EASTER DAY
11th April 2004
QUOTES OF THE WEEK
A wife to her husband on the way out of Church: "I ll tell you why it's always the same old sermon. The only time you come is on Easter Sunday, that's why!"
Easter Sunday in Wales. The disseminators of Christianity, and the political regimes which appropriated it, have much to answer for in terms of murder and mayhem. The founder knew this when he said that he came not to bring peace but a sword. Nevertheless, the early Christians were clever to shape local and regional mythologies to their purpose: a midwinter festival to cheer everyone up and now this enactment of the age-old rites of spring. I know all the arguments that reason religion away, from social anthropology to poetry to a simple fear for one's own skin. But as I drove home from the Church of Wales' celebration of the risen Christ, knowing myself flawed yet shriven, I felt happy beyond compare, amazed, only, how people get along without it, whatever on earth it may be.
Lord Gowrie 1995
THE WAITRESS AND THE BISHOP
In a country hotel in the Wimmera the Rector was lunching with his Bishop who was undertaking a pastoral tour. The waitress approached and turned to the Rector. "What will you have, Les?" The Bishop raised his eyebrows, mildly surprised at the familiarity. Then it was his turn. "And what will little Robin Redbreast have?"
OPTIMISM
The average pencil is seven inches long, with just a half-inch eraser - in case you thought optimism was dead.
Robert Brault
EPITAPH ON A DENTIST.
Stranger approach this spot with gravity,
John Brown is filling his last cavity.
EASTER DAY - THE PASSOVER OF GLADNESS
John Fenton
Easter Day demands that we change our attitude, from the long weeks of Lenten penitence, to joy and rejoicing; and to do this is not easy nor does it come naturally. For many of us, there is less effort required in being sad and depressed, than in being joyful. It comes to us more easily to weep with those who weep, than to rejoice with those who rejoice. Rejoicing, which is appropriate for Easter Day, needs faith to set it in motion, specially in a bleak world of hunger, disease and violence. What is there to be joyful about? Christ's resurrection, the reason for joy, seems irrelevant. There is no problem about being miserable on your own; it is not so easy to rejoice on your own. The natural thing is to call together your friends and neighbours and say, Rejoice with me. Joy is social: unhappiness tends to isolate us. How wise, then, of our ancestors to say that "Every Parishioner shall communicate, at the least, three times in the year, of which Easter id to be one". The service, the readings, the presence of other people, the whole occasion, draws us out from the privacy of depression and misery into a new world of joy. We had forgotten a new world of joy. We had forgotten that it was there, but the day calls it to mind and plunges us into it again:
Deck thyself, my soul, with gladness,
Leave the gloomy haunts of sadness,
Come into the daylight's splendour,
There with joy thy praises render
Unto him whose grace unbounded
Hath this wondrous banquet founded;
High o'er all the heavens he reigneth,
Yet to dwell with thee he deigneth.
RESURRECTION
The Resurrection is not a miracle like any other. It is a unique manifestation within this world of the transition God makes for us out of this way of being into another. Austin Farrer
What reason have atheists for saying that we cannot rise again? Which is the more difficult to be born or to rise again? It is more difficult to come into being than to return to it. Blaise Pascal
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
An atheist asks for balance
The anti-religious side has quite as much ignorance and dogma as the creationists, and has painted a false and damaging picture of religion in civilisation. Let me give a spectacular example. In European history, the worst case of idiotic, wicked superstition was witch-burning. Its horrible zenith occurred not in the Dark Ages but in the 16th and 17th centuries, the ages of enlightenment and scientific discovery. Which agency in Europe did most to oppose the witch-craze? Which agency best promoted a rational and humane approach to this benighted horror? The scientific establishment of Newton and Descartes? The secular authorities? Neither of these. The leading voice of reason against the witch-burning came from the Spanish Inquisition.
Disturbed by the witch mania, the Spanish Inquisition in 1538 sent the inquisitor Valdeolitas to Navarre ‘with instructions to ignore the general demand of capital punishment for witches, and to explain to the population that phenomena such as the blighting of crops were not caused by witches but by the weather'.
