Live beyond yourself this Christmas

Throughout Advent (the 4 weeks leading up to Christmas) we have engaged in the “Advent Conspiracy” material through which we are invited to turn Christmas upside down this year. We are called to “worship fully”, “spend less”, “give more” and to “love all”. If we think of the gift Jesus gave it was acceptance, hope, healing, friendship, forgiveness, love, salvation. Truly the best gifts cannot be wrapped in paper but require the giving of ourselves relationally to others.

My prayer is that you and I will “live beyond ourselves” and give as Christ did by reaching out to pre-Christian friends and to the disadvantaged in our community. Some of you have already done this by participating in the TEAR campaign, and/or the Churches of Christ Foster Care Christmas Tree and/or the sausage sizzle held at the Springwood Central School. 

Some will help out with the Fishers of Men dinner on the 23^rd of December. Others will quietly go the extra mile in helping someone or including someone or inviting someone to our Christmas Eve or Christmas day service. Many will hear the prompt of the Spirit to engage in a conversation with someone (perhaps that distant cousin on Christmas day) that moves beyond the “weather” and “what gift did you get” to something deeper. 

A conversation that journeys into more personal areas such as genuinely exploring how a person is going, life purpose/hopes, or faith is one that Holy Spirit uses to help a person move closer to God.

May God help all of us to participate more fully in His purposes this Christmas and give of ourselves to others.

Happy Christmas

With love from

Graham, Merrett and Kayla

Change is never easy

Change is never easy. Change always involves a period of confusion and turmoil before the new beginning can emerge. As we have changed from a program driven church to a more relationally focussed church; as we have changed from defining church by the Sunday event to defining church as “3 or more people with a covenant commitment to grow in Christ and make Christ known”; this has not been easy. 

There has been confusion, turmoil, misunderstanding, anxiety, mistakes, reactions and loss of momentum. 12 months ago it felt like we had been trying to push a big stone wheel up a hill only to have it roll back down on us.

2012 has been different. I sense a greater confidence in who we are and in who we are becoming as a church. We have learnt to celebrate that Logan Uniting Church meets in coffee shops and homes and schools and parks and ... all over South East Qld; and at the same time recognise how important it is that we gather together regularly to worship God. We have been able to affirm the value of our institutional/organisational life as being important in protecting the more organic nature of a church built upon relationships and small groups. 

I am hearing more and more stories of people living out Christ’s mission incarnationally (as we all seek to be disciples of Christ wherever we live and work). I am observing the wonderful gift that occurs as people care for each other and celebrate that “this is church”. More and more IFFFs are beginning “organically” as people connect in groups of 3 for deeper discipleship. Life Groups (faith and fun), IFFF’s and ministries continue to explore how to reach out relationally to those who don’t know Christ and how to support each other in this incredible mission. 

We are praying for pre-Christian friends, not just for ourselves. We have experienced incredible generosity as over $76 000 has been given or pledged for mission, the ongoing work of God through LUC and in practical areas such as curtains, video equipment a lawnmower etc. Our website, facebook and video messages have widened the influence of Logan Uniting and have become very useful tools not just for communicating information but connecting needs with people who can meet them. 

We are learning to embrace a different “rhythm” of church as our Sunday evening and Carbrook congregations gather twice a month for corporate worship and on the other Sundays meet in faith life groups, bible studies or engage in relational mission. There is a quiet powerful move of the Spirit happening as we grow in “being the church of Jesus Christ”, not just “going to church.”

The diagram below paints a picture of the way God is shaping us as a church:

May we grow in loving God and others well. In a society of busy, stressed, uncertain people this is the greatest gift we can give – to be a church of people who have the space to love God and others well.

Yours in Christ

Graham Keech

Just walk across the room

A number of years ago I heard the statement that, “the moment a person walks through the front door of a church building they step on to an escalator that will move them through the church and out the back door within 2 years. The only way to get off the escalator is to step into relationships/friendships.” I reckon this is true. The key to a healthy church is healthy, accepting, honest friendships. 

I also believe the key to the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ is accepting, honest friendships with people who do not yet know Christ. In the end Jesus boiled true life down to loving God and loving others.

