So I have been reading through the book of Numbers lately (the one in the Bible). It has been good to look at it again, as I usually breeze through whole junks of the OT when I am doing devotional. I mean...come on...who reads Numbers when you have a Pauline epistle just a few hundred pages forward? But it has been good. In typical "Scripter" fashion, I have been drawing many neat lessons and parallels from the text. In typical "Scripter" fashion, most of these have been horribly useless or absurd. For example, I was stunned by this passage in Numbers 11:31-35. The people of Israel had been complaining bitterly about all the stupid Manna they had to eat--why, God, couldn't you send some meat! Moses is getting sick of hearing them complain and cries out to God in despair. God gives him elders to help minister to the needs of the people (lesson: God provides, but often takes us to the very edge of our comfort zone to force us to rely on him). But, more so, he promises to give the people meat. Yay! That is great, right? Wrong. He promises a whole month's worth of meat. He promised meat until "it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you" (Numbers 11:20). And he was true to form: He sent quail on the land and they died over the camp spreading "about a day's journey on this side and a day's journey on the other side, around the camp, and about two cubits above the ground" (11:31). Imagine that! Just imagine it for one second. Now, my Hebrew measurements aren't exact. But two cubits is about 36 inches deep--that's 3 feet! Unbelievable, small children could drown in that mass of Quail. Imagine wading through it. What a smell! What a mess! Quail, three feet high, as far as the eye could see--a day's journey!
The lesson of the story. Be careful what you ask for...you just might get it :-).
In Christ,
Chris
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Net Ball
Yet another new sport from Australia: Net Ball. On Monday night I went and watched one of my new friends here play Net Ball at her social club. (A small note about club sports: These are a lot more important here in Australia than at home. It seems everyone is part of a club team somewhere doing something. There is something physical to do literally for everyone who wants to. This is sad that we don't do this as much in America because so many good athletes and people wanting to stay fit just stop after their time in high school sports. I have come to really appreciate that part of Australian life. Granted, it could simply be the fact that I am in a city with lots of people and facilities to do social sports, but it just seems like they do more of it here). Net Ball is very interesting. Imagine ultimate frisbee and basketball had a baby--you would have something close to net ball. The game is basically played on a basketball court with two nets on either ends up in the air. Unlike a basketball hoop, there is no backboard. So, when shooting a "goal," one must toss it up and have it go directly into the basket. I think shooting would be really hard for someone like me who relies on a backboard to make shots in basketball. The person with the ball cannot run with it. They must pass it down the court just like in ultimate frisbee. Unlike frisbee or basketball, however, every person has a specific role and a place where they are allowed to be on the floor. For example, only a couple players on a team can score a goal because they are the only ones allowed within the shot zone. Likewise, only a couple of players can defend their own goal because they are the only ones allowed in it. The rest have to be available for interceptions and passing. I don't quite understand the positions perfectly yet, but the basics of the game are simple--pass the ball, shoot a goal. All players must stay 3 feet away from someone with the ball. Possession of the ball alternates between teams regardless of who scored the last point. Play goes until one team scores, they take the ball back to the center and the opposite team of whomever started with it last time starts play again.
Just like the game of footy which I mentioned earlier, I leave it to you to go youtube some footage if you are interested, as written words do not really capture a game well. This video is very helpful and I encourage you to watch it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBuxsRnU50A . But it was interesting and fun to watch and relatively simple--a good game for just playing with friends. Who knows? Maybe I will get a chance to play while I am here.
The game is a big deal in Australia among social clubs because of its ease of play. It is also a good co-ed game. Professionally, it is more like Volleyball in America--that is, people only really care about the womens' net ball teams.
The Australians certainly have some unique games. Footy is almost exclusively an Australian thing. Net Ball, however, is played throughout the British Commonwealth I am led to understand. It is interesting that I had never heard of it before. I like sports so I am glad to learn new ones.
In Christ,
Chris
Just like the game of footy which I mentioned earlier, I leave it to you to go youtube some footage if you are interested, as written words do not really capture a game well. This video is very helpful and I encourage you to watch it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBuxsRnU50A . But it was interesting and fun to watch and relatively simple--a good game for just playing with friends. Who knows? Maybe I will get a chance to play while I am here.
The game is a big deal in Australia among social clubs because of its ease of play. It is also a good co-ed game. Professionally, it is more like Volleyball in America--that is, people only really care about the womens' net ball teams.
The Australians certainly have some unique games. Footy is almost exclusively an Australian thing. Net Ball, however, is played throughout the British Commonwealth I am led to understand. It is interesting that I had never heard of it before. I like sports so I am glad to learn new ones.
In Christ,
Chris
Creepy Crawlies
Australia--if the sharks don't kill you, the rest of the wildlife will. Pretty much every snake in Australia is VERY venomous (in Michigan there is only one). Plenty of the spiders are also pretty nasty. Unlike Michigan, however, where the infamous Black Widow and Brown Recluse are rarely seen, the venomous varieties of Australia seem to be around every corner! Haha...it certainly makes me check my clothes and shoes every morning ;-).I hate spiders. Anybody that has seen me around them knows this very well. I inherited my Dad's phobia and it has always plagued me. South Australia is known for a few pretty nasty one. The first, the Huntsman is just nasty looking. It has no venom and doesn't harm people, but it can jump and grow to some obscene proportions. Ugh....I saw my first huntsman the other day on the back door of my house. Jon tells me it was a young one and nowhere near full size--which begs the question: where is mom and dad? Still, it was one of the largest spiders
I have ever seen in the flesh! I would estimate 3 1/2 inches from one leg to leg. I snapped a picture...and jumped very high when it started to move. I am glad it did move though because it wandered down into the corner of the floor and brought us face to face with an infamous "Red Back." Two scary spiders + one location = Get me out of this country! The Red Back is Australia's equivalent to the Black Widow from what I can tell--it is looks the same, with a distinctive red spot on its abdomen and is very venomous. A bite could easily kill you if not treated rather quickly. The one in the corner was about the size of your big toe nail. But I stemmed my nerves and took a picture of both posing quite nicely. Then we killed them :-). Yes!
