The Messenger PARISH OF SAINT MARK REMUERA August 2016
Parish website: www.stmarks.org.nz Editor: Annabelle Couldwell
From the Vicar
April 2014
After being at the Benedictine Monastery at New Norcia in Western Australia a couple of years ago I fell in love with the Psalms once again! The monks are called to prayer six times a day and much of their worship involves chanting the psalms in Gregorian style. It is so beautiful and fills your being and your soul with the awe and wonder of God. The psalms allow me to encounter God and shape my vision. These ancient prayers have given believers voice to respond to God in the midst of a wide range of life circumstances as they do for us today. I believe that Psalms can powerfully shape how we worship and pray personally and corporately. The Psalms are structured into five segments (1-41; 42-72; 73-89; 90-106; 107150). These divisions mirror the five books of the Torah, leading us to understand the Psalms as God’s law in song. Thus the Psalms not only powerfully express human feeling but also provide order for human life. “The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple” (Ps.199:130). The rest of Psalm 119 describes the impact of God’s “words” in shaping and ordering human lives. There are psalms of lament – angry, complaining, questioning, even cursing psalms. Expressing what we feel at times of distress, sadness, guilt, and anger. The psalms we know best are the praise psalms - delight in God. We offer praise for what God does. But we also offer praise for who God is. This is narrative praise and descriptive praise.
Nature psalms celebrate God’s glory in the created world. These psalms do not fall into the error of ancient paganism or contemporary pantheism, that is, of identifying God and nature as one. Thus psalms shape not just how we view nature but how we worship God in the context of nature.
There are storytelling psalms, which pass on to the next generations the individual’s story and the great story of what God has done for God’s people. In line with the great wisdom literature of the Bible, wisdom psalms shape our thoughts and lives especially in such complex areas as death and riches.
Celebration psalms shape our vision and give us voice for times of celebration on our life-pilgrimage. Finally, hope-shaping psalms lead us to trust in God as “refuge” as we “wait on God.” Psalm-shaped hope sees beyond circumstances to God, chooses against fear, and trusts in God rather than in human resources. So I encourage you to encounter the psalms a new with me. Read 2 or 3 psalms daily, read all the psalms, read them to encounter God, pray the psalms, let the language of the psalms become the language of your prayer, your voice for responding to God in the midst of life. In the words of scholar and author Tremper Longman 111: “Go to the Psalms when you are happy and everything seems right with you. Sing laments to God when your life seems to crumble. When God hears your prayer, don’t forget to thank God for God’s kindness. When you are frightened, be encouraged by the psalms of confidence. Heed the psalms of wisdom. Above all, go to the psalms to be honest with God.”
Pastoral Care Our Parish attempts to build relationships and a sense of community belonging. We do this in a variety of ways: worship, the quarterly Messenger magazine, the weekly e-mail – “St Mark's Calling”, the web site, weekly pew sheet, parish activities and events, visiting, phone calls, the prayer group. Belonging is important because at times all of us need a bit of support and help - spiritually, emotionally or physically. To do this well we need to have structures in place that support us being able to keep in touch with each other and continue to build up relationships and a sense of community. Many of our parishioners live beyond our geographical boundaries, lead busy lives or are unable to come to church any more but are still part of this Parish and regard it as their 'spiritual home.' We hope that when you have special needs e.g. family illness, hospitalization, difficult personal circumstances or life changes, you will contact the Parish office 520-2258 so that I know what is going on and can respond.
To assist me with 'keeping in touch' I have asked some volunteers to phone about six designated parishioners twice a year to touch base with them and see how things are going for them. I hope most of you have received a phone call. If not and you would like to, please contact the church office on the above phone number. The feedback we have had from our calls has been very positive and we appreciate your time. I would also like to thank the 20 or so parishioners who have been willing to make the phone calls to everyone on our parish roll.