I strongly encourage you to watch out for the person God brings across your path that He wants you to talk with and perhaps befriend and who knows, perhaps share something of your faith in God with. I also ask that you are always on the look-out for the person God wants you to invite to join your Faith life group, IFFF, or Fun life group. This is the way the church grows and disciples are made. 

Go ahead “walk across the room” and include someone today

Yours in Christ

Graham

Gifts of the Spirit - Manifestations of God's Grace

At our anniversary service I encouraged us to “see beyond” those who are currently part of the church. At the core of Jesus call to follow him is His promise that He will teach us how to help people be drawn into relationship with God.

Last Sunday I argued that in Jesus life and ministry, what we currently call “gifts of the Spirit” were exercised primarily in the context of evangelism. The word evangelism literally means to “announce good news”. Jesus didn’t just tell people about the good news of God’s love; he made it real in their life. When Jesus healed the sick, the good news of God’s love became real. When Jesus visited Zacchaeus and accepted him, the good news of God’s love became real. When Jesus told the woman at the well all about her life and showed genuine respect, the good news of God’s love became real.

The word usually translated “gifts of the Spirit” in the New Testament, literally means “manifestations of grace”. God wants to make His love real to people; God wants His grace to come alive for people; and He wants to do it through us. I believe the next big move of the Spirit will see manifestations of the Spirit in workplaces, homes, gyms, even shopping centres, as ordinary people like you and I live with the prayer “God how do you want to make your love/grace real to ...” and insert the name of people we meet and relate to.

The question and prayer for all of us to work with is “God, how do you want to make your love/grace real through me? In our IFFF’s, Faith Life Groups, Fun Life Groups and Ministries we must pray and discover: “God how do you want to make your love/grace real to those who don’t yet know you, through us?” It is as we do this and step out, that the miracles of God will continue to unfold and grow and we will marvel at the privilege of participating in God’s transformation of people’s lives and our community (often called a “revival”).

Yours in Christ

Graham Keech

Fun, Friendship and Faith

Last Sunday was the anniversary of Logan Uniting Church and it was great to remind ourselves of who we are and how God is shaping us as His people. The picture below illustrates how God is shaping us as a church. Every part of this diagram is necessary if we are to be effective in participating with the Holy Spirit in drawing people to Christ.

As a model for discipleship it also reminds us that participating in covenant relationships that  genuinely encourage and challenge us in following Christ (faith life group or IFFF); sharing Christ and the joy we have in Him with those who don’t know Christ (fun life groups and friendships); gathering together to praise God and reflect on His word (faith event – corporate worship); and connecting with Christ personally in prayer and personal engagement with the bible; are all critical dimensions of growing and living as a disciple of Christ.

I have recently been reflecting on the way in which our wider community is in such a different place to 5 years ago. The Global Financial Crisis, the floods, cyclone and the number of job cuts recently in Queensland (along with the pressures of life, increases in costs and the global uncertainties we live in) have deeply shaken people’s confidence. At same time facebook and the iphone (smart phone), ipad etc. have dramatically changed the way we communicate and think. In this sort of context I believe a church that is focussed on developing genuine relationship with God and each other and a passion to serve the broken and those who don’t know Christ is the one that has a future. All the “trappings” that we have at times associated with “Church” have far less relevance – basically loving God and others deeply, honestly and sacrificially is what matters.

May God help you and me and “us” keep the main thing the main thing

Yours in Christ

Graham Keech

Changes to Senior Leadership Oversight

In April this year our Carbrook Congregation began gathering regularly on the 2^nd and 4^th Sundays of the month. This is a fantastic step forward in our vision of being a multi-location (meeting in people’s homes and coffee shops and .... during the week) and multi-campus church (gathering in at least 2 different locations to worship God together).

As a consequence it has been necessary to change our Senior Leadership Structure to better serve the changing face of Logan Uniting. The changes have been explored by Church Council, the Ministry Leadership Team and Faith and Fun Life Group leaders.

In our deliberations we have taken into account the following issues:

·         Best thinking around multi-campus models where there is no “mother ship” and where the        senior leader is seen to be across the entire church.
·         How to “keep the main thing the main thing” (disciple making movement expressed through Faith Life Groups and IFFFs)
·         Capacity of all Senior Leadership Team and Ministry Leadership Team
·         The next right answer for the next 3 years.
 Below is the model we believe is the best answer for the next period of our life together.

