Church Talk
Recovering from resentment
Friday 1 April 2011 | Published in Church Talk
It’s a fact of life that people hurt each other. Either intentionally or unintentionally we hurt each other. You’re going to hurt people, they’re going to hurt you. How you handle that hurt will, to a large degree, determine your happiness in life. If you don’t respond correctly to hurt, it turns into resentment. If […]
Aere ra Papa Tauturu
Friday 25 March 2011 | Published in Church Talk
Ngametua Kae, commonly known as Papa Tauturu on the island of Atiu, passed away quietly at his residence in Teenui earlier this month after a long illness. He was laid to rest at the Atiu CICC church yard. The burial of this gentleman was witnessed by the entire island population. Kae was elected as a […]
In times such as these
Friday 25 March 2011 | Published in Church Talk
In the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquake and the tsunami in Japan, people everywhere are once again reminded of the vulnerability of life. What is here now, can be wiped out in a matter of seconds. I was in Auckland recently, and in the same motel we had stayed in, were families who had moved […]
Rally for Sunday Schools
Friday 18 March 2011 | Published in Church Talk
A rally for Cook Islands Christian Church Sunday schools will be held this Sunday at the Titikaveka church grounds. The theme of the rally is ‘Te uki ou i te aakianga i te ingoa o Iesu Mesia (the new generation to proclaim the name of Jesus Christ)’. The rally will start at 4pm and begin […]
There is hope for the addicted
Friday 18 March 2011 | Published in Church Talk
There is hope for the addicted, and this hope comes through the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. The goal of the fly fisherman is to catch trout through skillful deception. The adept fisherman studies trout behaviour, weather, the water current, and the types of insects trout eat and when those insects hatch. He will […]
Catholic youth gathering
Friday 11 March 2011 | Published in Church Talk
PHOTO: A group of Cook Islands youth were among the 600,000 pilgrims at the 2008 World Youth Day for Catholics in Sydney. “/> Close to 300 youths from across the Cook Islands, Tahiti, New Zealand and Australia will gather on Rarotonga in July for a special youth gathering called Tikauanga Karatia o te Toru-tai-tapu which […]
We need a 'kingdom vision'
Friday 11 March 2011 | Published in Church Talk
Many Christians are satisfied with a Christian message that improves their lifestyle but have failed to embrace the purpose of the Kingdom of God itself. Others have been so consumed by the pressures of life, that it has forced them to take their eyes off Jesus entirely, resulting in spiritual defeat. When we die we […]
An arrogant or a loving eye?
Friday 11 March 2011 | Published in Church Talk
There is a Latin saying that in communication whatever is received is received according to the mode of the receiver. In other words, it doesn’t matter how simply, clearly and loudly I say something – if the culture and life experience of the listener has not prepared them to hear, then they won’t. People can […]
READER CONTRIBUTION: Don't condemn all faiths
Friday 4 March 2011 | Published in Church Talk
Do not be deceived. I would like to encourage those who are truly seeking truth/God in their lives to investigate what people are telling them. Do the research. A blind adherence to the spoken word of an individual goes against the gifts you have been given. Look at the various interpretations of a given scripture. […]
Knowing the will of God
Friday 4 March 2011 | Published in Church Talk
There are not many questions that Christians ask more often than, “What is God’s plan for my life? How can I know it? And how can I be sure that I know it?” These questions come naturally to Christian people. But even if they did not, they would be forced upon us by the Bible’s […]
Rangi worries for youth
Friday 4 March 2011 | Published in Church Talk
Cook Islands Christian Church (CICC) director of youth Rangi Henry says many young people within the community need to further develop their relationship with God. “They all have relationships with parents, friends, and teachers but not with God. The most important relationship is missing.” Henry says most problems and challenges faced by youth also sprout […]
Women called to pray on Thursday
Wednesday 2 March 2011 | Published in Church Talk
Thursday is Women’s World Day of Prayer, which Christians all over the world recognise as an opportunity to get together and pray. The celebration is annual, and falls on the first Friday in March. Churches around the island will be participating and invite anyone to come and pray – the service will start at 6pm […]
Mission leader preaching
Friday 25 February 2011 | Published in Church Talk
Reverend Suliasi Kurulo, leader of the Christian Mission Fellowship (CMF) movement that has planted 1500 churches in more than 100 nations, is leading a crusade on Rarotonga this weekend. He is based in Fiji and oversees missionaries in the United Kingdom, the United States, South Africa, Cambodia and across the region, but Rev. Suliasi has […]
Desperate cries, desperate times
Friday 25 February 2011 | Published in Church Talk
Two missionaries of the Lord Jesus Christ, Paul and Silas, had been locked up in a prison, chained to the wall and doors locked behind them. The prisoners had heard them praying and singing praises to their God at midnight when suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were […]
Building a life of purpose
Friday 18 February 2011 | Published in Church Talk
Last time I wrote this column I talked about what happens when I don’t understand the purpose of life. That life seems useless, tiresome, unfulfilling, insignificant and uncontrollable. Then we made the statement that the purpose of life is preparation for eternity. The question is, how do you do it? Four ways: 1. Get to […]
Let God write your love story
Friday 11 February 2011 | Published in Church Talk
Dear Editor, It filled me with sadness to read in the paper on Wednesday about how a letter writer believes that a normal part of growing up here is being a hormone driven, sex obsessed young 20 something whose life is focused on the social scene. For me, my husband and countless others we know […]
Let's lose our fortress mentality
Friday 11 February 2011 | Published in Church Talk
Have we developed a “Fortress Mentality”? This mentality has a crippling influence. When you check the meaning of “Fortress” on the internet, you will find the following definition: something impossible to get into, something that is impenetrable or acts as protection, a stronghold and fortification. The mindset is, rather than taking new grounds for Christ, […]
Ask in faith and act
Friday 4 February 2011 | Published in Church Talk
Meaningful prayer requires both holy communication and consecrated work. I want to review three examples of asking in faith in meaningful prayer and discuss the lessons we can learn from each one of them. As we speak of prayer, I emphasise the word meaningful. Simply saying prayers is quite a different thing from engaging in […]
Nukutere prefects start 'discipleship'
Monday 31 January 2011 | Published in Church Talk
Nukutere College on Friday inducted 12 new school prefects who were described by Father Freddy Kaina as being like Jesus’ 12 disciples. The Catholic community gathered at St Joseph’s Cathedral for the special mass which not only saw the blessing and inauguration of the prefects but also the first mass for the new college students. […]
Apology for error
Saturday 29 January 2011 | Published in Church Talk
Dear Editor, I would like to clarify my article in Churchtalk from yesterday. Whilst I was reading it this morning I notice a paragraph which I had forgotten to finish editing when I sent it through. It was all out of order and so looks like it was saying that I don’t buy into Jesus […]