Bridgewater and Gagebrook

Now here are two places around town that are always in the news for all the wrong reasons. In the latest installments the bus drivers are complaining that they are getting pelted with rocks whilst attempting to drive through Gagebrook. With all this terrible publicity bombarding us, my curiosity got the better of me and we drove up there to take a look for ourselves. Actually I went to deliver a food coupon for a guy who had called in at the church asking for help. Bridgewater and Gagebrook are adjoining suburbs on the northern outskirts of Hobart on the eastern shore of the Derwent river. As we got close to these places we noticed some very upmarket acreage on the banks of the river nearby, and yet both of these suburbs were obviously filled with public housing. It certainly looked to me to be no worse that Lyndale in north Dandenong where I grew up. Generally gardens were well kept and the school looked well cared for.



Of course you can never go anywhere in Hobart without the omnipresent Mount Wellington dominating the landscape.


We came back across the river and stopped for lunch at the Glenorchy Club Hotel. If you want to read about that experience you can check out entry number two on my brand new page, 'Coffee Food and Wine in Hobart'. There is a link in the side bar for you to click on.

Coffee Food and Wine in Hobart

Just wanted to let you know about a new blog page I have just started. I have called it 'Coffee Food and Wine in Hobart' There is a link to it in the side bar of this page. This is a very new idea I have been toying with for a while. It was based on an inspiration I got from Simon and Alese who publish a blog with a similar theme in Melbourne. I think there page is called, 'Eating Melbourne' (there's a link to it on Simon's page) I thought we seem to visit so many different restaurants and coffee shops around town, why not do a bit of a report on our visits. The comments won't be from a professional chef, as Simon's would be - but they come from a table practitioner' - now there's a new phrase for you.

I don't know how the new page will fare. It has only one post on it and had only ten hits, unlike the famous 'Tassie Tales' that has several thousand hits and 140 posts on it. Appreciate you comments on my idea anyway.

Spring is in the air

By this time next week it will be SPRING again. Last year spring was absolutely the best time of year to be in Hobart. You get days of glorious sunshine. There colour and vibrancy everywhere you look. This morning we awoke to a sensational sunrise and a glorious sunny day. We decided we would head off down to the famous Salamanca Market for an outdoor breakfast and stroll through the gardens.



If you park at the church and walk down to the market you can cut through the gardens to get to the market.



Whilst walking through the gardens we were puzzled to hear a large group of people doing strange things and laughing continuously. Whenever the laughter stated to die down, someone would lead off again with something to do for the others to copy. It seemed you could do anything at all and result in getting some side splitting laughter from the rest of the group. Looked a little odd, but what's wrong with a little more fun and laughter in the world. After all Proverbs says that it is good medicine. Maybe these people were really on to something!



We picked a table along the market strip and had breakfast at the Parthenon. It was you basic egg and bacon breakfast. The coffee was good and we soon put our meal away and headed off for a stroll through the market.



Whilst walking through the market we met up with a bunch of OCF students from our church who were singing together. They sing Christian songs and take the opportunity to speak with anyone who will listen to them about their relationship they have with Jesus. The more I get to know our OCF students, the more I like them. Well done guys.

Let me tell you about my week

Yesterday morning in church I shared with our congregation a few of the things that I had seen and been involved in during the last week. This is what I shared with them ......


I want to tell you this morning about my week. Here are some of the things I have seen since closing our service in prayer last Sunday morning.

SUNDAY

Jo and I left the morning the service to have lunch at John and Catherine’s home – where over 30 Asian students packed into their home to enjoy a meal together. For some time now John and Catherine have been chaplains to our OCF students and have given of themselves tirelessly to build relationships and pastor a whole bunch of students.

My mind went back to the Easter OCF camp where I saw first hand the incredible work our OCF students do. They hold a very bright light of God’s presence up in our state university each week and have seen great fruit come from their ministry

I thought of the other chaplaincies we have operating in our church. John Bachelor who serves the Hmong community right across our nation. Noel Mundy who serves as a sports chaplain to our state basketball team – on top of one of the most demanding jobs anyone could ever have – Noel serves as State Director for Mission Australia – where he is on the front line every day speaking out for those who have no voice in our community.

SUNDAY NIGHT

I came back to church for our evening service. I arrived a few minutes late and came in to find there was no seats left. Over 60 people – mostly teenagers turning up for Sunday night church. Over the last three Sundays the worship and sense of God’s presence gone to a new level. I stood at the back as I watched young people right across the room beginning to enter into worship. All over the hall I could see God doing things in the lives of our young people. I began to weep and thank God for bringing people like Marshall and Yvonne into our midst. I drank in the sight before me. I had never dreamed we might be seeing Sunday night services like this so soon into Marshall and Yvonne’s ministry.

