RIDLEY COLLEGE IN GRIFFITH
Photo L-R: The Reverend Neale Sommersby, Mr Graham Stanton, The Reverend Jocelyn Heazlewood,
The Reverend Jeni Bedding, The Reverend Mary-Ann Crisp and The Very Reverend Robert Harris.
A Reflection from The Reverend Jeni Bedding, HonDeacon Parish of Narrandera, student Ridley College.Ridley in Context is a group of like minded RiverinaDiocese Lay and Clergy, who have been meeting atSt Alban’s Cathedral Theological Centre in the UpperRoom for the past three years. Students take part in aRidley College unit, Congregational Field Education,that combines online study with our own ministries inour parishes.
Reverend Richard Trist, the Dean at RidleyCollege and former Riverina resident, in liaison withthe Dean The Very Reverend Robert Harris, puttogether a program where we could study a Diplomaof Ministry or Theology, with Ridley College in arural and remote setting, supporting each other andlearning the practical aspects of ministry from ourlearned clergy and lay people.
Through the online classroom, under thetutorage of Graham Stanton, we learnt to manage ourtime, write verbatim and analytical reports, criticalincident analysis and theological reflections.What we took away with us was the skills to reflecton our ministry experiences, how to really trust andlearn what God was teaching us through them andhow to best move forward.
The flagship student members were ReverendNeale Sommersby, who upheld us in prayer,Reverend Jocelyn Heazlewood, who lovinglymothered us, Leeola Davis, who expertly organisedand kept us on point, and myself.We have been joined by Reverend Tim Kelly,Reverend Sue-Ellen Chilvers, Reverend HelenFerguson, Reverend Mary Ann Crisp, Reverend KenDale and Jill Harley and it has evolved to encompassPost Ordination Training.
It has been a very supportive learningexperience and we want to thank everyone for theirprayers and encouraging words, for opening up theirhomes to billet us and for the wonderful hospitality ofShanti and her catering teams.
Perhaps you or someone you know, might liketo join us as we become lifelong learners.
The Very Reverend Robert Harris
A Christmas Message from the Dean 2018
Advent and Christmas are times of expectation andgifts. God’s gifts of himself and of our true selves inChrist Jesus. Also our gifts and prayers for those whomwe love and care for. We also remember that Christmascan be a hard time for those who are away from family andfriends. Yet many of us remember those special timeswhen the family were together and the activity of piling inthe car to drive around town to see the ‘Christmas lights’or to visit our local church and see the ‘Crib ‘displayed.For there before us is the stable with the Christ child in themanger, Mary and Joseph close by looking on in adoration.It is not surprising that children gaze wide eyed withfascination.
It was in 1223, Francis of Assisi first created aChristmas Crib for the poor and illiterate peasant people ofCreccio Italy. He did it so that they might realise moreclearly the truth of the Christmas story, that God alsoshares the frailty and fragility of our human nature andgives us that chance to always begin again with anexpectation of a new beginning.
Now as a Diocese we have set our sights on electingthe 11th Bishop of Riverina. The Diocesan Council havenow determined the new Bishop and Registry will reside inGriffith and that is where the Bishop’s office will be. Sonow we have a chance to do things differently, to do itbetter, to do it more fully. My sense is, our parish familiesacross this vast, rural and remote Diocese are movingtowards 2019 with confidence that we indeed arejourneying together with a new beginning. This for somewill mean doing things differently but hopefully, it meansbuilding on the fine foundation and doing it better. Aboveall, for each and everyone of us it means, living more fullyin the presence of God.
God is whose gift we celebrate, God’s presencedraws us to know him, and to understand
“in Him as we live and moveand have our being”.
We are on a holy adventure, let us do our best forour Lord. Let us also pursue our journey in love.
As a post script to this message I wish toacknowledge with much gratitude the 21 years ofdedicated, faithful service of Mrs Coleen Light who will beconcluding her time with the Registry team at Christmas.So on behalf of the Diocese I thank her for her fineministry to us all and wish her every health and happinessin the future.
May your Christmas be a time of peace and joy aswe minister and journey together in “Love of Christ”.A Happy and Holy Christmas to you all!
Blessings,
The Very Reverend Rob Harris
Dean and Rector of St Alban’s Cathedral Griffith
Diocesan Administrator
Lake Cargelligo Children’s All Saints DayCelebration. Stage 2 on Sunday 4 November:
By The Reverend Paul Kumasak
Children and their parents attended the ‘Kids All Saints’service on Sunday 4 November. While the congregationattended the liturgy of the Word, the parents stayed in thehall and dressed the children up as the saints. Usingcolourful saints robes, made by a parishioner a few yearsago, they also made saints halo’s to wear around theirhead. Quoting from the Revelation of St John 7:9, theyheld green streamers at hand. After dressing up as thesaints, they were invited to the sanctuary, and stood aroundthe Altar. When Sanctus & Benedictus (Holy, Holy, Holy)and at the elevation of the host and the chalice, with thesound of the sanctus bell, they waved the streamers, likethe saints who surrounded the Altar & the Lamb in heavenwaved the branches.
