reson8rs <resonate-icc>

Pagina 1 di 2  1  2  Successiva >>> 
Bourke - It begins & ends with hope......566 giorni fa
 
My heart has broken. Well and truly gut wrenchingly, utterly shattered, and broken so much that the usual cure of sticky tape and super glue will not do. My eyes have laid witness to a dispair, a hurt, a brokeness that run so deep it was bred into the very blood of generation. It was a sight I never would have believed in a nation so beautiful and similar and "civilised" as ours, but my eyes did not deceive me, what I saw was true.

But no matter how deep my grief, God's is deeper. No matter how badly my heart breaks, God's breaks more. In the places and people I see brokeness, despair and pain, God sees HOPE.

Four of us from Invercargill joined with the guys from Highway Christian Church in Ulladulla (Australia) to help at REACH 08 - a conference with a complete missions focus and a desire to see God to move in a new way. We were equipped as the army of God to go into the community and show love as Chst loved us in a real and practical way.

Bourke, NSW Australia is a beautiful outback town and to look at it I really wondered if what I had been told was as bad as what I had been led to believe. But closer inspection showed me a deep level of dysfunction and hurt. Almost every house in town was surrounded by high metal fences, with an almost as big dog, the main street at night looked like an industrial area with big garage doors and windows barred and then in the Aboriginal "missions" the houses were nice and normal but then you saw the smashed glass and boarded up windows.

And the kids. The beautiful children who knew no different from what they lived in everyday. 3, 4, and 5 year old children who are on the streets at all times of the night, abused and taking drugs and alcohol like they were lollies, whose idea of a good time was stealing cars and then burning them.

But despite it all, God is in that place.

You could see Him in the smiles of the children, in the fresh greening of the ground that had been drought-stricken for years, in the passion and perserverence and faith of the Christians in Bourke who had been faithfully praying for and serving in their community.

God was seen on the lives of young children, as small as 4,5 and 6 years old, as they stood silent and still in His presence. He was there in the midst as 200+ young people from throughout New South Wales, wider Australia and New Zealand stood and worshiped Him freely, separated not by race or circumstances but united in love as the whanau of God.

God was in the riverbed as the drunked, just released from prison, wandered aimlessly with his bottle of booze. He was there when he was struck by the power of the Holy Spirit and set free from his sin and pain, and came into the Kingsom of Heaven.

My time in Bourke has shown me a fraction of the heartbeat of God. Jesus died for these people, each and everyone of them, of us, saved or unsaved, black or white, male or female, old or young. We are not different. We are all seen the same through the eyes of God - His children.

I am still processing what I saw, what God has done and is doing in Bourke, and in me. It is beyond our comprehension to know how deeply God mourns over the blood shed there in the name of "civilised people" and government policy. How His heart aches for the children of Bourke, many who have never known a fathers love, a tender touch or a kind word.

But God IS in that place. And He is moving. Heaven linked with earth during the time Reach 08 was in Bourke, and even though we have left there, God hasn't.

Heaven hasn't.

Hope hasn't.

God is in that place, and He is moving. It begins with HOPE........
 2 commenti 
Welcome Students648 giorni fa
 
Like to get a little crazy? Keen to be random and on the edge and hang with other like-minded crazy cats?

Are you passionate about coffee, fun times and Jesus?

Want to get involved in a pumping and exciting local church?

Well its that time - time to leave lazy days in the sun, sand and surf behind and hit the study wahoo!!
The other great thing about this time of year? Resonate is up and pumping and waiting for you!!

If you are around the SIT campus this O'week look out for us at the Lifestyle Options and free BBQ at the Otepuni on Thursday. Come hang at a service at the Christian Centre and let us get you a coffee (fantastic coffee!). New to town and need friends/flatting stuff/ info etc then get in touch and we will what we can do:)

All the best for the study and see you round campus!
 0 commenti 
Rock on 2008!!689 giorni fa
 
2008!! Wahoo!! I am so excited about this yeaR!

The new year brings a whole heap of changes - people leaving, new ones coming along, new adventures and craziness! Exciting times:)

Resonate has some awesome stuff lined up for the year. Of course, we are starting off next Tuesday night (thats the 15th) with a bbq and of course, come Feb and the arrival of the students we have our usual O'Week antics - Good times.

Something that is REALLY exciting is in April there is an 18yrs+ mission trip to Bourke, Australia. We are going to be joining the crazy crew from Ulladalla and helping with the Liberty concert there. This is going to be pretty hard out - Its 2 days straight driving through the Outback to get to Bourke and thenm another 2 back. Tentative dates for this are leave April 10 and back on the 22 but more details will be finalised soon. If you are keen, let me know asap so we can get on to the finer details. All going well we will try for some fundraising, but that depends on time and stuff.

If Bourke isn't your thing, or it doens't work with tech/work etc then listen out for the youth India trip that will also be happening later on:)

So get ready to be stretched, challenged and to grow this year! Awesome things are happening!!

