TRINITY TIMES EASTER EDITION MARCH 2018
Parish Church of Holy
Parish Church of Holy
Easter Services 2018 Palm Sunday
25 March
8:00 am
Eucharist
10:00 am
Sung Eucharist
Holy Tuesday
27 March
6: 30 pm
Eucharist
Holy Wednesday
28 March
11:00 am
Eucharist
Maundy Thursday
29 March
8:00 pm
Good Friday
30 March
9:30 am
Eucharist Foot Washing Good Friday Service At Holy Trinity Stations of the Cross
3:00 pm Easter Eve Saturday 31 March
6:30 pm
Lighting of Paschal Candle— Renewal of Baptismal Vows
Easter Day Sunday
8:00 am 10:00 am 10:30 am
Eucharist Sung Eucharist Trinity Grammar Cross Cultural Service ( Asian English)
1 April
Vicar’s Easter Message Dear Parishioners, Across the street from the walls that surround the city of David there is a tomb. It looks like any other ancient tomb in that area. Step inside and you will quickly realise that this tomb is different. Someone of status and wealth once owned this tomb. This tomb is different from any other tomb in the world. This is the Garden Tomb, the place many scholars believe Christ’s body was laid after his crucifixion. Lives are made livelier inside that tomb, even today. I invite you to come now to that tomb for a while and see with me, through the eyes of faith, some things that were seen there on the first Easter morning. First, please note that sometimes what we see is not accurate. This was Mary’s problem that first Easter: “Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” (vv. 1-2). We can all easily imagine how hurtful it must be to come to the grave of a loved one and find that someone has maliciously disturbed what many would consider to be sacred space. Mary Magdalene’s reaction is very understandable when we think about her experience in that context. It is easier to appreciate when we realise that grave robbing was not an uncommon occurrence in Mary’s day. We can see how her mind raced to the conclusion that grave robbers had tampered with Jesus’ grave. Mary is upset, hurt, and angry that this has happened to someone she loved. We would be too. Mary, however, rushes to judgment and, as a result, reaches the wrong conclusions. We might do that also were we in her place that morning. She blames her imaginary grave robbers. In short, Mary, though her heart was pure, sees the wrong things. She demonstrates what can happen when we come to Easter with a limited vision. In God’s providential love, the scriptures tell us that Mary does see the risen Lord. Nonetheless, for a moment in time her vision is hampered because she looks with only the partial eyes of what she can see. Therefore, she is blinded by her own presuppositions. She does not expect to see him and she does not! John’s thoughts run in the wrong direction at first as well. Scripture records that Peter and John, “the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved” (v. 2), run to the tomb to substantiate Mary’s report. John arrives first. Looking inside he observes, “the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in” (v. 5). John apparently concludes Mary is right. From where he stands and looks he sees nothing that leads him to doubt Mary’s conclusions concerning this desecration. It is only when impetuous Peter arrives moments after cautious John and goes right inside the tomb that the picture begins to come clear. By stepping all the way in, Peter sees the Easter difference as a neatly folded head burial cloth. That cloth testifies that this is no hasty grave robbery. John finally musters up the courage to step into the empty tomb. When he does, his life changes forever too: “He saw and believed” (v. 8). What does John see? He sees what he could not see from the door. He sees what only Peter has seen until this moment; he sees, “The cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself” (v. 7). It is a tiny detail, but it tells John everything he needs to know for now and forever. You see, vandals are not generally in the habit of taking care of details. The usual way of vandals is to rush in, do the dirty deed, and rush out again. It would not be like a grave robber to enter a grave, remove the head cloth from a body, steal the body, and then neatly fold the linen up beside the grave. However, a resurrected Lord might do that! How does John see? No one can see the true reality of Christ all alone. It requires a touch from heaven. John sees in the power of God’s Holy Spirit. That touch from the Spirit that first comes to John on the resurrection morning to nudge him to step inside the grave touches him once again as he peers at the neatly folded cloth that is there. John demonstrates that no one can stand in the semi-darkness and see the full light of the resurrection. No one can stand on the edge and experience the living Christ. We cannot step up close to Christ and know the fullness of his resurrection power in this life he invites us to live. You must step right into the bowels of the tomb and into the fullness of new life in Christ, before exciting things begin to happen in your life. John’s life would never be the same again, nor would he want it to be. No one ever wants to go back to the old life after being touched by the Spirit of the living Christ. That principle is still true today. To know resurrection power, to experience the power of a life transformed, we must be ready to go in deeper than we have ever gone before with Christ. For some of us, this will mean going in deeper with Jesus than we ever planned. We must be willing to go all the way with Jesus. John’s life takes on new meaning because he steps into a place that he hesitated to go earlier. We too must step in all the way with Jesus to really see the difference. As a priest — as any priest — can say, with regret: Some of this world’s most unhappy people in the church of the resurrected Jesus are those who spend their lives standing on the edges. They are neither out nor are they in. They remind me of the people once described by Michael Ramsay past Archbishop of Canterbury as having, “Just enough religion to make themselves miserable”… It is the truth! Religion — even Christianity — can make a person desperately unhappy. There are people who claim membership in the church who are always too ready to believe the worst, always too willing to criticise what others do; who see things as a right or an entitlement and think amazingly that they are indispensable. The brutal and tell tale truth is that they have not yet stepped inside new life in Christ. They are holding back on going all the way with the Lord of the cross. They