At the dismissal, they processed out with Reverend Pauland waited for the rest of the congregation to come out ofthe church. They held plastic containers and joyfullyshouted “Treats for the saints!” To respond, the adults gavethem various lollies.This activity was planed to teach the children the originand real meaning of All Hallows Tide, which is nowterribly commercialised and transformed to Halloween insociety.
All was successful, parents, children, and thecongregation loved it.
PARISH CHRISTMAS SERVICE TIMES
PARISH CHRISTMAS SERVICE TIMES
| Monday 24th Dec | 8:30pm Christmas Eve Blessing of the crib & Vigil Mass. |
BARHAM
| Thursday 20th Dec | 7:00pm Murray Haven Aged Care—Carols by Candlelight Service. |
| Friday 21st Dec | 7:00pm St Martins Moulamein—Carol & Communion Service. |
| Sunday 23rd Dec | 7:00pm St Luke’s Wakool—Carol & Communion Service (at St Joseph’s Catholic Church). |
| Monday 24th Dec | 9:00pm Christmas Eve St John’s Barham—Carol’s by Candlelight Service. |
| Tuesday 25th Dec | 9:00am Christmas Day, St John’s Barham—Carols and Communion Service. |
BROKEN HILL
| Sunday 9th Dec | 3:00pm EST Combined Christmas service with the Uniting Church Menindee |
| Sunday 23rd Dec | 8:30am St Peters 10:15am St James. |
| Monday 24th Dec | 7:00pm Children’s Christmas Service St James. 11:00pm Christmas Eve Mass St James. |
| Tuesday 25th Dec | 8:30am Christmas Day Mass St Peters. (Wilcannia. To be decided.) |
COLEAMBALLY-DARLINGTON POINT
| Sunday 23rd Dec | 9:00am St Mark’s Coleambally—Holy Eucharist 11:00am St Paul’s Darlington Point—Holy Eucharist. |
| Tuesday 25th Dec | 6:00pm St Paul’s Darlington Point—Children’s Crib Service. 9.00pm St Mark’s Coleambally—Christmas Eucharist. |
COOLAMON-GANMAIN
| Sunday 16th Dec | 10:00am St Andrew’s Coolamon—Nine Lessons and Carols (Combined Parish Service) |
| Sunday 23rd Dec | 8:30am St Peter’s Ganmain—Holy Communion 10:00am St Andrew’s Coolamon—Morning Prayer. |
| Monday 24th Dec | 6:00pm St Andrew’s Coolamon—Christmas Eve Service & Children’s Pageant. |
| Tuesday 25th Dec | 10:00am St Peter’s Ganmain—Holy Communion. |
| Sunday 30th Dec | 10:00am St Andrew’s Coolamon—Holy Communion Combined Parish Service. |
CULCAIRN-HENTY
| Sunday 23rd Dec | 9:30am St. Barnabas Henty. |
DENILIQUIN—St Paul’s
| Monday 24th Dec | 5:00pm Christmas Eve—The Christmas Story for Children and Families. |
| Tuesday 25th Dec | 9:00am Christmas Day—Eucharist and Carols. |
GRIFFITH
| Sunday 13th Dec | 7:30pm St Alban’s Cathedral—Carols and Lessons. |
| Sunday 16th Dec | 6:00pm Rankins Springs Community Hall—Community Christmas Service. |
| Monday 24th Dec | 6:00pm St Alban’s Cathedral—Crib Service. 9:30pm St Alban’s Cathedral—Christmas Eve Sung Eucharist. |
| Tuesday 25th Dec | 9:30am St Alban’s Cathedral—Christmas Day Sung Eucharist 9:30am St George’s, Yenda—Christmas Day Morning Prayer. |
LAKE CARGELLIGO
| Monday 24th Dec | 5:00pm The Epiphany Lake Cargelligo—Kids Christmas. 7:00pm St George’s Tullibigeal 9:00pm The Epiphany Lake Cargelligo. |
| Tuesday 25th Dec | 9:00am The Epiphany Lake Cargelligo Christmas Day Service |
LEETON—St Peter’s
| Monday 24th Dec | 6:00pm Christmas Eve, Children’s Liturgy and Mass 11:00pm Christmas Eve Christmas Carols with the choir 11:30pm Christmas Eve Procession, Blessing of the crib— Solemn Sung Mass |
| Tuesday 25th Dec | 8:30am Christmas Day—Sung Mass |
LOCKHART
| Sunday 23rd Dec | 10:00am St Phillip Urana |
| Monday 24th Dec | 7:00pm St Aidan Lockhart—Family Christmas Service |
| Tuesday 25th Dec | 9:00am St Aidan Lockhart—Christmas Service |
MOAMA & MATHOURA
| Monday 24th Dec | 9:00pm Holy Cross Mathoura—Christmas Eve—The Christmas Story and Eucharist |
