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This Saturday

Apparently there is a football game on.
Will I as a patriotic West Australia be barracking for the Eagles?
I don't think so.

Football is not about State rivalries, its about tribalism.
You wont see Crows fans supporting Port when they are in the GF.
You wont see Collingwood fans supporting Carlton against anyone.

I go for two teams, the Dockers and whoever is playing the Eagles. GO SWANNIES!

If the Eagles win, good luck to them, and it will be well deserved.
But I wont be cheering them on.

Erwin Mc Manus



Where the Echoes Stop
by Erwin Raphael McManus
I want to stand where the echoes stop.
Far past where sound has abandoned thought.
Where silence reigns over redundancy.
Where once well said is more than enough.
I want to stand where the echoes stop.
Where words must be born to be heard.
Where speech is a gift and not a curse.
Where there is more of the unique and less of the mundane.
I want to stand where the echoes stop.

Where meaning is rescued from noise…

Where conviction replaces thoughtless repetition…
Where what everyone is saying surrenders to what needs to be said.
I want to stand where the echoes stop.
Where the shouting of the masses falls silent to the whisper of the one…
Where the voice of the majority submits to the voice of reason…
Where “they” do not exist; but “we” do.
I want to stand where the echoes stop.

Where substance overthrows the superficial…

Where courage conquers compliance and conformity…

Where words do not travel farther than the person who speaks them.
I want to stand where the echoes stop.
Where I only say what I believe.Where I only repeat what changes me.

Where empty words finally rest in peace.
I want to stand where the echoes stop.
“Be still and know that I am God…” -Psalm 46:10a

Erwin Mc Manus

Listening to a message by Erwin of Mosaic church.
Great speaker,

great book, "seizing your divine moment".

He brings alive the character of Jonathon, what a warrior!!

Matt Price

Thank you Matt,
you make the bitterness of defeat, a little bit easier to swallow.
We have grown up as a side, and I really believe that next year could be ours.

"The Dockers were valiant and Sydney, on balance, the superior side. But for a moment in the third quarter, we scared the reigning premiers witless. The umpiring didn't cost Fremantle the match, but unambiguously poor decisions gifted Sydney easy crucial goals and deprived the Dockers of momentum. The game was much, much closer than its six-goal margin.
The holding-the-ball rule is a crucifix too far. The Dockers had crept to within seven points when young defender Stephen Dodd fought for the ball with four Swans defenders. Umpire Stephen McBurney's absurd misjudgment, that Dodd dragged the ball under, produced a crucial Swans goal and should cost McBurney a grand final berth.
If this sounds petty and bitter and biased, let me repeat: Sydney deserved its victory. The dragging rule is a disgrace almost whenever it is applied - penalising courage and effort and encouraging over-theatrical officiating - and the Swans copped some stiff decisions, too."
Story

Consumed

Another great Sunday.
Some old friends returned, nice to see Tony and Hanalie (Spelling?) Peck at church.

Eliot did a great rendition of "Consume me" an old song of DC Talk, and I spoke on spiritual disciplines, including fasting.

Amazing how God moved. I felt the need for their to be a response, so I asked some people to pray at the end for something that was really burdening them. Some people did, which was great.

The Party's over

Dockers go down and bow out of finals race.
If you had told me that we would participate in a prelim final after round 10, I would have definetley taken it.

Our best year yet, with improvement to come from 2007's All Australian Ruckman, 2007 Brownlow medalist Brett Peake, and Paul Hasleby to return fully fit, the future looks bright for this bunch of Dockers.

Dockers, biggest winners out of 2007. Biggest losers, Geelong and St Kilda a close second.
What I mean is, based on pre season expectations, Freo have exceeded predictions, the Cats and Saints have really done worse than expected.

Dockers Prayer

Dockers Prayer
Our Father who lives in Fremantle
Hallowed be thy game,
Thy purple comeThe game be won
At Telstra, as it is at Subi.
Give us this day your freakish goal
And forgive us our poor passes,
As we forgive those who give free kicks against us,
And lead us not into the pocket
But deliver us down the corridor.
For Finals are Kingdom,
The Power and the Glory,
For ever and ever,
Amen.

Walk across the room


Walk across the room
Originally uploaded by dockermark35.
I am reading Bill Hybels book at the moment, "Just walk across the room".

The basic premise is that if we want to share our faith, we just need to walk across the room and share it. Everyone is on a spiritual journey, and our task is to help them with that, not dominate it, force our opinion down their throat, just share our own faith.
Bill Hybels has changed, or at least my perception of him has changed. His approach and encouragement is to be relational, incarnational now than what we had demonstrated to us in his past endevours. Age has brought with it wisdom.
I believe that we still need something to bring people to, but we need to be with them in order to do that.

