Our call as Settlers is to people who for various reasons find themselves in difficult places in life. People who have experienced things like physical or sexual abuse, imprisonment, addiction, health challenges or just plain loneliness and isolation. We help them find and follow Jesus. We help them heal, grow, and become members of small communities of friends, places of belonging and contribution.
As a group we draw inspiration from language of Isaiah 61:1-4 …. “to proclaim good news to the poor, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for captives, release from darkness for prisoners, comfort for those who mourn, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair, … that they may be oaks of righteousness the planting of the Lord.”
This is a thoroughly Navigator mission of living and discipling among the lost. Most of what happens is simply the result of taking the time to connect with people. We build relationships and pray for the Holy Spirit to work. As we embed ourselves in our friends’ worlds, we look for the relational network to grow and for opportunities to share the Gospel.
Of course there are challenges. Complicated things like supporting prisoners as they reintegrate into the community. Attending parole board hearings and working alongside probation officers. Ordinary things become quite difficult. Things like getting proper medical care, securing appropriate housing, and finding meaningful work. There are painful personal things to untangle, addictions, broken relationships, unhealthy patterns of behaviour. Things that require patience and perseverance. We serve as enablers, advocates, counsellors, and disciple makers.
Here are some of the things we are doing:
- Meeting weekly at the “Cottage”. An evening of – food, games, conversation, humour, videos, and the occasional guest presenter.
- Encouraging one another at a weekly discipleship meeting where we watch videos and read the Bible together.
- Outings together – including the recent City to Surf fun run in Christchurch.
- Working bees to help others.
- One-to-one discipling.
- Counselling.
Currently a crucial part of the Settlers’ work is one to one counselling each fortnight. We are very fortunate to have a trained counsellor, Julie Baker as a member of the Settlers’ team.
Julie’s background in counselling training, and years of experience, places her in a unique position to offer Biblical counselling, which we believe is crucial to lifelong change. Quite simply we would not be seeing the healing and community building that is taking place without her invaluable contribution.
Please continue to pray and support our work where you can.
Lynton Brocklehurst / Settlers