Contents (Click on the following links to select an article. At any time click the BACK button to return to this Index)
Losing Our Lives by Rev David Ayers
News from the New Church Young Adult Connection
Accommodation During the Olympics
Newsletter Now on the Internet
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"Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it." (Mark 8:34-35)
The Lord spoke these words to His disciples just after telling them that He would be captured and killed by the Jews and Romans when He travelled to Jerusalem for the last time. When the disciples heard the Lord predict His own death, they were confused and upset. They could not believe their ears! How could such a thing happen to the Lord? And what did the Lord mean when He said that they would have to lose their lives for His sake? Did He mean that they would have to die?
Like the disciples, this can be a hard saying for us to understand as well. Fortunately, the Lord has also given us the Writings - and they help us to understand His words even more completely than the disciples whom He taught in person. Through the Writings we can learn not only what the Lord meant when He taught about the necessity of losing our lives; through the revelation for His New Church we can also learn how we can go about the process of losing our lives.
We know that the Lord was born on earth to tell us and show us how to become good people who can live in heaven after we die. The Lord tells us that we can become good people if we love Him more than anything else, and love our neighbour as ourselves. And the Lord showed us how to be good people by the way He lived His own life.
The Lord knew that He would suffer many things during His earthly life. He knew many people would not believe that He was God or listen to what He said. He knew His saving mission would mean the death of His physical body. But the Lord loved us so much that He was willing to suffer and lose His life.
When the Lord told His disciples that they too had to lose their lives, He did not mean that they would actually have to die. Sadly, some people who believed in Him, such as John the Baptist, were killed because they followed Him. But what the Lord meant was that we need to lose the selfish part of our lives that keeps us from heaven.
In order to lose our selfish lives, we have to do the three things the Lord listed for the disciples.
First we have to deny ourselves: this means that we have to stop thinking only about ourselves and begin to think about the Lord and other people. We can practise doing this many times each day. For example, we may like to criticise other people because we think it makes us look and feel better than them. But because the Lord teaches that it is wrong to treat someone that way, we should "deny ourselves" by not doing it. It would be much better to say something positive and supportive to them. That way, they will feel good and so will we.
Second, we have to take up our crosses: the Lord had to carry a cross to His crucifixion. This was a heavy, painful burden for Him to bear. When we try to live by His commandments, there will be some hard times. We will feel a strong pull to do things that the Lord tells us we should not do. Our love of ourselves and the world will fight to remain dominant. If we choose to deny ourselves in the face of these tendencies and follow the Lord's way, it can feel as if we are dragging a cross - our minds and hearts become heavy with the burden.
Third, we have to follow Him: this means after we have learned from the Lord in His Word, we must try every day to do what He has taught us. When false thoughts come into our minds, we need to recognise that they come from hell - and then we should shun them - send them back where they came from, without giving them a home in our minds. When evil feelings and lusts come over us, we need to recognize that they too come from hell - and we should shun them by turning our backs and asking the Lord to take them away.
In this process, the Lord promises that we are not alone. He is right there with us every step of the way. With every false thought and evil love we send back to hell, the Lord is there giving us the desire to overcome them and the power to turn away from them. As we cooperate with the Lord day by day, He secretly performs a most amazing transformation in our lives. The cross that seems so heavy for us to bear actually becomes lighter and lighter. We come to realise that we ourselves make it heavy in the first place because we hold on to it so tightly. Our selfish loves weigh us down and make us slaves to sin. But the Lord's burden is light. The more we give ourselves over to His wisdom and goodness, the more He will fill us with new life. And the smaller and lighter our crosses can become because the Lord Himself is carrying them for us.
If we do these three things - if we deny ourselves, take up our crosses and follow Him - the Lord will help us to lose our selfish lives, and change us into people who will some day live in heaven as angels - as friends of the Creator Himself.
"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do whatever I command you" (John 15:12-14).
Did you enjoy the Family Camp at Elanora Heights? Do you wish it wasn't so long until next year's camp? Did you miss out on the camp and wish you could have been there? We might have a solution for all of you.
Preliminary discussions with the Roseville Society have led to a possible weekend camp in August from the 18th-20th. The Challenge Ranch Camp is available on that weekend, and we need to have some idea of how many people are interested in a weekend family camp. Preliminary pricing is $60 per person 13 years and older, and $50 per primary school aged children. These prices include meals (except Friday dinner, which would add $5 per person), accommodations and activities. Financial subsidies for families may also be available.
If you are interested in an August camp, please contact Lori Heldon at 9579-5248 or Murray.Heldon@tpg.com.au by mid March so we can begin making arrangements.
