When I was a teenager, I watched as my parents went through an incredibly painful and hard period of ministry as the pastors of our church. I haven't made many vows in my life, but I remember making a very clear one at the time: "There is no way I would ever be a pastor."
Oh, how I laugh at that now.
This Sunday we have a very special celebration happening; we are being commissioned into the Vineyard Churches of Aotearoa NZ family, and with that, Gab and I are being commissioned as 'real' pastors. I had vowed this Sunday wouldn't happen.
I am so glad that my teenage vow hasn't eventuated. Just last Sunday at our weekly gathering we heard several stories of what people had experienced during our Prayer Week. If I had seen through my vow, I would never of had the pleasure of hearing these stories of God-at-work right now amongst us. It's an incredible privilege to watch firsthand the new and fresh activity of what God is up to.
We'd love to have you come and celebrate this special moment with us. We have Lloyd and Victoria Rankin, the national directors of the Vineyard, coming to share and lead our commissioning, and then straight afterwards we are want to invite you to stay for a big picnic lunch outside, our shout.
We're set to celebrate, and we'd love to have you there.