Life in the Freezer

R and D enjoying every last minute of our time in Christchurch!

Church has been an interesting set of experiences. We've made it to three church services here so far and we've not heard a sermon that has sought to teach Scripture. One service we were berated for needing to be saved, the other we were exhorted to love well and especially as parents to discipline our children in a loving manner and most recently we were told that the Trinity is like a Relay race: the Father taking the leg from creation to the incarnation, Jesus covering the 33 years of his life, death and resurrection and that since Pentecost we are now in the home straight of the Holy Spirit who was created by God for us and we were created for the Holy Spirit (none of those things are true, just in case you were wondering). We could shrug our shoulders, put it down to bad experience and hope for better sometime soon. No doubt we could have had equally disheartening experiences in any part of the western world; but many here are telling us that this is typical of the church in New Zealand.

At the same time this poor teaching is in a context of loving church communities, where people are genuinely warm toward each other as well as welcoming of strangers. I doubt I have ever been included and loved more in a British church on a first visit. The one thing that I know is that I don't think I have ever extended that sort of a welcome to strangers in a congregation. The New Zealand church is giving me lots to think about, pray for and repent of in all sorts of ways.

We're currently in Christchurch, the snow did not appear (except on mountain tops) and we have largely seen the back of the rain that was with us for most of our first fortnight here. The crossing from North to South Island on the ferry accross the Cook Strait was exhilirating, sickening and awe inspiring (in that order). We spent one night in Picton and then went on to Kaikoura half way down to Christchurch.

Our time in Kaikoura was idyllic, we chose not to whale watch (too expensive and too prone to the whim of the whales - one woman had been out three days in a row and saw nothing of the whales: costly in time, money and sea sickness!) but rather enjoy walking along the cliffs, watching seals (from just a few feet away) and just hanging out together as a family. We loved it there.

Sunday evening we travelled just south of Christchurch and are staying with other ex-pats working with TSCF Tim and Lizzie Hodge in a place called Lincoln. We've moved out of the caravan for a few days (advancing our war against the ants who have been resident in there a lot longer than we have!) and are enjoying sharing their home. We've done some touristy stuff (the photo above is from the Antarctic Experience in Christchurch rather than Christchurch itself) and I've met with more students (in Lincoln, meeting Christchurch students on Wednesday).

As we travel and meet people, go to church and spend time with staff and students I become more and more convinced that the work here is important and urgent, vital but fragile and still exciting and rewarding. There are many days ahead of hard work, I give thanks to God that he has given us a part to play in building His people here in New Zealand.