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You were warned: this is a long service. But it is a rare service because it gives us a chance to think about who we are in the church. And in the church we really have two choices, both of which are right. We are equal. When the church was founded, the disciples gathered together, broke bread together, lived together, and shared everything between them. We share a common baptism in the Lord and that makes us equal. As the church developed, there were things that needed to be done for the community and so there developed the positions of deacon, priest and bishop. Things became unequal. The first to appear were the bishops who celebrated the eucharist as they had been taught to do. But they found that preaching, running around and all the things they had to – Lord have mercy! It was too much. And so deacons arose, who came to serve at the table: the table of the altar and the sanctuary, and the food table as well. The deacon’s position is a servant position. All our positions are servant positions. The deacon is there to assist the priest in the celebration of the eucharist – and to serve the people who need our attention, time and care. In the ordination service you are told so many things to do but the simplest one is ‘be humble’. This is not a great job. It is an important job but it doesn’t make you special. It puts many demands on you. We tremble when we offer this service making you a deacon, a servant. As a person you are being changed by Christ for the service of humanity. Today we welcome you into the ranks of the deacons. We pray that you will be strengthened for service to the community, may you be humble. You know you will fall, we know that we all fall. We all try to do impossible things. So beside ‘be humble’, I give you another saying: ‘the Lord supplies the deficiency’, God gives what we do not have, do not do, forget to do – whatever is lacking. The Lord is on our side. All will be well. Bless you, Anthony. Go well in your duties as a deacon. Go well in life. ++Harry Aveling 10 September 2022
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Dearest Friends,
The September programme will be somewhat different from usual. Bp David Jones will be in Melbourne on the 10-11 September, together with his wife, the Revd Vicki Jones, priest. On Saturday 10th, the Revd Anthony Rhimes will be raised from Acolyte to Sub-Deacon and Deacon. The service will take place at the Quest Mt Albert, 741 Whitehorse Road, Mont Albert., starting 10.30am It will be followed by a communal lunch at a nearby restaurant. The service may be zoomed, immediately or later (I'm not sure). On Sunday 11th a special service will be held in the private chapel of the Australian Church of Antioch. Address 6 Shiers St., Alphington. Time 10.30am. Most ordinations are conducted by men, passing on the male lineage of the apostolic succession. This service will have as its aim the passing on of female lineage to both priests (Marion and Vicki) and Bishop David. (I received this lineage this morning.) You are invited to come to one or both of these services. There will be no zoom service on the 18th September as Marian and I will be in Sydney. Please let the Rev Marion know if you would like to come to that service. Peace and blessings +Harry THE NEW SEED, AUGUST 2022.
In August we honour Mary, the Mother of Our Lord, St Clare of Assisi, companion of Saint Francis and St Mary McKillop, the first Australian saint. This Newsletter will provide some light on St Clare and St Mary MacKillop. Prayers Saint Clare of Assisi 11 August Lord God, in the holiness of blessed Clare you have given us a clear light to shine in his world. Give us grace to follow in her footsteps, that we may at last rejoice with her in the clear light of your eternal glory: through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be all honour and glory, now and forever, Amen. . St Mary MacKillop 12 August God of the pilgrim, St Mary MacKillop trusted your guidance in her journey of life and deepened her confidence in your will, May we renew our trust in your providence to lead us in hope. May we relish the sacred in the ordinariness of our lives. May we grow into the fullness of your love and the depth of your mystery. We ask this through Jesus Christ, the way, the truth and the life. Amen. The Assumption of Our Lady 14 August O Lord Christ, who for her wondrous humility and purity hast exalted the holy Lady Mary among the hosts of heaven; grant that we, Thy people, may so follow her most noble example, that we may at the latter end be found worthy to serve Thee even as do Thy holy Angels; Thou who livest and reignest in glory for evermore. Amen Roses One day Francis and Clare were on a journey together from Spoleto to Assisi, and on the way they stopped and knocked at a house for a little bread and water. The family invited them in but proceeded to give them suspicious looks and make snide remarks about Francis and Clare being alone together on the road. The two saints then continued on their way through the snow-felted countryside, for it was winter. And as evening came on, Francis suddenly said, “Lady Clare, did you understand what the people back there were hinting at?” But Clare was too distressed to answer for fear the words would catch in her throat. So Francis continued, “It is time for us to part. You will reach San Damiano by nightfall, and I shall go on alone, wherever God leads me.” Then Clare fell to her knees in the middle of the road, prayed awhile in silence and walked away without turning around. She walked until she entered a deep wood where she stopped, unable to continue without some word of consolation or farewell. So she waited there for Francis; and when he finally entered the wood, she said, “Father, when shall we two meet again?” and Francis replied, “When summer returns and the roses are again in bloom.” Then a miracle occurred: All the surrounding juniper bushes and frosted hedges were covered with roses. And Clare, recovering from her amazement, walked to the bushes, picked a bunch of roses and gave them to Francis. And so, says the legend, from then on Francis and Clare were never really separated again. From Murray Bodo OFM, THE WAY OF ST. FRANCIS St Clare’s Blessing of her Sisters In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. May the Lord bless you and keep you. May He show His face to you and be merciful to you. May He turn His countenance to you and give you peace. I, Clare, a handmaid of Christ, flower of our holy father Francis, a sister and a mother to you and all the other Poor Sisters, although unworthy, ask our Lord Jesus Christ through His mercy and through the intercession of Hus most holy Mother Mary, of blessed Michael the Archangel and all the holy angels of God, and of His men and women saints, that the heavenly Father give you and confirm for you this most holy blessing in heaven and on earth. On earth, may He increase His grace and virtues among His servants and handmaids of His Church Militant. In heaven, may He exalt and glorify you