EASTER DAYSUNDAY
4th April 2010
Graphics and cartoons & liturgical material appear only in the printed version
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN SHEPPARTON
Three young lads from Shepparton schools tragically died. Their navigational skills, thanks to computer literacy and Google Earth, were sufficient for them to find their way to the Pearly Gates and encounter good St Peter. He said, “I have one question for each of you and if you get it right you will be allowed through the gates into heaven.” He asked the first lad, possibly from McGuire,”What is Easter?” He scratched his head, wished for Google and answered, “It’s that one time of the year when our whole family gets together and we eat turkey.” St. Peter sadly shook his head and said to the next lad, possibly from Wanganui, “What is Easter?” He too scratched his head, wished for Google and then answered, “Oh, it is the time of year when our family gets together and we all open presents and the fat jolly fellow comes down the chimney.” Again St Peter sadly shook his head before asking the third lad, possibly from Goulburn Valley Grammar, “What is Easter?” He said, “Oh that’s when Christ died and they put him in a tomb and rolled a great rock in front of it.” St. Peter smiled and urged, “Yes... go on...” The lad continued, “Then once a year we roll the stone away and he comes out and if we sees his shadow we are going to have a cold, wet winter!”
RESURRECTION- NO THANKS
Andrew Neaum
My old father, a parson like myself, a couple of years before he died was all but bed-ridden. His arms that once were so muscular, because he was never one of those pen-pushing, lily-livered, study-bound parsons, but rather a carpentering, plumbing, gardening, pig-keeping sort of parson, were skeletel and wasted. He was sunken-cheeked, spindle-shanked, parchment-skinned and fragile.
May the tomb always keep it bones
I remember saying to him at that time, “All this talk of Resurrection......Good heavens! Given the state of your bashed in, battered old body, the last thing on earth that you would want, surely, is resurrection. Your body these days is almost totally incapable of expressing who you are, and who you’ve been. It was alright for there to be an empty tomb for Jesus. He was a young man who would gladly dress himself back in his old body. But may your tomb always contain its body, its bones, its human detritus. May they never ever rise again!” He grinned and said: “Amen to that!”
Thank God then, that whatever Resurrection might be, it is not the resuscitation or revivification of a corpse! It is not the bringing back into use again of our old, or even our young bodies.
So should ever we hear, or read of sophisticated theologians questioning our Lord’s empty tomb, or should some archaeologist turn up the skeleton of Jesus of Nazareth, it doesn’t necessarily call into question the Resurrection. Resurrection doesn’t require an empty tomb, doesn’t need a corpse to be effected, doesn’t demand the emptying of an occupied tomb.
New creation not re-creation
Resurrection, rather, is the giving by God the Creator, to what is eternal in us, that is our identity, our personal reality, what makes us us, the whole continuum of what makes us us, that is, our self from birth to death, a new means of expression, a new means of being our self, outside of time and space, in eternity. Giving to us a new physicality or body, if you like, though these are terms that make little sense outside of time and space.
Why should we believe in this? Primarily because of Jesus’ Resurrection which Christians celebrate at Easter, not so much because of an empty tomb, though, strangely, there was one, but because of all those recorded encounters with the risen Jesus by his disciples.
A dispassionate but critical look at these encounters cannot explain them away. The accounts of them in the gospels have, without doubt, been elaborated and embroidered, of course. Nor are they all consistent with each other, but this is a tribute to a fundamental, historical authenticity that is underlined emphatically by the undoubted truth that these recorded encounters with the risen Jesus changed people’s lives and filled disciples with new life, fervour, love and courage. These changed lives can adequately be explained only as being the result of real and true encounters with the Lord risen.
However, although these encounters were with the real and beloved Jesus whom the disciples knew so well, they were nonetheless different, out of the ordinary and unique encounters. God had given Jesus a new kind of life. For example, it was as if he could choose to be present at any time or place and in whatever mode would best suit God’s purposes in that situation. Thus Mary Magdalene saw him first as a gardener, Cleopas and his friend on the road to Emmaus as a roadside traveller, the fishermen by the lakeside as a loitering stranger, St Paul on the Damascus road as a radiant being from another world. Yet before each encounter was over those involved knew with absolute certainty who he was, and that their own lives had been healed and fired with a new spirit.
Liberated from spindle-shanks
So in the Resurrection my old, bed-ridden father. so skeletel and wasted, so sunken-cheeked, spindle-shanked, parchment-skinned and fragile. will be freed from the constraints of time-worn physicality, freed from a body that eventually came to hinder far more than allow him to be himself, and which hid more than revealed his true self and nature; will be freed from the constraints of this physicality so that all that was good and lovely and loving about him throughout his life, will be enabled to blossom into all that it has it in itself to be, in the eternal kingdom of love that is beyond physicality, time and space and that is centred around the person and the company of the risen King of Love.
