Pastor Peter – 18 Nov 2021
With university exams over, the streets around the office here in Ilam Road are feeling summer-quiet! It’s that time of year, once again, when there’s a sense of Christmas not too far away… bringing a sense of anticipation (which is what the church season of Advent, beginning on Sunday 28 November) is all about! We’ll be introducing Advent 2021 to you over the next week, but we’re planning on including a couple of services at Ilam School (and we may even get to sing a couple of Christmas Carols together, suitably socially-distanced, and with face coverings.)
You’ll have seen elsewhere in this Newsletter that Murray Wood is stepping into the role as chair of the Governance Team. In the time I’ve been at Ilam I have felt really honoured to work with the amazing people who have made up Governance these last few years – lots of positivity, and keenness to pull together. I’m looking forward to working with Murray as he steps into this leadership role and coordinates Governance business for this next season. We will benefit from his ability to hold the tension between the detail and the big picture, as well as his sense of humour (no doubt)!
As this week’s Government announcements regarding the way ahead with the pandemic have gradually emerged, it’s becoming increasingly clear that traffic lights – which have become a dominant part of the ways that traffic flows on our roads are managed – will soon be being used to regulate our lives! Traffic lights on our roads can be very helpful – they can also be intensely irritating, especially when they persist in turning red right in front of you.
However, the aim of the COVID traffic light system is, ultimately, to keep people safe, and to ensure (as far as possible) the safe operation of our communities. Although I’m sure we’ll find that some aspects of the new guidelines will limit or restrict what we want to do, individually and as a church, New Zealand has to chart a way through this pandemic somehow and, from a public health perspective, what is proposed seems to be the best way to proceed.
The problem is, though, that the traffic lights are going to work around the issue of people’s vaccination status, and this has the potential to divide communities into ‘us’ and ‘them’. There are a wide range of views on vaccinations and a diverse number of reasons why people choose, or choose not, to be vaccinated. Conversations can become a bit awkward at times, can’t they? I really appreciated reading a reminder this week, from Rick Pierce of the Baptist Union’s Northern Region, who he writes this:
“Let’s remember that we are all created in the image of God, we are all image-bearers as children of God, and to uphold one another’s value and worth, irrespective of our differing stances. May we be mature in the way we have conversations, particularly when engaging with people who may not think the same. Amid a global pandemic, those who remain unvaccinated for many a good reason (including those under 12 who do not even have a choice) are counted amongst the vulnerable in our society. How we as a church care, embrace and love those who are vulnerable demonstrates the love and grace we ourselves experience from God. May we all continue to bear image to the goodness, honour, and glory of our God by our actions and our righteous, loving treatment of others.
The Ilam Governance Team is very keen to have your feedback on how we best respond to the traffic light regime once it is implemented. A number of decisions need to be made and we would value your thoughts to help us reach some conclusions. We have to work out how church will operate – remembering, of course, that church isn’t just what happens when we meet together on Sundays. We have to ensure that we are able to care well for each other, especially those who are vulnerable or whose health is compromised. We need to have plans in place for looking out for each other if people get sick – and we need also to be ready to extend that to the communities around each one of us, our neighbours and work-colleagues etc.
There is lots to think about – please help us out by reading the Vaccine Feedback document attached to this Newsletter and then clicking the link and completing the on-line Feedback Form.
Many times as we have gathered as church in past years we have sung the Tim Timmons song “Christ in Me”. I’ve been thinking of that as I have been writing these thoughts, and reflecting on what it means to respond well to the current COVID situation, and especially these words:
The same great love that casts out fear
The same compassion that draws us near
Hallelujah, is living in the air
The same great mercy I received
Amazing grace for a wretch like me
Hallelujah, is flowing through me
[If you want to be reminded of the whole song, you can listen to it here! https://youtu.be/IwLZRT0j8s8 ]
Ngā mihi nui
Peter