in His Church Triumphant among all His men and women saints. I bless you in my life and after my death as much as I can and more than I can, with all the blessings with which the Father of miracles has and will have blessed His sons and daughters in heaven and on earth. Amen. Always be lovers of God and your souls and the souls of your Sisters, and always be eager to keep what you have promised to the Lord. May the Lord be with you always and, wherever you are, may you be with Him always. Amen. St Mary MacKillop by Osmund Thorpe Mary Helen MacKillop (1842-1909), known in religious life as Mother Mary of the Cross, was born on 15 January 1842 in Fitzroy, Melbourne, the eldest of eight children of Alexander McKillop and his wife Flora. Her parents had migrated from the Lochaber area in Inverness-shire and married soon after they reached Melbourne. After a prosperous start the family became impoverished. Mary was educated at private schools but chiefly by her father who had studied for the priesthood at Rome. To help her family Mary became in turn a shop-girl, a governess, and at Portland a teacher in the Catholic Denominational School and proprietress of a small boarding school for girls. As she grew to womanhood Mary was probably influenced by an early friend of the family, Father Patrick Geoghegan, and began to yearn for a strictly penitential form of religious life. Concluding she would have to go to Europe to execute her plan, she placed herself under the direction of Father Julian Tenison-Woods who, as parish priest of Penola in South Australia sometimes visiting Melbourne and Portland, wanted to found a religious society, 'The Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart'; they were to live in poverty and dedicate themselves to educating poor children. With Mary its first member and Superior the society was founded at Penola on 19 March 1866 with the approval of Bishop Laurence Sheil. By then she was spelling her surname MacKillop. The Sisterhood spread to Adelaide and other parts of South Australia, and increased rapidly in membership but ran into difficulties. Tenison-Woods had become director of Catholic schools and conflicted with some of the clergy over educational matters. One priest with influence over the bishop declared publicly he would ruin the director through the Sisterhood. The result was that Mary was excommunicated by Bishop Sheil on 22 September 1871 for alleged insubordination; most of the schools were closed and the Sisterhood almost disbanded. The excommunication was removed on 21 February 1872 by order of the bishop nine days before he died. In 1873 at Rome Mary obtained papal approval of the Sisterhood but the Rule of Life laid down by Tenison-Woods and sanctioned by the bishop on 17 December 1868 was discarded and another drawn up. Tenison-Woods blamed her for not doing enough to have his Rule accepted and this caused a permanent breach between them. She travelled widely in Europe visiting schools and observing methods of teaching, and returned to Adelaide on 4 January 1875. In March she was elected Superior-General of the Sisterhood. In journeys throughout Australasia she established schools, convents and charitable institutions but came into conflict with those bishops who preferred diocesan control of the Sisterhood rather than central control from Adelaide. In 1883 Bishop Christopher Reynolds, misunderstanding the extent of his jurisdiction over the Sisterhood, told her to leave his diocese. She then transferred the headquarters of the Sisterhood to Sydney. On 11 May 1901 she suffered a stroke at Rotorua, New Zealand. Although retaining her mental faculties, she was an invalid until she died in Sydney on 8 August 1909. Mary's finest feature was her large blue eyes. Affectionate but determined, her virtues were multitudinous with charity towards her neighbour outshining all.. Mary was canonised as Saint Mary of the Cross at a Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI in St Peter's Square in the Vatican on 17 October 2010. This article was published in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 5, (MUP), 1974 The Inclusive Sacramental Church of Christ Presiding Bishop: Most Rev Harry Aveling. Vicar General: Rt Rev David Jones. St Francis and St Clare, Melbourne: Pastor: Bishop Harry Aveling. Priest: Marion Gilchrist. Deaconess: Roberta Howard. Servers: Peter Howard, (Reader); Noel Wyndom. Singers: Robyn James; Marian Quartly. Community of St Raphael the Healer, Brisbane: Rev Vicki Jones (Priest); Bp David Jones (Pastor). The Upper Room Adelaide: Rev John Coles; Rev Raymee Chau (Subdeacons). Western Australia: Rev Fr Neil Blay (Priest). TISCC, Auckland: Rev Dr Jerry Sullivan (Deacon). Lumen Ecclesia Christi, Malaysia: Mr Felix Cheah (Graduate Seminarian). https://tiscc.weebly.com/church-news https://tiscc.weebly.com/ Regular Meetings
Sts Francis and Clare, Melbourne: 3rd Sunday in the month – April 17, 11am. St Raphael the Healer, Brisbane: 9.30am, on Facebook. The Upper Room, Adelaide: Each Sunday, as advised. Other Communities: As advised. A Simple View … Leo Tolstoy: The Three Hermits A Bishop was sailing from Archangel to the Solovétsk Monastery; and on the same vessel were a number of pilgrims on their way to visit the shrines at that place. The voyage was a smooth one. The wind favourable, and the weather fair. The pilgrims lay on deck, eating, or sat in groups talking to one another. The Bishop, too, came on deck, and as he was pacing up and down, he noticed a group of men standing near the prow and listening to a fisherman who was pointing to the sea and telling them something. The Bishop stopped, and looked in the direction in which the man was pointing. He could see nothing however, but the sea glistening in the sunshine. He drew nearer to listen, but when the man saw him, he took off his cap and was silent. The rest of the people also took off their caps, and bowed. 'Do not let me disturb you, friends,' said the Bishop. 'I came to hear what this good man was saying.' 'The fisherman was telling us about the hermits,' replied one, a tradesman, rather bolder than the rest. 'What hermits?' asked the Bishop, going to the side of the vessel and seating himself on a box. 'Tell me about them. I should like to hear. What were you pointing at?' 'Why, that little island you can just see over there,' answered the man, pointing to a spot ahead and a little to the right. 'That is the island where the hermits live for the salvation of their souls.' 'Where is the island?' asked the Bishop. 'I see nothing.' 'There, in the distance, if you will please look along my hand. Do you see that little cloud? Below it and a bit to the left, there is just a faint streak. That is the island.' The Bishop looked carefully, but his unaccustomed eyes could make out nothing but the water shimmering in the sun. 'I cannot see it,' he said. 'But who are the hermits that live there?' 'They are holy men,' answered the fisherman. 