The Messenger
June – August 2019
ST GEORGE THE MARTYR, GOODWOOD
From the Rector
Dear Friends
Welcome to the cold months of the year, the time of sniffles and complaints. It’s so easy at this season to get stuck in the immediate and lose perspective on the bigger issues of life.
But then that is the nature of all our living. As it was said about Noah in the Ark, they became more concerned about the smell within, rather than the waters without. So much of our lives become obsessed with small things around prestige and money, rather than seeking fulfilment in the larger love of God.
That’s the importance of a relationship with God – it moves you away from self-obsession to what is our real calling in life.
We only do that by prayer, proper prayer that moves us from our own self-centred life. I have included in the magazine this time an article from the Episcopal Church in the USA (the Anglican church there) about a way of love, a way to help guide and centre life. It’s not the only way, but it’s a good article to read.
My thanks for the help over Easter. The different services take a huge commitment of the team here, servers and musicians, and it is always the highlight of the year, much more than Christmas.
A church like ours also has a lot of repairs and restorations. My thanks to the Sweetapple family for paying for the replacements for the inserts in the vesper candlesticks: the originals had disappeared many decades ago and we had been reduced to balancing the candle on the wood base.
Coming up we have our annual St Benedict’s Day on 13 July, which is hosted by our Benedictine Oblates and then the Archbishop visiting us for Catholic Renewal Sunday on 14 July. We also have hot soup on the second Sunday of the month in June and August, to enjoy our fellowship.
God bless
Fr Scott
What is the Way of Love?
The Way of Love is a way of life. More than a program or curriculum, it is a return to the ancient pathways and Rules of Life that followers of Jesus have observed for centuries. They knew the power of commitment to a core set of practices – Turn, Learn, Pray, Worship, Bless, Go, Rest – and the power of gathering in a small group where you find love and support for living into these commitments. If we hope to not only worship Jesus but to grow more like him and bear his redeeming love in the world, we can adopt a rule of life like the Way of Love and find a community with which to practice it.
What is a Rule of Life? How Do I Begin?
A Rule of Life is an intentional commitment to a set of practices that provide guidance, rhythm and inspiration for living a beautiful, meaningful and holy life. As we place these practices at the heart of our daily lives and join with companions who share the commitment, we grow more and more in the unselfish, hope-filled Way of Love that Jesus embodied in the world.
Exploring and Living the Practices
We invite you to take time exploring these practices for living a Jesus-centred life. Sit with the words from scripture and from the Prayer Book, pray over the practice, reflect and discern where God is calling you, and note the “Helpful Terms” at the end if you want to learn a little more. And remember: no one follows Jesus all alone. The ideal way to live the Way of Love is in a community of love, support and accountability.
THE WAY OF LOVE
TURN: Pause, listen and choose to follow Jesus
Like the disciples, we are called by Jesus to follow the Way of Love. With God’s help, we can turn from the powers of sin, hatred, fear, injustice, and oppression toward the way of truth, love, hope, justice, and freedom. In turning, we reorient our lives to Jesus Christ, falling in love again, again, and again.
For Reflection and Discernment
- What practices help you to turn again and again to Jesus Christ and the Way of Love?
- How will (or do) you incorporate these practices into your rhythm of life?
- Who will be your companion as you turn toward Jesus Christ?
LEARN: Reflect on Scripture each day, especially on Jesus’ life and teachings.
By reading and reflecting on Scripture, especially the life and teachings of Jesus, we draw near to God and God’s word dwells in us. When we open our minds and hearts to Scripture, we learn to see God’s story and God’s activity in everyday life.
For Reflection and Discernment
- What ways of reflecting on Scripture are most life-giving for you?
- When will (or do) you set aside time to read and reflect on Scripture in your day?
- With whom will you share in the commitment to read and reflect on Scripture?
PRAY: Dwell intentionally with God daily
Jesus teaches us to come before God with humble hearts, boldly offering our thanksgivings and concerns to God or simply listening for God’s voice in our lives and in the world. Whether in thought, word or deed, individually or corporately, when we pray we invite and dwell in God’s loving presence.
For Reflection and Discernment
- What intentional prayer practices centre you in God’s presence, so you can hear, speak, or simply dwell with God?
- How will (or do) you incorporate intentional prayer into your daily life?
- With whom will you share in the commitment to pray?