Vicar’s Easter Message ( Continued) At the neatly folded cloth that is there. John demonstrates that no one can stand in the semi-darkness and see the full light of the resurrection. No one can stand on the edge and experience the living Christ. We cannot step up close to Christ and know the fullness of his resurrection power in this life he invites us to live. You must step right into the bowels of the tomb and into the fullness of new life in Christ, before exciting things begin to happen in your life. John’s life would never be the same again, nor would he want it to be. No one ever wants to go back to the old life after being touched by the Spirit of the living Christ. That principle is still true today. To know resurrection power, to experience the power of a life transformed, we must be ready to go in deeper than we have ever gone before with Christ. For some of us, this will mean going in deeper with Jesus than we ever planned. We must be willing to go all the way with Jesus. John’s life takes on new meaning because he steps into a place that he hesitated to go earlier. We too must step in all the way with Jesus to really see the difference. As a priest — as any priest — can say, with regret: Some of this world’s most unhappy people in the church of the resurrected Jesus are those who spend their lives standing on the edges. They are neither out nor are they in. They remind me of the people once described by Michael Ramsay past Archbishop of Canterbury as having, “Just enough religion to make themselves miserable”… It is the truth! Religion — even Christianity — can make a person desperately unhappy. There are people who claim membership in the church who are always too ready to believe the worst, always too willing to criticise what others do; who see things as a right or an entitlement and think amazingly that they are indispensable. The brutal and tell tale truth is that they have not yet stepped inside new life in Christ. They are holding back on going all the way with the Lord of the cross. They have a religion. What they really need is not religion but a relationship with the living Christ. Until they have that relationship, they will live their lives in self-imposed misery of uncertainty and insecurity and project it on others. I believe it is possible for any one of us to be in this position. Most people who stand on the edge of absolute surrender do so for three primary reasons. The first is that they do not know what it means to step inside all the way with Christ. Amazing as it may seem, many people are still hung up on the idea that to really get close to Jesus means one has to become eccentric about Christ and his church. Unfortunately, some people have been exposed to well-intended Christians who acted just this way. Such would -be super saints come across as being a little bit crazy. Others have met Christians possessed of negative, killjoy spirits, people whose whole talk about faith is full of “thou shalt not!” Observing such people go through life with long faces and negative and devious ways does not encourage others to come to Christ. Outsiders who witness this form of religion (for it is religion and not the relationship we are called to in Jesus) avoid like a plague really making a commitment to Christ. Truthfully, I can understand why people whose primary exposure to Christianity falls into this category would stand out on the edges of the church. Some of us need to learn that eccentric behaviour; negative news and negative attitudes simply do not draw people to anything, not even Christ. This is not the Christianity of the resurrection or of the Scriptures. The resurrection that we celebrate this day is the best news that the world will ever hear. We should be able to live it and tell it in a normal way with compassion and enthusiasm in good times and in bad and wherever we go. Another reason some people stand on the edge of commitment to Christ and his church is that they believe they are not good enough for God. They think, “I am not virtuous enough to come close to the Saviour, therefore I dare not come.” There are many such people all around us. They are right! None of us is good enough. However, they are wrong, because they have an inaccurate view of faith in Christ Jesus. The very reason Jesus died was that we are not good enough. He died in our place to make us good enough through his own goodness. So we must come to him not on our own merits but on his merits alone. He is not expecting us to reach perfection before we become disciples. All he asks is that we come saying, “Dear Lord, I’m not good enough and I have made a lot of mistakes but I am willing to try. I’ll probably fail many times but I believe you make up for all my failures.” Yet others stand on the edge of faith because they are not willing to give up control. They have self-made plans and goals that are not yet realised which must come first. Today however, is the only day we are guaranteed. Tomorrow may not come for any of us. That is why today is the best day to decide to step in all the way with Jesus. The Bible never speaks about making a faith commitment tomorrow. It always speaks with urgency about today! This Easter Day, in the name of Christ, the risen Lord of the tomb, I speak about going in all the way; about total commitment; about really stepping into absolute surrender of everything we are, and have, and ever hope to be, to God the Father, and to his Son, Jesus. It is too easy to live life on the edge with reserved commitment but it is never smart and we dare not measure our level of commitment with the adjudged level of someone else’s. There is only one against whom we measure our commitment level and that is the Lord Christ himself. The fact is we are either inside or outside when it comes to our relationship with Jesus Christ. We are either with him or away from him. John could not stand back and experience the power of the empty tomb. He has to step inside for himself, as must we. Peter could not follow from a distance and become all that Jesus has in mind for him to be. The only way to experience the fullness of resurrection power is to commit to going all the way with Jesus. John stepped in “and believed.” This principal of commitment applies to all other areas of life too. No one ever finds contentment in a job done with half a heart? Only when we give ourselves with enthusiasm do we experience joy in life.