'I had long heard tell of them, but never chanced to see them myself till the year before last.' And the fisherman related how once, when he was out fishing, he had been stranded at night upon that island, not knowing where he was. In the morning, as he wandered about the island, he came across an earth hut, and met an old man standing near it. Presently two others came out, and after having fed him, and dried his things, they helped him mend his boat. 'And what are they like?' asked the Bishop. 'One is a small man and his back is bent. He wears a priest's cassock and is very old; he must be more than a hundred, I should say. He is so old that the white of his beard is taking a greenish tinge, but he is always smiling, and his face is as bright as an angel's from heaven. The second is taller, but he also is very old. He wears tattered, peasant coat. His beard is broad, and of a yellowish grey colour. He is a strong man. Before I had time to help him, he turned my boat over as if it were only a pail. He too, is kindly and cheerful. The third is tall, and has a beard as white as snow and reaching to his knees. He is stern, with over-hanging eyebrows; and he wears nothing but a mat tied round his waist.' 'And did they speak to you?' asked the Bishop. 'For the most part they did everything in silence and spoke but little even to one another. One of them would just give a glance, and the others would understand him. I asked the tallest whether they had lived there long. He frowned, and muttered something as if he were angry; but the oldest one took his hand and smiled, and then the tall one was quiet. The oldest one only said: "Have mercy upon us," and smiled.' While the fisherman was talking, the ship had drawn nearer to the island. 'There, now you can see it plainly, if your Grace will please to look,' said the tradesman, pointing with his hand. The Bishop looked, and now he really saw a dark streak -- which was the island. Having looked at it a while, he left the prow of the vessel, and going to the stern, asked the helmsman: 'What island is that?' 'That one,' replied the man, 'has no name. There are many such in this sea.' 'Is it true that there are hermits who live there for the salvation of their souls?' 'So it is said, your Grace, but I don't know if it's true. Fishermen say they have seen them; but of course they may only be spinning yarns.' 'I should like to land on the island and see these men,' said the Bishop. 'How could I manage it?' 'The ship cannot get close to the island,' replied the helmsman, 'but you might be rowed there in a boat. You had better speak to the captain.' The captain was sent for and came. 'I should like to see these hermits,' said the Bishop. 'Could I not be rowed ashore?' The captain tried to dissuade him. 'Of course it could be done,' said he, 'but we should lose much time. And if I might venture to say so to your Grace, the old men are not worth your pains. I have heard say that they are foolish old fellows, who understand nothing, and never speak a word, any more than the fish in the sea.' 'I wish to see them,' said the Bishop, 'and I will pay you for your trouble and loss of time. Please let me have a boat.' There was no help for it; so the order was given. The sailors trimmed the sails, the steersman put up the helm, and the ship's course was set for the island. A chair was placed at the prow for the Bishop, and he sat there, looking ahead. The passengers all collected at the prow, and gazed at the island. Those who had the sharpest eyes could presently make out the rocks on it, and then a mud hut was seen. At last one man saw the hermits themselves. The captain brought a telescope and, after looking through it, handed it to the Bishop. 'It's right enough. There are three men standing on the shore. There, a little to the right of that big rock.' The Bishop took the telescope, got it into position, and he saw the three men: a tall one, a shorter one, and one very small and bent, standing on the shore and holding each other by the hand. The captain turned to the Bishop. 'The vessel can get no nearer in than this, your Grace. If you wish to go ashore, we must ask you to go in the boat, while we anchor here.' The cable was quickly let out, the anchor cast, and the sails furled. There was a jerk, and the vessel shook. Then a boat having been lowered, the oarsmen jumped in, and the Bishop descended the ladder and took his seat. The men pulled at their oars, and the boat moved rapidly towards the island. When they came within a stone's throw they saw three old men: a tall one with only a mat tied round his waist: a shorter one in a tattered peasant coat, and a very old one bent with age and wearing an old cassock -- all three standing hand in hand. The oarsmen pulled in to the shore, and held on with the boathook while the Bishop got out. The old men bowed to him, and he gave them his benediction, at which they bowed still lower. Then the Bishop began to speak to them. 'I have heard,' he said, 'that you, godly men, live here saving your own souls, and praying to our Lord Christ for your fellow men. I, an unworthy servant of Christ, am called, by God's mercy, to keep and teach His flock. I wished to see you, servants of God, and to do what I can to teach you, also.' The old men looked at each other smiling, but remained silent. 'Tell me,' said the Bishop, 'what you are doing to save your souls, and how you serve God on this island.' The second hermit sighed, and looked at the oldest, the very ancient one. The latter smiled, and said: 'We do not know how to serve God. We only serve and support ourselves, servant of God.' 'But how do you pray to God?' asked the Bishop. 'We pray in this way,' replied the hermit. 'Three are ye, three are we, have mercy upon us.' And when the old man said this, all three raised their eyes to heaven, and repeated: 'Three are ye, three are we, have mercy upon us!' The Bishop smiled. 'You have evidently heard something about the Holy Trinity,' said he. 'But you do not pray aright. You have won my affection, godly men. I see you wish to please the Lord, but you do not know how to serve Him. That is not the way to pray; but listen to me, and I will teach you. I will teach you, not a way of my own, but the way in which God in the Holy Scriptures has commanded all men to pray to Him.' And the Bishop began explaining to the hermits how God had revealed Himself to men; telling them of God the Father, and God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit 'God the Son came down on earth,' said he, 'to save men, and this is how He taught us all to pray. Listen and repeat after me: "Our Father."' And the first old man repeated after him, 'Our Father,' and the second said, 'Our Father,' and the third said, 'Our Father.' 