7 February 2010

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FIFTH SUNDAY after EPIPHANY

7^th February 2010

Graphics and cartoons & liturgical material appear only in the printed version

IRISH SNOW

The wintry cold that recently affected Great Britain also affected the Republic of Ireland, not least Dublin. There in Éamon de Valera Street there lived the illustrious Mr and Mrs Paddy O’Rourke. The first blanket of snow was so thick that a radio announcement as well as a text message to all mobile phones asked the residents of Éamon de Valera Street, as well as of many other streets, to park their cars on the even numbered house side of the street. This would allow access to the snow plough. Mrs O’Rourke rushed outside to comply. A few days later there was a second dump of snow as severe as the first, and this time residents were asked to park their cars on the odd numbered house side of the street. Again Mrs O’Rourke hastened to comply. Some weeks later there was a third blizzard, but this time there was no announcement forthcoming, much to the mystification of Mrs O’Rourke. However, when she commented on this to her husband he replied, “don’t you think that this time you should leave the car where it is, in the garage?”

THIS AND THAT

Andrew Neaum

One of my past bishops was prone to say, when criticised at all robustly at Synod or in meetings: “I find that offensive.” In most cases this was disingenuous, was merely tactical, a way of avoiding engagement with the criticism and instead eliciting sympathy and even an apology.

Taking offence

To take offence is to don the mantle of the victim and although we appear to live in a culture of victimhood there is nothing at all admirable or indeed useful about claiming the status of victim. It is usually evasive and a shirking of personal responsibility.

I consider a resolute refusal to take offence to be wholly admirable and a characteristic of true Christianity that is conducive to healthy and creative relationships.

I have often given offence. Not because I like so doing, but rather because I have a horror of being boring and so tend to put things starkly, colourfully and provocatively. It is engagement, interest or delight that I am after though, not offence.

There is rarely, if ever, any reason to be offended. Many things can offend against our standards of decency, aesthetic taste, or rationality. But the offences in such cases are to be seen as against our standards, not against us personally. It’s a category mistake to believe that we have been personally offended.

This surely was the case with Muslims and their offence at the infamous Danish cartoons. The cartoons offended against Islamic law. A very different thing from offending actual people.

So a good Lenten resolution this year would be a refusal to take offence.

Tramp stamps

Tattoos are deplorable! Especially those that occupy every square millimetre of a person’s skin. Usually predominately blue, they appear from a distance to be either severe burn scars or varicose and burst vein disfiguration.

By writing thus I do not of course mean to give offence! I merely invite agreement or disagreement.

In the Spectator there is an almost invariably amusing and occasionally useful etiquette column. It has been in operation for years now and I enjoy it for a variety of reasons. Not least of them is because some of the questions posed in the column reveal that an effete soppiness still affects a portion of the upperclass English, but also because of the pithy, humourous good sense, and only when appropriate, the tongue-in-cheekiness of Mary Killen the etiquette expert. In a recent column the question of tattoos was most deliciously asked and addressed as follows:

Mary, I am confused, I have always thought that tattoos were common, and I now hear that they are known as ‘tramp stamps’, yet one or two ladies I know have had tattoos. Can you rule? (ZB London W11).

Answer: The rule is that a temporary tattoo is absolutely fine. A permanent tattoo suggests an inability to project into the future to a time when one would regret the gesture. Therefore a permanent tattoo tends to signal an only partially baked thinker.

Flotsam and jetsam

Many of us feel at times as if we are flotsam and jetsam, tossed about on the great unfathomable sea of events, directionless, purposeless, not at all masters or mistresses of our own destiny.

Interesting words, flotsam and jetsam. Usually taken as meaning the same thing, as being mere synonyms, technically speaking they do not. Jetsam is debris that has been voluntarily cast into the sea (jettisoned) by the crew of a ship, usually in order to lighten it in an emergency; while flotsam describes goods that are floating on the water without having been thrown there deliberately, often after a shipwreck. Legally speaking jetsam is the property of the finder, while flotsam remains the property of its original owner.