Bless ya,

The RESONATE Team
 0 commenti 
Rock on 2008!!689 giorni fa
 
2008!! Wahoo!! I am so excited about this yeaR!
 0 commenti 
Blessings and Love716 giorni fa
 
I just love the spirit of Christmas! peace on earth, goodwill to men and all that jazz.

There is just something so amazing about being a blessing to others. Don't get me wrong, I love getting pressies and stuff (hint hint) but more than anything I love to give. Incredible things happen when you bless others - and often we aren't even aware of it!

I love how at Church we often hear Ps Ian and Ps Terry talk about being blessed to be a blessing. Its not about accummulating wealth to horde for ourselves but to pay it forward, to let the blessings of God in our life overflow and touch others around us.

You don't have to be rich to be a blessing to others. Even the smallest gesture can have incredible results and touch someones life. Random acts of kindness. Baking and dropping a basket of muffins off to someone. Buy a families groceries for the week or send them on a family outing.
A little note left in someones mailbox telling them why they are awesome. Cook someone tea. Pick a bunch of flowers. The list is endless.

These days its so easy to get wrapped up in the consumerism and hype of Christmas and forget (forgive the cliche) the reason for the season.

God gave us the most precious gift - his only son who was sacrificed so that we may have a real, loving relationship with Him on earth and in heaven. He blessed us with the utimate gift of love. What a HUGE BLESSING!!!!

So this christmas season I just want to encourage you to spread a little joy and love and bless those around you. Ask God to show you opportunities to love others and change lives. After all, isn't that what Christmas is all about?





 0 commenti 
Christmas Parrr-taaaay!733 giorni fa
 
Its the silly season!!! wahoo!!
That means its time for the legendary annual Resonate Christmas Party!!!!

This year the Christmas party is being held at Shannon & Rays on Saturday December 1, starting at 1pm. Thats right - during the day!

If you haven't received your invite yet then leave us a message here.:) And we will get you all the details.

RSVPS are due this thursday - and please let us know what you are bringing ie. dessert, drinks etc.
And don't forget your $5 gift!!!

For those of you who have never been before, this paaartaaayyyy ROCKS!!! There is always a healthy dose of craziness, huge amounts of food and is heaps of FUN!!!!

C U THERE!!
:)
 0 commenti 
Dessert Social744 giorni fa
 
Hey gus,

Just a heads up that on Thursday night Resonate are having a laxed out dessert nite at Shan & Rays @8pm. Just bring along a dessert and friends and be prepared to chill!

Gonna be a great chance to hang out before the crazyness of the silly season gets to us!
See you then!

(PS- any questions just leave a message or talk to a cell leader:))
 0 commenti 
resonate free feed!750 giorni fa
 
This friday nite (9 Nov) we have the final Resonate student meal for the year!

Held at the Invercargill Christian Centre (165 Leet St)from 6-7pm, this is a great chance to bless students and young workers with an awesome feed - and its free! (Rumour has it that the meal is smoked chicken penne pasta - YUM!)

So bring along your mates for a fun and relaxed nite. There is a church service happening upstairs at 7pm which everyone is more than welcome to go to but there is no expectation or pressure to do so:)

Please RSVP with your name & number attending to Shan or Ray or your Resonate leader by thursday nite - or leave a message here just so we know we have enough food:)

See you then and don't forget to pass it on to your friends (or random strangers:) )

Its gunna rock!!!

 0 commenti 
BBQ755 giorni fa
 
Well summer is on its way and what a better way to celebrate than with a good ole' kiwi bbq!

Next thursday night, 8 Nov, there is going to be a RESONATE bbq at Shannon & Rays place from 6pm. This is going to be an awesome opportunity for all of Resonate to get together and just hang and have fun. Keep in mind that our focus is OUTREACH, so remember to invite your mates and people who are new to church:)

Bring BBQ food and stuff and it should be a great time! There will be more info at cells on Tues but if you have any questions then see either Shan & Ray or your RESONATE leader

:)



 0 commenti 
Swap It!!773 giorni fa
 
Calling all Resonate Gurls!

Is your wardrobe lacking? Are your cupboards bursting at the seams with stuff you no longer wear/fit/like? Longing for a change but strapped for cash?
Then do we have the answer for you!!

This saturday 20 October the Resonate Girls are getting together for some girly fun! Bring along clothing/jewellery/accesories/bags etc that you no longer use and we will SWAP IT!!

This is a great chance to hang out andrevamp your style!

WOW that is so amazing ! I hear you cry. Where do I go for this amazing time of fun, frivolity and hilarious girl time?

Easy.

SWAP IT is being held at Ray & Shans (1 Lowe St) in the (wo)mans room at 2pm. Bring some snacks, your friends and we will be in for loads of fun times.

For more info leave a message here or contact Shan:)
 0 commenti 
Pagina 1 di 2  1  2  Successiva >>>