SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
24th July 2011
Graphics and cartoons & liturgical material appear only in the printed version
MEMORY TEST
Three old men were at the doctor’s for a memory test. The doctor asked the first old man: “What is two times two?” “194,” came the reply. The doctor turned to the second old man. “What is two times two?” “Thursday,” replied the second old man. Finally the doctor addressed the third old man. “What is two times two?” “Four,” came the answer. “That’s great”, said the doctor. “How did you get that?” “Simple,” said the third old man. “I subtracted 194 from Thursday!”
THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER (6)
Andrew Neaum
I feel envious of Diana experiencing an English summer. Mine there last year was glorious, I revelled in it. Especially long country walks in Dorset beneath trees so deeply foliaged that the shade itself seemed deep green and breathable, or through butter-cupped meadows and alongside hedgerows and river banks splashed with scarlet poppies. Then all of it ruminated over during lovely, lingering, sweetly interminable twilight evenings of beer and talk.
Dreaming of summer
Perhaps because the winters are so long, grey and dreary in Britain, the summers are all the more glorious. People enjoy them to the full, stripping their shirts off, as do lizards their skins, to bask and blister marmoreal bodies on the lawns of public parks whenever the sun appears for more than a minute or two. Everyone seems to go a little bonkers inebriated on sunshine and daylight. The long, long summer evenings, the sheer delight in and appreciation of the sun, the joyfully anticipated and easily arranged Continental holidays, the glee taken in barbecues that manage now and then actually to coincide with warm sunshine and the relish taken in picnics and al fresco dining are infectious and a joy to be a part of.
Our summers in Shepparton are lovely too and by winter’s end eagerly anticipated, but there is also a harshness to them, and the oven-like, north wind days, as well as the innumerable flies, detract from their glory as much if not more than the often too frequently cold and wet days of an English summer do.
Icumen in
It is altogether fitting that the oldest surviving piece of polyphonic music in the world should be an English celebration of summer. This is the famous “Sumer is icumen in”, written in the mid thirteenth century. It is a fairly complex round with a two part ostinato melody sung over and over again while the round itself is sung on top of it. The original is translated from the early English thus:
Summer has arrived,
Loudly sing, Cuckoo!
The seed grows
And the meadow blooms
And the wood springs anew,
Sing, Cuckoo!
The ewe bleats after the lamb
The cow lows after the calf.
The bullock stirs, the stag farts,
Merrily sing, Cuckoo!
Cuckoo, cuckoo,
well you sing, cuckoo;
Don’t you ever stop now,
Sing cuckoo now. Sing, Cuckoo.
Sing Cuckoo. Sing cuckoo now!
The last two lines are the repeated ostinato. I am informed by a little research that although some translate the middle English “bucke uerteþ” as “the buck-goat turns”, the current critical consensus is that the line is “the stag farts”, apparently “a gesture of virility indicating the stag’s potential for creating new life, echoing the rebirth of Nature from the barren period of winter”. A somewhat po-faced and over-intellectualised reading of the word “fart”, it seems to me!
A skewed view of things
Because newspapers and news broadcasts feed on disaster and on what is extraordinary, we tend to get a skewed view of human existence. The more we listen to or watch the news the more skewed becomes that view and we forget just how good and tolerable the lives of so many of us are.
Whenever we hear of some appalling atrocity, hundreds murdered in a suicide bomb attack, or thousands crushed in an earthquake or drowned in a flood, or starving in a drought, we need to remind ourselves of the billions of folk not murdered, not crushed, not drowned not starving.
Even living in such peaceful and bountiful times as we do here in Australia, we can easily fall into deeper pessimism than ever our ancestors did who lived in times far more fraught with disease, disaster and danger than ours. We hear, watch and listen to far too unbalanced an account of the way things are.
Audi alteram partem
As well as Rowan Williams there is another impressive religious figure with a high profile in the United Kingdom, the Chief Rabbi, Jonathan Sacks. He is quoted in a recent Spectator as saying ‘We’re in an age of the breakdown of shared discourse, and when that happens, the loudest voice wins. So everyone learns to speak in a very loud voice — Richard Dawkins is just one product of it, but you find it is also in angry religious extremists. No one listens properly to the other side any more. But justice is.... Audi alteram partem, listening to the other side. You don’t get justice without listening to the other side.’