I realised that I had simply walked into the hall – but a whole team of our youth leaders would have worked for about two hours setting everything up – and after we finished they would pack it all up again. They spend hours doing this this - not just once, but every single week. Never once have I heard any complaints about all the work they have to do to make Sunday night happen.

The way the youth team work together to set up and pack up each week in incredible.

I saw Phil and Naomi there. Those two people are incredible. They work their hearts out. Their attitude seems to be ‘whatever it takes’.

Two weeks ago Nathan spoke at our night service. I watched as the Holy Spirit just seemed to come over Nathan as he spoke. I saw a passionate love for Jesus and love for the young people he was speaking to.

MONDAY

My day off – Jo and I picked up John and Catherine and enjoyed a day together at Mount Field National Park. I reflected on the deep friendship that Jo and I have developed with John and Catherine. Every time I see them, I see them serving – giving of themselves again and again. If you want to know what Jesus meant when he called us to serve one another in love – just look at John and Catherine.

MONDAY NIGHT

On Monday night I went to home group. It was another night of sharing and prayer together at Alvin and Kay’s place. Things just seemed to go to a deeper level in sharing and prayer this time. I reflected on the deep sense of belonging and community we experience with that little group.

Then I considered the fact that ours is just one of many groups that meet each week. Home group leaders who come home from a long day at work and then give time to preparing studies and programs for our groups

Every week I watch as Jo goes out several times to meet ladies one on one to pray together for the work of the church

WEDNESDAY NIGHT

I went to an elders meeting at John Kingshott’s home. We had not come to discuss endless church management issues. We had come together to read the scriptures together. We read the whole story of Joseph. Five chapters I think. As we read the story we would stop often and ponder the question, ‘What does it mean to be a leader?’ After our scripture reading we got down to a time a prayer and intercession praying for a long list of people and ministries in the church of which we are shepherds. This is indeed a different type of eldership than I have ever worked with before.

THURSDAY

Arrive at the office and there’s Kay meeting with a whole team of people who have committed themselves to providing visitation and pastoral care to the older members of our congregation. Here was a group of mostly retired people giving up hours every week to care for others in the body of Christ. Some of them go to the hospitals every week and visit people there.

Later on Thursday I went out for lunch with our ministry team. I sat and listened to Marshall as he shared with me a vision he has to expand our youth ministry even further and reach out not just to church kids, but hundreds of others kids right across our city. I was blown away by the passion and love that I saw in Marshall to see young people come to know the Lord be discipled in our church.

I listened to Yvonne outline plans she was working on to provide yet another expression of worship for our church. This Sunday she is launching a new concept called ‘Time and Space for God’ She is setting up about seven different rooms around a common theme where people can come and at their own pace work through the different areas alone with God. Here idea will utilise a an abundance of creative ideas to help people find some time and space to meet with God. I listened in awe of such a creative person who was prepared to work dozens of extra hours this week to make this happen.

FRIDAY NIGHT

Coming down to drop Sarah off for Kaos on Friday night. There were so many cars here I could hardly get in the car park. I come down to have a quick look at what’s happening – Young people packed into our hall – I left knowing that Marshall would be going hard at it until at least 11.00 pm that night. Marshall never does anything half heartedly. He gives his all.

SATURDAY

I turned up at church for a men’s breakfast at 8.00am organised by our ‘Outfella’s ministry’ I discovered that that Noel and Annette had been here at the church since 6.00 am cooking breakfast for the guys. Like many others they were going above and beyond what was asked. They cooked a fabulous breakfast.

During breakfast we listened as Chris Ranson got up and spoke about the growth and development of this ministry in just over twelve months since it began. Listening to Chris talk and realising that not only has it been Chris’s vision, but also his extraordinary commitment and attention to organisational detail that has seen ministry become a cutting edge community ministry in Hobart.

I listened as Chris spoke with passion about other churches starting to come on board and starting to get involved in this ministry. I remembered the day that Chris walked into my office and told me, 'I've got an idea'. Within just twelve months he has established a ministry that without any exageration has touched hundreds of lonely people with the love and mercy of God right across our city.

As I listened to Chris speak about the growth of Outfellas, I thought about our other community service ministries.

