FIRST SUNDAY in LENT
21st February 2010
Graphics and cartoons & liturgical material appear only in the printed version
MAKING AN ENTRANCE
It was a humid week. Not the sort of week for dying or for funerals. Thunder storms, lightning, heavy rain. However undertakers are intrepid, as too the clergy and so it was that at Shepparton Cemetery, there was an interment beside a damp grave which for once in that sandy location had moisture-firm walls, though unlike at Pine Lodge there was no danger of water-logging. Just as the priest finished the short ceremony with the words “May the soul of your faithful servant Agatha rest in peace.....” there was a simultaneous great burst of thunder and sizzling dazzle of lightning, followed by several more flashes and great rumbles of thunder. The little old widower looked at the priest and said, "Rest in peace? Rest in peace? She’s only just arrived and already the fireworks have started!”
THIS AND THAT
Andrew Neaum
I copped it well and truly in hospital last week. I met a Christian!
A hospital encounter
Some Christians are more challenging than others. Certainly this one gave me what for. He told me he couldn’t stand much of what I write in this pew sheet, nor most of what I stand for. He goes to a church other than St Augustine’s, but does seem to get hold of our most stimulating pew sheets and so at least sometimes reads this diary column.
I followed my own principles and refused to take offence, defending myself mildly by intimating that I was simply being pro-vocative. This not least to avoid the horror of appearing boring or platitudinous, for I love the Christian faith too much ever to wish making it appear to be either.
He was unimpressed, insisting that Jesus wasn’t provocative. I demurred, suggesting that you do not get yourself crucified without being provocative, but he would have none of that.
The real problem turned out to be that he is a strict biblical literalist and I am most emphatically not. I attempted to persuade him that we Christians need to live and let live, that just as he expected me to grant his interpretation of the bible and the faith its own integrity and validity, so he needed to return the compliment to me. He would have none of this either. So eventually I gave him a blessing, and he said a little extempore prayer for me, a part of which asked God to help me to cease being so provocative!
Too many biblical literalists imagine that the whole Christian faith depends upon the bible’s literal truth. It does not. I and most of my Christian friends and the Christians who have deeply influenced me and whom I most admire are liberal, open-minded and in no way at all biblical literalists. They are also extremely passionate, prayerful and devoted Christians, ready to spring to the faith’s defence against all comers. They would, I am sure, aspire to die for their faith if necessary.
Biblical literalists surely should be reassured by this, not frightened. It means that there is a fall-back position for them. The faith does not depend upon their single interpretation or understanding of the bible. The faith will no more fall about their ears if the bible proves fallible, than will the Catholic church if the Pope does. Deo gratias.
Had my critic attacked this column for egotism or narcissism he might well have elicited a measure of agreement, mortification, repentance and at least a half-hearted promise to amend my ways!
Clinging like a burr
One of my Lenten resolutions is to get back to listening to a Bach cantata every morning. This is a soul-refreshing practice that I have let slip for a while. I returned to it on Shrove Tuesday, taking up at cantata number 124 where I had left off. What a blessing it was to me. The opening chorus goes:
I shall not forsake my Jesus,
Since he gave his life for me.
Thus by duty I am bound
To cling to Him like a burr.
He is the light of my life,
I shall not forsake my Jesus.
Lovely words that are most prayable and set to music that is heart-stoppingly divine. The words of that opening chorus are sung by the choir to a chorale tune that for Bach is set in a fairly simple sounding manner, but all the while an oboe d’amore chortles its way along in a far more complex and exquisite fashion. There is also a beautiful and typical little piece of “word-painting”. The alto, tenor and bass all combine on a long-held note for the word “cling”, illustrating in the musical world of Bach-song a defining characteristic of burrs in the natural world of birdsong.
Free verse
Of all my favourite poets there is one above all others who persuades me that rhyme and a regular rhythm are not at all necessary to a fine poem. Generally I prefer poems to possess both, but R S Thomas’ little master-pieces often have neither and yet I love them beyond telling. Here is a lovely little example suitable for the beginning of Lent:
The Kingdom
It's a long way off but inside it
There are quite different things going on:
Festivals at which the poor man
Is king and the consumptive is
Healed; mirrors in which the blind look
At themselves and love looks at them
Back; and industry is for mending
The bent bones and the minds fractured
By life. It's a long way off, but to get
There takes no time and admission
Is free, if you will purge yourself
Of desire, and present yourself with
Your need only and the simple offering
Of your faith, green as a leaf.
