To download the current March 2010 Newsletter click HERE

NEWSLETTER FOR FEBRUARY MARCH/APRIL 2010

We are going through a phase of re-shaping ourselves, not only in Sydney, but also in many other communities, affected by the financial crisis and the personal repercussions it had on priests and communities.

This ‘Newsletter’ is also a first step – re-shaping how and what we, as a community, communicate. I have taken the step of devising a new banner – ‘Community in Movement’.  It does not mean just the recent necessity of moving the chapel. It holds the idea of the continuous striving to avoid getting stuck, fixed, at-the-end and, rather, to always look for a path to move towards the ‘kingdom of heaven on earth and in the other’. 

Now I need your input, so that more changes can happen, that arise out of the community. Do you have suggestions for the title, the format, font, and layout?

What do you want to read about? How do we represent ourselves ‘in public’ through this ‘publication’? Is the newsletter just a voice of the priest? Is it advertising of our activities? Is it some kind of self-assurance of how well we are doing? Do we want to represent ourselves as critical, many-facetted modern people? Do we allow controversies? How do we show the Christian spirit in all the dealing with different interests and opinions?

There are many possibilities how to contribute: creating ideas, doing research, writing articles, choosing material from letters for publication, correcting and proofreading, typing and layout, caring for the mailing lists, doing the mail out. Please move forward and be part of the enterprise!

In future we would like to give more of a preview into the spiritual content of the festivals to come. So if you have a contribution to Whitsun or St John’s festivals, please send [Contribution preferred as word-file; Subject: ‘for Wolfgang’] it to lisa.devine@bigpond.com or give it in writing to me.

Wolfgang Devine

Table for the Advent Festivals
Mary and Joseph had a long journey. At the Second Advent Festival they arrived at the chapel. Stars showed the way shaped in new constellations – the donkey found himself there as well! Angels showed them the place of the stable. Children as well as adults were actively doing crafts.
Transformation
The community meeting on Sunday February 14 was quite a long one. After some easier issues, financial questions and the history of the community were touched on.
First there was tension in the room as conceptions from one side needed to be adjusted through those from other sides. The more this happened the more we could experience how a wider consciousness filled the room and a deeper calmness was created.
It might be hard to see each other without preconceptions and to dismiss the wish everything should have been different. But doing so, the healing power of understanding re-ignited a hope for the future.                    

Wolfgang Devine

Where?

Where is the light of hope in the world today?
Has Christ come in vain, from out of the clouds, has He come again?
Does the rough beast mock us from out its cradle,
Hatching hideous ghouls by dismal digital lights?
In every soul where spirit climbs majestic heights,
Where squalour gleams with the warmth of love,
There is the Second Coming in our midst.
In every human body, whose scars bear wounds of war,
Forgotten, newscast aside, into the gutters of harsh minds,
There rises the transfigured teacher of love.
In mortal flesh, unhindered by pain,
The distant rumble surges to the head
And is heard anew the call.
There rises in clear tones the gentle pulse of His love.
In every voice that speaks with unashamed truth,
Though few are disposed to hear what cannot be reproduced,
There, in our own heart, His breath is feeding
The fire of human striving, the light of hope blazing,
Where darkness has no sway,
Where I am I
Where I am.

Antonio Marques

Sydney Community On The Move
Our deep appreciation go out to all who participated in the process of facilitating a metamorphosis of our work over the last twenty-three years, which then emerged with a new constellation of priests and a new home at the Temperance Hall, Balmain.
Just to name a few of those who carried major workloads:

Our gratitude goes to Martin Samson for his clarity of thought, consideration of all points of view, close working with Ann Catling on the myriad of small and large details, in all respects of the sale and move.

John Shaw, who worked tirelessly on all legal aspects and whose secretary covered all the typing needed for documents and contracts.

Lisa Devine and Wolfgang for their hands on work and many trips from Melbourne while Lisa already picked up the work in the community and the chaplaincies at Steiner Schools.

Cheryl Nekvapil, for her guidance over the years of her visits and especially in these last months. And her hands on packing up of the community room.

Kevin Coffey, for raising our spirits with his Holy Nights services, and addresses on the Signs of the Zodiac and The Twelve Holy Nights.

It was surprising and comforting to know that so many of the items from Beattie St. have found a home and/or have been put to good use within the broader Steiner community.Kamaroi, in return for a generous donation, took the puppet theatre, glove puppets, marionettes, wooden puppets, felted wool and knitting wool.

Our beautiful folding doors will find a home in Harmony, Mittagong, and the timbercrete and standard bricks will be used to construct new homes at the Harmony site. These items were bought from the Christian Community.

