THE THIRD SUNDAY after EPIPHANY
22nd January 2012
Graphics and cartoons & liturgical material appear only in the printed version
A POLITICAL JOKE
Fifty years in to the future an ancient Malcolm Turnbull died and met St Peter at the pearly gates. He noticed lots of clocks with different times on them on the wall behind him. “What are they for?” he asked. St Peter explained: “Each clock is allocated to an individual, and represents how much they lied. For each lie, the clock moves forward one minute. Mother Teresa’s clock is still at noon, because she never told a lie, and Abraham Lincoln’s is at two minutes past, because he only lied as a child.” “Where is Julia Gillard’s clock?” Mr Turnbull asked. “Oh,” St Peter said. “Jesus is using that one as a ceiling fan.” (The joke remains pertinent if the name Tony Abbott is substituted for Julia Gillard).
THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER (30)
Andrew Neaum
On facing myself in the mirror to shave on Tuesday morning, I discovered that there were blanks in my vision. I cleaned my glasses, but they were still there. This sudden lack of vision brought to my mind’s eye a sad vision of a life without vision. Equanimity returned as soon as I realised that I was suffering from one of the residual migraines that still affect me.
Migraines entered my life with ordination, so my fallible memory tells me. Were they the result of “expectation stress” then? One of the consequences of being expected to appear more godly than in fact I am? Or was I beginning to develop a halo too tight for the health of an ego-enriched and swelling head, which was restricting the flow of blood to vital areas of the brain?
Some time during my tenure at Wodonga they began to diminish in intensity, until now they are almost unnoticeable. I get no head-ache and no nausea, just blanks in my vision for a period of about twenty minutes. Their decline into insignificance could well mean that sanctity and sin, piety and mischief, good behaviour and bad behaviour have reached such a state of happy equilibrium in me that they ensure not only peace of mind but health of brain!
Attitude
Important to a contented life is one’s attitude, is being in the right frame of mind. Every week at its beginning brings a list of chores for me that are very time consuming. At the top of that list is the weekly music that needs selecting, printing and emailing to various people. Then there is the pewsheet joke to select. This can takes ages, because over the years I have used almost every good joke that exists and I do not like repeating one. There are also the cartoons to select and scan, this article to write, Wednesday’s sermon, Sunday’s sermon and the Islam Study to prepare and so on and so on.
I have developed a routine for accomplishing all of these chores with no fuss or bother whatsoever. Indeed I enjoy them. However, when something extra pops up to disturb the routine, such as a funeral, or a call away to deal with someone’s crisis, or a day of meetings in Wangaratta, the even tenor of my life is roughed up, and I find myself worrying about things undone. Life begins to lose its edge of enjoyment.
Until, that is, I pull myself together, advise myself to adopt “the right attitude” and acknowledge and admit that what is really necessary to be done does always get done and moreover is easily doable. This sometimes actually works.
It is similar with the daily Eucharist. Even this great privilege can come to seem just another daily chore. It shouldn’t. After all the priest doesn’t “say” the service, nor does he “do” it, he “celebrates” it. All I need to do to acknowledge this, is simply notice and so enjoy the most lovely walk I make each day. Which is down the arched southern ambulatory of St Augustine’s from the priests’ vestry to the chapel. Through the last arch the view of a lovely chapel prepared and waiting for worship, is of a glorious little cave of wonder, warmed and brightened by flickering candles, so numinously and glitteringly alight that it allows a sense of celebration to overwhelm and consume.
A courageous atheist
The foibles, absurdities and excesses of faith are often mocked and sneered at by “cultured” atheists. We should be above resenting this, or responding in kind.
However, I do gain some amusement from their futile attempts both to have their cake and eat it. By which I mean having dumped God and religious practice, they still hang on to vestiges of our Faith’s moral teaching, still strive diligently to place their children in our schools, still pretend to their being some purpose to their existence and some real content to morality and love. They are as tepid and timid in their unfaith as are so many Anglicans in their faith. They appear to lack the guts to face the consequence of their unbelief.
In the light of this I was interested to read a review by Richard Marshall of a book called The Atheist’s Guide To Reality: Enjoying Life Without Illusions. The book is by a different sort of atheist, a more honest and courageous one. He is a philosopher called Alex Rosenberg. According to his reviewer Rosenberg maintains that there is no purpose to anything, anywhere. Never was, never will be. There is therefore no meaning to life. I’m here because of dumb luck. Prayer doesn’t work. There is no such thing as a soul. There is no freewill. When we die, everything stays the same except without us. There is no moral difference between good and bad, right and wrong. You should be good because it makes you feel better than being bad. Anything goes. Love is a solution to a strategic coordination problem. It’s automatic, programmed so there’s no need to go out looking for it. History has no purpose .... because the future is less and less like the past. Ditto economics. Technology makes predicting the future a guessing game and their rational choice theories are outrageously bad psychology..... belief in free will and purpose and all that .... is belief in hokum of the same order as belief in God. The atheists’ self-image as the hero nihilist choosing her fate is condemned as being just as hopeless as the religious self image....
I can only commend Rosenberg for facing the facts as he sees them and not attempting to both have his cake and eat it, like Dawkins and co, though the cake is one I would neither want to keep or eat.
Back to New Zealand
The port of Tauranga is apparently the largest exporting port in New Zealand. It is on the northeast-facing, white sand beached coast of the huge Bay of Plenty. It is also the site of the grounding of the container ship Rena, which was still all of one piece when we were there, clearly visible. It has since broken in two and is now in the process of being reduced to elemental junk.
Our hosts in Taurunga were David and Joanne Harricks. They had been parishioners of Holy Trinity Parish, Ararat, when I was Rector there. Their children were good friends of my children and played a lively and creative part in the activities of the liveliest youth group of my ministry.
We found their house with little difficulty, and David was there to greet us. He holds a franchise for snack foods which he sells all over the place, with no small success, but which means he can keep hours to suit himself and so was able to look after us well. The house in an old fashioned one, its most pleasing feature being a wide central passage. Modern houses are so parsimonious with space for mere passages, it is always a pleasure to find a generous one.
David and Jo appear happy with a simple life. Their backyard vegetable garden seemed to us to be impressively productive, with prolific egg-laying hens, fish, guinea pigs, a cockatiel, budgerigar and little quails. The sort of back yard that fascinated my children in long gone Ararat days, and does their own grandchildren now. Both David and Jo have always been creative and imaginative do-it-yourself types, interested in self-sufficiency wherever possible. David can turn his hand to most things.
There appear to be no fly screens in New Zealand. Unlike in Australia flies are hardly a problem, though they do get into houses now and then, as do mosquitoes. Every time David killed a fly he would take the trouble to carry the corpse outside to feed to the goldfish! That I consider to be a really impressive example of recycling.
Up the plug
The next day Jo went off to work, and we and David headed for “The Mount”. This is an impressive volcanic plug joined to the mainland by a narrow isthmus. On the one side of the isthmus is a harbour and on the other an excellent if sometimes dangerous surf beach. “The Mount” is the geographical feature that gave its name and character to a town immediately north of Tauranga called Mount Maunganui. The two towns are now one with the help of a bridge connecting them. As we drove down into Tauranga it was the volcanic plug that first struck us, adding geographical enticement to the place. There is a great volcanic plug on the island of St Helena called “Lot’s Wife” for obvious reasons.
We met David and Joanna’s daughter Emma at the base of The Mount, with tiny Caitlin on her back and young two year old Tristan in hand. He walked gamely all the way up the plug.
On the way up David pointed out an indigenous bird, the tui, one of the largest members of the honeyeater family. The English name of the bird used to be the “Parson Bird”. This is because at first glance the bird appears completely black except for a small tuft of white feathers at its neck and a small white wing patch, causing it to resemble a parson in clerical attire. Like parsons these birds are loquacious, and like your Rector intelligent. They are noted for mimicry and like parrots can be taught to imitate human speech.
There was a lovely view from the top of the plug. In the distance was the grounded container ship, in the harbour a moored, huge cruise ship. The link between the two which became apparent in last week’s news from Italy was of course unforeseen by us at the time.
Millions of dollars worth of church
On the way home we stopped at a church to which David goes at Christmas. It is a huge, ugly building, all concrete outside and built at a cost of some millions of dollars to replace one burnt down by an arsonist some years ago. It doubles as the city’s largest audit-orium, is in the round, has plush cinema seats and an upstairs balcony. It must seat hundreds, possibly a thousand. I took some photos but didn’t count.
We met the priest who kindly showed us around. He proved to be an interesting evangelical with a wife as co priest, both of them intelligent and lively and in no way narrow Sydney-type evangelicals. He said in response to a leading question of mine, that they had lots of trouble with an intrusive diocese.
Diana and I interrogated him thoroughly as he showed us all around an ugly building with everything that opens and shuts. There are still $700,000 owed on the building, but they obviously get large numbers at their main service.
Electronically there is all you could dream of or nightmare about. He talked of moving the big cross on the wall behind the “communion table” to one side so as to allow for a central screen, but was not offended at my comment to do with it possibly being seen as displacing Christ, acknowledging this to be a difficulty. We covered all sorts of topics amiably, agreeing to differ on some. He was a good fellow, with a sense of humour and an evangelical whom I felt to be of a genuine Anglican sort, an impression you don’t often get with Sydney evangelicals.
He implied that nearly all traditional churches in New Zealand would have congregations of little over 25 and suggested that they would wither away as time went on. Perhaps he is right, though he hadn’t even heard of Jan Joustra and his traditional cathedral which still attracts a large congregation. We were told that there was only one truly evangelical bishop in New Zealand. He was also interesting on the Maori church which he implied to be largely a political creation with almost no worshippers at all. Jokingly he suggested that the proportion of ordained to laity in the Maori Church was about 1 to 3. St Faith’s in Rotorua being an exception. Apparently the Maoris there were never at war with the settlers, and it was evangelised by someone outside, rather than a New Zealander, Maori or otherwise.
There appears to be a huge and growing reliance upon non-stipendiary ministry in New Zealand. He also claimed New Zealand to be far more secular a country than either Britain or Australia, something we did not pick up at all.
Fish, chips and mirrors
In the early evening we went down to a hugely popular fish place on the sea front. There both fresh and cooked fish were on sale and we queued to order fifty five dollars worth of fish and chips which we took to the home of Emma and her husband Ben. Ben and his father own what appears to be a very successful mirror making business. To make most mirrors these days, I learned, aluminium is sprayed onto acrylic. It is apparently very slightly less perfect than silver as a reflector but hardly noticeably so. The old backing to mirrors, which I remember learning of in my youth, Ben seemed to know nothing of at all, namely amalgams of mercury and silver or mercury and tin.
Mirrors are fascinating. They enable me to finish with a favourite quote from Saul Bellow: ‘Death is the dark backing a mirror needs if we are to see anything.’
CONGRATULATIONS
Birthdays:
Elvie McInnes Sun 22nd Jan
Joyce Cavill Wed 25th Jan
Malcolm Button Sat 28th Jan
GARDEN WORKING BEE
Come along and enjoy our Garden Working Bee this Saturday at 9.00am. Help make all shipshape for our BBQ on the 29th.
NOMINATIONS FORMS
Nomination Forms for Churchwardens, Councillors and Parochial Nominators are in the Narthex. Allow yourself to be nominated for any of these positions if you feel you have a positive contribution to make. This is likely to be an interesting and stimulating year.
BARBECUES: A CHOICE
St Augustine’s:
To consolidate, affirm and emphasize the granting of Australian citizenship to the Rector, there will be a BBQ after the 10.30am Eucharist next Sunday, the 29th of January. Sausages and bread will be provided. Bring along a salad or sweet to share. There is a list in the Narthex for the names of those who intend attending. Please indicate what, if anything, you will bring to share.
St Paul’s Rushworth:
There is a combined Eucharist at St Paul’s Rushworth next Sunday at 10.30am, followed by a BBQ at the Chris and Rosemary Shields’ pad. An important fund-raiser.
ISLAM STUDIES HAVE RESUMED
The ninth Islam Study takes place on Tuesday this week in the Rectory at 7.30pm.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Our AGM takes place on Ash Wednesday, the 22nd of February. Reports need to be submitted to the Parish Office no later than Wednesday 8th of February.
EUCHARISTIC ASSISTANTS
On the 29th of January, between the 8.30am and10.30am Eucharists there will be a run through of the Eucharistic Assistants’ role during the Eucharist.
BUS TO THE INDUCTION
The Rev’d Gail Bryce will be Inducted as Rector of Tatura (with Toolamba) on Thursday 9th February, 2012 at 7.30pm in All Saints Church, Francis Street, Tatura. Please signify on the list in the Narthex if you would like to book a place on the bus. There will be a pick up in Shepparton and Mooroopna. Cost $10.00.
OUTREACH DEADLINE
Material for the next edition of Outreach is due in to Helen by 5th Feb. Please email it to hmalcolm@bigpond.com, post to PO Box 123 Shepparton 3632 or leave it at the office.
MURCHISON RUSHWORTH AGM
The AGM of Murchison Rushworth takes place on Sunday 5th of February after a combined Eucharist at Murchison at 10.00 am. The AGM concludes with a meal at the local pub, please submit your name before-hand if you intend joining us for the meal.
NO CHOIR PRACTICE
It being Australia Day there will be no choir practice on Thursday.
READINGS NEXT SUNDAY
Deuteronomy 18:15-20, Psalm 111, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13
FOR THE DIARY
Jan 28th Garden Working Bee
Jan 29th Parish BBQ - St Augustine’s 12 noon
Feb 5th AGM Murchison and Rushworth
Feb 9th Induction of Gail Bryce at Tatura: 7.30pm
Feb 11th Women’s Breakfast
Feb 13th Katandra Guild AGM
Feb 16th Evening Guild Eucharist & Meeting 1.30pm
Feb 18th Men’s Breakfast
Feb 21st Pancake Party 6.00pm
Feb 22nd Ash Wednesday and AGM
Apr 8th Easter Sunday
May 10th Raffle Sub Committee Meeting 4.00pm
May 20th St Augustine’s Patronal Festival
May 25-26th Synod - Wangaratta
May 28-31 Lay and Clergy Conference - Harrietville
Jun 14th Parish Fair Planning Meeting 4.00pm
Jun 25-29 Clergy in Service Training Trinity College
Sep 24-27 Clergy Retreat - Harrietville
Oct 20th 2012 Parish Fair and Garden Party
Duties for Sunday 22th January
Readers 8.30 Heather Pearson, Victoria Heenan
Intercessors 8.30 Heather Pearson
Servers 8.30 Beth, Michelle
Euc. Assts 8.30 Bev Condon, John Horder
Sidespeople 8.30 Joy Campbell, Joe Pearson
Welcomer 8.30 Judy Lloyd
Tea 8.30 Gwyn Cowland
Welcoming Table Dorothy Cook
Readers 10.30 Peter Martin, Verna Pestell
Intercessors 10.30 Verna Pestell
Servers 10.30 Joe Fernandez, Greg, Jenny
Euc. Assts 10.30 Greg Pestell, Joe Fernandez
Sidespeople 10.30 John Pleming, Volunteer
Welcomers 10.30 Sidespeople
Mowing 28th Jan Norm M, Alan Jeffery
Altar Linen - January Bev Reither
Monday Office Joyce Oxley, Bob Galt
Duties for Sunday 29th January
Readers 8.30 Carole Henderson, Pat Griffin
Intercessors 8.30 Norm Weaver
Servers 8.30 Beth, John Griffin
Euc. Assts 8.30 Bev Condon, John Griffin
Sidespeople 8.30 Bev and Max Ralph
Welcomer 8.30 Heather Nichols
Welcoming Table 8.30 Judy Lloyd
Tea 8.30 Val Bambrook
Readers 10.30 Greg and Verna
Intercessors 10.30 Greg
Servers 10.30 Jenny, Joe, Zeb
Euc. Assts 10.30 Greg, Jenny
Sidespeople 10.30 Charlotte Brewer, Volunteer
Welcomers 10.30 Sidespeople
Welcoming Table 10.30 Dorothy Cook
Mowing none
Altar Linen - Jan Bev Reither
Monday Office Bob Galt, Heather Steen
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.
Hilary Akers, Liam Bognar, Nola Brewer, Betty Bush, Michael Egan, Vida Hardy, Frank Harder, Bruce Hodgson and family, Katherine Holt, John & Kate Horder,Ross Judd, Margaret Kidman, Ruth Lewis, Elsie Lieschke, Anita Saville, Sandra Simonis, Suzanne Singh, Jess Singh, Patricia Sparkes, Lesley Walker, Fay Warren, Kevin Woods, David, Lewis, Tom .
Rest in peace: Hilda Eldon, Charles Grant, Jenny Elford.
Anniversaries: Clifford Grantham, Francis McKendry, Fanka Petrovski 22nd, Dorothy Blizzard, Barbara Crosby, Margaret Neaum 23rd, Isabelle Scanlon, Beula Teasdale, Those who came on the 1st Fleet, 26th, Edie Alexander 27th.
THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH
Sunday 22nd January
5.30pm Evening Prayer
Monday 23rd January Rector’s day off
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
Tuesday 24th January (Timothy and Titus)
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
10.00am No Playgroup ( school holidays)
11.00am Shepparton Aged Care
5.00pm Evening Prayer - Lady Chapel
7.30pm Islam Study - The Rectory
Wednesday 25th January CONVERSION OF ST PAUL
7.45am Mattins only - Lady Chapel
10.00am Eucharist - St Augustine’s
5.00pm Evening Prayer - Lady Chapel
6.00pm EfM
Thursday 26th January (AUSTRALIA DAY)
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
5.00pm Evening Prayer - Lady Chapel
5.30pm No Choir Practice
Friday 27th January (John Chrysostom)
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel
5.00pm Evening Prayer - Lady Chapel
Saturday 28th January (Thomas Aquinas)
7.45am Mattins & Eucharist
6.00 pm Vigil Eucharist - Lady Chapel
Sunday 29th January Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
8.30am Sung Eucharist - St Augustine’s
10.30am Eucharist - St. Augustine’s.
12.00 Orthodox Baptism
8.45am Eucharist - St Lukes’s Dookie
10.30am Combined Eucharist - at Rushworth
5.30pm Evening Prayer - Lady Chapel