Let me tell you about a man I met on my short trip to Sri Lanka last month. His name is Sudath. He was a film director. And a successful one. He travelled the world making films. He won every major award in the Sri Lankan film industry. He even went to, and spoke at, the famous Cannes film festival. Sudath knew great success. But he did not know deep peace.
One day Sudath found himself in hospital, desperately ill with dengue fever. Dengue can kill. It killed the patient next to him. Fearful and desperate, Sudath cried out to Jesus. Having been raised a Buddhist, he became a Christian. And his life was transformed.
Several church leaders sensed that God was calling Sudath to become a preacher, and they told him so. But Sudath was not so sure. He wanted to obey Jesus, but he needed to hear this call for himself. Why was Jesus speaking to other people, and not to him? So one day he prayed, ‘Lord, you’ve given me your Spirit, and you’ve given me ears to hear, so please speak to me. Are you calling me to preach?’ The Spirit answered him.
Today Sudath works – without pay – for a prison ministry in Sri Lanka, preaching the gospel to as many prisoners as will listen. He no longer directs films. He has given that career away. One day, he senses, God will use his skills as a film director, but for now the call is to study and preach God’s word. So he does. He has a wife and two children. And no formal income. But, Sudath assured me with twinkling eyes and deep peace, ‘we always have enough’. I love Jesus more than my life.’
I found talking to Sudath, and other believers in Sri Lanka, profoundly humbling. They really do love Jesus. They endure poverty and persecution in order to proclaim the gospel. I want to love Jesus like that. My response is to pray this prayer from Anselm (Meditation on Human Redemption):
Lord, my heart is before you. I try, but by myself I can do nothing; do what I cannot. Admit me into the inner room of your love. I ask, I seek, I knock. You have made me ask, make me receive; you have enabled me to seek, enable me to find. You have taught me to knock, open to my knock...
I faint with hunger for your love; refresh me with it. Let me be filled with your love, rich in your affection, completely held in your care. Take me and possess me wholly, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit are alone blessed from age to age.
Have a great week. And may you be refreshed today with Christ’s love...
TUESDAY 8th
Community Worship 11:15am-12pm
Facilitated by Dale Campbell and Melanie Carroll
Speaker: George Wieland
Phil 1:1-11
After Dinner Mints @ lunch
Lyn Campbell: is this year’s President of the Baptist Union. Lyn currently works part time as an independent contractor with the Families Comission, leading a peer learning cluster of local councils, which aims to develop family-centred communities. Her experience in advocacy for children and families has brought opportunities to work nationally and internationally.
WEDNESDAY 9th
Carey Prayer in the Chapel
12:40-1:00pm
Lenten Prayers
Praying for the college, community, country and people.
All welcome to join in.
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!
GETTING OFF THE LAUNCH PAD
Need some ideas for effective study…making good notes…reading books efficiently…how not to waste time?
On Wednesday 16 March from 1.30 – 2.15 Peter Hart will be running a Study Skills workshop (room 1). If you’re new to tertiary study, why not come along?
(If you can’t make it at that time, and would like some help with study skills, contact Peter (email peter.hart@carey.ac.nz)
FORMATION GROUP PLUS
This is YOUR Formation Group, full-timers or part –timers, (unless you are a PL, YPL or Intermission)! Come along and join us - for personal formation and growth, encouragement, support and building friendship – and did we mention the morning tea? We meet on Tuesday Mornings from 10.00 - 11.10 in Room 1 (and you get to go to chapel, too, immediately afterwards). Contact Peter (email: peter.hart@carey.ac.nz ) if you would like to find out more…
LENTEN PRAYERS
This week is the start of Lent. Come along on Wednesdays at 12.40 at the Chapel as we reflect on Lent. All are welcome!
NOTICES TO BE SHARED
If you would like a Carey-related notice inserted into ‘Good Morning it’s Monday’, please have this to Shireen no later than midday on the Friday prior.
For other notices on events, Carey information, accommodation and job vacancies, keep an eye on the noticeboard in the corridor or outside the chapel.
ACCESS CARDS
Just a reminder that in order to receive your access card, we must have your photo and your fees must be paid in full. It will then take about a week from then to produce the card and it will be put into your pigeon hole.
TUESDAY 15TH MARCH
SPORTS DAY
Meet at 9:30am in the Dining Room for morning tea together and then it’ll be into a couple of hours of different sports activities in teams together.
Volleyball, indoor bowls, table tennis...etc. You don’t need to be sporty, just come and have some fun!
We’ll round it off with lunch at 12noon.
And also, if anyone has a Nintendo Wii, that we could borrow for the day, or some Wii controllers, we would love to borrow them for the morning. Contact Lance.
NB: This takes the place of the usual formation groups and Community Worship. Crèche will still take place.
ERIC MAILAU
It’s great to have Eric Mailau as our kitchen assistant. Please could you assist him by cleaning up after you have enjoyed coffee breaks/lunches in the dining room.
The duty rosters are in your pigeon holes. Please check to see when you have a duty and make arrangements for a replacement should you not be able to do yours.
For any clarification round duties please see Chris in admin. Thank you for your teamwork.
BREAD COLLECTION
Many of you will have already enjoyed “eating from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant” (Josh 24:13) last Tuesday in the form of delicious ‘Baker’s Delight’ bread. This bread does not teleport itself from the store to the Carey dining room (but I bet the Bread of Life could) – we need willing hands to help collect it each Tuesday at 6pm, from ‘Baker’s Delight’ Ellerslie. Volunteers for a roster please – if you can help, email nige.suzie@vodafone.co.nz or talk to Nige REAL soon! Thanks team!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Graduation
Saturday 2 April
Manukau City Baptist @ 4pm
Speaker: Nigel Pollock
Come celebrate with those who have completed their qualifications.