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Bulletin for January 2018

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Bulletin for December 24th 2017

Advent 4 2017

Can you remember in your life a moment or occasion, a revelation, a life-changing event, a kind of moment after which life is never the same again? An AHA moment. I recall one of those moments, and there have been a few of them, when my life and the life of my family changed forever. I had been struggling with faith, or perhaps the Church, disillusioned and aggrieved at the Church’s response to matters of poverty, its inertia on many social and ethical issues of the day and the appearance that it always sided with those in authority. I had never had a conversion as my evangelical colleague ‘s claim. I have never doubted the existence of God although my knowledge and relationship with God has changed over the years and I feel is still changing.

As I was walking with our young children along the beach at Lorne one cold winter’s day, winter is always the best time at Lorne, no crowds, I suddenly said to myself out loud, ok God you win and I lose. I had thought of the possibility of Ordination for some years but my state of mind about the institution called the Church was not too appealing. If anything I was too radical for the Church. I have not always been very good as “simply towing the official line” if I believe it to be wrong and obeying authority for the sake of it. A rebellious steak still surfaces from time to time.

This Lorne moment was a profound moment for me along with my marriage, the birth of our children and now Grandchildren. We have as a family been richly favoured.

What have been your life changing experiences? The time when you were confident that you have made the right choice about your career or life long partner, or the death of a loved one or when listening to music, viewing art or simply being a friend to another. These are all life changing experiences, some immensely good for us and others that challenge who we are and what we believe. Sometimes we run away from such experiences or pretend they do not exist, while others we embrace with enthusiasm.

In today’s Gospel we read and hear of a momentous change event that must have been startling, unbelievable, astonishing, surprising and frightening to a young 15-16 year old girl. Mary lacks all the credentials that most human beings think important for anyone making such a dramatic change in history. What qualifications did Mary have for the task. Indeed almost everything is against her: age, inexperience, gender, material possessions and powerlessness. I wonder what Mary was doing at the time the angel Gabriel appeared to her.

Perhaps she was doing the household duties, fetching water, and thinking about her forthcoming marriage to Joseph, praying or scrubbing the floor? There is no mention in Luke’s Gospel as why Mary has been chosen to be the mother of Jesus. More is said about Joseph {he is of the house of David}. Even in the case of Zechariah and Elizabeth Luke explains that they are righteous and blameless. A word is not spoken about the virtues or vices of Mary. This of course is precisely the point. God chooses and Mary does not earn or deserve to be the mother of Jesus any more than any other woman.

Mary as we have just heard receives a shattering and awe inspiring moment. This is a moment that will change her life and the world forever. Her child would be different. I know from the birth of our own children and now grandchildren that we hope for normal healthy children and so do all parents. Mary on the other hand is not only to give birth by the Holy Spirit but her child is to be different. Her first reaction to this news is caution, silence and puzzlement. As we read in the Gospel, “She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean.”

Mary’s life would never be the same as it is with us when we have a life changing experience. How much Mary understood of what happened at the time is unclear but she does come to the realization that God is at work here and commits herself to be the voice and parent of this child Jesus. Her words in the Magnificent, {the song of Mary} as I said last week are revolutionary and challenges all that corrupts and exploits God’s world.

Mary’s world was turned upside down in a moment. She would never be the same. Her story gives her a unique place in history. But the story is much more than history. It is historic.

Mary’s role in the story of Jesus is sadly often sentimentalized and ignored. She is a mother yes but much more. She sings a song of God proclaiming God and sees hope and aspiration not in celebrities, power brokers, bullies and oppressors, not in the rich or rich places but in the God who turns the world upside down by filling those who are hungry for grace and peace and sending the rich and complacent away empty.

Some of my own experiences in my work at Anglicare occurred when I heard and listened to the stories of children and young people and the darkest periods of their life and the change in their lives by love, care and the attention of Foster parents form good families. The light shines in the darkest places when we embrace the light.

I suggest the world needs to hear Mary’s song, perhaps more than ever, as we are a world obsessed with materialism, wealth accumulation and self-interest.

The question for us today and not only us but for all those rushing around at this time of the year is, are we willing, even able to allow God to transform our lives and the lives of those around us, even for a minute.