Vicar’s Easter Message )( continued) Can you see by the dawn’s early light? It is Resurrection Sunday and all around the world Christians are singing glad hymns of praise to the living Jesus. In your heart (and not just with your lips) are you joining the glorious chorus? Do you have the confidence that Christ alone can bring into our lives? Have you stepped all the way in with Christ? If you have not, then there is no better morning than Easter, and there is no better place than here to come to Jesus all the way. If you are ready to do that, then welcome glad morning. You can see! You can see! You can see! And you will see and believe even more! Easter Blessings, Fr Robert Newton
EASTER MESSAGE FROM THE HOLY TRINITY PARISH CHAPLAIN For those of you who do not know me, I am Pam Hughes – Parish Chaplain. I have been a Parishioner here for the past fifty six years and have held the privileged position of Chaplain at Holy Trinity for ten years. I work forty hours per month and offer pastoral care to our Parishioners in their homes, in Aged Care, in hospitals. Pastoral Care may involve administering Reserved Sacrament Holy Communion, an Anointing service for Healing and wholeness, prayer, support to family and friends. When asked I conduct funerals and Interments. Once a month I take a Communion Service (with Reserved Sacrament) at Kew Gardens – a service appreciated by all who attend. Besides being a Pastoral chaplain, and Head Server here under Bishop Andrew St. John for nine years, I began my professional career as an Infant Teacher, then a Primary school teacher; and a bank teller. I trained as a Chaplain’s assistant and my placement was at Janefield. I qualified as a Division 2 nurse and then moved into Pastoral Care at Bethlehem Hospital. After helping my mother care for my father until he died, I became the Hospital Chaplain at Rosebud Hospital which also included working in Palliative Care, Rehabilitation and Aged Care. These past ten years in which I have worked as Parish Chaplain I also cared for my ageing mother who died eighteen months ago. I have had a wonderful career. I love being Parish Chaplain, working with Fr Robert (and before that with Roy Stanley), with Holy Trinity my Spiritual home. Should you ever have need of Pastoral Care, please phone the Holy Trinity Office ( 9853 7158) or my home phone on 9855 8279.
In Memoriam Coralie Coulston Parish Sacristan 1986—2015
Coralie Coulston was an extraordinary woman. She was a selfless person, caring for and helping others all her life. Her place in the history of Holy Trinity Kew is well assured. Coralie was born on 22nd May 1924 at Launceston in Tasmania to Reginald and Amy Dean. She was the fourth of six children, sister to Geoffrey, Ray, Marjorie, John and Wendy. Coralie lived a free and easy childhood. She went to the local school until aged ten, then travelled to Broadland House, Church of England Girls Grammar School where she was active in a number of sports. When World War II broke out, she became a member of the Voluntary Aid Attachment, the Red Cross, the Australian Comforts Fund and the Youth Leadership course with YWCA, starting a girls club there. On Sunday January 22nd 1950 Coralie met James Leslie Coulston at the Evandale Tennis Club. They became engaged in March of that year. In 1951 after graduation Coralie & Leslie were married at St John’s Anglican Church in Launceston and moved to South Yarra in Melbourne. On the 1st April 1952 their first son Tim was born. Coralie received her driver’s licence in 1953 and continued to drive until she was 90 years of age. In 1953 the family moved to Thornbury. On the 28th May 1954 her second son Peter was born. Two years later Coralie and Les purchased their home in Ridgeway Avenue Kew which remained her home for the rest of her life. On the 16th December 1956 her daughter Margaret was born. Throughout her life Coralie was a dedicated and devoted mother and grandmother In 1967 she resumed her Nursing career two nights a week in Elsternwick working part time at Greenwood Kew between 1969 and 1981. In 1974 Coralie joined the Royal Talbot Repatriation Auxiliary where she organised fund raising stalls and visited the wards supplying patients with toiletries, stationery and cigarettes. In 1986 Coralie commenced duties as sacristan at Holy Trinity Kew. In May of 1987 Leslie died at home after Coralie spent months caring for him. Their ashes are interred in the Holy Trinity Memorial Garden. Coralie continued as Holy Trinity sacristan until 2014 . She was responsible for setting up, and clearing away after all services especially Eucharist. She looked after church flowers, the silver, linen and vestments. She was well known for her generosity and kindness. In 1988 she became Secretary of the Holy Trinity Mothers Union and continued her involvement with the Union until she unable to attend its meetings For more than 28 years Coralie conducted an unfailing ministry to Holy Trinity and its congregation. No parish could have been better served by a more faithful and loving servant of God. Since Coralie ceased her role as sacristan, the parish now requires five people to complete the sacristan duties that Coralie fulfilled by herself for more than 25 years. Well done good and faithful one…….enter into the joy of your master.