Last Sunday I became a piece of jetsam myself. Peter my son persuaded me to cast myself into the warm and lazy waters of the Murray river and to float, with the aid of a lilo, seven and a half or so kilometres down to Albury’s Noreuil Park. It proved to be the most soothing and restful of experiences. We idly drifted with the flow at a mere three kilometres or so an hour, the only effort required of us being occasionally to paddle out of the way of snags or shallow water. From so low down in the river we appeared to be miles from civilization. Ducks, moorhens and coots regarded us as harmless and benign, an occasional kingfisher darted past and a large flock of black kites entertained us, reminding me of similar though far larger flocks of yellow billed kites gobbling down the swarms of flying termites after rain in the Rhodesia of my youth. It was all tranquil, leisurely, warm, meditative and soothing.

I had spent most of Saturday completing music sheets for all of the Sundays I shall be away, six months of them. I needed just such a Sunday to restore myself.

Broken-nosed

That Sunday ended dramatically though. In Benalla at Elizabeth and Nathan’s house I went outside to do some watering. My sandals were not properly fastened and this, combined to my usual bull-at-a-gate approach to things, contributed to me tripping up and falling heavily on to an air conditioning unit, very bloodily breaking my nose! There was a trip to Benalla hospital, a C T scan and a visit to the doctor the next day.

Elizabeth and Peter insist that my nose is now slightly out of alignment, but the scan revealed nothing dangerously or ominously damaged inside my nose, just the fracture. So both the doctor and I agreed that cosmetic surgery of any sort on a face such as mine would be an exercise in futility, so we leave things as they are.

There is a perverse side of me that is slightly disappointed that my nose remains a fine and unbuckled specimen of its kind. Had it been really disfigured I would have enjoyed fabricating a new and early chapter to my personal narrative, all to do with youthful pugilistic prowess, or perhaps (in order to enrich my ministry among men especially) all about my youthful footy derring do.

Vengeful air-conditioner

For years I have snubbed air-conditioners. Of all the cars I have owned since coming to Australia, it is only the last that has contained one. Of all the rectories I have ever lived in throughout the world it is only Shepparton that has been blessed by one, and that in a less than effective place. Our Evening Guild has been on at me for over a year to buy one for the rectory at their expense, and at last I have acquiesced. It is in now installed in my new and spacious study. Already this year it has been much used and greatly appreciated. Thank you very, very much dear Guild ladies.

Personification and theology are handmaids. So it is hardly surprising that I interpret having my nose broken by an air conditioner as air conditioner revenge for all the years of being snubbed by me. Mercifully the units these days have rounded corners. Had they not my nose, in all likelihood, would have been amputated. What sort of gossip would that have given rise to? At best to do with leprosy, at worst with a nose rotting disease that even in this pewsheet is unmentionable for fear of giving offence to anyone who skipped or disagreed with the first few paragraphs of this column.

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

Canon D Neaum 1912-2001

How many different customs there are in families. One of the most common was rarely seen in the Neaum family. Kissing was not much practised among us despite our being a happy, united group. I have no memory at all of seeing my parents kissing each other, nor, during my early years, any of the children. Reading of this lack you may understand my bemused delight in seeing this form of salutation quite often practised between members of St John's Wodonga parish family; some rare few even have the courage to do the same to this gruff old Parson and I thank them for the pleasure given.

If I dare give another digression, I remember the day when our daughter was about five years old and we were ready to return from a day spent at my old home. Pa was sitting reading and as we left the sitting room I said to daughter Sue, "Now, Susan, give your grandfather a kiss". A peculiar shy look came over her face, (and the face of grandfather!) and Sue merely said "Goodbye Grandpa," to the satisfaction of both.

But my topic is birthdays and one in particular, for it was but a few days before my eleventh. Having, up to ten, always been given tokens of love, I had a special hope for the same on my eleventh. The old, heavy, third-hand bicycle I had had for some two years had almost come to its end for, despite constant repairs by my older brothers, the wheels were hopelessly buckled and the brakes were things of chance not safety. One of my choir friends had a new bike given him for his birthday some weeks before mine and had offered me his old one for one pound - a great bargain for it was in good nick. It was my intent to persuade Pa to give me the pound for my eleventh birthday.

