District Assembly 2011/12

I am really looking forward to this weekend! We have the Annual Southern District Assembly, and this year it is at my home church, the Gawler Church of the Nazarene!
Every year, our district (which is comprised of New South Wales, Victoria, ACT and South Australia) comes together for a weekend of meetings, conventions, services and fellowship.
When I first started attending my church, I was about 12 years old. Assembly didn't mean much to me then, but as each year went by, I looked forward to them more. Because each year I get to meet more people, and this circle; this community of believers and brothers and sisters in Christ gets bigger!!! Each year I come to realise, again, that I am not walking this journey called life alone. I am just one out of dozens and hundreds and thousands and yes, even MILLIONS of disciples of Christ. How amazing is that?!?!
This year's Assembly theme is Faithful. Funny, because this entire year has been a journey of faith for me - a journey that began with one sermon from my pastor at the end of last year. The sermon was on faith, and during that half-hour of preaching, I felt the Lord speak to my heart that, in 2011, I would be learning about faith.
And boy-oh-boy, was He right!!! Right from the beginning when I met a very special man who is now a very important person in my life; to when I flew to New Zealand alone to help with the earthquake relief, now knowing who (if anyone!) would be picking me up from the airport or where I would be working; and as I felt the pull and direction that I needed to go to Bible college in the very near future. Through these things and so many more, I have just been learning so many things about faith. I plan to list them in another post.
So I cannot wait to experience this weekend. Fellowship with friends; worshipping the Lord in His house; experiencing a closer closeness with the body of this Southern District.
Praise the Lord for fellow believers and these opportunities to come together in His glorious Name!!!
~Rachel

A Special Visit

Guess what?!?!
A friend that I have been writing to since we were both 7, and who I have seen just twice in that time, is visiting me next month!
In just 21 sleeps' time (on June 3, 2010), Annelise is flying to Adelaide and will be staying with my family until June 9.
Last year I visited her for about a week, and it was awesome! So we decided she also needed to visit me - especially since she has never been to South Australia!
I am hoping that I won't have to work [too much] while she is here.
A few places I have thought of to go during her stay, so she sees a few of the things around Adelaide, are:

1. Victor Harbor
2. Adelaide Hills - Mt Lofty, The Big Rocking Horse
3. Adelaide Botanic Gardens
4. Rundle Mall
5. Adelaide City

This is all I've come up with so far. Do you have any ideas of where we can go, what we can do and what we can see?
Aside from the tourist-y sort of things (which, so far, my list doesn't look too exciting to me... maybe it would be okay though since she's never been so SA??), Annelise will probably tag along to the various activities I have each week - depending on what is on when she's here, that could possibly be music practise, youth group, netball, and of course church.

Can't wait!!