'Which art in heaven,' continued the Bishop. The first hermit repeated, 'Which art in heaven,' but the second blundered over the words, and the tall hermit could not say them properly. His hair had grown over his mouth so that he could not speak plainly. The very old hermit, having no teeth, also mumbled indistinctly. The Bishop repeated the words again, and the old men repeated them after him. The Bishop sat down on a stone, and the old men stood before him, watching his mouth, and repeating the words as he uttered them. And all day long the Bishop laboured, saying a word twenty, thirty, a hundred times over, and the old men repeated it after him. They blundered, and he corrected them, and made them begin again. The Bishop did not leave off till he had taught them the whole of the Lord's prayer so that they could not only repeat it after him, but could say it by themselves. The middle one was the first to know it, and to repeat the whole of it alone. The Bishop made him say it again and again, and at last the others could say it too. It was getting dark, and the moon was appearing over the water, before the Bishop rose to return to the vessel. When he took leave of the old men, they all bowed down to the ground before him. He raised them, and kissed each of them, telling them to pray as he had taught them. Then he got into the boat and returned to the ship. And as he sat in the boat and was rowed to the ship he could hear the three voices of the hermits loudly repeating the Lord's prayer. As the boat drew near the vessel their voices could no longer be heard, but they could still be seen in the moonlight, standing as he had left them on the shore, the shortest in the middle, the tallest on the right, the middle one on the left. As soon as the Bishop had reached the vessel and got on board, the anchor was weighed and the sails unfurled. The wind filled them, and the ship sailed away, and the Bishop took a seat in the stern and watched the island they had left. For a time he could still see the hermits, but presently they disappeared from sight, though the island was still visible. At last it too vanished, and only the sea was to be seen, rippling in the moonlight. The pilgrims lay down to sleep, and all was quiet on deck. The Bishop did not wish to sleep, but sat alone at the stern, gazing at the sea where the island was no longer visible, and thinking of the good old men. He thought how pleased they had been to learn the Lord's prayer; and he thanked God for having sent him to teach and help such godly men. So the Bishop sat, thinking, and gazing at the sea where the island had disappeared. And the moonlight flickered before his eyes, sparkling, now here, now there, upon the waves. Suddenly he saw something white and shining, on the bright path which the moon cast across the sea. Was it a seagull, or the little gleaming sail of some small boat? The Bishop fixed his eyes on it, wondering. 'It must be a boat sailing after us,' thought he 'but it is overtaking us very rapidly. It was far, far away a minute ago, but now it is much nearer. It cannot be a boat, for I can see no sail; but whatever it may be, it is following us, and catching us up.' And he could not make out what it was. Not a boat, nor a bird, nor a fish! It was too large for a man, and besides a man could not be out there in the midst of the sea. The Bishop rose, and said to the helmsman: 'Look there, what is that, my friend? What is it?' the Bishop repeated, though he could now see plainly what it was -- the three hermits running upon the water, all gleaming white, their grey beards shining, and approaching the ship as quickly as though it were not morning. The steersman looked and let go the helm in terror. 'Oh Lord! The hermits are running after us on the water as though it were dry land!' The passengers hearing him, jumped up, and crowded to the stern. They saw the hermits coming along hand in hand, and the two outer ones beckoning the ship to stop. All three were gliding along upon the water without moving their feet. Before the ship could be stopped, the hermits had reached it, and raising their heads, all three as with one voice, began to say: 'We have forgotten your teaching, servant of God. As long as we kept repeating it we remembered, but when we stopped saying it for a time, a word dropped out, and now it has all gone to pieces. We can remember nothing of it. Teach us again.' The Bishop crossed himself, and leaning over the ship's side, said: 'Your own prayer will reach the Lord, men of God. It is not for me to teach you. Pray for us sinners. And the Bishop bowed low before the old men; and they turned and went back across the sea. And a light shone until daybreak on the spot where they were lost to sight. Bishop Leadbeater on Holy Week In the Liberal Catholic tradition, we lay no obligation on anyone in the matter of belief; all are perfectly free to take any of the old stories just as they choose – literally or symbolically; it does not matter in the slightest. The concern of the clergy is to provide the sacraments which Christ has ordained to give the help they require. What people believe is their own affair and not ours, and that is the only basis of perfect freedom of thought. Our Christian brothers and sisters in other branches of the Church make this period of the Passion and the Resurrection the commemoration of terrible physical sufferings, and they read the detailed story of those sufferings in the Christ, dwelling upon their gruesome details in order to arouse in their people feelings of pity, devotion, and gratitude to the Christ who bore so much for them. We know that these sufferings are not historical and that, therefore, throughout the ages, a vast amount of the deepest sympathy and pity has been lavished upon a dream – upon something that, it is generally understood, did not happen at all in the body of the disciple Jesus. Do not think that sorrow and suffering are pleasing to the Deity. That is a horrible delusion. It is indeed true that no one can understand God, but at least we can form a more intelligent conception of God than this. Our view is as follows. ‘If Christ be risen, then we shall also rise’ was the old refrain. Indeed it is true, and true in many different ways. Because Christ was able to conquer evil, because Christ has risen above matter, we shall do it also. Easter is a magnificent reality in all of us just as it was to Him. With the glory of the resurrection at Easter, the mighty triumph of good over evil is an absolute and actual reality for each individual. Not a thing which is way out of reach, that we may or may not attain, but a real definite step which each individual here and elsewhere will take in the future, a real thing which we can put before us with the certainty that we can gain it. Alternatively … Getting Rid of Myth: Demythologisation Demythologization is a way of discovering the real meaning of the Scriptures. This method is uncomfortable for many people. Negatively, it requires us to abandon the biblical worldview that has today become a stumbling block to understanding God's word. To de-mythologize is to accept that the message of Scripture and of the Church is bound to an ancient way of seeing the world which is obsolete. Our modern world is shaped by science, in which a mythological universe makes no sense. A modern person does not look for God to intervene in everyday life, perform miracles, explain daily events or solve their problems, such as physical sickness, family finance or national security. The