FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT
21st December 2003
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
I Dr. Martin Luther, wish all lovers of the unshackled art of music, grace and peace from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ! I truly desire that all Christians would love and regard as worthy the lovely gift of music, which is a precious, worthy and costly treasure given to mankind by God.....A person who gives this some thought and yet does not regard music as a marvellous creation of God must be a clodhopper indeed and does not deserve to be called a human being. He should be permitted to hear nothing but the braying of asses and the grunting of hogs.
Martin Luther
Whoever takes up the sword shall perish by the sword. And whoever does not take up the sword (or lets it go) shall perish on the cross
Simone Weil
A PRAYER FOR THIS WEEK
Eternal God, the true source of peace, we thank you for the peace and security that we enjoy in this land, for all who hold it dear and cherish it, and those who help protect and guard it. We pray for all who serve in the defence and police forces of this land. Give them courage and comfort in danger, Patience and good humour in waiting, and discipline in the just use of force. Help us to appreciate their contribution to all we hold dear in this land we love and to seek for all people the freedom to serve you and each other in compassion and peace, we ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT
Two men are walking their dogs. One's is a Doberman and the other's is a chihuahua. They pass a restaurant and decide to get something to eat. The fellow with the chihuahua says: " We can't go in there. We have got dogs with us. There is a sign saying ‘No Dogs Allowed'". The man with the Doberman says: "Just follow my example." He puts on a pair of dark glasses and walks through the restaurant door with his Doberman. "Sorry sir, no pets allowed," says the waitress. "But you don't understand. This is my seeing-eye dog." The waitress says: "A Doberman? I thought they were usually Labradors." "Yes, they are using Dobermans too now though. They are very good." "I am sorry, sir. Of course you can come in," says the waitress. Then the man with the chihuahua follows suit. He puts on a pair of dark glasses and starts to walk in. Once again the waitress says: "Sorry sir, no pets allowed." The fellow with the chihuahua says: "But you don't understand. This is my seeing-eye dog." The waitress says: "A chihuahua?" And the man with the chihuahua says: "A chihuahua?? They gave me a chihuahua?"
CHRISTMAS SERVICES
There will be incense at the Midnight Mass but not at any other Christmas Services.
Monday 22nd
7.00pm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carol Service - St Augustine's
Wednesday 24th Christmas Eve
10.00am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eucharist (not a Christmas Service)
5.30pm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eucharist for Children and Parents
8.00pm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christmas Eucharist - Katandra
11.00pm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Congregational Carol Singing
11.30pm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Midnight Mass - St Augustine's
Thursday 25th Christmas Day
8.30am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eucharist & carols-St Augustine's
9.00am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eucharist with Carols - Dookie
10.30am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eucharist & Carols- St Augustine's
DING DONG DING DONG
Fr Andrew Neaum
In 1970, as a young teacher in London, I used to read with great enjoyment the clever, scurrilous and satirical rag, Private Eye. It was there, in a regular comic strip, that I first came across that quintessential Australian, Barry Mackenzie. I loved him. He was not only funny, there was something authentic about his coarse innocence and outlandish escapades. I am sure he helped influence me, many years later, to come to live in Australia. An unlikely evangelist for the Land of Oz.
When eventually I did arrive in Australia, about eighteen years ago, I spent three months as an assistant priest in the parish of which some years later I became Rector, Holy Trinity Ararat. On my first morning I made my way over to church to say mattins and to celebrate the Eucharist with my Rector and a local retired priest. Before going in to church I went over to the bell gantry and gave the big church bell a good tonk
This was something I did with such meticulous regularity on the Island of St Helena that many islanders maintained they used to get up in the morning by the bell's ring. I liked to think that those hard working souls who, as the author of Ecclesiasticus says, maintain the fabric of the world, and whose prayer is the handiwork of their craft, were reminded by the bell's daily ring that their parish priest was offering prayer and the Eucharist on their behalf and for their welfare. Only once did I fail to ring the bell on time. That was on the morning that my St Helenian daughter, Elizabeth, was born. As good an excuse as a married priest could ever find for dereliction of duty.
