When Cardinal Ratzinger became Pope

Priorities in the face of changing culture

2005.The new Pope Benedict XVI will make a priority to communicate with the secular world, says New Zealand Marist Brother Richard Dunleavy, who lived in Rome for 13 years.

It’s quite easy really

A Christian perspective is quite easy really when it comes to it. Sure, one can think of theological and sociological things to bring up, while the ordinary, everyday filmgoer bites into an ice cream, and popcorn flows all over the place, but a Christian perspective is just this: it is reacting or responding to a film as someone who is a Christian. It is just reacting to the material and if faith is important to a Christian then there is a reaction or response that kind of way.

Something in the music does not compute

1999

Released October 27, 1982. Review dated 2022.

The album that put American musician Prince on the map in popular culture came on the heels of the singles 1999 and Little Red Corvette. And it was an album of funky rhythms.

Genesis chapter one: God and creation

MEDITATION. I heard someone say where is God in today’s world which has gone to custard? If God was the creator, has he left us now? Is God an absent landlord?

Looking at how God created the world according to Genesis chapter one, shows God made an investment in creating the world like a caring father makes an investment in attending to his sons and daughters. Why would God change?

2004 offered “an amazing variety of films to consider”

Moral movies awarded

2005. The Passion of the Christ (Pictured) and The Incredibles feature in the Arts and Faith Film Critics Circle winners for 2004 film releases.

Brought up in a home for boys was hard, then life turned for the better

Around the world with your baggage

2002. It’s no easy road finding God. At least, for Ian Head (Pictured above). In 1956, he was going to end his life by jumping off the Westminster Bridge in London. A pull to go to the remotest part of the world was stronger. Ian arrived in Wellington, New Zealand, later that year. It was not until 1987 that the emotional baggage he brought with him started to fade.

Classic, foreign and Hollywood all feature on spiritually significant list

Top one hundred “spiritually significant” films

2005. First there were the Top 100 American films of the 20th century. Then followed the top one hundred cinematic comedies and thrillers. Recently, top movie songs were honoured. After lengthy discussion and debate among a group of web users, the Top 100 “spiritually significant” films ever made evolved and were announced in June this year.

SLT sees training for Christians as wholistic, for life, and from “God’s perspective”

God’s rule and reign in every area of life

2000. God’s perspective must filter into every area of your life, says Barbara Thomas member of the Strategic Life Training board.

“God’s principles apply to every area of life. It’s not just for Sunday’s or church meetings or that you deal with any area of your life differently,” she says.

Retail outlet for Christian resources has quite an extensive range

House of Hope making a difference

2000. Petone’s House of Hope (In New Zealand) was born out of a “fairly evident need for resources and ministry”, explains shop manager and chairman of Jubilee Ministries, Selwyn Stevens (Pictured above).

Support for church initiative to instill values into council planning

Recovering “village values”

2003. Pictured above: The Hutt City Council. A community charter initiated by local churches and adopted by Hutt City Council aims to support Lower Hutt as a safe and connected community, what Lower Hutt Mayor John Terris calls an effort to recover “village values”.

Community get-together an opportunity to look after each other

Antidote for fearful society

2002. St. James’s Anglican Church in Lower Hutt hosted a display of local community and social help organizations throughout the week ending with an ecumenical service on October 20.

Children from India inspire Kiwis to lend a helping hand

Compassionate response to unemployment

2001. While watching a slide presentation of underprivileged children from India at a house group meeting, Ken and Wendy Fraser were impressed that God wanted them to help unemployed people in the Hutt Valley (in New Zealand).

Penalising approach not welcomed

Backing for beneficiaries

2005. A church agency representing the views of the national representatives of four mainline churches (in New Zealand) is concerned that a government bill at select committee stage will unduly penalise domestic purposes beneficiaries who do not establish paternity of their children.

“They were coming because they wished to meet with other people”

Loaves & Fishes only community meal

2001. The Community Outreach Mission for the Salvation Army Crossroads Community Church in Lower Hutt (in New Zealand) runs the only regular community meal in the city.