WORSHIP: Gather in community weekly to thank, praise, and dwell with God
When we worship, we gather with others before God. We hear the Good News of Jesus Christ, give thanks, confess, and offer the brokenness of the world to God. As we break bread, our eyes are opened to the presence of Christ. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we are made one body, the body of Christ sent forth to live the Way of Love.
For Reflection and Discernment
- What communal worship practices move you to encounter God and knit you into the body of Christ?
- How will (or do) you commit to regularly worship?
- With whom will you share the commitment to worship this week?
BLESS: Share faith and unselfishly give and serve
Jesus called his disciples to give, forgive, teach, and heal in his name. We are empowered by the Spirit to bless everyone we meet, practicing generosity and compassion and proclaiming the Good News of God in Christ with hopeful words and selfless actions. We can share our stories of blessing and invite others to the Way of Love.
For Reflection and Discernment
- What are the ways the Spirit is calling you to bless others?
- How will (or does) blessing others – through sharing your resources, faith, and story become part of your daily life?
- Who will join you in committing to the practice of blessing others?
GO: Cross boundaries, listen deeply and live like Jesus
As Jesus went to the highways and byways, he sends us beyond our circles and comfort, to witness to the love, justice, and truth of God with our lips and with our lives. We go to listen with humility and to join God in healing a hurting world. We go to become Beloved Community, a people reconciled in love with God and one another.
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/wayoflove
CATHOLIC RENEWAL SUNDAY
Sunday 14 July
8.00 am Mass
9.30 am Procession & Solemn Sung Mass
Preacher: Archbp Geoff Smith
Followed by soup & sandwiches in the hall.
The Feast of St Benedict
We cordially invite all parishioners, their relatives and friends to join us in commemorating the life, work and witness of St Benedict, founder of the Benedictine monastic order, on Saturday 13thJuly at St George’s. The celebration will commence with Mass at 12 noon followed by a shared lunch in the Parish Hall. Archdeacon Michael Whiting will be our guest preacher.
Fellowship Group
Our fellowship group meets once a month on the first Tuesday of the month at 1 pm for a short talk and social afternoon tea. It’s open to all and sundry. It meets next on 4 June, then 2 July, then 6 August.
Cell of Our Lady of Walsingham
The next meeting of the Cell of Our Lady of Walsingham will meet on Saturday 3 August 2019 at 9 am for a mass and shared breakfast at the rectory.
Our Banners
“Vexilla Regis prodeunt Fulgis cruces Mysterium.” Thus proudly proclaims our banner of St George, or for those of you for whom Latin is a closed book – “The Royal Banners forward go, the Cross shines forth in Mystic glow”. Beautifully made, this is one of several produced by our needlework guild, the Guild of St Mary of Bethany. The figure of St George is framed by side panels featuring six shields and Tudor-rose motifs (as befits the patron saint of England). Designed by C.E. Tute, the banner was dedicated and first carried in procession on St George’s Day in April 1909.
Other banners for which we know with certainty that the needlework guild was responsible are those of the Christ Child (dedicated at Easter 1916) and the Communicants’ Guild (1909).
Time takes its toll of fabric and the banner of St George is one of at least four banners that has undergone refurbishment and repair, a labour of love that is still taking place up to the present day. You would never know it from looking at it now but, due to its dilapidated condition, the banner depicting the Christ Child with His hand raised in Blessing had been in storage for many years before being almost completely rebuilt about ten years ago by our expert repairer Ross Menhennitt in Melbourne, who also remade the St George banner – it had previously collapsed and fallen off its pole. Ross also picked up an infection from the mould on the banner and was hospitalised. The Christ Child banner is also referred to as the Holy Child banner. There was a Guild of the Holy Child, so this banner, like that of the banner of the Communicants’ Guild with its gold chalice and host, would have been made with these guilds in mind.
The earliest record we have of St George’s acquiring a banner is November 1904. The “Good Shepherd” banner, made by “a lady in England”, was the gift of Mrs Alfred Simms (later Mrs Priscilla Bickford). The words below the figure of Jesus – “Saint George Goodwood Children of the Catechism” – tell us for whom it was made.
Another banner made in England is that of St Michael. Made for the Ward of St Michael, this was worked by Mrs Fox, the wife of the vicar of St Michael’s Ilsington in Devon to a design by the architect of St George’s, T.H. Lyon, and was brought to St George’s by Fr Wise in 1905.
