Diary - Moon Walk

It seems to be the in thing at the moment to reminisce about where one was 40 years ago. I have kept a diary since 1962. Most of it is very uninteresting but occasionally helpful.
Last Saturday says: Washing, Vacuumed bedroom
Yesterday said: Ironing but I will soon add: to Katoomba and saw 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'.
Reading my activities in the 60's I wonder how I had the energy.
July 21st 1969 I wrote:
To School, portable Tvs used to watch Man's first walk on the Moon Went shopping - To Jones's

I was a 25 year old teacher in my 4th year of teaching so had just gained my 1st list which meant I could begin to apply for more supervisor positions and in 2 years would go for 2nd list and then be able to apply for promotional positions (actually took another 4 years).

I have no idea what I purchased while shopping. I was still living at home with my parents so did not need to shop for food, perhaps clothes.
The Jones were a family whose son was in the group I took camping in NZ at the end of that year so it was probably about fund raising activities.

There were not lot of TVs in schools at the time so students were sent home to collect portables for nearly every room and classes were suspended for most of the day while we watched the Moon landing. We have always been proud that the images came through the Radio Disk at Parkes in Central NSW (about 250km from me now). This was because of the position of the Moon over the earth at that time.
I remember a new teacher from India had only started that day and she thought Australian schools were crazy.

Reading around that date, I had assisted with the Christian Fellowship at school the previous Friday and attended Evening Prayer the night before. Most of the weekend had been spent collecting bottles to raise money for the NZ trip.

However Saturday night I had driven, wearing biker clothes, to places where I might fall in with gangs. This was my pathetic attempt in those days to explore my sexual urges. These lives were kept completely separate, even my diary is cryptic. Fortunately I never came to grief in those dangerous activities.

The News

Sometimes I think it would be better if I did not watch the news. It has been so depressing lately.

First there was the hotel bombings in Jakarta last Friday. Three Australians, 2 business men and one trade official were killed and one New Zealand business man. I am not sure of the nationality of the other 5 killed, I presume they were Indonesian and one was the suicide bomber. I think about 60 were injured. I cannot understand any religion which seems to believe in a God of hate and this includes some well-known Christian even if they do not resort to actual physical violence.
Prayers for the families of the deceased and the nation of Indonesia which is trying with a great deal of recent success to be a democracy.

Second our news was of the 11th Australian soldier to die in Afghanistan, a young man of 22. I know this is not many by US standards but still bad enough. At least there were comments by the Chief of the Defence Forces, the Minister for Defence and the Prime Minister. On past performance they are all likely to attend any funeral service. Sadly that would be impossible in the USA. I am becoming increasingly disenchanted with the war in Afghanistan. It seemed worthwhile immediately after 9/11 but unfortunately the effort was diverted to Iraq and now experts seem to think it is unwinnable and we are only remaining to 'save face'. A poor reason for sending young men to their deaths. Prayers needed for the family and all the forces of many countries fighting in Afghanistan.

Finally our news is full of the death of a family in a quiet suburb of Sydney.Two young boys aged 9 & 12, their mother, father and aunt were found bludgeoned to death in their home on Sunday morning. They owned the local newsagency. As yet no reasons are known. Prayers especially are needed for the 15 year old daughter of the family who was on holiday overseas. Her grief must be unimaginable.

A Babble of Baptisms

I met my sister outside church this morning and, having read the daily notices online, said "Guess what, another baptism"

St James, King Street is the oldest church in Sydney and was consecrated in 1824 (not old by world standards but Sydney was first settled by the English in 1788).
Consequently it is seen by many as the place to have your child 'done'.
In the 4 weeks after Easter we had six baptisms over 3 Sundays. I guess there was a backlog from Lent. We have had 2 or 3 since and there are also baptisms at the later service.
On any other Sunday the majority of worshippers are well past child bearing. Our Sunday School, known as Kids@Church, process out after a blessing which follows the Collect for the Day and usually return in time for communion. We are pleasantly surprised if the number of children reaches 2 figures. Where are all those who were baptised 4 or more years ago?

