A Weekend Getaway…

This past weekend goes down as one of my top 3 since being here in Perth, for sure.  Friday afternoon, six of my mates and I boarded a ferry boat, traveled 45 minutes to a nearby island called Rottnest Island and spent the weekend laughing, playing, and having heaps of fun.  As you can clearly see from the photos, Rotto (aussies notoriously shorten everything) is a breathtakingly beautiful place, even more so in person than the photos relay.  We arrived to our destination around dinnertime but first made our way on foot to our accommodation to drop off our bags.  We definitely hit the jackpot with our housing arrangement, staying in the Commander’s Post at the top of this high hill with a 180-degree, panoramic view of the ocean.  We went for a late dinner and were pleasantly surprised when a quite impressive cover band was playing at the outdoor restaurant.  Of course, a little upbeat dancing never hurt anyone…

The majority of Saturday we romped around the island.  We started the day off with a delicious breakfast at the Rotto bakery.  Mmmmm, gotto love those gooey jam donuts.  After our tummies were happy and full, we walked to The Basin for some killer snorkeling.  The water was extremely chilly, but I braved the elements and jumped right in (okay, after minor whining and major coercion, I’ll admit).  We saw some colorful fish, but the coolest part was diving down and swimming through the coral holes.  I kinda felt like Ariel in the Little Mermaid, if only I could have held my breath longer.  After our snorkeling adventure, we walked to another part of the island called Geordie Bay to sunbathe and relax by the water’s edge.  This part of the island was my favorite: white, fine sand, turquoise-blue water, and a dock to jump off of.  We even saw a dolphin swimming amongst all the boats at one point!  Unfortunately we had to leave mid-afternoon to catch our 4:30pm ferry ride back to Perth.  Although the trip was short, boy, was it sweet! 

After looking at these few photos and reading my recount of events, I am sure all of you want to come over and visit,eh?  Well, rest assured, I am always up for another trip over to Rotto.  So, come on out and give me an excuse to go island-hopping again! 

On another note, we had our second Vespers service last night.  Again, it was a beautiful, meditative experience.  I feel so blessed to be a part of this movement and put my God-given gifts to use.  Below is a quote that a first-time visitor posted on his blog today.  I find it very encouraging and supportive.     

“Vespers is possibly the newest venture in creating “Sacred Spaces” in Perth. Tonight was merely its second airing as about thirty folk, mostly of the Generation X set, gathered in the darkened candle-lit chapel of the Wembley Church of Christ and settled into the silence of contemplative prayer.
Using the texts of the revised Common Lectionary, worshippers were invited to meditate on the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, recorded in John’s gospel chapter 4. Non-intrusive background music, projected images, and a short commentary led to a protracted time when people could visit several stations for meditation around a large bowl of water, journal-writing, prayer suggestions or communion. A contemporary song with confession and final blessing brought the evening to a conclusion.”

Well, I shall wrap this one up as I get ready for my Monday night Bible study.  Take care and know that I look forward to seeing you all in a few short weeks. Countdown to March 14^th, hey! hey!

 Blessings,

Sarah Kate/Kater/SK/… 

 

 

 

 

Vespers

Something exciting is happening in Perth:  We’ve started a Sunday night worship service called Vespers.  Vespers is a Greek word meaning “evening” and is the Roman Catholic evening prayer service.  Vespers is meant to be a quite, contemplative type of worship, filled with hymns, psalms, and prayers. 

This past Sunday (02/17) was the first actual service after months and months of dialogue and preparation.  Taylor was the initial mastermind behind the idea, basing it off of Nashville’s Otter Creek Church of Christ’s Wednesday night format.  But, Josh and I have been helping him with a lot of the prep work in order to make this new avenue of worship possible.  Hopefully, in time, more people will embrace Vespers and have the desire to bring their own creative minds and energies to the preparation and implementation phases.

Our Sunday night service takes on many of the same characteristics as the original Vespers’ services, beginning with a 3-4 minute communal silence, followed by 3 scripture readings—Old Testament, New Testament, and Gospel.  Rather than a sermon, there is a short “sharing” by a designated individual.  After this sharing, roughly 20 minutes is set aside where people can visit several different stations.  This time is very laid back and autonomous.  People can visit all, some, or none of the stations on their own time table.  These stations include:

Encouagement—this station is designed for people to write uplifting and supportive letters to people in need of encouragement.  We provided a list of people from the community in need yet people were free to write notes to personal friends or family. 

Scripture—this station provides a certain scripture reading for people to meditate and reflect on.  This past week, the focus was on Matthew 17:5-8

            “While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them,

            then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom

            I am well pleased; listen to him.”  When the disciples heard this, they fell  

            prostrate and were very much afraid.  But Jesus came and touched them,

            saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid.”  And when the disciples raised their eyes,

            they saw no one else but Jesus alone.”

Questions to contemplate were, How has God’s Word moved me?  Has it left me cold?  Has it consoled me or moved me to act in a new way? 

**Help me, Lord, to notice how you are speaking to me.

Prayer—this station was equipped with a handout that was meant to be a tool for guided prayer.  Ideas such as the presence of God, freedom, consciousness, and conversation were the central focus.  Below is a list of a couple of the short, guided prayers.