“We don’t think this year we are facing a major shortage”: Presbyterian secretary

Minister shortage changes methods

2006. The thirty-one advertised ministerial vacancies in Presbyterian churches throughout New Zealand do not constitute a major shortage, according to the church’s assembly executive secretary Dr Kerry Enright. He conceded, however, that parishes with smaller numbers could not attract ministers.

“We are never consciously investing in prohibited investments”: Anglican church

Anglican Church is not wealthy and does not invest in “sin”

2001. The Anglican Church in New Zealand invests socially, and social responsibility is of high priority. Chief Executive of Trust Investments Management Ltd, Peter Jansen, says the Anglican Church is not a wealthy church and does not invest in sin, in response to a 2 September Sunday Star Times article that investigated the Church’s finances.

Strong impressions hard to come by

The week’s music. September 6—September 13. 1972, 1982, 1992, 2002, 2012, 2022. Nothing made a strong impression. One stood above the rest, then opened the mouth to sing. Some you either like or you don’t. It is going to be harder to find Christian music week by week as I can no longer access the list I was using, but I will still look to use a list elsewhere.

Was there enough room to move?

Parking problems

2007. More Lower Hutt residents want to go to the library on a Sunday morning than go to church. Response from a Hutt library survey of 3700 residents showed changing library hours to start at 10am was popular. But this means parishioners from the adjacent Anglican St James Church would be competing for parking spaces at the morning service, according to representatives from the church. The church rents 23.5 carparks to the Hutt City Council for public use during the week, which could be cancelled, according to The Hutt News.

By Peter Veugelaers

Published 2007, Challenge Weekly

Applied theology of the Lord of the Rings sold out

2004/2013. David Moxon became an Archbishop of the Anglican Church in New Zealand and then the Anglican representative to the Vatican in Rome for five years. This was a little of a trajectory of his activities in my interview with him starting with the interview in 2004 and then the interview in 2013. Starting with older The Lord of the Rings news.

Is the first Hobbit movie a ‘religious word’ or principle or something which can change at the heart level?

2013. This is Anglican Archbishop David Moxon’s “review” of the first Hobbit movie via an interview I did with him in 2013.

“A serious misunderstanding of Tolkien’s intentions” says Bishop in response to critic’s malinging of The Return of the King

2004. I interviewed David Moxon (pictured above), the then Bishop of the Waikato (in New Zealand), about The Lord of the Rings movies that were released in the theatre. It seems quite timely to publish that interview in light of the latest ‘incarnation’ of the Lord of the Rings in the media. Here is David Moxon’s “review” of The Lord of the Rings movies by Peter Jackson This is an unofficial review but an interview I had with him in 2004.

To present advice in a way “that is cool and appealing to young people”

Launch of ‘alternative’ youth magazine

2002. In Manchester, UK, an alternative young people’s magazine was launched, which is especially geared towards those in the Church.

Largest gathering of festivalgoers for over four years

Greenbelt Festival “best yet”

2002. An annual four-day Christian carnival held in Britain over August 23 – 26 hit capacity attendances this year.

“Our focus is to encourage and motivate youth”

Zeal Studio a first for Wellington

2002. In the heart of Wellington City [in New Zealand] is the first semi-professional recording studio in the city managed by Christians, says FX Audio Manager Mat Barnes. Youth center Zeal’s latest development is FX Audio, a recording facility for college students and young bands so they can venture confidently into the music industry.

Retailers saw an opportunity to expand gospel music in the marketplace

Christian music hits mainstream retailer

2002. The CD Store’s latest venture in retailing Christian music may become a significant part of the music industry in New Zealand, says the chain’s Manager Roger Harper.

People still trucking into Bible college

Enrolments steady at Bible College of NZ

2007. Bible College of New Zealand enrolments are holding steady although they are well down on those of the early 2000s. Figures have declined in the past two years because of a drop in the number of international students.

The college expects 650 full time equivalent students this year at its national campus in West Auckland, nine regional centers, and distance learning center – the same as last year.

