A New Day - A New Life

We left Auckland around 8pm and about 11 hours later this is what greeted us... an absolutely beautiful Southern Californian winter day! This was our first glimpse of mainland USA...

...and the huge expanse of LA. This is a big city... and everything we saw after this was big too! Big Freeways, big cars, big houses, big shopping centres, and some pretty big people too.

Leaving Aoteoroa (The Land Of The Long White Cloud)

I know I haven't kept you up to date too well, but I'll try to catch you up a bit on our journey so far... a little at a time...There was some amazing light as we were getting ready to board the plane for our trip to LA.

LA, here we come! 29th December 2006.

Passing Through

We are in Arkle's Bay, Whangaparoa, NZ, passing through on the way to LA. We spent Christmas Day with my parents and one of my sisters and her husband. which was nice. It's been a long time since we've been able to be together at Christmas.
I wonder what's on the other side of this door? ... I wonder what's in store for us on the other side of the Pacific? Well, we begin to find out at about 10:30am on Friday 29th December! We're looking forward to it ;-)

No , This is not Ali's new Lap Dog!

We went to Melbourne at the start of December and stayed with Ali's parents. This is Lucy - perhaps a bit bored with everything.

We visited Christian City Church Whitehorse on Sunday 3rd in the morning and were involved in leading the worship and doing a couple of items. We then went to Bayside Community Church at night where I was the "guest artist", leading worship and doing a40 minute set as well. It was a great day in church (as well as a very long and tiring one for Ali and I).

We have been absolutely flat chat the last couple of weeks trying to wind everything up here in Perth ready for our move to California. We fly out on Christmas Eve and spend Christmas day in NZ with my parents and one of my sisters and her husband, before heading to LA on 29th December. We'll be in church on Sunday 31st - New Year's Eve! Wow!

New Horizons

Hello friends,

Just wanted to let you know about some exciting developments for us as a family.

As of January 2007 we will be moving from Perth and living in Orange County, California. There is a church there called Destiny People that was started from scratch about 5 years ago by Wes and Ellie Beavis. This church is going to become a Campus of Riverview Church. Wes and Ellie will become the “Lead Pastors” (as opposed to Senior Pastors) of the campus, and Ali and I (and Daniel) will come alongside them bringing the Riverview “DNA” and all the support we can. We will lead the Worship Team as well as having input in many other areas.

This is an exciting new phase for Riverview Church and for us and we’re excited about the new opportunities and challenges that God has for us. We’re particularly pleased that even though we’re leaving Perth we are still very much part of Riverview.

Please keep us in your prayers and stay in touch.

Big love,

Mark & Ali

More Legends from Church Together '06

This is Jason about an hour before the start... Jason played drums and did an incredible job.
He's "in the zone" - I think he was a bit nervous!

Eddie Botha - one of the great characters of Riverview...

...and Di Botha - the other great character of Riverview!
I love these guys.
Boof still working up a pout...

Boof's beautiful red shoe! It had a fantastic day apparently.

A Beautiful City

On the night of my birthday we sat on the South Perth foreshore and ate fish and chips with this as our view. Fantastic!

A Stolen Kiss

Kiss me—full on the mouth! Yes!

For your love is better than wine, headier than your aromatic oils.
The syllables of your name murmur like a meadow brook.
No wonder everyone loves to say your name!
Song Of Solomon 1:2 (MSG)

This is my favourite shot from the Church Together snaps. Lance and Simone sneakin' a kiss!

Great Music From Phil Wickham

I bought this album a couple of months ago and I'm still loving it. It's worship music although most of it would not be congregational. It's heartfelt and God directed.
This guy can write, sing and play!

Great lyrics... I love this particular song - Mystery:

Here in the Quiet speak to me now
My ears are open to Your gentle sweet whispering
Break down the door, come inside
Shine down Your bright light
I need a lamp for my feet, I need a lamp for my feet

I want to hear the thunder of who You are
To be captured inside the wonder of who You are
I want to live I want to breathe
To search out Your heart and all of Your mysteries

You were the first and You’ll be the end
Time cannot hold You down
Why save a wretch like me?
No eye has seen, no ear has heard
No heart could fully know
All of Your mystery

He sings with great passion and fantastic control with obvious influence from the likes of Freddy Mercury and Jeff Buckley.

Anyway, I could go on about him or you could just check out Phil's MySpace site for yourself here.

Some of the Special People at Church Together

Simone bought this radio from the $2 shop and pretended she was running the whole show! What? It's real?! How cool!

Boof did a magnificent job on sound... he's still working on the modelling career though - just doesn't know the difference between a pout and a pucker. (This was his best pout.)

Annette The Rocker - and yes, she truly is that!

Andrea and Ruthie just being glamorous.

Ali and Penny just being naturally gorgeous!

Heather (who did a great job with the offering), and Ali.

Adam (Big Bird) showing off his beautiful features!

Church Together '06

Here's a few pics from Hillsong United's set at Church Together. They were rockin' and it was good to see virtually everyone stay and be part of it.

Joel Houston

JD takin' it to the people

Joel, JD and Matt in a frenzied moment!

JD and Matt

Jad, having a chat to the boys

Jad - rock god!

Matt's view

All Creation Sings???

Yep! But it doesn't mean they all have a great voice... ;-)

Final Rusting Place

"Ageing unprepares us for life in this visible world and gives opportunity to prepare for the next." Philip Yancey in Rumours Of Another World.

(Thanks Boof for the title)

The Model Wife

The man who finds a wife finds a treasure,
and he receives favor from the Lord.
Proverbs 18:22 (NLT)

Yes, I am blessed... and I managed to get a cool photo of her too!

All Creation Sings!

Cottesloe, WA
1 The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
2 Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.
3 They speak without a sound or word;
their voice is never heard.
4 Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world.
Psalm 19 (NLT)

Canal Rocks, South of Yallingup, WA
The seas have lifted up, O LORD,

the seas have lifted up their voice;
the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.
Psalm 93:3 (NIV)