In 1611, it sent Alonso de Salazar Frias to investigate claims and confessions of witchcraft. After careful examination of the evidence, he said, ‘Considering the above with all the Christian attention in my power, I have not found even indications from which to infer that a single act of witchcraft has really occurred. Moreover, my experience leads to the conviction that, of those availing themselves of the edict of grace, three quarters and more have accused themselves and their accomplices falsely.'
Dawkins and co., please read these words carefully. They were written in the century when Newton believed in alchemy and ghosts. Salazar's ‘Christian attention' led him to reason and decency, in the same way that Wilberforce's Christian conscience led him to end slavery.
Contrary to anti-religious dogma, the Spanish Inquisition, which began with savage cruelty in the 15th century, reformed itself into a model of enlightened investigation. It was the first tribunal to limit torture, and in fact seldom if ever used it in the 18th century, unlike secular tribunals which used it freely and brutally. It became a pioneer of rational legal procedure.
The most famous clash of science and religion was the Galileo affair. Here is an example of the stupendous nonsense written about it. The author is Thomas Jefferson: ‘Galileo was sent to the inquisition for affirming that the Earth was a sphere: the government had declared it to be flat as a trencher.'
Now the trial of Galileo happened nearly a century after Magellan had sailed around the world. The Catholic Church had never denied the Earth was round (belief in a flat Earth is very modern). The anti-religious brigade seems to have trouble getting its facts right. But of course the Church's attack on Galileo for saying that ‘the Earth moves' was stupid and wrong and a prime example of what I am arguing against. Christian belief has got nothing to do with astronomy, and Pope Urban then should have recognised this — as Pope John-Paul does today.
The fundamental practical problem for atheists like Dawkins and me is that religious belief seems to be innate in man, part of our genetic make-up. There is an evolutionary explanation for this (as there is for the existence of morality). People naturally have religious belief and will form religions. That being so, it is far better that they belong to the great religions, which have accumulated a vast body of wisdom and experience over the centuries. If not, they will start new religions, and the slaughterhouse of the 20th century bears grim witness to the dangers in this......
Andrew Kenny
THANK YOU
Thank you to flower arrangers and providers, to the loaners and carriers of pot plants, to servers, eucharistic assistants, choir members, organists, sacristan, and to all worshippers over the past week. You have contributed to a memorable and holy Holy Week and Easter.
EVENING GUILD
The Evening Guild meets on the 15th April at 1.30pm. The Guest Speaker is Dianne Neuwirth, her topic, "My Essence". All are welcome. Contact Kath Grills 58216358
CHOIR
We are attempting to build up a choir at St Augustine's. Anglican Parish Choirs provide the most satisfying of all singing - a performance every week, a huge and lovely repertoire of varied music, a rich tradition and a beautiful setting. We have practices on Thursday evenings at 7.30pm, they are a lot of fun and we are getting somewhere already. However we are in need of more good, clear voices in all parts. I shall never be satisfied but will get close to being so when the choir here sounds better than the one I left behind in Wodonga. So do offer your services if you suspect yourself of having a reasonable voice.
CONFIRMATION
I have been underwhelmed by requests for confirmation this year. Anyone interested in being confirmed should give me their name and address as soon as possible to either the Parish Office or Fr Andrew . Confirmation preparation sessions occur weekly during term time and are usually not at all onerous, indeed they are good fun. However, candidates are expected to be in attendance at church every week. If I remain underwhelmed I shall be contacting the bishop to inform him that there will be no confirmation this year in this parish.
CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to Olivia May Condon, her mother Jacqueline and Sky Daisy Condon, baptised today at 12 noon.