Amen

Christmas 2017

There is often a contrast, a difference between words spoken, ideas expressed and the experience each of us feel and see in the world around us. The message of Christmas is no exception. Expressions of hope to be found in words of ‘peace and goodwill to all’ are too often blemished by acts of war, terrorism, abuse of power, ignorance, self-interest and greed. The words we express at Christmas of peace and goodwill do not necessarily reflect our actions, policies or lives day by day. Our highest ideals of a safe, secure and compassionate community often destroyed by acts of vandalism, aggression and greed. Once again we have seen the tragedy of innocent lives injured with the act of a delusional and drug affected driver on Thursday evening in the city centre. The drowning of a father rescuing his two children from the sea at Skynes creek is another reminder of tragedy at Christmas time. Then there are the road accidents that change the lives of families and individuals forever and the over consumption of alcohol that brings other tragedies.

Families under siege or persecution are unlikely to experience Christmas as a happy and joyous occasion if their very life, their identity and sense of belonging is under threat, and their homes or place are being vilified or destroyed. Others for whom life is an ongoing struggle are pressured into purchasing gifts for their children and others they cannot afford out of guilt. We can only ponder on how asylum seekers and refuges across the Globe are experiencing the season if any, with a sense of joy and peace at this time. The plight of the women of Sudan living in refugee camps in Uganda with the murder of their husbands, and new born children is a chilling reminder to us all of the fragility of the global human family. Of course this is a reflection not only of others but the Church also. Over and over again I have been told stories of people hurt by the actions and words of the church and who see little substance to words of love and forgiveness.

The starkness of this statement will be seen this year in the celebrations of Christmas in Bethlehem the birthplace of Jesus, where the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine shatters the message of hope proclaimed in the Christ child.

Likewise a parent who has lost a child or who has experienced personal hurt during the year may feel apprehensive or ambivalent about the Christmas season.

At home here in Australia, as in many other parts of the world Christmas celebrations this year will be muted by the threats of war, and unrest in many parts of the globe. Some municipal Councils have decided to ignore Christmas, although still have parties for their staff. Others will experience little joy due to homelessness, family violence and loneliness. During my time at Anglicare Foster children who went home at Christmas often returned early, and were distressed by what they experienced and saw at home.

Christmas however has the capacity and the potential to be a change experience and to be a time for the celebration of the potential of the human family to live in harmony and to pursue justice. This claim is at the heart of the religious message of Christmas, but it equally applies to a multicultural celebration of the season. Luke reminds us that the God of the universe snuck into world as a baby, not arriving in power and beauty but in poverty. He came for the life of all not just the religious and compliant.

Christmas condemns all acts of terrorism. Christmas denounces all misuse of power and greed. Christmas is more than family celebrations and the buy at all costs marketing we have experienced over the past few weeks. It is not only about giving but also receiving. Christmas seeks to offer a way forward, a challenging and radical way forward that acknowledges our capacity for evil and yet abounds in hope.

In the birth of the Christ child God enters fully into the created world and challenges the powers that seek to destroy and exploit. To acknowledge such a faith commitment is to commit all of us to the discovery of God in human lives often in the places we least expect to find him.

This Christmas the question each of us should ask ourselves is ‘who is the victim and who the perpetrator of poverty, hunger and homelessness’? How have we as Christians contributed to people turning their back on God and faith? How may we make amends? A close examination of the answers is likely to be both disturbing and challenging. The answers are likely to challenge our talk, our judgements, and moralising about others.

Christmas is more than tinsel, parties and family gatherings. Christmas seeks to restore hope and proclaims peace as possible. The infant child of Bethlehem symbolises the potential of every new child to act and live according to the words of the prophet Micah, “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God”.

So be it this Christmas.

 

 

  Locum Vicar’s Christmas letter 2017

 

I know it is a cliché, but Christmas seems to roll around more quickly each year. Perhaps age has something to do with it, or the fact that our lives are so busy that we feel this way. Christmas is also so familiar to us that it hard to imagine our world without it, even though the religious observance in many parts of the Western world appears on the decline. Last Sunday evening the Service of Nine Lessons and Carols was a welcome pause for all who came, to rekindle the true meaning of Christmas and void of the sentimentality and commercialization so evident on TV and radio at this time.

 

Christmas as we know it began with the appropriation of a 3rd century pagan mid-winter solstice festival celebrating “the sun”, whereas the Christian celebration is of “the son”. This suggest that perhaps we should not be too surprised that now we see other philosophies or religious expressions of the Christmas season. In our postmodern and secular society, the Christian celebration of Christmas is not the only way our society celebrates the season.

