www.timarucofc.org.nz

The Antipodean

Kiaora (Hello) from New Zealand

14 December 2009

Another year down and another year closer to going home, home to heaven, that is.  A year that has been rather a whirlwind "down under."  We started off the year vacationing in Akaroa, a seaside town near Christchurch, swimming with the dolphins and last night I thought we were about to go swimming again because the rain came down in the bucket loads.  Not to fear, this morning we woke to glorious sunshine and all is well in Timaru although just up the road the new season's crops such as peas and lettuce etc have been shredded by golf ball size hail.  This report, being the end of year report, will consist of a summary of the year's events.

The Past Year's Events

First of all, plans for a campaign were modified due to lack of response from North Island congregations.  However, we went ahead and produced leaflets for letterboxing carried out by Malcolm Marshall of Tasmania and Dale and Lesley Mowery from Clinton, TN, workers in the kingdom that I am so privileged to have worked with.  This effort was augmented with a video presentation of Brad Harrub's Fortify Your Faith over a three week period.  Contacts were made and followed up on with some still ongoing with regular correspondence.  With every congregation there seems to be elated highs and the disappointing lows and this congregation is no different.  It was seen as a high to have newlyweds within the congregation but it all turned sour and became a low to discover they did not possess the correct gospel that when implanted is able to save the soul (James 1:21).  You see, Paul and Kim Phillips, it turns out, placed their trust in another gospel which is really not another (Galatians 1:6-7) and consequently departed for the Baptist church which they believe is just as much the church of Christ.  We pray for their repentance. 

Another low, albeit not with our own congregation but Christchurch, was the departure of the Australian evangelists who had worked hard to revive the work in Christchurch.  The Troy Fellowes' family along with their friends Hoppy and Karen ran out of funds to continue and departed in May.  There is however a high for the Christchurch congregation, for it continues to function albeit with reduced numbers led ably by Sandy, a young Filipino Christian.  Please pray for the work in Christchurch.

Many thanks and much praise are due to the elders and congregation that oversee my mission for their wonderful generosity that has enabled us to buy a house in Timaru.  Without the advance of eighteen months of their support it would not have been possible to afford the deposit on this modest home we now enjoy.  It has taken some time in order to build an office space and a room to act as a library plus create a more usable space for fellowship but I have now finished these modifications which will serve the church well for the foreseeable future.

Projects I have been involved in to promote awareness of the church in the community are:

1.  Once a month 300 word article in the local newspaper.  Six of these have been produced this year and I will produce another six starting from February next year.

2.  Now the weather is a lot kinder the weekly doorknock or letterboxing using all leftover tracts.  This has produced a number of decent conversations and call backs for the future.

3.  Once again the project I have been most pleased about is the website www.timarucofc.org.nz which the site counter has recorded nearly 150 hits.  The site address is now on all correspondence.  Who knows how many consciences have been pricked by the articles and biblical statements that have been read?  Time will undoubtedly tell.

Next year will, I pray, be just as busy as this year and surely will produce fruit for the harvest is truly great (Luke 10:2).  To everyone who has supported us both financially and spiritually over this part year my heartfelt thanks go to you and may our relationship in this work continue to thrive.

Family News

We welcomed into the world Kimberley's new little man Liam.  This little bundle of joy makes for grandchild number three.  James has given strong indication of getting married next year and not before time as baby number two in on the way for he and his partner Sharleen.  Alexander will start the high school years next year which will require him to step up and notch or two.  Of course, typical teenager he is not fully aware yet that means more work.  He is a good lad at heart continuing to grow in Bible knowledge always adding to the discussion at class time.  He has now passed grade two in music and is progressing well in his online computer class.  Last week was his final class at Tech School where, hopefully, he has ideas for future career possibilities implanted in the mind.  Frances will sign a full-time contract with the Aoraki Polytechnic in the New Year in a management position which will makeup for funds eroded due to our high dollar on the foreign exchange.  Tiger may have fallen from grace but my score continues to fall which I am hoping will make for a lower handicap.  Here is looking at a single digit next year - yeah!

Cheerio until next year when I write,

Graham

 www.clintonchurch.com
copyright 2009