Just a few days later, and around the spot I ran across another, much bigger Red Back. This one was probably 1 1/2 inches from leg to leg. Maybe a bit more? I snapped another picture and killed it with my flip-flops. I felt rather satisfied with myself. I may grow out of my phobia a bit, but I doubt I will ever appreciate the site of these nasty critters. Ugh...the thought of them sends shivers down my spine.
In Christ,
Chris
Food and WIne Festival
On Sunday last, after the two morning services, Jon and Katie wanted to go to the Food and Wine festival (part of the huge Fringe festival). This was a lovely way to spend the afternoon, actually. Basically, they shut down a huge city street and set up the festival up and down it. There were tons of booths selling glasses of wine (of which I did not partake--though it seemed appropriate at a Wine festival that I take a picture with an empty wine glass) and a ton more selling food (of which I did partake). Jon and Katie bought us Salt in Pepper Squid--which I had never had. It was really good actually, like a chewy chicken nugget ;-). I like Seafood a lot and don't often get it in the states. I am eager to try all I can get here.
The coolest part of the festival were the live bands. At several points along the road they had stages set up and the bands, for the most part were pretty good. One was absolutely outstanding. Two bands stuck out to me. The first, Georgia Germein, was an all girl band with a wonderful lead singer with a gorgeous voice. Check her out: http://www.myspace.com/georgiagermein . The second band was a sweet blues/soul/jazz/fusion band called Mr. Goodnight. They were unbelievable. One of the tightest, most technical bands I have ever heard (which makes sense, as most all the members are conservatory trained musicians). Check them out: http://www.mrgoodnight.net/site/
Other than the music, there were also cooking demonstrations and little things like that. I enjoyed the afternoon. Then we went to evening church.
Speaking of church, this past week I was officially introduced to all three services as a new intern, helping out wherever possible. I was happy with how this went (they interviewed me on stage and I had opportunity to explain parts of my testimony) and how warmly I was received. The Church here is just superb. I miss Hillsdale Free Methodist a lot, but I am glad for an inviting church family here, eager to take me under their wing and help me discern some things.
In Christ,
Chris
Trying to lose weight
I figured I would take advantage of the fact that the Australians eat a lot less than I usually do (and that I have no money with which to buy additional food) to lose some weight. Now, I am by no means huge these days, but the last two years of college, sitting every night, working on papers almost exclusively have not exactly helped me maintain my weight. It's funny because my good friend, Dr. Stewart, always told me it wasn't until AFTER graduate school that he started gaining weight--I was starting too early!
So why not try to lose some while I am here, eh? Jon's father has a decent little gym in their garage with some free weights and a couple of machines. We have been going over there pretty regularly to lift. The run to his parents' house is the "Australian Treadmill" he says :-). I am certainly out of shape though...*whew.* Something to work on I guess. Moreover, the weather is nicer here than in Michigan to be outside and active. I can't wait for the Australian winter, then it will be PERFECT out for a Michigan man like me. Perhaps I will leave some of my bad habits behind for good.
In Christ,
Chris
So why not try to lose some while I am here, eh? Jon's father has a decent little gym in their garage with some free weights and a couple of machines. We have been going over there pretty regularly to lift. The run to his parents' house is the "Australian Treadmill" he says :-). I am certainly out of shape though...*whew.* Something to work on I guess. Moreover, the weather is nicer here than in Michigan to be outside and active. I can't wait for the Australian winter, then it will be PERFECT out for a Michigan man like me. Perhaps I will leave some of my bad habits behind for good.
In Christ,
Chris
The Fringe
So in my last post I talked about the Fringe Festival starting here in Adelaide and how I was to go to the opening ceremony (with a parade and concerts) despite the fact that it was raining a ton. Jon had planned it as a young adult Church event so there was no way we could really not go. But the rain never let up an it made the whole evening quite the wet experience. Moreover, the amount of rain Adelaide got that day was somewhat record setting. They were not prepared for such weather at the festivities and so they ended up canceling the parade and many of the shows. This was alright though, as the energy and vibrancy of the night was still well intact. People were buzzing everywhere, costumes, street performers, you name it. We spent a fair bit of time walking around the Fringe festival grounds--referred to as "The Garden of Unearthly Delights" and I had a really good time soaking it all in.
As promised, a quick word about the Fringe (which, to be honest, I still don't quite understand). The Fringe festival takes place in several locations throughout the world and is marketed as a festival showcasing the "fringes" of society. As such, most things involved with the fringe are a little bit risque, scandalous, edgy, colorful, etc. It is not as bad as...say...Carnival in South America, but the spirit of the event is similar. It is a celebration of life, in all its artsy, beautiful, (hedonistic?), glory. The Fringe festivals have thousands of acts--cabaret, comedy, theater, music, visual art, circus acts, etc. It is massive and scale and a little hard to grasp, to be honest.
The Adelaide Fringe lasts runs almost a whole month--from the 18th February to the 13th of March. Besides the acts associated with the Fringe, there are many other side festivals related to the Fringe but which are massive events in and of themselves. For example, the Food and Wine Festival and Womadelaide (a weekend long celebration of world music). The city is a bustle of excitement. Every day of the month there are many shows to attend and they take place all over the city (not just in the main gardens). It has also attracted some weird people here. The flamboyant, colorful dress certainly has no end. Nor do the cross-dressers and the like. As I said, this is a celebration of living life on the Fringe.
That said, the Fringe isn't all bad. You shouldn't think of it as jut a bunch of half-naked people and truly depraved entertainment. Thought that exists, there are many fine acts as well. The festival celebrates the arts and with thousands of acts, there are plenty of great musicians, shows, and comedians to choose from. Jon, Katie, and I are hoping to attend several of the events (as much as I can justify paying for actually--thought they are all fairly cheap). It will be fun and I am sure I will let you know what happens there. But now...perhaps...you understand the Fringe as well as I do.
