To the church family.

This is the third of our FBC Leadership Team (LT) updates.

As we promised in our last update, the below provides more information about the Search Committee, and about our prayer focus over the coming weeks. 


The Search Committee (SC)
We have prepared an Information Pack [link to info pack]. This outlines the role of the Committee, the characteristics needed in its members, and its core tasks.  We encourage church attendees to prayerfully consider their potential role in this team over the holiday period.

We noted in our last update that the LT intends to provide church attendees with the opportunity to nominate individuals to be part of the SC.  While we haven’t formally opened up this process yet because we want people to fully understand what is involved, we are delighted to have received some nominations already!  These are now on the list, and we will add further names once the nomination process formally opens. 


Prayer Focus
Ian Moorhouse is leading our prayer focus in 2023.  He has provided the following encouragement!

And as Jesus taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’” - Mark 11:17

To be able to come to the place of prayer is a rare privilege - a place where we have access through Jesus Christ to God Himself. We can come regardless of our past or how we feel about ourselves at present.
Hebrews 10 declares -

19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 

The mandate to the body of Christ - the Church - is to be a people of prayer individually and collectively.

Many will remember the active prayer life of the church when as individuals, as small groups and as a wider group we would be in the place of prayer on church premises night and day. Many spiritual and physical needs were met through prayer at that time, a generation of inspired disciples released to go forth and a first love for Christ restored in many.

The church due to Covid and many other things finds itself in a drier, harder place.

As Christ said to the church at Ephesus, we need to return to the things we did at first, seeking God’s direction humbly as the creator, enabler and motivator of the body of Christ.

As we now seek God’s direction as a people in terms of pastorate, in terms of God’s purpose for the fellowship, and in terms of nurturing effective disciples for Christ, we must again fall at God’s feet in prayer in a determined and inclusive way for all of us.
 
2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
 
We will be starting weekly prayer meetings on Sunday evenings at 5pm.
These will start January 8th 2023 and will be held in the Church building.
They will be of about an hour’s duration or as the Spirit moves.
Whilst the focus will be one of seeking God’s direction and enabling for us as a fellowship, there will be ample opportunity for people to just come and be, experiencing the presence of Christ for themselves and being forever changed by it.
Please join us. 
 
Next Communication
We expect that our next update will be in mid-January after many of us – staff and leaders - return from our holiday break. 
We are trying to keep you as informed as possible of course, but if there are other things that you would like us to communicate more on, we would love to hear your ideas.  Please do send those, and any questions you may have, to leaders@franklinbaptist.org.nz
 
Ngā mihi o te Kirihimete me te Tau Hau kia a koutou ko tō whānau.  Greetings for Christmas and New Year to you and your family.
 
Faye and the Leadership Team