We received two items of interest to young people during the last month.
Item One:
Visit www.newchurch.org/youngadults and find lots of cool ways to connect with other young people. From our daily inspiration to our discussion group, to articles on different issues, you'll keep finding new things to interest you.
On March 1st we will be launching a brand new program on the web site - an online spiritual growth course. We will be using Rev. John Odhner's booklet "A Light Burden: Easier Ways to Shun Evil." The course will take approximately 10 weeks. There are two ways to be part of the course. You can get an e-mail once a week with the weekly reading and some questions to think about. After reading the material, participants will have the opportunity to be involved in an ongoing on-line discussion group. We will also be posting all the readings on the web site, and people are welcome to join in anytime for as much of it as they want to do. If you are interested in participating, please contact Joanne Kiel or Anna Woofendon at the
New Church Young Adult Connection -
E-mail: youngadults@newchurch.edu
Item Two:
Camp 2000 is being held in Purley Chase England, from July 29th through August 5th, 2000. The week-long conference is being hosted by the British New Church Federation. The purpose of it is to bring together young people of the New Church worldwide. The Camp 2000 flyer states: The British New Church Federation thought it would be a good idea to celebrate the Millennium in some shape or form. The 2000 years since the birth of Jesus have been the most exciting years the planet has known. The 300 years since the birth of Emanuel Swedenborg have been the most exciting of those 2000 years. Camp 2000 is a Millennium celebration for young people over the age of 16 from around the world. Participants will spend a week in the heart of England joining in worship, talks, discussions, workshops and of course, fun. The theme of the week is 'The Exciting Future Following 2000 Years of Christianity."
If you are interested in more information please contact the New Church Young Adult Connection, PO Box 743, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009. Phone: 215-914-4931.
E-mail: youngadults@newchurch.edu
The 33rd General Assembly of the General Church will be held in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, from dinner time, Wednesday, June 21st, through Sunday morning, June 25th, 2000.
A complete brochure featuring details about every aspect of this Assembly will be in the mail before the end of February. The Assembly Committee regrets the delay in getting this mailing into your hands.
Meanwhile, most of the details that you need for planning are currently available on the Assembly internet web site, which was recently updated, for example, to include full information about all 70 presentations being offered during the four-day event.
Please see www.newchurch.org/Assembly2000, and if you don't have internet access, please check with a teacher, minister or friend who can print out the information you need.
There will be something for everyone!
The basic registration cost for this event is $55.00 per adult (youths up to 18 are half price), but please note that the full cost of attendance depends on many variables, such as your choice of housing, meal and recreational program options.
For example, if an adult member chooses to stay in dormitory accommodation and participate in the university meal program for the whole Assembly, the cost, including registration, would be $259. (Note: that's in US dollars.) But there will be a "family maximum" for those who plan to bring children.
The Assembly Committee looks forward to YOUR participation in this exciting event, and hopes you are making plans now to attend.
Dear Friends,
It's a girl!! Last Sunday (Feb. 13th) we had a beautiful (naturally!!) baby girl. Her name is Leigh and she weighed 7lbs. 5oz (don't know how many kilos that is) and she is 20 in. long (don't know how many cm. that is but I do know it's not very many kilometres!!) She also was born on Garrett's 12th birthday which he thinks is cool. I have many helpers this go-round so that's great. Please spread this news to all our friends in the church. Gotta run - someone's hungry!!
Love, the Schorrans (all 9 of us)
Rev. Julian Duckworth, Pastor of the Roseville Society, and his wife Ruth are planning on serving the New Church in Mauritius for three-month term this year from June - August. This will be great for the Mauritians, and will allow Julian to polish his already considerable skill with the French language.
Congratulations to Karen Lockhart on securing employment in her chosen field of graphics design. She recently began her job with the Board of Studies in downtown Sydney.
Gaye Heldon is well into her course work as part of the Australian New Church College's course on "Regeneration." Gaye is taking the 16-module course on distance learning, and is being tutored by Rev. Dave Ayers of Hurstville.
The Hurstville Society will be well represented at this year's General Assembly in Ontario, Canada. Scheduled to attend so far are Rev. Dave Ayers and wife Darcy; Norm Heldon; Murray and Lori Heldon, along with their son Jeffrey and daughter Naomi (who is rumoured to be investigating the possibility of attending the Academy Girl's School in Bryn Athyn).
Kendall Ayers earned Achievement List honours for the second consecutive term at the Academy of the New Church Girls School in Bryn Athyn. Kendall also made a recent move into the Girl's Dorm after living with friends for the first half of the year. Congratulations Kendall, and keep up the good work!