With every blessing Reverend Anne Mills
Sunday School – to be or not to be by Jill Kayser - National Youth and Family Coordinator Presbyterian Church NZ
There's a lot of talk in the church currently about the future of Sunday School. Our long-time friend Rich Melheim of Faith Inkubators promotes cross generational learning and worship through his provocatively titled movement “Killing Sunday School” and his Facebook page is one to follow if you’re interested in building an intergenerational church. One argument for promoting the “death” of Sunday School is that children gain as much (and possibly more) Christian education by worshipping with all ages than they do in an age specific classroom. However, we have to be careful not just to “kill” Sunday School without ensuring that our style and content of worship is inclusive of children. I love Reverend Alison Sampson’s suggestion that we should intentionally “interrogate” our worship service to make it more inclusive for all (see our past blog “Interrogating Worship”). I’m not convinced we have to take the “all or nothing” approach, but I do believe that we need to
seriously consider the arguments and research findings that today’s young parents are more inclined to respond to an event that enables them to worship with their children, than “drop them off” or be segregated according to age. I enjoyed Reverend Rebecca Kirkpatrick’s recent blog “Planting the Seed” sharing her experience of worshipping with their young son when they lived overseas working for Presbyterian World Mission. She found there were many benefits to being a part of a diverse and eclectic community of faith despite the fact that there were few children and no Sunday school for her son. At first she was concerned that he would miss out on the thoughtfully designed Christian education programme that he had in the States that exposed him to some of the great stories of the Bible, but soon realised that by not leaving worship to attend Sunday school, he was hearing over 150 readings from scripture (both the Old and New Testaments) as well as 80 sermons on those texts. “This meant he recited the Apostles’ Creed the same number of times, watched me put our family offering in the plate the same number of times, and prayed the Lord’s Prayer just as many times,” says Rebecca. “It also meant that for the first time I felt a personal obligation to be his primary Christian educator. In our previous congregation I was his pastor and helped to shape the curriculum that was used in his Sunday school classes, but with the hectic schedule of a pastor on any given Sunday morning, I relied heavily on my colleagues and the volunteers in our classrooms to mentor my child in the faith.” “For the first time we read the Bible together as a family. For the first time we had a chance to talk about what happened at church that morning (on our way back from church on the Cairo metro). Even the experience of choosing the church provided some good opportunities to talk as a family about what we value in a faith community.”
Gae Griffiths New Vicar’s Warden
As our new Vicar’s Warden, Gae Griffiths brings a long list of attributes. Born on a cold wintry Hamilton day, Gae attended Whitiora Primary School and Hamilton Girls High School, where she became Head Girl. She had a Christian Anglican upbringing, attending St Georges in Frankton. Gae feels her new role might have been preordained, because her father met her mother when he was the People’s Warden in Ngaruawahia and her mother’s father was the Vicar’s Warden! After gaining a B.A. (English and French) at Auckland University, Gae spent a number of years teaching at Selwyn College in Auckland before setting off for her “OE” with several friends, to Great Britain, Europe and America. On her return from overseas, Gae elected to teach at Selwyn College again. In 1969 Gae had a fulltime year at university and obtained an M.A. in English. However, she determined a career path that led her to becoming Head of Department, Dean, Senior Mistress, Deputy Principal, Inspector, finally to be appointed as Head Mistress at Epsom Girls Grammar in mid-1979. Gae worked in this capacity until her retirement in 1988, prior to the introduction of “Tomorrows’ Schools.” Following her retirement, Gae was elected to the University Council when Colin Maiden was the Vice Chancellor. She also stood on the committee which selected school leavers for entry to Medical School. She replaced Sharon Crosby on the National Health Committee and served on that for six years. For a further five years Gae was on the Health Research Council. Gae believes the Christian values of fairness and justice are most important in the allocation of funding across the public sector. At the suggestion of a friend, Gae attended St Mark’s Church from the early 2000’s. Gae says that this is her first role at St Mark’s apart from being one of the readers and a Linen Lady for a number of years. As Vicar’s Warden, Gae believes in attending church services regularly and across all times, and in interaction with other parishioners. While she expresses a fascination with other religions Gae believes in the spiritual values of the Anglican Church.
