you’ll find it behind the church
TRANSCRIPT
W ELCOME TO ST PAUL’S. We are
glad that you have come to
worship God with us today. If
you are a visitor from another parish, or
worshipping with us for the first time,
please introduce yourself to our parish
priest, Fr James Collins, or to anyone
wearing a name badge, over a cup of tea or
coffee in the parish hall after the service.
You’ll find it behind the church.
Welcome Rev. Daniel Connor 3
Some wonderful news for Michael Sutton 4
Blue Illusions– Congratulations 5
Collecting for life jacket 6
Article on Remembrance Day - 7
By Jim Foster
From Fr James 9-25
Consort 8 presents “Potpourri” 30
Sung Eucharist – 8.00am
Choral Eucharist – 9.30am
Name badges help make St Paul’s an
inclusive community. If you need a new
name badge, fill in the form on the
inside back cover, send it to the parish
office, and one will be made and left in
church for you.
Toilets are available at the entrance to
the parish hall, which is located behind
the church.
First aid kits are located on the wall of
the kitchen in the Large Hall behind
the church and in the choir vestry.
Ask a member of the clergy or anyone
who’s wearing a name badge. We’re
here to help.
As you take your place in your pew,
please make yourself aware of the route
to the nearest emergency exit. Should
there be a fire, leave quickly, turn right,
and assemble by the roundabout on
Burwood Road.
People needing wheelchair access can
enter St Paul’s most conveniently by the
door at the base of the belltower.
Please turn your mobile phone off or on
to silent before the service starts. It’ll
save you much embarrassment later on.
Children are welcome in church at any
service. There is a selection of
children’s books and toys at the back of
the church near the font and there are
also kids’ activity sheets and pencils
available at the back of the church
where the pew sheets and prayer books
are.
Children’s Church runs during Term
Time. Meet at the back of the church at
the beginning of the 9.30am Eucharist.
Please feel free to bring your children to
the altar rail to receive a blessing, or to
receive Communion if they have been
admitted to the sacrament.
Please do not take photos
inside the church or during the services
of worship without permission.
We extend a very warm welcome to
the Reverend Daniel Connor, Senior
State Police Chaplain as we
commemorate National Police
Remembrance Day at the 9.30 a.m.
Choral Eucharist.
Yesterday, Fr James officiated at the
wedding of Rick Sneyd and Amanda
Cambridge.
We pray God’s blessing upon them as
they begin their lives together.
Would you like to donate a kneeler as a thank offering to God or in
memory of someone or to dedicated to someone?
These kneelers are $175 each and you can make them yourself or we
can ask someone to make one for you. We have many people who are
looking forward to working some more kneelers.
If you would like to order one just speak to Rosemary.
You can join us on our
Facebook page: https://
www.facebook.com/
groups/7441384898/.
Forthcoming events and other
interesting news will be posted
there!
Thank you Margaret Whittaker for
your care in administrating our
Facebook page.
I want to share some
wonderful news with you.
The Bishop of Grafton,
Bishop Sarah Macneil, has
confirmed formally that our
Student Minister, Michael
Sutton, has been invited to
be a transitional Deacon in
the Diocese of Grafton to be
Ordained in the second half
of 2017 with the Vocations
Panel unanimously
agreeing that Michael's
calling is to the Priesthood.
This is truly wonderful news
and we hold Michael in our
prayers as this process
unfolds and as he prepared to take the next step (s) in his journey of faith
as he serves God and God's people in the Diocese of Grafton.
St. Paul's, Burwood, has helped to nurture some remarkable Priests in the
past, for instance Fr. John Hope and Fr. Ivica Greguric, and we pray that
Michael will, likewise, serve God and God's people faithfully and
lovingly.
Once we have news of Michael's Ordination date (s) then we will be sure
to pass these on and in the meantime we hold Michael in our prayers and
bless and thank God for Michael and for his ministry at St. Paul's over the
past two years.
Michael, may God bless you and keep you. Amen.
Our warmest best wishes to Alston Livingstone, Atela Livingstone, Chris
Pratten, Alan Melrose, Ross Phillips, and Margaret Whitaker who are all
celebrating a birthday at this time.
We wish them many happy returns of the day and every blessing for
much happiness in the future.
I am very happy to tell you we raised $950 from our 'Blue Illusion' Fund
Raising afternoon. Thank you for your support.
Sheryl Southwood
Dear Rev Dr Collins,
I am writing to advise you of the recent election result for the position of
the Associates’ representative on the ABM Board. The candidates were of
high calibre and ABM is fortunate that people such as these are pre-
pared to stand for election.
I would like to congratulate Dr Colin Bannerman on his election to the
Board of ABM. I am sure that Dr Bannerman will make an excellent
contribution to ABM in representing the Associates at Board level.
I would also like to thank Margaret Lawther, who was the other very
capable candidate. Margaret has been contributing strongly to ABM
through both the Associates and the Auxiliary for many years and I want
to thank her for accepting nomination and offering herself to election.
May I also take the opportunity to express my appreciation for the
contribution that all the Associates make to the life and work of ABM.
Yours sincerely,
The Rev’d John Deane
Executive Director
Thank you to those of you who make such very generous donations to
the Parish Pantry each week but as Fr James tells us the need keeps
growing.
The following items are very low or have run out completely:
coffee, tinned ham, spam, cereal, Up and Go & full cream milk.
Foods always needed are: tins of chunky soups, pasta, tins of tuna,
spreads and sweet biscuits. We also seem to get through a lot of safety
razors and we hardly ever have any shaving cream.
If you are able to contribute any of the above items it would be much
appreciated. Thank you.