At my niece's birthday the other day I struck up a conversation with one of my sisters neighbours. Turns out he was a vietnam vet and his best friend was a 'sky pilot' or navy chaplain. His friend stepped on a land mine and was killed. This guy opened up his heart and just shared it with me, a divine moment. Thank God I seized it and shared with him about some of my story. I had to go, but could not pass up the opportunity to take that next step. So I asked him if he was a reader. He said he was so I asked him if I could send him a copy of "The Purpose Driven Life". He said yes and I have done that with a note to call me if he ever wants to.
Hopefully I will meet him again some time.

This is basically what Bill's book is about.
Jesus offers people the "good life". A life of purpose and meaning. We are here to share this. We dont have to lead them in the sinners prayer right then and there, we just have to do our little part, just walk across the room.

I'll let you know more about the book as I read through it.

Got my pre registration finally

While working at home today I have spent about 2 hours on and off trying to get through to Tickmaster. They really need to do something about this.

If, and it is a big IF, the Dockers beat Sydney at Telstra Stadium this week I have registered for a Grand Final Ticket. You dont get a choice on what type you want, or the cost or the seating. But you are almost guaranteed a ticket.

Getting through was really hard, the phone was mostly busy, but even when you got through, it mostly just rang out.

Then when you did get through the menu was confusing because we have been told to press ONE, when in fact you actually needed to press TWO.

None the less, I have my pre-registration.

Come on you MIGHTY DOCKERS.
It would be great to have another chance at the Crows. I think West Coast probably have as much chance of beating them in Adelaide as we do of beating Sydney.

We have these facts in our favour
Sandilands is BIG, Jolly wont like that.
The Telsta Stadium is BIG, about the same size as Subi, The Swans wont like that.
The Dockers Confidence is BIG, the Swans wont like our risk taking.

Wayne's World


webwayne3
Originally uploaded by dockermark35.
Wayne Field has a blog
Wayne is a good mate, and Pastor of Australind Baptist Church


Blog

Website

Our church website is up and running
At this stage it is just a splash page, we needed to get onto this because now with the church sign, people may actually visit it!

www.bedfordbaptist.org.au


thanks to Quentin and the crew at
www.frecklecreative.com.au

who do exceptional work

Rick on Fundamentalism

Rick Warren has released a great article on fundamentalism, and its danger.
Worth a read.

"These are among the fundamental truths of our Christian faith (or, to use another phrase, they are foundational truths to our faith).
Now, if you believe that these fundamental truths are essential to the Christian faith, then you are a "fundamentalist" in the very basic sense of the word, and within that definition and context Saddleback Church is unapologetically fundamentalist.
There is, however, another kind of fundamentalism that has nothing to do with fundamentals of the Christian faith; instead, it is about keeping the right rules in the right way order to please the right people. "

Article

Selection dilema of the best kind

With Chris Connolly declaring Antoni Grover and Luke Mc Pharlin almost certain starters for next weeks Preliminary Final against Sydney, the question is, which unlucky defender will be dropped.

After one of the most even team contributions all year against Melbourne, it will not be an easy task.

Shane Parker is in career best form. Luke Mc Pharlin offers too much flexibility and skill. Roger Hayden's dynamic form reversal has been one of the key reasons for the Dockers turn around mid season.

The only likely exclusion might be 'Mr Fix it' Luke Webster. This despite a 14 possession game against Melbourne and kicking the first Fremantle goal.

One interesting statistic that might make it even more difficult for the match committee is the fact that since Webster was included in the side, in round ten, his first game for 2006, Fremantle have only lost one game, and Webster did not play in that game. In fact Webster has not played in a losing Fremantle side this year. This is a similar state of affairs to Clem Michael many years ago, when he too was a tall running player who also seemed to be a team barometer of success.

Grover's value to the team, especially in facing the strong Barry Hall, is unquestioned. But the quandary of who will miss out may not be answered till 20 minutes before bounce down on Friday night.

In a late postscript, Paul Medhurst may also push for a shock inclusion after almost singlehandedly giving Claremont victory over South Fremantle. Paul kicked five goals and impressed with his endevour and team work in a losing side as the Tigers bowed out of the finals race this afternoon.

Great Sunday!


workofart_cd_front
Originally uploaded by dockermark35.