In Memory Nancy Daniels 7 July 1917—6 February 2018 Nancy Daniels was a faithful parishioner of Holy Trinity Kew for more than thirty years. She was born in Warrnambool and was one of three surviving children of Thomas and Ethel Frost Stanford. In 1920 Nancy ‘s family moved to Lavers Hill in the Otway ranges. This was a pioneering settlement about 55 kms from Colac. Nancy had happy memories of her early childhood. She attended the Lavers Hill school and achieved the Merit Certificate ( year 8) In 1937, Nancy married George Daniel, and continued to live with her family so she could work on the family farm and nurse her mother. Life was happy Nancy had six children Thomas, Brendon, Wayne Vonda Darryl and Sandra. Life was busy but happy until George died suddenly in 1959. She continued to work at the local post office and then in 1979 she moved to Kew to be nearer to her children. She joined Holy Trinity and made many friends in the parish, attending church, Mother’s Guild, making hand crafts and food for church functions. She volunteered at Bodalla Hospital for more than 20 years and read to palliative care patients. She maintained her activities until she was admitted into care at the age of 99 years. She turned 100 years on 7 July 2017. Nancy was a lovely lady who passionately loved her family, friends and was a faithful Holy Trinity parishioner all her life. She is an inspiration to us as a daughter, wife, mother, grand mother and great grandmother who remained faithful all her life.
HOLY TRINITY ANGLICARE PARTNERSHIP GROUP LENT AND EASTER 2018
Anglicare Christmas Card Appeal During the 2017 pre Christmas period, the HTK Anglicare Partnership Group, conducted the sale of Anglicare Christmas cards. It was the first time this current Partnership Group had sold these Christmas cards in the parish. It is becoming difficult to purchase religious Christmas cards so that the sale of the Anglicare cards was particularly helpful for many parishioners. The sum of $990 was raised for Anglicare with the sale of the cards. A great contribution. Our special thanks to Hazel Athey for her supervision of the Christmas card sales. Did you know? Anglicare Victoria is at the forefront of research into educational programs to help those students who are struggling. The Youth Aspiration Program runs successfully in several rural secondary schools. This program connects young people with community and business organisations in Melbourne and helps them see possibilities for their future. They meet staff who have overcome adversity to succeed in life and work, and go on to make good life decisions. On completing Year 12 they are offered paid internships with the participating organisations. This Program is now being sought after by Aboriginal community leaders. Margaret Kelly Convenor Holy Trinity Anglicare Partnership Group
HOLY TRINITY KEW BUILDING PROJECT 2018 Parish Centre Update Well, what a difference three months has made to the Parish Centre project! At Christmas time we had a large hole with some concrete at the bottom. We now have what is definitely a building taking shape before our eyes. The wall panels are in place, as is the lift and stair shaft. The suspended slab floor of the church level has been poured and is curing, and the columns for the third (residential) level are already in place. Form work is being erected for the third level slab. As soon as the church level slab has reached a strength nominated by the structural engineer, the floor above will be poured. This is scheduled for just after Easter. (Each time an element of the building is poured; concrete samples are taken and stored. These are subsequently tested for strength and certified by the engineer, before the next element is constructed.) In parallel with this, work is proceeding on the stair from the church forecourt down to the Parish offices and meeting rooms on the street level, and associated retaining walls. The builders have taken some final advice on methodology around breeching the tower wall, and they are likely to make the hole for the door and form the podium between the church and the new building before Easter. This of course means that we won’t be using the main doors for some time! Indeed, the most disruptive part of the project will be take place over the next couple of months. The electricity supply for the Parish Centre needs to be run from the back of the church down to the new building, storm water drains from the church and the vicarage need to be rerouted, and a ramp to the chapel entrance constructed. This means that we will lose access from the west transept and chapel to the vicarage for at least several weeks. Hopefully we will be able to access the vicarage through the car park behind the church – a round-about route but better than no access. As the building progresses, so does planning for how we will operate our new spaces following completion. Discussions are underway with the Property group in Diocese, and with external agents, about initial leasing and subsequent management of the street level tenancies. Devco should finish the tenancy shells by the end of August, so a “For Lease” board is likely to go up before too long. As part of our discussions with Diocese, Parish Council needs to understand your views on the Café tenancy. Please see the separate notice in this edition, and provide your feedback to the Vicar, Wardens, or Parish Council. Alan Wilson
Feedback Sought on Parish Centre Café Lease One of the street level tenancies in the new Parish Centre is proposed as a café. This is at the church end of the development, immediately adjacent to the church forecourt, albeit at a different, lower level. Under the standard Melbourne Anglican Trust Corporation (MATC) Lease document, Sunday trading is not allowed in its tenancies. We can apply to MATC for the Lease to allow our tenant to trade on Sundays, but need to show that there is a general agreement within the congregation to this approach – so we need your feedback. Some of the points you might like to consider are: We need the Parish Centre to be commercially viable, and it is possible that a café limited to six days’ trading will not be able to pay as high a rent as one trading for seven days Every other café along High Street is open on Sundays, and some are patronised by various HTK parishioners We have turned a “blind eye” to the Dance School in the Jubilee Hall operating on Sundays The café could potentially be very popular with the cycling set. Will we be able to keep the forecourt free of cycles? If the café is allowed to trade on Sundays, what is the earliest we allow it to open? After 8.00am service? After 10.00am service? We can insert clauses into the Lease disallowing certain things, for example, external piped music. What is likely to be unacceptable to us? Can we live with the café being open on Sunday if we create a visual barrier (say a hedge) between the church forecourt and the café? Could you please carefully consider this issue, and provide your opinion to the Vicar, Wardens or any member of Parish Council. Alan Wilson
A MESSAGE FROM THE HOLY TRINITY SUNDAY SCHOOL This term the Holy Trinity Sunday School has been focusing on Lent and its meaning. We considered the words “pray” and “tempt” and made acrostic poems, listing words that related to the meaning of the words. For “pray” we used repent and respect and thought that this is now one should act while praying. We also discussed the meaning of Lent and what people are doing during this time. Many people give up something to represent Jesus’ suffering in the desert without food or water. This helps us to understand the conditions Jesus went through in order to love him even more. This makes Easter a time to celebrate, a time to look forward to and most
Importantly at time to be thankful for the world we live in today. Anika and Olivia Pandy.
