PALM SUNDAY
1st April 2007
Graphics and cartoons appear only in the printed version
AGE, YOUTH, COUNTRY, CITY
A big city lawyer went duck hunting in the Goulburn Valley. He shot and dropped a bird, but it fell into a farmer's field on the other side of a fence. As the lawyer climbed over the fence, an elderly farmer drove up on his tractor and asked him what he was doing. The litigator responded, "I shot a duck and it fell in this field, and now I'm going to retrieve it." The old farmer replied, "This is my property, and you are not coming over here."
The indignant lawyer said, "I am one of the best lawyers in Melbourne and, if you don't let me get that duck, I'll sue you and take everything you own. The old farmer smiled and said, "Apparently, you don't know how we settle disputes in the Goulburn Valley. We settle small disagreements like this; with the "Three Kick Rule."The lawyer asked, "What is the Three Kick Rule?" The Farmer replied, "Well, because the dispute occurs on my land, first I kick you three times and then you kick me three times and so on back and forth until someone gives up." The lawyer quickly thought about the proposed contest and decided that he could easily take on such an old codger. He agreed to abide by the local custom.
The old farmer slowly climbed down from the tractor and walked up to the attorney. His first kick planted the toe of his heavy steel toed work boot into the lawyer's groin and dropped him to his knees. His second kick to the midriff sent the lawyer's last meal gushing from his mouth. The lawyer was on all fours when the farmer's third kick to his rear end sent him face-first into a fresh cow pat . The lawyer summoned every bit of his will and managed to get to his feet.. Wiping his face with the arm of his jacket, he said, "Okay, you old swine, now it's my turn."
The old farmer smiled and said, "I give up. You can have the duck."
THIS AND THAT
Andrew Neaum (letter from Outreach - Travellers’ Tales will resume next week
My wife Margaret has now been embraced by the Spanish Dancer (cancer) and, sadly, more drastically it appears than was I last year. As I write this there are difficult decisions to be made as to whether she should opt for radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Either or both are more likely to palliate than cure it. It is a form of lung cancer that has already metastasised to the sternum and a rib.
Unfair
That someone who has never ever smoked should contract serious lung cancer is most unfair, but then only a fool would claim fairness to be a universal characteristic of human existence. It is unfair that I should be so good looking and Russel Crowe such an ugly dog. It is unfair that I should be so clever and Archbishop Rowan Williams so stupid. Yet things have ever been thus. We have simply to accommodate ourselves and our theology to life’s arbitrariness, or stand bitterly on the blasted heath to rail and rant futilely at our Creator. I continue to find good reason to believe in him and to praise and love him.
The expressions of love, prayer and support that we have been receiving have been overwhelming and much appreciated. Margaret herself remains serene, calm and faithful. She has to spend far more time comforting and upholding me than I do her.
It is difficult in times of worry and uncertainty to keep your focus. During the past few weeks I have sometimes been all of a dither, and even less than usually efficient and assiduous. I am very grateful to the Revd Gail Bryce and to Heather Camm, as well as to many others of you for being supportive, affirming, uncritical and sympathetic. Thank you.
Lenten reading
I have just finished my first Lent Book and am already into another. The one finished is by the remarkable Michael Mayne, one time Dean of Westminster Abbey and a life long friend of my favourite Anglican bishop and guru, John Austin Baker. Baker’s 1970 book, “The Foolishness of God” sorted me out theologically all those years ago, and remains one of the clearest and best intelligent expositions of the Christian Faith that I have ever read. Mayne’s book is his last, and was written after he had been diagnosed with a particularly vicious cancer of the jaw. It details his drastic and horrible treatment and takes the reader up to a month or so before he died. As with all of Mayne’s books it is full of fascinating and relevant references to literature, art, music, the theatre and film, and in its honesty and openness is a wonderful example of sweet, cultured Anglicanism at its very best. Towards the end of the book and the end of his life he quotes John Austin Baker’s lovely postscript to “The Foolishness of God” as follows:
If the fear of love has gone, so has the fear of death. I do not need to believe in some imperishable spirit within myself, for which there is no evidence. I rest on God, who will assuredly not allow me to find the meaning of life in his love and forgiveness, to be wholly dependent upon him for the gift of myself, and then destroy that meaning, revoke that gift. He who holds me in existence now, can and will hold me in it still, through and beyond the dissolution of my mortal frame. For this is the essence of love, to affirm the right of the beloved to exist. And what God affirms, nothing and no one can contradict.....