These are the items that we are currently collecting:
New men’s undies of various
sizes – we still need 20 pairs to
reach our target of 100
Light weight socks - new
Sports socks - new
Joggers – especially large
sizes – These can be “used”
so long as they are in good
condition.
A kind parishioner has already
donated 100 torches.
Collection given at St Paul’s on
Sunday 18th of September:
$1973
Other collection given:
Evensong 11/9: $303.00
Bishop of NT: $150
Thank you for responding to God’s
generous love.
Once again that time of the year has come around when on the 29th
September, the feast day of St Michael the Archangel, the Patron Saint
of “Peacekeepers” (Soldiers, Police etc) is celebrated. Police Forces
throughout Australia and some Pacific Islands have adopted this day as
“Police Remembrance Day”, commemorating those police who have
given their lives in the line of duty. The official NSW Police Service is
held at the NSW Police memorial in the Sydney Domain on the 29th
September each year. Our Rector, Father James Collins, has chosen the
nearest Sunday to that date for holding our Parish memorial service,
integrated with the regular 9.30am Service. Thus the congregation is
given the opportunity of paying homage to those police who have
been killed whilst in the execution of their duty or who have died as a
result of duty related illness.
The establishment of the NSW Police Force by Legislation took place
on the 1st May, 1862. Since that date 253 Police Officers in NSW have
made the supreme sacrifice in the course of maintaining law and order
so that we as a community can enjoy a safe and peaceful lifestyle.
The death of Curtis CHENG can be added to that statistic. He was a
police servant employee of the Police Department and without
warning, was shot dead in the street after leaving police headquarters
at Parramatta on the 2nd October, 2015. The offender was a youth
inspired by terrorism.
Generally speaking, Police duties are fraught with danger, mostly
underlying but occasionally erupting with tragic consequences –
resulting in the death or serious injury of an officer or officers. For
example, on the 2nd March, 2012, a constable was patrolling an area at
Tamworth. He had cause to speak to a motorist and when standing as
the driver’s door, the driver produced a firearm without warning and
shot the constable. The officer later died from his mortal wounds.
Not withstanding the inherent dangers faced, police faithful to their
office of protecting the community “without fear or favour” meet that
obligation with courage, maintaining the best tradition of the N.S.W.
Police Force.
On this Remembrance Day let us not overlook the police families and
those left behind to suffer the sudden and tragic loss of one so dear to
them, whether it be a husband, wife, parent, or other close relative.
Their loss leaves a void in their lives which can never be filled.
Fortunately the Police Legacy and other organisation provides comfort
and material support when needed.
As a final tribute to those police whom we commemorate on this day,
reference is made to the caption on the Roll of Honour adorning a wall
at the Police Academy, Goulbourn. It lists the names of Police who
sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. The caption reads “Faithful to
duty, honoured in Death”
The deeds of the Police men and women we honour on this day
epitomise those words. They were surely “faithful to duty and are
honoured in death.” – By Jim Foster
Clocks will go
forward
Daylight saving will
begin next Sunday, 2
October 2016.
Do not forget to set
your clocks forward
one hour on next
Saturday night!
Don’t forget to spring forwarD…
Tuesday the 6th of September through to Monday the 12th of
September - Worcester/Glasshampton
After beginning the day very early with a walk around the quiet and
sleepy centre of Worcester, I then shared Morning Prayer and Holy
Communion with the Dean (he and I were the only ones present).
With the Dean's permission, I picked up and kept a couple of small piec-
es of stone off the floor from the Cathedral as a small souvenir of my time
here.
The Cathedral is dedicated to Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary and
was founded in 680. St. Oswald then built another Cathedral in 983, and
established a monastery attached to it. St. Wulfstan began the present
building in 1084 replacing the earlier Cathedrals. The monastery
continued until 1540 when Henry the VIII dissolved it.
The Cathedral really is a quite beautiful building in a most serene setting.
The Cathedral has a sense of unity about it that makes it a wonderful
place for worship.
There is a rather lovely statue of Edward Elgar, the great musician, across
the road in the High Street and the Cathedral has a memorial to Elgar too
(even though he was a Roman Catholic). Elgar, as with his father before
him, played the organ at St. George's Roman Catholic Church in
Worcester.
The Cathedral's Tower is a gem and is a somewhat larger, that is a very
much larger, and more ornate version of the Tower at St. Paul's.
There are some magnificent wood carvings in the Jesus Chapel Altar and
Reredos, the Bishop's Throne, the Font, the Misericords, and the Stalls for
the Dean, Archdeacons, and Canons of the Cathedral.
Arthur's Chantry Chapel has some exceptionally fine stone carvings but
much of this was defaced by the Church Commissioners during
Edward's reign. It's rather sad that the tomb of the person whose death
precipitated the English Reformation wasn't spared by the iconoclasts
either - they were vandals and ideologues.
As with Canterbury, Worcester has a fine Cloister, Crypt, and Chapter
House which, unlike Canterbury's which is rectangular, is circular. The
interior of the circular Chapter House is beautiful and which, by virtue of
it being circular, makes it a very inviting and embracing
building. The fine old Refectory is now used by the Kings School next
door as a hall.
As with St. Paul's, Worcester Cathedral has a Reredos behind the High
Altar obliterating some of the view of the beautiful East Window when
one is sitting in the Nave. The Lady Chapel and two other Chapels are
behind the Reredos and between the Reredos and the East wall and
window of the Cathedral.
I could find only one Australian connection at Worcester Cathedral,
being a window dedicated to Lord Dugan, Governor of South Australia
and then Victoria, in the Cloister. Dugan's coat of arms, amongst other
things, included an emu in it.