Transfiguration The Sunday School recently learned about the Transfiguration, when Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus whose robes glowed whiter than any bleach on earth could make them. As a number of churches and chapels around the world have beautiful depictions of the Transfiguration, the Sunday School decided to make one of their own. Using coloured paper, imagery from religious art and their favourite examples of stained glass windows from around the world, Aurelia and Olivia created a stunning example of the Transfiguration. The children enjoyed learning about the Old Testament and the events to follow in the Church calendar. As always the Sunday School children wer delighted to display their work to the congregation to a round of applause. Michael Tropea.
HOLY TRINITY KEW A SPIRITUAL AND ARCHITECTURAL REFLECTION - by Nancy Sturgess Situated on rising ground, more than 160 years ago the Church of the Holy Trinity Kew was built to the glory of God by a growing congregation. It is flanked by the Vicarage and two later bluestone buildings which are separated by a 'village green' making the complex a satisfying whole and reflecting our English heritage. The footprint is based on the cross and the building proportions are pleasing. The square Bell Tower marks the entrance and the materials were generally sourced locally. The broad steps are a welcoming lead into the interior. On entering into the nave one is struck by a feeling of serenity and peacefulness. There is spaciousness too. Timber lines the ceiling which soars above the congregation. The light, filtering through the windows, once plain glass but now in colour and combined with the ceiling and the pale plastered walls, adds to the mystery of faith which is a tenet of our belief. The church is a praying space, open to all who seek refuge from the trials and troubles of this busy day world, a place of refreshment of the spirit, a source of solace in times of stress and grief and last but not least a place for companionship and understanding. The church is also a place of celebration, of the life of Jesus Christ and of our belief in God and of joyfulness and happiness in the daily lives of, not only for the congregation but also the suburb surrounding it . Nancy Sturgess holds a Masters of Arts (Monash University.) Her Master’s thesis was a study of the Australian artist Julian Rossi Ashton. She was a guide at the National Gallery of Victoria for many years and is an expert in Art History and the history of Australian Art. THE WOMEN WHO WOVE
Around around him Women wove their livesWith coloured threads of wonder Grief and joy Making him a garment Fit for a holy one A babe, a child, a man As Mary, heard the angel’s voice Promising her firstborn son She wove him swaddling clothes Of fine lambs wool to wrap him safely in As she was full of wonder
And Mary of Bethany With her reverent dreams Settling in worship at his feet Brough him a mantle of purpose blue Fit for her teacher and her king And her soul had peace Her sister Martha cumbered with care Offered her handiwork a homespun garment
Seamless and rustic brown symbol of the earth Beneath the sky and soul was satisfied. Oh the women of Jerusalem What could they offer to a man condemned And cursed but a shroud—like robe Black fruit of bitter tears And their hearts held no hope. On Easter morn It was too late for weaving. The three women hurried to the tomb With their last offering Of precious spices and hearts torn with grief So round and round about him these women wove their lives offering their humble cloth of white and green, purple brown and black. But Mary Magdala met her Risen Lord She had not need to weave him any robe For all the rainbow colours he had ever Worn blended to make him a dazzling robe For Jesus—surrounded By their wonder and their joy Wore a bright robe of glory A garment of praise. By Deidre Baker
Music making at Holy Trinity by Stephen Kerr, Director of Music Easter 2018
Thank you to everyone involved in supporting the music program throughout 2017, particularly over the Christmas season. The annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols was a joyous occasion with a big choir heralding the Christmas season keenly before a full congregation. The preparations for the carols service take much effort from the choristers, and I thank them for their hard work. On Christmas Eve, the choral sound was provided by an accomplished small choir of singers. It was great to have some of the HTK choir augmented by special guests including choristers from St Paul’s Cathedral. We now focus on preparations for the Easter period, aiming to reflect through music the mood of the various stages of this significant part of the liturgical year. The choir continues to perform at a high level and we are always keen to welcome new members! We have been lucky to have both Jane and Darcey Newton in the choir and look forward to their continued participation! The choir robes have proven a great success, with the choir looking in fine form and the Director’s robes giving us all a consistent aesthetic. On March 12 at 5pm, the Kew Philharmonic Chamber Choir presented a choral evensong at Holy Trinity, led by Rev’d Robert Holland. Music was by Byrd and Tallis. It is hoped that some more evensongs might be possible at HTK in the future, with the HTK choir involved! If this is of interest to you, please let it be known. Looking forward to exploring new ideas during 2018 and a great year of music making at HTK!
