Before I came to Australia, everybody asked me one of two questions:
1. Are you going to drink Foster's?
2. Are you going to go to Hillsong?
I have done one of them. And since we aren't allowed to drink alcohol and I haven't even seen Foster's here, take a wild guess which one. Yes. I went to Hillsong church. Sort of.
I went to their college group. Which is way bigger than the church I go to at school. It was pretty crazy. And we weren't even at the 'real' Hillsong, it was the "City" branch, because the real church is mega-huge and 'out west,' apparently. I'll get around to that one sometime, but the college group is good enough for me now.
The worship, as you probably can guess, was really cool. Super loud, laser lights, great musicians, all Hillsong originals. And most people down here would describe it as a charismatic church. I really don't know much about different denominations or anything, and I was kind of expecting it to be like my church at home. But it definitely was charismatic. Anytime people weren't singing the lyrics to a song, they were singing their own song, or praying out loud, or just singing praises. It totally caught me off guard at first, but it was a really cool feeling to be standing there and totally surrounded by people praying and praising.
I did get to meet some people too, which surprised me because it was such a big service. But everyone I saw was really into becoming friends and getting involved and giving free coffee and filling out the welcome card. It was kind of nice, not gonna lie.
Even though it was a good service, and I do plan on going back again, I don't really think Hillsong is the church for me. Two or three years ago, I think I would have been ecstatic to go somewhere like it. The music and 'rock show' qualities were all really new to me then, and it changed the way I saw worship. I was so excited to have fun and excitement in worship music, and I thought I would never be content with a church that didn't have that.
But after getting used to chapel at Taylor and my church there, Exit 59, I don't think it's my scene anymore. I like small settings and never feeling like just a face in a crowd. I like the humility and realness of it. I like that it feels unrehearsed.
I think that I used to think a great worship experience was fueled by loud music and fog machines, and I still like that sometimes. But I don't need it anymore. I found out that God is still God without a bass guitar acting as a defibrillator.
And I don't mean to sound snobby or like I think my way is the best way. And I still love the concert feeling and exciting worship churches like Hillsong offers. I just don't want it every week anymore.
Other than church, I've been to another art museum and the ZOO. Besides the norm (zebras, monkeys, giraffes) they had koalas, echidnas, a komodo dragon, and wombats. And tasmanian devils, which are not at all like the cartoon and are really mean, even though they look kind of cuddly. There were a bunch of kangaroos, but they're pretty much old news by now. NOT. I don't think I'll ever get tired of them. The zoo had a 'walkabout' part, and you went on this little path and bam, pack of kangaroos to your right. Like, two feet away. Not even a fence to stop you from snuggling with one. I was really tempted. But didn't want any Australians to think, 'Oh, there goes another crazy tourist, snuggling a kangaroo.' Also, kangaroos look pretty ferocious. I'm pretty sure they could kick me into a coma in nothing flat.
After a long and wearying battle with my camera battery and it's charger, it finally works again! That experience has given me a new lease on life. Not really. But it has given me a new lease on taking pictures, and I want to take a million of everything. So maybe that means maybe I might finally get around to putting some up? But for the time being, there are like a zillion on facebook.
current song: Johnny Appleseed by Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros
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