The caravan, which was suitably restored and polished up to take to the road, will also reside in Mittagong.

We raised over a thousand dollars from bric-a-brac and small items at the garage sale.
The Inner West Playgroup chose quite a few items which they could use.

We thank our priests Cheryl, Martin and Lisa for their major input into the move. We were extremely fortunate that the Council pick-up coincided with our move out of Beattie St. That would have saved us at least $500. We erred on the side of caution and possibly brought a little more to Montague St. than we need or could use, but we will sort all out gradually. The gas under floor heating system and retractable steps have been put on eBay, one ladder has been sold. 

We are grateful for all the pioneering years at Beattie Street and for all the energy and singleness of mind put into this by our Australian pioneer priest, Rosalind Pecover.

Rose-Marie van Hoogstraten

Much appreciation also to Rose-Marie for her oversight and labour in moving all the vestry items, and the team of ‘house-keepers’ who have done so much both at Beattie Street and settling in to our new place.

Ann Catling

HOPE

Hope is definitely not the same as optimism.
It is not the conviction that something will turn out well but the certainty that something makes sense regardless of how it turns out. It is a dimension of the soul. 

Vaclav Havel

Expectations?
At Lisa’s introduction I was praised as the future organiser of concerts and music for the service, and the motor behind a new newsletter. Did the community want this? Would I be able to do it under new conditions? I was welcomed, almost as a ‘second force’.
I don’t have a contract with the community. What does it mean to get support and e.g. be able to use the community car for moving purposes and to support Lisa in her task…?

How do I deal with presents and favours?

The Husband

Tradition – Improvisation – Christmas
Did you go to the Christmas Play of The Christian Community? If not, I need to tell you about it, because you have missed something. Those who expected a polished performance of a story, 2000 years old and in an established tradition, didn’t get what they might have been used to.

And by the way, my ideal of a modern Christmas Play would be the total improvisation of the Christmas message by people who feel the actual Christmas of today in them, that which wants to be born for the coming thirty-three years out of the world of paradise. But who could deliver that?!

In reality, in Sydney 2009, there was a group of people perhaps expecting their tradition, a couple of people who came with a different one and needing to organize the event under time pressure. So, we got a good mix out of both elements – a not quite planned improvisation.
I regard the Christmas script not as a basis for tradition, but rather for a movement to a transformed, an ‘Australian’ version for improvisation and new development. It stands at the start of a process from a tableau to a Play. A few years ago a group of people gathered their ideas and expressions for the ‘current’ script.

Such a PLAY needs a bit more preparation. This year we had to do it in two and a half rehearsals. (In Melbourne it had taken at least five.) Not everybody was aware of the difference between tableau and play, and so some unexpected things happened during the main rehearsal and even during the performance.  In  rehearsal, if there had been more time, we could have made a philosophy out of many of the key words; for example, could the shepherds, after they returned from the stable  to  their  fields,   say   “we  meet  the  child…”   as  an everlasting picture OR  should they say “we met the child and now …” to be historically (or grammatically) correct?
In the performance, there appeared a fourth shepherd, not planned in the way it happened, but heartily welcomed. He had to find his way by improvising into the play.

Another surprise came from the angelic world. Planned this time with one angel (I have seen it before with three eurythmists) we had a ‘young soul’ who wanted to join in. This young angel did not stay in the  background  but stepped  into the play  and imitated,  in an astonishingly kind way, the movements of the ‘main’ angel. But then – can you really say, what is ‘main’?
I guess the main task is to be part of ‘it’. And those who didn’t stand on stage could do so by participating in singing the carols. ‘Being part’ means to lose the distance of the observer, being actor, singer, or supporter. Then Christmas is no longer outside and past, but inside and now.
The date and time of the performance, while inconvenient for some, helped to feel this presence;
Joseph coming to an Inn-keeper - it was THE night. The imperfect, but actively celebrated picture of the evening becomes the vessel for something we can experience – at least unconsciously – during the sleep on THIS Holy Night we were going in. The imperfect offering draws-in the grace of the night into the open, experimenting soul.

Nevertheless – next time we could strive to do it earlier and better, yet, I hope, never so good that it would become only “a performance” instead of being reality, happening through the effort of an active community.              

Wolfgang Devine

Collating and selling franked and unfranked stamps
For many years Joan Gardner has been collecting and selling used stamps and carefully collecting unfranked stamps for mail-outs.
Joan has asked me to inform readers that she is no longer able to carry out this task as her eyes are not what they used to be.
Would any reader be prepared to take on this task?  If so, please phone me on 0413 437 712 and I will put you in touch with Joan who will explain the process.  Her telephone number is 9887 3995 and she is living in a retirement facility at 320 Cooinda Court, 159 Balaclava Road, Marsfield, 2122.

