Joy To The World (Lyrics)

 Joy to the world the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King:

Let ev’ry heart prepare Him room,

 And heav’n and nature sing,

And heav’n and nature sing,

 And heav’n and nature sing .

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Joy to the world, the Saviour reigns!

Let men their songs employ:

While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains,

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat the sounding joy.

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He rules the world with truth and grace

And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders of His love,

And wonders of His love

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The words and lyrics of this much loved old Christmas carol “Joy to the World” were written in 1719 by Isaac Watts, an ordained Christian pastor.

 Isaac Watts (17 July 1674 – 25 November 1748), is recognised as the “Father of English Hymnody”, as he was the first prolific and popular English hymnwriter, credited with some 750 hymns. Many of his hymns remain in active use today and have been translated into many languages.

Besides being a famous hymn-writer, Isaac Watts was also a renowned theologian and logician, writing many books and essays on these subjects. Watts was the author of a text book on logic which was particularly popular; its full title was, Logic, or The Right Use of Reason in the Enquiry After Truth With a Variety of Rules to Guard Against Error in the Affairs of Religion and Human Life, as well as in the Sciences. This was first published in 1724, and its popularity ensured that it went through twenty editions.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Watts

What better way to fulfill our Society’s charitable aims of “promoting moral and spiritual welfare” among this sector of society, than to supply a high quality and easy-to-read book to each of our 8,800 prisoners: one that promotes spiritual and moral values! During the year our Society has been helping get a copy of The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan – in a modern English version – to every prisoner. Already over 800 have been distributed with the help of the NZ Prison Chaplaincy Services. This book is arguably the most published book in the world – second only to the Bible and is acclaimed by some reputable scholars as “the greatest allegory ever written” (see www.pilgrimsprogress.co.nz ).

Our involvement in this project has come about in part as a result of research the Society has carried out into the needs of prisoners in the area of literacy and rehabilitation. A number of our members have been involved for many years in prison ministry and are still actively involved.

The Society’s objectives (see www.spcs.org.nz ) include:

“To encourage self-respect and the dignity of the human person made in the image of God” and promote “wholesome personal values as the foundation for stable communities”.(extract from SPCS Constitution available in full on line at www.charities.govt.nz & www.societies.govt.nz). See Mattew 25: 36-40.

View the brochure below if you wish to financially support the project

Speaking in pidgin English,via a translator, he stated: “I am a very passionate man,” and “I do haf a verry beeg reeespect for sex.”

Gordon writes:

He is passionately pro-life, and last year filmed a video expressing his views which, when posted on the web, was hailed by anti-abortion campaigners as “one of the most beautiful, authentic things ever seen”.

In it, Bocelli sits at a piano and tells the camera that he wants to recount a “little story” about a young pregnant woman who is admitted to hospital with a misdiagnosed case of appendicitis. After tests, “the doctors advised her to abort the child. They told her that would be the best solution because the child would doubtless be born with some kind of disability. But the courageous young wife decided not to terminate the pregnancy, and the child was born. The woman was my mother, I was the child”.

Bocelli was born with sight problems and was eventually diagnosed with congenital glaucoma. At the age of 12, he went completely blind after an accident during a football game….

His views on abortion are well rehearsed, and he has heard about British MP Nadine Dorries and her recent attempt to strip termination clinics of their conselling roles. He interrupts the translator as she relays my question and says very firmly, which I repeat in full here: “You ask me before of my point of view about religion, and I told you I am very religious. It means that before I fight against something, I try to fight in favour of something.

“It is not Christian to go against someone. I am in favour of life. And, of course, personally I do not share the idea of being able to interrupt life arbitrarily. But I cannot be the judge of those who decide in a different way. As much as I can, I show them an example and act as a role model, because I believe this is the only way.”

Source: Article (abridged)

He’s ‘very passionate’  but no bunga bunga please.

