CHRIST THE KING
22nd November 2009
Graphics and cartoons & liturgical material appear only in the printed version
MILK OF AMNESIA
A couple in their nineties were both having problems remembering things. During a checkup, the doctor told them that they were physically perfectly alright, but that they should perhaps start writing things down to help them remember. Later that very night, while watching TV, the old man got up from his chair. “ Do you want anything while I’m in the kitchen?” he asked. “Yes please. Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?” “Indeed I will.” “Don’t you think you should write it down so you can remember it?” she asked. “No, I can remember it.” “Well, I would also like some strawberries on top. Maybe you should write it down, so as not to forget it.” He said, “I can remember that. You want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries on top.” “I’d also like whipped cream. You are certain to forget that, so do write it down,” she said. Irritated, he replied, “I don’t need to write it down, I can remember it! Ice cream with strawberries and whipped cream - I have got it, for goodness sake!” He toddled into the kitchen. After about 20 minutes, he returned and handed his wife a plate of bacon and eggs. She stared at the plate for a moment and then said, “Where’s my toast?”
THIS and THAT
Andrew Neaum
I spent last Sunday night in Benalla for my birthday, well feasted and feted. Elizabeth even found time to make me a superb cherry cake, an adapted recipe of my parents. I am obsessive about glacé cherries and they have to be whole. When you read what is done to turn them glacé, you realise that by enjoying them you are complicit in the most appalling case of fruit abuse imaginable. In preparation they are treated as vilely and violently as olives and are just as delicious.
Snores and shade
I shared a bedroom in Benalla with my son Peter, but my stertorous snoring drove him out to sleep on the floor elsewhere. The next day we shovelled dirt and builder’s rubble in the heat, working up a sweat and one or two blisters as well as fulfilling my doctor’s advice to get the heart pumping vigorously now and then. On returning home to mow the Rectory lawns I had caused to bless its green leafiness. In hot climates such as ours shade is a boon and blessing beyond telling. Our city’s every street should be heavy with shade in summer, hence my unutterable contempt for the drunken louts with twisted psyches who so regularly uproot or break off street trees about our suburbs. The great tree to the west of the hall defies gravity with the generous spread of its weighty limbs. It provided a sweet, green shade almost dense enough to swim in during our very sunny and hot Parish Fair and Garden Party.
A fine fair
The Fair, as we have now come almost to take for granted, was a huge success, fostering fellowship and good will galore, as well as raising a substantial amount of money. This year in excess of $22,000 I believe. It must surely be the best fair or fete of the year in our district, and appears to be widely regarded as such. The variety and quality of the food and drink on offer, as well as the truly excellent free concert and the equally free and fine displays in the church add more than just a depth of quality and class to the occasion. They also illustrate that we are as concerned as much with giving as we are with taking.
In a letter of thanks to Azem and his team from People Supporting People for their contribution this year, I said that our Fair has as much to do with reaching out to the local community as it does with raising money. That like Azem himself, we at St Augustine’s consider faith’s true worth as being measured more by inclusiveness and openness, by an emphasis on what we all hold in common and a consequent determination to find common ground with others, than by any fear-filled concern for the careful demarcation and preservation of boundaries, or any timorous emphasis on difference or distinctiveness.
That working alongside of us last Saturday there were members of another great faith and of another effective community organization offering with us something of quality to our local community, was wholly consistent with and illustrative of our highest ideals and aspirations as a faith community.
Baptisms and rectories
At the 8.30am Eucharist today it is my delight to baptize into the family of God a little girl born into the Rectory, her very first home, though only for a few months.
When filling in nosy forms that ask where I myself was born, I write Hednesford, Staffordshire, for there, in a maternity home of some sort, I was indeed born, just after the end of the second world war. I have never been back to that less than lovely place to contemplate its significance to my biography. Instead any pilgrimage back to my origins is to the tiny little Staffordshire village of Gratwich and its lovely little seventeenth century church. Susan Rose McGrath’s forms will be graced by the name “Shepparton”, but her pilgrimages will be back to where her heart will be, leafy St Augustine’s and its rectory.
On Monday, after a hugely busy week, I head off on holiday to Caloundra to stay in a fine unit overlooking the sea and Bribie Island, thanks to the generosity of a delightful parishioner. Three weeks retreat at the busiest of times to read, mark, learn, walk and possibly even swim, as well as make merry with my Brisbane brother and family is self-indulgence indeed. Many thanks to Gail and Helen for allowing me to go with a free conscience. Look after them.
COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS
Canon D Neaum 1912-2001
Little did I think when I joined the choir at six that it was to be a life sentence, not one of incarceration in a closed cell, but into an expanding universe of music which, through the ages, had been written to the praise of God. This knowledge of a life sentence was made apparent in my eighth year, on a cold winter’s night when practice was held in the choir vestry which could be heated. I had walked down with Fran, as the Mellors were away, a cold, mile long walk.
The choir vestry was attached to the west end of the church on its northern side and was entered by going down three steps covered by the stone porch. Over the door was a large printed notice thus: “The Vestry being part of the Church, silence and order must be observed therein.” How different were those days from today.
The vestry was large enough to house a choir of thirty as well as a grand piano. Sitting at the piano was Mr Kirkland, the organist and choirmaster, in his daily occupation, a saddler and rope-maker. He was a huge man weighing 22 stones, (Some 308lbs or 140kg). He was interesting to us lads for his habit of polishing his shoes with Lead - the polish used on the steel parts of stoves e.t.c. This meant that they didn’t shine but glittered, which fascinated us. We tried once to follow suit but were forbidden by Ma.
I was sitting in the front row, some two metres from Mr Kirkland and we had practised all the ordinary music for sung Matins and High Mass when the choirmaster produced a new setting to the Mass which we, in the junior choir had not yet seen. Losing interest, I talked quietly to my neighbour until I was almost stunned by a clout on the head from the organist’s large hymn book, which he had thrown at me with very good aim. He was too heavy to get to us quickly, hence the throw. Returning to my senses, nothing was said except a command from the pianist, “Bring that book back here David”. This I did, feeling somewhat mortified. So practice came to an end and as we faced the cold mile walk home I told Fran I was not coming to choir anymore. He wisely said nothing. We reached home at about 8.15pm to find a bright, warm sitting room with Ma and Pa by the fire reading. Now normally when we had something to grumble about we left it until Pa was not present, but this time, in the words of the Psalmist, “My heart was hot within me and I spoke with my tongue” - I blurted out that I was not going to choir any more. Mother looked concerned and would have calmed my troubled breast in no time, but Pa looked up from his book and asked “What’s that?” I repeated my statement and was asked why. I then told of the book throwing. “What were you doing?” asked Pa. “Nothing,” lied little David. “What were you doing?” repeated Pa. “I was only talking,” I said. “Put on your coat and get off and apologise to Mr Kirkland,” ordered Pa. I saw a look of concern on Ma’s face ( a half mile walk each way and it was at 8.45pm on a winter’s night). She said that Fran must walk with me.
We walked down to the saddlers shop in Bridge Street, walked up to the side entry and knocked on the door. In a few moments the large man himself opened the door. “Hello, David” he said, “what can I do for you?”. I replied that my father had sent me to apologise for my behaviour at choir practice. “Oh he replied, that’s all right David, see you in the choir on Sunday and give my greetings to your father and thank him.”
It was a happier walk home than the going, but I then realised that being a choir member was a life sentence. So it has been, for over eighty years and its joys and pleasures have exceeded many others I might have undertaken. I might even have wasted my time kicking a blown up ball of leather about in company with twenty one others. What a waste that would have been. You will gather, that I have never been sports crazy. Let me end the recounting of this incident with a verse from a well known hymn: -
Yea, we know that thou rejoicest
o’er each work of thine,
Thou didst ears and hands and voices
for thy praise design.
Craftman’s art and Music’s measure,
for thy pleasure all combine.
The time came when this “Little Gentleman” reached his 8th birthday and had to leave the Calders’ School for the Church “National” School - a Primary School at the other end of the town. Here most of the folk were engaged in coal mining (the pits of Denby and Kilburn were only a few miles away) rather than in cotton making in the New Mill. It was a rougher part of Belper with “Chapel Hollow”, bordering on the school, being regarded as a bit of a slum. The walk up to the school had its fascinations, as had the return, for walking up rather than down Albert Street, we passed into Green Lane, where there was “Toffee Walker’s” factory. In summer this was a most dangerous place as there were millions of wasps and the street was narrow. The workers would fill the window sills with large, glass toffee-jars, coated inside with syrup. In almost no time the jars would be solid with wasps and the jars would be shaken out over the fire thus incinerating them. Though this task happened all day the wasps never seemed to diminish and remained a threat to all passers by.
But wasps were of little concern to the Neaum lads for there was a tastier thrill. We could buy, for a penny, a bag of “rock-ends”, far better than “gob-stoppers”. At the school were some twenty lads from the Orphanage who were given a red apple to eat at “break”. We found that they never tasted sweets and soon learned that they were happy to swap an apple for two or three rock ends; a good swap for both sides.
Passing from the factory, we walked to the end of Green Lane into King Street and some two hundred yards up that street, came to the Market Place, a place of interest and fun on Saturday evenings when the sellers of fresh food had to sell off their wares cheaply as there were no fridges in those days.
