Major Maureen ready for a challenge | Taranaki News | Local News in Taranaki

Something is happening and it is all good!

This is the theme our new Minister, Major Maureen Ashton, has started the new year with. Major Maureen, supported by her husband Major Gary, is well known from her time at the Eventide Home (Mercy Jenkins Eltham) and as ministers at The Salvation Army Hawera Corps. The past two years, Major Maureen has been the Chaplain at Mercy Jenkins Eltham and fulfilling various supporting roles with The Salvation Army. The Central Taranaki Corps has been blessed with the appointment of someone of such high calibre as Major Maureen. Her enthusiasm and commitment to her position is coupled with a very professional manner. Not only will the church grow in many different ways but Major Maureen's inspiration could do wonders for this whole region if she is given the opportunities to share her vision.

In mid-February, Major Maureen will attend the launch of a new Strategic Plan of The Salvation Army for New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga. This is about meeting the needs and challenges of the church and organisation in today's world and will involve some change. Everyone is looking forward to this event and the positive outcomes from the plan.

If our society is going to go into the future with a sense of hope, happiness and fulfilment, we have a responsibility to have moral standards that reflect the Bible's teachings. After all, the basis of our country's laws is found in the Ten Commandments of the Bible. If everyone adhered to these commandments and were in step with their spiritual self, there would be no need to have policed laws in our beautiful country.

Over one hundred people from Central Taranaki are working out Community Service sentences from the Courts most weekends and weekdays. The number of people who have alcoholic, drug, immoral behaviour, fraudulent deals, dishonesty, anger and relationship problems is huge. The number of victims as a consequence of all this trouble is several times more, often affecting their lives long term.

We, as a community, must change our ways. On Sunday January 28, the sermon was about getting rid of the rubbish in our lives. Before we can renovate, remodel or rebuild, we need to do some sorting out and throwing out first. To forget and go forward is not easy. Sometimes we hold on to things in the hope of restoring them. A mindset on godly principles brings change from the inside. We can eradicate gossip. We can be loyal and faithful people, honest in our conduct. 'The rubbish truck is coming and it is today!' 'Relationships' was the theme for the meeting on Sunday February 4.

Verse of the week: 'Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil, cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honour one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practise hospitality.' Romans 12:9-13