New Testament accounts of the virgin birth, walking on water, multiplying bread and fish, giving sight to the blind, and even Jesus’ resurrection, can be seen as mythical additions to the essential message. If the scriptural message still depends on nonsensical mythological expressions, its actual and important meaning as God's word to us here and now becomes elusive, if not totally inaccessible. The universal truth was that, in Christ, God had acted for the good of humanity. The old life of fallenness and alienation is exchanged for the possibility of total integrity and authenticity. The perennial message of God's word is to challenge hearers, shaped by whatever way they understand the world, to give up personal sinfulness and the desperate need for security, in order to become new persons in Christ. This kind of giving up and preference for freedom is itself also very difficult to accept. To make hearers capable of focusing on and being challenged by their genuine calling, the mythological worldview had to be removed by demythologization. That newly discovered core cannot be clung to either. It is also important to realise that any worldview, in spite of its usefulness, is simply a human construction or way of reasoning that shapes and promises illusive security and falls short of putting our total trust in God. Source of the Readings: The Inner Side of Christian Festivals, pages 125-6, 151, 158; Theology Annual, 2003, 119-1590, on Rudolf Bultmann, much simplified; Tolstoy. The Inclusive Sacramental Church of Christ Presiding Bishop: Most Rev Harry Aveling. Vicar General: Rt Rev David Jones. St Francis and St Clare, Melbourne: Pastor: Bishop Harry Aveling. Priest: Marion Gilchrist. Deaconess: Roberta Howard. Servers: Peter Howard, (Reader); Noel Wyndom. Singers: Robyn James; Marian Quartly. Community of St Raphael the Healer, Brisbane: Rev Vicki Jones (Priest); Bp David Jones (Pastor). The Upper Room Adelaide: Rev John Coles; Rev Raymee Chau (Subdeacons). Western Australia: Rev Fr Neil Blay.(Priest) TISCC, Auckland: Rev Dr Jerry Sullivan (Deacon) Lumen Ecclesia Christ, Malaysia: Mr Felix Cheah (Graduate Seminarian) https://tiscc.weebly.com/ March 2022
Regular Meetings Sts Francis and Clare, Melbourne: 3rd Sunday in the month – March 20, at Notting Hill. 11am. Available on the Web. Mother Marion Gilchrist, Home Oratory. Melbourne: Weekly at 11am. Not on web. St Raphael the Healer, Brisbane: 9.30am Queensland time, on Facebook. The Upper Room, Adelaide: Each Sunday, as advised Other Communities: As advised. The Work of Church Renewal St Francis of Assisi was specifically called to the ministry of renewal in 1205, as Jesus spoke the words to him, “Francis, can’t you see? My Church is in ruins. Rebuild My Church.” We understand 'Church renewal' to mean the art of rebuilding ancient ruins. These 'ancient' ruins' are the range of gifts given to the Body of Christ which have become forgotten, lost, neglected or wounded. The ruins we see today may include:
The Work of Personal Self-Renewal: Keisha Blair 1. Take a Personal Inventory “He who knows others is wise; He who knows himself is enlightened.” — Lao-tzu (604–531 BC) Chinese Philosopher. The very first step in taking a personal inventory is to survey your valley — are you standing with mostly dry bones? That failed relationship, depression, divorce, the business that failed or the career that never took off. These can physically, emotionally and spiritually consume our very existence and block any hope of self-renewal or personal growth. A personal inventory that explores our deepest thoughts will bring to light: Negative Thoughts (Harbouring the Valley): How much of our days are spent harbouring negative thoughts that block opportunities and blessings; 2. Little Gratitude: How much of our day is spent pitying our personal situation with little thought or recognition of the small blessings on a daily basis; 3. No Forgiveness: How much have we really forgiven ourselves and others for past hurts and missed opportunities; and, 4. Misplaced Priorities: How much of our attention and effort is placed on actually achieving our personal mission or our goals. Prayer, meditation and your intuition are also key in setting the direction in your life. 2. Set the Direction of Progress “Life isn’t a train ride where you choose your destination, pay your fare and settle back for a nap. “It’s a cycle ride over uncertain terrain, with you in the driver’s seat, constantly correcting your balance and determining the direction of progress”. — John.W. Gardner Many great leaders are considered great because they did something almost no one else believed was possible — they literally set the direction of progress for generations to come. They didn’t focus on just having a career or a job — they had a vision and a mission. For self-renewal, it is critical to refocus and set the direction of progress in your life. A new commitment to new priorities will also help keep hope alive. Setting the direction of progress is the act of setting your goals and vision for your life. However, this isn’t about attaining position, fame and power — as the be all and end all. These goals should embody service to humanity and making the world a better place. “Only a life lived in service to others is worth living”. — Albert Einstein 3. Renew your Hope & Motivation “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope”. — Martin Luther King, Jr. Hope and optimism drive us forward to achieve our goals. It is that fierce optimism that can withstand all shocks, all mistakes, all barriers — that is needed for self-renewal. It is standing in the face of relentless obstacles and finding a pathway to succeed. Many extraordinary individuals employed fierce optimism, above all. Winston Churchill almost single handedly kept hope alive for the Western world in the early days of World War Two when Hitler’s rule over Europe seemed unstoppable. He instilled hope with his words when almost everyone else had lost hope. Churchill decided he was going to stand up to Hitler even if no one else stood with him (for that first year of WWII, almost no one stood with him). Similarly, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jnr, kept hope alive for millions amidst the degradation, and abuse of individual, and institutional racism. He did this by setting the sights of his followers on a better day. He helped them imagine a land where people were not judged by the colour of their skin, but by the content of their character. These great leaders set dreams much broader than themselves — their goals were bigger than generations after them could have even imagined. Their hope and optimism led to some of the greatest movements of our time and transformed humanity to become better, stronger and more resilient. 