More geeky stuff, and church.....

We got up at 2am (well Nikki & Hannah got up, Jacqui & Steve had stayed up) to watch the Lunar Eclipse. We actually drove out to the Stardome observatory and joined in with a bunch of people - this meant we could watch it with other people (lots of excitement) and view it through telescopes (although it was better with just the naked eye). Apparently lunar eclipses tend to be blood red in Australia, and orange (or light brown) in NZ.

The lunar eclipse - we didn't take this photo, it is by Mark Harrison.

Nikki went to a church service at St Matthews In-the-city, which was FANTASTIC. The sermon was excellent (the best sermon I've heard in a really long time), and it got me pondering. The music was beautiful (organ and choir), but not really my thing (I don't mind it occasionally, but it doesn't get me excited) - why can't progressive Christian churches have modern music as well? Brunswick West UCA & Al McRae really ruined me for any other church after them. How much is it to ask for progressive theology and good boppy music in the same location??? Anyway, off my soapbox now (if you have any suggestions for such churches in Canberra, please let me know)

This is the billboard St Matthews had in 2009 - it was very controversial, but got lots of people talking about Christmas (and not just Christmas shopping). They seem like a great congregation (the offering included not just money, but shopping bags of food for homeless people - they do this every week). Their regular newsletter is called OMG! which tickled my fancy as well.

Steve hurt his back and so the day was spent looking after him (his mum gave really good physio advice over the phone from back home which helped) and watching the cricket. In the evening Nikki, Jacqui & Hannah went back to the stardome to watch a couple of really great presentations on the science behind the Christmas Star (it seems Jesus was actually born on September 15th), the summer night sky (and what stars, planets and constellations you can see) and mars (it seems the next NASA mission to mars which will land in August 2012 is doomed to fail).

Jacqui at the Skydome

I've been thinking that we've been having a Geek Themed holiday, and then it ocured to me that actually what we are doing is exactly what we used to when we were full time homeschooling - so it's not so much a geek themed holiday (although that is true too), but more a chance to do some homeschooling in the holidays now that the girls are at school.