Lyon also designed the banner of St Anne, the mother of Mary, teaching her daughter. Dating from 1907, it was the work of a member of the Ward of St Mary and bears the legend “Ave Maria, Ora pro nobis” – “Hail Mary, pray for us”. It is worth noting that the depiction of St Anne and Mary is identical with that of the same subject carved into the woodwork of the reredos in St Peter’s Cathedral Adelaide. The reredos was also designed by Lyon.
The banner of Our Lady as Queen of Heaven began its life in 1912 as a banner of St Mary of Bethany. A gift to St George’s, by the 1960’s it was threadbare and, as St George’s lacked “a really good banner of Our Lady”, a decision was made to re-make it into a banner of Christ’s mother. Three women of the parish including Mrs Kath Varnish set to work to a design by Fr Willoughby and it was dedicated on the Feast of the Assumption in 1971.
The latest banner is that of Our Lord appearing to St Mary Magdalene after his resurrection. In memory of a parishioner Dr Anne Loughlin, it was designed by Dr Jean Leeson and made by a member of the Embroiderers’ Guild. It was given by Anne Loughlin’s parents and a friend in 1998.
Our banners are indeed a blessing for us at St George’s and, with on-going care, they should grace our walls and be a focus of devotion for many years to come.
Notes
C E Tute designed our West Window and “Te Deum” chasuble.
Guilds, and the Wards into which they were divided, were “mini-communities” within the church community. They provided spiritual guidance for parishioners through a Rule of Life, and also companionship in fostering various facets of faith and worship at St George’s.
Thomas Henry Lyon, the architect of St George’s, came from Ilsington.
The banner of Our Lady as Queen of Heaven takes its inspiration from Revelation 12:1.
Church banners appear to have had their origin in the military standards that were carried into battle as a rallying point for the troops. In about 6thcentury, Christians began to carry “banners” in street processions to proclaim their allegiance to the one true King.
Personal Prayer
When everyday life is busy and difficult, it is absolutely essential for us to have moments alone to pray and meet God in silence and quietness. Otherwise, our activity motor will become overheated and whizz around like a chicken without a head.
Rhythm of Prayer
We all have to find our own rhythm of prayer. For some of us, this will mean praying for hours at a time, for others, fifteen minutes here and there. For all of us, it is being attentive to God’s presence and will throughout the day.
Some of us need the stimulus of the word of God or saying the Lord’s Prayer; others need to repeat the name of Jesus or Mary. Prayer is like a secret garden made up of silence and rest and inwardness. But there are a thousand and one doors into this garden and we all have to find our own.
Jean Vanier
Jean Vanier (1928-2019) Canadian Catholic philosopher, theologian and humanitarian. Best known as founder of L’Arche, an international federation of communities for people with developmental disabilities and those who assist them.
Devotional
There were two angels living in heaven. One of them was always resting, and the other was constantly traveling from earth to God. The resting angel asked the other: – Why are you flying all the time from here to there? – I am carrying the messages from people to God which start with these words: Dear God, help… And why are you resting all the time? – Well, I have to carry the messages to God which start with these words: I thank you Lord…
Calendar
June
9 PENTECOST
11 BARNABAS, APOSTLE AND MARTYR
12 Ember Wednesday
13 Antony of Padua, Priest, Teacher of the Faith, 1231
14 Ember Friday
15 Evelyn Underhill, Spiritual Writer, 1941
15 Ember Saturday
16 TRINITY
18 Bernard Mizeki, Apostle to the MaShona, Martyr, 1896
19 Sundar Singh of India, Sadhu (holy man), Evangelist, Teacher of the Faith, 1929
22 ALBAN, FIRST MARTYR OF BRITAIN, c209
23 CORPUS CHRISTI
24 THE BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
27 Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria, Teacher of the Faith, 444