But back to my life: After we stood in the rain for awhile, the students got sort of bored, wet, and miserable. Though i was having a blast laughing at the outrageous outfits, we decided to head back to Jon and Katie's and have a game night instead. We played Apples to Apples and Catch Phrase. Let me tell you something, it is hard to play Apples to Apples (an American game) with Australians. I never stopped to think about how much the game is tailored to an American audience! There were dozens of cards they literally had NO idea who/what it was. Thus, something I thought was funny usually got passed over rather quickly in favor of something they might no better. I still had fun, but it was a good cultural lesson. Little things I take for granted in America are not so in Australia.
But I made some great bridges with the students and feel like they enjoyed having me around. This was a good first step.
In Christ,
Chris
As promised, a quick word about the Fringe (which, to be honest, I still don't quite understand). The Fringe festival takes place in several locations throughout the world and is marketed as a festival showcasing the "fringes" of society. As such, most things involved with the fringe are a little bit risque, scandalous, edgy, colorful, etc. It is not as bad as...say...Carnival in South America, but the spirit of the event is similar. It is a celebration of life, in all its artsy, beautiful, (hedonistic?), glory. The Fringe festivals have thousands of acts--cabaret, comedy, theater, music, visual art, circus acts, etc. It is massive and scale and a little hard to grasp, to be honest.
The Adelaide Fringe lasts runs almost a whole month--from the 18th February to the 13th of March. Besides the acts associated with the Fringe, there are many other side festivals related to the Fringe but which are massive events in and of themselves. For example, the Food and Wine Festival and Womadelaide (a weekend long celebration of world music). The city is a bustle of excitement. Every day of the month there are many shows to attend and they take place all over the city (not just in the main gardens). It has also attracted some weird people here. The flamboyant, colorful dress certainly has no end. Nor do the cross-dressers and the like. As I said, this is a celebration of living life on the Fringe.
That said, the Fringe isn't all bad. You shouldn't think of it as jut a bunch of half-naked people and truly depraved entertainment. Thought that exists, there are many fine acts as well. The festival celebrates the arts and with thousands of acts, there are plenty of great musicians, shows, and comedians to choose from. Jon, Katie, and I are hoping to attend several of the events (as much as I can justify paying for actually--thought they are all fairly cheap). It will be fun and I am sure I will let you know what happens there. But now...perhaps...you understand the Fringe as well as I do.
But back to my life: After we stood in the rain for awhile, the students got sort of bored, wet, and miserable. Though i was having a blast laughing at the outrageous outfits, we decided to head back to Jon and Katie's and have a game night instead. We played Apples to Apples and Catch Phrase. Let me tell you something, it is hard to play Apples to Apples (an American game) with Australians. I never stopped to think about how much the game is tailored to an American audience! There were dozens of cards they literally had NO idea who/what it was. Thus, something I thought was funny usually got passed over rather quickly in favor of something they might no better. I still had fun, but it was a good cultural lesson. Little things I take for granted in America are not so in Australia.
But I made some great bridges with the students and feel like they enjoyed having me around. This was a good first step.
In Christ,
Chris
Thursday, February 17, 2011
The Beach!
So I forgot to mention that I went to beach on Wednesday with Jon and Katie for the first time. Yes, the famous Australian coast, full of sharks, poisonous jelly fish and Lord knows what else. But I survived! This was really my first time swimming in the Ocean as far as I can tell. The water was so warm and I enjoyed myself. Not a fan of salt in my hair and mouth so much, but that comes with the territory. There weren't any waves at this beach due to an island out in the water that breaks the surf, but Jon said he would take me to a beach with waves someday.
I didn't swim out very deep though, as I am still petrified of sharks (only to about my neck actually). And my fear was not unjustified, the next night I saw on the Adelaide news that there had been a shark attack on one off one of the city's beaches--some diver (RIP). Would you believe that!?! And here the Aussies were trying to convince me that shark attacks were immensely rare (and they may be, but it would be just my luck that the one in a millionth time is right after I get in the water).
We also walked along the beautiful shore. Only one site was disturbing: A rather large man sun bathing in a G-string bikini. HAHA! It was so outrageous. He had the biggest, tanned, crusty butt in the world and was just showing all to the world. I laughed out loud and had to stifle it lest he hear. HAHA. The image is ingrained in my mind forever. Unfortunately, I did not think to take a picture to share with the world *snaps fingers.* I bet you are all disappointed. Random dude, if you ever read my blog: WEAR SOME CLOTHES! The Aussies were laughing hard too and told me that is very unusual for their beaches...alas, they are not the French Riviera ;-).
To cap the day off, we had a deliciously greasy meal of Fish and Chips--this being my first taste of seafood (which I love) since I arrived in Australia. I was quite pleased. De-stinking-licious :-)
I am sure we will go again.
In Christ,
Chris
Foggy London Town...
So today I feel like I am back in Michigan (which made me miss everybody quite a bit). Why? Because the weather reminds me of a Fall day in Michigan. It has been cool and raining ever since I woke up this morning. A very lazy day for sure. I did some work at the Church and Jon and I have been just sort of sitting not wanting to do anything. Tonight we are supposed to go out to the start of the Adelaide Fringe Festival, but I am not sure how fun it will be with all the rain and wet. It was supposed to kick off with a huge parade and a outdoor concert, but it is quite literally raining on their parade. I wonder if it will still happen. Jon and I are going to go anyways because he had planned it for a young adult event for the Church. We'll see how water logged we get!
The Fringe is an event in itself. I will blog about that more in a future post.
In Christ,
Chris
The Fringe is an event in itself. I will blog about that more in a future post.
In Christ,
Chris
Jack's Mannequin Concert for the win
Anybody who knows me, knows that I love music. So of course I would not pass up the opportunity to see a couple of shows while I am in the relatively big city (1.2 million people, I think) of Adelaide. You see, little old Hillsdale never gets any concerts and Jackson isn't too much better. Thus, in Michigan I have to drive to Detroit or Grand Rapids to catch a show...what a bummer. That adds a ton of time and a ton of cost. But I am living in a big city now, lol. So I will try and do what I can afford!