Mary Wakefield in her interview with him in The Spectator says that Sacks maintains that the increase in anti-semitism and the growth of intolerance in our society is a direct product of the decline of religion. That this does not mean that man cannot be moral without faith — but that without the practice of religion, ethics are subject to entropy. She then quotes his book “The Great Partnership”, where he puts it like this: “When the burden of law-abidingness falls on the state and its institutions, when people define right and wrong in terms of externalities — punishments and rewards — then society begins to erode. Like an orchestra without a conductor, they lose the habits that sustain the virtues that create the trust that preserves the institutions that shape and drive a moral order.” Excellent!
Lawrie Tinning remembered
Last week my round at the hospital was taken earlier in the week than usual, on Tuesday. There I was delighted to be reminded of Lawrie Tinning, because in the rehabilitation ward I met Val Simm from Tongala who is his sister. We had a lovely reminisce about that most amiable, gentle and quiet St Augustinian, who worked so hard and devotedly for us. May he rest in peace.
Hospital visits are usually very interesting to me. The week before last I met a man who years before had undergone a combined heart and lung transplant most successfully. Even more remarkable was that he met up periodically with the person to whom his own heart had been donated. It was his lungs that had failed, not his heart and so that had been passed on successfully to someone else.
Visits to hospital are a reminder of how mixed the achievements of medicine are. I visit people who have had fairly routine operations and yet remain in hospital for ages because their wound has become infected, we cannot even ensure that this doesn’t happen. On the other hand I meet patients who have undergone the most amazing of operations with truly wonderful results.
Simple gifts
Each morning when I make my first, welcome cup of coffee, I think of Peter and Joy Ross Edwards. This is because while staying in their lovely unit in Caloundra last year I bought myself a single-cup coffee plunger which has been in daily use ever since.
To be a part of other people’s lives we need simply to give useful little gifts for daily use, and hey presto, our life is extended into the imagination and memory of others.
I am now enjoying reading “A History of Christianity” by Diarmaid MacCullough, using my Kindle, an electronic reader. I ordered, paid for and received the book in a mere 60 seconds. The Kindle has dictionaries inbuilt, and to receive an instant definition of any word you simply place a cursor in front of it. Pages are turned by pressing a button and passages can be highlighted or book-marked. There is much to learn, but so far so good, it is already easy reading.
We hear a lot of bad news these days about churchgoing, how congregations are ageing and in terminal decline. I have just read an article in the New Statesman by Rabbi Sacks, (mentioned above) and there is a bit of good news, Rabbi Sacks says:..... in his new book “American Grace”, Robert Putnam sets out the good news. A powerful store of social capital still exists. It is called religion: the churches, synagogues and other places of worship that still bring people together in shared belonging and mutual responsibility. The evidence shows that religious people defined by regular attendance at a place of worship actually do make better neighbours.
A survey carried out across the US between 2004 and 2006 showed that frequent church- or synagogue-goers were more likely to give money to charity. They were also more likely to do voluntary work for a charity, give money to a homeless person, donate blood, help a neighbour with housework, allow another driver to cut in front of them, offer a seat to a stranger or help someone find a job.
For some minor acts of help, there was no difference between frequent and non- churchgoers. But there was no good deed that was more commonly practised by secular Americans than by their religious counterparts. Religious Americans are simply more likely to give of their time and money to others, both within and beyond their own communities.
Their altruism goes further than this. Frequent worshippers are also significantly more active citizens. They are more likely to belong to community organisations, especially those concerned with young people, health, arts and leisure, neighbourhood and civic groups and professional associations. Within these organisations they are more likely to be officers or committee members. They play a bigger role in civic and political life, from local elections to town meetings to demonstrations. They are disproportionately represented among local activists for social and political reform. The margin of difference between them and the more secular is large.
Tested on attitudes, religiosity as measured by church or synagogue attendance turns out to be the best predictor of altruism and empathy: better than education, age, income, gender or race. On the basis of self-reported life satisfaction, religious people are also happier than their non-religious counter-parts.....
Interestingly, each of these attributes is related not to people’s religious beliefs, but to the frequency with which they attend a place of worship. Religion creates community, community creates altruism and altruism turns us away from self and towards the common good. Putnam goes so far as to speculate that an atheist who went regularly to church (perhaps because of a spouse) would be more likely to volunteer in a soup kitchen than a believer who prays alone. There is something about the tenor of relationships within a religious community that makes it the best tutorial in citizenship and good neighbourliness.
