FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT
Passion Sunday
28th March 2004
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Here the general average of intelligence, of knowledge, of competence, of integrity, of self-respect, of honour is so low that any man who knows his trade, does not fear ghosts, has read fifty good books, and practices the common decencies stands out as brilliantly as a wart on a bald head, and is thrown willy-nilly into a meager and exclusive aristocracy. And here, more than anywhere else that I know of or have heard of, the daily panorama of human existence, of private and communal folly—the unending procession of governmental extortions and chicaneries, of commercial brigandages and throat-slittings, of theological buffooneries, of aesthetic ribaldries, of legal swindles and harlotries, of miscellaneous rogueries, villainies, imbecilities, grotesqueries, and extravagances—is so inordinately gross and preposterous, so perfectly brought up to the highest conceivable amperage, so steadily enriched with an almost fabulous daring and originality, that only the man who was born with a petrified diaphragm can fail to laugh himself to sleep every night, and to wake every morning with all the eager, unflagging expectation of a Sunday-school superintendent touring the Paris peep-shows. H L Mencken
ALF, PADDY AND JOCK
A Pom, an Irishman and a Scot went out to a pub and ordered three pints. They each found a fly floating on the top of their mug. The Pom said, "Barman, can I have a spoon?" And he quietly removed the fly from his brew. The Irishman said, "Get out of there!" and he flicked the fly away with his finger. The Scot picked up the fly with his fingers and said, "Alright, ya wee deil. Spit it out! Now!"
THE GARDEN OF EDEN IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC
Fr Andrew Neaum
Although no possessor of green fingers, I do enjoy gardening, and twenty two years ago I went looking for the garden of gardens, the Garden of Eden, and found it. In the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean. The Island of St Helena. It is a scrap of an island, six rugged and precipitous miles by ten, far into the tropics, but cooled by the constant trade winds. Brown and arid around its precipitous perimeter cliffs, lush, green and temperate higher up in the centre. An emerald set in bronze, as seen from the air by a passing angel.
The Perfect Diocese
It was the perfect diocese, one Bishop, four parishes, four priests. In such a diocese a bishop could be what a bishop ought to be, known by all his people, a pastor, shepherd and father. He took over the running of each parish when its priest was on leave for three months every two and a half years, and so was no remote, mitred, condescending "My Lord".
The Perfect Parish
And what of the priests? The three on St Helena island had a parish apiece, each containing roughly a third of the population. Less than two thousand people to a parish. What an opportunity. Perfectly possible to visit every house on foot in your parish each year. For a priest a perfectly manageable parish, then, the Garden of Eden indeed.
Taken Seriously As Priest
Ninety percent of the population was Anglican. Like everywhere else not all went to church, but unlike in Australia, everyone seemed aware of the Church as a positive part of Island life. The priest was "Father" even to those who never ever went to Church. He was called in, without exception, at grievous illnesses and death. Where else in the world would a regular mid-week Evensong attract between twenty and sixty people, as it did in one of my churches. The Garden of Eden indeed.
Nostalgia For the Womb
But there is no such place as the Garden of Eden. Eden is a myth from our past. A nostalgia for the comfort and security of the womb. While I was on the island the first murder in something like eighty years was committed. An English defence lawyer, who came out to take part in the trial, looked at our lovely island on his first day there and said to me: "What a terrible place. How can anyone live here, the sadness of the people and place is almost palpable."
Unoriginal Original Sin
He was overstating things, but had caught something of an underlying feel to the island nonetheless. Superficially, everything wonderful - people waving and smiling as you passed them in the car along the fifty or so miles of twisting, tortuously steep roads. Yet underneath, discontent, resentment, hopelessness, idleness, lack of direction, materialism, selfishness, unoriginal original sin.
In this South Atlantic Garden of Eden, people were no happier than anywhere else I have been. The illegitimacy rate was at least fifty percent. Round the world yachtsmen knew St Helena to be a haven where so called love was often free. They dallied there for weeks, bringing new blood to the island and new strains of venereal disease. Guaranteed un-soul-satisfying employ-ment for the men seemed to encourage little more than idleness. The island produced nothing to be proud of. There was nothing to export except a small amount of dried or frozen fish. For no reason, except a lack of initiative, the island was not even self-sufficient in fruit and vegetables. Alcoholism was a problem, drunken-ness among the men almost a plague. Britain has forgotten how to govern colonies, her well-paid experts were resented both for their pay and for their expertise. Her restrictive immigration laws, though not her Queen, were deeply resented. The few islanders who made it to the top tended to be scorned and vilified for sycophancy. Finding leaders and people who would speak their mind was very difficult. Church member-ship was almost entirely conventional, depending less on a fiery commitment to God than on affection for the building, the institution, and above all the graveyard.
Nostalgia For the Womb
And so, where was my Garden of Eden? Not there. Not anywhere. Eden is always once upon a time, never now. Always yesterday, never today. Eden is a myth. A lovely, lovely myth. Somewhere we travel from, never to. Because it is Golgotha, the place of the skull, not Eden, the garden, that reveals to us the true nature of God.