A Study of Our Rituals
I guess you could call me ‘biased’ writing about the study on the rituals; although I would like to say: who else dares to write – and who would do it better? (I’m waiting…, positively!)

Whenever work and domestic duties allow joining into the study on Tuesday mornings, I am very delighted going to this meeting and afterwards full of new insights in or with a new attention to the service. Whether we go systematically through the first words of the service ‘Let us worthily fulfil …’, or follow a question as a thread: ‘To whom do we pray in the different parts of the service?’ – there are always new perspectives on the service, on world evolution, or daily life that I need to work with during the following weeks.
The little group’s talk could lead anywhere depending on the questions and insights, but it stays close to the rituals and their meaning for the world. After 35 years of connection with The Christian Community I still feel in this hour a Renewing Movement and a touch of the spirit of the future.

I have the feeling that we are with this study at the centre of our activity, understanding ourselves better as human beings and as a modern church working with and for our and the spiritual world’s future.

Wolfgang Devine

Annual World Day of Prayer
Last year I attended for the first time, as half of the small Christian Community contingent, the World Day of Prayer.
It was a pleasure and a surprise. The ‘host’ country 2009 was Papua New Guinea, and in the short service I felt I had been re-united with a country I knew quite well three decades ago. My experience of ecumenism was greatly enriched from the awareness that all around the world such services were being held. Also I met so many of my Balmain neighbours whom I have known in other capacities, but not as fellow members of church communities in our area. The lunch provided by the host church was a great opportunity to renew, and make new, acquaintances; as a consequence I felt a deeper connection to our ‘place’ in Balmain over the past year, and a sense that we are part of a sociable group of fellow pilgrims searching and living into our truths as part of the human family.

The next World Day of Prayer will be on Friday, March 5, at 10.30 am in the Balmain Uniting Church in 344 Darling Street, upstairs from Circle Café. It is an opportunity for our community to participate with other churches in the Balmain area, as part of a world community movement, initiated and maintained by lay women to acknowledge that before God we are as one.

If you are able to attend on Friday, March 5, let me know. Then we can work out how we can contribute to the (shared) proceedings, specifically by doing a short reading. After the lunch at the Uniting Church, we could perhaps move to a working bee at Montague St.

Ann Catling (9810 6524)

Trialogue
Exploring Issues around Mental Health and Illness
Wednesday, March 10, 7.30–9.30pm
Wednesday, April 14, 7.30–9.30pm
in The Christian Community, 8 Montague St

Watching parts of the film "Someone Beside You" will lead into conversation, exploring and maybe sharing on the topic.
Trialogue has been developed within the Antipsychiatry movement. Three groups meet in Trialogue:
The Experienced, individuals who have experienced psychotic episodes; Family or friends, people who have accompanied a friend or family member through periods of mental crisis; and Carers, professional carers serving clients with metal disorders.
Ground rules are: Respect, equality, empathy, confidentiality, non-judgemental listening and speaking, sharing phenomenology instead of projecting pathology.

Contact:    Lisa (02) 9818 3193;  
Karl-Heinz Finke (03) 9005 6905 / info@Living-way.org

Gospel Readings

Trinity (lilac with orange, no inserted prayer)
Sunday, February 7 ............  Luke 8: 1–18
Sunday, February 14 ......  Luke 18: 18–34
Sunday, February 21 ....  Matthew 4: 1–11
Sunday, February 28 ..  Matthew 17: 1–13

Passiontide (black; inserted prayer after Creed and ‘Christ in you’)

Sunday, March 7 .............  Luke11: 14–36
Sunday, March 14 ...............  John 6: 1–15
Sunday, March 21 ...............  John 8: 1–12

Holy Week (black; different epistle, same inserted prayer as in previous weeks of Passiontide)

Sunday, March 28 ......  Matthew 21: 1–11
Thursday, April 1 ...........  Luke 23: 13–32
Friday, April 2 ..................  John 19: 1–15
Saturday, April 3 ............  John 19: 16–42

Easter (red and green; inserted prayer after Creed and ‘Christ in you’)

Sunday, April 4 ..............  Mark: 16: 1 – 8
Sunday, April 11 ............  John 20: 19–31
Sunday, April 18 ..............  John 10: 1–18
Sunday, April 25 ..............  John 15: 1–27
Sunday, May 2 ..................  John 16: 1–33

New Music
There is a cupboard full of song-sheets. When there are thirty copies of a song – does this mean the community has sung it, knows the song, and loves the song? As a newcomer, taking on the task of musical development, I have a lot of questions.
With joy I noticed the children’s lyres, the Klang-stäbe, the old recorders; I have already done one im-provisation for the Act of Consecration on these in-struments. There are possibilities for others to join in!