CONGRATULATIONS
Birthdays:
Robert Cook 24th July
Rosemary Mitchelmore 29th July
READINGS NEXT WEEK
Genesis 32:22 - 31, Romans 9:1-8
RAFFLE ROSTERS
Our annual Major Raffle is an important part of the Parish Fair and Garden Party and its success depends upon the sale of swags of tickets before the event. There is a Roster in the Narthex for volunteer ticket sellers. This can be an enjoyable and sociable task, especially in the company of a friend.
NEXT SUNDAY IS DIFFERENT
I hope that everyone next Sunday will make an effort to attend the 10.30am Eucharist. This is a combined service at which folk from Dookie, Katandra, Murchison and Rushworth will be present as well as the Bishop. It will be followed by a Bring and Share Lunch in the hall. Because there are bound to be diehards and amnesiacs turning up at 8.30am as usual there will be a Eucharist then as well but it will be a modest, understated service without music or sermon. Do bring along some fare to share as well as your sparkling personalities.
GARDENING AND HALL SETTING
There will be the usual Garden Working Bee on Saturday. Do come along and join one of the most vibrant of Parish Groups. At 11.30 some of us there will set up the hall for the luncheon the next day.
STEWARDSHIP
Don’t forget to pray for and support our Stewardship Campaign. Although Christianity appears to be on the nose in our community these days, the theme of the Campaign is “The worst of times are the best of times” as indeed they are, so lets nail our colours to the mast, hold fast and promote, encourage and support the Faith and the Campaign.
AWAY
The Reverend Gail and Ian Bryce are away from next Sunday and for the whole of August. May they enjoy many blessings.
ADMISSION OF CATECHUMENS
At the Combined Service nest Sunday at10.30am, we will have a little ceremony of welcome and admission for our candidates for confirmation this year. Hopefully all of them will be present for the bishop to look over, bless and encourage.
“ENCOURAGING YOUNG PEOPLE”
At Holy Trinity Church, Benalla, August 20th 10.00am to 3.30pm, there is a workshop on encouraging the young to be church involved.
OUTREACH DEADLINE
The next edition of Outreach will come out in mid-August. Please have any material for publication by 31st July to Helen via the church office or at hmalcolm@bigpond.com
ST. COLUMB’S FAIR
July 30th in Seymour. Topics include: discussion on the”Possibilities of the Emerging Church” and a presentation- “If God breathed the world” to do with prayer, spiritual directions and a rule of life. Let the Parish Office know if you intend going!
USED STAMPS PLEASE
If you have any used stamps we are calling them in please by the 31st July, when the Bishop will take them to Wangaratta to be given to ABM. They are a good source of income, and with not much effort on our part. Please bring them into the office.
“MOVING ON” GRIEF SUPPORT
There is a Dinner Meeting at 6.30pm in the Narthex on Tuesday 9th August. The topic for the evening is “Planning a Funeral” and Canon Andrew will be our Guest Speaker. Everyone welcome, please place your name on the list on the Narthex table for catering purposes. Cost is $5.
JEWELLERY STALL AT THE FAIR
Adjacent to the Craft Stall this year will be a separate Jewellery Stall. Some talented parishioners, who create necklaces/ bracelets /ear-rings, etc., may consider donating some items for this stall. Other ladies might find time to go through their jewellery boxes where perhaps there maybe items which no longer “suit” them! Further information from Jeanette Berry (0402740504) or Pat Gibson (58313080)
DATES FOR THE DIARY
July 31st Combined Parish Worship & Bring & Share
Aug 8th Casserole Lunch/St. Paul’s Rushworth
Aug 9th Social Responsibilities Meeting
Aug 9th “Moving On” Dinner meeting
Aug 11th Parish Fair & Garden Party Meeting
Aug 20th Wedding
Aug 21st Thanksgiving Sunday