'Eating With Friends' that is providing a fantastic meal and a genuine experience of hospitality and Christian community for a whole bunch of elderly people who for them this day has become the highlight of their month. Our last Eating with Friends meal had the largest attendance we have ever had. A team of people work most of the day to make that meal happen. I thought about people like Lib Cooper whose endless energy and drive have seen that ministry grow and develop into yet another expression of mission in our community.

Then there is our seminar ministry. Kay and Sandra have just completed a ‘How To Drung Proof your kids’ program at Warrane Primary School. Now they have been flooded with requests for more programs in schools on the eastern shore.

I sat at the Outfella’s breakfast and saw a whole bunch of guys who had not only come for breakfast, but to give yet one more Saturday to going out in teams into our community to be the living presence of Jesus. I looked around the room and saw guys who all had demanding jobs and yet were now giving up yet another Saturday to simply serve our community.

I saw also people like Steve Whiteley and John Breaden who had come to give yet another Saturday of their time to work on the improvements being made to our annex building.

As I sat I was amazed to see Marshall and Yvonne come in. Marshall, despite getting home from Kaos close to midnight, was fronting up again to go out on a team and do gardening jobs all day.

I had the privilege of going out on a team myself with Harry Diers. I realised that Harry had had a pretty full on week. This week Harry had gone into a number of school to give out New Testaments to students. He had gone into another school and taught students about Stanley engines. He had also gone into some backpacker hostels to place posters of our church services and to build a relationship with the back packer proprietors. Harry had done all of this whilst also caring for Elaine who has been unwell this week. Here it is Saturday morning and Harry is out again.

Harry came out and worked hard in people’s gardens for five hours straight. I looked at him and wondered just how much energy does this guy have for serving the Lord – yet doing it simply as a servant of Jesus.

SATURDAY NIGHT

I attended a fund raising dinner for Samaritan’s Purse at the City Gate Church. When we arrived I was surprised to see a large contingent of people from our church congregating in the car park – coming out to support this great mission project. I thought about all the people in our church who would be involved in filling shoe boxes and giving financially to this ministry. I felt a wave of pride in our people demonstrating a growing awareness of overseas mission.

We went inside for the dinner and saw Nina and Rowena working flat out in their volunteer capacity with the Tassie branch of this ministry. I knew that for them it was not just Saturday night, but they both had put in a pretty solid week of hard work to make Saturday night happen. I listened as the National Director spoke of deep admiration for both Nina and Rowena and the endless hours of they put in as volunteers.


SUNDAY

I arrive at church early and yet I find as I walk in the door that the place is already a hive of activity. . I look and see Chris and Jane are already at the sound desk. Out the front I see Greg Foot working with a team of musicians who were giving time and effort to make worship on Sunday morning possible for the rest of us – Knowing that many of them would also have come out on Thursday evening to practice the songs and the music for this morning.

I stood for a moment and watched Greg. Here is a man who has invested and spent his whole life in ministry and service. For years he worked on the staff of World Vision. More recently he has served in our schools. Currently he tells me he has just taken on a new position working to encourage and support the chaplains in our school system. Doing this at a stage of life where many others would be wanting to kick back and settle down and go on holidays. For 40 + years Greg has been a member of this church. He has served consistently and graciously throughout the whole of this time. His life has become a model for many of us to imitate and follow.

I went down stairs to check out what’s happening there as our children’s ministry team were already hard at work setting up materials and equipment that I know they had spent hours getting ready during the week.

Seeing people like Yvonne Kroon who this year has taken on responsibility for the whole of the children’s ministry in our church. Yvonne has felt stretched and inadequate, but has gone about training herself and attending seminars and conferences to equip herself for a ministry that she is very passionate about.

Seeing Alice Nicholls downstairs and reflecting on yet another person who has given a lifetime of service to the Lord and now at her stage of life is still fronting up every week to teach our children the Word of God.

I saw John Kingshott down there, our chairman of elders. I knew that John on top of all his other responsibilities he has had volunteered to take on ten weeks presenting a special series in our children’s ministry. This would mean that John would give up ten Sunday mornings of church to do that.

I came back up stairs to greet people coming in to church. I met school teachers who had spent their week in front of class rooms. I knew that for many of them it was not just a job, but a life long calling and ministry. I met many others who I knew had given hours of service that week to serve the Lord in a multitude of different ways.

I could go on and on

What a privilege to part of the church.

A church filled with people who invest hundreds of hours every week in mission and ministry.