An even tenored life
Some time ago I had a sudden rush of extravagance and on the recommendation of a single review bought a boxed set of all Haydn’s baryton music. The baryton is a bowed string instrument about the same size as a cello. It is a member of the viol family and has gut strings that are bowed like a cello, but underneath there are vibrating metal strings which are sometimes plucked for contrast, and which vibrate in sympathy with the bowed strings otherwise. It fell out of favour at the end of the 18th century, probably due to the difficulty of playing it. Haydn’s 175 works for the instrument are for the most part trios and I now have all of them. They comprise often exquisite, intimate music that was written for private not public use at the request of his patron, Prince Nikolaus Esterházy who was a player of the instrument. In these lovely trios Haydn himself probably played the violin and a member of the court orchestra the cello.
Having delightedly listened now to about twenty four hours of this music which, for all its beauty is of a very similar timbre and tone, I did begin to crave tonal variety and to hanker after some high violins and shrill piccolos. This only goes to prove that variety really does add very necessary spice to life. To imagine that an entirely tranquil life of an even tenor is highly desirable is dubious indeed. A crisis or two, or three and at least some pushing of boundaries is surely a necessary part of a balanced and fulfilled life.
The Annual General Meeting
Here is what I wrote in my journal on the Thursday morning after Ash Wednesday’s AGM. Some things do improve with age and experience. The level of worry and preparation for the AGM is a tiny fraction of what used to be the case when first I became a Rector. The meeting this year was so speedily and amicably accomplished I could hardly credit it. I did attempt to force a bit of discussion at the end, just to help us realise that we had had a meeting, and although this discussion was reasonably animated, there was no acrimony, or criticism of any kind. The elections were accomplished without ballots because the right number of folk were nominated and so on. Astonishing really. I like to think this is because we are a happy parish rather than a dead one! Even our cautious treasurer, who had done by far the most work for the occasion, remarked that it was the best meeting he had ever experienced.
Pickled garlic cloves
There were experiences in my first parish I will never forget. Burying guerrilla war victims, for example, or travelling in convoy with a sub-machine gun on the seat beside me. More vivid a memory than most, however, was dining with the local hospital’s chemist whom I prepared for confirmation, a fine fellow called Rob Oates (I wonder where he is now). He introduced me to pickled garlic cloves as an accompaniment to pre-dinner drinks. Delicious they were then and delicious they are now, for I reacquainted myself with the little rascals last week, finding and buying five little bottles made in China and demolishing one of them at a sitting. I will restock with the extravagance that overwhelmed me when I read a review of all of Haydn’s baryton music and buy a slab.
COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS
Canon D Neaum 1912-2001
There came a Saturday when the junior team had a home match. My home was a small distance from where the Headmaster lived and in the morning of that day, the Head called, asked for me and told me that the team was a man short and I must take his place. Horrors!
The opposing captain won the toss and decided to bat. I was put on the boundary where I spent the time dreaming of what I might have been doing. The cut grass of the field ended some few yards from the longer grass where cows were quietly grazing. My dreams were shattered by a shout of "Stop it", but too late, for I saw the ball racing past me, over the boundary and into the long grass. I went after it as another member of the team ran towards me so that he could relay the ball to the wicket keeper. When I saw the ball it lay just beside a new cow dropping. I found myself unable to resist the temptation and I dipped it in the soft dung and tossed it to the keen follower-up. I was never again asked to play in any match. What a twisted mind I must have had!
My school days were, on the whole, happy days, for the teaching was good and I liked learning. So much so that at the end of the year exam I came first in the class. The same happened in the second year and, foolishly now I think, I was moved from Form two to Form four. This did not hinder me in the subjects in which I was interested, all on the science side, but it left me with a gap in history (which, even with later reading, I've never made up), geography and languages. I still remember the Head's written comment on my second year report, "Well done, Neaum, Splendid", and the one on my 4th year's "Unstable as water thou shalt not excel" (Jacob's dying remarks to Reuben - in Gen:49 - just to save you the trouble in finding it!) My results were disappointing that year, but returned to normal the next year though I never mastered French. The best comment on the last came when I was reading some French prose in class and the Head entered. He stood for a short while and, when I stopped, he said, "Neaum, a Frenchman on the plains of Germany could tell you came from Derbyshire". I fear he was right.
At school I did all my shared work with two of the brightest girls in the school. I mention this only because you will have difficulty in believing their names, which were, Kathleen Piggs, a curly haired lass, and Louise Hogg, a redhead. A delightful, clever couple of lasses.