| Tuesday 25th | 9:00am St James Moama—Christmas Day—Eucharist and Carols |
MULWALA-BERRIGAN with OAKLANDS
| Monday 24th | 7:00pm Christmas Eve—Oaklands 9:00pm Christmas Eve—St Aidan’s Berrigan |
| Tuesday 25th Dec | 9:00am Christmas Day—St Andrew by the Lake Mulwala |
NARRANDERA—St Thomas’
| Saturday 15th Dec | 5:00pm—Nine Lessons and Carols |
| Friday 21st Dec | 10:30am—Holy Communion |
| Saturday 22nd Dec | 5:00pm—Children’s Christmas Service |
| Monday 24th Dec | 11:00pm—Service of Lights |
| Tuesday 25th Dec | 8:00am—Holy Communion |
| Friday 28th Dec | No Service |
THE ROCK
| Sunday 23rd Dec | 9:00am St Cuthbert’s Uranquinty |
| Tuesday 25th Dec | 9:00am Christmas Day St Peter’s The Rock |
TOCUMWAL-FINLEY
| Sunday 16th Dec | 7:30pm Combined Churches Carols at St Stephen’s Anglican Church Jerilderie |
| Sunday 23rd Dec | 5:00pm St Stephen’s Jerilderie—Holy Communion 10:00am Trinity Finley—Holy Communion Holy 8:30am St Alban’s Tocumwal—Holy Communion. |
| Monday 24th Dec | 7:00pm Holy Trinity Finley—Carols service |
| Tuesday 25th Dec | 7:30am Christmas Day Holy Trinity Finley—Holy Communion 9:00am St Alban’s Tocumwal—Holy Communion |
WEETHALLE St Christopher’s
| Sunday 16th Dec | 12:30pm, Service for Christmas Celebration |
WENTWORTH
| Monday 24th Dec | 5:00pm St Margaret’s Mildura—Christmas for Kid’s 8:00pm St John’s Wentworth—Christmas Eucharist |
| Tuesday 25th Dec | 9.30am St Martin’s Dareton—Christmas Day Eucharist |
NEWS FROM AROUND THE DIOCESE
BARHAM
By Ruth Arthur
It was a double take, double trouble and double the joy
recently when twins were Baptised at St John’s in Barham.
Babies everywhere, Lucy Weston did the backside bump up the
isle and others had baby chats amongst themselves at the back
of the church. Lovely to hear little people amusing themselves.
Rev’d Neale Sommersby Baptised, Corey Peter Maritz
with the blue socks and Mason Andre Maritz with the white
socks. Both boys were extremely brave to be picked up by a 6’7″ man almost turned upside down, have water poured over
their head, it would be scary for somebody three times their
age, but they smiled. Big sister Sienna very carefully watched
proceeding ready to protect her young brothers.
BROKEN HILL
Photo: Reverend Helen Ferguson, Lilly Bond, Joshua Nicholas,
Peter Singleton, Scarlett Molloy. Admission to Holy Communion
at St James (by the Park), as part of the celebration of the Feast
of St. James.
LAKE CARGELLIGO
By The Reverend Paul Kumasaka Rector of Lake Cargelligo
This year, All Saints Day fell on Thursday 1 November,
our parish expanded the celebration, particularly with young children from Sunday 28 October to Sunday 4 November.
While we expanded the celebration, we also observed the actual All Saints & All Souls days.
On 1 November, evening Eucharist the litany of Saints was celebrated, and the following day Friday, 2 November, we commemorated and celebrated All Souls Day. After celebrating the general Requiem at the Church of the Epiphany, Rev’d Paul visited the cemeteries in Lake Cargelligo, Murrin Bridge, and Euabalong, due to the burial of the dead, he visited Tullibigeal Cemetery the next day. At the cemetery, people from the community joined in to commemorate their loved ones and their friends.
Stage 1. Children celebrated All Saints day on Sunday 28 October making an All Saints Altar frontal. We had eight children with their parents, cut and paste the picture of Our Lord and Saints onto a decorated timber board and make a special Altar frontal which perfectly fit the front of the Altar. They also pasted paper plates with letters of A•L•L•S•A•I•N•T•S