On Tuesday I got to go to a Jack's Mannequin with my friend who worked at Camp Michindoh, Nicole Filsell. We had actually arranged this prior to my coming over because saw online that he would be here at the beginning of my stay. What luck, eh? For those of you who don't know, Jack's Mannequin is headed by Andrew McMahon who is one of piano-rocks best. He plays some of the best pop/rock/alternative songs and I really dig him a lot. This show actually just ended up being him doing a solo run and playing songs from his two bands--Jack's Mannequin and Something Corporate. I really enjoyed the performance, as it was acoustic and played rather intimately. Unfortunately, the concert hall was wicked hot and horribly uncomfortable. This actually distracted me to a point where I did not enjoy him as much. I will have to keep that in mind if I go to another show. But I am glad I went and if you don't know the band, go look it up. I recommend the songs "Dark Blue," "Everything in Transit," "Swim," and "Holiday from Real."
In Christ,
Chris
On Tuesday I got to go to a Jack's Mannequin with my friend who worked at Camp Michindoh, Nicole Filsell. We had actually arranged this prior to my coming over because saw online that he would be here at the beginning of my stay. What luck, eh? For those of you who don't know, Jack's Mannequin is headed by Andrew McMahon who is one of piano-rocks best. He plays some of the best pop/rock/alternative songs and I really dig him a lot. This show actually just ended up being him doing a solo run and playing songs from his two bands--Jack's Mannequin and Something Corporate. I really enjoyed the performance, as it was acoustic and played rather intimately. Unfortunately, the concert hall was wicked hot and horribly uncomfortable. This actually distracted me to a point where I did not enjoy him as much. I will have to keep that in mind if I go to another show. But I am glad I went and if you don't know the band, go look it up. I recommend the songs "Dark Blue," "Everything in Transit," "Swim," and "Holiday from Real."
In Christ,
Chris
Havaianas
Havaianas are a type of flip-flop (they call them thongs in Australia, haha). They are the coolest thing since sliced bread in Australia and anybody who is anybody wears them. So guess who was a nobody last week--this guy (I am saying this with a bit of sarcasm). Yeah, even though I have the super cool Rainbow flip-flops which are expensive, comfortable and all the rage in California (the pinnacle of cool in America), I was made fun of here. Seriously more than a few people commented on my ugly flip-flops! That is outrageous! They are so comfortable. But I am a slave to fashion, alas, and thus went and bought some of these new-fangled Australian thongs. Now I am cool again. I have been accepted. I am at peace with the universe. But my feet are no where near as comfortable ;-). I included a picture...pardon my stunningly white feet and legs (I have not been here long enough for a tan!)
In Christ,
Chris
My first trip to the City Center
So I told you I would blog as soon as I made it down to the city! Up until Monday last, I had spent most all of my time in the northern suburbs of Adelaide. Monday, however, someone was able to drop me off in the city for a bit of exploring. I only got a few hours, but I really enjoyed myself. The Adelaide city center is really unique, as it blends fairly seamlessly the old Victorian city with newer modernization. Many cities tend to just have an old and a new quarter, distinct and separate. Adelaide blends it all together quite beautifully. Moreover, Adelaide is designed in a classic grid model, so it is relatively easy to navigate. I really like it.
My day included a few notable stops, but mostly just exploring. One stop was the free Art Museum. This was a pretty good museum as far as museums go, but plagued a bit too much by modern art. They were showcasing the sketches of Goya, however, and that made me happy. Dr. Stewart would also be pleased on that account. They were also showcasing this horrid modern piece of motion art crap called the Feast of Trilmalhio. I think there are youtube videos of this online. Type it in and see. It is like a painting with motion (sort of like a movie) which tells a story. Weird. I was not impressed
I stopped into the State Library and got in good with the head archivist so I might be able to do some research there in the next few months. They have a bunch of stuff I could use. I am such a nerd! First time into the city and I go scope out archives!
After this I hung out at the Rundall mall, a huge outdoor mall. This used to be a city street but then was blocked off and converted into a huge, bustling street of shops. Very cool actually. Although everything in Australia is outrageously priced, it is fun to see the opulent stores. I saw one shop selling two pairs of jeans for $300 dollars! But they have nice fashion here in Australia (not that I am an authority on fashion). I like a lot of the stuff I saw. The mall is also famous for these two metallic spheres, one stacked on top of the other. They are called the "Mall's balls" and are quite the sight. Haha.
That was about it for my first foray into the city. I am sure many more will come!
In Christ,
Chris
Church
It seems fitting that I should say a quick note about the church here in Adelaide, seeing as it is the reason why I came to the Land Down Under:
Hope Valley Uniting Church is part of the Uniting Church denomination, Australia's third largest. The history of the Uniting denomination is a very interesting one and, in many ways, very inspiring. The Uniting Church was formed back in the 1970's by the Methodist, Presbyterian, and Congregational Churches in Australia. Their goal was an ecumenical one, to combine elements of the low protestants and create a more unified approach to teaching and sharing the gospel. The interesting thing about this union of churches being the vast difference between them doctrinally. Presbyterians, of course, come from a more reformed perspective while Methodists hold to a more Armenian soteriology. They solved these differences by writing the Basis of Union, wherein they espoused a straight forward gospel message and allowed for differences of opinion on all things not fundamental to that gospel. What a neat thing for the church to do! To say that there are things which we don't agree on and never will because we cannot know, but we can still worship and be in communion together. I wish more mainstream protestant churches in America could put aside stringent dogmatics enough to see that there is a greater ecumenical mission of the Church which we could all work toward despite differences in doctrine. In this sense, the church is really an inspiration. Unfortunately, the Uniting church does fall prey to some of the things that come from a looser, all-encompassing doctrine. Luckily, the fact that decisions are made on a largely congregational level means individual Churches can avoid such pitfalls. Hope Valley certainly seems to have weathered the storm and came out on the other end just fine. It has two fine pastors who are deeply rooted in the gospel and care a whole bunch about pastoral care of the Church and the community at large. Apart from the two lead pastors, there is a wonderful children's pastor, a solid worship pastor, and Jon, the young adult pastor. They are a wonderful staff and I am delighted to sit under and learn from them all. I know I will gain a ton from their guidance.