Aug 27th Garden Working Bee
Aug 27th St. Columb’s Travelling Fair/St. Augustines
Sept 3rd Women’s Breakfast
Sept 10th Harvey Norman Sausage Sizzle (Fete)
Sept 13th Funeral Expo/St Augustine’s Hall
Sept 13th Social Responsibilities Meeting
Sept 17th Men’s Breakfast
Sept 22nd Parish Fair & Garden Party Meeting
Sept 24th Garden Working Bee
Oct 1st Wedding 2pm
Oct 5th Lunch function
Oct 8th Wedding 2pm
Oct 8th Wedding 3.30pm
Oct 11th Social Responsibilities Meeting
Oct 22nd Parish Fair & Garden Party
Oct 23rd Confirmation
Oct 29th Wedding
Oct 29th Garden Working Bee
Nov 12th Wedding 2pm
Nov 19th Wedding 1pm
Nov 19th Wedding 3.00pm
Nov 26th Wedding 2pm
Dec 3rd Women’s Breakfast
Dec 10th Men’s Breakfast
Dec 10th Wedding
Duties for 24th July 2011
Readers 8.30 Heather Fitzgerald, Liz Gyles
Readers 10.30 Nancy Noonan, Linda Prosser
Servers 8.30 Volunteers or Volunteered
Servers 10.30 Jenny, Vanita, Valerie
Intercessors Norm Weaver, Mary Pearson
Euc. Assts 8.30 Heather Fitzgerald, John Griffin
Euc. Assts 10.30 Joe Fernandez, Jenny Pleming
Welcomers 8.30 Shirley Dean, Beth Reither
Welcomers 10.30 Jenny Moran, Frank Steen
Sidespeople 8.30 Joe Pearson, Norm Mitchelmore
Sidespeople 10.30 Jenny Moran, Charlotte Brewer
Tea 8.30 Gwyn Cowland
Welcoming Table Judy Lloyd
Mowing 23rd July None this week
Altar Linen for July Ella Egan
Duties for 31st July 2011
Readers 8.30 Bev Condon, Norm Mitchelmore
Readers 10.30 (1st only) Verna Pestell
Servers 8.30 Volunteers please
Servers 10.30 Rick, Braden & Sam Coates
Intercessors (8.30 only) Celebrant
Euc. Assts 8.30 Bev Condon
Euc. Assts 10.30 G Pestell, J Pleming (if necessary)
Welcomers 8.30 Beryl Goodfellow, Bev Ralph
Welcomers 10.30 Sandra Simonis, Nola Brewer
Sidespeople 8.30 Gwyn Cowland, Merv Cowland
Sidespeople 10.30 Nola Brewer, Mitch Macheda
Tea 8.30 Val Bambrook
Welcoming Table Dorothy Cook
Mowing John Pleming, John Wellman
Altar Linen for August R. Mitchelmore, Pat Griffin
REQUESTS FOR PRAYER
Alan Akers, Deb Bagley, Liam Bognar, Marlene Bovaird, Mavis Burgess, Ian Carman, June Cato, Kath Grills, Frank Harder, Katherine Holt, John & Kate Horder, Angela Hawthorn, Michael Green, Ross Judd, Bronwyn Mitchell, Lyn Morcom, Marj Millerick, Margaret Kidman, Albert Oxenbury, Isabelle Richards, Sandra Simonis, Peter Swindells, Patricia Sparkes, Fay Warren, David, Krystina. Peter, David & Judith, Kaye.
Rest in peace: Lynette Gray, Sotiros Alimaras
Anniversaries:Irene Dickie, Bridget Howell 24th, Sarah Robbins, Maxwell Mathieosn, Edward Anquetil 25th, Frederick Grutzner, Jessie Lynas, Ellen Shortridge 26th, Jessie Ross, Daisy Brereton 27th, John Wood, Jamie Thompson, Ethan Smith, Mavis Church, Freda Shemshedin 28th, Douglas Smith, Barry Miller, Hock Sidebottom, Gwen Till 29th, Samuel Gaylard, Ronald Lindrea 30th.
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THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH
Monday 25th July (Rector’s day off)
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
Tuesday 26th July
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
11.00am Bishop in Council etc. - Wangaratta
10.00am Playgroup - Roz’s Room
11.00am Shepparton Aged Care
4.15pm Confirmation Class - Library
Wednesday 27th July
7.45am Mattins only - Lady Chapel
10.00am Eucharist - St Augustine’s
6.00pm EfM/ Roz’s Room
Thursday 28th July
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
10.15am Eucharist/Grutzner
11.00am Eucharist - Harmony
5.30pm Choir Practice - Rectory
Friday 29th July
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
Saturday 30th July
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist (trad) - Lady Chapel
9.00am Gardening Working Bee
10.00am St. Columb’s Ministry Fair/Seymour
6.00pm Vigil Eucharist - Lady Chapel
Sunday 31st July
8.30am Said Eucharist - St Augustine’s
10.30am Eucharist - Combined St Augustine’s/Baptism
5.30pm Evening Prayer