EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
27th February 2011
Graphics and cartoons & liturgical material appear only in the printed version
AS PANTS THE HART
An enthusiastic Welsh Minister in Aberystwyth in the mid-1980s, preached at length on the virtues of "panting as the deer before the righteousness of the Lord." In mid-flow, he broke off to exhort his listeners with a heartfelt cry of..."And I ask you – dear bothers and sisters – where are your pants?"
GRAVEYARD MAWKISHNESS
An article by Theodore Dalrymple in a recent Spectator (with which I whole-heartedly agreed) elicited the following letter from a certain Robert Vincent in Hampshire: Sir, In his piece on graveyards Theodore Dalrymple deplores the maudlin expressions of grief found on headstones in cemeteries. Notices in local newspapers often match these valedictions. My favourite has always been, "The trumpets sounded, St Peter said come. The Pearly Gates swung open and in walked Mum".
RETURNING TO ZIMBABWE (13)
Andrew Neaum
This is the thirteenth episode of an account of the recent trip to Zimbabwe and Lesotho made by Diana and myself last October. The previous episodes, if anyone is interested, can be found: http://www.andrewneaum.com/articles.htm
On leaving Great Zimbabwe we were heading from the sublime to the ridiculous. The purpose of our trip westward along the road to Bulawayo through the mining town of Mashava and then north to Gweru (Gwelo), passing through Shurugwi (Selukwe), being to visit Guinea Fowl, my old Secondary School.
Guinea Fowl Boys High School
My brother and I had been sent to Guinea Fowl in the middle of 1961 when we were asked to leave the home for missionaries' children in Harare to which our parents had misguidedly sent us on leaving primary school. Our requested departure had far more to do with my brother's insubordination than mine, for he had a rebellious streak and an insolent air that infuriated those in authority, something I more than half admired, but could never emulate.
Guinea Fowl was a boy's boarding school (whites only of course, in those segregated days) set in the bush ten miles from Gweru. It was a converted Second World War, Royal Air Force training camp, so our dormitories were cream-painted, corrugated-iron walled barracks and there were the crumbling, weed-infested remnants of runways here and there in the surrounding bush, where we roamed attempting, sometimes successfully, to capture as pets wide-eyed and lovely little night-apes and lemurs. In a lot of ways it was a good school, although the last step before the borstal for city school rejects.
Sporting prowess was held in far, far higher esteem than mere academics, and if ever our First Rugby XV lost its Saturday match all of us, without exception, went into mourning. We were all dragooned into watching the Second and First XI rugby team matches and whenever it was felt that the players needed an a boost a prefect would head out to stand in front of the massed schoolboy audience to orchestrate the chanting of a nonsensical school war-cry of which we were expected to be very proud:
Prefect: Gublia
Audience: Wha (roared)
Prefect: Gublia
Audience: Wha (roared)
All: Unimunie cunimunie unimunie see! Wha wha whisky, who are we? Ekka bekka wha wha wha. We are, we are, Guinea Fowl. Who are we? Guinea Fowl! (roared)
I remained at Guinea Fowl from 1961 to the end of my school career in 1964, a school prefect for two years and head of house for one, a notable achievement given my lack of interest in sport. My brother left after very successfully completing his O-levels and went to Churchill School in Harare to do his A-levels, as our parents by then had moved to the city.
Public public schools
Most if not all white schools in Rhodesia tended to be run on English "public school" lines, and in Guinea Fowl's case this was most certainly a government school attempting to silk-purse a sow's ear, its pupils being largely fairly rough miners and farmers sons. Discipline was strict, fair, brutal and largely effective. The prefect system was adhered to with some fervour. I remember with particular amusement and some distaste how coarser prefects required their little first year "skivvies" to warm up a lavatory seat for them on cold winter's mornings!
As well as the expected rugby and cricket fanaticism, all senior boys were required to participate in the Cadet Corps, with a teacher of Afrikaans, "Zonks" Badenhorst, yelling commands at us in a heavy accent as we shouldered our ancient, bayoneted 303 rifles and marched for the sake of marching in spit and polished boots, putties and blancoed belts.
The school's pupils came from all over the place and were a robust and aggressively normal mob, a good percentage of them of Afrikaans stock, who imparted to me not only a generous selection of Afrikaans words and slang, but also a certain respect for their basic humanity and decency which belies the world's contempt of Afrikanders as the architects of apartheid. Bullying was not too vile or rampant and only a very few children proved too sensitive to stand so uncompromisingly macho an environment and either ran away or had to be extricated.