Communications – we have a plan! by Debra Hall
It has taken a little while, but we finally have the nuts and bolts of that “communication and engagement plan” I talked about in the last issue - a plan focused on actions, not just words, that will take St Mark’s out into our homes, offices and businesses, as a committed community participant that can be relied on to spread goodness out there, and welcome all who come through our doors. The purpose of this plan is to establish effective communications that: Increase engagement and participation of our current parishioners Expand our parish roll by encouraging participation from those around us who have not joined our parish Encourage engagement between our parish and the wider community of Newmarket / Remuera Make St Mark’s ‘famous’ for being a place where people who visit us want to come back again (this being the expression of our ‘perfect parish’ from the workshop after the AGM) That’s the goal – but to be brutally honest, we don’t know what’s going to work for you, so we’re planning a two pronged approach. The first part is to start trying different ways of communicating with you and the wider community. In the business world, we’d call it a ‘test and learn’ process. A marketing colleague of mine once said that her approach was to light lots of small fires, stamp out the ones that didn’t work, and feed the ones that burnt brightly. So that’s what we’re going to do. Try lots of different things, and with your help and feedback, refine our efforts to those that work. We know that for many of you, traditional printed communication is best – but we also know that the next generation of parishioners expects us to talk to them in their media, at the very least through an active and informed social media channel. (And yes, for those who do use Facebook, we’re in the process of tidying up the fact that we have FOUR different accounts!) While we’re definitely not giving up our regular Messenger magazine, printed on paper and mailed to those of you who want it, we’re hoping to migrate some of the younger parishioners to receive an online version, with the associated savings in printing and mailing costs. We’ll be trying different ways to get news of our many events, as well as some of the great content on our website, and in our pew sheets, out into the wider world, so watch this space. Liam has already started what looks like a very fruitful engagement with the Newmarket Business Association, and we look forward to using that as well, to make St Mark’s “famous” as an active community participant and a place of welcome.
Meanwhile, the second prong of our plan is to engage all of you in a dialogue of sorts. Here too, it’s about test-and-learn. We’re going to try two things: 1. A Parishioners’ Poll – a short survey which you’ll find as an insert in this Messenger, and is also available in the Church and Parish centre. Please mail it back to us, or drop it in to the Church or office. This is to help us understand a bit more about you, our parishioners. If successful, we’ll ask more questions about every three months, and report back on who we are as a community. 2. A Monthly Matter – a thought or question posted on a whiteboard in the church foyer, where we ask you contribute, by writing them on a post-it note and adding it to the conversation (and perhaps talk to each other). Each month, we’ll gather up all your views and report back to you on that as well. It’s really about building understanding through conversations with you, and with each other, to build the faith community that we all want. One of our biggest challenges, identified by the workshop earlier this year, was trying to navigate the strong desire to retain our traditions and history of formal worship, with the equally strong desire to offer alternative ways of worshipping for a growing diversity of congregants (not the least, the next generation of children and young people). Let’s talk more, and listen more to each other, so we can understand better how to progress. Every plan needs an outcome – an answer to the question: What does success look like? As I lead this project, I have this goal in mind. A vibrant, diverse parish that is growing, with an engaged congregation of parishioners who: Feel that they ‘belong’ to St Mark’s Participate in the life of the Church And take the good inside, out into the wider community. I am hoping that you will help me so we can achieve that together, by participating fully over the coming months, and most of all, talking to me and to each other about where we’re heading as a community of faith. I look forward to hearing your views, and your ideas. If you would like to talk one on one, please do not hesitate to give me a call on 021620394, or email me on debra.hallnz@gmail.com.
Musical Notes by Brian Millar (D.o.M.)