New Bible materials are a ‘fundamental reshaping’ of older resources

Salt makes way for Light

2004. Scripture Union is making fundamental changes to their range of published resources which will take over from the old range of Bible materials in September this year.

Salt, a range of published resources to help leaders of children’s, youth, and all-age church-based ministry to run learning sessions and weekly services, will be succeeded by Light. Salt has been active since 1984, though Scripture Union has been publishing a similar church-based curriculum for over 60 years.

Sitting down with a Bible teacher: “Jesus Christ is the only relevant issue, churches are not”

Unique man with a unique message

2000. Bible teacher and author Charles W. ‘Chuck’ Missler is described on his ministry website, Koinonia House (khouse.org), as a “unique man with a unique message”.

Mr. Missler was speaking throughout New Zealand over the Easter period and beyond.

Extraordinary figures of speech

Jesus’ lesson of the fig tree may be better understood as a figure of speech that teaches us something rather than give an ordinary description of life.

Amazing Grace: “a timely evangelistic tool”

Anti-slavery film likely to be shown here

2007. The pending release of a movie garnering Christian support in Australia is gathering interest in New Zealand.

Programming that contribute to spiritual and ethical development recommended

A good chance for “spiritual” broadcasting

2002. The Television New Zealand public broadcasting charter will gradually come into effect but TVNZ will not have an obligation to reflect programmes with a direct spiritual flavour as this will not be part of their objectives, unless there is a change to the charter before it becomes law.

Legal ground to apply pressure to NZ on Air and Parliament

Christians in secular radio and television

Law change in religious broadcasting gets apprehensive response

2000. The law change in religious and spiritual broadcasting in New Zealand means that church groups as well as minority groups should, by legislation, expect their fair share of radio and television programming, but has been responded tentatively to by some Christians working in secular radio and television.

‘Focus on the future’ for national church

Shifting priorities

2005. The Presbyterian Church is consulting with parishes and presbyteries to decide on the priorities for the church’s national tasks.

Focus on the Future is a series of meetings with parishioners being held in the North and South Island and encourages written submissions.

Cafe church: the way of the future?

Envisaging and innovating the future Church

2002. Wellington Pastor Anthony Walton views writing books, including his latest, Future Church: Church by Design, as a leadership tool for producing vision, “casting a direction the church needs to head down”.

Hall extension intends to make room for all

More kids trigger expansion

2006. Knox Presbyterian Church in Lower Hutt (New Zealand) is undertaking the extension and renovation of its Grimes Hall at a cost of nearly $750,000.

“This vision to be a place of hope and inspiration and love for all has been growing in my heart for over 20 years.”

Church steps out in faith to build $7m worship centre

2006. The Presbyterian Church in the South Auckland village of Clevedon (a town in New Zealand; see picture below) has paid $1.2 million for 8ha of rural land on which it hopes to build a $7 million “worship centre”.

Clevedon, in South Auckland, New Zealand

Singles seeking friendship take to get-together

Singles seeking support

2005. Members of Christian Friendship Fellowship (NZ) are gathering at Queen Charlotte Sound this Easter from all over New Zealand for one of the fellowship’s major get-togethers of the year, the “Significant Singles” camp.

Hope for leavers

Old way is creaking and groaning

2001. Mark Pierson, of Cityside Baptist Church in Auckland, sees huge numbers of people leaving Western churches as a great opportunity.

“After a while there was a need to have clear leadership”

Baptist churches face shortage of pastors

2006. Larger Baptist churches are having difficulty filling senior pastor roles meaning nearly half the pastor vacancies in Baptist churches are either for congregations of 300 or more or in multi-staffed churches.

Ways

The plan is this.

That it goes to plan.

What is the plan?

No pain in the game that’s lived in this life to get to where I need to be,

The need is great, no doubt I feel it strong,

Needy me, needy me,

Needing to get there,

Abide by the plan,

On hand,

Focused and dry,

No doubt in my mind

Got to do it do it do it

There is no turning back

Going forward, on track

Cannot stop, got to go,

Get in that place,

Where I want to go,

All obstacles I will put asunder

Until my life has got to where it wants

Then will I be?