4. Spiritual Transformation Transformation is a process, and as life happens there are tons of ups and downs. It’s a journey of discovery — there are moments on mountaintops and moments in deep valleys of despair. — Rick Warren Spiritual transformation is fueled by a growing awareness of the reality of the soul. There is a conscious commitment to a life of self-discipline and active service in the world. Spiritual disciplines such as meditation, study and service become habits of daily living. It becomes less about personal ego and worldly achievements. “We can’t all get to the top, and that isn’t the point of life anyway”. — J.W. Gardner Spiritual qualities such as compassion, wisdom, and inclusive love take center stage. Spiritual self-renewal means relinquishing your old limited identity and becoming something more expanded, powerful, and closer to your true self. It is not enchained by what others think — or society’s dictates about what encompasses success (e.g. money, job-title etc.). With spiritual transformation, the focus of your life has gone through an evolution- its not focused on the valleys anymore — it’s now focused on turning those valleys into mountaintops — through serving humanity and achieving happiness in the now. The transformed soul asks — what can I give to humanity? rather than what can humanity give to me? “I know of no great man except those who have rendered great services to the human race”. — Voltaire The Inclusive Sacramental Church of Christ Presiding Bishop: Rt Rev Harry Aveling. Vicar General: Bishop David Jones. St Francis and St Clare, Melbourne:Pastor: Rt Rev Harry Aveling.Priest: Marion Gilchrist. Deaconess Roberta Howard; Servers: Peter Howard, (Reader); Noel Wyndom. Singers: Robyn James; Marian Quartly. Community of St Raphael the Healer, Brisbane: Rev Vicki Jones (Priest); Rt Rev David Jones. The Upper Room Adelaide: Rev John Coles; Rev Raymee Chau (Subdeacons). Western Australia: Rev Fr Neil Blay.(Priest) TISCC, Auckland: Rev Jerry Sullivan (Deacon) Lumen Ecclesia Christ, Malaysia: Mr Felix Cheah (Graduate Seminarian) https://tiscc.weebly.com/ February 2022
Regular Meetings Sts Francis and Clare, Melbourne: 3rd Sunday in the month – February 20, at the home of Mother Gilchrist. 11am. St Raphael the Healer, Brisbane: 9.30am Queensland time, on Facebook. The Upper Room, Adelaide: As advised. Other Communities: As advised. January was a demanding month for our small church. One priest passed to higher glory. A new bishop was consecrated and two new priests were ordained. The Revd Dr Joan Wilkinson The Rev Dr Joan Wilkinson passed beyond this world on 9 January 2022. Her funeral was held at St John the Beloved LCC on Tuesday 25 January and we are grateful to the Vicar, the Very Rev Fred Shade, for his complete support throughout the whole ceremony – during, before and after. Many spoke fondly of Joan’s qualities and their affection for her. Joan was ordained a deacon in the Liberal Catholic Church International on 19 July 2018 and a priest on 30 May 2019. She maintained a solitary ministry in the Oratory of St Julian of Norwich, Berwick, praying for the world. Julian has written in her Cloud of Unknowing: “And therefore, you who set out to be as contemplative as Mary was, choose to be small under the wonderful height and worthiness of God, these are perfect, your own humble status is not, it is imperfect. Which is to say: look more to the greatness of God than your own smallness. For nothing can defile the humble, nothing physical or nothing spiritual. For those who have God have all they need, those who have Him need nothing else in this life” (Chapter 23). A New Bishop and Two New Priests The Right Rev David H Jones was consecrated as a bishop “in the church of God” on the 29 January 2022. The Rev. Vicki Jones and Rev. Marion Gilchrist were ordained as priests on the following day, 30 January 2022. The earliest church leaders consisted of apostles, prophets and teachers. By the end of the first century AD, this structure had begun to change into a hierarchy of bishops, priests and deacons. At the end of the second century Saint Ignatius of Antioch wrote various letters making a strong plea for a committed ministry in this form, further arguing that such an order safeguarded the teaching of the apostles, and thus of Christ himself. Assuming the ministry of bishops and deacons (only), St Paul advised Timothy that: “If any man aspires to the office of bishop, he desires a noble task. A bishop must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, dignified, hospitable, an apt teacher, no drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and no lover of money. He must manage his household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way, for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for God’s own church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the slanderer. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, or he may fall into reproach and the snare of the slanderer.” (1 Tim 3: 1-7.) The Liberal Catholic Liturgy states that: “It appertains to a bishop to consecrate, to ordain, to offer sacrifice, to anoint, to loose and to bind, to baptize and to confirm, to preside, to interpret and to judge.” In the Liberal Catholic Liturgy service for the Ordination of Priests, the bishop still describes the priest as “consecrated to this office as our helper”. But he is then more explicit, suggesting that the specific role of the priest is “to offer sacrifice, to bless, to preside, to loose and to bind, to anoint, to preach and to baptise”. When the Holy Spirit is imposed, the bishop says: “Receive the Holy Spirit for the office and work of a Priest in the Church of God; whose sins thou dost forgive, they are forgiven; and whose sins thou dost retain, they are retained.” The consecration was held at the Chapel of St Peter’s Lutheran College, Brisbane. The setting, and the school itself, were rich and privileged, as was obvious when one drove past the local state high school. St Peter’s was Bishop David’s old school and he felt extremely blessed to be consecrated in this large and beautiful chapel by myself and the Rt Rev George Cuffe of the Orthodox Catholic Church of Australia. (Anyone who is interested in the OCC is encouraged to read Geoffrey Ginn’s book Archangels and Archaeology and, more especially, to visit the Abby at Caboolture, Queensland.) The day was extremely hot. Because the consecration service is long and complicated, it was my aim to keep it simple. In line with my commitment to Franciscan simplicity, I did not wear a cope, I wore the mitre as little as possible, and I wore sandals on my feet. Despite this apparent informality, Bishop David was properly consecrated and is now enthusiastically seeking to build up the ISCC locally and more widely. He is a man of deep piety, excellent administrative skills, and possessed of a wonderful friendly nature. The service for new priests was held in a little wooden church at Hemmant. This was a much smaller venue, far more intimate. Bishop David assisted in the service, proud of his Vicki. For Mother Marion, it was the end of 41 years of waiting for her call to the priesthood to be finally answered. The Liturgy speaks of the “sweet but heavy burden of the priesthood”. It concludes: “Since it has pleased our Lord to call you closer to himself, forget