Happy Mother’s Day We may not all be mothers, but we were all born to a mother. God commands in Deuteronomy 5:16, “Honour your Father and your mother.” Jesus repeats this in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. So, mothers everywhere, we highly esteem you today. We thank you for going through with pregnancy and giving birth. We thank all mothers who have cared for their children as best they … [Read more...] about Pastor’s Pen May 8th, 2022
Pastor’s Pen, May 1, 2022
Thank You God for Your Presence: Thank You God that Your love knows no bounds You are patient, kind, and protective towards us (1 Co 13:4-7) Connect has been through many valleys, yet You bring us through every time Taking us once again to the mountaintops of renewal and refreshment We give glory back to You and proclaim Your praise (Isaiah 42:12) Continue to show us Your ways Oh … [Read more...] about Pastor’s Pen, May 1, 2022
Pastor’s Pen April 24, 2022
Cast your anxieties on Christ: When the apostle Peter was talking to elders and young men in the church, he said, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you,” 1 Pe 5:7. That is one thing to say but quite another to do. Through this COVID pandemic most New Zealanders have suffered anxiety to some degree. When we are anxious our mind is telling us that we are unsafe in some way. … [Read more...] about Pastor’s Pen April 24, 2022
Pastor’s Pen 17th April 2022
The Power of the Resurrection and Ascension: I’m so grateful that God’s work didn’t stop at the Cross. Yes, for those of us who choose to follow Christ, our past, present and future sin is nailed to that cross, destroying it’s hold over us, and we can be very thankful for that. But if Christ did not rise it would mean that Satan still has power over life and death. It would mean that God’s … [Read more...] about Pastor’s Pen 17th April 2022
Pastor’s Pen April 10
Anoint us with fresh oil, God There’s an old school song that has some words I’d like to pray over us as we gather today after months apart. It goes like this…. “Anoint me with fresh oil. Fill me Spirit of God. Anoint me with fresh oil. Fill me Spirit of God Help me see your purpose; understand all Your ways. Help me see your purpose; understand all Your ways. Cos I wanna get … [Read more...] about Pastor’s Pen April 10
Pastor’s Pen, April 3
What is a “successful” church?: Connect is a “small church” now. If we base our “success” on numbers we may feel like we have “failed.” But God’s ways are not the ways of the world. His idea of “success” is when we “love the Lord our God with all our heart soul, strength and mind, and love our neighbour as ourselves,” Mark 12:29-31; Lk 10:26-27; Mt 19:19; Ro 13:9; Gal 5:14, Jas 2:8. James … [Read more...] about Pastor’s Pen, April 3