Monday, November 9, 2009

Sunday morning we had a feast...

Rosalie, the Methodist District Co-Superintendent presided at the commissioning of our four newly called team members on Sunday. With well-chosen words she saw to it that the Gospel for the Day stirred our consciences and prompted us to renew our commitment. The singing, even in a new and rather difficult hymn, was breathtakingly inspiring.
Hohaia Matthews, of Tai Tokerau and a Uniting Church in Australia minister, enthused us with his impassioned account of the work being done with the Aboriginal and Islander Congress in Port Augusta, SA.
We then had a cuppa and reconvened at 11am for another of our parish’s “
forty minute” Annual Meetings. Ann chaired with her usual style and good humour and we listened to crisp reports on every part of the parish’s life. Elections highlighted the willingness of two new associate members to step up as Secretary and Treasurer.
Bev and I then flicked through the slides of our fifty years together and contributed a light “celebration” lunch and cut up another section of the "incredible four-in-one travelling cake". Another couple of dozen people signed the big card.

Vanessa, our new Fellowship Coordinator on the Team, went to a lot of trouble to make this occasion very special for us and for the congregation.
As well as celebrating our Golden Wedding, the lunch was our Thank You to the congregation that has been the spiritual centre of our lives together for the last eighteen years. In blessing Bev and me with its willingess to experiment with Local Shared Ministry, this parish has blessed itself with leadership which has appeared from nowhere. It has called out gifts that - under a more traditional strategy of ministry - might never have been recognised.

Sunday morning we had a feast...

2 comments:

  1. Congratulations Bev and Dave on achieving 50 years of marital bliss. Well we always hope it will be, somehow that is only the story book vision. Life is more like a journey of hills and valleys.You have weathered it well in spite of the many trials.
    Remember Ngatea 1963 when Christine was born and Paul had a crash course in farm life. You have helped to change peoples lives, and maybe in some respects, the course of history. Our national archives may never be aware of those changes. A small farming community of Hauraki Plains will carry your memory for many years to come.
    Our fondest love and best wishes Ralph and Zeta

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  2. Congratulations Bev and Dave. It was wonderful to share with you and friends at Red Beach yesterday. The 'slideshow' of photos walked us through your years and places - with lots of humour. It was such a clever idea that you had a whole 'quarter cake' to cut and share with us.
    Love Janice

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