The great time came. I had been shopping for Pa and brought back a handful of silver and two pound notes as change from a "fiver". Now was the time to pop the question. I told Pa of the bike and its cost and asked if I could have it for my birthday present. To my utter amazement Pa said, "we don't keep birthdays in this house after ten." I thought for a moment that he was joking, but a glance at his face convinced me that he wasn't. I then cast my mind back to realise that my memory of the older children's birthday celebrations had all ended at ten years of age. I remained dumbfounded for some minutes and then, remembering the change I had lately given to Pa, said, "If I can't have the pound, give me the silver you have in your pocket." Pa remained silent as I waited with diminishing hope. Getting no answer and in utmost despair, I said, "Then give the coppers you have." Pa reached into his pocket and, sorting out the coppers, handed me fourpence halfpenny. Truly, little is better than no bread.

Hardly had I received the fourpence halfpenny when my mother came into the room, it was about 5.00pm and she asked me to go to the bakers before closing time to get a loaf. Asking her about the money necessary, she told me that my father would give it to me. I looked to him, thinking I might extract a few more coppers from the change; but the reality was far, far worse, for he said, "You've already got it!" A 2lb loaf, in those days cost fourpence halfpenny. I duly went for the loaf and spent my birthday present to get it.

There are two riders to that story. Mother knew of the bike I wanted and, like all good mothers, could wind Pa round her little finger. The next day I was handed a pound by her with the comment, "Say nothing about it." I didn't and got my newer bike. But it was true that in our family we did not keep birthdays after ten. Even today, I couldn't tell you when my father's birthday was and I am a bit doubtful of the true date of my Ma's. (to be continued....)

GIVING AND SHARING

Not what we give,

But what we share,

For the gift

without the giver

Is bare.

James Russell Lowell

He who has so little knowledge of human nature as to seek happiness by changing anything but his own disposition will waste his life in fruitless efforts. Samuel Johnson

CONGRATULATIONS

Birthdays

Trevor Batey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8^th Feb

Joan Harder (80 I believe!). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9^th Feb

Venita Stewart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9^th Feb

Retrospective birthday congratulations

Bethany Hutchinson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2^nd Feb

Anniversary

Max & Bev Ralph. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11^th Feb

ARISE 255 - YOUTH GROUP

Friday February 12^th from 7.00pm to 9.00pm. The programme is: “Respect yourself”. Don’t let anybody treat you badly, or make you feel bad!

GRAEME LIERSCH

Jean Liersch of Wesley Uniting Church informs us that her son, Graeme, was inducted into the Gundagai Anglican Church by the Bishop of Canberra Goulburn a couple of weeks ago. Graeme attended St Augustine’s some years ago and she thought that some of us might be interested. He was ordained deacon in November. He is a mere 50 years old, and the parish includes Gundagai North, South, Jugiong and Nangus.

FRIENDSHIP GROUP

The first meeting of the year of the Friendship Group will be on Tuesday February 16^th at 2.00pm in the supper room.

BE SHRIVEN ON SHROVE TUESDAY

Before the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Party on February 16^th at 6.00pm there will be a Penitential Evening Prayer at 5.30pm to set us right for Ash Wednesday. A good way to make Shrove Tuesday more what it should be, fun but with a little spiritual purpose too.

PAT’S PIES

Don’t forget that in February Pat Griffin is making and selling pies of various sorts. This is to support the work of David and Ruth Bryce in Cambodia. Orders for fruit pies(apple or apricot) and perhaps things like Neenish tarts and Eccles cakes most welcome! Pat 58001168.

EVENING GUILD

The first meeting for 2010 is on Feb 18^th. The Eucharist will be celebrated at 1.30pm. We look forward to welcoming you all back, and new members will be made very welcome. Betty 58211558

REPORTS FOR THE A.G.M.

All reports for the A.G.M. need to be handed in to the Parish Office by tomorrow.

MOTHERING SUNDAY

On Mothering Sunday this year, instead of our customary luncheon we propose to join the folk at Katandra for lunch who will be celebrating the 75^th anniversary of their church on that day with the bishop. There is a list for those intending to go (for catering purposes) and if numbers warrant it we will hire a bus. Mothering Sunday services at St Augustine’s will not be affected.

NOTICE OF A.G.M.

The Parish Annual General Meeting takes place on Ash Wednesday the 17^th of February at 7.30pm in the Supper Room. There are nomination forms for Councillors, Wardens and Parochial Nominators on the table in the Narthex.