 

In fact, we must jostle for a place to be heard at times alongside the worship of the commercial gurus, the celebrities of the day, sport, family and in Australia the Boxing Day Test and the holidays to follow. In many parts of Europe and in some Orthodox traditions the twelve days of Christmas are observed ending with the three wise men visiting the Christ Child on the 6th January the Feast of the Epiphany. They acknowledge him as the promised Messiah, as foretold by the prophets.  I think it is sad that we cram Christmas into one day here in Australia and do not appreciate that Christmas has a deeper meaning than family and gift giving.

 

Christians at Christmas time do not just commemorate an historical event but rather an eternal life changing mystery. In the birth of the Christ Child God enters the fullness of human life and calls us to a new way of being human. Humanity that is generous, open, hospitable, forgiving and offered liberation from the shackles of sin and brokenness.  The child who was born for our redemption continues to challenge those who seek naked political power, exploit or abuse their neighbour and reject the call to become God bearers.

 

At Christmas we pray that the light of Christ will shine into the dark places of our troubled and broken world and in our own lives, homes, city and nation.

 

Blessings and peace to all for this Christmas.                             Ray

 

 

Prophets disturb us. They are often described as agitators and rabble rouses.  In past years environmentalist were often given this tag, although in recent years with the threat of climate change, whether human made or not, they have become in some places the heroes of our time. Increasingly we find that prophets have become more mainstream as we say, with farmers, scientists, even corporation challenging governments on matters such as climate change and a range of other ethical and social issues.

Mary is a prophet. We see and hear her in today’s Song of Mary sung in place of the Psalm.

     “The Magnificat, or Mary’s Protest Song is the longest recorded words of a woman spoken in the New Testament   and is Mary’s announcement about the subservice nature of Jesus Kingdom and ministry to come. It is inspired by God and comes out of the mouth of a pregnant unwed teenage mother to be, uncertain about her own future on the edge of the powerful Roman Empire.”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer the German Theologian killed 10 days before the end of the Nazi regime, spoke these words in a sermon on the 17th December 1933.

“The song of Mary is the oldest Advent hymn. It is at once the most passionate, the wildest, one might even say the most revolutionary Advent hymn ever sung. This is not the gentle, tender, dreamy Mary whom we sometimes see in paintings…This song has none of the sweet, nostalgic, or even playful tones of some of our Christmas carols”.

  Prophets challenge our priorities and prejudice when they question the status quo, or those in authority, or raise issues that we would rather not think about or confront. Last weeks Gospel from Mark portrays John the Baptist in such a light.  He is present as an advocate, stranger, outsider and dresses in unconventional clothing.  Both Luke and Mark source their presentation of John from the prophet Isaiah. John as I said is not presented as an angelic voice from heaven, announcing the coming of the Lord, but rather as a hermit, Wildman, an asectic, dressed in camel’s hair with a loincloth around his waist proclaiming, “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand. Perhaps those old enough to remember, see him as a swinging hippy of the 60s.

 

Some commentators suggest that John was a member of one of the many radical groups of his time, expressing frustration, anger and rebellion against the ruling elites of their time. Both Luke and Mark’s narrative has John engaging with the religious establishments who have their ideas about the coming messiah, as a mighty warrior out to conquer the Roman authorities.  John rejects their understanding that he is that person.

 

In today’s Gospel, the story continues from last week although from John’s Gospel.  John the Baptist speaks to the impatient crowd who are looking for a messiah. John declares himself to be the voice that Isaiah speaks about, a voice crying in the wilderness. John refuses to accept anything that the leaders of Israel wish to make of him. He is not Elijah, nor the prophet of the day but only a voice crying. The power brokers of the day, both the religious and political leaders are bewildered and afraid of the increasing agitation growing around them, and with John’s encouragement of the crowd, raising their hopes and expectations as one coming out of the wilderness, proclaiming the coming of the Lord, seems odd and confusing. Who is this man one can hear they ask each other? Who is he referring to? John is saying that the enemies that have made Israel’s life a misery is coming to an end. The lame and the outcast will find themselves healed in the coming of Jesus. The current political and religious elites will find their time at an end. Here it is clear that God’s Kingdom challenges the Kingdom of the world.

Herod ruler at the time was a sham, an adulterer in John’s eye one who failed to inspire and lead the people in righteousness before God.

We are moving fast through the season of Advent. Christmas, or at least the commercial Christmas is rushing in upon us with frenzy. For the profiteers and the commercial gurus of the day Christmas is already here, and be quick because it will be over and then the Boxing Day test, the beach holiday, and the sales.

 

 For Christians as I wrote in the pew bulletin starts on the 25th December and conclude with the feast of the Epiphany the arrival of the three wise men.  In Europe the season of Christmas survives while here at home the weather and holiday season have reduced it too often to just one day.