not the service of your brothers and sisters, which is the golden pathway to His most glorious presence. Freely you have received, freely give.” We thank Fr Robert Moore for his wonderful musicianship, Presbtyr Brenden for reading the epistle for the day, and Deacon Michael Holford for his services as crozier-bearer. Dcns Vicki and Marion were dutiful servers. Franciscan Simplicity The great Saint Bonaventure’s humble manner of living was on display when the Pope elevated him to the role of Cardinal. The papal couriers carrying the official proclamation and “red hat” found Bonaventure at one of the friaries in northern Italy. When the couriers arrived on the scene, Bonaventure, the Minister General of the Order, was occupied washing the dishes after a meal. The courier’s formal announcement was followed by the presentation of the red hat. Bonaventure thanked him, asked him to set the hat on the table (or on a rose bush in another account), and said he would attend to those things as soon as he had finished washing the dishes. Mulla Nasruddin Mullah Nasruddin had been working in the fields all day long. He was tired and sweaty and his clothes and shoes were covered with mud and stains. Because he had been fasting all day long, for Ramadan, he was also quite hungry. But finally, it was almost sundown and Nasruddin knew that he would soon be able to eat. The wealthiest man in town had invited everyone to come break their fasts in his home that evening with a huge feast. Nasruddin knew that he would be late if he went home to change his clothes before heading into town. He decided it was better to arrive in dirty clothes than to be late. Oh, what a party it would be! What a feast! As he walked to the wealthy man's home, Nasruddin imagined the delicious foods that he would soon be eating: dates, lentils and chickpeas, olives and bread, hummus, falafel, chicken and beef — and best of all — the desserts — halvah, date rolls, figs and baklava! When Nasruddin arrived, the wealthy man opened the door and looked Nasruddin up and down scornfully, from his worn, ragged clothes down to his muddy shoes. Without a word of welcome, he gestured for Nasruddin to come in and walked abruptly away. Nasruddin joined the throngs of people, who were all dressed in their finest clothing. The tables were laden with all sorts of delicious foods: dates, lentils and chickpeas, olives and bread, hummus, falafel, chicken and beef — and best of all — the desserts — halvah, date rolls, figs and baklava! Despite his efforts to hurry, the seats were all taken and nobody tried to move over or make a space for Nasruddin. In fact, nobody offered him food. He had to reach over and around people to get any food for his plate. Nobody spoke to him. It was as if he wasn't even there. The other guests ignored him so completely that Nasruddin could not enjoy the food on his plate, no matter how finely prepared and how tasty it was. In fact, after only a few bites, Nasruddin was so uncomfortable that he decided to leave. He hurried home and changed into his finest clothing, including a beautiful coat. Nasruddin returned to the feast and this time the host welcomed him with a huge smile. "Come in, come in," greeted the host. As Nasruddin entered, people waved and called to him from all corners of the room as they invited him to sit near them and offered him food. Nasruddin sat down quietly. Picking up a plump fig, he carefully placed it into a coat pocket, saying, "Eat, coat, eat." Next he took a handful of nuts and put them into the pocket, saying, "Eat, coat, eat." Now he began to feed his coat in earnest, grabbing all sorts of foods. He fed the coat lentils and chickpeas, olives and bread, hummus, falafel, chicken and beef — and best of all — the desserts — halvah, date rolls, figs and baklava! Nasruddin became silent as they watched this strange behavior. Soon everyone in the room was staring at Nasruddin, wondering what he was doing. The host hurried over. "Nasruddin, whatever are you doing? Why are you feeding your coat in this manner?" "Well," replied Nasruddin, "when I first came to this feast in my old farming clothes, I was not welcome. No one would speak with me. But when I changed into this coat, suddenly I was greeted warmly. So I realized it was not me that was welcome at this party, but my clothing. And so I am feeding my coat." The Inclusive Sacramental Church of Christ Presiding Bishop: Rt Rev Harry Aveling. Vicar General: Bishop David Jones. St Francis and St Clare, Melbourne: Pastor: Rt Rev Harry Aveling.Priest: Marion Gilchrist. Deaconess Roberta Howard; Servers: Peter Howard, (Reader); Noel Wyndom. Singers: Robyn James; Marian Quartly Community of St Raphael the Healer, Brisbane: Rev Vicki Jones (Priest); Bishop David Jones. The Upper Room Adelaide: Rev John Coles; Rev Raymee Chau (Subdeacons). Western Australia: Rev Fr Neil Blay.(Priest) TISCC, Auckland: Rev Jerry Sullivan (Deacon) Lumen Ecclesia Christ, Malaysia: Mr Felix Cheah (Graduate Seminarian) https://tiscc.weebly.com/ January 2022
Regular Meetings Sts Francis and Clare, Melbourne: 3rd Sunday in the month – December 19, at Notting Hill. 11am. St Raphael the Healer, Brisbane: 9.30am Queensland time, on Facebook. The Upper Room, Adelaide: Each Sunday, as advised. Other Communities: As advised. The Human Condition … Job 14.1-3 Man that is born of woman is of a few days, and full of trouble. He comes forth like a flower, and withers; He flees like a shadow and continues not. And dost thou open thy eyes upon such a one And bring him into judgement with thee … Blessed are those … Matthew 5.3-12. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’s sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for the prophets were prosecuted in this same way in former times. Blessed is the Bishop – Pope Francis 1. Blessed is the bishop who makes poverty and sharing his lifestyle, because with his witness he is building the kingdom of heaven. 2. Blessed is the bishop who does not fear to cover his face with tears, so that in them can be mirrored the sorrows of the people, the fatigue of priests, and who finds in the embrace of the one who suffers the consolation of God. 3. Blessed is the bishop who considers his ministry a service and not a power, making meekness his strength, giving to all the right of citizenship in his own heart, so as to inhabit the land promised to the meek. 4. Blessed is the bishop who does not close himself in the palaces of government, who does not become a bureaucrat more attentive to statistics than to faces, to procedures than to people’s stories, who seeks to fight at the side of people for the dream of the justice of God because the Lord, encountered in the silence of daily prayer, will be his nourishment. 5. Blessed is the bishop who has a heart for the misery of the world, who does not fear dirtying his hands with the mud of the human soul in order to find there the gold of God, who is not scandalized by the sin and fragility of the other because he is conscious of his own misery, because the look of the Risen Crucified One will be for him the seal of infinite pardon. 