The Church has recently been renovated and is gorgeous in and out. The people are inviting and friendly and I really felt welcome there last Sunday. They run three services every Sunday--a traditional, a contemporary, and an evening service which primarily serves the youth and young adults. Having attended all three now, the church runs very similar to most low church settings you'll find in America. It was good. Though nothing could replace Hillsdale Free Methodist, I felt much at home.
I will certainly be posting more about the church and its functions soon. I think I will be spending a lot of time there ;-).
In Christ,
Chris
Hope Valley Uniting Church is part of the Uniting Church denomination, Australia's third largest. The history of the Uniting denomination is a very interesting one and, in many ways, very inspiring. The Uniting Church was formed back in the 1970's by the Methodist, Presbyterian, and Congregational Churches in Australia. Their goal was an ecumenical one, to combine elements of the low protestants and create a more unified approach to teaching and sharing the gospel. The interesting thing about this union of churches being the vast difference between them doctrinally. Presbyterians, of course, come from a more reformed perspective while Methodists hold to a more Armenian soteriology. They solved these differences by writing the Basis of Union, wherein they espoused a straight forward gospel message and allowed for differences of opinion on all things not fundamental to that gospel. What a neat thing for the church to do! To say that there are things which we don't agree on and never will because we cannot know, but we can still worship and be in communion together. I wish more mainstream protestant churches in America could put aside stringent dogmatics enough to see that there is a greater ecumenical mission of the Church which we could all work toward despite differences in doctrine. In this sense, the church is really an inspiration. Unfortunately, the Uniting church does fall prey to some of the things that come from a looser, all-encompassing doctrine. Luckily, the fact that decisions are made on a largely congregational level means individual Churches can avoid such pitfalls. Hope Valley certainly seems to have weathered the storm and came out on the other end just fine. It has two fine pastors who are deeply rooted in the gospel and care a whole bunch about pastoral care of the Church and the community at large. Apart from the two lead pastors, there is a wonderful children's pastor, a solid worship pastor, and Jon, the young adult pastor. They are a wonderful staff and I am delighted to sit under and learn from them all. I know I will gain a ton from their guidance.
The Church has recently been renovated and is gorgeous in and out. The people are inviting and friendly and I really felt welcome there last Sunday. They run three services every Sunday--a traditional, a contemporary, and an evening service which primarily serves the youth and young adults. Having attended all three now, the church runs very similar to most low church settings you'll find in America. It was good. Though nothing could replace Hillsdale Free Methodist, I felt much at home.
I will certainly be posting more about the church and its functions soon. I think I will be spending a lot of time there ;-).
In Christ,
Chris
Monday, February 14, 2011
Fru-Chocs!
Though the Australians are a fit people in general, they do like their sweets. Here is a South Aussie specialty--FruChocs! They are delicious. They are basically balls of dried apricot and peach mashed up and coated with milk chocolate. This is an empty bag of Giant FruChocs...and no, I did not eat the whole bag myself! Maybe something to bring bag for me mom.
In Christ,
Chris
Australian = Fit
So last Saturday it was pretty chilly out. Though we were originally planning on going to the beach, we decided instead to go climb the tallest of the foothills surrounding Adelaide, Mt. Lofty. What an exciting adventure! And it was my first taste of the Australian "bush" (though Jon says a suburban, tame bush).
I had a lot of fun climbing the mountain, but I was struck by how out of shape I was. My goodness! I was huffing and puffing and sweating all the way up. The worst part was seeing how many people on the trail with me were having an easy go of it. There were more than a couple older couples out walking as if it were a Sunday stroll. All this to say, the Australians seem to be an immensely fit people who love their exercise and being active. It is an important part of their culture I guess. I certainly need to work on this while I am here, getting better in shape and perhaps even losing some weight. This will be easier than at home because the Australians also eat much less and better. No McDonald's everyday for them! I have almost never eaten to the point where I would say I was "full" since I got here. They just enjoy their food more and don't need a lot of it.
Perhaps I will lose weight.
As for the trip to Mt. Lofty, the scenery was gorgeous and the view from the top breathtaking. From the top of the hill I could see all of Adelaide spread before me...it was quite stunning. The bush is full of very interesting flora and fauna. The trees and plants especially are very unlike Michigan. It is breathtaking. Also, Jon says the summer here has been more wet than usual, so there is still a lot of moisture and green everywhere. This made the hike even more enjoyable.
I'll put up a couple of pictures.
In Christ,
Chris
Friday, February 11, 2011
Adelaide is a massive city. Perhaps I am just saying that because I am from middle-of-nowhere, MI, but the city is huge. It does not build "up" very high like Chicago, but "out," expanding into eternity much like Tucson. The main downtown area is beautiful, clean, and vibrant. I can't wait to see more. The area where I am living and working is in the north, toward the foothills (the city extends from the sea to the foothills, creating a "bowl" appearance). I have included a couple of pictures I took from the airplane flying into Adelaide a few days ago to give some perspective. I will try to comment more on the city and its geography later...once I have seen and experienced more. For now though, I have mostly hung out in the suburbs up north. I don't know if I will EVER figure out the lay of the city as a whole though--it is massive.
In Christ,
Chris
Iced Coffee
New Drink: Iced Coffee is really unique and a South Australia original. They sell heaps of it in a ton of stores. Don't think coffee with ice in it though. Nor should you think of a blended iced coffee drink like a frappe. It is more like chocolate milk. It comes in a milk carton and is milk based, but tastes like a delicious cup of sweet coffee. So good. Hope to get some more soon. I have added a picture of me trying my first bit.
In Christ,
Chris
AFL--Aussie Rules Football
Last night, Friday, I got to attend an Aussie Rules Football game with Jon and some friends from the Church I am working out. For my American audience, Australian Rules Football (a.k.a "Footie," or the AFL league) is THE biggest thing in Australia, akin to our NFL. The AFL season kicks off in Australia in an about a month (good timing on my part, eh?). Until the official start, however, there are preseason matches where teams get to work out some kinks, try out new guys, and just have some fun. We went to see the first of these games at the AAMI stadium in Adelaide yesterday. It was a "round robin" type style with three teams--Melbourne, Port Adelaide and Adelaide. To better clarify: Adelaide has two teams that play at the national AFL level, Port Adelaide (The Power) and Adelaide (The Crows). I am now an official Crows fan through and through. I need to pick up a jersey soon!