Scottish bop
The school's greatest gift to me personally was to instil a life-long love of Scottish Country Dancing. There was an eccentric Scotsman on the staff with very white, nimble, dance-toned, well-calved legs and a handle-bar moustache who was brave enough to stare down the derision and contempt of his butch, sports-mad fellow teachers to instruct uncouth yobbos in the robust but intricate, uninhibited and yet courteous and controlled niceties of Scottish Country Dancing. We referred to this pastime as "Scottish Bop". Part of his success was to due to participation in dancing providing one of the few opportunities to meet girls. This noble teacher was called David Couper, and I am still in correspondence with him. In his mid eighties he lives with his wife in a lovely, very ancient stone house near Knockando, the home of a highly regarded single malt whisky.
Getting there
This return trip to Guinea Fowl from Masvingo took us through what was once a thriving asbestos mining area of Zimbabwe and not a few of my fellow pupils at Guinea Fowl came from the chrome and asbestos mines around here. It seems that there is still some asbestos being mined today, though the country is supposed to have banned its production. Certainly our host in Sakubva, when telling us proudly of the home he was building for his retirement, mentioned using asbestos in its construction.
Much of our journey from then on was through dry, over-grazed tribal trust land, until we came to the escarpment that took us up to Shirugwe, which was well wooded and much leafier, and then on to the highveld around Gweru. It was somewhere in the Shirugwe district that Ian Smith's family farm was situated, to which he was allowed to retire until his death in 2007.
We found the school with little difficulty and crossed the railway that in days gone by, at the nearby Guinea Fowl siding, had disgorged a great crowd of blue-shirted and grey shorted boys who included two Neaums at the beginning of each term. Those trips by train were fairly wild with school boys vying for the attention of school girls destined for other schools in Gweru. As each carriage passed over the Hunyani river outside Harare, the hard green cushion-/pillows provided in each compartment could be seen sailing through the windows into the river.
The school today
There was a boom gate at the school's entrance with a genial woman attendant who, on hearing that I was an old boy of the school, had no hesitation in waving us through. We were pleased to see that it is still called Guinea Fowl because the school had closed in 1978, due to falling attendance and a worsening civil war, only reopening in 1998, after having been used for military purposes of one sort or another. In 2001 it had been renamed Nelson Ndamere High School, but it seems that this name has not been adopted.
The old administration block was just as I remembered it, though much else appeared different except, to my delight, the uniform. Passing students were dressed exactly as we had been all those years ago in blue shirts, grey shorts and navy blue blazers adorned with the school badge sporting a red guinea fowl on top and the motto "Suaviter in modo, fortiter in re" (Gentle in manner, vigorous in deed), the first half of which was most definitely more aspirational for us than descriptive of us.
The students nowadays, as you would expect are all Zimbabwean and the two boys we stopped to chat to were delightful and polite. We parked the car and strolled around. Although very different now, with many of the old buildings gone, including the well remembered ex-barrack dormitories, the place nonetheless felt much the same to me. The tarred network of avenues between the buildings, well treed with huge jacarandas still in flower, felt little different and a few of the old corrugated iron buildings, though now put to different uses, mostly as residences, presumably for teachers, were still standing. The school is now apparently much larger than in my day, with over five hundred boarders and two hundred day scholars. It is also coeducational, as had been the original school, though not in my time.
The headmistress
As we wandered slowly back to the car someone pointed out the headmistress to us, returning from church, and so I chased after her to have a chat. As always with Shona people she was most friendly and appeared delighted to meet an old student of the school. What was most touching was her awareness of the school's tradition and her desire to revive its reputation and prowess, not only in academics, which you would expect, but also in sport, not least rugby, a game that Africa has never really taken to heart. There was the familiar and justified Zimbabwean lament about lack of money for "infrastructure", and she kept apologising for the state of the place, saying again and again how she wished to return it to its former glory. She seemed a most competent and lovely woman with her heart very much in the right place, but labouring under great difficulties as are nearly all Zimbabweans.
There is an "Old Fowlers" association very much alive and well in Australia, but like most "Old Boys" or "Old Girls" societies devoted largely to nostalgic partying, or so it seems to me, and I play no part in it. It would be good if they took on the new school as a project, funding worthwhile initiatives designed to preserve what was good in the old school and tradition, rather than deploring the present in favour of the past as is nostalgia's wont. I am determined to contact the organisation and suggest this. (To be continued)
CONGRATULATIONS
Birthdays:
John Pleming 28th Feb
Hilary Akers 1st March
Doris Nichols 5th March
Tiffany Chandler 5th March
LABYRINTH EVENTS SHEPPARTON: 11th – 13th March 2011
During the long weekend in March, Rev Dr Lauren Artress from Grace Cathedral in New York will be in Shepparton to open the new labyrinth at the Rural Health Academic Centre, University of Melbourne (invited guests only), to run labyrinth workshops (Friday 4pm and Saturday 3pm) and deliver lectures on the labyrinth (Friday 8.30pm and Sat 7.30pm). She will also preach at St Augustine's at the 8.30am service on Sunday. If you would like to attend a walk or the lectures, you need to register, although there is no charge. The following link will give you information about the activities:
http://www.ruralhealth.unimelb.edu.au/pdf/Labyrinth%20Events%20-%20Opening%202011.pdf and booking/registration can be done on-line at:
http://www.trybooking.com/Booking/Booking EventSummary.aspx?eid=7281
EDUCATION FOR MINISTRY
Mentor training 31st Mar – 2nd Apr 2011
Training to become an EfM mentor will be held in Shepparton at St Augustine's on the above dates. If you are interested in doing the training, please talk to Helen. We may also be looking for beds to accommodate visitors from other areas attending the training. If you would be able to offer accommodation for the nights of Thursday, Friday and Saturday, please let Helen know.
ARISE 255/YOUTH GROUP
Monday 28th February "Communication"
Everybody has a right to be heard and a responsibility to listen. What would God's face book page look like?
WORSHIP WITH A DIFFERENCE
Next Sunday, the 6th March at 4.30pm there is a non-Eucharistic, relaxed, interactive little service for those who would like a change of worship style. It could be of interest to those who are not confirmed, or to those who would like to discuss as well as listen and to sing more modern songs.... Give it a try.
WELCOME
We welcome in the sacrament of baptism today David Samuel Birrell. Welcome too to his family and friends celebrating so joyous occasion.
LADY DAY SERVICE -WANGARATTA
This annual and popular event is on Wed. 23rd March at the Cathedral.There is 10.15 morning tea,11.00am Eucharist, 12.30 lunch (cost $10.00) catered for by ABM ladies. The Guest speaker Fr. Kim Benton topic "Missionary Work in Burma". Please give your names to Heather by the 16th March
EVENING GUILD AGM
The Evening Guild Annual Meeting is on March 17th at 1.30pm
LENT: LIVING NOW AND THEN
The 2011 Lenten Studies are prepared by Charles Sherlock from Trinity College Melbourne. There is a list for their names in the Narthex. The Revd Gail Bryce will be leading one on Mondays at 1.30pm. (Starting 14th March) Canon Andrew will be leading one on Tuesdays at 7.30pm, preceded by a Eucharist at 7.00pm. (Starting 15th March)
THANK YOU
Alan and Hilary Akers would like to thank Fr. Andrew, Reverend Gail and the people of St. Augustine's for their care and prayers for Alan during his recent surgery.
ST MARY'S KATANDRA - GUILD AGM
On Monday 28th of February, the St Mary's Katandra Guild holds its Annual General Meeting at the Home of Wilma White. This commences with an 11.00am Eucharist and includes lunch.
NOMINATIONS: PARISH COUNCIL
Nomination forms for Wardens and Councillors are available in the Narthex. The AGM is on Ash Wednesday at 7.30pm.
WORLD DAY OF PRAYER
There is a World Day of Prayer service at St Augustine's at 6.30pm on Friday 4th of March and at St Mary's Katandra at 8.00pm
DATES FOR THE DIARY
Feb 28th Arise 255 /Youth Group
Mar 4th World Day of Prayer at St. Augustine's
Mar 4th World Day of Prayer St. Mary's
Mar 6th Alternative Worship 4.30/Narthex
Mar 8th "Moving On" Grief Support Group/7.30pm
Mar 9th Annual General Meeting (Ash Wednesday)
Mar 10th Evening Guild Fashion Parade 1.30pm
Mar 13th Lauren Artress preach (Labyrinth doyenne)
Mar 15th Friendship Group 2pm
Mar 16th Vestry 2pm
Mar 17th Evening Guild 1.30pm
Mar 20th St. Luke's A.G.M
Apr 3rd St. Mary's A.G.M.