This is an understanding of the Christian hope of life beyond life that lies behind every funeral homily I have ever delivered and has been my stay and comfort for the last thirty years.
The book I am now well in to is by James Alison, a Roman Catholic priest and theologian whose books were highly commended to me by the Revd Dr Scott Cowdell, who is coming to preach and talk to us for our Patronal Festival. Some months ago I had started one of Alison’s books and put it aside, finding his style not quite to me taste. However, Rachel picked it up and took it for her Lent reading in Canberra and has been waxing so enthusiastic about it on the phone that I have decided to give him another go. So I am now enjoying another of his books with the intriguing title “On Being Liked”.
Lenten fasting
Our Lenten vegetarianism, with fish on Fridays and no eating between meals is not proving at all difficult. Arriving hungry for meals makes even the blandest of foods welcome, but in fact imaginative vegetarian cooking is very, very good. Drinking only water, except once a day, is rather more difficult. We persevere but look forward to Easter when we will rejoice not only in the resurrection of our Lord but also in a return to beer, wine, fruit juice, tea, coffee and winter’s malted milk.
Rebuilding relationships
I have in storage several buckets of this season’s walnuts and as I write more continue to fall each day. Even when the cockatoos sidle silently into the tree without me noticing, the nuts now tend to fall from their casing before a dexterous cockatoo foot can lift them to a great bill to be cracked. So I can now afford to begin to rebuild my relationship with cockatoos and place seed on the bird tray once more. Some of our gold fish have developed sufficient cunning to enable them to avoid the depredations of the kookaburras too and so I begin to regard these rapacious but beautiful birds with wholehearted admiration once more. Turning enemies back into friends is good Lenten practice. It reminds me of the dying Spaniard who was asked by a ministering priest if he forgave his enemies, to which he replied, “Enemies? I have no enemies. I have killed them all.”
Happy Easter
The likely demise of Margaret causes me to consider just what an enormous amount she has done and does for me and how much she loves me. To realise this helps break my heart. Although John Austin Baker’s quotation above does not and cannot mend it for me, it does nonetheless reassure me that I would be nowhere other than where I am, firmly embedded in the great Christian tradition of love, joy, hope and goodness, made real each and every day on one of the altars of the fine church of a loving parish. Have a happy and blessed Easter everyone. Andrew Neaum
AN ALIEN UNIVERSE
While I was sitting one night with a poet friend watching a great opera performed in a tent under arc lights, the poet took my arm and pointed silently. Far up, blundering out of the night, a huge Cecropia moth swept past from light to light over the posturings of the actors. "He doesn't know," my friend whispered excitedly. "He's passing through an alien universe brightly lit but invisible to him. He's in another play; he doesn't see us. He doesn't know. Maybe it's happening right now to us."
Loren Eiseley
NOTHING BUT
Dawkins's latest book is an example of the nothing-but school of historiography: European history is nothing but the history of warfare and genocide, American history is nothing but the history of exploitation and oppression of the blacks, and so forth. For him, the history of religion is nothing but the history of bigotry, savagery, ignorance, intolerance. Of course, all of these are to be found in the history of religion, and bigots still abound. The problem with the nothing-but school of history, apart from its incompleteness and untruth, is fuels the very thing against which it rails, bigotry and hatred. Theodore Dalrymple
SWEET MONOLOGUES
La Rochefoucauld said that love of justice in most men is only fear of suffering injustice. By analogy, love of free speech in most men is only fear of being shut up. If they were a bit stronger than they are, they would just have monologues, the most pleasurable of all speech forms. Who among us has not taken part in a conversation in which his principal concern was with what he was going to say next, hardly bothering in the meantime to listen to the others, except to await a pause into which he may interject his wonderful words? Theodore Dalrymple
HOLY WEEK AND EASTER SERVICES
This week is the most important in the Church’s year and every Christian worthy of the name ensures that they get caught up in the drama of, it all by attending all the services and letting God’s love once more reshape and mould our lives.