The Choir Catch up.... We thought that once Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter were over – three big services for the choir over those two weeks – that life would be a little easier. Well, sort of. Musically perhaps less demanding, but as I write this we have just sung Choral Eucharist on three consecutive Sundays! First up was our own regular service. Then a celebration service (Her Majesty’s 90th Birthday and Royal College of Church music Sunday) at St Aidan’s, where we were a part of a choir of 50 singers; Neill Shroff (previous Director of Music at St Mark’s) and I shared the conducting. Then to complete the trilogy a good number of the choir travelled to Matamata to join the newly formed choir of All Saints Anglican Church there - check out the photo. About 30 singers; again organ playing and conducting was shared between David Brookes (D.o.M. All Saints) and I. Wonderful hospitality and fellowship after the service. A highlight of Choral Eucharist on 3 July and 10 July was having Matthew Kung play his cello with the choir. Matthew’s parents are St Mark’s regulars (his mum Patricia is on Vestry). His younger brother Paul is learning the violin and his younger sister Anna, due to start school shortly, has her musical education enhanced by attendance at our Mainly Music group on Monday mornings. Matthew’s teacher is Polly Sussex who teaches in our new music studio upstairs. On 10 July, Sea Sunday, Matthew and I played the haunting “Tom Bowling” made famous at every “Last Night at the Proms”. What’s coming up? Another trip away, that’s what! Peter Baugh, recently curate at St Mark’s, now associate priest in Christ Church in Whangarei, has invited us to sing Evensong there on 28 August. May I recommend our Evensong on 21 August? Guest organist David Finlay will again be joining us and the service will include a couple of choral “biggies” which really need both conductor and organist: John Stainer’s Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in B Flat and the anthem “With a Voice Singing”. Finally, I could use one or two more sopranos! If you or someone you know feel you can sing the high notes, can read music and are teachable, I would love to hear from you for a short and (relatively) pain-free audition.
Parish Shop Did you know you can purchase books and prints of Saint Mark’s from the Parish Office?
Books on sale Saint Mark’s history 1847-1981 by Hilary Reid. A wonderful book full of details and historical facts about our Parish and Church. This book also includes some amazing historical pictures - $5.00. Useful in your service (anecdotes about the Parish from Parishioners) compiled by Hilary Reid for our 150th Anniversary - $5.00. Windows of Saint Mark’s compiled by Hilary Reid and photos by Rae Nield. This book covers all the details and history of our beautiful stain glass windows throughout the Church $5.00.
Prints on sale Saint Mark’s 1857 by Kinder - $10.00 Pencil drawing of Saint Mark’s Sanctuary and Chancel 1969 by Putt - $5.00
If you have ever wanted to explain to a friend what our Church looks like, or describe its beauty to an overseas relative, then there is no finer way than giving them something to read or see! -ooOoo-
What’s been happening in the Parish?
Bishop Kito gets down to a comfortable level with our Sunday School Children Te Pouhere Sunday in May
The Reverend Prince Devanandan presenting “My Neighbours Faith” June and July New Young Adult Group at their first meeting
Anne and Liam at the Anzac Service in April in Newmarket
The Mid-Winter Patronal Lunch 3 July
Combined St Mark’s and All Saints Matamata choirs after evensong in July
The Sunday School Children at our All Ages Service in May
Thanks for Your Regular Support Throughout 2016 we are continuing in our community ministry in supporting WINGS Trust, Glenbrae School and ATWC. We are continually seeking donations towards our fortnightly food basket for WINGS and monetary donations towards weekly lunches at Glenbrae and donations towards ATWC appeals. All these groups are highly appreciative of the support shown by the congregation of Saint Mark’s.
