TW@W - 15/05/20
Hey WDBC Family!
It seems like ages since we’ve seen your smiling faces at our church. We thought we’d give you a bit of an update on the comings and goings here.
We’re Baaaack….
No, I am not talking about the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. We expect it will be awhile before we get to Stage 3 where we can have groups of up to 100 for our church services. Discussions have commenced regarding what returning to church will look like, but there is nothing substantive to report at this time.
So, what’s back? I am referring to this newsletter. And with it, I am really referring to my heart for writing it. A few years ago I tried cobbling a weekly communicae together for our church family. It was generally well received, but I wasn’t really ready for issues and questions my thoughts would create. In hindsight, I should have been.
Before you start wondering what I’m referring to, you should know it wasn’t one thing in particular. Rather, I am realizing that for me writing is a very personal, intimate form of communication. It is also very definitive. Once you hit ‘send’, it’s out there in black and white for all to see, critique, and interpret.
With the encouragement of a few key people, and the conviction of the Holy Spirit, I began to realize the reason I wasn’t writing was because I was trying to protect myself. But you can’t love people and protect yourself. In fact, you can’t really receive love if you’re protecting yourself.
WDBC, the Lord loves you. It is my unique privilege to be a voice of His love in your life. So that’s why we’re back to try this medium of communication again.
Though the title is “This Week @ Windsor”, don’t be surprised if/when this newsletter doesn’t come out every week. It won’t be overly serious, but when there’s information you may want to know, we’ll share it here. Consider it the digital version of the “How was your week?” conversation.
Our aim in this endeavor is to further incorporate you into our family of faith as Jesus’ followers. Some of it will be poignant, some amusing, and some just boring. Take what is helpful and graciously leave the rest.
After the Sermon
Last Sunday we looked at Genesis 18 and God’s friendship with Abraham, expressed through the shared meal and the dialogue that followed. When I got home, I found an email from one of our former members, Geoff Beech, who moved to the US with is wife, Beth, earlier this year.
Talking with Geoff after church is something I’ve greatly missed because he is adept at letting the truth of a sermon probe deeper than the topic at hand; allowing it to shed light on other facets of the heart.
Here is what he sent me in that email. I think you’ll be blessed:
“Many years ago I started studying God’s transcendence in a systematic theology book. Great stuff. Trouble was, over time God became transcendent to/for me - a God out there, far removed. I found that He became largely irrelevant for me and church, while still attending, became pointless.
I can’t remember how long this deist state lasted but then my brother introduced me in a newish way to the intimate God of the indwelling Holy Spirit and life hasn’t been the same since. As I read the history of those Christian educators and their contexts, it really illustrated that all that is needed is for a person (or generation) to start in the process above and there can be a fairly inevitable slide to atheism. We have seen it certainly in Australia and I see a fair bit of it in the US.
Obviously there is a real need for us to have His presence - in an Abrahamic meal or whatever. We, in a general, cultural, sense, and speaking from personal experience, had so many years/decades of “church”, sermons, and related cultural Christian things, and we were not trained to see, hear, or feel His presence all of the time. And, as said, when we don’t, that becomes deism and one step (or generation) from atheism - or perhaps agnosticism comes first. Hmmmm“
Thanks, Geoff, for reminding us that while God is big enough to be ‘out there’ being a Christian means having Jesus ‘right here.’ He is both transcendant and immanent. May you know His nearness.
This Week’s Highlights
CONGRATULATIONS to Lionel and Glenda Walters, who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last weekend!
Joanna Hoffman, Minister for Community Life, kicked off her series on using Spiritual Gifts during COVID with a video on our Members’ Facebook group.
Dr. Jeffrey Aernie was our guest panelist on Jesus the Game Changer 2 - Episode 2; next week I’ll be interviewing Gabe Billich of Open Doors Australia.
Our neighbor-tenants, Kachan School of Tumbling & Performance, decided to make the most of their COVID-19 ‘shutdown’ by helping with repairs and maintenance in the gym. They even lent a hand painting some doors in our office! Thanks guys!
Our daughter, Ellie, celebrated her 12th Birthday with hand-made chocolate molds of Elsa!
Heads-Up: This Sunday’s sermon on Genesis 19 will carry an MA-15+ content rating. You may want to organize a separate video for kids.
Derek Kidner’s commentary on the above passage is absolute FIRE! Read it and be changed. Here’s one of my favourite quotes:
“In the development of the story two of the themes in counterpoint with Abraham and the Promise—the theme of Lot, the righteous man without the pilgrim spirit, and of Sodom, the standing example of worldly promise, insecurity (chapter 14) and decay—are now heard out to their conclusion. By a master-stroke of narrative, Abraham, who will outlive all such time-servers, is shown standing at his place of intercession, a silent witness of the catastrophe he has striven to avert.”
[Derek Kidner, Genesis: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 1, TOTC (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1967), 144.]
Overheard In My Car: “I’m ready to tap out“ by a certain parent (not named Joanna) after dropping the children at school for their first day back this week.
My #VerseOfTheWeek is Psalm 62:7-8. What a thought that God is not just our salvation, but our honour? Maybe you needed to hear that this week.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
The New International Version (Zondervan, 2011), Ps 62:7–8.
