It was really sad to hear that Tony Johnson passed away last Saturday after fighting an aggressive form of Parkinson’s disease. Tony and Karen joined our team in our early years and headed up our children’s work and oversaw the youth.
Tony had a great passion for children, and developed a programme for us called Touchdown All Stars. It incorporated Sunday services and a holiday programme that attracted up to three hundred children each day. It found huge favour with our community and resulted in many families coming into the church.
Tony also developed a model of mentoring our youth as leaders in this programme, and many of those early Touchdown leaders are now church leaders. He was an outstanding leader.

Tony and Karen were generous supporters and encouragers in the building of the East church. At one stage the contractors, Canam Construction, offered us up to twelve of their top carpenters for free; we only had to supply materials. The problem was that we didn’t have any money until Tony and Karen stepped up and gave us a generous gift.
Karen and the family also made a huge contribution to our music. We are indebted to them. Tony was a great husband, dad and servant of God.

From the sadness of taking a funeral on Thursday to the joy of taking a wedding on Saturday; this is the variety of privilege and emotion a Pastor has. Neena our Young Adults Pastor and Chris had their special day with a service in St George’s Church in Epsom. Neena was so keen she arrived early and had to wait around the corner from the church. They are a great couple and faithful servants in our church.

Yesterday I had my last lecture with our interns at Ministry Training College; first year students have a few more weeks before the term ends. I teach the interns on church health/growth. And then tonight it looks like I will be attending my first ever cooking demonstration. Not really my thing, but one of our Elim College students has invited TV cooking celebrity Annabelle White to demonstrate as a fundraiser for the college Israel trip. Marilyn is hoping I might learn something, but I don’t think you can teach an old dog new tricks.

Saturday night is our staff Christmas party, and then I am back in the East on Sunday after being in the North last Sunday. We are into number four of our series on Forgotten Virtues; this week talking about integrity.

Marilyn and I got away to our holiday house at Mangakino for a few days over the weekend. It was good to get a break in what is a lovely spot, overlooking Lake Maraetai and the golf course. Beyond the lake are the Pine forests, so it is a very quiet peaceful place. There wasn’t a lot of rest though as the place was a bit over grown from winter; still I don’t mind tidying it up.

Sadly Marilyn’s sisters eldest son passed away after a period of sickness last Thursday. I took the service yesterday. It was a sad time for the family and not something any parent envisages. Our children, they are supposed to have dreams, plans, work and contribute to society, get married, raise their own children. Parents become grandparents. Well at least this is the dream parents have for their children when they are little. Life does not always work out as planned.
In Ecclesiastes the Bible says that “there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die.” The passage goes on and says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Ray Stevens misquoted this verse; he sang “Everything is beautiful in its own way.” That’s not true; everything is not beautiful. The Bible says that God “makes” everything beautiful “in its time”. He will bring good out of bad, beauty out of ashes, life out of death.

Another friend passed away since I last wrote. One of my neighbours in Mangakino went suddenly with a stroke. Adrian was a tough Dutchman but was a great neighbour. He kept an eye on our place. Over the years we had some great discussions on the church and faith and he often talked about the man upstairs. I don’t know where he stood with the Lord when he left but he asked for the life support to be stopped so he could go home. I trust in his final moments he made his peace with God. Adrian was the same age as me. It is a reminder to make each day count for the Lord. The family asked if I would take the funeral.

We had our National Leadership Meeting in Wellington last week. Once a year we are joined by our wives for this and have some social time together. This year the boys went to watch the Phoenix play and lose their first home game. The girls and Bob and Clinton went to the Ballet to watch the Nutcracker. We have a few big changes coming up. It is my intention that this be my last term as National Leader so some things are being put into place for when my term is up. Part of this planning is to bring Mike and Liz up from Dunedin to Auckland next year.

Tonight is Volunteer Appreciation Night in the East. Last Friday we honoured them in the City with a Polynesian night. Where would our churches be without the amazing team of people that make it happen all week, every week? I am just in awe of the hours many contribute without any reward apart from knowing they are serving the Saviour they love.