We experienced a really great sense of God's Spirit in Church this morning. Although there was not a full house of people, I sensed a real hunger to hear from God. It was evidenced in the outward display of worship and enjoyment of things that were being said and done.
I prepared a multi-media presentation (video) using Colin Battersby's rendition of "It is well". I did up this video for the Pastors Conference and it told the story of Horatio Spafford. Horatio endured a lot of tradgedy in his life including the loss of his business but far more tragically first the death of his son, then at a later point the death of his three daughters in a shipwreck. His wife survived. On his way to visit her he wrote the well known hymn, "It is well".

We said a sad goodby to some friends who are moving to NZ, but also said 'thank God" when some other friends declared God was not calling them to move to QLD, as they previously thought He might be.

Dr Laurence Spencer, the Baptist Union President then brought a word from God which he believed was specifically for our church. The challenge was to take seriously Jesus' call that, "they will know you are Christians by your love". He was really well recieved. I think some of that was to do with the combination of a older guy who was a expressive worshipper, wise words and non judgemental challenge. He was sensitive to Gods leading, and interacted really well with our people. The sort of older and wiser guy you would love to have in your church actually!

Consumed


Consumed
Originally uploaded by dockermark35.
Preparing my message for Sunday week.
Really sense God calling me to revisit a topic I used to speak on a bit few years ago, worship.
Here are some themes flowing through my mind...

Exorcism

No, this is not a spiritual post!

The Melbourne Demons were sent home last night without the chocolates as Freo stormed home to a historical first finals win.

Melinda and I had seats in block 137 and quit frankly, the home crowd was the loudest I have ever heard.
It was extraordinary in fact. Listening to the replay on channel 10 when I got home, Anthony Hudson is heard remarking to Tim Lane, just as they come back from an ad, "Listen to that crowd, that is extraordinary".
James Hird also commented during the week, "The Fremantle crowd is the loudest and most passionate of any in the league". High praise indeed.

It was a nervous crowd, a passionate crowd, an exhilirating ride as we watched Freo play once more with confidence and risk. Chris Connolly remarked after the game that after last weeks fairly dissapointing effort, he encouraged the players to get back to the risky confident football that saw us storm into 3rd spot on the ladder. He said that the players were almost playing too risky tonight, which saw some mistakes being made. But quite frankly, I would back our running brigade against any side.

Thank goodness the game against Sydney is being played on the wide expanses of Telstra Stadium, and not the confinement of the SCG. I reckon we are a silly chance to beat the Swans there, and if we do...... I am off to Melbourne.

Damian Williams

This is a Pastor of a church who meets in a old church that is now a bar. After the Saturday night drinking and strip club next door, it is transformed into a theatre style church. He puts out tables and chairs and they have discussions about Jesus and life.

His wife prepares a whole heap of multimedia and about 250 people now meet. He started the church off with cell groups which then morphed into a church. Awesome story.

Story


Damian Williams
Originally uploaded by dockermark35.

Eagles have no soul


dockers grip
Originally uploaded by dockermark35.

Rodney Eade has come out and said something a lot of footy lovers have known for ages,
the West Coast Eagles have no soul.

They are a corporate identity, franchised and packaged for maximum consumption.
At the derby I was bewildered by the karaoke Eagles theme song at the start. Don't the fans know the words?
The Dockers song may be accused of being inane, like a dirge, but its fans know the words, and sing them with gusto. Your typical Dockers supporter does not need to be told how to support their team, they just do!

Then the Eagles are given this chant at quarter time over the loudspeaker, "Go Eagles go, SGIO, go Eagle go, SGIO". Does anyone else not see the problem with this?

The final nail in their coffin is this one.

Many Eagle supporters cannot understand why Dockers supporters.....

a. Support the Dockers at all especially with our lack of success. You dont support a team because they are succesful. There is something about them that just grabs you. Ask Gareth why he supports St Kilda? Or a Richmond supporter why they support that basket case of a team. They cant tell you why, they just do. And it burns within them.

b. Don't support the Eagles as well
A common line heard is this, "I support both WA teams". What a joke. What a passionless statement. Imagine if a Victorian supporter of Carlton said, "because Carlton are out of the finals, I will support Collingwood, after all we are both Victorian teams". Give me a break. Passionate supporters support their own team, and thats it.

Dockers supporters can't stand the Eagles, its as simple as this. I much prefer a discussion with a passionate Eagles supporter who can't stand the Dockers, than one whohalf likes them. We understand each other, its nothing personal, we just can't stand your team. Its much easier to deal with.

And for all you Eagles supporters out there, I might like you, you might even be my friend, but I can't stand your souless team.

Story

Sure Fire Evangelism Strategy

Cant seem to get your neighbours to talk about Jesus?

Being a backyard missionary not working for you?

Attracting people into the church with bells and whistles too much work?