Senior Minister – Graham Keech
·         Vision, Direction, Preaching
·         Faith Life Groups/IFFFs
·         Church Council
·         College Council
·         Children and Young Families *
 Associate Minister (2IC and Springwood) – Glen Schweitzer
·         Fun Life Groups (Inc Soccer)
·         Resource*
·         Worship/Pastoral Care
·         Missions
·          Counselling
·          Yurana
 Associate Minister (Carbrook) – TR
·         Youth
·         Young Adults
·         Worship/Pastoral care
·          Wirunya
* Children and Young Families Pastor is already leading across both campuses. It is expected that in the next 1-3 years the Resource Pastor position will lead across both campuses.

“This model speaks powerfully to the fact that Faith Life Groups and IFFFs are the major focus for a discipleship making movement. It would mean that as Senior Minister, Graham is spending his time driving the culture and leadership of Faith Life Groups, hence this model primarily takes out of his hands those things which need to take place at each campus ie. worship, pastoral care, resource and aged care services.

It also means that there is clarity and consistency in regards to vision and direction across both campuses with FLG’s whilst allowing each gathering to have its own distinctness/flavour. It also allow each campus to have a clear sense of who is responsible for helping the congregation that gathers move forward in God’s vision.

This model also helps to alleviate some sense that there is a “mother-ship” (most books state this is a killer for multi-campus...i.e. ‘we are the main congregation and they are being supported by us’ rather than ‘we are the church equally together.’) as the Senior Minister would not have primary responsibility at either campus, rather would have primary responsibility for the vision and heartbeat of LUC and preaching.” (from a document explored by church council and other leaders)

Yours in Christ

Graham Keech

PS. I will be on annual leave from the 17^th Sept to the 8^th Oct.
 

Logan Uniting Church is a large church that doesn’t gather in large numbers. Rather we gather across South East Queensland in Faith Life Groups, IFFF’s and on Sundays at Springwood and Carbrook. As well as this we also live out God’s mission of “Drawing people into a life-transforming relationship with Jesus Christ” through workplaces, homes, community organisations, fun life groups and ministries. In this way God’s love and power is released in an enormous number of ways and places.

Whilst this is a strong and powerful expression of church there is one danger and that is we can inadvertently operate as if our Life Group (faith or fun), IFFF, Ministry or Worship Gathering is all there is to church. We are in fact part of something much bigger.

As Logan Uniting Church we as a whole are also part of something much bigger – the Uniting Church in Australia – a movement of God working powerful for justice across Australia and beyond. And the Uniting Church itself is a small part of the larger picture of Christ’s Church across the world – a movement of disciples of Jesus participating in the building of God’s Kingdom.

One of the ways we give expression to our participation in and commitment to the wider work of God is that as a church we give $72300 to mission - in the Philippines, Thailand, locally and through the wider Uniting Church. We cover about $50000 of this through our regular tithes and offerings. We need, however, to raise at least $22300 over and above our regular tithes and offerings to fulfil our commitment to this great work of God beyond LUC. Church Council and I are asking you to give a once off donation or through a monthly commitment.

It is a privilege to give – using the resources God has entrusted us with to bless others.

Yours in Christ

Graham Keech

PS. The Uniting Church in Australia Assembly is meeting from the 15^th to the 22^nd July. Can you please pray for this very important meeting.

Pray for:

Clarity of thought for all attendees and a listening ear for the Spirit’s voice

Wisdom to discern what is true and right

Courage to go against current trends and voices and hold to a biblical world view

It is time to give an update on how we are going financially as a church. Our offerings for the first quarter are down $8000 on budget. At the same time we have kept our expenses down so overall we are $4800 behind as a church. At this stage of the year that is Ok, but...

It is important that we do continue to grow our income as a church and the primary way in which we do that is through the regular offering/tithe (whether that be direct debit, direct credit, cash or envelopes). Thank you for your faithfulness to God in this area.

On Sunday the 22^nd April, I spoke about the call of Jesus to sell our possessions and give to the poor if we are to experience the life that is really life (called eternal life – beginning now and continuing for eternity). I encouraged us to: de-clutter and give the money away; tithe AND give regularly/systematically to the poor; and to take every opportunity to give generously.