A Local Harridan
On my second morning in the Australian parish of Ararat, as on the first morning, I again gave the bell a good ring. Just as I finished, the door of a nearby house burst open and the raucous voice of a local harridan, a female equivalent of Barry Mackenzie, ripped the air apart and poured appalling abuse and calumny upon my head for so disturbing the peace! My Rector refused to let me call the harridan's bluff and so Ararat, sadly, did not grow accustomed to being woken by the tolling of a Matin Chime. How soul satisfying it is here in Shepparton, however, again to ring a mellow chime each morning, as I do, at a quarter to eight, telling all those with the ear to hear that the Office of Mattins is about to begin.
I love bells. So did that most attractive of Anglicans, John Betjeman. His blank-verse autobiographical poem is entitled Summoned By Bells. I too, many times, have been summoned to worship by a glorious peal of bells in lovely English country towns. Bells peal throughout Betjeman's verse, one of his poems is called On Hearing the Full Peal of Ten Bells from Christ Church, Swindon, Wilts., an admirable mouthful of a title for a poem, but bettered by that of another of his splendid verses: Church of England Thoughts Occasioned by Hearing the Bells of Magdalene Tower from the Botanic Gardens, Oxford on St Mary Magdalene's Day......
A multiplicity of bells,
A changing cadence, rich and deep
Swung from those pinnacles on high
To fill the trees and flood the sky
And rock the sailing clouds to sleep.
A Church of England sound, it tells
Of "moderate" worship, God and State,
Where matins congregations go
Conservative and good and slow
To elevations of the plate.
And loud through resin-scented chines
And purple rhododendrons roll'd,
I hear the bells for Eucharist
From churches blue with incense mist
Where reredoses twinkle gold....
Sabotage
The bell of my theological college chapel was an awkward brute with a mind of its own. All students were required to take on a weekly stint of chapel-bell ringing in turn. To ring the Angelus properly on the College bell, without unwanted grace-notes, required great skill and was a matter of some pride, to anglo catholic students at least. Those of a more protestant persuasion used to delight to make a hash of it! One student in particular took too great a pride in his efforts and so a prankster climbed the chapel's roof and tied fishing line to the clapper. The Angelus began: dong, dong, dong.... The first nine rings were meticulously rung, there followed the customary devotional, reverential though proud silence, and then suddenly a frenzied d.d.d.d.d.d.d.d.dong, on and on and on! How we, and doubtless the angels, laughed.
I once repaired the rope attached to the clapper of the bell on St Helena with the help of a large jubilee clip, and some judicious drilling. A difficult job of which I boasted to Edwy, a bass in the choir and the ringer of the "five minute bell". At Evensong the following Sunday, Edwy rang for only three minutes of the required five. He then appeared with blood trickling from the bridge of his nose and a reproachful look. My proudly boasted jubilee clip had detached itself and conked him one! Thus, perhaps, my laughter at the sabotaged pride of an Angelus rung many years previously was appropriately avenged!
People were summoned to worship in the mission station churches of my youth, in Africa, not by a tolling bell but by the clang of a piece of railway line dangling from a tree branch being banged with a large bolt. This was not a memorably musical sound, but simply to recall it to jot down in this article has filled me with nostalgia. Not so much for the noise itself, I think, as for the vibrant African worship it promised. So perhaps means have not quite become ends and my love of bells might well be related to my love and worship of God.
THE CIRCLE OF A GIRL'S ARMS
The circle of a girl's arms
have changed the world
the round and sorrowful world
to a cradle of God.
She has laid love in His cradle.
in every cot, Mary has laid her child,
In each come Christ.
In each Christ comes to birth,
comes Christ from the Mother's breast,
as the bird from the sun returning,
returning again to the tree he knows
and the nest, to last year's rifled nest.
Into our hands Mary has given her child,
heir to the world's tears,
heir to the world's toil,
heir to the world's scars,
heir to the chill dawn
over the ruin of wars
She has laid love in His cradle,
answering for us all.