Then, I was pointed to our guitar player, Antonio. Playing together creates a special social (and listening) element. I tried to find music appropriate for the guitar, and Antonio made the first steps into the special quality of the music for the rituals, a co-operation that hopefully will go on.

I started a big experiment with a new song for the Christmas services. The community learned the refrain ‘The purest human being comes to earth’ quickly. The more difficult parts will hopefully be added by some ‘hobby singers’ so that next year there will the play between ‘choir’ and community – and the full text sung.

You will find a new song for the communion, replacing the ‘God is love’. Its words are: ‘Bread and wine, your blood and body, are seeds of love in our world, that light will have life and love will shine within the world’. To learn new songs, please come early. We will practice them on Sunday mornings from 9.30 – 9.45am.

The church has a new upright piano – a one year old Kawai 35 which will arrive in March. It is “the Perry Hart Piano” in the sense that Perry Hart gave the community her grand piano some years ago. That particular piano was kept in a home until, in-stead of an expensive refurbish it was sold. Another grand piano was purchased and kept at Glenaneon. When it became clear that the church could not now accommodate a grand piano it was sold/exchanged for the upright piano that you will soon meet and celebrate the impulse that enables us to have piano music – both in the chapel and at concerts.

I would like to offer small concerts studying musical elements. Also, the piano will support the songs in the service and an upcoming work with singers on rounds, songs and little choir pieces. I would like to start a musicians group; everybody is welcome, even if you play ‘only’ a drum. If you are interested, please let me know!                                

Wolfgang Devine
(lisa.devine@bigpond.com) 0431 090201 

Since February is the month to celebrate your Valentine, here is a special Sydney Valentine’s Quiz
Your beloved is paying you a visit from interstate (or overseas), and therefore not accustomed to NSW regulations. How can you impress her?

What could you do that would seem to hold a certain degree of folly and danger so she may think you are charmingly crazy and remember the moment for years to come?

Well, here is just the thing! The given is as follows: you need a red rose – preferably without thorns – and will have to find ‘the’ location where you shall stand, flower between the lips (at a time when only few other pedestrians are around).

Answer this quiz and you will have found where it could happen.

QUIZ: This location, specific to some NSW-towns and the CBD is one to which you may run, stand for up to ten seconds - with the rose between your lips - and run back. Where is this?
Remember, there is an element of danger (at least for every foreigner not used to our laws) …
At your marks! Ready? Go!
PS: Please note that the author shall not be held responsible for any injury or accident happening to anybody claiming to have solved this quiz and performing it at a similar, but not lawfully-suitable location. Any responsibility lies on the person undertaking this activity - we strongly advise that you subscribe to a life insurance prior to attempting any of this.
PS 2: Trust the French to devise such a nonsensical Valentine thing!
Anne-Marie Chazeau

Re-collection from Gospel Study
On Friday, February 19, we met for a short gospel study with Martin Samson. On our path through the healings by Matthew we reached the one of the two possessed men, from which demons were transferred into pigs (8, 28-34). These drowned themselves in the water of the sea that Jesus just had calmed down, being awakened by his disciples on the ship.

In not even an hour we gathered insights and personal impressions. We all have small demons; we meet them when we do something out of (bad) habits, being asleep to the bigger picture and following our ‘nature’. There is great wisdom in them (they recognize Christ), yet they need to find the right place (the pigs?).

It is almost more a question of what a human being is, than what the pigs stand for. We are not human when we are slaved by needs and think only of the one thing (what ever it is for you).
As good Christians we spoke of transformation rather destruction (of the pigs). We can give things their proper and limited place only when we see the whole. Then what was obviously loud calling out and disturbing the social life might fade away and sink back into subconsciousness (the sea).

Most people (the city) get upset. Most needs and single-mindedness deliver the drive of our eco-nomical system. We are Idiots (Greek for private men) who don’t see the whole in order to get the best share of everything. And this is important to awaken to ego-hood. Becoming human and social we might suffer the loss of the swine, but we awaken to real life (and not the life on the graveyard of the old world).

Serving the real gospel (loving!) we lose every-thing (riches, family, even our own physical exist-ence), but we gain back the richness of a higher life where we can find everything back in a new light.

Wolfgang Devine