A Summary of the July 31 Sermon from Reverend Howard Leigh “The Rich Fool” Week after week we are bombarded with some scheme or another that could possibly make us rich. If it’s not lotto and power ball, it’s some other cash prize or draw that will change your fortunes. And for ordinary people - all of us - the thought of becoming suddenly wealthy is very attractive. We frequently take a punt without really expecting our condition to change. As the saying goes ‘if you’re not in you can’t win’! Most of us have the odd flutter from time to time, and some of us may also have experienced difficulty in receiving our inheritance, just like the man who came to Jesus in today’s gospel. However, rather than Jesus adjudicating between the brothers he gave a lesson on the evils of greed. He tells the crowd that life is for living in the present moment. I’m sure you’ve heard some variation on the following:
First I was dying to finish high school and start college. And then I was dying to finish college and start working. And then I was dying for my children to grow old enough for school, so I could return to work. And then I was dying to retire. And now I am dying… and suddenly I realize I forgot to live. The man in Jesus’ story (Luke 12: 13-21) had the wrong priorities. The first being he never saw beyond himself. His plan of life was a constant repetition of “I” and
“my”. Contrary to his thinking, it’s been said that life’s five most important words are “I admit I was mistaken”; the four most important are “What is your opinion?”; the three most important words are “If you please”; the two most important are “Thank you”; and the one most important word is “you”. From many points of view, life’s least important word is “I”. The man’s second wrong priority was that he never saw beyond this world. His whole basis of security was wealth. He believed in the modern axiom, “Money talks; learn its language.” The man in the Gospel was a rich man – one who people might say owned property, but in reality the property owned him. He never thought in terms of the later proverb, “There are no pockets in a shroud.” God called him a fool. In the Scriptures, a fool is one who is “mindless” – even to the point of denying God’s existence. Thus, the psalmist said, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’”. The author of today’s section of the letter to the Colossians 3: 1-77, tries to identify what is essential in life and to separate it from what’s not. The correct proprieties – which are on things above and not on things of earth – change our whole idea of the good life. We are to join ourselves to Christ. This does not mean withdrawal from care for the world and its problems. On the contrary, it means a truer love for the world. But that love is with a difference. We are to see everything in the light of Christ. For the writer of this letter, it meant a great deal to say “Christ your life”. This richer and higher life is to begin now, not after we die. This means getting rid of those obsessions in our nature that are earthly, taking off our old self, and putting on a new self that grows gradually into what Jesus wants. We who are trying to live out our baptism have a new set of values. We think of giving instead of getting, serving rather than ruling, forgiving and not avenging. We are grateful for life given by God without cost, friends provided without price, eternity promised without merit. We have the insight that our worth is not measured by what we owe but by what we share and that we have the opportunity to grow in the lasting wealth of love. We see that wealth is not necessarily a sign of God’s favour, and that poverty can be. It’s possible to spend less and enjoy more; live simply so that others may simply live; reject greed and grow rich in God; to live in dwelling places God prepares for us rather than building bigger barns. Do we have our priorities straight? Ask yourself: What do I really want? What is my treasure? Is it luxury and leisure? Is it fine things, material goods? Is it ever increasing wealth and possession? Or is it friends and family? Honesty and loyalty? Companionship and commitment? Truth and self-respect? Love and Devotion?
Journeying to the Oldest Christian Countries in The World- Caucasian Churches and Monasteries by Annabelle Couldwell
In late 2015, Clive and I journeyed with a small group of New Zealanders to the Caucasus: Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. Armenia and Georgia were the first two countries in the world to declare themselves Christian, both part of the Eastern Orthodox group of Christian churches. All three countries were subject states of the USSR until very recently. Since independence, the people of both countries have returned to their strong Christian roots. The very old churches and monasteries are again used for their true purposes and Christianity is flourishing once more. The chanting of the monks is truly beautiful. Our first visit in Armenia was to the lovely cathedral of Tbilisi, shown lit up at night. The following morning, we went to the lovely and very old cathedral ruins of Zvartnots. Three opera singers were gloriously singing in the ruins, out in a bare field beside a small town. This was originally a most beautiful cathedral and houses the remains of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, who brought Christianity to the Armenians in the 300s AD and was the originator of the Albanian alphabet. It was a round structure with a hood shaped dome, similar to the leviathan churches of Syria, but sadly in ruins thanks to one of the many earthquakes that happen in Armenia. One of the highlights was the visit to the Holy See of Echmiadzin, which is like the Vatican for the Armenian Apostolic Church. This large area has the earliest church still standing and in use in the world (301-303 AD). The Catholicus (like a pope) lives in buildings behind the cathedral and still takes mass there
on Sundays. The seminary here was swamped by refugees from the Armenian genocide (at the hands of the Young Turks) and was forced to close in 1915. It was kept closed during the Soviet era but has since reopened and young men continue to study here for their vows. The seminary housed orphans from the Armenian genocide in 1915, who had somehow managed to escape the massacres when their parents did not. From the seminary we went up the steep, narrow gorge road to the cave monastery of Geghard 9 km away, built by a patron and dating back to the 13th C. A.D., although the monastery actually dates back to the 4th C. Here we were surprised by a concert of early church chants from five talented women. The sound inside the cave church was acoustically fabulous. The museum housed several supposed hands of various saints including Saint Gregory, and a portion of what is supposed to be the Roman spear that pierced the side of Christ. Light comes into the cave churches from a hole in the dome up top and they are really quite well lit. The temperature inside was around 16-18 degrees and remains about the same all year. Into Georgia: The Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is regarded as the most sacred place in Georgia. This 9th Century basilica contains the grave of Sidonia, who is said to be buried holding Christ’s robe. When we went in there was a service underway while tourists milled around, which must be very disconcerting for the parishioners. The very old and detailed religious decorations on the wall had strong colours and fine drawings.