6. Blessed is the bishop who wards off duplicity of heart, who avoids every ambiguous dynamic, who dreams good even in the midst of evil, because he will be able to enjoy the face of God, tracking it down in every puddle of the city of people. 7. Blessed is the bishop that works for peace, who accompanies the paths of reconciliation, who sows in the heart of the presbyterate the seed of communion, who accompanies a divided society on the pathway of reconciliation, who takes by hand every man and every woman of good will in order to build fraternity: God will recognize him as his son. 8. Blessed is the bishop who for the Gospel does not fear to go against the tide, making his face “hard” like that of Christ heading to Jerusalem, without letting himself be held back by misunderstandings and by obstacles because he knows that the Kingdom of God advances in contradiction to the world. The Inclusive Sacramental Church of Christ Presiding Bishop: Rt Rev Harry Aveling. Vicar General: Bishop-Elect David Jones. St Francis and St Clare, Melbourne:Pastor: Rt Rev Harry Aveling.Deacon: Marion Gilchrist. Deaconess Roberta Howard; Servers: Peter Howard, (Reader); Noel Wyndom. Singers: Robyn James; Marian Quartly. Oratory of St Julian of Norwich, Berwick: Rev. Dr Joan Wilkinson (Priest). Community of St Raphael the Healer, Brisbane: Rev Vicki Jones (Deacon); Very Rev David Jones (Priest). The Upper Room Adelaide: Rev John Coles; Rev Raymee Chau (Subdeacons). Western Australia: Rev Fr Neil Blay (Priest) TISCC, Auckland: Rev Dr Jerry Sullivan (Deacon) Lumen Ecclesia Christ, Malaysia: Mr Felix Cheah (Candidate for the Priesthood) https://tiscc.weebly.com/ THE NEW SEED; A NEWSLETTER FOR THE INCLUSIVE SACRAMENTAL CHURCH OF CHRIST
November 2021 Regular Meetings Sts Francis and Clare, Melbourne: 3rd Sunday in the month – November 21, at Notting Hill. 11am. St Raphael the Healer, Brisbane: 9.30am Queensland time, on Facebook. The Upper Room, Adelaide: Each Sunday, as advised. Other Communities: As advised, Esoteric Christianity: John Coles and Raymee Chau The term “exoteric” refers to knowledge that is outside and independent from a person’s experience. “Esoteric” is the hidden side of knowledge that is likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialised knowledge or interest. Esoteric Christianity is a variety of Christianity which features “secret traditions” that require an invitation to learn or understand. According to Anne Besant, Esoteric Christianity “is the way of the Divine Wisdom, the true Theosophy”. It is the hidden and secret teachings of Christ that were given “only to the few”. This is because it appeals only to the few who hunger for more than the exoteric teachings given them. “For those who are fully satisfied with the exoteric teachings, it is not intended, for why should bread be forced on those who are not hungry? For those who hunger, may it prove to be bread and not a stone” (Esoteric Christianity, Foreward). Annie Besant has highlighted some Bible scriptures revealing the Hidden Teachings given by Jesus Christ to a select few: *** And when they were alone, they that were about Him with the twelve asked of Him the parable. And He said unto them: “Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but unto them that are without, all things are done in parables.(St Mark 4. 10-13) *** Jesus told His disciples: “I have many things to tell you, but you cannot bear them now” (St John xvi.12). She has further highlighted that there are two streams of Esoteric knowledge that can be traced through history. “One was the stream of mystic learning, flowing from the Wisdom, the Gnosis, imparted in the Mysteries. The other was the stream of mystic contemplation, equally part of the Gnosis, leading to the ecstasy, the spiritual vision.” For Christianity to survive, “it must regain the knowledge it has lost, and again have its mystic and occult teachings; it must again stand forth as an authoritative teacher of spiritual verities, clothed with the only authority worth anything, the authority of knowledge. If these teachings be regained, their influence will soon be seen in wider and deeper views of truth, dogmas which now seem like mere shells and fetters shall again be seen to be partial presentiments of fundamental realities.” Kabir I felt in need of a good pilgrimage So I sat still for three days And God came to me. The Inclusive Sacramental Church of Christ Presiding Bishop: Rt Rev Harry Aveling. Vicar General: Bishop-Elect David Jones. St Francis and St Clare, Melbourne:Pastor: Rt Rev Harry Aveling.Deacon: Marion Gilchrist. Deaconess Roberta Howard; Servers: Peter Howard, (Reader); Noel Wyndom. Singers: Robyn James; Marian Quartly. Oratory of St Julian of Norwich, Berwick: Rev. Dr Joan Wilkinson (Priest). Community of St Raphael the Healer, Brisbane: Rev Vicki Jones (Deacon); Very Rev David Jones (Priest). The Upper Room Adelaide: Rev John Coles; Rev Raymee Chau (Subdeacons). Western Australia: Rev Fr Neil Blay.(Priest) TISCC, Auckland: Rev Jerry Sullivan (Deacon) Lumen Ecclesia Christ, Malaysia: Mr Felix Cheah (Graduate Seminarian) https://tiscc.weebly.com/ THE NEW SEED; A NEWSLETTER FOR THE INCLUSIVE SACRAMENTAL CHURCH OF CHRIST
October 2021 The New Seed I assure you most solemnly that unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just one grain; it never becomes more but lives by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces many others and yields a rich harvest. (John 12: 24) New Expressions of Liberal Catholicism There have been two new expressions of Liberal Catholicism formed this year. Both are outgrowths from the Liberal Catholic Church International, with whom we hope to maintain good relations. Both movements seek to emphasise the esoteric aspects of Liberal Catholicism and the freedom of congregations to take responsibility for their own faith and worship. Ties between the two groups are not formal but based on immense good will and respect. We are one of. those new movements. The Inclusive Sacramental Church of Christ was established in Australia in March and has communities in Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Western Australia, Auckland and Malaysia. TISCC encourages a broad range of styles of ministry. The Inclusive Sacramental Church of Christ Presiding Bishop: Rt Rev Harry Aveling. Vicar General: Bishop-Elect David Jones. St Francis and St Clare, Melbourne: Pastor: Rt Rev Harry Aveling. Deacon: Marion Gilchrist. Deaconess Roberta Howard; Servers: Peter Howard, (Reader); Noel Wyndom. Singers: Robyn James; Marian Quartly. Oratory of St Julian of Norwich, Berwick: Rev. Dr Joan Wilkinson (Priest). Community of St Raphael the Healer, Brisbane: Rev Vicki Jones (Deacon); Very Rev David Jones (Priest). The Upper Room Adelaide: Rev John Coles; Rev Raymee Chau (Subdeacons). Western Australia: Rev Fr Neil Blay.(Priest) TISCC, Auckland: Rev Jerry Sullivan (Deacon) Lumen Ecclesia Christ, Malaysia: Mr Felix Cheah (Graduate Seminarian) https://tiscc.weebly.com/ |
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