Is it not a beautiful doctrine this Resur-rection? I cannot but want to believe it. Indeed, I do believe it.
COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS
Canon D Neaum 1912-2001
But enough of that for life was not only work nor constant praise for I continued to help Pa at the trout farm, angling and quarrying and dressing stone to enlarge the cottage at the farm. But my chief interest at this time was motor bikes. I had a large 500cc B.S,A. and joined a team for dirt-track racing; a thrilling pastime which often led to broken limbs for the participants. I was lucky to remain uninjured whilst I participated in that sport.
It came into my mind that motor bikes were less interesting than aeroplanes and so decided to learn how to fly. There was a flying school just south of Derby so off I went to enrol. The price was a bit stiff for my means but even starting would be fun. Growing nearer to bankruptcy each week I reached the stage when I was due to make my first solo flight. With many butterflies in my stomach, I drove down to the airfield and, on drawing near, saw the plane I was hoping to fly, standing with its nose in a ditch and its tail in the air. I hope it was not that sight that ended my flying hopes but rather the lack of cash. In any case, I never got to solo flying. Perhaps it was as well for I might have been one of the glorious few who saved Britain in the early days of the war and thus missed my true Calling, which had slipped from my mind since I was 12.
One thing came out of my abortive flying experience. I met a sugar planter on holiday from the West Indies and became friendly with him. He liked to come to the trout farm when I was there, until the time came for him to return to work. He then offered me a job, with fares paid, and all equipment necessary AND my return fare put into my Bank if I didn’t care for the job. Unfortunately, my elder brother and sister had been married to their respective spouses that year and my mother didn’t want to lose her David! So I persuaded Pa to give me the trout farm and so keep me at home. It was a difficult decision but I chose the farm to the chagrin of my West Indian friend and my own delight.
Sometime during the last year of our living in Albert Street I had a visitor. Early one evening Mr. A. Smedley the thrower of the Sunday joint, plus dish, through the front window, some ten years earlier called to see me. To all of us he was known as ‘The Drunk’ for he had kept up his evil habit and, to me, had added another for he always called me “Davie”, which diminutive I detested. To my surprise he said, “Davie, I’ve just bought a new car and I wondered if you would teach me how to drive?” My answer was a little sharp for I told him I didn’t teach people who drank to drive. Taking no offence, he told me that he had stopped drinking, hadn’t touched alcohol for the past six months and, when having to meet business associates in a hotel or pub, only drank ginger ale. Still doubtful, I told him I would need confirmation of that and he asked me to talk with his wife. I did, and she confirmed his conversion with great satisfaction. This done, I went into the street to see the car. It was a new Alvis sedan which shone as if angels had polished it, totally spotless inside and out. After looking at its appointments, I arranged to give Albert, as I now was to call him, his first lesson the next day. I had noticed that the car had a radiator muff - a leather coat, the centre panel of which had to be rolled down when driving. This was before anti-freeze came on the market and it kept the water system from freezing in winter weather. The following day I spent the first half-hour telling and showing Albert what the many controls did, how they worked and the driver’s part as boss of the lot. As I have no intention of making this a driving lesson I will skim off a few incidents. On that first day I noticed that Albert constantly failed to take off the hand brake and so ended the lesson stressing the necessity of that single act.
(to be continued)
BOOMERANG LUNCH PARTY
On the 18th April
If you have not received your invitation to our BOOMERANG LUNCH PARTY to say “Au Revoir to Canon Neaum, please phone Pat Gibson: 58313080. (Please don’t let payment be a problem; we want everyone to be present - if there is a problem or concern please have a confidential chat to Pat (58 313080). Replies, by Wednesday next, would be appreciated. It should be a FUN day.
CONGRATULATIONS
Birthdays
Maurice Fennell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5th Apr
Alannah Wells. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6th Apr
Mervyn Cowland. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8th Apr
Albert Oxenbury. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9th Apr
Anniversaries
John & Joan Morrow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9th Apr
THANK YOU
A happy and blessed Easter from Canon Andrew, the Rev. Gail & Ian Bryce and the Rev. Dr. Helen Malcolm. Thank you to flower arrangers and providers, to the loaners and carriers of pot plants, to our servers, Eucharistic assistants, choir members, organists, worshippers, watchers through the night, and above all to our sacristan Carole Henderson.
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES MEETING
On Tuesday 6th, at 12.15 there is a meeting of the Social Responsibilities Committee.
OLD FASHIONED EASTER PICNIC
Sunday 11th April 12pm in the gardens at the back of St. Augustine’s Hall. Bring a plate of food to share, all ages can be assured of a great day. Come along and join in the fun with three legged races, sack and egg & spoon races, cards, table games and lots more and then, as a finale an Easter Egg Hunt. Hosted by Arise 255 Youth Group for more info contact Mary 0418167968
THANKS FROM AND TO NOLA
Nola has asked me to thank all the buyers and sellers of tickets in the Parish Lady Day Raffle of which she is the organiser, prime mover and enthusiast. She has so far counted $725 with a little more still to come in. Many thanks to June McKellar for her donation of the prize and congratulations to Andrea Fisher who was its winner. Many thanks too to Nola for her great work.