Crossing the open space we came to “High Pavement”, a steep hill, so steep that a hand rail was fixed for elderly users. This led to “The Butts”, a large stretch of grass where in days gone by archery was practised. Behind this was the oldest Church building for miles round, dating back to pre-Norman times. In my young days it was still used for its proper purpose several times a year, but now, it has been taken over by the Town Council as an ancient monument. Then came the National School, stone built, two storied, plain and uninteresting. Of my time there I remember being put into Standard 1 for the 1st morning, put up to Standard 3 in the afternoon and moving up to Standard 4 at the end of the first term. Not because I was exceptionally bright, but due to the excellent foundation given to me by Miss Florence Calder! (To be continued)
TO PONDER
Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone; therefore we are saved by love. Reinhold Niebuhr
Nothing which is true or beautiful or good makes complete sense in any immediate context of history; therefore we must be saved by faith. Reinhold Niebuhr
It may be that when the angels go about their task praising God, they play only Bach. I am sure, however, that when they are together en famille they play Mozart. Karl Barth
Jesus does not give recipes that show the way to God as other teachers of religion do. He is himself the way. Karl Barth
If we can find God only as he is revealed in nature we have no moral God. R Niebuhr
ANNIVERSARIES
Birthdays
Nola Brewer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22nd Nov
Gwenda Betson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23rd Nov
Reg Wells. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24th Nov
Nancy Fennell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25th Nov
Bev Ralph. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25th Nov
Ruby Wilson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26th Nov
ANGLICAN CHURCH CALENDARS
If you would like to order a calendar please put your name on the list in the narthex they are $12 each.
EDUCATION FOR MINISTRY
SIGN UP SESSION
This takes place on Sunday 29th Nov. at 2.00pm in the narthex. Please come along if you would like to sign up for EfM for next year, even if you weren’t able to come to the information session. We can provide information on the day and then you can decide whether to join us for 2010. For further information please ask Helen.
QUIET DAY
On Saturday the 12th Dec. 9.30am - 3.30pm at St George’s church hall cnr. Brenion and Melville Sts. Numurkah. Take some time out from the Christmas rush and ponder the gift of God with us. Please put your name on the list at the back of the church and indicate if you can offer a lift, or would like a lift. For more information please ask Helen.
ROSTERS FOR NEXT YEAR
We will be shortly making up our rosters for 2010. If you would like to be rostered for any of the lay duties performed each Sunday please place your name on the list in the narthex. If for good reason you wish to take your name off a roster please indicate on the list too. Lay duties each Sunday at each service are: Readers, Welcomers, Sides person, Welcoming Table, Morning tea 8.30, Intercessors. Eucharist Assistants and Servers are also required. If you feel you might well be called to one of these please speak to the Clergy. Other volunteer duties include the mowing of our grounds, Church flowers and Monday minding the Parish Office. If you would like more information or to discuss any of these duties speak to the Clergy.
WELCOME
We welcome today by way of Baptism Susan McGrath, (8.30am) Fletcher Robinson, and Madison Steele (10.30am) and Marko Nedelkovski (12 noon Orthodox). A warm welcome to parents, family and friends.
RAFFLE RESULTS
Results of St. Augustine’s Church Raffle drawn on 14th November: 1st. Prize Joan Morrow, 2nd Prize Pet Redevski; 3rd Prize Faye Medwell; 4th Prize Elizabeth McGrath; 5th Prize N. Radevski; 6th Prize Val Rose; 7th Prize J. Maher.
GARDEN GROUP
The Christmas working bee is on Sat. 28th November, starting with an Annual Eucharist at 8.00am, then a short working bee followed by Christmas luncheon at 12noon.Salads would be appreciated. Barbara Whyte
ANGLICARE CHRISTMAS GIFTS
For two weeks, starting on Sunday the 22nd, there will be a basket in the Narthex for gifts for the underprivileged. All contributions gratefully received. Unwrapped please.
THANK YOU
Thank you for showing dolls in our display: Pat Griffin, Verna Pestell, Karen Mitchell and Wilma Spence. Dorothy Cook
WHO AND WHERE IS SHE?
We are looking for Dot Gibson, who won 2nd prize in our doll raffle. We have no contact address or phone no. Raffle Committee
STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL
On Friday 27th November from 3.30pm onwards the Nathalia Anglican parish holds its Strawberry Festival in the Community Centre. There are lots of stalls, food and entertainment and lots and lots of strawberries available in punnets or on pancakes served with ice cream & cream. No lesser celebrity than Bishop John has accepted an invitation to attend! Wow! Even lesser mortals are made very, very welcome too though, for the last are first and the first last in the Kingdom of God.
