8 January 2006 Baptism of Our Lord

THE BAPTISM OF OUR LORD

8^th January 2006

Graphics and cartoons appear only in the printed version

JANUARY PEW-SHEETS

The Pew-sheets in January are likely to be more modest than usual, made up of a single sheet. This is less idleness on your Rector’s part than a desire to devote time to other pressing matters.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

The sentiment sounded trite, but then didn’t most good sentiments sound trite? It was hard to make goodness - and good people - sound interesting. Yet the good were worthy of note, of course, because they battled and that battle was a great story, whereas the evil were evil because of moral laziness, or weakness, and that was ultimately a dull and uninteresting affair. Alexander McCall Smith. Page 30 of “Friends, Lovers, Chocolate”

A SMALL MISTAKE

There was an unfortunate printing error in a recent pew-sheet.. A woman concerned about the well being of her husband in the Navy had asked for the pew-sheet to print the following: “John Anderson having gone to sea, his wife desires the prayers of the congregation for his safety.” It appeared as “John Anderson, having gone to see his wife, desires the prayers of the congregation for his safety. Sorry!

The Importance of “Belonging”

Andrew Neaum

Giving the bride away

One of the oddest anachronisms in most wedding ceremonies, is the “giving away” of the bride. Dad usually performs the deed, though not always. He walks the bride up the aisle and then, a short way into the service, he hands her over, gives her away.

In the old Book of Common Prayer the officiant asks: “Who giveth this Woman to be married to this Man,” whereupon the bride disengages from Dad to engage with her groom, and Dad pads off back to his pew.

There ought, perhaps, to be a bowl of water conveniently placed for him symbolically to wash his hands of her.

An unsatisfactory euphemism

Our current Prayer Book, in its first and conservative version of the Marriage Service euphemizes the “giving away” by changing the word “give” to “bring”: “Who brings this woman to be married to this man?”

Like all euphemisms it is unsatisfactory, because in order to avoid an anachronistic view of marriage it avoids and evades the truth, suggesting absurdly, with the word “bring”, that Dad has merely offered his daughter a ride to the wedding and an arm up the aisle, has simply brought her along.....

Surely though, a bride’s poignant journey out of the family that has formed, moulded and loved her into being, and her family’s acceptance and blessing of her departure demands more than an inadequate, weak and footling euphemism?

The second and more modern version of the Marriage Service avoids the sentence completely. It leaves it out. There is no “giving away” at all. This too, is less than satisfactory, is mere PC cowardice. It would make more enlightened sense to mark this significant journey from one’s birth-family to a new one by having the groom as well as the bride “given away”.

Daddy’s chattel

What is really at issue, though, is possession. In centuries gone by, a daughter was understood to belong to her father, much in the same way as did his horse, house and arm chair, she was his chattel, his possession, as was her mother, his wife. The bride was literally his possession, to give away. She belonged to him, and so, not surprisingly her financial worth was a vital part of all prenuptial arrangements.

The need to belong

But there are more senses to the word “belong” than simply this. It is not a dirty word to be avoided at all costs. Belonging is part of being human. We all crave to belong, to be in relationship to others. To be on our own, to belong to no one, to be a loner, is psychologically fraught, can have terrible consequences for an individual’s health.

The family, more than anything else, provides us with the security that comes from belonging, and if it doesn’t we reach for substitutes, some healthy, some less than healthy. Youths form gangs in order to belong, The Church, a favourite pub, fan clubs with their footy colours, songs and memorabilia. are all manifestations of the need to belong. Patriotism too is an expression of the desire to belong, my deeply felt Englishness, for example, is an expression of a nomadic parson’s need and desire to belong, to identify and ground himself by belonging. The popular hobby of genealogy likewise, is all about finding or defining a family tree to hang from.

A bizarre wedding image?

To return to the Wedding Service, one of its most bizarre images, to non church folk, is the biblical one of the unmarried Jesus as a “groom”, and of the Church as his spouse, his wife. St Paul is as responsible for the image as anyone, in the Epistle to the Ephesians, but it is an image consistent with the Gospel, where Jesus’ family is portrayed as reluctant to let him go, or to “give him away”, though he insists that he belongs, once his ministry has begun, to his disciples, that is to a new family being formed, the Church.

