Place: Hotel
Poison: Long Black
Favourite Things: Jacuzzi’s!
This weekend I went to 3 different churches in three days, one being Saddleback Community Church, second being the soon to be Riverview Church OC and then Newport Beach Christian Church.
In the land of everything large, everything branded and then everything super plastic these three churches are making an amazing difference in the community they serve. All very, very different, but all amazing in their own way.
Saddleback- a huge, rolling, ranch of a church with an amazing facility, with heaps of different forms of worship reaching out to the cultural groups that call its church home. From Aloha; hawaiian style worship, to elevate; a service designed purely for singles, to traditions a hymn enhanced traditional style of service. From the start we arrived, we were embraced by hosts and people who helped us find our way through the miles and miles of buildings and facilities.
Then Destiny People, soon to be Riverview Church. They meet in a movie cinema, with free popcorn for the kids, worship lead by our very own Mark and Ali Cullen and the people encouraged and supported by the amazing Wes and Ellie Bevis. It was so inspiring.
What inspired me the most is the people working on the ground who have faithfully served for years and years. Guys like Deni, who sets up the complimentary tea and coffee (and doughnuts- yes aussies this is the land of krispy kreme!) to Terri the amazing woman who sets up the decorations on the welcome table as people arrive. Then there is Mike, who is a technical guru, who sets up and packs down all the technical equipment with style and finesse. Then there is Kim who looks after our kids, with love and faithfulness. I could keep going and going. The team of people are purely inspiring and it is a privelege to come along side them and continue to grow this community in Los Angeles the city of Angels.
(I took this at Newport Beach today)
Lastly we went to Newport Beach Church, right in the land of OC central. The big cars, the plastic clothing and the fake smiles is not just a TV fantasy, its true and an Aussie couple Jonothan and Di Wilson are doing a superb job right where the action was.
The building they meet in is so funky, its Denis Rodmans old nightclub. Totally BLING CENTRAL! Chandeliers, Gold frames, Wide sweeping windows framing the beach in all its glory. Despite the fantastic venue, what inspired me the most was the passion of the people. The church service was breathhtaking. From the minute we beat the parking meters and found the parking, to the point we walked away from the doors, we were surrounded with 16-30 year olds who were defiantly reversing the OC culture and living life large. Stay tuned for more updates on this church it was jaw dropping.
Thats me so far… Missing my friends at home, even though I am up for some Universal Studio and Disneyland action. This is truly the business end of the trip and have a week spotted with meetings and catch ups.
Big toasts to the people on the ground in these amazing churches. In this day and age, church is so not what our culture and media portrays it to be and here.
Signing off from the land of consumerism and LARGE, I am inspired by the aussies that are making a HUGE IMPACT
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