PLEDGE ENVELOPES
Pledge envelopes are now ready to be collected from the Narthex table. Please take yours and any you feel comfortable to deliver. If you do not give in this way, but would like to, please speak to the clergy or to Heather Fitzgerald.
DATES FOR THE DIARY
Nov 28th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Garden Working Bee
Nov 28th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wedding 3.30pm
Dec 6th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Rehearsal Nativity Play
Dec 8th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “Moving On” Grief Support
Dec 8th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Patronal Festival - Katandra
Dec 12th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sausage Sizzle at Bunnings
Dec 12th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Parish Quiet Day
Dec 13th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nativity Play at 10.30am Eucharist
Dec 16th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Parish Council
Dec 18th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Carol Service 7.00pm
Dec 24th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christmas Children’s Service 5.30pm
Mar 7th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cologne New Phil.Chamber Orchestra 2.30pm
REQUESTS FOR PRAYER
At the beginning of each month this list is cleared and ALL names need putting down again on the list in the narthex and signed in. No names should be listed without a person’s permission.
Prayer Requests: Nicole Ackland, Laura Bates, Jan & Neville Black, Liam Bognar, Peg Boyle, Max Braumam, Barbara Brown, Ian Carmen, Tom Downie, Kath Grills, Lorna Ford, Frank Harder, Charles Keen, Jenny Laws, Win Lawrence, Elsie Lieschke, Shirley Palma, Bronwyn Mitchell, Sophie Mould, Albert Oxenbury, Kevin & Isabelle Richards, Peter Swindells, Patricia Sparkes David, Glenda, John & family, David & Judith, Lorraine, Valerie, Bonny & Keith, Louis, Brenda & John.
Rest in Peace
Betty Doherty, Dick Turner
Year’s Mind
Alex Tarr 22nd, Stefan Fister, David Byrne, John Maskell 24th, David Spence, Daryl Meyers, Glenn Haynes 25th, Mervyn Rogers 26th.
Duties for 22nd November
Readers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Norm Weaver, Carole Henderson
Readers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christine Jones, Jenny Pleming
Servers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Beth, Michelle
Servers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jenny, Venita,Valerie
Intercessors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Norman Weaver, Greg Pestell
Euc. Assts 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heather Fitzgerald, John Griffin
Euc. Assts 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christine, Jenny
Welcomers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Judy Lloyd, Pat Griffin
Welcomers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nola Brewer, Frank Steen
Sidespeople 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bev & Max Ralph
Sidespeople 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .John Pleming
Tea 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Val Rose
Welcoming Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pamela Lee, Dorothy Cook
Mowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Merv Cowland
Duties for 29th November
Readers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeanette Smith, Pat Griffin
Readers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Peter Martin, Jenny Moran
Servers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Michelle, Beth
Servers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Greg, Bethany
Intercessors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Victoria Heenan, Nancy Noonan
Euc. Assts 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .John Horder, Carole Henderson
Euc. Assts 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jenny Pleming, Greg Pestell
Welcomers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joy Campbell, Eileen Quaife
Welcomers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charlotte Brewer, Sandra Simonis
Sidespeople 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trevor Batey, Joy Campbell
Sidespeople 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Alan Akers, Nola Brewer
Tea 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bev Reither
Welcoming Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dorothy Cook
Mowing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .no mowing this week
READINGS 29th November
Jeremiah 13:14-16, 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH
Monday 23rd November
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
3.30pm Evening Prayer
5.30pm Arise 255 Youth Group - bring a friend!
Tuesday 24th November
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
10.00am Playgroup
3.30pm Evening Prayer
4.00pm Catechesis of the Good Shepherd - Library
Wednesday 25th November
7.45am Mattins only - Lady Chapel
10.00am Eucharist St Augustine’s
3.30pm Evening Prayer
EfM breakup
Thursday 26th November
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
10.15am Grutzner
11.00am Eucharist - Harmony
3.30pm Evening Prayer - Lady Chapel
4.00pm Catechesis of the Good Shepherd - Library
5.30pm Choir Practice
Friday 27th November
7.45pm Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
9.30am Catechesis of the Good Shepherd - Library
11.00am Ave Maria
Wedding Rehearsal
Saturday 28th November Associate Priest’s day off
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
8.00am Eucharist/Working Bee/Luncheon
3.30pm Wedding
6.00pm Vigil Eucharist - Lady Chapel
Advent Sunday November 29th
8.30am Sung Eucharist - St Augustine’s
10.30am Eucharist - St Augustine’s
8.45am Eucharist - St Luke’s
10.45am Eucharist St Mary’s Katandra