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: consort.eight@gmail.com; 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

rector@stpaulsburwood.anglican.asn.au

Senior Assistant Priest Fr Michael Deasey, OAM

Office Secretary Mrs Caroline Badra

(9.30am to 2.30pm, Tuesday to Friday)

office@stpaulsburwood.anglican.asn.au

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)