Through July we will be engaging in a special fundraising campaign to enable us to meet our commitments to the mission of God beyond Logan Uniting Church. We will give you more information in a couple of weeks to enable you to prepare for this. One of the things we will be doing is a MONSTER garage sale on the 28^th July. A number of people have responded to the message on de-cluttering and raised the idea of a garage sale to help us live out this spiritual exercise. Start identifying the “good stuff” you no longer use but which could be sold to help serve others.

Please be praying for this. The way we use Money is a very important spiritual practice.

In the notices you will also see an advertisement for the “Church in life” seminar being held on the 14^th July. I know Mark Setch personally and have heard a bit of what God is doing through Brian Medway and the church he is leading. This seminar will be very helpful as we continue to grow in being a disciple-making movement that is used by God to transform people’s lives in Christ. It would be great for a large number of us from Logan to attend and to learn from the experiences of others and also to share our own insights.

Yours in Christ

Graham Keech

Seasons

I was reading a leadership article recently in which Bill Hybels reflected on how churches are always in a “season”. It could be a season of growth; or change; or consolidation; or malaise; or ...; but it is important to recognise what season we are in and what God is calling us to do in it.

 I reflected on the question as to what season Logan Uniting is in with the ministry leadership team. We used words like application, consolidation, awakening (in terms of living more fully God’s call to mission and discipleship). Tim Robinson used a phrase that has caught my attention and I believe is a great picture of the season we are in. He suggested we are in a season of “sowing in winter”. Last year had something of an autumn feel to it – there were some difficulties, cut backs, losses – but God has now brought us into the winter season. This is a necessary season in which we prepare for spring.

If this is true, what are we to do in this season? The answer lies in remembering where God is taking us as a church. This is best represented in the diagram below:

My deep sense at the moment is to be praying for pre-Christian people we know regularly and purposefully. It would be great if every group, every time we met, began by each person praying for 2 pre-Christian people - that they would come to faith in Christ and live passionately for God’s Kingdom. It is prayer which will enable the seed of God’s word (and our witness) to germinate and produce the greatest fruit for Christ. We are doing this as a ministry leadership team and so is church council.

 Personally I have also set the alarm on my mobile phone to go off every day at 10-02 am. This is to remind me of Luke 10: 2, where Jesus tells us “...The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” The workers for the harvest will come from the harvest. So every day at 10-02am, I pray for my pre-Christian friends to become passionate workers for Christ and for me to be faithful as a witness for Jesus. Wherever possible I also ask those who I am with at the time to join me in this prayer.

Will you (and the groups you are part of) please join me in this prayer focus.

I wonder how you would answer the question as to what season we are in as a church. I would love to hear your responses. 

Yours in Christ

Graham Keech

PS. I don’t think we are at the beginning or the middle of winter – there are already indications of new shoots of growth happening. 

The new congregation at Carbrook began its regular gatherings on Sunday the 29^th April. We had 75 people, including children, attend; with a good mixture

of long term Logan Uniting Church people and new people.

Our time together reflected our priority of discipleship through faith life groups and corporate worship gatherings. We met in a large gathering for about 40 min with singing, prayer, some input etc and then broke into small groups for another 40 min. Our prayer and plan is that these small groups will develop into weekly faith life groups. We then finished with lunch.

The focus for the morning was being a church that lives out God’s mission (“Drawing people into life transforming relationship with Jesus Christ”). In the small group time an individual spoke about what an average day and week involved for them; the rest of the group then fed back to them the ways in which they saw the person reflecting Jesus. The person was then “sent” to continue to serve Christ and the group prayed for them. It was a very encouraging time that reflected our focus of living God’s mission incarnationally (embodying God’s love everywhere we are and with everyone we relate with).

It was a fantastic next step into the vision God has for us to reach more people for Christ.

The last 2 Sundays at Springwood were focussed on finances as we begin to tackle the “Big Issues” you have fed back to us. On Sunday the 22^nd April, I spoke about the call of Jesus to sell our possessions and give to the poor if we are to experience the life that is really life (called eternal life – beginning now and continuing for eternity). I encouraged us to:           de-clutter and give the money away; tithe and give regularly/systematically to the poor; and to take every opportunity to give generously. On Sunday the 29^th April, Glen, Alex and Hamish gave practical information on handling money well, particularly through the tough times. They covered things like budgeting; being careful of impulse buying and the “money saving tricks” supermarkets and others offer; managing credit and borrowing; insurance etc.

