4Ü #252
A good story in the making
14 September 2006
- WASSUP - Urban myths
- INSIGHT OUT - Numbers that count
- OUTSIGHT IN - A good story in the making
- SEE YA SUNDAY - Xtreme love
- LAST WORD - Living your dreams
WASSUP - Urban myths
When fiction appears as facts
When was the last time you got caught by an urban myth?
I just about got caught out this week.
I have heard it said that the Eskimo have over 400 words for snow. Fact or fiction?
Check it out for yourself see http://www.mendosa.com/snow.html (here's a sample)
- Tlayinq - snow mixed with mud
- Slimtla - snow that is crusted on top but soft underneath
- Puntla - mouthful of snow because you fibbed
- Allatla - baked snow
- Fritla - fried snow
- Gristla - deep fried snow
- MacTla - snow burgers
- Jatla - snow between your fingers or toes, or in groin-folds
- Sulitlana - green snow
- Mentlana - pink snow
- Tidtla - snow used for cleaning
- Hahatla - small packages of snow given as gag gifts
- Semtla - partially melted snow
- Ontla - snow on objects
- Intla - snow that has drifted indoors
- Shlim - slush
- Warintla - snow used to make Eskimo daiquiris
- Mextla - snow used to make Eskimo Margaritas
- Penstla - the idea of snow
- Mortal - snow mounded on dead bodies
By now I'm guessing you think I've lost the plot.
So what's the point!
As with all urban myths there is a truth behind them. The Inuit do in fact have a wide range of words to describe snow (certainly not 400). The more you have of something the greater variety of language you need to describe it.
So why is it we have only one word in English for the word "love?"
Obviously I mean something different when I say,
I love my puppy (had to mention)
I love my coffee
I love Sue
Surely not all words are equal?
INSIGHT OUT - Numbers that count
Within 15 minutes drive from St Columba are 106,225 people.
If we were to reach just 10% of our community with God's amazing love, that would be 10,622 people.
50% of this population claim by census to be Christians.
33% will have been born outside New Zealand
20,000 are 60 plus (and aging)
21,000 are youth (under 20 years)
Our city (Flat Bush) is expected to grow by an additional 40,000 people in the next 14 years.
We have 1212 people who are regularly associated with St Columba
392 people are members of this church
Over the year 30,000 people come to a service of worship
528 attend church each week
Over 200 belong in a small relational group
14 people from St Columba teach Bible in schools each week teaching over 400 children.
295 give of their time and talent as volunteers in St Columba
1540 children attend our holiday programme each year, 75% of which have no connection with St Columba.
The play group connects with 19 800 children and parents each year
Each week we have foot traffic of over 1000 people passing through our facility (not counting Sunday)
The Opportunity shop generates $34,156 per year. With the average sale being say $5; that's over 6,831 sales! (Funds given to mission, community and St Columba ministries)
About 1000 visits were made to Botany Downs Maternity Home with booties given to each baby (that's 2000 hand knitted booties each year)
It costs $526,000 each year to do what we do (that's $10,115 per week)
212 people are on our envelope system
80 people give by automatic payment
I've heard it said, "God's not into the numbers game." Wrong!
God is into numbers and His favourite number is ONE.
Because ONE matters the 99 were left. (Luke 15:1-7)
Because ONE matters God has His eye on you (Mtt 10:29-31)
Everyone matters!
But that's not the end of the story. EveryONE matters.
That's why Jesus has a very big ministry to the multitudes (a collection of ONE).
Jesus wept over the multitudes (Mtt 9:36)
Jesus preached to the multitudes (Mtt 5:1)
As we look to the future as a church we need to keep our eyes on the numbers that Jesus is interested in. The one and the multitude.
We have set a growth goal of 10%, but this can only be achieved as we focus on the most important number - ONE.
Put simply we grow bigger by having a focus on the one.
One matters to God. That starts by each one of us asking God to give us one person to love and serve.
May God's blessing be upon us as we serve together in this wonderful ministry.
On a personal note, it is a wonderful privilege to serve as a minister of St Columba.
Thank you to the amazing people who form part of the St Columba Team in belonging, growing, recovering and serving together.
Thanks you so much to all who pray, support, encourage and inspire me in my ministry.
OUTSIGHT IN - A good story in the making
The five ingredients of a good story (With some help from Aristotle)
Mythos - plot
A beginning, middle and an end. Time captured in a moment.
Mimesis - re-creation
Life becomes storied when recaptured and retold. It comes to life once again. Even history told well is re-created as it is told in the present as life. A good story is lived, it is alive!
Catharsis - release
A cleansing, freeing or embracing of guilt, shame or pain that enters into the deepest places of the human soul. A good story brings to the hearer, understanding, meaning and healing. What hurt, hope or hunger does the story address?
Phronesis - practical wisdom
This is a truth to which you would say, "I knew that." A common sense that is anything but common. What truth does the story tell?
Ethos - ethics
A good story captures the dilemma of personal choice that must be made against the backdrop of meaning. The question "Why?" must always be answered from within the ethos (ethics) of the story.
Every day your life tells a story.
You are a story teller.
What does your story tell?
SEE YA SUNDAY - Xtreme love
This Sunday morning 8.30am & 10.30am - Xtreme love
Starting this week
Xtreme life, how to live a life beyond ordinary
Kick the rut, let go and take some risks that will make a huge difference.
- Week one: Xtreme Love
- Week two: Xtreme forgiveness
- Week three: Xtreme service
- Week four: Xtreme adventure
Bread & Wine - 9.45am - Weekly Communion
This Sunday evening
Poets and Artists - Created to be creative
A community of artist and poets who have a desire to connect life and faith through their creativity. St Columba 7.00pm.
Thanks for this time to chat.
Andrew
St Columba
Where Life and Faith Meet
andrew.norton@stcolumba.org.nz
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LAST WORD- Living your dreams
If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams and endeavours to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.
Henry David Thoreau