28 SACRED HEART
29 PETER and PAUL, APOSTLES AND MARTYRS
29 Consecration of Augustus Short as first bishop of Adelaide and inauguration of the See of Adelaide 1847
30 PENTECOST 3
July
1 Coming of the Light, First Missionaries to the Torres Strait, 1871
1 Henry and John Venn, Priests, Evangelical Divines, 1797 and 1813
6 John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester and Thomas More, Scholar, Martyrs, 1535
7 PENTECOST 4
13 BENEDICT OF NURSIA, Abbot of Monte Casino, Father of Western Monasticism, patron of Europe, c550 (from 11)
14 CATHOLIC RENEWAL SUNDAY – JOHN KEBLE & THE FOUNDERS OF THE OXFORD MOVEMENT
15 Bonaventure, Friar, Bishop, Teacher of the Faith, 1274
18 Elizabeth Ferard, first Deaconess of the Church of England, Founder of the Community of St Andrew, 1883
19 Gregory of Nyssa, and his sister Macrina, Deaconess, Teachers of the Faith, c394 and c379
20 Margaret of Antioch, Martyr, 4th Cent.
20 Bartolmé de las Casas, Apostle to the Indies, 1566
21 PENTECOST 6
23 MARY MAGDALENE (from 22)
23 Bridget of Sweden, Abbess of Vadstena, Patron of Europe, 1373
25 JAMES, APOSTLE AND MARTYR
26 Anne and Joachim, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary
27 Brooke Foss Westcott, Bishop of Durham, Teacher of the Faith, 1901
28 PENTECOST 7
29 Mary, Martha & Lazarus, Companions of the Lord
30 William Wilberforce, Social Reformer, Olaudah Equiano and Thomas Clarkson: Anti-Slavery Campaigners, 1833, 1797 and 1846 & all Social Reformers
31 Joseph of Arimathea
31 Ignatius Loyola, Founder of the Society of Jesus, 1566
August
1 Holy Men and Women of the Old Testament
4 PENTECOST 8
5 Oswald, King of Northumbria, Martyr, 642
6 THE TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
7 Holy Name
7 John Mason Neale, Priest, Hymn Writer, 1866
8 Dominic, Friar, Founder of the Order of Preachers, 1221
8 Mary MacKillop of the Cross, Founder of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Cross, 1909
9 Mary Sumner, Founder of the Mothers’ Union, 1921
10 Laurence, Deacon at Rome, 258
11 PENTECOST 9
11 Clare of Assisi, Founder of the Minoresses (Poor Clares), 1253
13 Jeremy Taylor, Bishop of Down & Connor, Teacher of the Faith, 1667
14 Martyrs of the 20th Century 20th C Martyrs, including Maximilian Kolbe (d 1941), Maria Skobtsova (d 1945), Grand Duchess Elizabeth of Russia (d 1918), Martin Luther King (d 1968)
15 MARY, MOTHER OF OUR LORD
18 PENTECOST 10
20 Bernard, Abbot of Clairvaux, Teacher of the Faith, 1153
20 William and Catherine Booth, Founder of the Salvation Army, 1912 and 1890
22 Mary, Queen of Heaven (Octave festival)
24 BARTHOLOMEW, APOSTLE AND MARTYR
25 PENTECOST 11 – Refugee & Migrant Sunday
27 Monica, Mother of Augustine of Hippo, 387
28 Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, Teacher of the Faith, 430
29 BEHEADING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
30 John Bunyan, Spiritual Writer, 1688
31 Aidan, Bishop of Lindisfarne, Missionary, 651
Parish Office Holders
Priest’s Warden Ranjan Ponniah 8272 5835
People’s Warden Lyn Dutton 8357 2895
Director of Music Sarah Clay 0488 133 645
Parish Treasurer Emily Harding 8261 0332
Fellowship Group Lyn Dutton 8357 2895
Parish Priest: Fr Scott Moncrieff
St George’s Rectory
34 Angus Street, Goodwood, SA, 5034.
Telephone 08 82729495
Email stgeorges8@bigpond.com
Website http://www.stgeorgesgoodwood.org
Sunday Services
8.00 am Mass
9.30 am Solemn Sung Mass, followed by morning tea
4.00 pm Evensong (BCP)
Weekday Services
Monday Fr Scott’s Day Off
Tuesday 10.00 am Mass, followed by morning tea
Wednesday 7.30 am Matins
8.00 am Mass
Thursday 12 noon Mass
Friday
4.45 pm Evensong
5.15 pm Mass English Missal
Saturday 7.30 am Matins
8.00 am Mass
A monthly requiem is held on the first free Friday of the month, when all whose year’s mind falls in that month and the recently departed are remembered and prayed for.
Confessions are heard by appointment.