I've got it, kidnap them and then pull out your gun and threaten to shoot them if they don't repent!!!!

Only in America....

A woman and two roommates are accused of holding her brother at gunpoint as she
prayed for his repentance, even firing a shot into the ceiling to keep his
attention. Randy Doss, 46, of Athens said he fled the house when his captors
got distracted and later went to police, who were skeptical at first because his
story was so bizarre. But police said it checked out, including the bullet hole
in the ceiling Story

Conflict Lessons learnt the hard way, and still learning

As a Pastor conflict and people management is probably the key skill you need in developing and transitioning a church from traditional to purpose driven, outward focused and open/charismatic in worship style.

One or two lessons I have learnt, and am still on the journey of learning are these.

1. Be aware of conflict before it happens
2. You don't have to win the fight, getting what you want is far more important
3. Face and deal with conflict as it happens, not a week later, by then it has festered into something far larger and uglier
4. Be friends when you can with people, even if they disagree with you, they will find it hard to lynch you

Good advice

This is good advice for those in the media....
but could just as well apply to those in Ministry, or in fact in any area of life.

) Return every call and e-mail quickly. Show up on time, even if you’re the only one there. Dress like you deserve your salary. Believe me, that will put you ahead of a surprising number of people.
2) Write thank-you notes. Remember birthdays. Remember the assistants, and the secretaries, the coordinators, and the mailroom folks. This is a people business. And people never forget how they are treated.
3) Every day, you are placing a brick in the tower of your reputation. Remember, everything you do, big and small, either adds or subtracts from your reputation.
4) Watch what you say in elevators, in restrooms, on airplanes and in casual conversation. She could be the client’s wife. He could be the boss’s brother. She could be your competitor’s accountant.
5) Don’t care who solves it. Just get it solved.
6) Learn how to tell a story: Every client presentation, every report, every commercial—it’s all about stories. Stories are how human beings make sense of the world. If you want to succeed in this business, be able to tell stories in ways that capture your audience’s attention.
7) When emotions are running high, make sure yours are running low. Life is unfair, so learn to lose with dignity. And, learn to win with dignity. That means no excuses. No crybabies. No bragging. No trashing. Learn how to move on.
8) Proofread. Spell-check.
9) Good enough, isn’t. There is going to be someone out there who will sleep less and work harder, will give up their weekend, and give it one more shot. That is the person that I bet on to win.
10) Think different. Be brave. The world is full of people with conventional ideas who go along with the crowd. It’s the mavericks and the dreamers who move things forward. When you hear an idea that makes you nervous, makes you sweat, occasionally gather your courage, take a stand, take a risk, suck it up and go out on a limb. Hey, you might even be right.


Source

Found

What a joke 2

Okay here is some facts to back up my rant yesterday, for people like Speedy Geoff

ALAN DIDAK Coll
Games 22
Goals 41

compared to

Jeff Farmer

2006
Games 20
Goals 52

Alan Didak has never won a hard ball get in his life, Jeff has been ferocious this year. Even Phil Matera agrees, and came out publicly yesterday to support him.

Nick Reivoldt
Named in the pocket (Hello? is there anyone in the All Australian Selection team who has ever seen him play in the forward pocket?)
Games 23
Goals 60

Versus

Matthew Pavlich
Named on the bench (Hello? Is there anyone in the All Australian selection team who has seen Fremantle play this year??)
Games 23
Goals 63

Reivoldt is a fine player, no doubt, but if you want to compare how he kicks for goal, and marks, with how Pavlich marks, chases and is the most accurate kick in the league, Nick will come up short.
Pavlich has a lot of endurance, Nick is often seen giving up the chase.
Besides that Nick is a sooky sooky la la.

All Australian debacle

Pavlich on the bench? joke

Bell not included? Joke

Parker not in backline? Joke


and the biggie......


Jeff Farmer not in the forward pocket...... absolutley ludicrous.
He kicks 50+ goals and sets up countless others, he works his butt off...
ridiculous.

Instead they include the inconsistent Revoldt, who is not even a forward pocket player, and Didak

what a joke.

Got my tickets

Lined up early this morning at "The Arena" Joondalup to get finals tickets for this Fridays game against the Melbourne Demons.

I have to say they are much better organised down there than at Midland.
They had a line marked out for people and so you just took up your spot and waited. If nature or the coffee machine called, no problem. With a three hour wait, this was pretty important!

Unlike last time, lining up for tickets to the Derby, there was no drama with the ticketing. The Weagles had a terrible time getting tickets to their final last week (boo hoo!!!) with most fans waiting about 8-10 hours before the machines finally came back online.