FROM THE WARDENS The last 3 months have been busy for the Wardens, especially with issues associated with the exciting Parish building development. Access to the church and vicarage has become a bit like negotiating a maze whose layout changes almost weekly. All fun really. It’s been a bit of a hard act for us following in the footsteps of David Harkin, Alan Wilson and Barbara Thomson. Luckily for us, David, Alan and Barbara continue to undertake the very many activities for the Parish which they had been doing in addition to Wardens’ duties and for which we are very grateful. Whist many of the activities of the wardens are routine administrative matters, the wardens, in association with the parish council, have begun addressing the development of a plan for the optimal use of the new parish centre and the potential future uses of the vicarage building once its activities can be moved into the new parish centre and all rooms cleared. The wardens (and parish council) would be delighted to hear from any parishioner who has any ideas to contribute to these important developments. We are particularly looking for a small group of parishioners to help plan the optimal usage of the amenities in the parish centre (eg hiring of the centre’s facilities, catering, use of children’s facilities, community use). Napier Thomson
A VISIT TO THE HOLY LAND By Bob Athey Last year Hazel and I had a very interesting trip overseas, basically to Great Britain and Norway. For something completely different we went via Jerusalem and Bethlehem. We were booked to Tel Aviv airport on a flight from London, landing at Bucharest to change aircraft. At Bucharest the customs and immigration wanted to know why we were not staying in Rumania they too had many castles and scenic areas, and we nearly missed our connecting flight. Hazel fixed the problem by stating they did not have the same historical Christian sites as Jerusalem. When we arrived at Tel Aviv we were confronted with an enormous airport. No problems with Customs and Immigration there, but finding where our pre-arranged taxi was proved quite a challenge. We eventually found it, at about 2 am, and set off some 80km to Jerusalem. We started an adventure, meeting a road block about half way to Jerusalem. The guards were heavily armed and peered into the back seat where we were sitting, and asked for our passports. An anxious guard with a big rifle is really quite frightening. After a passport check we continued to Jerusalem, arriving at out hotel at about 3 am, only to find the hotel did not have a record of our booking. I paid for the three nights; we were exhausted. The hotel later refunded my money. Next day the weather was very hot, the tour guide for the old city tour was surly as we were slightly late. Nevertheless we walked through the Jaffa Gate and on to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, well worth seeing. We then followed the Via Dolorosa, stopping at some Stations of the Cross. The guide felt this bit of the tour was a waste of time as the real Stations of the Cross were several meters under us. . Our next stop was the Western Wall, and another security check woth metal detectors and more guns. The Wall itself was smaller than I expected, and was segregated into male and female sections. I was invited to pray as long as I wore a white skull cap. I still could see armed guards in the distance, and I did not want to find out what would happen if I refused. At the wall I was told “PRAY!”. I prayed the only prayer I could think of – the Lord’s Prayer. I do not know whether this was acceptable or not. However, nothing happened. We then then continued up several steps in a temperature of 40 degrees. Hazel ended be being assisted by two athletic American ladies. We were very grateful. That afternoon we went to Bethlehem. Our first surprise was that Bethlehem was not in Israel, but in Palestine. This meant getting out of the tourist bus and into taxies. The Church of the Nativity was under repair, but still very interesting. The birthplace of Christ turned out to be a cave under the church. Whether this was correct or not, I was told by our guide that the ancient Aramaic word was the same for both stable and cave. I do not know if that is correct or not, maybe Christmas cards showing a stable are all wrong? The next day we saw the Israel Museum, a very good museum, but again there were guards carrying big guns. We then did some sightseeing and caught a tram back to our hotel. On the tram (yes, Jerusalem has trams) a young soldier sat next to me. He sat carrying a machine gun in his right hand, which he rested on lap, then started happily talking on a mobile phone. I am not sure whether his gun was loaded or not, I did not want to find out. That night we had dinner at the YMCA, next door to our hotel. There were a large number of teenagers there, many in Moslem outfits, all having a good time. We asked our waitress who they were; she told us they were from a graduation class. Our waitress was a most delightful young lady who spoke perfect English. She introduced herself as Noor, which meant life, and told us she was studying medicine at the University, and wanted to study psychiatry after graduation. When she found out I was a psychiatrist, we formed a brief friendship. To my surprise she told us she was an Arab, a Modern Moslem who did not wear traditional clothing. She had a very similar outlook on life to Hazel and myself, and told us that Christmas was a great time for her. She and her friends, Moslem, Jewish and Christian all went to Bethlehem, took part in the Christian services at the Church of the Nativity and then partied. I wish there were more people like her. The meeting with Noor made up for all the frustrations and guns in Jerusalem.The next day we left for Norway. I experienced problems getting out of Israel as I have a cardiac pacemaker and security were worried it may explode. However, and airport official found me and directed me to my plane. My feelings about Jerusalem are mixed. The history is wonderful, the ancient buildings spectacular, but the number of guns everywhere we went leaves me wondering.