And yet paradoxically, St Helena, for being so emphatically not the Garden of Eden and therefore so worthwhile, challenging, real and fulfilling a place to work and grow as a priest, already assumes in my memory a numinous haze, a patina of nostalgic sacredness. It is becoming Eden to me just because it wasn't Eden! A personal myth is being born, I often long to be back.
A lady … felt a thud upon her bed … and hands constantly moving over it. She was so frightened that she fainted. When she came to it was daylight and she found that the butler had walked in his sleep and had laid the table for fourteen upon her bed. Augustus Hare: The Story of my Life
PRAYERS DURING THE FIFTH WEEK OF LENT
To be said, if possible, daily
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
The following is said before a crucifix actual or imagined
Lord, by this sweet and saving Sign defend me from my foes and Thine.
Jesus, by your wounded feet, direct my path aright:
Jesus, by your nailed hands, move mine to deeds of love:
Jesus, by your pierced side, cleanse my desires:
Jesus, by your crown of thorns, annihilate my pride:
Jesus, by your silence, shame my complaints:
Jesus, by your parched lips, curb my cruel speech:
Jesus, by your closing eyes, look on my sin no more:
Jesus, by your broken heart, knit mine to you.
And by this sweet and saving Sign, Lord, draw me to my peace and Thine.
REPENTANCE
Call to mind the past 24 hours. Think of two things you have done that you
shouldn't have done or two things you haven't done that you should have...
All that I ought to have thought and have not thought,
All that I ought to have said and have not said,
All that I ought to have done and have not done;
All that I ought not to have thought and yet have thought,
All that I ought not have spoken and yet have spoken,
All that I ought not to have done and yet have done;
For thoughts, words and works, I pray, O Father,
for forgiveness and repent with penance.
GRATITUDE
Call to mind blessings of the past day and thank God for them
I thank you, Lord of Heaven, for all that you have given to help us and delight us, for friends who gladly greet us, for flowers of field and garden, for bees with sweetness laden, for swift and gallant horses, for dogs with friendly faces, for homely dwelling places, for songs and kindly voices, for food and sleep and ease - I thank thee, Lord, for these.
INTERCESSION
Call to mind, and then hold there for a moment, those in need of love and prayer
Lord in your mercy, hear my prayer.
Lord, I remember before you all the workers of the world: workers with hand or brain: workers in cities or fields: those who go forth to toil those who keep house: employers and employees: those who command and those who obey: those whose work is dangerous: those whose work is monotonous or mean: those who can find no work to do: those whose work is the service of the poor, or the healing of the sick, or the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ at home or in foreign places.
Bible Reading: Continue your daily reading of a chapter.
God, that madest earth and heaven, darkness and light,
Who the day for toil hast given for rest the night;
Guard us waking, guard us sleeping, and when we die:
May we in thy mighty keeping all peaceful lie. Amen.
CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to Joan and Ted Kitto for their wedding anniversary today, the 28th March, and to Marj Millerick who celebrates her birthday on Friday the 2nd April. We welcome into the Church through the waters of baptism: Benjamin William Nobles, Tyra Paige Loveridge, Marnie Elizabeth Scholz, and Maddison Lee Simmons.
SOCIAL AUDIT
Those who were sensible enough to join us for the Mothering Sunday lunch last Sunday heard a lively talk from Suzie Don Leonard. She returns to the parish on Friday to see us through a "Social Audit" of all that is being done in our area for those in need, be it by Government, Municipality, Churches or by private groups or individuals. This is a necessary prelude to Anglicare's possible involvement in any area of need being over looked, possibly in conjunction with our parish. Those who would like to take part in this worthwhile effort please bring along your evening meal to the hall at 6.00pm and join us as we set too. Those with some knowledge of the local scene are particularly needed.
HOME COMMUNION
Please advise the office of any person you know who might like to receive Home Communion on a temporary or permanent basis. Obviously they need give their consent before we can turn up.
DIOCESAN RETREATS
The Diocesan Lay Retreats this year take place from Friday the 30th April to Sunday 2nd May, and from Sunday 2nd May to Tuesday 4th May The Conductor is Fr Phillip Thirlwell and the cost $100. Further details and registration forms are in the Narthex.
THANKS FOR LADY DAY
Thanks to the supporters of the Lady Day Pie Stall & Raffle. Total: $1179! More news next week!
FETE 2004
Thanks to all Parishioners for their help and generous support of the Parish Fete 2003. The time has now arrived for us to start potting plants, saving items of jewellery, hand bags, books, glass and chinaware and putting aside suitable items for the Lucky Dips. The Parish Fete is on Saturday 13th November 2004.
Thanks Adrian Evans
IS WEALTH SHORTENING OUR LIVES?
The School of Rural Health is holding a Seminar on "Wealth" and its effect upon health on the 7th April. Details on the board.
THANK YOU FOR PLANTS
Many thanks to those who responded to the appeal for agapanthus and other plants for the Rectory garden. Much appreciated.