“Be still and know that I am God.”  Lord, Your Words lead us to the calmness and greatness of your presence. (Presence of God)

It is so easy to get caught up with the trappings of wealth in this life.  Grant, O Lord, that I may be free from greed and selfishness.  Remind me that the best things in life are free:  love, caughter, caring, and sharing.  (Freedom)

Jesus you speak to me through the words of the Gospels.  May I respond to your call today.  Teach me to recognize your hand at work in my daily life. (Conversation)

Communion—this station was set up for people to partake in the Lord’s Supper in remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross; his death, burial, and resurrection. 

After the station segment, we again combined for a Group Meditation.  This part of the service is specifically designed to seek and find God in not-so-obvious ways, such as secular music, film, and artwork. On Sunday we listened to a song by Sufjan Stevens called “All the Trees of the Fields Will Clap Their Hands.”  The title of this song comes from Isaiah 55:12 “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.”

If I am alive this time next year,

Will I have arrived in time to share?

And mine is about as good this far.

And I’m still applied to what you are.

And I am joining all my thoughts to you.

And I’m preparing every part for you.

 And I heard from the trees a great parade.

And I heard from the hills a band was made.

And will I be invited to the sound?

And will I be a part of what you’ve made?

And I am throwing all my thoughts away.

And I’m destroying every bet I’ve made.

And I am joining all my thoughts to you.

And I’m preparing every part for you.  

After the Group Mediation, Vespers was concluded with a joint confession and blessing.  All in all, the first service was beautiful, and I could feel Christ’s presence among us.  It is so inspiring to see the fruition of many months of discussion and preparation.  I am excited to see how God allows this avenue of worship to grow and impact the community of Perth.  Please pray for this endeavor as we seek to reach out to and provide a safe place for mature Christians, new believers, and those curious about Christ and his Word.

Grace and peace to you all,

Sarah Kate 

 

  

My Neck of the Woods.

Now that the holidays are over, I have settled back into my lifestyle here in Perth. The past few weeks have been very fun-filled and exciting. I’ve hung out with many new friends and continued to meet up with several of the youth in the area.

Because Australia is surrounded by so many Asian countries, there is an influx of Asians studying, working, and living in Perth. Back in October, I was introduced to three Asian girls who are studying at local universities here in Perth. Two are from China (Amy and Maggie) and another is from Indonesia (Amy.) They sporadically come to Westchurch on Sunday mornings, so I have made a point to reach out and get to know them outside of church. I’ve developed such a soft spot in my heart for them quite quickly. They are all taking summer school classes, so they are very busy with studying and completing assignments. Yet, they did manage to take some time off from their demanding school schedule and enjoy a Saturday evening outing to the cinema with me! We went to see ’27 Dresses,’ which is a total chick-flick but very light-hearted and fun. I feel so blessed to have learned so much about the Asian culture from our conversations and now have a strong desire to visit China one day. Through my interactions with Amy(s) and Maggie, I have come to believe that ministry is not necessarily about preaching the gospel straight away or getting someone to come to church each Sunday, but starts with a simple friendship and non-threatening social exchanges.

On a lighter note…

Some major things have happened in ‘the land down under’ as of late. Here are the top three events that have got people abuzz:

(1) Australia Day—on January 26th, Aussies take part in their own patriotic celebration much equivalent to American’s 4th of July: brilliantly loud and colorful fireworks, BBQs with friends and family, sporting the country’s colors, and, for several debaucherous individuals, consuming way too much alcohol. I thoroughly enjoyed by first Australia Day experience. I adorned the traditional green and gold and even went as far as to paint my nose in green and yellow zinc. Such dedication for my current country, I know, I know. I spent the day with various friends and members of Westchurch, hoping from one gathering to the other. The day included: learning the rules of and how to play cricket, enjoying a lake-side BBQ, attempting to play volleyball at the beach (alas, too windy!), and admiring the beautiful firework display. My favorite’s were the large gold ones that burst and then fall like raindrops and the red heart-shaped ones.

(2) The Australian Open—this is the world-renowned tennis tournament held annually in Melbourne. Now, I’ve always enjoyed a casual, non-competitive game of tennis but I have never actually entertained the idea of watching it on television. That is, until now. I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat with a nervous stomach each time I watched a match. I became an avid supporter of Novak Djokovic after my first glimpse of watching him play, and I was beyond ecstatic when he beat out Frenchman Jo Wilfried Tsonga for the Grand Slam title. Now I wonder what I’ll do with all this time I dedicated to tennis the past 10 days…?

(3) R.I.P Heath Ledger (1979-2008)—obviously, the loss of this gifted contributor to the cinematic world saddened many individuals around the world, yet the Aussies were rocked even deeper by this tragic news because Heath is originally from Perth. He is the first and only major movie star that has come from this city. So, of course, the people here take pride in this talented bloke. I don’t know how many television stations back in the States ran commemorative programs in Heath’s honor, but boy did Perth’s stations telecast their fair share. All I know is that Heath was my first official high school crush when he burst onto the scene in ‘10 Things I Hate About You.’ I mean, c’mon ladies, who didn’t want to be Julia Stiles as Heath serenaded her on the soccer field with “You’re Just To Good To Be True”? Needless to say, I will forever hold a special place in my heart for that, well, heart-throb.

This Saturday I am volunteering again at Disabled Surfers’ Day, the last one of the summer. Hopefully the water will feel warmer this go around and there will be good times for everyone involved. The projected temperature is 106 degrees Fahrenheit. Whew!

Wishing everyone well,
Sarah Kate