The only other possible connection with Australia, but I don't really think
that it is, is where someone has wrongly painted a swan black on some
great and noble person's heraldic device (Australia hadn't been settled
by Europeans when the person died). I think that this might just be a
Victorian fancy during their substantial renovation of the Cathedral
(which they did a pretty good job of on the whole).
I then wandered around the town some more before catching the bus to
Glasshampton where I will stay with the Franciscans for a while.
It's been quite warm here today so it's good to finally arrive and to
settle in.
There isn't any wifi here in Glasshampton so this will be the last entry un-
til I get to Bristol or London where hopefully I will be able to resume con-
tact with everyone again.
Glasshampton is a monastery, dedicated to St. Mary at the Cross, and
the Franciscans follow a set pattern of worship, prayer, and meditation
every day and night with silence being observed between each Service
(even during meals).
The Chapel at Glasshampton is simple but very beautiful and music
plays an important part in each of the Services. Interestingly, as well as
singing music unaccompanied in keys that are familiar to modern ears,
the Franciscans incorporate ancient modes and tones into their music as
well, particularly in their chants. These modes and tones are very
beautiful and would be familiar to anyone who has heard chanting in a
monastery setting before.
The entire monastery building at Glasshampton is in fact the stables for
what was a stately residence for a former Rector of a neighbouring
Parish. The stately house burnt down. If these are the stables then the
house must have been huge.
There are six Franciscans living here and they have their own wing of
the monastery so I'm pretty much on my own in the other wing (several
other retreatants have come and gone - most staying just for a day).
There are two cats, a brother and a sister, who are semi-feral that live
around the monastery. The two cats only relate to one of the Franciscans
who puts out food for them and makes sure that they are in good
condition.
I share meals with the Franciscans and much of their produce is home
grown so it's all very tasty. Being from 'down under,' it's lovely to
experience the quaint ways and English customs that the
Franciscans incorporate into their daily life - things like a communal
afternoon tea which, given that is still quite warm, is taken out in the
beautiful garden.
We are permitted to talk at afternoon tea and, as the Franciscans have
connections around the country, I have taken the opportunity to ask
them about the state of the Church around the whole nation. Apart from
a few Parishes in each Diocese that are flourishing, and this includes
most of the Cathedrals which seem to be seeing an increase in
attendance, most Parishes are struggling and my impression of how
difficult it was in Canterbury (which is an affluent region) is replicated,
and then some, elsewhere.
I have also had the opportunity to speak with several people, who have
been visiting the monastery, from various theological colleges in Oxford
and Cambridge who have the responsibility for training Ordinands and
Lay Readers in several Dioceses and their thoughts tally with these
observations as well (indeed, a review of the whole of the Church of
England is currently being undertaken and many predict that its findings
will be far reaching and, furthermore, it will be proposing that some
tough decisions need to be made).
What is one to make of all this? Is this all a counsel of despair? Has
Christianity had its day? I think not. Christianity is flourishing in many
parts of the world so the experience of England isn't universal. What then
for the Church of England (and Scotland) and for the wider Anglican
Communion (including Australia and America) where we are at a point in
time where Post-Enlightenment thought has had an incremental and
enormous impact on our Western world view which shapes the way that
people think and act without them realizing why they think and act in the
way that they do (and which is not just the result of a so-called revolution
in the fifties and sixties - this being a tiny epiphenomenon of a much
deeper and much more significant change in world view or, as some say,
the zeitgeist).
Many of our religious leaders think that we can a manage our way out of
this apparent crisis (I will return to this notion of crisis shortly). I
really don't think that slick management or marketing will help in the
long run and, indeed, it seems to me that this approach is antithetical to
the Gospel revealed in Jesus Christ anyway so any short term gain will
only lead to long term pain via a loss of our true self; indeed what shall it
profit us if we gain the whole world and lose our soul?
The Gospel (the euangellion - the good news) of God's love for all and
of the redemption of the world wrought through the saving merits of
Christ's sacrifice doesn't need an image makeover or any slick
marketing programmes to somehow make it relevant to our world.
All that is necessary, for those who have heard and accepted this
radical message of love triumphing over hate and life triumphing over
death, is to live it out with conviction, authenticity, and meaning, as if it
really does matter, and this is enough - to re-tell the story through
Word (of God who isn't bound by any human conventions and whose
kingdom of justice, peace, and love, is for all) and Sacrament (of the
broken bread/Christ's body and the wine poured out/Christ's blood)
that brings healing and wholeness (both of which are derivatives of
the word salvation) to our world.
Further to this, Christians are simply to live lives in love for God and
for our neighbours, working for justice and peace for all, and thereby
proclaim through loving service the faith we have in the One whose
death (which looked pointless and stupid) and, quite wonderfully and
surprisingly, whose resurrection are the means of the healing of our
world. Our lives of loving service are to include our care for creation
itself.
Does this mean that only Christians will be welcomed into God's
kingdom of justice, peace, and love? No, as all who serve others in
love are welcome into God's kingdom.
But does this mean, then, that there is no point being a Christian (and
here we come back to where I began this reflection)? There is still
every point in people following the Way of Christ as, in a world that is
broken and where so many (human beings and beings other than
human) are hurt by this brokenness, it is necessary for some, even if
only a few, to continue to tell the story of God's great love for the
whole world in Word, Sacrament, and in lives of loving service
(including care for creation whereby earth's true loveliness might be
restored once more).
The apparent crisis, then, is no real crisis. More accurately, it is what
Barth and Bonhoeffer called 'krisis.' Krisis is a time, a period of
significance (a time of kairos rather than of chronos), where we are
called to attend as never before to the signs of the times. Different
people at different times have considered their period of history to be
the worst of times or perhaps even the end of times. One isn't given
insight into such matters (as Paul puts it, we see in a mirror dimly). All we
can do is attend to our world's brokenness and faithfully play our part in
the healing of the world.