Will I be settled within?

Calm and collected?

There will always be room for the break –

Into something new,

Jump right in.

I’ll stop what I do.

And go that way, the way

For it’s as fresh as new.

The giver

God loves us more than we can love God

God gives more to us than we could give to God

God forgives us more than we can forgive

All God asks is, have a bit of faith in me.

Body, soul and spirit for women

Encouraging women

2000. Aglow New Zealand encourages women to become whole in body, soul, and spirit in an age where it can be fashionable to focus on form rather than content.

Aged care overlooked – lobby group

Call to boost aged care

2005. New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services is challenging the Government to sufficiently fund rest homes and hospitals of elderly people and says a 3 percent funding increase is too little too late.

Creating good families

Impacting Christians and non-Christians

2000. “We exist so that God, working in and through us, will use us, to help people know, apply, experience, embrace and proclaim God’s truth on marriage and family. The result is godly families reaching others with God’s truth”, explains Andy Bray, Director of FamilyLife (in New Zealand), a ministry that encourages a variety of couples at various stages in life in their marriages and roles as mothers and fathers.

‘Presence’ at the games, circa 2000

“Special Presence” at Sydney Games

2000. The YWAM New Zealand outreach team experienced a “fruitful” three weeks at the Sydney Olympic games this year says Jay Granat, team leader.

Ecumenical appeal

Appeal for cyclone-struck Niue

2004. Christian World Service (CWS) is raising money to contribute to the rebuilding of cyclone-damaged Niue.

Cyclone Heta devastated Alofi and the only hospital on the island on January 6.

“Academically rigorous” religious and values education

Advancing religious education in state schools

Religious education seems to have no place in a secular society, but there are those who want to change this.

Church leaders working together

Partners in Ministry – From relational unity to functional unity

2003. A “rookie” pastor found that churches were not co-operating as strongly as ideal, and he desired a greater unity. It was not enough to motivate Stefan Schlogl, Pastor of Victory Christian Centre, to action but when God spoke to him about initiating fellowship between ministers in the Hutt Valley, he immediately sent letters to some of them sharing his vision.

Christians and voting

It’s gold for Jesus’ party

2005. Avalon Baptist Church in Lower Hutt choose a gold background for this election-related sign so as not to confuse onlookers that it supported a particular party.

Christians stir controversy at Parliament

Enough is Enough

2004. The Rally for Human Rights preceded hundreds who marched Monday in the Enough is Enough rally taking a message to Parliament’s steps about the sanctity of marriage, proposed legalizing of civil unions and the Care of Children Bill deemed to undermine the marriage institution.

Intent

The previous ‘poem’ I wrote, “The Friend”, was written out of more a matter of intent than designing something artistic. There is a debate that says one should always write or create something excellently or this does not matter as much as what one is saying. Well, “The Friend” is inclined to be in the latter camp. I had intent with my idea and the art was second on my mind. I don’t think this poem is really that artistic as there are uneven spots; sometimes it rhymes and then it sounds cheesy in a way. But I trust the intent gets through and that’s felt in the poem’s effect. I was wanting to show that Jesus respects women after hearing the song “Everyone Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears. Jesus never came with a iron fist, but was gentle. I was reminded that Christianity can be regarded as an oppressive religion but this isn’t so when you read how Jesus related to women in the gospel.

Myths and facts

I have come across some odd sayings in my day. But more than odd, they were controversial sayings, but delivered palatably, with even with a hint that it should be accepted. Except when I heard it, I may have had the advantage of my knowledge over others in the crowd.

The controversies were told at church, but if one knows their Bible quite literally, as I do, you would think twice about the saying. You would recognize it as controversial and that it did not quite fit the evidence of the Bible. Maybe they were aiming for mass and consumer acceptance, but I sat there dismayed. Waiting for someone to correct. So here it is. The fallacies that appeared from time to time on my journeys. How do I reply…