A church with a vision to be the living presence of Jesus in the city of Hobart

I want to tell you this morning ……

You people are AWESOME

It gives me a great deal of joy to be able tell people that I am pastor of Hobart City Church of Christ.


There’s an old chorus we used to sing:

I love you with the love of the Lord
Yes I love you with the love of the Lord
I can see in you the glory of my King
And I love you with the love of the Lord

If there is anyone who has any trouble experiencing the presence of God

Look around

Every where you look you will see people who radiate the presence of Jesus


That was my week.

A night out with Emily

For along time now Emily has talked about her fascination with the revolving restaurant on the top floor of the casino in Hobart. None of us had ever been there, but we had heard other people talk about it. Last night I invited Emily to come with me on a special night out just for the two of us. There was no occasion other than a night out together. We got all dressed up and set off for the casino. We took the lift to the top floor and were seated at a delightful table for two right on the window wall. The restaurant is actually rotating slowly and so every time you look up you get a different view of the city and the Derwent river. It was absolutely delightful sitting there together and dining on a sumptuous three course meal together. Not something we get to do often, but the stuff that memories are made of. It was a very special night for both of us.

A Fortunate Life

Last month on the occasion of my 50th birthday, someone gave me a copy of the book, ‘A Fortunate Life’ which is an autobiography written by A.B Facey.

The book is the story of Albert (A.B.) Facey, who lived with simple honesty, compassion and courage. (1894-1892) Albert lost his Father at the age of two and then was deserted by his Mother and left to be raised by his weak and elderly grandmother. At the age of eight on the rough west Australian frontier, he struggled as an itinerant rural worker and survived the gore of Gallipoli, the loss of his farm in the depression, the death of his son in World War II and that of his beloved wife after sixty years of devotion.

I picked the book up last weekend and found I could not put it down. I sat up Sunday night and read until 2.00 am. Here was a guy who endured hardships and difficulties beyond that which I could even begin to imagine. Despite all the hardships, Bert reflects at the end of it all and says, ‘I’ve really had a very fortunate life’ He lived through much the same era as my grandfather did, although on opposite sides of our continent. Reading the book gave me some profound insight into the my heritage as a descendant of early settlers in this country.

As I read story after story of hardship, suffering and pain, I grew ever more anxious to read some of some mention of the church or Christian people. Sadly I waited in vain. I became increasingly agitated as I read the story. I almost wanted to scream, ‘Where is the Church?’

It was almost at the very end of the book I read these words:

'My experience in the First World War and now the Second World War changed my outlook on things. It is hard to believe there is a God. I feel that the Bible was written by man, but not for the good of man, but for the purpose of preying on a person’s conscience, and to confuse him. Anyone who has taken part in a bayonet charge (and I have), and who has managed to retain his proper senses, must doubt the truth of the Bible and powers of God, if one exists. And concerning the many hundreds of different religions that there are in this world of ours, and the fact that many religions have caused terrible wars and hatred throughout the world, and that the many religions have hoarded terrific wealth and property, whilst people inside and outside of that religion are starving, it is difficult to remain a believer. No sir, there is no God, it is only a myth'. (Page 401-402)

Of all the tragic passages in the story, this paragraph hit me hardest of all. Surely I must read it over again and reflect deeply on what Albert Facey wrote here shortly before he died. Today I have given my life to serve the Lord within His Church. The Church must be seen to be one that shows in many and varied ways the amazing grace of our amazing Lord.

A trip back to Russell Falls

The weather was a bit doubtful, but our resolve was high, so we bit the bullet and headed for our Gourmet Dellie and stocked up for a deluxe BBQ at Russell Falls. We stopped on the way to pick up John and Catherine and finished up having a wonderful day at the falls, a terrific lunch, and then a walk around the tall timbers before heading for home.




The electric bbq's were a little slow as they aften are - but in the meantime we lit a fire in the fireplace and settled down to setting the table ready for our feast.


Over lunch there were several visitors dropping in which made us TWITCH.


After lunch it was plunger coffee and french cakes with fresh cream by the open fire



We finished the day with a walk around the tall timbers of Tassie. This one measurers around 297 metres tall! Almost good enough to match the redgums of Calafornia I saw a few years ago.

A quick visit to Warrnambool

At 6.50 this morning Jo and I were on a flight back from Melbourne to Hobart. It was the then end a very busy few days away as we traveled to Warrnambool to attend a celebration service for the life of my friend, Ian Lugton. The service was absolutely amazing. It was put together by Ian's three children who each took a segment and involved many other people and use of multimedia throughout. It was a very moving and powerful service. The walls of the church were lined with written tributes from students of a school where Ian had recently taught for just twelve months. It was a privilege to sit and listen to marvellous tributes from each of Ian's children. After the service we were able to catch up albeit briefly with many friends and contacts from our years in Warrnambool.

