It seems that lots of people are time poor
but those same people have lots in their hearts they would like to do
so …
some Sundays we don’t gather
we GO
we go and do something that is already in our heart
to help someone in their journey to knowing God
It could be making a meal for someone
or fixing their garden
or meeting up to eat somewhere
or giving a whole lot of kids a game in a park
anything you feel is ‘missional’ for you
all in Jesus’ name
Get read for the next one !!
See what you can plot up to do !!!
and let us know if you want others to join you
Every month we have meal together to eat and converse. Getting to know others, meet their kids, or hear about their dog in a conversation over dinner and maybe get to listen to their story or you tell them a bit of yours; no pressure, just the sacredness of being at the table together.
This is one of the ways we at The Foundry intentionally live out our faith walk. We need others and they need us, and God wants us to be interconnected; to be able to help one another in the tough times, celebrate in the great ones, and plot to do marvellous things for others. Bring food to share, be willing to pray for another in need, or learn how to, and bring clothes that need a new home, you’ll be surprised what you go home with, both inside and out.
Here is our Statement of Faith. (In case you were wondering)
It’s a pretty good read, it endeavours to go through the Whole Story of the message of The Bible.
So grab yourself a cuppa and enjoy. There are references for everything, but I wouldn’t try looking them all up at once, unless you have all day… do that in short bursts and when you are ready.
Vineyard Churches Statement of Faith
If you are interested in contemplative moments and spending time in silent and led prayer, contact us, we have some people who love that and have have beautiful ways of helping you connect with God far from the maddening crowd.
After the Covid Lockdowns, we moved to be at a barn for a while. For us, it’s about formation, it’s about being a community that is letting God form us into the people he has made each of us to be.
So, as we gather on Sundays, we allow ourselves to be formed by encountering his presence, his words to us; re-forming our own thoughts in times of communion, worship and listening and conversation.
At The Barn : Coffee is on when you get there with time to say hi to people and then we gather all together, grab a seat on a couch or at a table, and we will have a short focussed time, where we will take the communion, maybe worship together, or listen to a TED-length talk (well, slightly longer), or be inspired through someone’s story. Text 0212872280 to get the address.
Our kids are a vital part of our lives and our gatherings and we have plenty of room for them to play. we are not doing a formal “kids church” at this time, but we want them to feel a part of what we do, and we have various activities for them to do. This is an ever evolving area of our church.
On the second Sunday of the month we have kai and everyone brings food to share.
We are a bunch of people who have found that we need God, and want to be a part of what he is doing and can do in people’s lives.
Wherever we gather, there is coffee, friendly people, good music, lots of room and activities for kids, we welcome youth and people of all ages.
We want to provide a space where people can come and consider some of the bigger things of life and where they fit in, and where all this God stuff fits in. It’s a journey and it’s an event; its life making us ask questions and look for answers in the direction of God.
Come join us!!
We want to see many people have their lives become free from the things that damage us and those we love, not by our own efforts but by realising that there is a God who made us and cares for us.
Learning how to be alive and well on planet earth, committing ourselves to following Jesus, living in the real world, engaging in relationships, bringing up our families, or getting jobs, or studying, caring for our neighbour near and far in this global village we live in, growing up as we grow older, and bearing the image of the God who loves everyone, being an influence of his goodness in this world or becoming such.
Jesus didn’t seem to be very complicated when he walked around the lakes of the Middle East talking about how God wants to see people free, and his purpose was clear… he came with an invitation to every man, woman, and child – “come and know this good God”
His mysterious act of laying down his life for his friends (everyone) and incredibly astounding resurrection has opened up the possibility of a world of people set free to be what we were created to be; this has attracted us and captured our hearts.
The Foundry at it glorious best would be a community of people who have found that this faith in Jesus thing really works – it brings peace, forgiveness, healing, restoration, love , produces healthy individuals who know how to live their lives well, loving God with all their heart and their neighbour as themselves.
We are pretty close to that… but we are all on a journey and together we are looking to grow into being people who are more like Jesus every day, because He is changing us.
We are passionate about all this, because we have seen what Jesus can do. He is the rescuer, the redeemer, the lover of our soul and the friend who sticks closer than a brother.
So, you want to follow Jesus, and need some inspiration.
If you find reading The Bible a bit daunting , maybe this can help …
Have you ever watched any videos from The Bible Project?
Check them out on Youtube or their own website where you can register to get your own portal
and keep tally of the videos you watch.
https://thebibleproject.com
These short helpful videos will help you get an overview of the stories and themes in the Bible ..
all leading to Jesus
Here are a few tasters.
We watched these over a couple of Sundays during our gathering.
One on Wisdom itself and one on the book of Proverbs… if you missed them, here they are.
Need some thinking time? Need to connect with and have more of a sense of God?