Now, seeing that it was a preseason game, there were not TONS of people there and it was not the same atmosphere as a real game would have. It was a good atmosphere, however, for me to ask a lot of questions and figure out the game. Jon tells me if I don't understand this game, I will be missing out on a huge part of Australian culture (a big problem if I hope to engage the religious community here on their level). This is no problem though, as the game is STINKING AWESOME and SO MUCH FUN to watch. For real.
For those of you who have never seen the game played, you need to get games like Rugby and NFL football out of your mind. They are not like footie at all (excepting perhaps the shape of the ball and that all three involve tackling). Rather, AFL is a quick, flowing game much more like soccer than anything else I can compare it to. It is a fast paced, hard-hitting exhibition of strength, agility, ball-handling, and awesomeness. Unfortunately, I can't really explain the game to you all well; I won't even try. I leave you, the interested reader, to do some research if you are interested. I am sure Youtube and Wikipedia could be helpful in this. Sufficient to say, however: The game was awesome. I really enjoyed myself and I can't wait to go to a real game soon.
However, I did want to let you in on some insights that you can't get without going to the game personally. First, fans are extremely passionate about this game. Imagine your extreme sports fan friend and then apply that to everybody in the stadium. The Australians love this game and really take proud ownership of it, as it is uniquely theirs. Second, the whole AFL atmosphere is so much more laid-back, friendly, and community focused. This is stark contrast to American professional sports which are all about the players and the money. I made several observations that help illustrate this. When we walked into the stadium, Jon pointed to a gentleman and said "That's so-and-so, one of the best players on the team." He was just walking around the stadium and talking with people as a normal person would! That would be like seeing Terrell Owens order a hotdog prior to the start of his football game--would NEVER happen. After the game, still more players were out just hanging and talking with people. Mo security details, no paparazzi, just people who loved the game and enjoyed giving it back to the people. Overall, the environment was just more intimate and friendly. Perhaps I read to much into things, but this was my impression and it really made me happy to see a "professional" sport that was entirely about the game and the fans. It wasn't about the star power per se. We'll see if my initial insights hold true once I attend another game.
Even if they don't though, the game was a ton of fun. I definitely think I am understanding parts of the culture now :-).
Random side note: The various teams all have "team songs" just like we do with fight songs and such. It made me laugh, however, as two of the three teams last night all had songs based on American tunes. The Crows fight song goes to the tune of "Halls of Montezuma" while Melbourne's sounded like "Grand Old Flag." This made me laugh a lot actually.
Additional side note: I have played rugby and football. I have wrestled and ran track. The level of athleticism I saw last night was outstanding. Go look on you tube at the size of a footie field. IT IS MASSIVE. With as athletic as I was/am, I don't think I could ever play a real game of footie. I admire the athletes a lot. I sure as heck am going to try while I am here though :-).
In Christ,
Chris
Now, seeing that it was a preseason game, there were not TONS of people there and it was not the same atmosphere as a real game would have. It was a good atmosphere, however, for me to ask a lot of questions and figure out the game. Jon tells me if I don't understand this game, I will be missing out on a huge part of Australian culture (a big problem if I hope to engage the religious community here on their level). This is no problem though, as the game is STINKING AWESOME and SO MUCH FUN to watch. For real.
For those of you who have never seen the game played, you need to get games like Rugby and NFL football out of your mind. They are not like footie at all (excepting perhaps the shape of the ball and that all three involve tackling). Rather, AFL is a quick, flowing game much more like soccer than anything else I can compare it to. It is a fast paced, hard-hitting exhibition of strength, agility, ball-handling, and awesomeness. Unfortunately, I can't really explain the game to you all well; I won't even try. I leave you, the interested reader, to do some research if you are interested. I am sure Youtube and Wikipedia could be helpful in this. Sufficient to say, however: The game was awesome. I really enjoyed myself and I can't wait to go to a real game soon.
However, I did want to let you in on some insights that you can't get without going to the game personally. First, fans are extremely passionate about this game. Imagine your extreme sports fan friend and then apply that to everybody in the stadium. The Australians love this game and really take proud ownership of it, as it is uniquely theirs. Second, the whole AFL atmosphere is so much more laid-back, friendly, and community focused. This is stark contrast to American professional sports which are all about the players and the money. I made several observations that help illustrate this. When we walked into the stadium, Jon pointed to a gentleman and said "That's so-and-so, one of the best players on the team." He was just walking around the stadium and talking with people as a normal person would! That would be like seeing Terrell Owens order a hotdog prior to the start of his football game--would NEVER happen. After the game, still more players were out just hanging and talking with people. Mo security details, no paparazzi, just people who loved the game and enjoyed giving it back to the people. Overall, the environment was just more intimate and friendly. Perhaps I read to much into things, but this was my impression and it really made me happy to see a "professional" sport that was entirely about the game and the fans. It wasn't about the star power per se. We'll see if my initial insights hold true once I attend another game.
Even if they don't though, the game was a ton of fun. I definitely think I am understanding parts of the culture now :-).
Random side note: The various teams all have "team songs" just like we do with fight songs and such. It made me laugh, however, as two of the three teams last night all had songs based on American tunes. The Crows fight song goes to the tune of "Halls of Montezuma" while Melbourne's sounded like "Grand Old Flag." This made me laugh a lot actually.
Additional side note: I have played rugby and football. I have wrestled and ran track. The level of athleticism I saw last night was outstanding. Go look on you tube at the size of a footie field. IT IS MASSIVE. With as athletic as I was/am, I don't think I could ever play a real game of footie. I admire the athletes a lot. I sure as heck am going to try while I am here though :-).
In Christ,
Chris
Baby Animals...