We spent just 24 hours in Warrnambool. We enjoyed a wonderful evening with Wes and Dee who also gave a bed for the night. We were able to visit Narelle Cook in hospital and was thrilled to see her looking so good after extensive surgery and prolonged illness.

On the way out of Melbourne curiosity got the better of me and I turned in to see what has become of the old Waverley Football ground. We attended many matches there as kids as it was fairly close to home. What an amazing sight to see all that's left of the old ground.


Whilst in Melbourne we were able to visit with Mum and Dad, Paul and Cindy, Mark and Val, Greg and Sally and Simon and Brenda - mind you some of those visits were rather brief, but we did get them all in!


Dinner at Mark's place - even got to see Jessie (What a great added bonus)


Dinner at Paul's place. Paul cooked us up a magnificent salmon dish. He really is as good as that naked chef guy - but I hasten to add that Paul did this task fully clothed!

On final port of call was overnight last night at Simon and Brenda's. No photo to show you, but we had a very comfortable bed compliments of Ali being absent on a sleepover at a friend's place. We crept out of Simon and Brenda's place at 5.20 this morning and headed for the airport. We got home and it was virtually straight to Church for a very well prepared sermon and then followed straight on with our church AGM. What a day! After church, Jo, Emily and I headed out together for a lunch at a really nice Indian restaurant. Back to church tonight where Nathan preached and did a fantastic job - well, now I'm home and can finally stop and catch up a little.

A Tribute to a Friend

Last Friday afternoon Jo and I received a phone call to say that a dear friend of ours had passed away. His name was Ian Lugton. For the whole of our time in Warrnambool, Ian was pastor of the Warrnambool Christian Church. On the week we arrived in Warrnambool Ian was on our doorstep with a casserole and a warm welcome to the city. Over the next seven years we grew to become the closest of friends. His death was sudden and unexpected. He was a just a little older than myself and had always enjoyed good health and certainly lived a healthy and active lifestyle. His death has affected me deeply and on Thursday this week Jo and I are traveling to Warrnambool to attend his funeral.

I would like to take a moment to list some of the ways that Ian impacted my life:

• We prayed together every week for seven years
• We laughed together and drank endless cups of coffee
• We shared together at deeper level than I have with any other person outside of my family
• We cried together over the some of the deep hurts of life and ministry.
• We did crazy Kingdom projects together. We once decided to read the Bible out loud in the main street of Warrnambool from Genesis to Revelation over an Easter weekend.
• Ian had an incredible heart for the city. He saw his ministry being to the city and not just to a local church.
• Ian spent endless hours building bridges and removing barriers between churches in our city. He was often greatly misunderstood and endured many harsh words spoken about him by his brothers and sisters in Christ. Never once did I hear him respond or to speak ill of any other person, church or leader in our city. He passionately believed in the power of the Holy Spirit to move across our city.
• We often preached in one another’s churches.
• He poured his life into me.
• He spoke words of life and encouragement every time he saw me. I loved seeing him because I knew in advance that he would encourage and lift me up.
• Being with Ian just made me want to love Jesus more.
• Ian passionately loved his wife and his children and was unashamed of putting them first on so many occasions.
• Ian left a rich deposit of grace in my life. His life and passion touched my life in so many different ways.
• He seemed to know the truth of the words in Proverbs, ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue’. Ian used his tongue to speak out words of life. He spoke words of life over me, over my church, over my ministry, over other churches and other leaders, over our city and over our nation. His life and witness touched many people. There are many people I could name that are now in the Kingdom because of Ian.
• His life was tragically cut short. It seems so hard to understand, yet in a few short years of ministry his influence will go on for many years to come.

Ian is gone from us. You and I are still here. What time do we have? I don’t know, but I do know this – We have today! Hebrews says that God has chosen a special day and set it aside – calling it TODAY. Whatever you are going to do with your one and only life – DO IT NOW.

Ian has gone, but he has left a legacy, a huge deposit in the lives of so many. I thank God for the privilege of knowing Ian Lugton. I express my love and support for his wife Lorrain and to all the family who will be feeling his loss much more than I am. Ian is now with Jesus. One day we will see him again and enjoy an eternity together in the courts of our great King. Bring on that day!



I only wish I had some better photos to show you.