Graduation

The end of the year is upon us, and with it comes the Covenant Day, Graduation and Commissioning for the Prayer Warriors. Each is a special and different day with differing emotions and attitudes.

Covenant Day was a real time of reflection on what this journey was about to become for the almost to be commissioned officers. Things became very real very fast. Each cadet prayerfully considered what they were signing and then did so surrounded by the prayers of the Staff, Ambassadors, Cabinet and lots of supporting Divisional and Territorial Staff. Not a dry eye in the house!

Graduation however is the academic recognition of the work undertaken over the two years. Each Cadet worked towards recieving two diplomas and a ceritifcate, for which they dolled up in robes and capes and posed for photographs.

And today - today brings all the pomp and circus of commissioning. The parents of the Cadets are honoured with a brunch here at BCM where they recieve a Silver Star. Then its off to the city to march down the street (if the rain clears up...). Following this is a long but celebratory service at the Wellington City Salvation Army where the Cadets are officially ordained as Salvation Army Officers.

Tomorrow, Sunday, is supposedly just a regular Sunday Service. However, the new Lieutenants can proudly wear thier new insignia and we officially become second year cadets.

And thats it. They are released onto the world for thier mission and ministry to continue in the new year at thier appointments.

Please pray that God will continue to bless the Prayer Warriors over this weekend and for their new ministries.

Pranks...

Opportunities are running out and we tend to have a little spare time on our hands...

Anyone got any good ideas for pranks?

Whoa, we're halfway there

Today is the last day of November. Christmas is less than a month away and in exactly 13 days the Ambassadors of Holiness will officially become second year cadets. Some say woop woop, others say already?!?

This year, like all others, has come and gone incredibly quickly. We have all grown, learnt much, been challenged by much and judging by the attitudes going around this place at the moment, are all really looking forward to a well deserved holiday! We have all farewelled our mission placement corps families and will spend time together as sessions for remaining Sundays of this month.

As the blog title song continues; "we're halfway there - living on a prayer." (Why don't we sing this song in our churches?) As I look and reflect over the year and ponder the year to come that Bon Jovi song rings in my head - 'living on a prayer', specifically the lines 'take my hand, we'll make it I swear'. I can't help but interpret that phrase as a reminder of why I am here as well as a reassurance that I am never in this alone.

Holiness

There's alot of discussion going on around our college at the moment about Holiness. What is it, how can we get it, is it acheivable at all?

In The Salvation Army people normally sway between Coutts and Brengle, with a little bit of Robert Street and his book Holiness Unwrapped coming through occassionally.

Anyone who reads this - I invite comments as this area is one which need smuch discussion. We are known as a Holiness movement, and we are called the Ambassadors of Holiness. What do we represent?

Stop the Gossip

The Salvation Army is notorious for gossip, rumours and speculation. It may seem harmless enough at the time, but some of the effects of it can be harmful. People very quickly can lose faith through broken trust and confidences, all because of one breif simple passing comment. Is it worth it?

The solutions to gossip seem simple - if you don't know whether it is true or not, don't talk about it. If its really none of your business, don't talk about it. If someone shares something with you, do you really need to tell someone else about it? Someone else's news is not my story to tell to others.

I've been convicted of this recently - if it doesn't help, it has the potential to hurt. And it is not worth losing a friend because of a loose tongue or comment.If someone tells me something cynical or demeaning to me about someone else, it raises the questions of, what do they say about me to others? And listening and agreeing is just as bad as literally doing it yourself.

I respect and value those people I know I can trust to keep things to themselves. I pray that I can become someone like that. I know I have a long way to go and will hopefully one day begin to catch myself before I say something, rather than feeling regretful in hindsight.

Tips for 2010 Candidates

I'm not sure of the schedules of other sessions, but right now in New Zealand we have just begun the school holidays. For us cadets this means a holida... ahem... "study break" - a time to get work finished, plan for the last term of this year and for the Prayer Warriors to prepare for commissioning. Hasn't the year gone by so fast!

We've also been hosting assessment weekends here at the college and have watched a few very nervous candidates come and go. Faces are appearing in the War Cry announcing the incoming session accepted candidates. Surely they will now be arranging and trying to get everything sorted in order to be prepared to move here in only three months. Time flies so quickly... So here are a few things I wish I had prepared earlier.... (and I don't have kids so if you want tips for those types of things just leave a comment and I'll ask around...)