"Be it done unto me."
The child in the wooden bed,
the light in the dark house,
the life in the fainting soul,
the Host in the priest's hands,
the seed in the hard earth,
the man who is child again,
quiet in the burial bands waiting his birth.
Mary, Mother of God,
we are the poor soil
and the dry dust,
we are hard with a cold frost.
Be warmth to the world,
be the thaw,
warm on the cold frost,
be the thaw that melts.
That the tender shoot of Christ,
piercing the hard heart,
flower to a spring in us.
Be the hands that are rocking the world
to a kind rhythm of love;
that the incoherence of war
and the chaos of our unrest
be soothed to a lullaby,
and the round and sorrowful world
in your hands,
the cradle of God
Caryll Houselander
EGOTISM
My wife Margaret proof reads this pew sheet for me, and not only does she correct typographical errors, she also points out errors of judgement, lapses in taste and too rampant a rectorial ego. The last by suggesting that there should be only a limited affliction upon my long-suffering readers of pieces of my own verse! I proudly (and humbly then) present for your delectation today a piece of light verse by someone in the parish other than myself, and a very good piece it is too, it came on a Christmas Card to my family and me and is written by Joan McCann. Mind you, on rereading it I take back my claim to humility, for it does say some rather nice things about me!
We have no peal of Bells you know
But then, we have no ringers.
We haven't had a choir as such
But not from lack of singers.
Do we believe in miracles?
Do we have any choices?
The wild and bearded man is here
With twenty four good voices.
Not only to Baptise the kids
Or speak of Heaven's glories.
A new approach to show God's love
Is telling funny stories.
And yes, we love the new approach
Not pious, meek or humble,
Nor egotistical like some.
A good laugh beats a grumble.
And as the Readers' Digest states
This truth, for ever after.
For medicine you cannot beat
The sound of human laughter.
VIOLIN
If anyone has a violin stored away unused that they would like to lend to Rachel Neaum, who had to leave the one she used in Wodonga behind, please let her know. She would love to be able to continue practising.
TO PONDER
I came across this little saying on the internet the other day, by the 13th Century Sufi poet, Rumi: The servant complains to God of pain: in a hundred ways he moans. God says, "But after all, grief and pain have caused you to act rightly and humbly call on Me; complain instead of the bounty that befalls you and takes you far from My door." In reality every enemy of yours is your remedy: he is an elixir, a gift, and one that seeks to win your heart; for you flee from him into solitude imploring God's help.
FLOWERS
Several folk have indicated that they have missed flowers in the Church during Advent. That is the point of course. However, unlike with Lent, it is not considered absolutely necessary to have none in Advent. Anyone who has strong views on the matter is welcome to have a word with me.
CAROL SERVICE
On Monday, at 7.00pm, there is a Carol and Readings service in St Augustine's. Do please try and support it, as a fair amount of work has gone in to its preparation and we hope that not only will there be an opportunity to sing the best of the well known carols, but also to hear some new ones reasonably sung as well. The readings are not only from scripture, and they should be well worth hearing.
MIDNIGHT MASS
Midnight Mass begins at 11.30pm, the only Christmas service at which incense is used. Before the service, starting at 11.00pm, we will sing our way through all the best known carols not included in the service itself.
CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to Bill and Dorothy Hunter who celebrate today their 60th Wedding Anniversry, I believe. Also to Ella Egan, who celebrates her birthday on Monday the 22nd, to Hilder Lidgard who celebrates hers, with our Lord, on the 25th, and to Glenda Kuehnapfel Saturday the 27th.
CATERING
Sandra Simonis has asked if people who can help with catering would please put their names, phone numbers and area on the list in the Narthex. Thank You.
BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES
Those who are not averse to having their birthdays and anniversaries noted in this pew sheet please fill in the list in the narthex. There is no need to put the actual year of birth or anniversary, for that might reveal unwelcome truths. It is all simply a part of belonging to a happy parish family.