Both Sundays spoke into a very important topic in being disciples of Jesus who are agents of his transforming power. It was a topic Jesus spoke about frequently - money - “For where your treasure is there your heart will be also” (Lk 12: 34).

In the weeks ahead we will be looking at the media; issues around aging; the challenges facing youth; slavery and people trafficking etc. In all these topics we are exploring what it means to live as Jesus disciples and participate in transforming the world through transforming people’s lives.

On Sunday the 13^th May we will have Pastor Raju from Nepal speaking with us in the evening. This is on our “Igniting Discipleship” night and we will have 1 ½ hours to listen to Pastor Raju, ask questions and pray. Pastor Raju’s personal testimony is amazing and what God is currently doing in Nepal is mindblowing. On the night we will take up an offering to assist in covering the costs of Pastor Raju.

Yours in Christ

Graham Keech.

Carbrook and our AGM

“All systems are go” for the new congregation at Carbrook to begin meeting regularly from the 29^th April. We have over 50 adults already connecting with us (some who are already part of Logan Uniting and others who have joined us because of the new congregation). The gathering will begin at 10-00am and finish with lunch.

Because of our commitment to church being about helping each other relationally live out God’s mission of “drawing people into a life transforming relationship with Jesus Christ” we will immediately be connecting people into faith life groups. The first 4 to 6 times the congregation meets we will begin together for approx 20 mins of praise and 10 min of input. We will then break into faith life groups and spend the rest of the time sharing together around living out God’s mission. Over time these groups may decide to continue to meet on Sundays or at another time during the week and the Sunday gatherings will change accordingly.

On Sunday the 22^nd April we will pray for people who will be leaving our Springwood congregation to focus on being part of the Carbrook congregation. If you are interested in the new congregation and haven’t yet spoken to Tim R, please do so in the next couple of weeks. Also please be in prayer for this exciting development in living out God’s mission as a church.

Also on Sunday the 22^nd April we will be holding our Annual General Meeting. This will be an important time together as we reflect on 2011 and explore the way God is shaping us as we move forward. In the Annual Reports you will see a diagram that seeks to represent the life of Logan Uniting Church. This diagram has not been developed to express the accountability structure of LUC but rather to represent organically who we are as a church and where each of us fits in. At the meeting I will speak to this picture and in particular the way we pastorally care for one another and also where the initiative and momentum for living out God’s mission lies. This will be a very valuable conversation in ensuring we move forward together as a church.

At the AGM there will also be an election for Church Council. The one nomination is Russell Pearce. You may remember that Russell was nominated during our process in Oct-Nov last year but because he had not officially taken out membership/partnership we had to wait until the AGM to formally elect him or otherwise.

Everyone is invited to the AGM whether or not you are a member/partner of LUC. In fact I would encourage everyone to attend as the information we share is of vital importance in living out God’s vision for us as church.

Yours in Christ

Graham Keech

We have nearly finished our 8 week TXT2GRO series which has been about helping all of us grow in our engagement with the bible. My prayer through this is that we may all grow in hearing God through the bible and in so doing grow in helping others connect with Christ. Below is the power point I used on Sunday the 25^th March to help us approach the bible in a way that will best allow God to transform us.

All Scripture is:

1. God-breathed: “God spoke through... in... way, in... day”

2. Able to: make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ

3. Useful for: teaching; rebuking; correcting; training in righteousness.

4. So that: the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

(2 Tim 3: 14-17)

As we read the bible we do so humbly asking the Holy Spirit to do all of the above. In particular I encourage you take notice of the “so that” of 2 Tim 3: 17; or in the words of our journaling process, the “so what” and the “now what”. Any reading of the bible that does not enable us live more fully “in Christ a life of goodness and justice” is to miss the point.

I also encouraged people to not ask the bible to answer questions or achieve outcomes that the bible doesn’t ask of itself or indicate it was “God-breathed” to achieve. When read in the light of 2 Tim 3: 14-16 the bible is a powerful tool used by the Holy Spirit to transform us and the world.

