News

Myk Habets writes...

Expose Yourself Outdoors - it's Good for You!
I read an interview with Moby in which he said, 'One of the things that is missing from a lot of fundamentalist/evangelicals is the ability to engage in a dialectic, and to grow through being exposed to things you don't believe in.' Dialectic is simply discussion and reasoning by dialogue as a method of intellectual investigation. It is that ability to discuss; I mean really discuss issues with people when they genuinely disagree with your position and you with theirs, but through dialogue - speaking-listening-speaking - both you and the other person come closer to the truth.

I don't like the music of Moby but I do like what he had to say here. I believe he is right. While our churches are full of caring and loving people, we are not renowned for our acceptance, patience, and ability to discuss issues openly and honestly. In fact, in many church communities people simply do not feel 'safe' enough to share their deepest thoughts for fear of rejection or judgment.

But the God-fearers we read of in Scripture had quite a different view. We see Job yelling at God demanding answers to his deepest hurts. We hear David disputing with God, and Moses bargaining with the Great I Am. And you know what, God seems to enjoy the dialogue. He positively encourages it in fact! In Isaiah 1.18 we are told, '"Come now, let us reason together," says the Lord.' God invites us to talk with him. He asks us to enter into a dialectic - the puny and isolated human individual we are - we are invited to converse with the Almighty Lord!

How is this not a lack of faith or irreverent you may be asking? Because it is God who invites us to 'come' and it is God who invites us to reason 'together'. This is faith at its best - it is stumbling Go-fearers coming to God with their questions, hurts, and frustrations and asking him for an answer. And when God-fearers do this - God smiles. So God invites us to engage in a dialectic, and to grow.

A few years back I was driving down the and I was struck by a billboard on the side of the road. When I say struck I mean in the proverbial sense. It read: 'Expose yourself outdoors'. My first thought was that it was a naturalist advert. In reality it was an advertisement for the marketing company OGGI who were trying to sell billboard space.

In Mathew 7 and John 15 Jesus uses an analogy to teach us how to live. He says we are like fruit trees - if the fruit is good then the tree is good. If the fruit is bad then the tree is bad. Simple analogy - profound truth. Using a more contemporary analogy, Jesus is saying to us - 'expose yourself outdoors'. Live your life in such a way that people see your beliefs. Live in the public eye in such a way that people feel your love, experience your compassion, and are confronted with a different way of living. The life of a God-fearer not a man-pleaser.

What do OGGI and Moby have in common with you and I? A lot I think.

The mission of the church is to declare, to proclaim, to witness. She has been left on earth to be a witness to certain great eternal truths which she received from God and which the world could not possibly know unless she told it. The church has the message, the world has the need. But it is up to you and I to show them, to tell them, to love them. This begins with us exposing our beliefs and feelings and ideas to one another, and then living out these ideals, this Christian ethic, in front of a watching world.

MONDAY 10th

Community Worship

1:15-1:35pm in the Chapel

"Prior Appointment"

TUESDAY 11th

Community Worship

11:15am-12pm

"Yeah Right!"  

Facilitated by Julia Emmitt & Aaron Minnee

After Dinner Mints

Martin Sutherland and Michael Hanson

Needing little introduction to the community, Michael (Dean of Studies) and Martin (Theology lecturer) have both recently been farewelled from the full time teaching staff at Carey. They rejoin us today and fill us in on what they are now doing and give you the opportunity to say your thanks and farewells.

WEDNESDAY 12th 

Carey Prayer in the Chapel

12:40-1:00pm

Praying for the college, community, country and people.

mester 1

FEES AND ACCESS CARDS

Fees for distance and onsite students are now due! Please ensure that these are paid as soon as possible.

The access card has your photo on it and is multi-purpose acting as your access, ID and library card. Please note: your fees need to be paid in full  and we need your photo before you will receive this card.

Should you have any problems with your access card or if you lose it please see Chris Lucas, situated off reception, or email her on chris.lucas@carey.ac.nz

ACCESS TO BUILDINGS

Dining Room/Chapel (card access only)

8:30am-9:30pm          Monday - Thursday

8:30am-5:00pm          Friday

Lecture/Admin

Main entrance

8:30am-5pm is open access Monday - Friday.

No student access after 5pm.

Back entrance

8:30am-9:30pm          Monday-Thursday

8:30am-5:00pm          Friday

COULD YOU BE A BUDDY?

New students are starting, both on-site and distance. There's so much to get used to, and they've hardly found their way to the classroom or opened the distance study package when they're confronted with "required reading", "careyonline", "assignments". So many questions! But who to ask? Could you be the answer?

This semester we're initiating a peer support system. We're looking for more experienced students who are willing to be available to a new student for perhaps an hour a week through the first semester, to help them through the initial settling in, maybe give a bit of advice on studying, getting through that first assignment, etc. If you are in at least your second year of Carey study, are averaging B or higher, and would like to help somebody else get the most out of their time with Carey, please email me (george@carey.ac.nz) and let me know (say whether you'd be able to give on-site or distance peer support).

We hope to have the system up and running within three weeks (i.e. before the first round of assignments!) Thanks Buddies! George Wieland

SURVIVING CAREY STUDY

Often people feel disoriented when they start study, especially if they haven't done study at tertiary level before.

To help you with the process Laurie Guy will run two one-hour sessions, one week apart, to help you study successfully. There will be topics like how to read an academic book, how to manage your studies, how to prepare for an assignment, how to write an essay etc. The session will be repeated a second time in the same week to help students who can't get to the other of the times.

The first session will occur Tuesday 11 March at 9am in the chapel and will be repeated on Wednesday at 1:45pm in the chapel. The second session will occur one week later at the same times. Do come if you think the topics could be of help to you.

@THE LIBRARY

Welcome to the library for Semester 1 2008!

Come and enjoy a friendly environment, with books, journals, computers, coffee, newspaper, study carrels, wireless, lockers andstudy rooms.

1.30pm and 6pm are the times for general Library Orientations. Look forward to seeing youthe library- Lesley, Liz and Damir.

Library Hours

Monday-Thursday 8:30am - 6:30pm

Fridays            9:00am-5:00pm

Saturdays        10:00am-2:30pm

PLEASE HELP US OUT!

Many thanks to the volunteers who have filled the vacant duties positions for this semester. Please do take your opportunities when you see rubbish lying around and other things that need doing to help us keep Carey clean and tidy. Thank you!

MAXX TRANSPORT TICKETS

Are you a full time student and regularly use the bus, ferry or train to get to Carey or around the city?

We have a number of MAXX ID stickers that go on your student ID card which will allow you up to 40% discount of the cost of public transport.

Please see reception for this sticker!

REFLECTIONS ON EASTER

An unique opportunity to reflect through art and contemporary media on the events in the life of Jesus as recorded in the gospel accounts of Easter week with Birkenhead Community Church. Details at reception and coffee-table books available from Myk Habets.