St James and World Youth Day

From our Church's Weekly News to show all Anglicans in the Diocese of Sydney are not as curmudgeonly as the Dean and Bishops.
St James is located opposite the Catholic Cathedral.

PRAYER WITH BROTHERS OF TAIZÉ AN ENORMOUS SUCCESS
During the week we have had a once-in-a-lifetime experience at St James' with hundreds, indeed thousands, of young people and many older people in St James' at all times of the day and evening, but especially during the 12 times of Prayer with the Brothers of Taizé. They came from every country imaginable and, as part of the prayers, we heard the Scriptures read and the Lord's Prayer prayed in many languages. The church itself was decorated in orange and gold and awash with candles. The large cross from Taizé and the icons, softly lit with candles, added to the sense of prayerfulness and attentiveness on God. People milled on the steps and porticos, coming in or going out. The prayer times themselves, led by the brothers in their white habits, and supported by a young choir and instrumentalists, were simple, still and meditative. As the city was caught up in World Youth Day, there is no doubt that St James' was well and truly ''in the thick of it'' and it was a great place of prayer and fellowship. I am grateful to all the members of our staff, together with the many volunteers who assisted, who worked so had to make our involvement with World Youth Day 2008 such a memorable experience.
— Fr Peter

You have to laugh

Two items in the Sydney Morning Herald.

Our stupid State Government passed a law that anyone annoying a World Youth Day pilgrim could face a fine of $5,500. Fortunately the courts had more sense and it was thrown out yesterday but you have to give it to one of our evango-fundie churches for slick advertising.
"Seen outside All Souls Anglican Church, Leichhardt, on Sunday: 'SAVE $5000 AT WYD. COME HERE AND ANNOY ANGLICANS FOR FREE.' "

and with apologies to my American friends.

"Yesterday an American pilgrim being interviewed on TV was surprised but happy to find that our Mass was the same as theirs in the US," reports Robyn Lewis of Raglan. "It reminded me of an incident in St Paul's (Anglican) Cathedral in London. My husband and daughter were at Morningsong, enjoying the ambience and music. During the Lord's Prayer an American exclaimed 'Golly Gladys, this Lord's Prayer is the same as ours!"'

Thoughts from Church today

Again a wonderful Offertory hymn today. This time for Lambeth in my mind at least (I wonder if the new head of music had it in mind, he was inducted today so may not have actually chosen the hymns)

"O thou, who at thy Eucharist didst pray
that all thy Church might be for ever one,
grant us at every Eucharist to say
with longing heart and soul, "thy will be done."
O may we all one Bread, one Body be,
through this blest Sacrament of unity.

For all thy Church, O Lord, we intercede;
make thou our sad divisions soon to cease;
draw us the nearer each to each, we plead,
by drawing all to thee, O Prince of Peace;
thus may we all one Bread, one Body be,
through this blest Sacrament of unity."
Tune may be heard at http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/o/o645.html

Actually the new Head of Music seems to be quite a find for St James.

	Warren Trevelyan-Jones

has just arrived from England.
He was commissioned at the 11am Choral Eucharist. My usual service is the 9am Sung Eucharist in which I can sing my heart out probably to the annoyance of my neighbours rather than sit as an admiring listener to the choir.

At the 9am service today we dedicated the young volunteers who are working with the Brothers of Taize at services in St James during World Youth Day (week?)
St James is located opposite St Mary's Catholic Cathedral (the bells sometimes conflict). To my knowledge this is the only official involvement of the Anglican church in the Catholic World Youth Day. We prayed for its success (along with Lambeth, I wonder if it is in the prayers of other Sydney Diocesan churches). Our Rector referred in his sermon to the Editorial in the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday which ends:

There is a lesson for clergy and laity alike in the words of author C.S. Lewis: "If you read history you will find the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this."

The whole editorial is well worth reading.

He (the Rector) stated that those on the Right of the church think only of salvation as acceptance into Heaven while those on the Left think only of salvation in the world today. Rather we should be combining both in our concept of Salvation. Something to think about.

I also want to draw your attention to the (as always) wonderful article by Bishop Gene Robinson in the Guardian. He continues to amaze and inspire me. Was going to write more but Doorman-Priest has beaten me to it. However please read the blog and keep Bishop Gene in your prayers for his safety and for the words he speaks. Commentators and blog replies (often anonymous) say he is obsessed but I give thanks that he is speaking for so many of us who have not had a voice in the church in the past.

I have decided to keep well away from Sydney (I live 80km away) during World Youth Day (Week). I do not like crowds and after 40 years as a High School Teacher have become allergic to young people but I will pray for its success even though I have reservations about some of the more conservative aspects as well as the cost. Alcibiades who lives closer to the centre of things may be able to keep you more up-to-date.