1. You can never save too much money before you come. Trust us - Student Allowance only goes so far... Its enough to survive and have a little fun with but...
2. If you have spare cash and packing boxes, stock up on the stuff you really like but don't think you'll be able to afford, like your shampoo and conditioner etc
3. Don't leave any blankets or warm clothes behind thinking you wont need them... this place is freezing and power bills really cut into the budget...
4. Go to the dentist. Trust us. Tooth pain can mean big dentist bills when the money is tight. Your choice... suffer a short pain the mouth now or a huge dent in the savings later... The health benefits only kick in when you are commissioned.
5. Read your bible, and maybe brush up on The Salvation Army doctrines... I know this seems silly, but the more we learn here the less we realise we knew. Make sense?
6. Go on holiday. Enjoy your last days of freedom. Have a fantastically extravagant Christmas - as it may be the last you can spend with your extended family, as once enrolled you must stay at your appointment.
7. Keep and maintain freindships with people in your corps/centre. Random donations and food parcels are a blessing.
8. Get some practice - if public speaking really isn't your thing, then to prepare yourself try things around people you already know. Read a poem or carol in a Christmas service, deliver a prayer in a meeting - just to get a liitle more comfortable in front of people.
9. Pay close attention to how your corps does things. Watch and really listen to your pastor. What do you like about what they do, how they preach, what don't you like etc. In a few years this will be you. How do you want to come across, be heard, seen etc. Listen and seek out messages or pastors you are really moved by and study them.
10. Last but certainly the leastest... continue to pray and rely on your call. God has prompted this change in your life and has got everything covered. Trust that he knows what he is doing!

Things will work out, they will be fine. You'll see.

We can't wait to meet you all in 2010.

Habakkuk

Anyone read this lately? It is a fascinating transcript of a prophet's prayer. It begins with a very human moan, a complaint, and then God answers and defends himself. Again, the man questions God 'Why?' Why does bad things happen to good people? How can God allow things like that? Why doesn't he step in a fix it? Why doesn't God answers prayers like we want him to!

The great thing about this prayer is that, not only does God audibly answer the questions, but the pray-er, Habakkuk, is transformed through it. He encounters God in his prayer, and is physically trembled at the thought of what God has done in past and what he still can do. At the very end of the prayer is a wonderful statement of belief that come rain or shine, miraculous justice intervention or horrible destructive invasion, Habakkuk will rejoice and praise God.

I'm preaching on this in a week or so, and am still coming to grips with how scary that statement really is. Its easy to praise God when things are going well, but a whole lot harder when things aren't.

My prayer for us all, as Ambassadors of Holiness, that even when the tough times come - and they assuredly will - we can say as the Message translation puts "I'm singing joyful praise to God. I'm turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God for He is my strength."

The end is nigh...

Now is about the time of year when rumours arise of appointments for the second year cadets. If they have been told, they are sworn to secrecy. Imagine keeping that sort of secret for over another month before anyone else is allowed to find out! I suppose it does benefit those who have to start looking for schools for their children and making Christmas plans...

But for us first year cadets, it seriously makes us think that about this time next year, it will be our turn. Our fleeting time at college will be up and we will be sooned unleashed onto some poor unsuspecting corps. In the most literal meaning and non-profane way possible - God help us all. And thankfully, we are assured that he will.

Every new Officer that I have spoken to in the last few months gives the same piece of advice - make the most of college while you are there. Soak it in; ask questions, take lots of notes. We will never have this sort of learning environment again with such a range of experience and variety of teaching. We have some wonderful godly people here at college, who are encouraging and motivating. We should listen to their guidance and wisdom, in order to learn from their mistakes.

And so, with the future in mind, I urge all of the Ambassadors of Holiness to really enjoy the remaining time we do have here at college, making the most of it. I confess that I have in the past months maintained a pretty slack attitude about classes that I find 'less interesting' than others. Having a big session means we can sit in the back row, pass notes, and do other class readings and work on projects without anyone noticing. But, as I am learning from expereince of delivering sermons to noisy, fidgety groups that this is actually really disrespectful and distracting to others who are genuinely interested in listening...

This doesn't mean we all have to strive for an A++ grade average and not be satisfied with any less... All we can give God is our best and that requires our full attention, focus and time. As we were told in one of our first lessons 'this college does not want to produce 'good students'; they want to empower good officers.'

So enjoy college; as before we realise it, the end will be nigh... And most importantly - remember to HAVE FUN! Play a few pranks, joke around, enjoy yourself... this isn't a prison but a stepping stone.

Saturdays

I, Sarah, am preaching my first proper sermon tomorrow at my Mission Placement Corps. This is being assessed by a retired Commissioner who is to observe, take notes, and meet with me later in the week to tell me how he thought it all went.

As with other things we have led and been assessed for, it is a strange situation to be leading others into worship/teaching while being concious that someone is observing you critically and taking notes. Now I'm not worried about preaching herecy or offending too many people, as the drafts of this message have been read and monitored by college staff, but still, the mere fact that someone is watching with a cliboard and pen handy just adds to the pressure!!!

