What do Australians do on Australia Day?
My observations:
Barbecue.
Beers.
Beach.
Tennis.
Fireworks.
Day off work.
Cricket.
Family.
Sun.
Nothing too stunningly patriotic there I must say. I can say that because I don't actually do anything very Australian on Australia Day either. That in itself is very Australian.
I hope no one from overseas ever reads this semi-confession of an un-patriotic and confused Australian.
I feel like I've typed the word 'Australia' too many times to pass as good English so I'd better move on to some photos which can speak for themselves.
This is where I found myself this morning, on the 26th of January 2012.
Scot's Presbyterian Church in the heart of Melbourne city.
Here is what was happening inside the church.
Scot's is a beautiful old church, and was the perfect place to celebrate Australia with prayer and thanksgiving.
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| One of my favourite parables in stained glass - the Prodigal Son |
Everyone from Catholics and Presbyterians, to Baptists and Pentecostals, both Indigenous and European Australians alike gathered to offer up prayers for our country.
I was very privileged to be able to be a part of this special moment of active unity in the church.
While barbecues and tennis might not seem totally Australian to me, what happened today in Scot's Church was really something worth celebrating.
This is our nation, this is our land
This is our future, this is our hope.
A land of reaping, a land of harvest
This is our land, this is our home.
This is our future, this is our hope.
A land of reaping, a land of harvest
This is our land, this is our home.
CHORUS
This is the Great South-land
Of the Holy Spirit
A land of red dust plains
And summer rains
To this sunburnt land
We will see a flood
And to this Great South-land
His Spirit comes.
This is the Great South-land
Of the Holy Spirit
A land of red dust plains
And summer rains
To this sunburnt land
We will see a flood
And to this Great South-land
His Spirit comes.
This is our nation, this is our land
This land of plenty, this land of hope.
The richest harvest is in her peoples
We see revival, the Spirit comes.
This land of plenty, this land of hope.
The richest harvest is in her peoples
We see revival, the Spirit comes.
This is our nation, this is our land,
This "lucky country" of dreams gone dry.
And to this people we see a harvest
And to this land, revival comes.
This "lucky country" of dreams gone dry.
And to this people we see a harvest
And to this land, revival comes.
Geoff Bullock © 1991 Word Music
hahahahaha you are a cracker
ReplyDeleteyou made us both laugh out loud
awesome to know you had a meaningful day
we had a bbq on A Day ;)Very patriotic, huh? We'd better not tell you what we did to the Australian Flags that were present.
Love from Sarah and Judith :)
Wow a double comment! (Double comment? Two person comment? Comment from two?)
ReplyDeleteA barbecue is very appropriate and patriotic, don't listen to anything I say. I'm sure what you did to your Australian flags was not as bad as me spilling ice cream on mine...while it was poking out of my hip pocket (how else do you carry those things when your hands are full?)