Rev Charlie Murry, recently ordained as priest, returned to take the GFS 35th birthday celebration service on 19th March. See full story

Rev Bev writes...

Dear Friends. Easter is fast approaching. Lent is about half way through as I write this letter, heading for Refreshment Sunday, or Mothering Sunday as it is recognized in the English Church, a time to traditionally relax a little from the Lenten disciplines. I feel a bit nervous about relaxing, because I feel I haven’t really got going. Lent has been a bit of a struggle, as it always seems to be. I never seem to be as disciplined as I want to be and never seem to live up to the great expectations I have before Lent begins. I manage to do a bit of what I hope to do, but never all. There’s a hint of a suggestion somewhere inside that the expectations may be too high, but another insight is that if it all went perfectly, well it wouldn’t be what it was supposed to be – it is supposed to be a struggle. Living a disciplined Christian life is not easy – it might sound easy, but it’s not. Perhaps the struggle towards growth is the important thing, not the achievement, and do we ever finally achieve anyway. There is always a growing to be done, until we reach our final goal, to be in the fullness of Christ, which won’t be in this earthly time and space and place. Praise God for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord, in whom we will find our true selves.

At the time of writing this letter, we have just heard about the devastation caused by the cyclone in North Queensland around Innisfail and surrounding districts. Our hearts go out to those poor people who have lost everything – homes, possessions, and livelihoods. As often happens in times like these remarkable stories emerge of those who turn in their own great loss, to help their friends and neighbours in need. Over the past weeks we have heard terrible stories of the famine in East Africa and particularly in Tanzania, where our CMS Missionary Jane Window is based and who brings us first hand accounts. Close at hand, we have also heard of the tragedy of the three little boys who were killed on the train tracks. People have been very generous in giving towards these events, and to the cyclone ravaged areas. It seems that tragic things are constantly before us, and we have no guarantees that these terrible things won’t happen, and we know too well they do – but it’s the shafts of Godly light, Christ’s presence in the hope and help one for another, that keeps us holding onto God for courage, strength and hope. We thought that as a balance to the sadnesses before us on a daily basis, we would hold a Quiet Morning on Saturday 20th May at Holy Spirit Kenmore, to focus on love, beauty and joy in God. We hope you will be able to come. There will be other Quiet Mornings held later in the year.

We have slowly begun the implementation of our Strategic Plan which was adopted late last year. We might be tempted to look for big changes, and not yet see them, but lots of things are beginning to happen in different areas. I keep a copy of the Plan on the partition above my desk so I can check it out regularly.

A Pastoral Care team is in the process of coming into being – much is already happening in this area, with visiting, provision of casseroles, prayer support, home Communions – It is a matter of bringing some structure and acknowledgement to what is happening. We will be putting more key pastoral people in place for different areas around the Parish. We will also soon be starting up a Loss and Grief Group. Preliminary discussions have happened, and information gathering will take place after Easter to see how we proceed. A hospitality group is in the process of formation. Several workshops are planned later in the year to help us develop our Baptism ministry and also to help families explore ways to pray and celebrate special life moments together.

Due to personal circumstances, our new Coordinator for Families, Children and Youth Ministry, Mr Joh Knijnenburg, has had to resign, so we are again looking for someone to fill this role. We hope it won’t be too long before that happens.

We have had some marvellous news this past week in that we have received a grant to renovate the kitchen in the upper hall at Holy Spirit Kenmore. Our hall is now being used extensively throughout the week for various activities, and it will be wonderful to be able to provide a lovely new kitchen for parish use, and for those who regularly hire the hall. We also received a very welcome bequest from the estate of Mrs Loraine Angel for use for the Church of the Good Shepherd at Brookfield, and will be able to report in the next Logos as to where this money will be used.

The Lych Gate (or Lich Gate)

When I was in the Parish of Logan we often talked about having a Lych Gate but it never happened. When some of the Logan Parishioners visited recently, they were very taken with ours and sent me the following information, which you may know, but which I thought was worthy of sharing again.

A Lych Gate was a shelter where, at a funeral, the coffin was laid down to await the arrival of the clergy. Lych comes from an old English word for corpse. i.e. Corpse Gate.

Rev Jocelyn and her husband Gordon are taking some time out to do some travelling Interstate in their new caravan. If you haven’t caught up with the news, Jocelyn broke her leg in January, and was out of action for quite a few weeks, but she has healed well, and just in time to set out for their travels. She will be back with us after Easter. Rev Colin Cussen, who has been a great help to us taking services over a number of years, unfortunately had a stroke towards the end of last year. It is good to report that he has made some positive recovery with continuing intensive rehabilitation work.

We hope to see you in Church over Easter. The Service times are set out below. There are a couple of changes this year. The first is the time of our Vigil Service – the lighting of the new fire, and the first Eucharist of Easter. This has been at 7.00 pm on Easter Saturday in past years, combined with Catechumenate and Confirmation Rites, but because we couldn’t get Bishop Ron until Easter Sunday afternoon, our Vigil Service will now be a late evening service on Easter Eve beginning at 11.00 pm.

Our Catechumenate and Teenage Confirmation Rites will be at 5.00 pm on Easter Day with Bishop Ron. We have three Catechumenate Candidates reaffirming their faith (Jane Mitchell, Tracy Dorrofield and Paul McLaughlin) and four young ladies (Natasha Dearden, Celia Claire, Megan Wilkie and Anna Kouvaras) will be confirmed. It should be a wonderful service of celebration.

Do have a look at the Ecumenical Easter Display which will be once again in the Shopping Centre at Kenmore Village during the week before Easter.

On behalf of Paul and myself and all our family, and also on behalf of Rev David Dean and Mary and their family, and the Wardens and Parish and District Councils, we wish you and all whom you love, a wonderful joyous Easter Celebration. May the power of the Resurrection bring light and life to every part of your lives.

The Lord be with you.

Amen.