Try some of these resources to help you
A suggested tool for daily Reading and thinking is the Bible in One Year App or email subscription. This comes from Nicky Gumbel who is the pioneering vicar from “Alpha” at Holy Trinity Brompton Church in Britain. Alpha is a course designed to help people find answers when they are looking into having faith in God. I think it is one of the many inspiring daily readers you can get, so I mention it here. (Cindy)
Book Recommendation
NT Wright has written some excellent devotional comments on the books of the New Testament, such as Matthew for everyone, Mark for Everyone, Luke for Everyone, John for Everyone; you’ll be seeing a pattern here! Google the books if you want to buy them or down load the kindle versions, here are a couple of places to start
Matthew for Everyone and N.T Wright for Everyone
What is prayer? Simply talking with our amazing God! So many ways to do this, alone or with others. If you are not confident to pray, drop us a line on our contact page and we can get someone to call you and see how we can help.
Jesus taught his disciples to pray and there are plenty of prayers in the Bible to read and see what others did, but the best way may just be to start telling God our Father what is on your heart and listening or watching for his response.
Many people begin their relationship with God by simple prayers such as “God help me!” or “ If you are real, please show me” or “ I now believe in you, and I commit all of my life into your hands, please forgive all the things I have done that were wrong and give me the power to live with your ways first. Please come and make me alive to you, and I will follow you for the rest of my days” or many other variations, but once you are his , you will want to have an ongoing relationship with your creator.
This is where more prayer comes in. You could come to our Sunday Gathering and meet people who are walking this faith in Christ, and maybe get someone to pray with you or join one of our PODS (Places of Discipleship) and find out what others are doing.
Praying is usually just an honest conversation with God that may include; honouring him, thanking him, asking for help for yourself or someone else, saying you are sorry for something you have been doing that you know is not right or good and asking for forgiveness and strength, looking for guidance, asking questions, or expressing pain; you might sing it, shout it, whisper it, or breathe it. But it is connection to God through Jesus, and it will help you live your life more fully and securely knowing that you are connected to the Creator and living in his love and purposes for you and the world you live in. Usually people seem to pray as they think it, and this is a good thing, but here are a couple of ancient prayers for you to maybe look over if you feel stuck for words.
These were prayed by people from other times and places than us, but they are both longstanding prayers that people have prayed for centuries. If you have any more written prayers you would like to see added here, drop us a line through our contact page
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born
to eternal life.
Amen.
You probably have heard of St Patrick’s Day, but the story about the man who changed Ireland from Paganism to Christianity is mind-blowingly awesome, and his famous prayer covers a lot. Some of it is a bit strange to us, and about things we have no experience of, but we can relate to his passion and total surrender to God.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ’s birth with his baptism,
Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial,
Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension,
Through the strength of his descent for the judgement of Doom.
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of Cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In prayers of patriarchs,
In prediction of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.
I arise today
Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.
I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me:
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me.
God’s host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.
I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and souls,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul.
Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
so that there may come to me abundance of reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness,
Of the Creator of Creation
If you want more, check out one of our instagram pages:
the_prayers_we_pray
At 448 Old Te Atatu Rd, Te Atatu Peninsula, Auckland 0610 on the building at the very back.
We have a clothing transfer station…. like an op shop, but only open on Wednesday 1-7pm
and every second Saturday Starting mid-March 2021.
Watch this space. So many great pieces of clothing looking for new homes and we sell them for a gold coin, using the money to help young people get to camps etc. You can also grab a friend or two and go by appointment as we have volunteers who can be there at random times. Pop on in.
Instagram: thefoundrydepot
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Click below and write a message to us or talk to us
Facebook: The Foundry Vineyard Church
Instagram: thefoundryvineyardchurch
nations – he also included a promise: “I am with you always, to the end of the age” ( Matt 28:20)
We are part of that disciple making team as well, years on of course,
and we wanna serve him in any way we can.
Sometimes being part of the team making disciples comes down to simple things
such as helping the church service run smoothly,
or welcoming people and making them a coffee,
or teaching kids,
or cleaning up when everyone else is going home.
The people who make things happen, minister to people, and keep us legal and financial.
Captain of the Ship
Cindy Brickell – I guess you could call me the “Pastoress”, but I just love serving God through serving people and helping others to find their spot in the world. I am also super keen on seeing our community develop into something so good that you just want to be part of it.
Being part of the CREW is a great way to feel involved and get to know people, serve others and be on the team. Let us know by talking to one of us at church or through our contact page if you want to help. We certainly are keen to find the right people for the right spaces.
Here’s a couple of things that could help you with your daily life.
Our wee clothing depot @ 448 Old Te Atatu Rd, Te Atatu Peninsula, Auckland 0610
in the building at the back
open 1-7 Wednesdays at least
check out our instagram for more updates: thefoundrydepot
Let all these clothes have new homes.
Every Thursday we have a few Pantry Top Up parcels to give away
please contact us if you are going through a tough time and could do with some help,
or if you have a friend in that position and we will see act we can do. 0212872280
WISH YOU HAD MORE MONEY?
CAP Money (If you haven’t checked out the video above… push play) is a great free course to help you sort out your finances. the founder of this course was horribly in debt himself years ago, and managed to crawl out of the agonisingly difficult place he was in. He knows the stress and debilitating reality of living with debt. he and his team have developed a simple plan, with easy steps to help you stay stay in control of your money.
The course will be starting soon, and the time and date will be decided by the needs and availability of the participants.
Thinking of coming? Invite your mates to come with you and see if this could help you do better with money.
Contact us through our Contact page to get some more info.