I spent an increasing amount of time at the furniture factory and began to learn how to work the machines properly. I was drawn to the upholstery section and became quite expert at it (for a twelve year old). However, in the middle of one night we were all woken by a loud shout outside the bedroom windows, "The Mill's on fire!" The voice was that of one of the railway porters who had heard the news through the rail telephone. In a moment we were all awake and got up. It was naturally the huge cotton mill we thought was on fire, but no, it was the furniture factory. Pa drove down immediately, but we were left to wait for his return. The news we received was bad, for the whole works had been destroyed. It seemed as though the bottom had fallen out of my life. No Mellors, no factory, nothing!
How wrong can one be for there was never a time when there was nothing to do. The church and all its works remained and from the choir a new friend was found to replace Fran, Eric Adams, God rest him, occupied that gap. He lived in a house on one of the main streets, not far from the Church and opposite the Doctor's surgery. I remember one day waiting for him across the street, just by the door to the surgery. An elderly woman waited a few yards away turning her eyes to the surgery door whenever it opened. At last her friend came out and she walked up to her, which happened to be close to where I was standing, she said, "How did you get on Mabel?" (I ought to give you this story in Derbyshire dialect, but you wouldn't understand it!) Mabel replied, "Oh, Elsie, I was put out." "Why?" asked Elsie, "Didn't you see the doctor?" "Oh yes," said Mabel, "He said, ‘What's the matter with you this morning?' and I told him it was my leg. He told me to get on to the couch and take my stocking off. I did, and he prodded it for a bit and then said, ‘I'd better look at the other one while I am at it,' and I were put out for I hadn't washed that one." I have never forgotten that overheard conversation which brings back the days when few houses had bathrooms and many were without running water laid on. Poor ashamed Mabel. (to be continued....)
CONGRATULATIONS
Birthdays
Elaine Weaver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21st Feb
Betty Doherty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21st Feb
Barbara Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26th Feb
Anniversary
Frank & Joan Harder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25th Feb
HALL COMMITTEE MEETING
There will be a Hall Committee meeting on the Tuesday 23rd February at 5.00pm.
ARISE 255
We have decided that Arise 255 will change it’s meeting times from 7.00 - 9.00pm to 5.30 - 7.30pm on Friday nights. Next meeting: Friday Feb 26th 5-30 - 7.30pm. Topic: Respect others. Think the Golden Rule. Treat others the way you would like to be treated. Mary Pearson
LOVELY CONCERT from COLOGNE
At 2.30pm on Sunday the 7th of March the Cologne New Philharmonic Chamber Orch-estra will perform a lovely concert of Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”, J. S. Bach’s Concerto in D Minor for 2 Violins, Tchaikovski’s Nocturne for Violoncello and Strings, Mozart’s Flute Concerto in G and Pachelbel’s Canon. The price of tickets: Adults: $ 35; Concessions $30, Students: $ 25.
Contact Jeanette Smith for more information: 58215092
NOTABLE GUEST PREACHER
We welcome as our preacher at 8.30 this week and for the next five weeks of Lent the Revd. Dr. John Pryor.
NEXT WEEK: 8.30 SERMON OUTLINE
Week 2 - Mary & Martha
Readings next week: Jn 11. 20-44 + 12.1-8
1. The details
2. Questions Raised
(i) Who are Mary and Martha?
(ii) What did Mary think she was doing?
(iii) What do we learn of the characters of Mary and Martha?
(iv) What of Jesus' response in 12.8?
CATECHESIS RECOMMENCES
Catechesis begins again this week:
For 3 - 6 year olds from 9.30 to 10.30pm on a day still to be finalised after more consultation and a ring round.
For 6 - 9 year olds: from 4.00 to 5.00pm on Thursday 25th February
GARDEN WORKING BEE SAT 27th
The mornings this week have been so beautiful there’s a hint of Autumn in the air. Come along and enjoy this Saturday morning here at St. Augustine’s doing the little chores in the garden that help keep our gardens so beautiful.
LENT COURSES
Lent Course (1) The Revd. Helen Malcolm.
Mondays 7.00pm: Six sessions: February 22nd; March 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th.
Lent Course (2) The Revd Gail Bryce.
Wednesdays 1.30pm: Six sessions: February 24th, March 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st.
Lent Course (3) The Revd Andrew Neaum.
Thursdays 7.00 pm: Six sessions: February 18th, 25th, March 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th.
DATES FOR THE DIARY
Feb 23rd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hall Committee Meeting 5pm - Roz’s Room
Feb 26th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Arise 255 Youth Group
Feb 27th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Garden Working Bee
Feb 28th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Katandra A.G.M.