Rowan Williams' excellent book about Dostoyevsky makes the valid
point that all language is metaphorical, even including scientific
language, and we are not to be embarrassed as Christians about
speaking theologically of our trust in God who is love and without whom,
and without love, our world becomes devoid of meaning (Dostoyevsky's
novels serve as extended meditations and reflections on this phenome-
non).
Rather than despair, then, we are called to live lives of faith, hope, and
love whereby we trust God whose promises are faithful and whose
rewards are infinite. Unto whom be all glory, praise, honour, adoration,
and worship both now and forevermore. Amen.
This attitude of trust and faith in God is manifest amongst the religious
communities that I have had the pleasure and privilege of staying in. The
members of these communities are all very capable people who could
easily have had stellar careers but who have, instead, chosen a life of
prayer and service as being an authentic and true way for them to
pursue. This cuts across the economic rationalist mindset current in
Western society which maintains that people are only worth what they do
and if you don't do anything then you are of no worth (this category
includes the elderly, those who are handicapped in any way including
the chronically ill, those who are disadvantaged in any way, and the
unemployed). We have moved from being a society which understood
that its role was to protect and nurture all people, most especially the
vulnerable and the weak, to now being a callous society that is only for
the so-called 'winners' (as if we are going to be young, sexy, and
productive all our lives).
This measure of a person's worth, being only interested in the so-called
'winners,' is shallow in the highest and the religious remind us that all
people, and the whole of creation, are worthy of respect. Indeed, once
we lose this respect we enter Weber's polar night of the soul where life
is bleak and cold and this is where our society is heading and why the
religious life and the life of faith remain so important as an antidote to
the meanness and brutality that is manifesting itself in our society.
Again, without God who is love, and without love, our world becomes
devoid of meaning very quickly.
By the way, many religious do quite a bit other than prayer and worship
(which remain at the core of their life together). They care for each
other and for everyone and anyone in need and they remain places of
hospitality and welcome for all. Depending on the Order, many are
educators, health professionals, youth workers, social workers, and
others who, as God instructs them in Jeremiah, "seek the welfare of the
city where I have placed you, for in its welfare you will find your
welfare." May there be many more such people whose love for God
compels them to love their neighbour and our beautiful world.
One such person was Agnellus of Pisa who was the first Franciscan to
come to England in 1224 and who established the Friary at Greyfriars
where I was able to spend time whilst in Canterbury. We remember
Agnellus on the 10th of September.
One of the things, amongst the many, that I like about the Franciscans is
their habit or culture of patience and waiting (for instance, like the
rather lovely observance of waiting for everyone to be served and
seated before beginning to eat and then waiting for everyone to have
finished their meal before standing and leaving). In a society where
'agency' is everything and those with it, that is agency, can do things
and those without it can't, it is wonderful to see people who willingly
forgo agency so as to serve God and others. Vanstone's book 'The
Stature of Waiting' makes the point that this is what Jesus does for our
salvation, echoing the words from Philippians:
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
Who, though he was in the form of God,
Did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited,
But emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being found in human
form,
He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death - even
death on a cross.
The trust and faith in God that I have spoken about above allows us to
be patient and wait for the seeds of goodness to germinate and to
grow and to allow space for peace and love to come to fruition (and
this process might not even occur in our lifetime - but we trust and
have faith in God nonetheless).
The author of the Letter to the Philippians prefaces the beautiful hymn
to Christ by encouraging us to have the same mind that was in Christ
Jesus. Therefore, this manner of respectful living, loving God, trusting
in God, and having faith in God, and loving our neighbour and caring
for creation is a manner of life that all people can aspire to and attain.
This manner of life isn't restricted to 'spiritual virtuosi' but something
that we can all enter into. It is, however, nice to have some who devote
themselves totally to this manner of life (not as spiritual virtuosi but as
very real and flawed human beings like the rest of us) as they remind
us of our calling to love God and our neighbour and to pray without
ceasing for the coming of God's kingdom of justice, peace, and love
and to devote ourselves to this through deeds of kindness, compas-
sion, gentleness, humility, respect, service, and, above all else, love.
Again, may many be drawn by God's Holy Spirit to such a manner of
life.
As a complete aside, not that I have any interest in ever using it as it
has anchovies in it, it's nice and quirky to see Worcestershire Sauce on
the table at supper time (definitely not tea time) being, as I am at the
moment, in Worcestershire.
My body clock still thinks that it is quite strange to be awake and eating
when it would normally be asleep and, likewise, to (try to) be asleep
when it would normally be awake. I suspect that my body won't really
adjust, or that it will only begin to adjust just as I am about to depart
these shores.
The countryside here in Worcestershire is gently undulating with lots of
woodlands following water courses. The soil is a rich chocolatey brown
and the summer crops have been harvested (the bales of hay are
massive and require a tractor with a fork lift to lift them on to a waiting
truck) and the soil is now being ploughed and re-seeded.
As each day has passed, Autumn has slowly been encroaching with the
days shortening and the leaves turning gold. The temperature is begin
to fall as well.
It certainly has been nice to be away from planes, trains, and automo-
biles for a few days. The only sounds to intrude into the silence have
been the wind rustling through the leaves of the trees and the songs of
the birds.
As intended, I used my time with the Franciscans at Glasshampton for
prayer, reading, thinking, pondering the imponderables, resting, and
walking around the beautiful neighbouring countryside.
The Parish Church of St. Peter's, Astley, is across the valley from the
monastery which one needs to get to via a bridge over the little stream
that flows through a delightful woodland down the valley. St. Peter's is
probably Norman in origin but has been added to many times and not
much of the original Church can be discerned. The Church has some
interesting carvings of grotesque faces on the West exterior wall.