Even if I did not read the pew sheet, a baptism is announced by a large number of strangers sitting at the front of the church who are so obviously lost in the liturgy. This is most obvious during the Gospel procession when they all begin to realise that they should have turned around to face the centre of the church.
I was pleased today to see that many of them, including the Godparents, did go up to take communion. Quite often only 1 or 2 do so.
The problem today was the large number of babies among the group. The sermon could hardly be heard and there was a titter through the congregation as about the 4th parent took a child out of the church. My sister whose hearing is declining told me she just gave up.
The Guest of Honour today was very good and our Assistant Priest Fr John has a real way with kids and always processes around the church to display the child after the baptism. There was a lot of crying during the baptism and I, not having a good view, thought it was the child. It is winter and I am not sure if the water is warmed. However I was told the crying came from some of the others, not the child of the day.

I do like singing Laudate Dominum as they process from the sanctuary to the font.
We leave out the Creed which, of course, is covered by the liturgy of baptism but also the Prayers of the Faithful which I feel is a shame.

A few weeks ago I met a person who used to be a parishioner at St James. She told me at least she restated her baptismal vows on a regular basis while attending St James.

I am not sure if I am being a curmudgeon. Perhaps we should rejoice that parents still want their child baptised. I have no idea what preparation is provided by the priests.
At least it helps the offertories.

On this topic, last year offertories were down and we have had several pleas to increase them. I was glad to read in our July Newsletter that offerings for the half year are 9% over the first 6 months of 2008 and 4% above the budget. I do not know if this is due to increased giving or increased attendance but certainly this 'liberal' parish is not declining.

However to cheer me up, we had one of my favourite hymns for the Offertory.
Dear Lord and Father of mankind.
When the organ leads the congregation to belt out "Speak through the earthquake wind and fire" and then quieten for "Oh still small voice of calm"
the tears stream down my face.

Thank God British Backpacker safe

I am amazed and thankful.
A 19 year old British backpacker went walking in the Mountains not far from my home 12 days ago. He only had a light jacket and did not take his mobile phone (not always much use in this type of country). While some people do go hiking alone, I think it is very foolish as you never know if you might slip and be injured. He was in Australia alone and reported missing when he did not show for a tour he had booked a few days later.
His father flew out from England but this country is so thickly timbered with steep cliffs.

"I was told there were 50 guys with yellow jackets out there looking for him - I saw one of them,'' Mr Cass said.

"So I can understand how difficult it is to see a stupid kid in a dark blue jacket walking under the trees.

"It's so dense.''

I know it well and might be able to orientate myself by recognising landmarks but for a stranger it would be so easy to get lost.
This afternoon his father was at the airport about to fly home, having conducted a little private ceremony and given up all hope, when he received a message that his son had been found by walkers and was just dehydrated having lived on seeds and leaves. It is mid-Winter and temperatures would be about zero or below. As I said amazing.

Last weekend some recent British migrants, two families with young children, went for a walk in the bush at 4.30pm (sunset 5pm at the moment). They were found the next morning after a very cold night. The Australian bush is no walk in the park.

The photo below, which I took 18 months ago, shows the area in which he was lost. The small hill in the centre is know as the Ruined Castle and is where he was last seen by some other walkers 12 days ago. He was headed for Mount Solitary on the left. In front is Narrow Neck and news reports say he was found below it on this side.
Newspaper article

Vive La France

Bishop Robinson meets with Archbishop Aspinall

I was pleased to read on the blog of Bishop Gene Robinson
Another amazing day yesterday. At noon, I had lunch with three primates, thanks to the Chicago Consultation. Along with Bishop Tom Ely, of Vermont, I broke bread with the Primates of Korea (and his translator), Scotland and Australia.


+Gene comments on some things said by the Primate of Korea but nothing from Archbishop Aspinall, Primate of Australia.

Oh dear, won't that upset the Sydney types.

They met when +Gene was on holidays in Australia last year and some of the local idiots accused ++Aspinall of hearing one side only. He would have to be stone deaf not to know the other point of view and I presume in his normal activities he would have met ++Jensen and the other Sydney bishops often.

