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Restoring a broken church
– Restoring a broken world
Mai te Rangi ki te Whenua – From Heaven To Earth
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Flyer:
Restoring a broken church - Restoring a broken world
 (2
pages)
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Author:
Wolfgang Rehfus
Date: 5.9.2025 |
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Kintsugi for Churches
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Political priest or Good Samaritan?
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Reconciliation by actions and deeds!
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The Blessing ...
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Epilogue: "everything must change" ...
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P.S. ...
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Kintsugi |
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Kintsugi, Japanese Art Of Broken Things. Abir
Pothi, 1.11.2023
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Kintsugi for churches
When a church is
broken it needs to be restored. Just like the Japanese art of Kintsugi
mentioned in the Anglican Korero article "Beauty in the breakage: The Abbey
2025 points to restoration - God is restoring a broken world" the broken pieces deserve some golden glue to be united
and restored.
1)
Is our church broken?
Is a
church broken when the suggestion to help starving people in Gaza is slashed
by a premature and not thought-through verdict claiming that it would be too
political for the church to support this?
2)
Is a church broken when
just a week later a prayer is spoken that our faith is only about our love
for Jesus and not about our deeds? Sadly, this prayer indirectly repeated
and cemented the previous verdict not to help, and in addition it felt like
a substitute for communication. We should talk to each other open and
direct, not via ‘prayer-messages’.
And is a church broken when
such a prayer is seconded by additional similar prayers in the fellowship
gathering? Either the group was not aware of Jesus' teachings, or even
mislead and unconsciously manipulated by the sudden and unexpected first
prayer, both not what anyone would want in a Christian Church.
At another church, recently
a video from NZ Family First had been circulated, which (even based on a
reply from an artificial intelligence) praised companies in the US who
stopped or changed their sponsoring to be in line with their new leader,
their new president. By that, these companies actually did just about the
same as had been done by too many almost 100 years ago in Germany. These
companies showed that they have no ethics at all, just marketing and
profit-making (some are well known for that). This video reveals that NZ
Family First is neither ethical nor faith-based, but a rather strong lobby
organisation for Christian Nationalism and such political parties. No
wonder, the video also includes bashing on climate-change and human-rights.
Don’t we realise that NZ Family First is mainly misusing some serious
ethical issues for their misleading and manipulating political propaganda?
It is very sad to see such propaganda being circulated in some Christian
Churches.
«The unity of the body of
Christ is compromised by growing extremism and the failure of the church to
live and love according to the teachings of Jesus and the values of the
kingdom of God.»
3)
It could have happened at
any church, soup & bread wonderful, healthy and delicious, the Vicar’s
message thoughtful, faithful to the point, but at the end of the gathering
someone in the group spoke this unexpected yet intentional prayer about
faith being only about our love for Jesus and not about our deeds. It felt
to me like this broke our church, sudden but unnoticed and subtle. So first
we need understanding, then we need restoration.
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1)
Beauty in the breakage: The Abbey 2025 points to restoration - God is
restoring a broken world,
Nelson Anglicans, Anglican Korero, Petra Oomen, 27.8.2025
2)
Compare
Archbishops speak out on Gaza,
"Anglican Archbishops of Aotearoa, New Zealand and
Polynesia have called on people of good faith throughout Aotearoa, New
Zealand and Polynesia to stand up for the innocent suffering in the Holy
Land – as more than half a million people in Gaza face famine.",
Anglican Taonga, 1.9.2025
and see
Working for reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians,
Nelson Anglicans, Bishop's Chaplain Simon Martin, 21.8.2025
see also
Archbishop Justin Duckworth dives deep on Palestine,
Taonga News, Anglican Taonga, 18.8.2025
3)
«A
perspective on the Israel-Hamas war from an Israeli Jewish follower of Jesus
...
The unity of the body of Christ is compromised by growing extremism and the
failure of the church to live and love according to the teachings of Jesus
and the values of the kingdom of God.
...
If we do not live according to Jesus’ words and actions, to comfort those
who mourn, to be peacemakers, to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk
humbly with our God, we will have failed God’s mission to be living
witnesses to the way of the cross and the gospel of peace. It is precisely
in times of conflict and suffering that the body of Christ is charged to lay
aside the things that divide, to love and to bear one another’s burdens.»,
Peace and Reconciliation as Mission in a World in Conflict, The Lausanne
Movement - Global Analysis, Lisa Loden, May 2024
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Good Samaritan |
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Archbishops speak out on Gaza, "Anglican Archbishops of Aotearoa, New Zealand and
Polynesia have called on people of good faith throughout Aotearoa, New
Zealand and Polynesia to stand up for the innocent suffering in the Holy
Land – as more than half a million people in Gaza face famine.", Anglican Taonga, 1.9.2025
Reflections on Corona and Easter –
Taking Care of Paradise, SolarPeace.org,
12.4.2020 |
Political priest or Good
Samaritan?