Apr 9th Wedding
Apr 17th Old Fashioned Easter Picnic
May 15th Hospice Service 2.00pm
May 22nd Patronal Festival
June 3rd Synod
June 4th Synod
July 17th Bishop's Visit
Oct 23rd Confirmation
READINGS for 6th March
Genesis 6:9-22; Romans 1:16-17, 3:21-28
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. The list for names of those to be prayed for is kept in the top drawer of the little plastic box of drawers on the narthex table.
Nicole Ackland, Alan Akers, Jeffrey Andrewartha, Deb Bagley, Jan Black, Liam Bognar, Travis & Chantelle Brown, Ian Carman, Michael Green, Frank Harder, Margaret Hoare, John Horder, Jaqck Halsall, Margaret Kidman, Lynn Morcam, Gloria Moore, Albert Oxenbury, Heather Pearson, Isabelle Richards, Suzanne Singh, Peter Swindells, Patricia Sparkes, Xavier Vale, Vickie & family, Shirley Young, David, David & Judith, Stewart, John, Pat & Liza, Lewis, Harry.
Rest in Peace
Andrew Crawford, David Heritage, Alan Fitzgerald.
Anniversary of death
Suzanne Shepherd, Frederick Baldwyn, Mary Purss 27th, Frances Simpson, John Phillips, Valerie Kennedy 28th, Margaret Stammers 29th, Ailsa Manley, Ruby Young 1st, Charles Day, Thomas McDonnell 2nd, Mary Shearer, David Abbot 3rd, Ronald Ford 4th, Eva Downer, Kathleen Whyte 5th.
Duties for 27th February 2011
Readers 8.30 Pat Griffin, Carole Henderson
Readers 10.30 Christine Evans, Jenny Moran
Servers 8.30 Beth, Michelle
Servers 10.30 Jenny, Vanita, Valerie
Intercessors Pat Griffin
Euc. Assts 8.30 Bev Condon, Heather Fitzgerald
Euc. Assts 10.30 Greg Pestell, John Pleming
Welcoming 8.30 Gwen Betson, Shirley Dean
Welcomers 10.30 Frank Steen, Sandra Simonis
Sidespeople 8.30 Gwyn Cowland, Merv Cowland
Sidespeople 10.30 Charlotte Brewer, volunteer please
Welcome Table Dorothy Cook
Tea 8.30 Val Bambrook
Altar Linen for Feb Gwenda Betson
Mowing 26th Feb Gary Grant, John Horder
Duties for 6th March 2011
Readers 8.30 Gwyn Cowland, Heather Fitzgerald
Readers 10.30 Nancy Noonan, Andrea Fisher
Servers 8.30 Michelle, Beth
Servers 10.30 Zebedee, Greg, Joan
Intercessors Norm Weaver, Greg Pestell
Euc. Assts 8.30 Carole Henderson, Ian Bryce
Euc. Assts 10.30 Jenny Pleming, Joe Fernandez
Welcoming 8.30 Bev Reither, Beryl Goodfellow
Welcomers 10.30 Charlotte Brewer, Volunteer
Sidespeople 8.30 Bev Ralph, Max Ralph
Sidespeople 10.30 Nola Brewer, Volunteer
Welcome Table Margaret
Altar Linen for March Ella Egan
Tea 8.30 Gwyn Cowland
Mowing None this week
THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH
Monday 28th February Rector's day off,
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
3.30pm Evening Prayer - Lady Chapel
5.30pm Arise 255
Tuesday 1st March
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
10.00am Playgroup - Roz's Room
11.00am Shepparton Aged Care- Anne Russell
Wednesday 2nd March
7.45am Mattins only - Lady Chapel
10.00am Eucharist - St Augustine's
3.30pm Evening Prayer - Lady Chapel
4.00pm Eucharist - Banksia
6.00pm EfM - Roz's Room
Thursday 3rd March
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
9.30am Eucharists - Hakea & Acacia
11.00am Eucharist - Harmony
3.30pm Evening Prayer - Lady Chapel
5.30pm Choir Practice
Friday 4th March
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
11.00am World Day of Prayer- Mercy Health
3.30pm Evening Prayer - Lady Chapel
6.30pm World Day of Prayer at St. Augustine's
8.00pm World Day of Prayer at St. Mary's
Saturday 5th March Associate Priest's Day off
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
8.30am Garden Working Bee
6.00pm Vigil Eucharist
Epiphany Ninth Sunday 6th March
8.30am Sung Eucharist - St Augustine's
10.30am Eucharist - St Augustine's
8.45am Eucharist - Dookie
10.45am Eucharist- Katandra
4.30pm Alternative Worship Service - Narthex
5.30pm Evening Prayer