Based on interview with Andrea Bocelli by Bryony Gordon, Telegraph Group

Reprinted in The Dominion Post. 19 Novembr 2011, B5.

On April 29, two billion people worldwide sat in front of their TV screens as they witnessed one of the most public weddings in history – the marriage of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.

No-one asked why they were getting married, why they didn’t get a civil union instead, or said that the ceremony was pointless and unnecessary. It was simply the dream that many aspire to.

Just 20,900 couples got married in New Zealand last year – an all-time low. This has led to claims that a wedding ring is unnecessary to legitimise parenthood and sexual activity. Put simply: some think marriage doesn’t matter. On that basis, civil unions matter even less – only 273 couples got one last year.

But do declining rates mean that it doesn’t matter? Should we be concerned that marriage rates are at an all-time low? Yes, we should. Marriage matters. The weakening of marriage is one of the most important social issues we are facing.

A 2006 British report said that the breakdown of the traditional married family was at the root of teenagers being involved in violent acts, taking more drugs, drinking more, and having sex at a younger age.

But the report didn’t come from a “Right-wing think-tank’ or lobby group with a “moralist agenda”. It was from Britain’s most prominent and influential Left-leaning policy group – the Institute for Public Policy Research. It contradicted years of ideology that family structure doesn’t matter.

Cohabitation statistics in the 21st century released this year by British social reform organisation the Jubilee Centre found that married couples with children are 10 times more likely to stay together than de facto couples – and marriages last an average of four years longer if partners haven’t lived together before getting married.

According to the study, in 1993 70 per cent of couples who had children after they got married remained married at their child’s 16th birthday – increasing to 75 per cent in 2006. Yet just 36 per cent of cohabiting parents were together for their child’s 16th birthday in 1992 – reducing to just 7 per cent in 2006. This indicates that marriage has become a more stable family background for raising children.

According to Why Marriage Matters – a report co-authored by 13 leading social- science scholars, including Professor William Galston, a domestic policy adviser to the Clinton administration – parental divorce or non-marriage appears to increase children’s risk of school failure, the risk of suicide, psychological distress and, most significantly, delinquent and criminal behaviour.

For full published article go to:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/5195687/Why-saying-I-do-is-good-for-our-families

OR

Family First NZ website: www.familyfirst.org.nz

Source: Dominion Post June 8, 2011, P. A3

[Liberty Trust: Charity registration number CC11287. Registered trust with the Companies Office (Reg. No. 428355)].

CHARITABLE STATUS OF LIBERY TRUST APPROVED BY HIGH COURT

2 June 2011: The Honourable Justice Mallon produced her judgement at 4.45pm today.  Here is the conclusion: 

Result

[124] I consider that the Charities Commission erred in finding that Liberty Trust does not have, as its main purpose, a charitable purpose. Liberty Trust was set up to advance religion. It seeks to do that through teaching financial principles that Liberty Trust proclaims are the Bible’s financial principles. It seeks to teach those principles through providing a scheme which allows its followers (and anyone else who wishes to join up) to pool financial resources for the benefit of themselves and others. It reinforces the religious beliefs on which the scheme is based through its literature promoting the scheme and its other publications and teaching activities. It is not merely inspired by or conducive to religion. Its purpose, through this scheme, is to spread what is viewed as being the Bible’s message. In my view the purpose of Liberty Trust falls within the term “advancement of religion” as it has been interpreted in the cases.

[125] I also consider that the Charities Commission erred in finding that Liberty Trust’s activities do not exist for the public benefit. As a trust which has as its purpose the advancement of religion, the starting assumption is that it has a public benefit. The activities are not contended to be subversive to morality or a sham. It is not for the Court to impose its own views as to the religious beliefs that are advanced through the scheme. The benefits of the scheme are not focussed too narrowly on its adherents. It is open to anyone and the money donated is “recycled” for the benefit of others. Overall it is a scheme about “giving” in order to lead a Christian life free of the burdens of debt.