++Aspinall is very cautious in declaring his views. I found this:
Dr Aspinall said that he had not declared his personal position on the issue of the ordination of gay clergy because he believed it was his responsibility as Primate in the current climate to “try to find ways to enable the Church to engage in the debate in a constructive way and move forwards towards a solution”. If he were to express a strong personal view, it would add to the polarisation in the current climate, which would not be helpful. He said that he felt sympathy for the hurt that gay people experienced. “Quite a number of homosexual people have said that they are people of faith, that they are committed to Jesus Christ, and believe they are faithful members of the Church and they want to have a home in the Church and they want their contributions to be received and valued and welcomed.

He is speaking at Christ Church St Laurence in Sydney on September 15 and I plan to be present.
His topic will be:
'Gracious Restraint: Hastening Slowly in the Anglican Communion'
which is not as hopeful as I would like. I feel there has been too much restraint on our side and very little on the other. Graciousness is not a virtue held by the Jensenites. I can imagine what they will say when they hear of the lunch meeting yesterday.

Blogging time!!!!!!

I am finding it hard to cope with the blog roll on the right of my page. I like to keep up but find that, as last weekend, when I go out several days in a row the list just gets longer. There is a lot of good stuff but my time is spent in front of the computer. I just threw out over a month's worth of daily papers from my dining table. I read the first few pages then leave them for later unless I take them with me on the nearly 2 hour train trip to the city. The pile got higher and I was trying to eat off the top of the pile. Finally had to throw them all.
I went to 2 social meetings last week with people my age. They all said they check their email every 3 or 4 days (some do not have the internet) and looked amazed that I check my computer, if at home, every hour. I did not tell them I spend 3 or 4 hours a day (when home) reading blogs.
I am adding friends when requested to Facebook, they are all from my blogroll anyway, but have no intention of posting there. The whole idea of asking a person to be my friend I find creepy. How would I feel if they refused? I sometimes get requests from people I do not know, how strange. I only go to Facebook when I receive an email.
Oh well back to reading, although I have a pile of housework and, if it was not raining, a heap of gardening to do.
I want to post about the seminar last weekend but when will I find the time?

Missed Opportunity

This morning at Sung Eucharist, it was not until I was leaving that I realised the couple sitting across the aisle from me were the Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd and his wife. They are off to Italy tomorrow and will be meeting yet again with world leaders including President Obama and this time the Pope.

I am not one to wander around the church at the sign of peace, I just exchange with those closest to me so I missed my opportunity to shake hands with the Prime Minister especially when he will be shaking so many important hands next week.

I could have asked him about same-sex marriages but that would be rude when he is there to worship. There were no TV cameras at the door when we left (before him) so perhaps even the newshounds did not know his plans for today. His Commonwealth car with Aussie Flag was outside but not when we went in so they must have arrived after us.
The security personnel were less obvious than on Christmas day perhaps due to the smaller numbers in church.
Tomorrow is the anniversary of Mum's death, 3 years ago, and her name was on the service sheet so I have a good feeling that the Prime Minister prayed for her during the prayers of the faithful even if he did not actually read down the names.

Yesterday I attended an all-day seminar on "Is Scripture Enough?" It was organised by our church but the speakers came from Trinity College, Melbourne. However Rev Michael Jensen (son of our Archbishop) was there and took part in a panel discussion. Very interesting but I will need to blog in more detail in a few days (am going hiking as usual tomorrow).

Farewell Mollie Sugden

I have had hours of fun watching "Are you being served"
Back in 2007 we lost John Inman (Mr Humphries) and early this year Wendy Richard (Miss Brahms) and now we learn that Mollie Sugden (Mrs Slocombe) has died.
I have discovered a touching tribute starting with her most famous line
I will not be as coy as the news on the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Commission - our national broadcaster) last night which referred to her many double entendres including "comments about her pet cat". This report alone had me in stitches, no vulgarity allowed on the ABC News.

Amusing

Two items in our local newspaper.

On a recent trip through a two-church town the church billboards left one man confused. He writes: "The first said ' Jesus died for YOU' while further down the street I was confronted by the news that 'Jesus lives!' "

A regional newspaper reported the Catholic bishop of Bathurst will " according to custom... prostate himself during a prayer".