HTK CHILD SAFE SUB COMMITTEE REPORT The Victorian Government has established the Commission for Children and Young People in response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and its Victorian predecessor the Betrayal of Trust Report . Compulsory minimum Child Safe Standards designed to protect children from all forms of abuse and are now required by law. This Commission is responsible for helping organisations to implement Child Safe Standards. Church Organisations must now demonstrate their commitment to a culture of child safety and must promote child safe approaches as part of every day practice. That means that organisations are now required by law to put in place processes to make sure that appropriate people are working and volunteering in an organisation, minimising risks, responding appropriately to allegations of abuse or misconduct and maintain a culturally safe environment. Victoria’s Reportable Conduct Scheme commenced on 1 July 2017. Under that scheme, organisations (including churches) must notify the Commission for Children and Young People if an allegation of child abuse is made against an employee and or volunteer, They must report information and how they investigate and respond to these allegations. Religious organisations are covered by the Reportable Conduct Scheme from 1 January 2018. In response to the changes to both state and Anglican Church legislation, the HTK Child Safe Sub-committee has formulated a Holy Trinity Child Safe Policy that has been approved by the Parish Council. That policy will be distributed once its final details have been confirmed. At the meeting of the Parish Council in February it was agreed that – A l leaders and adult participants in the Holy Trinity Kew Sunday School and Holy Trinity Choir must hold a Working with Children Check card. The Wardens and members of the Parish Council hold a current Working with Children Check card including all members of the parish defined as “Participants” under Child Safe Policy. All adult participants in parish activities involving children under the age of 18 years or vulnerable individuals complete at least one Child Safe training program every 12 months. Parent/Guardian consent forms for both the Holy Trinity Sunday School and the Holy Trinity Choir be redrawn and, subject to final, approval be distributed. Upon final approval of the Holy Trinity Child Safe Policy- written copies of that Policy to be distributed to parishioners, published on the Holy Trinity website and displayed on Church Notice Boards. A parish information session in relation to Child Safe Policy and all relevant legislation to be held on a date to be fixed. Child Safe parish information sessions will be conducted in late April and early May to inform all parishioners of the latest guidelines and legislation in relation to Child Safe Organisations. You are urged to attend these Information sessions as part of the parish council’s move to towards creating a Child Safe environment within the parish
Jane Newton, Robert Holland , Michael Tropea and Stephen Kerr and Leonie Bird Holy Trinity Child Safe Sub Committee.
JUNIOR TRINITY TIMES A PAGE DEDICATED TO THE CHILDREN WHO COME TO HOLY TRINITY KEW
EASTER BUNNY JOKES Q.
What happened when the Easter Bunny met the rabbit of his dreams ?
A
They lived hoppily ever after.
Q.
How does the Easter bunny stay fit ?
Q.
What do you call a rabbit that tells good jokes ? A. A funny bunny.
Q.
Why shouldn’t you tell an Easter Egg joke ? A. Because it might crack up !
A.
Egg-xercise
Bequests Holy Trinity has been very fortunate over the years with the bequests it has received from parishioners. A bequest is an instruction within your Will that reserves part of your estate for a particular beneficiary. Bequests are an important source of funding for entities like us, and everyone in the Parish should consider whether they might make a provision in their Will to the benefit of Holy Trinity. Leaving a bequest is one of the most personal ways you can support the Parish; and if you desire can be made for a specific purpose. Such a gift will be of special importance to the Parish regardless of the value involved. No one is going to approach you and ask if you will become a Benefactor! Rather, should you wish to have a confidential discussion, please call Alan Wilson on 0414 470 460.