Frances Ridley Havergal was born in the Rectory in 1836, being the
daughter of the then Rector. Frances wrote quite lot of music and many
hymns, the most well known being: Take My Life and Let It Be
Consecrated, Lord To Thee. Frances didn't enjoy good health and sadly
died at the age of 43. She is buried in the graveyard which surrounds the
Church.
Monday the 12th of September - Glasshampton/Worcester/Bristol
After leaving Glasshampton, I then caught the bus back to Worcester and
then the train to Bristol where I will stay for a couple of days. Whilst in
Bristol, I am hoping to catch up with my friends, Alister and Sally Palmer,
who previously lived in Tasmania and, if time permits, to visit Wells
Cathedral.
I will then undertake the final leg of my pilgrimage/study leave and
travel to London to stay with the Franciscans in Southwark before
heading home to Australia.
You are in my thoughts and prayers every day.
London - day four and five
After Saturday’s record breaking heat, a storm was brewing all evening
creating very humid and unpleasant conditions and it didn't cool off until
the very wee small hours when it finally began to rain.
There has been steady and at times heavy rain all day which has been
good for looking around as it seems that lots of other people don't like
getting wet so I have been able to do a lot of walking around without
having to contend with enormous crowds of people everywhere.
Heading along a well-worn path, I left the Franciscans early in the
morning and crossed over the Millennium Bridge and headed to St. Paul's
Cathedral as I wanted to spend time getting to appreciate its place in
London and in the Anglican Communion.
Whilst appreciating what a masterpiece of baroque architecture St. Paul's
is, I really find it difficult to warm to the building. It's not just the scale of
the building as both Canterbury Cathedral and Westminster Abbey are
quite large nor is it entirely that the building serves as a place of public
gathering as it's good that people come to Church at times of need.
It's more that the whole building feels like a huge contradiction to me: the
strongly Protestant ethos behind the design of the building was all
about being anti-symbol and being iconoclastic. However, it seems to
me, that the design is as symbolic as any other building (Church or not)
and that, whilst removing religious images, the building is full of
Neo-pagan images of semi-divine beings called war heroes or, equally
bad, to the rich and famous merchant Demi-gods of the city.
Having removed the transcendent element it seems that people began
to worship themselves. The tombs of Nelson (which was to be for
Cardinal Wolsey before Henry pinched it off him but never used it) and
Wellington are obscenely ostentatious and lack any sense of reference
to God. Other tombs seem to be to wealthy burghers of the city who
funded the building of the Cathedral.
The public place of worship is more a public place of national pride.
Having said this, there are some delightful elements in the building: the
mosaic frescoes beneath the dome are glorious, the marble star
beneath the dome is beautiful, and the painting of Christ the Light of the
World (many contend that the original is in the Chapel of Keble College,
Oxford) is remarkable.
I climbed up to look at the interior dome which features a series of
paintings from the life of Paul but these don't match the mosaics
beneath them.
I then climbed to the top of the exterior dome and had this to myself as
it was pouring with rain. The views from the top of the exterior dome are
terrific (even in the rain), giving a 360 degree view over the City of
London. On the way up from the interior dome and back down from the
top of the exterior dome one can see how very cleverly Wren designed
the two domes. This is a masterful piece of engineering. The gap
between the domes also acts as a funnel to vent hot air from the
Cathedral below. As it had been so hot yesterday there was a steady
stream of hot air rising between the two domes.
After visiting St. Paul's Cathedral, I then visited St. Martin-within-Ludgate
which replaced a medieval Church that burnt down in the great fire.
St. Martin's was originally built over an ancient gate to the city and some
small remnants of the gate remain but nothing of the original Church.
The new Church was designed by Wren and despite my dislike for
baroque Churches St. Martin's feels like a place of genuine worship and
a delightful Parish Church as the images and fittings were all focussed
on God and not the great and noble deeds of war heroes or to the glory
of the rich and famous.
I then re-traced my steps back over the Millennium Bridge and headed
back to Southwark Cathedral which I like very much and I hope to be
able to worship there on Sunday morning before heading to the airport
to fly back to Australia.
Southwark Cathedral is a small Cathedral by English standards and feels
more like a Parish Church and this gives it a sense of intimacy and
warmth. I have also met several Parishioners and Clergy from the
Cathedral and they are delightful people who love belonging to this
vibrant, diverse, inclusive, and very active community of faith - it really
seems to be a happening place.
The fabric of the Cathedral is in very good order and it appears to be
well looked after and loved. The Cathedral isn't grand or ostentatious
but it is as gem (rather like St. Paul's, Burwood, in many ways - a simple
and uncluttered elegance).
I'm looking forward to being able to join with the community of faith
here to worship God on Sunday morning.
In the evening, after Evening Prayer, I visited the Tate Modern, which
from the front is a brutalist/art nouveau mix of design but from the back
is a quite extraordinary Ziggurat-shaped building, and amongst the
huge number of works on display were some iconic works by Picasso,
Mondrian, Dali, and Warhol. The Tate Modern is a vast building and the
displays are exceptional.
On exiting from the Tate Modern the lead male actor in the excellent
tragi-comedy series 'Rev,' Tom Hollander, came up to me and asked me
for directions into the gallery so, despite only having just found my way
around the gallery shortly beforehand, I was able to help a (fellow) lost
soul. Much to my credit, I didn't ask him any questions about 'Rev.'
By the way, Tom Hollander looks and sounds in real life exactly how he
looks and sounds on television.
Day five:
Tomorrow is my last day in London and in the morning I will attend the
local Parish Church, St. Hugh's, and Southwark Cathedral for
Communion before heading out to the airport and then flying back to
Australia.
