So I’m testing WordPress
Thanks to @readeral
It’s happened. We’re here. This is it.
Both Isabella and Emilia are extremely supportive. I only wish I could feel as relaxed about the whole thing as all my kids!
I love to brag about local businesses that have served and supported the community in the sorts of ways that would make anybody proud.
The Cross of Christ 2010 was a daring challenging project and an exciting citywide event. We hoped and prayed for 1000 churched and unchurched people to attend from across the city, resulting in one of the biggest united Christian preaching events on Hobart’s calendar.
By God’s great kindness we saw the our prayers answered. Friday 17th December was a highlight of the year and our spines tingled as we saw the hundreds of people pour into the Odeon Theatre.
We really appreciate all the support we received, both from the Christian community, but also from local businesses as well.
Two hair raising examples are worth a mention: Both Fuji Xerox Hobart and Bargain Car Rentals supported us in with the sort of generosity that’s worth talking about.
1. One of our team went into hospital with his wife in labour the day before and couldn’t print our programs. Xerox came to the rescue with a 12 hr turn around on our printing. Special thanks to Michael Wilson!
2. When we bumped into the venue with 3 hrs before the start we came up against a shortage of 100 chairs. Bargain Cars came to the rescue with a 3 tonne truck within 1/2 hr so we could fix the problem. Special thanks to Jarrod Medwin!
We have learned a great deal in the whole process of organising this major event and hope that we will be able to use this new wisdom, not only in similar events in the coming years, but also in passing those skills and ideas to local churches in our network.
Nick and Suzie Mollison were married today. Congratulations guys!
Going to weddings always takes me back to where Cath and I started. We’ve been married for 9 years now, which has gone with breath taking speed.
With three kids now and umpteen other major life changes in the same time, it’s nice to be able to stand back now with the wisdom of history behind and know that no matter how dark the day can get, how high the mountains may seem, with God’s good hand of grace in our relationship, there is always light flooding our travel through this passage of time.
Like a party on the tongue, Villino Espresso was firing today. I don’t reckon what I tasted here from this cup can be matched anywhere in Hobart at the moment.
Very big on flavour, sweetness and fullness. Richard’s got Caleb running this place like a master!
There is a time for everything: a time for Villino and a time for Brew; a time for Island and a time for Roasters; a time for Oomph and a time for Kara.
But today is definitely the day of Villino.
A gift from my late Grandad to his great grandson Elijah, three generations down the tree:
Should I try preserve it as a keep-sake, or let him continue playing with it for memory’s sake?
The writing is already fading but with photos maybe the precious use in his early years will make this gift more long-lasting anyway?
What do to do, what to do?
And a big black anti-whaling trimaran.
Go Gojira, go!
This is the script of my Gospel talk at Grandad’s funeral, February 2006. JESUS’ WORD OF ASSURANCE (Luke 23:38-43):
Many of you know that Grandad loved Aussie Rulers football. He loved to watch his twin nephews, Peter and Norman Web, play for East Launceston. Only a few months ago he gave this football to my son Elijah, with the words written on it “To my Great Grandson Elijah Beau Towns, love from Great Grandad R. Towns, 26th Dec 2005”. This will be cherished for generations to come!
Many of you will also know that Grandad had another love – a love of the Lord Jesus Christ. And it was because of this love that Grandad asked me in particular to share with you the message of the Lord Jesus today.
The greatest words of encouragement that I can give everyone of us here today are the words of one in whose power it was to bring in death, life! They are words of the Lord Jesus himself. And in particular I want to share with you his words of assurance in Luke 23, that have just been read out for us, spoken to one who, beside him at the cross, was facing death.
3 men were waiting for death to come. All 3 appeared to be criminals. 2 of them were, whose crimes were plainly written on notices above their heads. But the one in the middle, who hung between them, what did his notice read? “There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS” (Luke 23:23).
This is Jesus, and his written notice reads “The King.” How would the ones dying beside him respond to this? One of the criminals rejected Jesus as King: “One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” “ (v. 39) He joins in with all those standing around the cross that day, “hurling insults” at Jesus. “Aren’t you the Christ, God’s King?” he mocks. “Save yourself, and us!” he ridicules.
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” (v. 40-41). The other criminal rebukes him, because not only didn’t he fear punishment by God, he had no reverence for God – the Supreme Judge, the Ruler of the Universe! But instead he rejects Jesus as King.
Well I’m here to tell you that Grandad did not do this. This is the reason why he asked me to speak about Jesus at his funeral. Grandad had a tremendous fear of God: A deep reverence for his Lord and Maker.
Well, if the first criminal insulted Jesus, How does the other criminal respond to Jesus? The other criminal treated Jesus as King. “Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”” (v. 42) After rebuking his fellow criminal, this second criminal now directs himself to Jesus, and asks with amazing faith “remember me when you come as King.” Even though everyone else was mocking Jesus this condemned man looks at Jesus and sees all the way in to the future when Jesus will come again in Kingly power.
And what does he ask? To be remembered on that Day; to not be forgotten. So can you see what this dying man is asking of Jesus? He is praying to be remembered by Christ and therefore included in his kingdom when he comes back.
This is exactly what Grandad also did, at 25 years of age: He prayed to Christ. “King Jesus, include me in your kingdom!” And right up until his recent death Rex Towns was one who lived with Jesus as his personal King.
Well how does Jesus response to this second criminal who treats him as his King. Jesus gives him the promise of Paradise. Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”(v. 43) Although Jesus gave no response to the insulting request of the other criminal, not even a single word, he immediately responds to this man with an answer promising more than he could have imagined. The criminal asked only hoping, but Jesus replied with certainty: “I tell you the truth…” The criminal had asked about the distant future when Jesus would come again, but Jesus gave his something immediate: “Today”, he said, meaning this very day they would both die. The criminal only asked to not be forgotten in Jesus’ mind, but Jesus promised him his own company: “you will be with me”. He had asked simply for a place in Jesus memory, and was given a place “in Paradise”!
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” At that very moment, upon his request of faith he was assured of the certainty of his salvation!
What does this mean for Grandad? It means nothing less than on the 17th February, 2006, after his death, Rex Towns (My Grandad) went directly to be with Christ in the Paradise of Heaven.
In closing, please understand this, we are all criminals before God, like these two men either side of Jesus on the cross. It was Grandad’s prayer and greatest wish, as it is mine, that today you would take this wonderful opportunity to turn to Christ, and pray this prayer: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Amen.
Good coffee, being the end point of a very long process from picking cherries all the way to pouring the cup, has something in common with ‘life’, I think.
The critical factor in the process is pressure – in, for example, stripping the cherries, heating and grinding the beans, and extracting the coffee. It’s the pressure that brings out the best in coffee.
Life is a bit like that. Elijah will no doubt one day be saying, ‘My Daddy always told me, “Life is like making coffee: Pressure is a critical part in the process.”‘ But of course, he’s got a long long way to go (as do I!)
All this waffle is actually just an excuse to use these excellent photos, thanks Amy Imms.
Island Espresso’s Dane calls this “Chemex”. Maybe I’m just behind the times?! All news to me.
It’s just a gravity drip filter into a conical flask with warm water. He said next time he’ll let me try the taste when the extraction is done using cold water!?!
Not sure he’ll make many buyers out of this though: The smell and taste were very very different. How to describe? Strange. Think I’ll stick with my doppio ristretto.
Joe Towns 