Can helping starving people
be political? Or, in case it is political, how much more political is it
then not to help? I don’t think the people in Gaza are interested in any
such questions.
When Jesus was healing on a
Sabbath, it was political too, indeed it was illegal at the time, and the
same applies for example when they harvested and ate grains from the field
at Sabbath.4)
So, the question of a
potentially political cause really doesn’t apply, because indeed everything
Jesus did was very political. In fact, it was so extreme that just by the
worldly standards of his time and culture his crucifixion was no surprise.
Much more important
however, is that we are explicitly called by Jesus to love our neighbour and
to help those in need, and we are called to do so without judging the needy.
If people are starving, we
have to feed them!
Jesus was crucified not
only to forgive us our wrongdoings but also to help us waking up and to
follow his teachings. I feel that is much needed. Any love for Jesus, any
faith in Jesus, any following of Jesus needs to be reflected by deeds, no
matter how small or large. We are all different and we all have different
possibilities and talents gifted to us by God, none achieved by ourselves.
By remaining silent or even
oppressing deeds (and the only deeds possible and realistic for us in
situations such as Gaza are donations), the church does act like the priest
in Jesus’ Parable of the Good Samaritan, while some small groups out
on the streets actually act like the Good Samaritan. They try to do
what they can, they show compassion by their deeds, they try hard and
creative to raise some funds to pay the parable’s innkeeper to take care and
help the needy. Therefore, it is important that our churches return to the
basics of faith such as Jesus’ Parable of the Good Samaritan to make
clear we are here to help. That is our calling. 4)
Indeed, our God-given
vocation to take care of the paradise we live in, God’s Creation, the very
first commandment in the Bible, does include all humans and can’t be
separated from our call to love our neighbour. And both are an intrinsic
part of loving God, of loving Jesus. All three commandments are inseparable.
5)
The holy trinity of
God's commandments:
Love the Lord your God ...
Love your neighbour as
yourself ...
Take care of the paradise
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4)
see
Jesus Is Lord
of the Sabbath (Luke 6:1-11)
and see
The Parable
of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)
5)
see
Reflections on Corona and Easter –
Taking Care of Paradise,
SolarPeace.org, 12.4.2020
cf. «Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with
all your soul and with all your mind. ... Love your neighbor as yourself.»,
Matthew 22:37,
22:38,
22:39,
compare this with
Deuteronomy 6:5 and
Leviticus 19:18
and
«Love your enemies, do good too those who hate you, bless those
who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you.»,
Luke 6:27,
6:28
and
«The Sermon on the Mount
... love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may
be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil
and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you
love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax
collectors doing that?»,
Matthew 5:44,
5:45,
5:46,
also translated as «... Why should God reward you if you love only the people who love you?
...» (Good News Translation)
see also
Genesis
1:26,
Genesis
1:28,
Genesis
2:15, and i.e. John 3:16
and see
The Beginning ...,
SolarPeace.org, 4.8.2020
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Reconciliation |
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Reflections on Corona and Easter –
Taking Care of Paradise, SolarPeace.org,
12.4.2020
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Reconciliation by actions
and deeds!
«Not everyone who calls me
'Lord, Lord'
will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only those
who do what my Father in heaven wants them to do.»
Jesus’ teachings are very clear regarding our
deeds:
«By their fruit you will recognize them.» also
translated as «You will know them by what they do. ... So then, you will
know the false prophets by what they do. Not everyone who calls me 'Lord,
Lord' will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only those who do what my Father
in heaven wants them to do.»
6)
and
«My friends, what good is it for one of you to
say that you have faith if your actions do not prove it? ... "Show me how
anyone can have faith without actions." ... it is by our actions that we are
put right with God, and not by faith alone.» 7)
or for example
«Who is wise and understanding among you? Let
him show it by his good conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes
from wisdom.» 8)
Just like the recent Anglican Korero
article “Working for reconciliation between Israelis and
Palestinians”, we need reconciliation in our
churches as well. I think whoever was reading this article and the linked
resources is well prepared and ready for a next step to help, for example a
good deed via donation. This Anglican Korero article was concluded with “Let us be a
people who, grounded in Christ, seek peace, pursue justice, and extend grace
– here in Aotearoa and to the ends of the earth.” – what a wonderful
word by Bishop's Chaplain Simon Martin.9)
«If we do not live
according to Jesus’ words and actions, to comfort those who mourn, to be
peacemakers, to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God,
we will have failed God’s mission to be living witnesses to the way of the
cross and the gospel of peace. It is precisely in times of conflict and
suffering that the body of Christ is charged to lay aside the things that
divide, to love and to bear one another’s burdens.»
10)
So please – let us reconcile our faith
according to Jesus’ teachings. Let us be a good example for other churches,
let us be a Good Samaritan, let us call all churches and people
throughout the Diocese and throughout Aotearoa New Zealand for generous
donations to support the starving people in Gaza. That will also display a
strong message to help stop the evil blockade around Gaza on a political
level. That is exactly what Jesus would do today.
We are called to do more than the
reflecting priest in Jesus’ Parable of the Good Samaritan. Yes, we
can be the Good Samaritan and make a huge difference, if we want to
and if we take Jesus’ teachings seriously. Based on all we know, the
situation in Gaza commands that there’s no time to be wasted. The Diocese
and the Anglican Missions might be helpful in pooling our donations and
selecting trustworthy aid organisations in Gaza.11)
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6) cf. «By their fruit you will recognize them.» also translated
as «You will know them by what they do. ... So then, you will know the false
prophets by what they do. Not everyone who calls me 'Lord, Lord' will enter
the Kingdom of heaven, but only those who do what my Father in heaven wants
them to do. ...»,
Matthew
7:16,
7:20,
7:21
(Good News Translation)
7)
cf.
«My friends, what good is it for one of you to say that you have faith if
your actions do not prove it? ... "Show me how anyone can have faith without
actions." ... it is by our actions that we are put right with God, and not
by faith alone.»,
James 2:14,
2:18,
2:24
(Good News Translation)
8)
«Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good
conduct, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.»,
James 3:13
9)
cf.
Working for reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians,
Nelson Anglicans, Anglican Korero, Bishop's Chaplain Simon Martin, 21.8.2025
see also
Archbishop Justin Duckworth dives deep on Palestine,
Taonga News, Anglican Taonga, 18.8.2025
10)
«A
perspective on the Israel-Hamas war from an Israeli Jewish follower of Jesus
...
The unity of the body of Christ is compromised by growing extremism and the
failure of the church to live and love according to the teachings of Jesus
and the values of the kingdom of God.
...
If we do not live according to Jesus’ words and actions, to comfort those
who mourn, to be peacemakers, to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk
humbly with our God, we will have failed God’s mission to be living
witnesses to the way of the cross and the gospel of peace. It is precisely
in times of conflict and suffering that the body of Christ is charged to lay
aside the things that divide, to love and to bear one another’s burdens.»,
Peace and Reconciliation as Mission in a World in Conflict, The Lausanne
Movement - Global Analysis, Lisa Loden, May 2024
11)
please
see and compare for example:
Anglican Diocese Nelson and
Anglican Church in
Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia
Anglican Missions
and their call for donations
"Hope for the Holy Land".
Caritas Aotearoa New
Zealand and their call for donations
"Crisis in The
Holy Land".
Local
group "Golden Bay for Palestine" call for donations to Gaza aid agencies
Watermelon Sisters
and Gaza Soup Kitchen
(Wikipedia:
Gaza Soup Kitchen)
See
i.e. «Golden Bay HeART for Gaza ... For its latest initiative, HeART for
Gaza, Golden Bay for Palestine is asking for donations of original art,
pottery, jewellery, craft and other creative pieces to be sold at upcoming
online auctions with all proceeds going to the Gaza aid agencies, Watermelon
Sisters and Gaza Soup Kitchen.»,
The GB Weekly,
22.8.2025 |
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The
Blessing |
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The Blessing ...
«Anglican Archbishops of Aotearoa, New Zealand and
Polynesia have called on people of good faith throughout Aotearoa, New
Zealand and Polynesia to stand up for the innocent suffering in the Holy
Land – as more than half a million people in Gaza face famine.»
12)
Just like the churches throughout NZ joined up
to sing “The Blessing Aotearoa” so wonderfully, we can now join together in
the name of Christ and help with our donations where it is currently needed
most. Thank you very much indeed.