[126] I therefore allow Liberty Trust’s appeal. The Commission’s decision is set aside. Liberty Trust is to be reinstated to the Charities Register.

http://www.libertytrust.org.nz/News/news_CC.htm

Read the full High Court judgment here:

http://www.libertytrust.org.nz/News/Judgement.pdf

Keith, who was guest speaker at our Society’s AGM held on 30 June 2010, and who in 1988 was awarded an MBE for services to adoption research, publications and formation of adoption support networks; emphasised in his address the importance of adopting three guiding principles in all charitable work: truth, openness (or transparency) and integrity. The Society executive has sought to follow his advice and we found his AGM talk involving his account of his own charitable work, most inspirational.Keith became a key member of the team which brought about dramatic reform of adoption law in New Zealand via the enactment of the-then New Lynn MP Jonathan Hunt’s Adult Adoption Information Act 1985. The legislation freed up information relating to adult adoptees and their birth parents.

Keith was not a lobbyist in any political sense of the word. Nor did he engage in any political advocasy. He never belonged to any issues- based group agitating publicly for legislative change or reform. He was a very shy man of few words and yet when he spoke, the courage of his convictions, genuine humility and warm and vibrant Christian faith shone forth – directing those willing to listen – to the truth of a matter. Having seen the truth they felt compelled to act on it.

He inspired change in hearts and minds by engaging in tireless and quality research over many years to determine the truth on a given subject and then making his findings available to government agencies who were then able to use the information to effect change etc.

For more details on his life see: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/obituaries/4594461/Adoptee-spurred-battle-for-law-reform-to-enable-access-to-birth-information

Rimutaka Prison houses the only faith-based prison unit in the country. It opened in 2003 and is run by Prison Fellowship (PFNZ) an international Christian organisation that provides prison activities, restorative justice courses and post-release support. [Copies of Pilgrim's Progress have been made available to many prisoners funded by the Society and its supporters].

The Dominion Post reports “The inmates are a motley crew of rapists, murderers, paedophiles and drug dealers; lifers and short-termers; Mobsters and Black Power.”

For more see: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/4341311/Inside-Rimutakas-faith-based-unit

The Corrections Department provides half the organisation’s annual funding of $482,800 and provides unit lock-up and unlock facilities, meals, medication and supervision. The rest is up to the fellowship. It’s a voluntary programme prisoners do not have to profess a faith in God or have a religious background to join the faith-based unit. But they must be low-security, drug-free and agree to follow the spirit of the programme, surrender their gang patches and participate in Christian worship and study.

Faith-based healing. By Nikki MacDonald. The Domionion Post. 13 Nov. 2010. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/4341311/Inside-Rimutakas-faith-based-unit

The film “End of the Spear” has had its classification downgraded from R16 to R13 following a successful appeal by the Society against the classification decision issued by the Chief Censor’s Office. The Society contended in its written and oral submisssion to the Board that the nature of the depiction of violence in the film – medium level violence – could not possibly justify an R16 classification. The nine member Film and Literature Board of Review agreed and in a unanimous decision, issued to the Society on Wednesday this week, took the view that 13, 14 and 15 year old children would not be harmed by exposure to the violence which formed only a small part of a compelling Christian message of forgiveness and redemption that is told based on the “true story” of the missionary outreach in the 1950s, to the violent South American Waodani Indian tribe. A revised censor’s note from the Board, alerts viewers to the medium level violence involving tribal warfare that some might find “disturbing”.

This is the second successful appeal by the Society in recent years involving a major Christian film that has led to its classification rating – issued by the Chief Censor’s Office – being downgraded by the Board. The Society made both oral and written submissions to the Board to overturn the R16 classification of Mel Gibson’s blockbuster film “The Passion”, and this led it to being reclassified R15. The applicant in this case was the film’s distributor and the Society opted to take a role as an interested party.

The Society has as one of its six objectives: the promotion of freedom of expression, within the boundaries of good law that safeguards the public good from injury.