As I leave late on Sunday night and fly back through time zones,
although the flight is only 24 hours in duration, we are in the air through
two nights and don't land in Sydney until Tuesday morning.
This means that I won't be able to send any emails or text messages
until late on Tuesday Australian time.
Today just happens the be the day that Hildegard of Bingen is
remembered and she beautifully described her life as being a feather
on the breath of God. This is a lovely description of what our lives
might be like if we followed God's will rather than our own.
Wanting to see some more Churches, I headed out early back across
the Millennium Bridge and along The Embankment towards
Westminster.
The tide was out on the Thames revealing old moorings and landings
which are no longer used. The Thames is a working river with barges
and ferries plying up and down its length all day. Being a working river
doesn't make it any less interesting but the brown swiftly flowing water
doesn't really say "come and have a swim in me." Nor does the river's
edge invite one to come and explore. It's a mighty river but one to be
appreciated from above.
I walked to Westminster and then to Nelson's Column past The Strand,
Buckingham Palace, Downing Street, and innumerable other impressive
buildings.
The first Church I spent time I was St. Martin in the Fields which is yet
another baroque Church but like St. Martin-within-Ludgate feels like a
Parish Church. St. Martin in the Fields must be very well off as they have
completed a fantastic new suite of buildings incorporating offices,
meeting rooms, Chapel, open space, toilets, cafe, and lots of other
functions and it must be worth a fortune. The Crypt at St. Martin in the
Fields is beautifully restored.
I had heard that St. Martin in the Fields has a large ministry to the
homeless but it all looked a bit slick to me and there was no evidence of
anything of the sort happening. I hope that, with all of their other
developments, they haven't lost sight of caring for those in need.
I then walked to All Saints, Margaret Street, which is a full-blown,
archetypal, gothic-revival Church. The interior of All Saints, Margaret
Street, is very colourful but most tasteful. It isn't a large Church. I was
there at midday so joined in the Communion Service which Fr. Michael
Bowie presided over. Fr. Michael is a former Rector of Christ Church
St. Laurence in Sydney and is the Assistant Priest at All Saints, Margaret
Street.
I then re-traced my steps to the National Gallery and wandered around
the galleries for hours and took in the vast number of paintings from
pretty much all of the great masters. One could spend a life time in here.
My favourite painting is the 'Virgin in Prayer' by Sassoferrato which is a
very simple, and not overly large, but beautiful painting.
London is far less heterogeneous than I expected. It feels and sounds
like a very European city but certainly not one that, as we are led to
believe by anti-Muslim groups, that is in any way over run by Muslims.
People of any ethnic origin other than the mix of European races were
very hard to spot.
The City of London truly is a world city and its history and
architecture are rich and grand.
Having wandered about London all day, up this street and down that
lane and all over the place, I then headed back to Southwark on a
cold, windy, and drizzly evening and bunked down for the evening.
I will sign off now and write again when I'm back in Sydney.
P.S. I've just had the opportunity to read the Church of England's
paper 'The Church Times' and notice that St. Mary, Redcliffe, in Bristol
which is such a magnificent Church and about which I have previously
written, which is also a very wealthy Parish, are about to undertake a
15 million pound re-furbishment. They really must be loaded!
P.P.S. I have been privileged to stay with the Franciscans in
Canterbury, Glasshampton, and Southwark. Each house is different
but each, in their own way, are very special and I have been made
most welcome in each house.
P.P.P.S. I have walked hundreds and hundreds of kilometres in these
few weeks away and it has been wonderful to visit so many beautiful
Churches and to walk through such lovely countryside and through
such interesting cities. It has been a good time for which I thank God.
Leaving London
I woke early so went for one last long walk along the Thames. It was a
very still morning with thick cloud overhead so everything looked
moody and atmospheric.
After breakfast I joined the local Church, St. Hugh's, Bermondsey, for
Communion and it we nice to be in a very small Church that is quite
new as the old one was pushed over for a Council housing project.
St. Hugh's is in a ground floor space in one of these developments and
has clear glass on to the street so that people can look in and the
congregation can look out whilst the Service is under way. This really
isn't a distraction at all.
On the way to St. Hugh's I passed St. George's which features in 'Little
Dorit.' Dickens' father was in the debtors' prison over the road which is
now just an overrun garden.
I then went straight to Southwark Cathedral and joined them for their
main Service which was a Sung Eucharist with three children being
Baptized in the Service. This was all very lovely but not over the top so
it felt very much like being at St. Paul's.
I think that I forgot to mention that Southwark Cathedral has a modern
sculpture given by the brother of Bishop John Robinson (of 'Honest To
God' fame) in memory of the Bishop's time as Suffragen Bishop of
Southwark.
Shakespeare has a memorial in the Cathedral as well as he lived in
Southwark for many years (the Globe Theatre was/is just around the
corner).
One of the most meaningful memorials in the Cathedral is a very
unassuming memorial in memory of those Allied troops who were
captured when Singapore fell and who were made to work on the
Burma-Thai railway. After all of the ostentatious tombs and memorials
to the great and mighty in St. Paul's Cathedral, it was nice to see a
memorial to those who gave it their best and who, for no fault to their
own (it was the fault of the stupid English generals that they weren't
properly equipped), were subjected to the most abhorrent treatment.
This little memorial is far more potent and meaningful, as with the
tomb of the unknown Serviceman at Westminster Abbey, in its simplic-
ity than all of the grand statues to others elsewhere.
I then navigated the bewilderingly complex rail system to Heathrow
and booked in for my flight back to Australia.
The flight leaving from London was about three hours' late leaving. We
just got out of Heathrow before the curfew otherwise we would have
had to wait for the following day.
Not that I'm particularly interested but the stores in London, Worcester,
Bristol, Heathrow, Dubai, and Sydney are all pretty much the same brand
names. What appears to be quite diverse and giving a lot of choice is in
fact quite monochrome the world over (and the brand names are
probably owned by even larger conglomerates).
With my love and very best wishes.
Peace,
James.
If everyone gave electronically it would mean
that the Parish would further benefit by
receiving giving each week from every per-
son rather than only receiving giving when each person can physically put
their financial gift into the collection bag. Why not give it a go?
The bank details are:
Account name: St Pauls Anglican Church
BSB number: 032 062
Account number: 250028
Reference: e.g. offertory, kneelers, parish pantry, choir, organ, church
building, etc..
Those wishing to make a bequest are invited to do so using these or a similar
form of words: "I bequeath the sum of $............ to the Rector and Wardens of
the Anglican Parish of St Paul’s, Burwood, to be used at their absolute
discretion for the charitable purposes of the parish."
Today, at 9.30am – Police
Remembrance Day
Tuesday 27th September at
1.15–1.45pm Lunchtime flute
and piano recital
Friday 30th September at
7pm in the Rectory – Young
Adults' Curry and Board
Games Night
Sunday 2nd of October at
9.30am Service – Blessing of
the pets & at 4pm Vespers at
Cardinal Freeman Village
Tuesday 25th October at
1.15- 1.45pm – Lunchtime
Recital
Sunday 30th October – Feast
of All Saints & Sung Service
Wednesday 2nd November –
All Soul’s Day
Sunday 6th of November –
Vespers at 4pm at Cardinal
Freeman Village
Sunday 13th November at
9.30am Eucharist – Sung
Service
Tuesday 15th November at
1.15-1.45pm – Lunchtime
Recital
Sunday 20th November –
Celebration of Christ the King
Sunday 27th November –
First Sunday of Advent
Saturday 24th December –
11pm Mass (Sung Service)
Sunday 25th December –
Christmas Day at 9am
I am pleased to tell you that the
singing of the full Communion
Service will be sung on the
Sundays listed below.
Sunday, October 30th
Sunday, November 13th
Saturday, December 24th –
(11pm)
Sheryl Southwood
Director of Music
BLESSING OF OUR
PETS
SUNDAY 2nd October 2016
9.30 Service
If you cannot bring your pet you might like to
bring a photo
Consort 8 presents
“Potpourri”
An eclectic mix of
renaissance music with a
whiff of medieval and
modern, including
Dowland’s “Flow my tears”,
Isaac’s “Innsbruck” and
music of Henry VIII.
Consort 8
Susan Bell recorder
Karen Carey recorder/viol
Susan Christie recorder/viol
Dan Murphy recorder
Robert Small recorder
With Timothy Chung countertenor
Shaun Ng viol/theorbo
When: Sunday 30 October at 7.30pm
Where: St Patrick’s School Hall, Cnr Drynan St & Prospect Rd
(entry Prospect Rd), Summer Hill ; St Patrick’s is a 10 minute walk from
Summer Hill station.
Tickets: At door $25
Please join us for supper afterwards.
Enquiries: [email protected]; www.consortviii.wordpress.com
Join Sydney Chamber Choir and orchestra seventeen88 for their final
2016 performance at City Recital Hall on October 1st conducted by
Richard Gill. Joseph Haydn wrote his ‘Nelson’ Mass for a world in tur-
moil. Haydn’s response was to write music of serenity and confidence,
the trumpets of war transformed into fanfares of joy.
orchestra seventeen88 perform on instruments from Haydn’s time and
bring the music alive as Haydn himself might have heard it. Also shar-
ing the program with Haydn is Australian composer Ross Edwards,
whose Missa Alchera reveals deep connections between time, ritual,
place and the Dreaming of Australia’s Indigenous peoples.
When: Saturday October 1 @ 7.30pm
Where: City Recital Hall, Angel Place
Tickets: Adult $50 Concession $45 Student $25 from City Recital Hall
Box Office (Additional fees may apply)
Website: www.sydneychamberchoir.org
Enquiries and bookings: (02) 8256 2222
“I truly believe that everything that we do and everyone that we meet
is put in our path for a purpose. There are no accidents; we're all teach-
ers - if we're willing to pay attention to the lessons we learn, trust our
positive instincts and not be afraid to take risks or wait for some
miracle to come knocking at our door.”
– Marla Gibbs (1931 – to present)
American singer, writer and producer
Jeremiah 32.1-3a, 6-15; Psalm 91.1-6,
14-16;
1 Timothy 6.6-19 or 1 Timothy 4.12 – 5.8;
Luke 16.19-31
‘… a rich man who was dressed in purple and
fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every
day.”
Immediately there is conjured up in the mind – great wealth, luxury, a
beautiful mansion, glorious food, and much more. Then there is the
picture of a homeless, bare-footed, shabbily dressed, probably
unwashed man, called Lazarus. He has a name – he is a person – a
human being. The rich man is nameless – he is ‘everyman’. This is a
memorable parable. Jesus is teaching his disciples and he does it with
memorable stories. Jesus’ stories are for his disciples in every age and
place. They are for us in Australia today. We can reflect: who are the
nameless rich – people – countries – churches, and who are those
whose names we do not ask to know.
What are we to understand from Jesus’ teaching? – Our actions have
everlasting consequences.
Paul when writing to Timothy said: ‘There is great gain in godliness
combined with contentment.’ ‘ But those who want to be rich fall into
temptation.’
• Pray: ‘Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’
• Give thanks for the Church of the Province of Myanmar, giving
thanks for their work and witness in that country.
Text: Moya Holle, ABM Sydney Committee © Anglican Board of Mission,
2016
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Pray fo the Anglican Church –
for Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury;
Phillip, Primate of Australia; Glenn,
Archbishop of Sydney; Michael Stead,
our Regional Bishop; and for all the
bishops, priests, deacons and
Religious of the Anglican
Communion.
In the Anglican Cycle of Prayer we
are asked to pray today for The
Church in Wales, for its bishop, The
Most Revd Dr Barry Morgan
Archbishop of Wales & Bishop of
Llandaff and for his clergy and
people.
Pray for Fr James and for Fr
Michael as well as for Helen and
Antonia. May God bless them
and their ministries and may we
support them as they work among us
in Christ’s name.
Pray for St Paul’s: God of mercy,
strengthen us to help shape a parish
where diversity is a source of
enrichment, compassion is common,
life’s poetry realized, suffering
lightened through sharing, justice
attended, joy pervasive, hope lived,
the hum of the universe heard, and
together with you and each other we
build what is beautiful, true, worthy
of your generosity to us, an echo of
your kingdom. Amen. (Ted Loder)
Pray for, St Matthew’s, Zababdeh,
(West Bank, Palestinian
Territorries), our Anglican
Communion Partner: We
remember especially their Parish
Priest, Fr Saleem Dawani, and his
ministry in the parish. We remember
also Jameel Maher, who acts as the St
Matthew’s partnership link person
with us. May both our parishes be
blessed by the link we are
establishing.
Pray for the Church’s mission:
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out
your arms of love on the hard wood of
the cross that everyone might come
within the reach of your saving
embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit
that we, reaching forth our hands in
love, may bring those who do not
know you to the knowledge and love
of you; for the honour of your name.
Amen. (Author unknown)
Pray for our Children’s Church:
The Lord said, ‘Let the little children
come to me and do not forbid them
for such is the kingdom of heaven’.
Bless, Lord, your children who now
stand before you in prayer. Help
them to understand the depth of
your love.
We pray also for all the teachers of
our Children’s Church. May our
teachers be enabled to teach and
train your children and help them to
grow spiritually.
O Lord, bless our Children's Church
and all its future endeavours, that
through it we may glorify you with
your Father and the Holy Spirit, now,
always and forever. Amen.
Pray for peace: Lead me from death
to life, from falsehood to truth; lead
me from despair to hope, from fear to
trust; lead me from hate to love, from
war to peace.
Let peace fill our hearts, our world,
our universe.
Pray for all in need, Today we pray
for all those who live without hope or
feel weak. May the light of the Lord
shine upon them so that they may see
the hope for a better life and future.
Pray for the sick and their carers:
Annabelle; Joyce Bannister;
Margaret Baseley; Tim Bolton; Wendy
Bolton; Barry Brandy; Buddy; John
Burns; June Cameron; Di Campbell;
(Sir) John Carrick; (Lady) Angela
Carrick; Ingrid Castleton; George
Cepak; Bill Clark; Beth Davidge;
Hilary Davies; Leah Delacruz; Manish
Dhakal; Dave Ernst;Glenyce; Joyce
Gorman; Rev. John Gwilliam; Fr Brian
Harker; George Harvey; Mary
Harvey; Margaret Hayes; Denis
Hayes; Heather; Margaret Hurley;
Peter Jewkes; Jenny Johnston; Bishop
Ivan Lee; Clyde Livingstone; Marion
Lyons; Robert McLean; Sandra
Macleod-Miller; Chris Mannix;
Bishop Ken Mason, Bruce May; Lerola
Meyers; Gae McMillan; Jean Miller;
Barbara Moreton; Tas Murray; Susan
Oddie; Pippa Oddie; Oscar; Alister
Palmer; Valerie Perrin; Paul Phillips;
Jason Proctor; Deidre Reid; Rhonda
Rickards; Pam Richardson; Joanne
Roberts, Heather Robbins Hayllar;
Jenny Rorich; Marguerite Sheffield;
Tony Sheffield; Stephanie; Susan;
John Telek; Pauline Thomas; Viola;
Mike Wall; Alannah Walsh; Lynne
West; Megan West; Valma Woolfrey;
Bob Woods; Peter Ying
In love and charity remember the
recently departed that God may
grant them a place of refreshment,
light and peace.
Pray, too, For, Robert Walwin Ferris,
Susan Gai Laurence, Stanley Duncan
Richardson, Mamerta Capilitan
Hubbard, John Henry Corkill, &
George James Gregory and for any
others whose year’s mind falls around
this time.
Rest eternal grant unto them O Lord,
and let light perpetual shine upon
them!
Phone 9747 4327
Fax 9747 0513
Post PO Box 530, Burwood, NSW 1805
Website www.stpaulsburwood.org.au
Rector Fr James Collins
Senior Assistant Priest Fr Michael Deasey, OAM
Office Secretary Mrs Caroline Badra
(9.30am to 2.30pm, Tuesday to Friday)
Lay Minister Ms Rosemary King
Student Minister Dr Michael Sutton
Rector’s Warden Dr Jane Carrick – 0418 399 664
People’s Wardens Mrs Elizabeth Griffiths – 8033 3113
Mrs Pam Brock – 9747 3619
Priest in the Parish Fr Jim Pettigrew
Director of Music Mrs Sheryl Southwood
Organist Mr Edwin Taylor
A mid-week Eucharist will be held in the Chapel of our Lord's Passion on
Wednesday at 10.30am.
Commemorations noted by the lectionary this week –
Monday 26 September – Lancelot Andrewes, bishop of Winchester
(d.1626)
Tuesday 27 September – Vincent De Paul, worker with the poor
(d.1660)
Thursday 29 September – Michael and all Angels
Friday 30 September – Jerome, priest and biblical scholar (d.420)