The Blessing Aotearoa ,
«As the world aches ... God's Blessing over all people, everywhere
... and your family and your children, and their children, and their
children ...»
Produced by Brooke
and Grant Norsworth,
St Paul's Lutheran Community Church, Upper Moutere, New Zealand 2020
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12)
Archbishops speak out on Gaza,
Anglican Taonga, 1.9.2025
Please see and compare for
example:
Anglican Diocese Nelson and
Anglican Church in
Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia
Anglican Missions
and their call for donations
"Hope for the Holy Land".
Caritas Aotearoa New
Zealand and their call for donations
"Crisis in The
Holy Land".
Local
group "Golden Bay for Palestine" call for donations to Gaza aid agencies
Watermelon Sisters
and Gaza Soup Kitchen
(Wikipedia:
Gaza Soup Kitchen)
See
i.e. «Golden Bay HeART for Gaza ... For its latest initiative, HeART for
Gaza, Golden Bay for Palestine is asking for donations of original art,
pottery, jewellery, craft and other creative pieces to be sold at upcoming
online auctions with all proceeds going to the Gaza aid agencies, Watermelon
Sisters and Gaza Soup Kitchen.»,
The GB Weekly,
22.8.2025
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Epilogue |
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Epilogue: "everything
must change" ...
“Everything Must Change: When the World's Biggest Problems and Jesus' Good
News Collide” by Brian McLaren
is a very challenging and thoughtful book taking the reader deep into
history, economy, sociology, ecology and theology. It
is the book for restoration of the world and the
church.
«Once you understand the
Biblical imperative to care for creation, then the next step is to get a
big-picture understanding of how and why our world is broken, and how the
message of Jesus invites us to partner with God to seek its restoration»
(James Beck, Eco Church Director for A Rocha Aotearoa NZ)
“Everything Must Change" by Brian McLaren, «Once
you understand the Biblical imperative to care for creation, then the next
step is to get a big-picture understanding of how and why our world is
broken, and how the message of Jesus invites us to partner with God to seek
its restoration. McLaren’s bold and prophetic voice offers a fresh take on
how the message of Jesus challenges systemic injustice and environmental
degradation. This book is both a critique of the status quo and an
invitation to imagine a different way of living – one that aligns with God’s
kingdom values. It’s a call to action for those ready to see faith and
creation care as deeply interconnected.», James Beck (Eco Church Director for
A Rocha Aotearoa NZ,
associate pastor at The River Opawaho Church in Otautahi Christchurch, and
Environment Advisor at Wilberforce Foundation),
My five essential reads for exploring eco-theology, 5.12.2024
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Eco Church New
Zealand
«Churches across Aotearoa New Zealand actively
caring for God’s earth as an integral part of their mission. ... I feel that
Eco Church is breaking down barriers between churches ... It's a much-needed
initiative and restores care for God's creation at the heart of our faith.
Christians should be leaders in environmental issues.»
ECO CHURCH NZ is a project of A Rocha Aotearoa
New Zealand.
A
Rocha Aotearoa New Zealand
«A Rocha Aotearoa New Zealand is part of the A Rocha family of
Christian environmental conservation organisations currently active in over
20 countries around the world. As a family, we focus on environmental
science and research, practical nature conservation, environmental
education, creation care and advocacy through a variety of programmes and
initiatives.»
see also «Season
of Discernment ... God is calling us towards making some brave
decisions. We are the people to carry the burden of making necessary change.
This is the legacy that we will leave for those who come after us. ...»,
Simon Martin, Bishop's Chaplain, Nelson Anglicans, 1.3.2023
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PS ... |
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Please
tell others ...
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P.S.
...
During the previous
years (until 2016),
about 3000 persons, politicians, decision
makers and media world-wide have received each SolarPeace-Information. Please see the section
Energy Transition
for all
SolarPeace press releases and additional information.
The press release
UN-Resolution «Climate Change by Radioactivity» (7.8.2009) had been sent by e-mail to about 4000 recipients and
with registered printed letters to more than 100 Prime Ministers, Presidents
and Ministers in more than 30 countries.
Please pass these information on to other interested people.
Cordial thanks! |
PDF
print versions
for
passing on:
Restoring a broken church - Restoring a broken world
Theological introduction: Reflections on Corona and Easter – Taking
Care of Paradise
UN-Resolution «Climate Change by Radioactivity»
Survey shows: Swiss nuclear power plants don't know what they are doing!
Natural Power – Lifestyle and Necessity
SolarPeace-Flyer
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