What I do love though, is that the people in the corps seem to genuinely care, support and engourage us. The same can be said for the college staff. But ultimately, they are not the one whose approval we want, for that we must look heavenward. All I want to do is be used - be used as a messanger/example of God's love and word to people. And if I am not nervous about doing that, then I shouldn't be doing it at all.

Sun!

There are very clear hints around that winter is coming to an end; the sun is out, the birds are joyfully noisy, cadets are out planting and tending gardens and washing can be almost confidently hung outside to dry. Joggers are also getting alot of fresh air in preparation for the end of year fun run. The only problem with bad weather is having to stay inside in classes! I suppose you can't please everyone.

Work is also starting to pile up again - due dates looming on the horizon and Christmas is in sight.

But for now - go outside and enjoy the weather while it lasts - spring has a habit of being fickle...

Can the fish see the water?

Yesterday in Foundations for Pastoral Care we were discussing various aspects of NZ European culture and how it affects us. But really, can we, who are seeped in the culture and usually totally oblivious to it, can we really see it? Do we know why we do what we do, why we say what we say, why in Invercargill people speak funny and call a vacuum cleaner a lux and a holiday home a bach or crib? Can we really see the culture we are absorbed in? Can the fish see the water?

The answer usually is not really - unless that fish is removed from it and put into something else, or steps back and tries really really hard. But if you are from a minority culture or have traveled and experienced other cultures, you may have noticed just how unique and strange NZer's really are. We do some odd things... We say some odd things... Things here that are acceptable are completely taboo in other nations. Things we are strict on are loosely regarded elsewhere.

The concusion to this discussion was that Christianity is counter-cultural. We have been born again into a new culture - a kingdom culture - of which we can look and see the positive and negative aspects of the culture we have come from, and hopefully do something about it.

Divinity of Jesus

Todays 'Thinking Biblically' class is touching on the divinity of Jesus. What are your thoughts? Some topics such as these always raise issues that go back to what we were long ago taught and have often believed since we were children.

The Salvation Army believes that God is 'truly and properly man AND truly and properly God.' But what does this mean and how does this work? On one extreme end of belief are those who emphasize more the humanness of Jesus, he ate, slept, went to the loo and was just divinely chosen by God to do all these wonderful miracles. On the other extreme is those who believe Jesus was fully divine and would have known at birth his divine destiny. Our doctrine says he is both.

An interesting statement made in the class was 'we as Christians tend to lean more towards believing in the truly divine Jesus' - it just makes sense of all the things that he did, all the miracles and amazing wonders - because he was/is God. Its a tidy argument. But to really grasp that he did all this just as a regular Joe Bloggs?

Week three

This is the start of our third week back, and I'm pretty sure we are all ready for another holiday already! The holidays were a great time off, but returning here to college for me really made it feel like home. Back to our own beds, showers, pre-readings, assignments and piles of washing. Sigh... this is the good life.

There is a nice little community atmosphere around college now (or should I say commune...). People are in and out of other people's houses and the kids have a fantasticly large play area/bike track around all our units. People keep an eye out for each other and are usually genuinely interested in the daily stuff that goes on. I know it all sounds peachy and PG13 but it is actually a really nice place to live and study. Just a shame about this weather today! Rain means winter is coming to an end right?!?

Classes are stepped up a little this semester, more is expected of us including preaching and leading in our Mission Placement Corps and soon another Mission Weekend around Upper Hutt somewhere. We also have a elective night class on a Wednesday which is open to the public - so all you who want to know what we do can sign up and join a class or three with us! Trust me, they aren't all deeply theological and high brow... today we talked about 'The Life of Brian' and yesterday we were learning story telling from Thomas the Thank Engine...

We're halfway there... living on a prayer

The holidays have come and gone. Monday begins a whole new term of classes, issues, discussions, papers, exams, readings and work. Sigh. It was good while it lasted.

End of Term

This is it. We have lasted here at college for 6 months or so, half way through this first year, and there is only one more day to survive before holidays... But that one day?

That is exam day... This will be the first time in many many years some cadets have sat a formal test like this and we are all pretty stressed and are struggling to cram everything in. To make things even worse it is a Theology Exam. So not only are we nervous about sitting two hours and trying to recall information - we are trying to recall theories and ideas, some without definitive answers at all!

Added to this pressure is a full exegetical study due in the same day. So all you out there who read this, please continue to pray for us all as we struggle through this one more day, and then spend the next two weeks recovering and being refreshed ready to begin a new semester bright and fresh. Please pray for all the colds and flu to miraculously disappear so we can have clear minds for recalling and forming answers.