Mar 5th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . World Day of Prayer 7th Day Adventist 7pm
Mar 6th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wedding
Mar 7th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cologne New Phil.Chamber Orchestra 2.30pm
Mar 14th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mothering Sunday
Mar 14th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75th Anniversary of St Mary’s Katandra
Mar 20th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wedding
Mar 27th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Garden Working Bee
Apr 4th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Easter Day
Apri 17th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Men’s Breakfast
Apr 24th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Garden Working Bee
May 15th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Men’s Breakfast
6th June . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Patronal Festival
Aug 5th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Meeting Parish Fair 4.00pm Roz’s Room
November 13th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Parish Fair and Garden Party
Duties for 21st February 2010
Readers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Carole Henderson, Heather Pearson
Readers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christine Jones, Charlotte Brewer
Servers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Beth, Michelle
Servers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jenny, Bethany, Sophie
Intercessors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bev Condon, Christine Jones
Euc. Assts 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carole Henderson, Danita Potter
Euc. Assts 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jenny Pleming, Greg Pestell
Welcomers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eileen Quaife
Welcomers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nola Brewer, Jenny Moran
Sidespeople 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Joe Pearson, Norm Mitchelmore
Sidespeople 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nola Brewer, Lesley Kenna
Tea 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bev Reither
Welcoming Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bev Walsh
Mowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . none this week
Duties for 28th February 2010
Readers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pat Griffin, Danita Potter
Readers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christine Evans, Nancy Noonan
Servers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Michelle, Beth
Servers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Frank, Venita, Valerie
Intercessors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Danita Potter, Celebrant
Euc. Assts 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Horder, John Griffin
Euc. Assts 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Christine Evans, Jenny Pleming
Welcomers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gwen Betson, Shirley Dean
Welcomers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sandra Simonis
Sidespeople 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gwyn & Merv Cowland
Sidespeople 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charlotte Brewer, Jenny Pleming
Tea 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shirley Dean
Mowing 27th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gary Grant, John Horder
Welcome Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dorothy Cook
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, Jeffrey Andrewartha, Debbie Bagley, Laura Bates, Liam Bognar, Ian Carman, Val Cowper, Malcolm Elliott, Diane Feldtman, Frank Harder, John Hobart, Hilder Lidgard, Bronwyn Mitchell, Sophie Mould, Cassidy McDermot and her family, Joan Morris, Maureen Olphert, Albert Oxenbury, Mavis Proctor, Kevin & Isabelle Richards, Kevin Sackley, Peter Swindells, Patricia Sparkes, Barbara Swan, Jennifer Thomas, Heather Vines, David, David & Judith, Coral & David.
Rest in Peace: Isabel Hooper, Jack Shortridge
Year’s Mind:
Frederick Clark, Eva Baldwin, Maisie Jolliffe, Elsie Blair, Melba Briggs 22nd, Venda Keenan, Graham Longley 24th, Constance Brock 25th, Susanne Shepherd, Frederick Baldwyn, Mary Purss 27th.
READINGS 28th February - Lent Two
Deuteronomy 261-11, Romans 104-14
THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH
Monday 22nd February Rector’s Day off
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
3.30pm Evening Prayer - Lady Chapel
7.00pm Lent Course- Rev Helen Malcolm - Library
Tuesday 23rd February - Polycarp
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
10.00am Bishop in Council etc - Wangaratta
10.00am Playgroup - Roz’s Room
3.30pm Evening Prayer - Lady Chapel
Wednesday 24th February St. Matthias
7 .45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
10.00am Eucharist - St Augustine’s
12.30pm Deanery Meeting - Yarrawonga
1.30pm Lent Course - Rev Gail Bryce - Library
3.30pm Evening Prayer - Lady Chapel
6.00pm EfM - Roz’s Room
Thursday 25th February
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
10.15am Eucharist - Grutzner
11.00am Eucharist - Harmony
3.30pm Evening Prayer - Lady Chapel
4.00pm Catechesis - Atrium
5.30pm Choir Practice - St Martin’s Chapel
7.00pm Lent Course - Canon Andrew - Library
Friday 26th February - Ember Friday
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
11.00am Eucharist - Ave Maria
3.30pm Evening Prayer - Lady Chapel
5-30pm Arise 255
Saturday 27th February - George Herbert Associate Priest’s day off
7.45am Mattins - Lady Chapel
8.00am Eucharist - Lady Chapel
9.00am Garden Working Bee
6.00pm Vigil Eucharist - Lady Chapel
Sunday 28th February 2nd Sunday in Lent
8.30am Sung Eucharist - St Augustine’s
10.30am Family Eucharist - St Augustine’s
8.45am Eucharist - St Luke’s Dookie
10.45am Eucharist - St Mary’s Katandra
11.30an Katandra A.G.M