IMPORTANT DATES
April 13th G.F.S. Townsend
April 15th Evening Guild
April 17th Wedding 3.00pm
April 18th Katandra/Dookie Family Service
April 20th Afternoon Guild
April 22nd Evening Guild
April 24th Wedding 2.30pm
April 25th Wedding 2.00pm
May 5th Parish Council at Dookie
May 7th Dookie Guild
May 8th Wedding 1.30pm
May 10th Ladies Guild Coffee Morning
May 18th - 21st Annual Priests' Retreat
May 22nd Wedding 2.30pm
May 25th Reconciliation Activity
May 26th St Augustine's Patronal Festival
Jun 5th Ugandan Martyrs - Breakfast
Jun 6th Mass for Africa
Jun 12th Wedding 2.00pm
Jun 18-19th Evening Guild Garage Sale
Sept 17-18 Synod
Oct 3rd St Francistide Pet Blessing
Oct 16th Wedding 3.00pm
Oct 23rd Wedding 3.00pm
Nov 6th Wedding 3.30pm
Nov 13th Wedding 2.30pm
Nov 13th Parish Fair
Nov 27th Wedding 1.30pm
Dec 18th Wedding 1.30pm
DUTIES FOR 11th April 2004
Readers 8.30 Pat Griffin, Anne Weaire
Readers 10.30 Nancy Noonan, Maureen Cormican (Psalm)
Servers 8,30 Michelle, Stephen, Debbie
Servers 10.30 Tiana, Joan, Jenny
Euch. Assists 8.30 John Griffin,Carole Henderson
Euch. Assists 10.30 Carole H., Maureen Cormican
Intercessors Margaret Neaum, Children
Welcoming 8.30 Heather Nichols, Heather Pearson
Welcomers 10.30 Adrian Evans, Cheryl Richards
Sidespeople 8.30 Trevor Batey, Victoria Heenan
Sidespeople 10.30 Alan Akers, Adrian Evans
Tea 8.30 Bev Reither
Mowing John Moore, John Pleming
DUTIES FOR 18th April 2004
Readers 8.30 Victoria Heenan, Heather Fitzgerald
Readers 10.30 Nancy Fennell, Joan O'Reilly
Servers 8,30 Beth, Kate, James
Servers 10.30 Debbie Last, Tiana, Jenny Waite
Euch. Assists 8.30 Bev Condon, Heather Fitzgerald
Euch. Assists 10.30 Christine Evans, Carole Henderson
Intercessors Victoria Heenan, Nancy Fennell
Welcoming 8.30 Edna Wilson, Pat Griffin
Welcomers 10.30 Charlotte Brewer, Christine Jones
Sidespeople 8.30 Bob Galt, Joe Pearsonl
Sidespeople 10.30 Charlotte Brewer, Nola Brewer
Tea 8.30 Shirley Dean
Mowing Alan Akers, Mervyn & Stephen Cowland
FOR PRAYER
Liam Bognar, Barbara Brown, Helen Bruinier, Loris Buntine, Ashley Close, Adie Edwards, Neil Feldthman,Lynette Gates, Richard Goodfellow, Iris Grant,Kevin & Ellen Green, Ron Hall, the Harrison Family, Jean Hastie,Thelma Irwin, Fr Wayne Ireland, Isobel Kerr, Betty Mercer, Joyce Maloney,Ann Mills, Andrew Muirhead, Gabby Palvia,Richard Pearson,John Perry Ray Prosser, Dennis Reed, Margaret Robinson, Gwen & Bob Scott, Roger Saville,Shirley & family, Peter & Eva Swindells, Rev Glenis Traill, May Wallace, Brian Ward, Malcolm Waterson, Alyssa, Craig, Darren, Elizabeth, Faith, Gary, Glenda, John, Keith, Mary, Michael, Midge, Nea, Rohan
Rest in peace
Alec Bassett
Anniversary of Death
Ethel Robertson 11th, Thomas Cochran, Alf Taig, Alan Batey 14th, Jake Green 15th, William Wilson 17th.
THIS WEEK
Monday April 12th
Fr Andrew's Day off
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
5.30pm Evening Prayer
Tuesday April 13th
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
5.30pm Evening Prayer
7.30pm Baptism Preparation
7.30pm GFS Townsend
Wednesday April 14th
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
10.00am Eucharist - St Augustine's
11.00am Banksia Lodge
1.30pm Hakea Lodge
Thursday April 15th
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
10.30am Meeting re Murchison and Rushworth
1.30pm Valley Nursing Home
2.00pm Evening Guild
5.30pm Evening Prayer
7.30pm Choir Practice
Friday April 16th
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
10.30am Rural Deanery Meeting - Benalla
11.00am Ave Maria
6.00pm Wedding Rehearsal
5.30pm Evening Prayer
Saturday April 17th
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
3.00pm Wedding
5.30pm Evening Prayer
Sunday April 18th
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
5.30pm Evening Prayer