Monday, Tuesday Wednesday
As well as the usual morning services there is an additional Eucharist at 7.00pm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in Holy Week.
Maundy Thursday
7.00pm:Foot-washing, Commemoration of the Last Supper, Altar-stripping and Watch of the Passion.
Good Friday
9.30am: 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. (8.45am at Dookie and 10.45 at Katandra.)
CONGRATULATIONS
Birthdays
Shirley Bartlett. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1st April
Marj Millerick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2nd April
Dale Wells. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2nd April
Maurice Fennell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5th April
Alannah Wells. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6th April
ALTAR OF REPOSE FLOWERS
By 10.00am on Maundy Thursday we need flowers for the Altar of Repose please. Red is the preferred colour, but others too, and short stems don't matter!!
THANK YOU
Thank you to those who helped make the Palm Crosses, all too few of you and especial thanks to the City Council for donating all the palm branches to us. Those who decorated the church did a good job too, it was largely me and John Griffin. Oh well done indeed!
EASTER CLEAN UP
On Tuesday from 9.30am we hope as many of the fit and able who are so inclined will come along to give the church a clean in preparation for Easter. Bring along any favourite cleaning implements and devices.
CHRISM MASS
In Hoy Week each year the clergy meet fo the “Mas of the Oils” in the Cathedral where they con-celebrate with their bishop and renew their ordination vows. For a variety of reasons not worth dwelling upon there are two such ceremonies this year, one on Monday and one on Wednesday. Your clergy will be attending the one on Wednesday 4th April at 1.30pm. Some support will be appreciated, and a lift or two are on offer. The Rector has to be back for a meeting at 4.00pm so the visit, at least for him, will not be long.
LENTEN STUDY
The Lenten Study Groups conclude this Wednesday. There will be no clergy in attendance at the 2.00pm session and it could well be all the better for that! The evening session will begin after the 7.00pm Eucharist, so there will be no soup and bread on offer.
FEET WASHED & HOURS 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 clergy!
PRAYER LIST
We will be renewing the Prayer List in this sheet next week. If you wish to have anyone prayed for please put their name down on the new list or they are likely to be removed!
DATES FOR THE DIARY
Apr 10th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Grief Support
Apr 14th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wedding
Apr 22nd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sunday Wedding 2.00pm
Apr 28th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wedding 4.30
May 19th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Scott Cowdell Seminar
May 20th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .St Augustine’s Day Celebrations & Lunch
May 24th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Parish Fair meeting 4.30pm
May 25th - 26th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Synod
May 26th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wedding
May 27th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pentecost
June 2nd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Men’s Breakfast
June 18 -21. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clergy Retreat
Oct 6th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Men’s Breakfast
Oct 13th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wedding
Oct 15 -18. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clergy Conference
Nov 10th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Parish Fair
Dec 1st . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Men’s Breakfast
Dec 8th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wedding 4pm
Duties for April 1st 2007
Celebrant 6.30pm Sat Mar 31st. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Andrew Neaum
Celebrant 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Gail Bryce
Celebrant 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Andrew Neaum
Celebrant 8.45 Dookie. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrew Neaum
Celebrant 10.45 Katandra. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gail Brice
Readers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ian Bryce, Heather Fitzgerald
Readers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charlotte Brewer, Carole Henderson
Servers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Volunteer, Michelle, Beth
Servers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joe, Zebedee
