I like the balanced approach to Halloween here -
- it’s my son’s blog!
And on another subject, if you arrive for church one hour early tomorrow, it will probably be because you forgot to set your clocks back an hour before you went to bed. We like early, but you may not!
Weird day, working on 3.5 hours sleep. Hoping I get a bit more tonight. Jet lag stinks!
Though owners are generally unaware of the fact, I am totally convinced that movie theaters were built for churches to use them on Sundays and not for showing movies the rest of the week – that is their secondary use.
My viewpoint is endorsed this weekend as my friend Tim Fowler launches Church At Skyline Valley in Copperas Cove, Texas. And where will worshipers gather in this underchurched military community? A movie theater of course – Cinergy Cinemas will house the third church Tim has spearheaded.
There’s more about the church here – www.skylinevalley.org
Please pray for Tim and his launch team as Sunday approaches.
I looked forward to this morning’s visit to Melbourne Cricket Ground and was not disappointed. The cricket season is not quite under way here yet, so the park was empty with the exception of those of us following tour guides throughout its hallways.
I love the game of cricket and it was quite something to stand on the turf where the sport’s heroes have played since late in the 19th century. I saw tributes to players I had watched on a black and white television screen during my boyhood and memorabilia belonging to legends of the game.
I miss cricket.
Baseball does not resemble the game in any way whatever, but of course over the past 18 years my interest in it has developed considerably. While walking around MCG I was regularly checking the internet on my phone to see how the Yankees wre faring in game 6 against the Angels – seemed kind of ironic, but descriptive of my life’s journey.
From one country to another.
From one culture to another.
From one sport to another.
Before I left MCG, I knew that the Yankees were bound for the World series and leaving cricket behind decided to root for the boys from the Bronx when everything starts on Wednesday.
Change is part of life.
We cherish the past and its memories, but have to find our place in the present and our passion for the future.
Sunday’s almost over here in the southern part of Australia and something happened that is very rare for me, I wasn’t in church today.
We slept late after last night’s wedding and then had brunch with some family members, departing guests and the bride and groom, leaving Portsea at around 1.00pm to head back to my brother-in-law, Glyn’s home in Patterson Lakes.
Since I hadn’t run this morning, I decided that I’d better get out this afternoon, even though I got my butt kicked by the 5 miles course. It was windy, despite the sunshine and the going seemed particularly tough.
This evening we were out to dinner – a very good dinner - at a friend of Glyn’s home and that was the day.
Don’t get me wrong, there seem to be a lot of churches about and there was definitely the opportunity to take in a service at any one of them, Anglican, Episcopal, Catholic or even the intriguingly named Community Unifying Church.
But every Sunday morning back home I’m doing more than going to a service. I’m meeting with friends, interacting with people I care about and who care about me. I’m looking at us collectively taking the next step together on our journey and I’m expecdting to share in victories as we see what God is doing in people’s lives.
Sure, I could have gone to church today, but I couldn’t have experienced church like I do at Church At The Movies. That’s something you’re not going to find as a visitor to someone else’s congregation.
I love our church!
+ Enjoying the time with family, here just outside of Melbourne. It was no secret that I didn’t want to make this trip, but I am glad that I did.
+ Just to clarify, my reluctance was just because there is so much buzzing at home right now since we started the second campus. If any of Gill’s relatives read this, it wasn’t because I didn’t want to see you!
+ Listened to a great message by Perry Noble while I was out running this morning. He was talking about why people get upset with church. Very good!
+ The last couple of months have been non-stop. I probably needed to get this break. Despite the long journey and the jet lag, I’m feeling refreshed already. It’s a total break from normal routine and I probably won’t be in church or even talking church for nine days.
+ Obviously this is a big country. It would take a few weeks here to do it justice, which isn’t going to happen in the near future.
+ The mall is amazingly like every other mall I’ve seen in the USA. Same stores. Guess that’s globalization.
+ Pity the Dodgers didn’t make the World Series. Pity the Phillies did.
+ Have my copy of One Month To Live here with me so I can start reading it on Sunday along with all our folks. We’ve sold loads of them this past few weeks and will have fresh supplies available on Sunday.
+ I’m not saying I work harder than the next guy, but I can see that I should probably take a timeout more often. Most of my time away from home this year has been ministry.
+ Was amazed that UPS got my medication from Long Island to my brother-in-law’s door in just 48 hours. Yes, I did forget my pills.
+ Tonight is the wedding rehearsal. Apparently it’s in a beautiful place, right on the beach. It’s spring here, so we’re hoping for a warm day on Saturday.
+ They have really funny money here. Fascinating colors and the bills are made of something weird. They feel like plastic and you can’t tear them.
+ So that’s Oz – saw kangaroos, koala bears and Tasmanian Devils yesterday and a duckbilled platypus too,
+ Sorry it’s a bit late for Sunday Stuff. I know it’s Monday night already. Actually where I am it’s Tuesday lunch time.
+ Shot home after Sunday’s services to close the cases and head to JFK for a flight to Melbourne, Australia where Gill and I will attend our niece’s weddiing on Saturday. I’ll have the joy of conducting the ceremony on the beach.
+ Almost missed the first leg of the journey as I was watching the Jets game in overtime in the cafe area of Terminal 7 and didn’t hear the final call for passengers. Gill’s insistence we go to the gate was a good move in the end, even though I missed the end of the game.
+ Were the Jets bad or what?
+ I enjoyed Sunday morning at both of our campuses. Great turnout for a rainy Sunday, to say nothing of a Yankees game that finished in the early hours of Sunday morning.
+ The principle of the One MOnth To Live series is going to affect a lot of our lives over the next few weeks.
+ Couldn’t believe how many visitors we had in Ronkonkoma. God is filling the seats that were vacated by the folks who moved over to Mastic.
+ Glad to see how many are signing up for our One Month Challenge Groups.
+ The weather didn’t deter anyone in Mastic either. There are a lot of teens over there. When they leave for The Bridge half way through the service it leaves quite the gap.
+ Michelle Margiotta led worship for us over there. That woman is the real deal!
+ Headed out to do some food shopping now – have to stock up for our stay here. That’s the news in brief.
The Brit in me is averse to hype. We like to say things the way they are and of course, don’t get all that excited more than once every 47 years when we win a major sporting event.
So when I say I believe the One Month To Live series we are starting tomorrow at both of our campuses is one I expect to be life-changing, I am probably seriously under-stating what God is going to do.
See you there!
Chuck Swindoll recently shared at Catalyst some lessons that he had learned in 50 years of ministry.
Found this over at www.billyritchie.org Thanks Billy!
Our new series starts on Sunday October 18th – 9.30 in Ronkonkoma and 11.00 in Mastic.
Check this out to get you thinking -
It’s Columbus Day here in the dear old USA and I’m thinking how very grateful I am that the King of Spain decided to finance this widowed mariner’s quest to prove the world was round by sailing west and hitting Asia.
Funny how Columbus Day is a huge Italian celebration. I would have thought the Spanish would have made claim to Columbus’ success story. But when you think about it, there are a number of Spanish celebrations already. I guess the Italians were due one! (I just offended scores of friends)
Then again, I suppose there’s a valid question as to whether he did succeed, because the huge lump of land now known as the United States of America prevented him from getting to his destination. He didn’t hit Asia.
I’m glad he made it here. I love this country, a statement which has a certain irony when coming from a Brit, a very proud race of people if ever there was one.
So today I salute Christopher Columbus too. Unlike him, I have reached both America and Asia!