Celia + Sergey Proof 3

Celia + Sergey

Celia + Sergey JANUARY 30, 2019 S T O N E B R I D G E E S TAT E , Q U E E N S T O W N

| am the true vine

BY OUR MINISTER, IAN GUY

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Ever y branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and ever y branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apar t from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as l have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you ser vants, for the ser vant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me,but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

a psalm of david B Y J A N I C E M C A U L AY

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfor t me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

lydia’s speech

When we were kids Celia got a book out of the librar y, “magic tricks for magicians” this was the beginning of a brief but colourful career as a child magician. She said to me “You can be my magicians assistant” and what followed was a series of magic shows for a forgiving audience of relatives on the illustrious stage which comprised of a wardrobe door and the door to the spare room downstairs bent back at equal angles to a tallboy that sat in between with a tar tan rug for mystic hung between the two doors to mask the magician’s secrets. Some of you here today attended these magic shows, I’m sure they were hilarious the first time and slightly tedious after that. The attendees witness amazing tricks such as “The cup that disappears under the tea towel”, “the wand is magically longer”, “the cat disappears” and “is this your card?”. After a few shows, I asked her “Can I be the magician next time?”

To which she said, “The assistant can never surpass the magician” and that has been my place ever since, the willing assistant to her magician. Until a few years ago when I visited her in Munich, we were on a trip to the supermarket and Sergei, with dazzling speed was ready to carr y, lift, transpor t anything and ever ything. At one point during this trip, he was handling so many bags that he almost disappeared behind them, but still, he continued to say, “I can carr y that”. It was clear he was a wor thy and willing magician’s assistant and as time’s gone on and I’ve gotten to know him better, I couldn’t think of a better person to fill this role. So today I would like to officially hand over the magician’s assistant role to Sergey, my one piece of advice is to remember, “the assistant can never surpass the magician”. and I’ll be rendering my ser vices to Henri, the new magician on the scene in need of an assistant.

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