SERVERS' PRACTICE
There is a Servers' Practice on Saturday April 3rd at 10.00am. Please do try to be present. New servers are always welcome.
PALM SUNDAY & MORE
Next Sunday is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week and therefore a very important Sunday indeed. The city of Shepparton is again kindly providing us with palms and we will need a good team of palm-cross makers on Saturday from 1.00pm. As usual there will be a full program of wonderful services which starts with Palm Sunday and goes through to Easter Day. The full impact of these services is only made if all are attended!
There will be an additional Eucharist at 7.00pm on Mon. Tues. and Wed. in Holy Week.
Maundy Thursday
7.00pm: Foot-washing, Commemoration of the Last Supper, Altar-stripping and Watch of the Passion.
Good Friday
9.00am: Liturgy of the Day, including the Reading of the Passion, Veneration of the Cross and Eucharist of the Pre-sanctified. (9.00am Devotional Service at Dookie. 10.45 Devotional Service at Katandra.)
Easter Eve
11.00pm: Lighting of the New Fire and Paschal Candle and the First Eucharist of Easter, combined with the Macedonian celebration of Easter.
Easter Sunday
8.30am and 10.30am Eucharists at St Augustine's. (9.00am at Dookie and 10.45 at Katandra.)
FEET TO BE WASHED HOURS TO BE WATCHED
There are lists in the Narthex for the names of those who would like their feet washed on Maundy Thursday and for the names of those participating in the Watch of the Passion right through the night of Maundy Thursday. Please try not to leave the small hours of the night to the Rector!
DUTIES FOR 28th March 2004
Readers 8.30 Heather Fitzgerald, Victoria Heenan
Readers 10.30 Peter Martin, Lionel Waterson
Servers 8,30 Michelle, Stephen, Debbie
Servers 10.30 Jenny Pleming, Joan McCann, Zebedee
Euch. Assists 8.30 John Griffin, Carole Henderson
Euch. Assists 10.30 Bev Condon,Maureen Cormican
Intercessors Bev Condon, Nancy Noonan
Welcoming 8.30 Cecily McDonald, Shirley Dean
Welcomers 10.30 John Pleming, Jennifer Pleming
Sidespeople 8.30 Merv Cowland, Gwen Cowland
Sidespeople 10.30 Alan Akers, Adrian Evans
Tea 8.30 Heather Pearson
Mowing Lionel Waterson, Adrian Evans
DUTIES FOR 4th April 2004
Readers 8.30 Ann Weaire,Margaret Neaum
Readers 10.30 Charlotte Brewer,Andrea Fisher
Servers 8,30 Beth, Rachel, Emma
Servers 10.30
Euch. Assists 8.30 John Griffin, Carole Henderson
Euch. Assists 10.30 Christine Evans & Carole Henderson
Intercessors Celebrant, Christine Jones
Welcoming 8.30 Bev Ralph, Beryl Goodfellow
Welcomers 10.30 Jill Waterson, Nola Brewer
Sidespeople 8.30 Norm Mitchelmore, Joy Campbell
Sidespeople 10.30 John Pleming, Jenny Pleming
Tea 8.30 Bev Reither
Mowing Frank Steen, Michael Egan
FOR PRAYER
Liam Bognar, Barbara Brown, Helen Bruinier, Loris Buntine, Ashely Close, Michael Condon, Adie Edwards, Neil Feldthman, Richard Goodfellow, Iris Grant, Kevin & Ellen Green, Ron Hall, the Harrison Family, Jean Hastie, Fr Wayne Ireland, Thelma Irwin, 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, Anne Tacey, May Wallace, Brian Ward, Malcolm Waterson, Alyssa, Craig, Darren, Elizabeth, Faith, Gary, Glenda, John, Keith, Mary, Michael, Midge, Rohan
Rest in peace
Cynthia Hossack, Bill Northey.
Anniversary of Death
Denise Thorn, Father Hugh Oakes, Doug Kissick 30th, Dick Griffin 31st.
IMPORTANT DATES
April 2nd Anglicare Social Audit
April 11th Easter Day
April 17th Wedding 3.00pm
April 24th Wedding 2.30pm
May 5th Parish Council at Dookie
May 8th Wedding 1.30pm
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 17-18th 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
THIS WEEK
Monday March 29th
Fr Andrew's Day off
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
5.30pm Evening Prayer
Tuesday March 30th
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
10.00am Playgroup - Hall
10.30am Meeting - Re Murchison & Rushworth
2.00pm Lenten Study group
5.30pm Evening Prayer
Wednesday March 31st
7.45am Mattins - Lady Chapel
10.00am Eucharist - St Augustine's
11.00am Banksia Lodge
1.30pm Hakea Lodge
6.15pm Eucharist/followed by a meal of soup & bread
7.25pm Lenten Study Group
Thursday 1st. April
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
5.30pm Evening Prayer
7.30pm Choir Practice
Friday 2nd April
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
6.00pm Social Audit - Anglicare - Supper Room
Saturday 3rd April
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
5.30pm Evening Prayer
Sunday 4th April
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
5.30pm Evening Prayer