“MOVING ON”
The Grief Support group meets on Tuesday 13th April, in the Narthex. The program will be “Conversation on the Stages of Grief”, lead by Joan McCann. All welcome.
READINGS 11th MARCH
Acts 5:27-32; Revelation 1:4-8
DATES FOR THE DIARY
Apr 3rd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Macedonian Easter
Apr 4th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Easter Day
Apr 11th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Easter Picnic hosted by Arise 255
Apr 13th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .“Moving On” Grief Support Group
Apr 14th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vestry 2pm
Apr 15th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Evening Guild
Apr 15th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .S.C.C. Annual Meeting
Apr 17th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Men’s Breakfast
Apr 18th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Boomerang Lunch for Canon Andrew
Apr 20th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Friendship Group
Apr 20th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baptism Preparation
Apr 21st. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Parish Council
Apr 24th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Garden Working Bee
Apr 27th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Rector disappears for six months
May 15th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Men’s Breakfast
June 6th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Patronal Festival
July 15th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Evening Guild - Fashion Parade
July 17th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Travelling Ministry Fair
Aug 5th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Meeting Parish Fair 4.00pm Roz’s Room
Oct 16th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Travelling Ministry Fair
Nov 13th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Parish Fair and Garden Party
Duties Easter Day 4th April
Readers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Norm Mitchelmore, Carole Henderson
Readers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter Martin,Jenny Pleming
Servers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Beth & Michelle
Thurifer 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Carole Henderson
Servers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Greg, Venita, Valerie
Intercessors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Celebrant, Greg
Euc. Assts 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Danita Potter, John Griffin
Euc. Assts 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jenny Pleming, Greg
Welcomers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gwen Betson, Heather Nichols
Welcomers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sidespeople 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bev Ralph, Max Ralph
Sidespeople 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Charlotte Brewer, John Pleming
Tea 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bev Reither
Welcoming Table 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Judy Lloyd
Duties for Sunday 11th Sunday
Readers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Heather Pearson, Pat Griffin
Readers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mary Pearson, Samantha Conway
Servers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michelle, Beth
Servers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jenny, Frank, Joan
Intercessors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heather Fitzgerald, Children
Euc. Assts 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Danita Potter, Bev Condon
Euc. Assts 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christine Evans, Jenny Pleming
Welcomers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shirley Dean, Bev Reither
Welcomers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nola Brewer, Jenny Moran
Sidespeople 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Trevor Batey, Joy Campbell
Sidespeople 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alan Akers, Nola Brewer
Tea 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Shirley Dean
Welcoming Table 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dorothy Cook
Lawn Mowing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Merv Cowland, Trevor Batey
REQUESTS FOR PRAYER
Nicole Ackland, Lorraine Ashbury, Jeffrey Andrewartha, Debbie Bagley, Liam Bognar, Ian Carmen, Kath Grills, Frank Harder, Wyn Lawrence, Sophie Mould, Albert Oxenbury, Koop Purss, Kevin & Isabelle Richards, Peter Swindells, Heather Vines, Bill & Glenda, David, David & Judith, Kaye.
Rest in Peace
Vera Conroy, Bill Hall, Dick Godwill, Frank Bush,
Year’s Mind
Cliff Page, Helen Thomson, Eloise Cummins 5th, Thomas Tomlinson, Ted Phillips, Mary Harris 6th, Sandra Ford 7th, Kylie Oakes, Rowland Crosby 8th, Valma Hogan 9th.
THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH
Monday in Easter Week 5th April Rector’s Day off
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
Tuesday in Easter Week 6th April
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
12.15pm Social Responsibilities - Narthex
3.30pm Evening Prayer - Lady Chapel
Wednesday in Easter Week 7th April
7 .45am Mattins only - Lady Chapel
10.00am Eucharist - St Augustine’s
12.00pm Clergy Meeting - Wangaratta
3.30pm Evening Prayer - Lady Chapel
Thursday in Easter Week 8th April
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
3.30pm Evening Prayer - Lady Chapel
4.00pm Eucharist - Banksia Kialla Gardens
5.30pm Choir Practice - St Martin’s Chapel
Friday in Easter Week 9th April
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
11.00am Eucharist - Ave Maria
Sat in Easter Week 10th April
Associate Priest’s day off
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
6.00pm Vigil Eucharist - Lady Chapel
Second Sunday of Easter 11th April
8.30am Sung Eucharist - St Augustine’s
10.30am Eucharist - St Augustine’s Kid’s Church
12.15am Baptism - St Augustine’s
8.45am Eucharist - St Luke’s Dookie
10.45am Eucharist - St Mary’s Katandra