Sorry for the break in posts, but this first few days in Australia have been busy, busy, busy! I am simply exhausted to be honest. Meeting people with whom I am going to work for the next six months is actually really hard work. I will have a couple of posts in quick succession here and hopefully another after Church tomorrow.
So I must confess something to the world: I have now eaten two things which I never had before (at least to my recollection)--veal and lamb. In fact, my first meal in Australia was lamb. It was, to be honest, quite tasty. It has a strong, somewhat game-y taste, but was very delicious. We grilled it, making it even better (everything is better on the grill, right?). My second dinner in Australia was at a very nice Italian cafe with Katie's family (they are wonderful people). Jon said I should try the veal. The veal was pretty good too, but I am not sure if I was crazy enough about it to order it again (I am not sure if it was the veal or the way it was prepared).
So it seems the Australians like to kill their animals quicker than most ;-). No, I am only kidding. It just so happened that these were some of my first meal experiences here in Australia. Soon I need to try the Kangaroo steaks everybody talks about!
In Christ,
Chris
So I must confess something to the world: I have now eaten two things which I never had before (at least to my recollection)--veal and lamb. In fact, my first meal in Australia was lamb. It was, to be honest, quite tasty. It has a strong, somewhat game-y taste, but was very delicious. We grilled it, making it even better (everything is better on the grill, right?). My second dinner in Australia was at a very nice Italian cafe with Katie's family (they are wonderful people). Jon said I should try the veal. The veal was pretty good too, but I am not sure if I was crazy enough about it to order it again (I am not sure if it was the veal or the way it was prepared).
So it seems the Australians like to kill their animals quicker than most ;-). No, I am only kidding. It just so happened that these were some of my first meal experiences here in Australia. Soon I need to try the Kangaroo steaks everybody talks about!
In Christ,
Chris
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Looking for the Silver Lining
So...I am finally in Australia! It seemed like this day would never come, but now it is here and I am definitely a mixed bag of emotions. It is so hard leaving everybody I know and love to come and do something completely different. You know? But I am eager to see what God has in store for me here and why He opened so many doors for this to happen. I should be updating this blog, now that I am here, quite frequently. Feel free to comment and keep in touch on here as well as through facebook, e-mail, and "snail mail."
No account of my time in Australia would be complete without a telling of how I got here. To be sure, my travels from Detroit to Adelaide were some of the worst traveling experiences I have ever had. From the beginning: I got to Detroit extremely early for my 4:30 pm departure. Why? Well my parents were worried and Dr. Stewart said I needed to be there extremely early in case anything happened. So I sat and waited--no big deal. Eventually we boarded the plane and were told that we needed to "de-ice." After about 10 minutes the pilot informed is that the chemical wasn't working or something and we needed to taxi over to where they could spray on some super industrial strength stuff. But first....we needed to taxi around to burn some excess fuel or something lame like that. Eventually we stopped in a cue of airplanes waiting for the chemical. Forever-and-a-half later we were ready to take off. This being almost a full hour after we were supposed to. So we landed in Chicago O'Hare and sat on the runway for another hour waiting to be de-iced again. I am not sure why this was the case, as there should have been no problem with us docking with the hanger and disembarking. I think it was a convenient excuse for the fact that O'Hare was backed up and there were no open gates to dock with. This theory of mine is helped by the fact that nobody came to spray the chemical on our plane and yet we eventually hooked up to a gate.
Needless to say, I missed my flight out of Chicago due to the massive delays on the plane from Detroit. So I immediately went to the re-booking center to try and get on the next scheduled departure for LA. Luckily I got booked on this flight with no problems and went to the gate to await its departure. Unluckily, this plane had been delayed as well--almost a full hour due the pilots "not being there." Had this plane taken off at its scheduled time, I would have made my flight in LA to Melbourne, Australia. As it was, however, we arrived in LA a full hour after my international flight had left. Seeing as it was now 12:30 am, there were very few people around to help me figure out how to fix the situation. I eventually spoke with a booking agent who told me that Qantas only flew one plane a night from LA to Melbourne, departing at 11:20 every evening. Moreover, the next days flight was overbooked and she could only put me on a waiting list. I would need to go to the international terminal the next day at 2:30 pm to get myself off the waiting list and properly booked (and there was no guarantee of this happening). There was no way on this planet that, after long day of flying, I was going to spend the night in an empty terminal. Unfortunately, the airline would not give me room or meal voucher for the night, as they were not responsible for weather delays. Fortunately, I did find a cheap enough hotel nearby and got to enjoy bed and a much needed shower.
The hotel kicked me out around noon the next day and I was stuck walking around the streets of LA with all my carry-on luggage (a funny sight I am sure). I ate In'n Out Burger for lunch...yum and just wandered around looking at stores for awhile. Around 2:00 pm I made my way back to the hotel, hopped on the airport shuttle and rode to the international terminal. Speaking to the lady at the Qantas desk, it looked at first as if I would not be able to get on that evening's flight. Moreover, the plan was booked for the next night as well. She told me to come back in 20 minutes to speak with a different agent. After a very stressed out 20 minutes, I returned to find that a seat had been found and my boarding pass was ready! Praise the Lord! In addition, they had found my checked luggage which nobody had known the whereabouts to the night before and were making arrangement for it to get on the plane. Wonderful! Now I needed to killed time until my departure at 11:20 pm. So I decided to WALK all the way back into town from the international terminal (still carrying my bags), as I did not want to wait in the terminal. So I walked down more streets, saw more stores, ate a bit more LA food and then walked pack around 8:00 pm.
The plane ride from LA to Melbourne went well. All things considered, the fifteen hour flight went smooth and I was able to sleep some of it away. I do hate flying though and the seats were really cramped together and my stomach felt horrible to whole time. Something about flying always makes me sick to my stomach. We flew all night and arrived in Melbourne on Wednesday morning. Then I had to rebook my final flight from Melborne to Adelaide, seeing as I arrived a whole day after I had expected to. I booked the flight at no extra cost, which was great, waiting a few hours, and enjoyed the MUCH shorter and MUCH less crowded flight to Adelaide. Jon Joyce, my mentor over here in Australia, was waiting to pick me up. My bags and everything made it safe and sound.
My whole traveling experience, miserable as it was, prompted me to ask the question, "So where is the silver lining." I mean...we all say things like this as Christians, don't we? After all, the Bible promises that God works ALL things for the good of those who love him. But yet we constantly face trials where we are asking where the good is. We are always looking for the silver lining. From the death of a loved one to something as seemingly unimportant as travel delays, God promises that there is purpose and good behind everything that happens to us, whether we see it or not. As Jon Joyce told me though, just because it is for our good doesn't make it easy to deal with. I simply have to be content with the knowledge that my delays happened for a reason. For now then, I think the silver lining of my being delayed would have to be the In'n Out Burger I ate for lunch. I mean, you just don't get a burger that good everyday :-). Perhaps God catered to my refined fast food palette. Or perhaps there was something else far more important that I will never know...a real "butterfly flapping its wings causes a hurricane" sort of paradox. God is good and that is enough for me. After all, I am here now and safe and that is what matters in the end. More soon, my friends!
In Christ,
Chris
No account of my time in Australia would be complete without a telling of how I got here. To be sure, my travels from Detroit to Adelaide were some of the worst traveling experiences I have ever had. From the beginning: I got to Detroit extremely early for my 4:30 pm departure. Why? Well my parents were worried and Dr. Stewart said I needed to be there extremely early in case anything happened. So I sat and waited--no big deal. Eventually we boarded the plane and were told that we needed to "de-ice." After about 10 minutes the pilot informed is that the chemical wasn't working or something and we needed to taxi over to where they could spray on some super industrial strength stuff. But first....we needed to taxi around to burn some excess fuel or something lame like that. Eventually we stopped in a cue of airplanes waiting for the chemical. Forever-and-a-half later we were ready to take off. This being almost a full hour after we were supposed to. So we landed in Chicago O'Hare and sat on the runway for another hour waiting to be de-iced again. I am not sure why this was the case, as there should have been no problem with us docking with the hanger and disembarking. I think it was a convenient excuse for the fact that O'Hare was backed up and there were no open gates to dock with. This theory of mine is helped by the fact that nobody came to spray the chemical on our plane and yet we eventually hooked up to a gate.
Needless to say, I missed my flight out of Chicago due to the massive delays on the plane from Detroit. So I immediately went to the re-booking center to try and get on the next scheduled departure for LA. Luckily I got booked on this flight with no problems and went to the gate to await its departure. Unluckily, this plane had been delayed as well--almost a full hour due the pilots "not being there." Had this plane taken off at its scheduled time, I would have made my flight in LA to Melbourne, Australia. As it was, however, we arrived in LA a full hour after my international flight had left. Seeing as it was now 12:30 am, there were very few people around to help me figure out how to fix the situation. I eventually spoke with a booking agent who told me that Qantas only flew one plane a night from LA to Melbourne, departing at 11:20 every evening. Moreover, the next days flight was overbooked and she could only put me on a waiting list. I would need to go to the international terminal the next day at 2:30 pm to get myself off the waiting list and properly booked (and there was no guarantee of this happening). There was no way on this planet that, after long day of flying, I was going to spend the night in an empty terminal. Unfortunately, the airline would not give me room or meal voucher for the night, as they were not responsible for weather delays. Fortunately, I did find a cheap enough hotel nearby and got to enjoy bed and a much needed shower.
The hotel kicked me out around noon the next day and I was stuck walking around the streets of LA with all my carry-on luggage (a funny sight I am sure). I ate In'n Out Burger for lunch...yum and just wandered around looking at stores for awhile. Around 2:00 pm I made my way back to the hotel, hopped on the airport shuttle and rode to the international terminal. Speaking to the lady at the Qantas desk, it looked at first as if I would not be able to get on that evening's flight. Moreover, the plan was booked for the next night as well. She told me to come back in 20 minutes to speak with a different agent. After a very stressed out 20 minutes, I returned to find that a seat had been found and my boarding pass was ready! Praise the Lord! In addition, they had found my checked luggage which nobody had known the whereabouts to the night before and were making arrangement for it to get on the plane. Wonderful! Now I needed to killed time until my departure at 11:20 pm. So I decided to WALK all the way back into town from the international terminal (still carrying my bags), as I did not want to wait in the terminal. So I walked down more streets, saw more stores, ate a bit more LA food and then walked pack around 8:00 pm.
The plane ride from LA to Melbourne went well. All things considered, the fifteen hour flight went smooth and I was able to sleep some of it away. I do hate flying though and the seats were really cramped together and my stomach felt horrible to whole time. Something about flying always makes me sick to my stomach. We flew all night and arrived in Melbourne on Wednesday morning. Then I had to rebook my final flight from Melborne to Adelaide, seeing as I arrived a whole day after I had expected to. I booked the flight at no extra cost, which was great, waiting a few hours, and enjoyed the MUCH shorter and MUCH less crowded flight to Adelaide. Jon Joyce, my mentor over here in Australia, was waiting to pick me up. My bags and everything made it safe and sound.
My whole traveling experience, miserable as it was, prompted me to ask the question, "So where is the silver lining." I mean...we all say things like this as Christians, don't we? After all, the Bible promises that God works ALL things for the good of those who love him. But yet we constantly face trials where we are asking where the good is. We are always looking for the silver lining. From the death of a loved one to something as seemingly unimportant as travel delays, God promises that there is purpose and good behind everything that happens to us, whether we see it or not. As Jon Joyce told me though, just because it is for our good doesn't make it easy to deal with. I simply have to be content with the knowledge that my delays happened for a reason. For now then, I think the silver lining of my being delayed would have to be the In'n Out Burger I ate for lunch. I mean, you just don't get a burger that good everyday :-). Perhaps God catered to my refined fast food palette. Or perhaps there was something else far more important that I will never know...a real "butterfly flapping its wings causes a hurricane" sort of paradox. God is good and that is enough for me. After all, I am here now and safe and that is what matters in the end. More soon, my friends!
In Christ,
Chris
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