The Monastery at Gelati was founded in 1106 by King David the builder, in gratitude to God for his victories over the Turks. The tomb of King David is in the grounds under an arch way. Our next visit was to the smaller monastery of Motsameta (17th/18th Century) which is sited spectacularly on a cliff edge. The small church was very well preserved and the monks’ private quarters are close by. Our next visit was to Vardzia, the cave town developed in the 12th Century by King Giorgi III. Initially it was a stronghold against the Turkish Sultanate (the border with Turkey is only 10km away). Later his daughter, Tamar, created a cave monastery that became a centre of Georgian Christian culture. Although the caves once numbered some 3,000, much of it was destroyed by a massive earthquake in 1456 and only 550 have been re-discovered. There are numerous churches, meeting halls, refectories and wine cellars, all interconnected by tunnels and stairways. There still remain four monks in the cave monastery, living high up above the valley in solitude. The north of Kazbegi province borders the Great Caucasus mountain range with a number of peaks more than 5,000m high. The highway, known as the Georgian Military Highway, was first properly engineered as a road in the 19th Century with the Russian occupation of the Caucasus. Some stunning scenery was to be seen along the way. In places where avalanches are to be expected in winter, the road was protected by long tunnels running beside the summer road. Since the highway is a well-used transport route it remains open all year. Up in the mountains, Tsinda Sameba (Holy Trinity) Church (12-14th Centuries) is set on a high hill with a stunning backdrop of high meadows and bare mountains. The snow covered peak of Mt. Kazbek (5,047m) sits behind. There are still monks serving and living here - truly a very special place in an astounding setting.
Church Library Book Reviews “The Good Shepherd” by Kenneth E. Bailey (pub. IVP 2014; SPCK 2015) Reviewed by Father Bob Driver
Any book by Kenneth Bailey, for example, “Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes” is worth more than a casual glance. Bailey has lived in the Middle East for many years, has degrees is Arabic literature and language; he is also a theologian in the Episcopal Church (The Anglican Church of the U.S.A). He therefore brings to the Bible insights which the rest of us would probably miss, unused as we are to reading Arabic commentaries, for example. “The Good Shepherd” focuses on the nine major passages in the Bible that are concerned with the themes of the good shepherd; the incarnation; the cost to the good shepherd of bringing lost sheep home.... As far as the Gospels are concerned Bailey includes Luke 15 ( Jesus the Good Shepherd; The Good Woman), Mark 6, where Jesus acts out his “Good Shepherdness” in the feeding of the 5000, while Herod acts the part of the “Bad Shepherd”. In Matthew, the disciples themselves are called to be good shepherds, while in the Gospel of John, the Good Shepherd of Chapter 10 comes to its climax in Jesus’ death and resurrection. Finally, in 1 Peter, the elders of the church are seen as shepherds while Peter himself, first among equals, is the fellow shepherd. Throughout the book, Bailey addresses the fact that Jesus as the good shepherd has not always been seen in the light of the good shepherd tradition which began in the Old Testament. This book is written for scholars, yes, but it is also easily accessible for anyone who wants to gain an understanding of the ways shepherding worked and still works, in the Middle East. For the scholar, Bailey shows how the bible passages are constructed with all the techniques the Hebrew and Greek writers had at their disposal. Bailey shows by these means that there are more appropriate translations than the ones we are