The upcoming Presbytery Partnered Appraisal will be a very significant and helpful process for us as a church. We will receive great feedback on how we are going in living out God’s call and purpose.

I have indicated to the Appraisal team that I am personally seeking feedback in particular on:

1. How we are and are not living out God’s vision for us

2. My capacity to help us keep moving forward in God’s vision

3. In the light of the needs of the wider church and what God is doing at Logan Uniting, whether my continuing in the role of Senior Minister is the most helpful

As I have been praying for this Appraisal process, I have a deep sense that I am to listen carefully (and I ask you to do the same). I am genuinely seeking to hear what the best is for Logan Uniting and also for the wider church.

Yours in Christ

Graham Keech

Great news! Jenny Munns has been appointed as our Music and Creative Arts Coordinator. Jenny has a genuine passion for corporate worship; and a real passion for all the creative arts to play their part in enhancing our corporate worship experience. Jenny also has a wonderful gift of enabling others to fly. I believe her encouragement, vision and creativity will greatly enhance the corporate worship life of our congregation.

Beginning in March our evening service will be re-visioned to “Ignition Point”. On the 1^st and 3^rd Sundays we will share in a corporate worship celebration (“Igniting Praise”). On the 2^nd and 4^th Sundays people will meet in faith life groups or access training/study offered at the Ministry centre (“Igniting Discipleship” from 6-00pm to 7-30pm). On the 5^th Sundays we will share a meal together in the courtyard. Please find the program for this new adventure in your notices.

Speaking of corporate worship I thought it could be helpful to share my journey regarding the place of corporate worship in living out God’s call as a church. This journey began with a renewed passion that we as a church live out our call to “Draw people into a life transforming relationship with Jesus Christ.” I believe the primary mechanism God uses to do this is relationships as we love and serve people beyond the church. I am also convinced that highly honest and encouraging relationships (faith life groups and IFFF’s) are key to growing as disciples of Christ.

I also began to reflect more on the biblical basis for what we do when we gather on Sundays. Most of the understandings of corporate worship that I encounter are built upon the Old Testament model of temple worship and then Christianised. I don’t believe this is valid as Jesus replaces the temple and you and I worship God in and through Christ. In John 4: 19-24 Jesus makes it clear that we can worship God in Spirit and in truth anywhere.

As part of this journey myself, Glen and Libby spent two hours discussing the practice and understanding of corporate worship in the New Testament with Malcolm Coombes (New Testament lecturer, Trinity Theological College).

What became clear is that the early church met together and as they did they worshipped God. This included prayers, psalms, doxologies, readings, songs, teaching and breaking of the bread (also possible tongues, prophecy etc). What form this took is not at all clear. The clearest picture is 1 Corinthians chapters 12 to 14 in which the gathering is very much a “one another” experience in which any are able to participate – bring a teaching or a song or a tongue or ... (see also Eph 5: 19 “speaking to one another with psalms etc..”). This would have taken place in people’s homes.

There is some indication that the churches which met in people’s homes would gather together a larger gathering – whether this actually took place and how often and in what format we do not know. The New Testament is silent on the model of a larger gathering with a consistent designated preacher and worship leader etc.

In talking with Malcolm it is also clear that the New Testament would affirm that discipleship happens best in small groups of highly encouraging and honest relationships. And in Malcolm’s words such groups should worship God as part of their life together.

With regard to the larger Corporate Worship gatherings, I have come to the conclusion that these will continue to have value for the following reasons:

1. It is culturally relevant – it is part of our church culture to do so and in our secular culture people do gather in large crowds for celebrations, graduations, concerts etc.

2. It assists in giving a sense of being part of something bigger than ourselves or individual life groups.

3. We experience God in a different way to what we often do in smaller gatherings. Revelation chapters 4 to 7 speak to this as we have a picture of thousands upon thousands honouring God.

I have shared this with our worship leaders and music ministry. We have an ongoing and growing commitment to developing our time together in Corporate Worship as a genuine experience of connecting with God. Your part in praying for yourselves and others that you and they would grow in openness to God and in a willingness to say “yes” to God is vital in this happening.

Yours in Christ

Graham Keech