 Advent in the church’s liturgical calendar is a time for reflection and preparation for the celebration for the birth of Christ. In the early life of the Church it was also much more closely aligned with the second coming of Christ.  As I have said on more than one occasion Advent is more than shopping or even family gatherings, although both certainly have their place in our celebrations.  Christian Faith is much more than this. Faith is the grounding of our humanity, care for the other and an intimate relationship and knowledge of God. Faith is more than a deity we shape in our own image, which is precisely what the religious leaders were hoping for at the time of John the Baptist.

Today’s Gospel reminds us that the one to come will come not in our image but of God. He is the one as Luke reminds us who will bring good news to the poor, the broken and the down trodden. He will set the captive free and give sight to the blind. His message continues to challenge the power brokers and the subverters of the Common Good.

The life story of Jesus is one who stands with the different, the difficult and the dissident. At first when he stands in the synagogue and reads from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah people are astounded. Some surprised, others even skeptical and cynical that such words could come from the son of an unmarried mother and from Nazareth. All goes well till he reminds the gathered assembly of those in their own midst, the widows and the lepers who need help, and declares himself as the fulfillment of the promise of Isaiah. They are threatened and challenged by his words. It is not what they wanted to hear.

 

As I reflected on today’s readings, as we move closer to Christmas, I recalled words of the playwright David Williamson when commenting on the state of the global community of which we are part. He says,  

 

“do unto others as you would have them do unto you, was without doubt the most threatening moral maxim, the powerful, the messianic, the corrupt and the indifferent had ever been confronted with.”

The Powerful always work on the rule: Do unto others what your military might allows you to do.”

“The fanatics and haters of the world; Do unto others the things that would cause most grief and devastation, irrespective of the devastation done to oneself.”

The corrupt; “Do unto others everything you can possibly get away with.

 

The self satisfied and indifferent: Do unto others absolutely nothing’.

 

To live as one called to live in the footsteps of Jesus will mean we will struggle as he did to bring in the new order for our times. We will be misunderstood and chastised, ridiculed and abused for entering the world from our safe temples into the wilderness of life as did Jesus and John.

The hope of Advent is not only about the future but also equally about the present. It is the realization, as did the gathered congregation in the synagogue that Luke recalls, that the future is the present, and as we wait, we are called to show the unconditional love and hospitality of God with others.

Today we need a church renewed in prayer and engagement with the needs of the world. We need a clergy working with and alongside the Laos of all. Hope is central to the meaning of Advent. It is a time to celebrate the God given potential of each of us and to be the light that shines in the darkness.

In the midst of all the craziness of our times I still take great comfort in the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. The future is ultimately in God’s hands and God’s alone. This is not a time for despair but hope. May this be yours also?

May we continue to embrace the challenge confident that God is with us and not despair or give up?

 

Amen

 

Last Saturday we had a very enjoyable evening at the shared meal. The food was great and the company stimulating. The occasion is also an opportunity to invite guests and build our community of faith. Thanks to all who came and shared.

The presence of the Christmas tree in church reminds us, if we need to be reminded, that Christmas is fast approaching. Our televisions, newspapers and invitations to meet with family and friends at this time for Christmas drinks and gatherings of all sorts tell us that Christmas has already arrived. Others will be travelling to family and visiting relatives, leaving before the celebrations here at St George’s before Christmas begin. The purest among us in the church will remind us that Christmas begins on the 25^th December for 12 days till the feast of the Epiphany, and the arrival of the three wise men on the 6^th January. A colleague of mine still refuses to open his Christmas presents until that day. Whatever your own circumstance at home or away, may the Christmas season bring you peace and hope.

On another matter like me I am sure you have received in the mail numerous requests for financial support to a variety of charities including our Anglican ones, such as Anglicare, The Brotherhood of St Laurence, Anglican Overseas Aid, Anglican Board of Missions, The Church Missionary Society and others like the Christmas Bowl. How one decides how to give and how much can be a challenge. Some of us will give an amount to each organization, or if you are like me I have chosen to give a larger amount to a smaller number of agencies. Whatever method you may chose consider how much you will spend on your own Christmas celebrations when making your decision.

Since 1949 the Christmas Bowl appeal has brought compassion Christians together to help bring hope and safety to the world’s most vulnerable communities. Of all the appeals at Christmas this one is worthy of your support and encouragement. . Details of the work of the Christmas Bowl can be found on the brochures available in the church.

I hope you enjoy our Carol service this evening and the Christmas events to come.

Shalom Ray

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Bulletin for December 17th 2017