familiar with. There are some brilliant anecdotes about life in the Middle East - how sheep do indeed respond only to their particular shepherd: “preparing table” in Psalm 23 suggest that God is female - preparing a table was women’s work! Apropos our St Mark’s series by the Reverend Prince Devanandan, on other faiths, Bailey touches on Christian/Jewish/Moslem relations. We would never accuse Jews of the death of Jesus if we took more seriously John 10: 17-18; do not use the word “Aslama”(to surrender) probably in order to avoid the Islamic meaning: “to surrender” means to become a Muslim. Jesus is the one who
fully surrenders himself to God - the cross being the very thing that Muslims deny. This book is a real treasure trove. If you feel a bit bored with the average bible commentary, try this one. It will open your eyes to things new and things old that you may have read a hundred times but never fully understood. I only found a couple of typo errors, one of which might actually be deliberate, come to think of it. “...At the trial Jesus tells Pilot that God is in control”! Here is a great read that will help anyone be piloted by God into a new understanding and renewed discipleship. “In Search of Julian of Norwich” by Sheila Upjohn (pub. 1989 Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd.) Reviewed by Gae Griffith
I deliberately chose the slenderest volume on St Mark’s library shelves. I knew that I had little reading time and so I leapt upon “In Search of Julian of Norwich” with delight. And indeed it proved to be a pleasure to read and re-read this book. I knew nothing of Julian of Norwich and discovered some surprising facts. In May 1973 the people of Norwich joined by an ecumenical group of religious figures from England and Europe, came together to celebrate the 600 anniversary of Julian of Norwich. No, Julian was not a man of might. She was an anchoress and the writer of a small and powerful book in English and not in Latin or French, as was the custom of those in monasteries the 14th century. On 8 May 1373, Julian had a vision, which she describes as “Showings”. She had been stricken with an illness at thirty and a half years of age, and both she and those with her, believed that she was close to death. However, with eyes no longer able to see well, yet turned “upward to heaven”, in the darkened room she saw the “cross...glow with light...I did not know how”. Discover for yourself, through Sheila Upjohn’s analysis of Julian writings, the core of Julian’s wisdom. Julian writes “I had no other answer from our Lord in these showings except this - what is impossible for you is not impossible for me.... I shall keep my word in all things and I shall make all things well.” In search of Julian of Norwich is a book that sweeps you along like a good mystery story. It leaves you with a message of hope in the simplicity of Julian’s description of God’s understanding of us all. Read it. You will enjoy it.
From the Registers Baptised into Christ’s Church May to July 2016 Georgia Kate Darrow Billie Patricia Dunsdon Andy Rod Irvine Georgie Rose Irvine
Dukeron Lowen Shipman Samantha Mai Stewart Sophia Marie Stewart Emily Georgia Yeoman
-ooOoo-
Committed to God’s Care May to July 2016 Caryl-Anne Allchorne Sylvia Bell Katherine Anne Hawke Reginald Terry Keofoed Marcell Lois Rees Thelma Myrtle Woodward
Parish Contact Details: Vicar: Associate Clergy:
The Reverend Anne Mills The Reverend James Withers The Reverend Bob Driver The Reverend Canon Howard Leigh Verger: Liam Phillips Director of Music: Brian Millar Lay Minister: Trevor Brooker The Anglican Parish of Saint Mark, Remuera
Email: office@stmarks.org.nz Website: www.stmarks.org.nz Telephone: 09 520 2258
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027 680 5922 021 239 1800 09 849 3538 0274 885892 022 350 2764 021 253 1437 021 614 227