KATANDRA WEST GUILD

On Monday, 8th February, 2010 at 11am the St. Mary’s Katandra West Guild Eucharist and AGM is at the home of Wilma White.

GRIEF SUPPORT

At 7.30pm Tues, 9^th February “Moving On” - St. Augustine’s Grief Support Group meet

LENT COURSES

Three Lent Courses this year, two in the evening, one during the day. Wednesdays at 1.30pm taken by the Revd Gail Bryce. Mondays at 7.00pm taken by the Revd Helen Malcolm. Thursdays at 7.00pm taken by the Revd. Andrew Neaum. There is a list in the narthex for the names of those interested in one, two or all three.

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER

The World Day of Prayer takes place on Friday the 5^th of March at the Seventh Day Adventist Church starting at 7pm.

DATES FOR THE DIARY

Feb 16^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Evening Prayer 5.30pm , Pancakes 6.00pm

Feb 17^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ash Wednesday and A.G.M

Feb 18^th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Evening Guild

Feb 20^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Men’s Breakfast

Feb 21^st . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Dookie A.G.M.

Feb 26^th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Arise 255 Youth Group

Feb 28^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Katandra A.G.M.

Mar 5^th. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . World Day of Prayer 7^th Day Adventist 7pm

Mar 6^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wedding

Mar 7^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cologne New Phil.Chamber Orchestra 2.30pm

Mar 14^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Mothering Sunday

Mar 14^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75^th Anniversary of St Mary’s Katandra

Mar 20^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wedding

Apr 4^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Easter Day

April 17^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Men’s Breakfast

May 15^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Men’s Breakfast

6^th June . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Patronal Festival

Aug 5^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Meeting Parish Fair 4.00pm Roz’s Room

November 13^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Parish Fair and Garden Party

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, Laura Bates, Liam Bognar, Ian Carman, Diane Feldtman, Frank Harder, John Hobart, Hilder Lidgard, Bronwyn Mitchell, Sophie Mould, Cassidy McDermot and her family, Maureen Olphert, Albert Oxenbury, Kevin & Isabelle Richards, Kevin Sackley, Peter Swindells, Patricia Sparkes, Jennifer Thomas, Heather Vines, David, David & Judith, Coral & David.

Year’s Mind: Amelia Meloury, Jennifer Clarke 8^th, John Chapman, Glenis Joyce 9^th, Sylvia Walls, Frank Purdey 11^th, Ernest Fister, Edna Moore 12^th, Niko Rendevski, Nanette Woodcock 13^th.

Duties for 7^th February 2010

Readers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Victoria Heenan, John Wellman

Readers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jenny Pleming, Peter Martin

Servers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Beth, Michelle

Servers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Frank, Venita, Valerie

Intercessors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Carole Henderson, Jenny Pleming

Euc. Assts 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Danita Potter, John Horder

Euc. Assts 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jenny Pleming, Greg Pestell

Welcomers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heather Nichols, Anita Saville

Welcomers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sandra Simonis, Charlotte Brewer

Sidespeople 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bev & Max Ralph

Sidespeople 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lesley Kenna, Charlotte Brewer

Tea 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gwyn Cowland

Welcoming Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Judy Lloyd

Mowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .none this week

Duties for 14^th February 2010

Readers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jeanette Smith, Norm Weaver

Readers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Pearson, Samantha Conway

Servers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Michelle, Beth

Servers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christine, Joan, Dale

Intercessors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heather Fitzgerald, Children

Euc. Assts 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Heather Fitzgerald, Bev Condon

Euc. Assts 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christine Evans, Joe Fernandez

Welcomers 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pat Griffin, Judy Lloyd

Welcomers 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Gloria Wayman, Lesley Kenna

Sidespeople 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trevor Batey, Joy Campbell

Sidespeople 10.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .John Pleming, Alan Akers

Tea 8.30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Val Rose

Welcoming Table. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Mowing 13^th . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Margaret & Brendan Carroll

READINGS 14^th February

Jeremiah 17:5-10, Corinthians 15:12-20

THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH

Monday 8^th February Rector’s Day off

7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel

11.00am Katandra Guild Eucharist etc. - Wilma’s