We too, like Jesus, belong to the disciples, to the Church. We belong, not just in the sense of belonging to a club of like-minded folk, but far more intimately, more in the Jesus sense, for which wedding imagery is not at all inappropriate. We clergy sometimes like to think that it is our efforts, our personality, our sermonising, our pastoral care, wit and genius, that attracts and holds people in the Church. However, Church research exposes this to be largely nonsense. More than anything else it is belonging, relationships, friendship, that get people to church and hold them there. It is loving, forgiving community, it is each other. Don’t think that you are likely to be able to sell St Augustine’s to outsiders by extolling the virtues of its clergy or its architecture or its gardens. For the most attractive thing about it, and research bears this out, is yourself. It is you, as a friend, the quality of your love, character and personality, as well as the authenticity of your faith, which is all bound up with those qualities.

Getting personal

For many years I thought that in my own particular case, this was nonsense that it was music, preaching, liturgy that were all important to me. When in London teaching, for example, I didn’t search out churches for fellowship and a sense of belonging, I looked for superb choirs, brilliant sermons and incense-marinaded, faultless liturgy. Congregations, people, bah! Who cared about them.

What I failed to realise was that as a parson’s son, I have always been able to take “belonging” for granted, for I have always been right at the very heart and centre of Christian family, have breathed the fellowship and love of the faithful disciples, the Holy Spirit’s life, from my birth. It has made me who I am, I have always, always belonged.

So formed by, and so much a part of the loving, forgiving community am I, that I can afford to be cavalier about it, and pretend that it is music, architecture, tradition, liturgy, poetry, preaching that really matter. It is not. It is you, my fellow Christians, my brothers and sisters in Christ, you! Yes, you are right to blush! I love you.

The most precious thing

In Christ, you are the most precious thing about St Augustine’s in your belonging of each to other and to God.

Which being so, inspires Gail and myself to attempt to begin this year, an Enquirer’s Course, to introduce people outside or on our margins, right into this loving, forgiving community of faith, that is so precious.

This course will requires several things of us all.

First: enthusiastic support and the encourage-ment of friends and family to give it a go. This is vital. It is your enthusiasm and love and faith and company that will gather us a band of enquirers together. General advertising, parsonic hectoring will achieve nothing.

Second: sponsorship. Any enquirers we do gather will need a sponsor as friend and encourager. There will be advice and elementary training in this. So when the time comes, do volunteer to sponsor someone.

Third: prayer, pray for folk you know who are on the fringe or brink, awaiting the privilege of more fully belonging. Pray too for the whole scheme or project.

Fourth: focus. Focus your attention and reflect now and then, upon your sense of belonging, and upon its place in your life, and its value. Appreciate what “loving forgiving community” is about. With it liturgical expression, communion, breaking bread together, sharing a common cup. The family of God, the St Augustine’s fellowship its dear, bashed in, sinful, fallible, fragile, and yet loving and often so faithful members. Pray for each other, love each other, grow in love of each other, give yourself away to each other and to sweet Jesus of Nazareth, our Lord. Relish belonging and belong.

CONGRATULATIONS

Birthdays:

Emmie Dean. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mon 9^th Jan

Joan O’Reilly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sat 14^th Jan

Baptisms:

Naite Jensen Hoskin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sun 8^th Jan

Tazmyn Rose Stovell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sun 8^th Jan

Brianne Rose Tucker. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sun 8^th Jan

Wedding Anniversaries:

Ella and Michael Egan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wed 11^th Jan

Tiffany & Scott Chandler. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Thurs 12^th Jan

FOR THE GRIEVING

The second Grief Support Meetings takes place on January 19^th at 7.30pm in the Supper Room of the Hall. Inform anyone you know of who might benefit and come along with them if they would like you to. For further information see the Revd. Gail Bryce or Margaret Neaum.

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THE FAITH?

We plan to hold an “Enquirers” Course commencing possibly on the 7^th February. The course will be for those outside the faith, but interested in it, for those who would like to deepen their knowledge of the faith, for prospective Confirmation candidates and for those who would like to sponsor any newcomers to faith. The sermon at the 8.30am Eucharist is related to this and will be printed for those not present at that service to peruse.

IMPORTANT DATES

A good number of items have been added to the list of Important Dates. Please add any that are relevant to your diary now!

PARISH BARBECUE

There is a Parish BBQ scheduled for January 22^nd. Do attend if you are able - from 12 noon onwards. Afterwards there will be a short training session for volunteer parish visitors of folk on our mailing list who might well prefer not to be on it. If you would like to try your hand at this have a word with the clergy, who will be delighted.

PASTORAL CARE MEETING

There is a Pastoral Care Meeting in the Library at 5.00pm on Tuesday.