ROSTERS
We will soon be preparing Rosters for next year and so a list is available in the Narthex for the names of those willing to be on a roster for various tasks, privileges and pleasures. Those who were on such rosters last year will have their names printed on the list and if they wish to withdraw they must simply cross their name out. New volunteers should write their name down clearly on the relevant list. Please note: Readers should not only be able to read clearly and accurately in public, but also prepared to have a session or two on microphone technique and so on!
NOTE WELL
There is a Church Cleaning Day on December the 23rd, at.9.00am please bring cleaning implements. The New Year's Eve Dance will require either a cake or slice from generous folk too.
THANK YOU AGAIN
Thank you, once more, to all who leant me implements and devices for while I was in the Rectory on my own. If anything has not been returned please say so and it will be!
PRAYER
There is a list in the Narthex for names for prayer.
They need to be renewed each month unless indicated as for continual prayer.
Prayer List
Liam Bognar, Jack Clarke,Joyce Clark, Nell Dent, Rita Esam, Nance Evans, Peg Galt, Iris Grant, the Harrison Family, Jean Hastie, Fr Wayne Ireland, Joy Merrigan,Ann Mills, Sue N, Joan O'Reilly, David Rossiter, Rodger Saville, Gwen & Bob Scott, T. Scott, G. Scott, M.Scott, E. Scott, Troy Scott, Peter & Eva Swindells, Des Walker, May Wallace, Brian Ward, Clare Wilkie, Bruce, Natalie & baby Alexandra, David, Emily, Faith, Gary, Heidi, Hunter & family, Jaclyn, Martin, Midge.
Rest In Peace
Sid Waterson, Betty Watts, Bishop Oliver Heywood
Anniversary of Death
Frederick Nowell, Maxwell Allen 21st, Vera Tattersall 22nd, Garnet Wall 23rd, Christine Swainsbury 25th,
Bill Brown-Shepherd, Edna Ainsworth 26th, Bernie Robins, Margot Hardwick, Ivy Doney 27th.
IMPORTANT DATES
Dec 22nd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Carol Service 7.00pm
Dec 23rd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Church Cleaning Day
Jan 10th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wedding 4.30pm
Jan 10th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wedding 6.00pm
Feb 7th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wedding 2.00pm
Feb 7th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wedding 3.30pm
Feb 14th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wedding 3.00pm
Feb 25th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ash Wednesday and AGM
April 11th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Easter Day
May 18th - 21st. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Annual Priests' Retreat
May 28th -29th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Synod
Jun 5th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ugandan Martyrs - Breakfast
Nov 13th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Parish Fair
THIS WEEK
Monday December 22nd
Unlikely to be Fr Andrew's Day off
7.45am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
5.30pm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Evening Prayer
Tuesday December 23rd St Thomas
7.45am . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
5.30pm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Evening Prayer
Wednesday December 24th Christmas Eve
7.45am . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mattins - Lady Chapel
8.45am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pine Road Nursing Home
10.00am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eucharist - St Augustine's
11.00am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Banksia Lodge
1.30pm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hakea Lodge
5.30pm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Children's Christmas Eucharist - St Augustine's
8.00pm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Eucharist - Katandra West
11.00pm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Carol Singing begins - St Augustine's
11.30pm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Midnight Mass - St Augustines's
Thursday December 25th Christmas Day
8.30am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sung Eucharist - St Augustine's
9.00am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Eucharist - St Luke's Dookie
10.30am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Eucharist - St Augustine's
5.30pm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Evening Prayer
Friday December 26th St Stephen
7.45am . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
Saturday December 27th St John the Evangelist
7.45am . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
5.30pm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Evening Prayer
Sunday December 28th Christmas One
8.00am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mattins - Lady Chapel
8.30am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sung Eucharist - St Augustine's
9.00am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Eucharist - St Luke's Dookie
10.30am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eucharist - St Augustine's
10.45am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eucharist - St Mary's Katandra West.
5.30pm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Evening Prayer