Intercessors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pat Griffin, Carole Henderson
Euc. Assts 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ian Bryce, Carole Henderson
Euc. Assts 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bev Condon, Jenny Pleming
Welcoming 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Heather Nichols, Joyce Cavill
Welcomers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jenny Moran, Charlotte Brewer
Sidespeople 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Max Ralph, Bev Ralph
Sidespeople 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alan Akers, Nola Brewer
Tea 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gwyn Cowland
Mowing ( 31st ). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kay McGregor, Merv Cowland
Welcome Table 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heather Carlyon
Welcome Table 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dorothy Cook
Duties for 8th April 2007
No Eucharist at 6.30pm Sat 7th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Celebrant 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Andrew Neaum
Celebrant 10.30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gail Bryce
Celebrant 8.45 Dookie. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gail Bryce
Celebrant 10.45 Katandra. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Andrew Neaum
Readers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Norman Weaver, Heather Carlyon
Readers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Evans, Jenny Pleming
Servers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Volunteer, Michelle, Beth
Servers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joan, Jack Lear, Peter Lear
Intercessors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Heather Fitzgerald, Children
Euc. Assts 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Margaret Neaum, Bev Condon
Euc. Assts 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maureen Cormican, Chris Evans
Welcoming 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Erma Wilson, Shirley Dean
Welcomers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Roz Dunlop, Frank Steen
Sidespeople 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Joe Pearson, Bob Galt
Sidespeople 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .John Pleming, Charlotte Brewer
Tea 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bev Reither
Mowing 7th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Norm Mitchelmore, Lawrie Tinning
Welcome Table 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Val Rose
Welcome Table10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mary Pearson
REQUESTS FOR PRAYER
David Burrow, Jack Cook, Nance Cooke, Donna Dyson, Frank Harder, Jean Hastie, Judith James, Els Minchen, Margaret Neaum, Marg Noble, Margaret Osborough, Reg Oxenford, Jan Riches, Edith Robins, Terry Rogers, John Scott, Gary Saville, Carole Shields, Shirley Stacey, Robyn Stone, Peter & Eva Swindells, Lorraine Vogul, Beryl, Buffy, Cynthia, Darren, David, David & Judith, Florence, Glenda, Graham, Heather, Imogen, Karen, Peggy, Sherena, Shirley, Toby.
Rest in Peace
Ronald Chambers, Peter Briggs-Collie
Anniversary of death
Clifford Dodson, Caroline Waymouth 1st, Alec Bassett 2nd, Rev’d Cliff Page 5th,
Thomas Tomlinson, Ted Phillips 6th.
THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH
Monday 2nd April
8.00am Eucharist - Lady Chapel
3.30pm Evening Prayer - Lady Chapel
7.00pm Eucharist
Tuesday 3rd April
Rector’s Day Off
8.00am Eucharist - Lady Chapel
9.30am Church Cleaning
12.15pm Simply Soul Soothing - Lady Chapel
3.30pm Evening Prayer - Lady Chapel
7.00pm Eucharist
Wednesday 4th April
7.45am Mattins only - Lady Chapel
10.00am Eucharist- St Augustine’s
1.30pm Mass of the Oils - Wangaratta
2.00pm
Lent Course - Library
3.30pm Evening Prayer - Lady Chapel
5.30pm Musician Practice for 10.30 Eucharist
7.00pm Eucharist
7.30pm Lent Course - The Den
Maundy Thursday 5th April
7.45am Mattins only
9.30am Eucharists Tarcoola
11.00am Eucharist - Harmony Village
3.30pm Evening Prayer - Lady Chapel
5.30pm Choir Practice
7.00pm Commemoration of The Last Supper, etc.
8.00pm Watch of the Passion through the night
Good Friday 6th April
8.45am Devotional Service/Dookie
9.30am The Liturgy of the day/Reading of the Passion
10.45am Devotional Service Katandra
Holy Saturday 7th April
Associate Priest’s Day Off
7.45am Mattins only
11.00pm Easter Vigil - New Fire, Paschal Candle etc
6.30pm Vigil Eucharist - Lady Chapel
Sunday 8th April Easter Sunday
8.30am Eucharist - St Augustine’s
10.30am Eucharist - St Augustine’s/Kid’s Church
8.45am Eucharist - St Luke’s Dookie
10.45am Eucharist - St Mary’s Katandra West