But for today, we must all get back to studying - defining the 'Problem of Evil', discerning differences between 'Source' and 'Form' criticism, defining all the 'omni's and trying to describe the indescribeable God. Plus much much more! Fun stuff.

Preaching

In the last two days all twenty two 1st year cadets have presented a full 15min sermon, the result of many hours of study, research, sweat and tears. Was it worth it?

The comments and discussions from the class are helpful, so is the process of watching yourself afterwards and picking up on gestures you do or words that repeat, like saying 'um' or pacing around, or wringing hands together or avoiding eye contact with the listeners.

But the situation and audience are different from what we will encounter in the years/churches to come. This is the practise time - as in a few weeks we begin preaching to the congregations we have been attending for the past few months. So instead of a supportive group of cadets in the same boat, we have an unknown audience who will more than likely share exactly how well they thought you did... Will we be ready? How will we handle this new pressure? How will we handle the comments/criticism?

I think, luckily, that because we are 'cadets' there is alot of support and encouragement given whatever we do, no matter how big the nerves are!

There's a good quote going around that says 'if are not nervous before you get up to preach the word of God to people, then you shouldn't be doing it...' This is an awesome responsibility we are being given, to share and uncover biblical truths with people. I just pray that when the time comes - we will be prepared.

Study Week

We have just finished our first study week off class, and how much study have we done? Well, some have completely finished assingments, others done a little less... Some have been dedicated to work and are fasting from TV until things are finished, while others are rewarding themselves for the work they have done (Transformers 2 is awesome - a great reward!)...

But more importantly, for me at least, this week has been a nice break from structure schedules and a chance to work at our own pace, be us early birds or night owls. It also gives those with children time at home to get things done.

Hopefully all this work will pay off on Monday as we present our 15 minute sermons to each other, and the Exegesis assignments will all be completed by Friday. And it is slowly dawning on us, more so on the 2nd years, that this year is almost halfway through. We have only 6 months of study left in this year and we are halfway through our study before we are released into the world. The 2nd years are coming to grasp that soon they will be on thier own practising what they are now learning. It is a challenging and exciting concept, one which will increase in excitement as the appointment board meets this coming month...

Goals

Setting goals can be difficult. We are supposed to set goals for the year which arise from our personal evaluations and consulations with the Training Principals.

These must be practical and acheivable - not things like 'I want to be a better preacher' as how can you really assess the success of this? Better means what? Better than what? How much better do I need to be before I am satisified? Ultimately you can never acheive this and may feel dejected at never reaching your goals...

So start small, things like, I aim to spend more time reading in the next few months with the set goal of reading two books (outside of the required.) I could aim to relax more and have more fun, being assessed by stress levels and programmed activities for stress relief. Maybe I could aim to open up more to others, and can assess this by my relationships with key people over time and how they grow.

Think out of the box. Maybe aim to get outside more so set a running/walking distance and time goal/challenge to achieve. How great would it feel to achieve these goals! It would make you set more, achieve more and grow more...

So think practical, aim high but acheiveable - I could never be the General by the end of the year! (or could I?!?!?!?... watch out Clifton...)

Evaluations

Today we officially finished all our 'real' classes for the semester before spending the next two weeks studying for our exam and finishing the big three assignments due... The end of a semester is always so exausting! So much work still to do!!!... But it does really make you look forward to the coming holiday rest. Theres a quote I like that says "without the storm we would never see the rainbow...' All we have to do is survive and struggle through and soon, in two weeks exactly, we can sit and relax and enjoy a few weeks off, visiting family, not having to worry about study.

As for evaluations - at the end of each paper we have to fill in evaluation forms to assess how well everything went over the semester - the class work, tutor, assignments etc. We also received during the week personal evaluations collated from other peoples opinions about us. I personally hate these, as I am very self critical of myself already and do not like having to critically assess others. But I am resolved to thinking that these are actually helpful, highlighting areas for improvement and growth to work on over the rest of this year. (I'll keep telling myself that until I do believe it...)

But the best thing about today is that it is FRIDAY!!! Yay, weekend.

Preaching Class - 17 Feb

This morning in class we practised a variety of ways to encourage the congregation to respond after the message has been delivered - you know, the soft music playing over the altar call or the take-home bookmark to remind people throughout the week... What you choose depends on the tone of the message and the intended result - are you wanting the people to sit and reflect, make a decision, leap out of their chairs in praise or be challenged on something throughout the week.

I did find it interesting; the different ways to connect and keep things fresh in people's minds. But I think the key is variety - getting a wallet card every week would very soon fill your wallet, the same as everyone doing a reading after the message every week would soon just become routine.

Any suggestions?

New Blog

We are trying a new thing - to see if anyone would be interested to hear about whats happening at Booth College of Mission.