Anyways, Melinda and myself are off to Subi this Friday Night, should be a cracker of a game, and hopefully the Dockers will have found their confidence on the way back across the Nullaboar and send the Melbourne team back home with their tails between their legs.

Great Kids Celebration Service

Awesome day at Church yesterday.

The Kids had their Celebration Service.
They are using the Oasis material and it is very good. They prepared a contemporary dance and drama based around the "God's Mega Plan" theme.

The music was modern and fun, the kids did a very good job.

Afterwards we had a celebratory mud cake and a sausage sizzle. We sat around the tree round the front and it was really good.

It is so nice to be involved in a church which is so much fun for the kids, what a blessing.

Food was good, game wasn't great

Gareth is a great cook but unfortunately I wasn't that hungry as the Dockers served up some half baked footy today.
A scrappy game with dodgy decisions, by all the players and umpires.

In the end I think it was the home crowd and a stronger desire to win which got the Crows home.

Thank goodness the Weagles lost as well, otherwise Perth would be unbearable over the next week.

Home and tired

Organising a conference for about 160 Pastors and Leaders take it out of you.
So much details to think about and be on top of.
Huge thanks to Malcolm Rule and his offsider Bevan, who worked hard on all the multi -media stuff.

Phil Baker was really well received and spoke very well.
He called us to not be boring preachers, to engage people.
Apart from being a funny and great orator, he really challenged us.

Allan Myer spoke on Wednesday, and did not even touch what he had been asked to speak on (!) but it did not matter because he gave a challenging and different couple of sessions on spiritual disciplines, with a particular focus on fasting.

The food was great, the company and spirit in the place was excellent, helped in no small part by Colin Battersby and Emma from Whitfords Church.

All in all the 2Gether Conference went really well. We have hopefully broken even financially as well but managed to bless, revive, invigorate and encourage Pastors from all over WA.

Power shut off, now for the other Adelaide side

1pm Perth time the mighty (wow, I can say that with no irony, no chance of being contradicted) play the out of form (Melbourne are crap) and injury ridden Crows in Adelaide.

Chris has asked that Freo fans come out to watch, pay for my ticket Chris, and I will be there.
If we are good enough to get to the GF, I will be in Melbourne, but, going to Adelaide is to much for a Pastor to afford.

Watching Freo last night demolish the Power and the week before destroying the top of the ladder Weagles, I have been reflecting on something.
This is not the team I am used to supporting. It can't be!!!
But whatever has happened, I dont want it to stop. Whoever is wearing their lucky jocks needs to keep wearing them, and I dont care how bad it gets, because watching Freo at the moment is as good as it gets!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Off to 2Gether

Blogging may be light in the next 3-4 days,
I am off to our annual 2Gether Pastors Conference, which I help organise.

If your the praying type, I would ask that you would pray that about 150 Pastors from all over WA have a refreshing and invigorating and special time together.

Retravision


I had to set out today to buy some coffee machines as gifts for some people.

So Retravision had a full page ad in the West Australian advertising some really nice ones on special. Great! The whole family can catch the train into the City and we will pick them up.

I go into the city store, ask the lady there where they are. She replies, we don't have any specials on at the moment. I take her over to a copy of the West on her desk and show her the ad. Oh she says, we don't stock those. I say what??? She is unhelpful and blames the head office, and says its their fault. How does that help me I ask??? No real concern nor responsibility taken.

I then ring six other Retravision stores all over Perth and none of them have them in stock. Unbelievable.

A full page ad in the West would cost what, at least $5000 I would think. What a waste, in fact its not only a waste, it actually causes the company harm, I will never go back there, ever.

I go to Harvey Normans Morley , which I never go to. They not only have them in stock but are $10 cheaper!!!!!!!! Needless to say I buy two of them on the spot.

Mark Williams

The Port Coach decided to have a red hot go at Fremantle in a bizarro press conference at the airport. Amongst other things he said that Josh Carr was the real captain of Freo, that Josh Carr was the reason Fremantle is doing so well, and is the reason the Dockers are a premiership fancied side.


Woh, where do you start?

Methinks Mark is the sort of person who has bitterness issues. This was first evidenced when he had a go at Scott of Scott transport who is a major sponsor of the Power and infamously declared Port would never win the premiership with Mark as the coach. They did, and Williams took the opportunity in his grand final speech to remind him of it.

You would think he would take such a glorious time to thank people, instead of being bitter towards them!

Now he is sniping at Freo before the big game tommorow.

Lets hope Josh plays out of skin, as does Belly, our truly courageous captain, and Port get sent back to Adelaide with their tails between their legs.