We have an address for newlyweds Scott and Kimberly Lockhart. You can reach them at 33/3 Church Street, Randwick, NSW, 2031. Phone: 9326-7956.
Brian and Patricia Walsh have just returned from a three-week Tasmanian holiday. We hope their trip was as beautiful as it sounds!
Our second-year Australian and New Zealand theological students are going well with their training, and beginning to get some opportunities to travel outside the concrete walls of the Academy of the New Church Theological School. Garry Walsh travelled to the Toronto Society, where he picked up some key pastoral guidance from Rev. Michael Gladish (ex-Pastor of Hurstville). Garry reports that he learned more about sensitivity to the needs of individuals in a congregation and how to support each person's spiritual growth.
David Keyworth from Auckland visited the Mitchellville Society near Washington, D.C. Each second-year student visits a New Church Society for a week to experience the many and varied uses of pastoral life.
In December/ January Merv and Gai Kennedy along with Kathryn had a holiday in the USA visiting a number of places including Bryn Athyn. When it became known that Kathryn was Stuart's sister she found she had a busy social agenda during her stay.
Our best wishes go to Don Macfarlane who was rushed to hospital in early February with a blood clot on the brain. Fortunately for Don an urgent operation corrected the problem. Don is recuperating in his new home on the Central Coast.
Note that the pastor will be attending the Australian New Church Minister's Meetings from Wednesday March 8th to Sunday 12th. Proceedings start late on 8th is late afternoon, so there will still be a discussion group as usual on the 8th. There will be a lay service on the 12th
Don't forget the Pancake Breakfast on Sunday 19th at 8.30 am put on by the Young People. Breakfast is by donation with proceeds being used by the Young People in their activities. This time there will be a few more helpers boosted by the new additions to their ranks - those who graduated last year from Sunday School. Please come and support them. Going on previous breakfasts we can look forward to a most enjoyable meal.
Also on Sunday 19th the Family Service will be the Harvest Festival. As has been the custom in recent years everyone including adults are encouraged to bring an offering of fruit or vegetables which will be donated to the Exodus Foundation afterwards.
Here's a clever little riddle. See if you can figure it out without checking at the bottom for the answer. By the way, when asked this riddle, 80% of kindergarten kids got the answer compared to 17% of Stanford University seniors.
What is greater than God?
What is more evil than the devil?
The poor have it.
The rich need it.
And if you eat it, you'll die.
(The answer is at the bottom of this Newsletter. Only look if you cannot figure it out.)
Three Pastors in the American South were having lunch in a diner.
One said, "Ya know, since summer started, I've been having trouble with bats in my loft and attic at church. I've tried everything - noise, spray, cats - nothing seems to scare them away.
Another said, "Yea, me too. I've got hundreds living in my belfry and in the narthex attic. I've even had the place fumigated, and they won't go away."
The third said, "I baptised all mine, and made them members of the church. Haven't seen one back since!!"
(Relayed by Rev. Michael Gladish with tongue planted firmly in cheek)
Watch your thoughts.
They become words.
Watch your words.
They become actions.
Watch your actions.
They become habits.
Watch your habits.
They become character.
Watch your character.
For it becomes your destiny.
(Reprinted from Living Today)
If you are able to accommodate overseas or Australian visitors during the second half of September (the time of the Olympics) please contact Kaye Macfarlane on (02) 9534 6222 (Business hours) or Email on sayer@tpg.com.au. We expect more bookings than Baringa can handle.
The monthly Newsletter and the quarterly Courier are now on the Internet. You can read them online at:
http://www.newchurch.org.au/hurstville/Hurstville_Society_Newslet.html
You should also soon be able to access them from a link from the Hurstville home page at http://www.newchurch.org.au/hurstville (probably by the time this printed version reaches you).
This is expected to be a boon especially to our overseas readers who currently only receive a mailing every 3 months. If you are an overseas reader and we know you have email we will be contacting you soon suggesting that you receive your Newsletters and Couriers this way. (Of course any Australian reader can do this as well). This will save us mailing and stationery costs. Printed copies can still be mailed on request.
You won't miss out on anything by getting the Newsletter and Courier this way and we will email you each month to let you know it is ready. In fact you may get a bit extra and any photos will be in colour. Check out the February Newsletter which was a special Camp edition as an example.
Answer to the Riddle (from page 9)
The answer is NOTHING!
Nothing is greater than God.
Nothing is more evil than the devil.
The poor have nothing.
The rich need nothing.
And if you eat nothing, you will die!
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