A Reflection on Church Choirs In an article in the Choral Journal, Charlotte Kroeker wrote about the joy of singing in a choir. Despite a tendency to be overlooked in the cultural landscapes, church choirs profoundly
influence musical and social culture , possibly more than almost any other organised activities in society. “There are some who argue that music is at the heart of being human. ( Daniel Levitin in This Is Your Brain) There is delight in being part of a singing group and joy being a member of a community that cares for one another. If I am singing with you and making beautiful music , I cannot ignore you as a human being and must care for your concerns as my own. Singing together shapes the people we become. Singing together creates a common understanding, bonds people together in community and energizes them to action for good. In 2009 “Chorus America” published a research report that demonstrated choral singers are good citizens. In America 80% of all choirs are in churches or temples. Choral singing is the most important cultural participation in the United States involving 22% of households. Adults who sing in choirs, are good citizens, They tend to be avid patrons of the arts, are more philanthropic than non choir singers, exhibit greater civil leadership than average Americans, and cite membership in a choir for helping them be better team players in other areas of their lives. This research also found that children who sing in choirs get better grades and show improvements in their academic work. Parents of choir children report characteristics conducive to learning and memory skills, study habits and abilities, to be team players along with increased social skills. Many educators believe choir can keep children engaged in school who otherwise may be lost. For churches there exists statistical research indicating the importance of music in worship practices from earliest times. There is evidence that more live music is made in churches than in all other venues in society. Between 30% to 60% of all worship services consists of music. Hymns of the church date from the earliest writings of Christianity. “ Charlotte Kroeker states that “ Working as a professional (musician) in a church implies respect and trust between people in the professions of theology and music. In most faith traditions clergy have the authority and responsibility for worship either by denominational ordinances, practices or both She also argues “that Choir members who regularly praise God by singing texts of gathered wisdom of the ages also develop into persons who serve needs of humankind and find beauty and hope in God’s creation.” Kroeker, Charlotte. “The Church Choral Director: Leader of the Sacred, The Good and The Beautiful. Choral Journal. Vol. 56 No 11. (June/July 2016) 6-16. Leonie Bird
GOSPEL WOMEN “ The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph to see the tomb and how his body was being placed. And returning home they prepared perfumes and ointments. [Luke 23:55-56] In Marks’ account of the passion and death of Jesus, the gospel writer draws our attention to a group of women disciples. “ There were also some women watching from a distance: among them were Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James the younger and Joset and Salome, who had followed Jesus when he was in Gallilee and ministered to his needs. There were also many others who had come up with him to Jerusalem.” [ Mk, 15:40-41] The who women had ministered to him signaled their discipleship and identified with Jesus in the Paschal mystery of his death and resurrection. The women tended to the needs of Jesus in life’ now they seek to tend to him in death by anointing his body for burial. The picture reflects grieving and loss. We see their likeness in our world today, where women and their children suffer through war, famine, and exploitation. We ask those women at the Cross to step apart and invite us to join their company. With them beside us we can trust again in the One who will soon bring them new life. “Christ our Morning Star- The Art and Inspiration of Sieger Koder. “ Magalen Lawler Pauline Books 2012.63-64
From the Registers
Letters to the Editor Memories of Coralie Coulston
Baptisms:
If you knew Coralie then you know what she was like. If there was a meeting , the room was always ready and everything you needed was there. When the meeting was over it was all cleared up, She was a wonderful caring friend to many. She cared about you, your family, and was always interests in what you were doing. She was the backbone if the Mothers Union at Holy Trinity . She visited many parishioners and supported and kept in contact with many clergy that ministered here. If you called into the Church at any time Coralie was there. I will miss her and I am sure many others do.
Marina Hutchinson Georgia Williams Charlotte Conly
Carol Fraser
Interments: Mary Austin Ronald Rowe
Marriages: None Funerals: Viva Sali Coralie Coulston Donald Avent Suzanne Hines
Holy Trinity Anglican Church
POSTAGE PAID AUSTRALIA
SERVICES AT HOLY TRINITY WEDNESDAY 11:00 AM EUCHARIST SUNDAY
8:00 AM EUCHARIST
SUNDAY
10:00 AM SUNG EUCHARIST 10:00 SUNDAY SCHOOL
At Trinity Grammar School Chapel SUNDAY
10: 30 AM BILINGUAL SERVICE
EDITOR: The completion of the Holy Trinity Building Project is due later this year. It will mark a new era in the life of the parish. Thank you to everyone who contributed reports, articles, Memorial tributes and poetry to this Easter edition of Trinity Times. Your efforts are most appreciated. This publication is part of the voice of Holy Trinity Kew. It seeks to unify the Holy
Trinity family linking each of us to the physical, intellectual and spiritual life of the Parish. May Easter be a time of peace, prayer and hope for each one of you. In peace Leonie Bird ( editor)
Holy Trinity Anglican Church
Cnr High & Pakington Streets, Kew P.O. Box 37, Kew, Vic 3101 www.holytrinitykew.org.au email: office@holytrinitykew.org.au
Vicar The Reverend Robert Newton Ph: 9855 0630 email vicar@holytrinitykew.org.au
Associate Clergy The Reverend Rick Cheung The Reverend Robert Holland
Parish Chaplain Pam Hughes Ph: 0418 328 313
Theological Student Leonie Bird
Church Office Mrs. Brenda Forman
P.O. Box 37, Kew, 3101
Telephone: 9853 7158 Monday to Friday 9—12
Churchwardens Napier Thomson Ph. 0408 576 737.
Robert Buckmaster. Ph. 0437 014 090
Marcus Pandy. Ph. 9817 2163
If undeliverable, return to: