The AFL fixtures have been released with a mixed result for our two local teams. The much anticipated ‘grudge’ match when former West Coast Captain Chris Judd meets his old team will occur in round seven when Calton travel to Subiaco. It is widely anticipated that the home crowd ‘boo’ their former champion in typical West Coast fan style.
Fremantle finally get a chance to hold a proper ANZAC day clash with the ‘Len Hall’ game set for a national audience on Friday night, at Subiaco against travelling side Geelong.
Fremantle will travel interstate 10 times, six times to Victoria, including one to Kardinya Park, twice to Adelaide, and once to Brisbane and Sydney. In contrast, Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon will only leave Victoria four times each.
West Coast will play the majority of their games on Saturdays, enjoying at least a six day break most weeks. They are expected to lose both derby’s again, as they did in 2006, when they play Fremantle in rounds 3 and 18.
The fires in Orange County have come perilously close to Saddleback Church….within about 500 metres apparently.
“Trisha Wuich, 32, creative arts coordinator at nearby Saddleback Church, had spent the day watching the fire from her office window. Her curiosity got the best of her, however, and now she stood within feet of the conflagration, taking cell-phone videos to send to her husband.
“I probably shouldn’t do this,” she said as ash darkened the late-afternoon sky. “But it’s natural curiosity. I called my husband and said, ‘If I’m dead it’s because of curiosity.’ We were watching flames from a distance, and all of a sudden separate patches jumped together. It came out of nowhere; your eyes started to water and your chest started to tighten.”
Suddenly an Orange County sheriff’s deputy appeared and ordered the gawkers to leave. “Adios, sayonara, bye bye everybody,” he said.
As the throng departed reluctantly toward the Ralphs grocery store on nearby Portola Parkway, a fire engine arrived with its lights flashing to knock the flames down.
Oh yeh……..
great movie…
You could do worse than at least have a look at this post.
http://flowofreality.blogspot.com/2007/10/watermelon-party.html
I dont know how Pastors survive without a peer group. My bunch of mates are great…if ever I was in real trouble in ministry, I know these guys would help. Its pretty organic. Some months someone brings something to discuss. Its good, causal, prayerful and honest.
This is what we looked at today.
The title of this article is a little deceptive….just read it before judging it.
Bring Back Personality Driven Churches
By Dave Gilpin
Learn how to master the art of Culture Creation for growth in your church. After almost 20 years in full time ministry, Dave Gilpin gets angry at the colour that dominates the Christian sky-line…’beige’.
After almost 20 years in full time ministry, Dave Gilpin gets angry at the colour that dominates the Christian sky-line…’beige’.
There is a divine spark inside each of us! Don’t quote me on this – it’s a quote from ‘Bruce Almighty’. Bruce had just spent a disastrous time of his life trying to be what he wasn’t. Bruce (played by Jim Carey) was ‘called’ to be the ‘light entertainment’ correspondent of the nightly newscast, yet in his insecurity, wanted to be seen in a more serious light.
His quest for anchorman led to horrible consequences for the entire world! God (played by Morgan Freeman) had a heart to heart with Bruce and revealed to him that deep within him lay a divine spark. Bruce’s was to bring laughter and happiness to the world. He ‘saw the light’ and set about to be himself – content, funny and furious!
If Abba reunited, they’d make trillions, yet Bjorn Again, the Aussie Abba tribute band, sing better, play better and look younger . yet only make thousands. Why is that? It’s the power of originality.
It’s the same for you and your church. Why would the devil spend time undermining your incredible God given gift of personality? Why do we admonish a ‘cell driven’ church, a ‘purpose driven’ church, a ‘passionately driven’ church, yet vilify a ‘personality driven’ church? Why is a church allowed to be led by strong leadership but not strong charisma? Who made charisma so superficial and so ‘American’? Is there a power at work to weaken the power that’s generated where originality abounds? (Please switch on the Jaws theme tune now!)
The funny thing about ministers is that they often change personalities upon entering the pulpit. It’s a strange morphing that I’ve been guilty of many times over. What results is a pale imitation of someone else’s divine spark.
So much of our life owes its power to the power of originality. Take faith for example. Faith comes by an original word from God. You can’t just repeat a verse from the Bible and then try to believe it. Either you believe it or you don’t believe it. You can’t make it up. When God speaks, faith is ignited. It’s not borrowed faith nor humanly generated. It doesn’t come through the laying on of hands. It comes via the power of originality ignited. It’s not borrowed faith nor humanly generated. It doesn’t come through the laying on of hands. It comes via the power of originality.
The gifts of the Spirit also operate on the strength of originality. They express themselves with unique words for a unique season and plan. And they do it through personality. It’s also a funny thing to see what happens when many people prophesy. Their voice changes, their manner changes and for whatever intents and purposes, they become a ‘different’ person. Who devalued and disfigured the vessel through which the gifts would operate?