or those who are far away can listen to this week's teaching, as long as you have internet access wherever you are around the world. (Even our Kate in New Zealand or Joy in China).

This month we will be doing several outreach efforts through our different cell groups that are seasonally appropriate. We plan a special 7pm Christmas Eve Service but will not gather on Christmas Day which is a Sunday so we can gather with our own families. We ask your prayers that the Lord would help Deb find a job. It is critical that we soon find a means to make up the $600 a month short fall that her previous job provided.

Thank you to all who continue to pray and support us in our mission. May the Lord fill your Advent and Christmas with His glorious light and a renewed sense of His return!

Dave+ & Deb