IMPORTANT DIARY DATES

Jan 19^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Grief Support Meeting 7.30pm

Jan 22^nd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Parish BBQ and Visitor Training

Feb 18^th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Men’s Breakfast 8.00 Eucharist, Breakfast 8.30

Feb 19^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pastoral Care Sunday

Feb 25^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Possible Wedding

Mar 1^st . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . AGM (Ash Wednesday)

Mar 17^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Youth Event

Mar 18^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Weddings 2.00pm & 4.00pm

Mar 25^th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lady Day

Mar 26^th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “Out Reach” publication day

April 22^nd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Weddings 3.00pm & 4.30pm

April 23^rd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wedding

May 13^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Men’s Breakfast 8.00 Eucharist, Breakfast 8.30

May 13^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wedding 1.00pm

May 13^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Turaton Concert

May 28^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Patronal Festival St Augustine’s

Jun 17^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wedding

July 28^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Soiree

Jul 30^th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “Out Reach” publication day

Aug 18^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Youth Event

Oct 8^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pet Service 5.30pm

Oct 15^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “Out Reach” publication day

Oct 21^st . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wedding

Oct 23 - 26. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Clergy Conference

Oct 28^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wedding

Aug 12^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Men’s Breakfast 8.00 Eucharist, Breakfast 8.30

Oct 28^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Men’s Breakfast 8.00 Eucharist, Breakfast 8.30

Nov 3^rd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Youth Event

Nov 4^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wedding

Nov 11^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Church Fair

Nov 18^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wedding

REQUESTS FOR PRAYER

Liam Bognar, David Burrow, Mary Clarke, Goldie Coe, Alby Dean, Hamish Fisher, Pat Griffin, Ron Hall, Bill Hunter, Tom McDonnell, Marge Malcolm, Leon Meyer, Ann Mills, Ken Neal, Margaret Noble, Margaret Osbrough, Lesley Rankin, Eleanor Routledge, Patricia Sparks, Peter and Eva Swindells, Carole, Constantine Tokarew, Ken & Shirley Young, Carmel, Glenda, Jason, Joanne, Jude, Lorna, Michelle, Nea, Pam, Raeline, Shannon, Sherena, Stuart, Trudy.

Rest in Peace

Jennifer Gibbins, John Bishop

Anniversary of Death

Dorothy Young, Frances McKendry 8^th, Edyth Akers, Annie McPhail 9^th, Jillian Bradford 11^th, Leslie Gribble, George Watkins, Emily Pleming 12^th, Nicholas Auldrige, Percival Brooke 13^th, Margaret Tobias, Ethel Peters, Cyril Caldwell 14^th.

Duties for 8^th January 2006

Celebrant 6.30pm Sat 7^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Canon Andrew Neaum

Celebrant 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Canon Andrew Neaum

Celebrant 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Canon Andrew Neaum

Celebrant Dookie 8.45am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Revd Gail Bryce

Celebrant Katandra 10.45am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Revd Gail Bryce

Readers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jeanette Smith, Victoria Heenan

Readers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nancy Noonan, Mary Pearson

Servers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Michelle, Steve, Debbie

Servers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Joan McCann, volunteers

Euc. Assts 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Margaret Neaum, Heather Fitzgerald

Euc. Assts 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maureen Cormican, Christine Evans

Intercessors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Celebrant, Children

Welcoming 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joy Campbell, Bev Reither

Welcomers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Hilder Lidgard, Jenny Moran

Sidespeople 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bob Galt, Norm Mitchelmore

Sidespeople 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John & Jenny Pleming

Tea 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bev Reither

Mowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Russell Family, Michael Egan

Duties for January 15^th 2006

Celebrant 6.30 Saturday 14^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Canon Andrew Neaum

Celebrant 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Canon Andrew Neaum

Celebrant 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Revd Gail Bryce

Celebrant Dookie 8.45am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .The Revd Gail Bryce

Celebrant Katandra 10.45am. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Canon Andrew Neaum

Readers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Frank Harder, Margaret Neaum

Readers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nancy Fennell, Lionel Waterson

Servers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Michelle, Steve, Debbie

Servers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Joan McCann, Henry & Polly Shattock

Euc. Assts 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Carole Henderson, Bev Condon

Euc. Assts 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jenny Pleming & Carole Henderson

Intercessors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bev Condon, Jenny Pleming

Welcoming 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Joyce Cavill, Bev Ralph

Welcomers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Charlotte Brewer, Nola Brewer

Sidespeople 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Merv & Gwyn Cowland

Sidespeople 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adrian Evans, Alan Akers

Tea 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shirley Dean

Mowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marg Carroll, John Pleming

THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH

Monday 9^th January Canon Andrew’s Day off

7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel