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Jun – Jul 20
Connections
Bicentenary 2019-2024
CONNECTIONS
CONNECTIONS
Connections
INSIDE
Connection Reflections on the Sacred Michael Deasey p3
A Question of Faith Andrew Sempell p5
The COVID-19 crisis in East Africa Nicola Lock p14
+ MUCH MORE
Jun– Jul 20
Connections
Bicentenary 2019-2024
CONTENTS
CONNECTIONS
Reflections on the Sacred Michael Deasey...................................................p3
A Question of Faith Andrew Sempell............................................................p5
The Ordination of a Puseyite at St James’ Robert Willson...........................p8
Hymns for the Lord’s Supper Michael Horsburgh......................................p10
Livestreaming at St James’ Brooke Shelley................................................p12
CONNECTIONS
COVID-19 crisis in East Africa Nicola Lock................................................p14
Colin’s Corner Colin Middleton...................................................................p17
A Vocational Crisis Moya Holle and Mandy Tibbey.....................................p18
Parishioner Profile: Peter Luke Brooke Shelley..........................................p20
Book Review: See what you made me do Libby Hindmarsh.......................p22
Connections
Bellringing and the COVID-19 Campanile Belinda Keir...............................p23
St James’ Institute News Christopher Waterhouse....................................p26
St James’ Organ Appeal Update Robert Marriott.......................................p28
C O N N E C T I ONS
NNECTIONS
Music Notes Warren Trevelyan-Jones........................................................p29
Music List for June-July............................................................................p30
n n e c t i o n s CONNECT IONS
Connections
Introit for St James’ Day 2020 Brooke Shelley...........................................p31
Image: Chris Shain
ONNECT IONS Connections
Connections
Bicentenary 2019-2024
Jun – Jul 20
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INSIDE
Connections Reflections on the Sacred Michael Deasey p3
A Question of Faith Andrew Sempell p5
The COVID-19 crisis in East Africa Nicky Lock p14
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Connections Cover Image: Jacques Blanchard (1600–1638), Saint Cecilia, Wikimedia Commons
Reflections on the
June-July 2020
Sacred
Michael Deasey
In my long career as a church and cathedral
one of cosmic inclusivity, not offering an
option but proclaiming the ultimate truth
experiment of God, never to be replicated.
We are even created to worship in
that, in the words of Paul to the Colossians different ways. And, despite my personal
musician, and more recently having joined
(3:11) ‘Christ is all and in all’. J. I. Packer preferences, it is not for me to say one
the ranks of the ‘dreaded clergy’, as one
in his book Knowing God writes of ‘those style of church music is more ‘correct’
of my more cynical organist friends once
who look to God, so to speak, through the than another. Music that would draw me
put it, I have frequently been asked to
wrong end of the telescope, so reducing in would drive others out, and vice versa.
speak or write on the subject of music in
him to pigmy proportions…’. Faith is I still believe I can tell which so-called
worship by kind people assuming I must
not the same as certainty, perhaps even contemporary hymns or songs are gold
be some sort of expert. One day last year,
its opposite because certainty precludes and which are dross. That’s not difficult.
wandering around St Alban’s Cathedral UK,
the need for faith. I have now embraced Some are eminently singable and others
this ‘expert’ suddenly realised that all my
a more ambiguous God, a God of mystery are not, the latter usually submerged in a
former platitudes and thousands of words
who nevertheless beckons us, in Keble’s sea of syncopation.
on the subject paled into insignificance at
phrase, into ‘the ocean of his love’.
a quote from the Bishop of St Alban’s, Alan Being singable does not necessarily mean
Smith. This particular quote was part of a Musically, I am less dogmatic because, being inspired, but even the lofty words of
pictorial display of the cathedral choir: whereas I was once adamant that certain ‘In Christ alone’ sung to its very uplifting
kinds of music belonged inside church tune is let down by the appalling lines ‘till
Music in worship is not an optional
and other kinds didn’t, I am now less on the cross as Jesus died, the wrath of
extra.
inclined to divide music, indeed anything, God was satisfied’. I may now sound
It expresses the height
into sacred and secular. All creation is dogmatic, but although I believe Jesus
and depth of human experience
redeemed by God, so presumably all the took the sin of the world and the full power
and exposes the piercing beauty of
earth and everything in it has the potential of evil upon himself, these lines are just
God in ways that words never can.
for the sacred. This is not to deny evil or the monstrously expressed, implying a bipolar
I’m finding the older I get the less dogmatic diabolical because, as C. S. Lewis pointed deity.
I have become about most things, or out, the higher the creature the lower it
However, having declared my new-found
maybe more unsure about matters of can fall. Music itself can be perverted and
eclecticism for music in worship, I would
which I was once certain. Also, my ability degraded, and often is.
stop short of saying ‘anything goes’.
to listen to both sides of an argument can
Some have expressed surprise when they Are there still certain standards that we
have disconcerting results, like finding
discover I get as much pleasure out of Nat can apply to music offered to God in our
yourself being persuaded by both sides.
King Cole crooning Stardust as I do of the worship, even in this age of cultural and
Theologically, I have come to see that Tallis Scholars singing Spem in alium, liturgical diversity?
it is human nature to project God in our but this is not to say that both styles are
In answering this question, we need to
own image, and therefore be confined equally suitable for worship in a church
ask two others, the first of which refers to
to our own limits. Sectarianism must setting. Yet we have a bewildering variety
the quote from the Bishop of St Alban’s,
surely grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with of music at any given place of worship on
does our music in worship expose the
its ‘bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour and a Sunday, everything from Plainsong to
piercing beauty of God? And second,
evil speaking’. In the recent movie The Hillsong.
does the matching of words and music
Two Popes, one of many memorable lines
In a way this is understandable because become like a marriage made in heaven?
stood out for me: ‘Truth is vital, but without
variety is an attribute of the divine. God For the latter, I think of the hymn ‘O thou
love it is unbearable’.
created variety. No two blades of grass who camest from above’ to Wesley’s tune
It took me a long time to realise that John or two snowflakes are the same. No two Hereford, or the 17th century words of
14:6 is not an exclusivist statement, but human beings are alike, each a unique John Mason ‘How shall I sing that Majesty’
3
Bicentenary 2019-2024 CONNECTIONS
CHURCH Music Life & Learning
sung to the 20th century tune Coe Fen passion,
by Ken Naylor. Incidentally,
CHURCH Music a line in this
Life & Learning
whose dignity should strengthen our
hymn contains my favourite attempt to
faith,
apprehend
CHURCH an ineffable
Music God, to
Life describe
& Learning
the indescribable: ‘Thou art a sea without whose unquestioned beauty should
a shore, a sun withoutMusic
CHURCH
a sphere…’Life & Learning find a home in our hearts,
As itCHURCH
must now seemMusicobvious Life
how often
& Learning
to cheer us in life and death;
I rely on the wisdom of others to explain a music worthy of the fair temples in
whatCHURCH
I mean, I conclude
Music with a quote from
Life & Learning
which we meet
Robert Seymour Bridges, Britain’s poet
and of the holy words of our liturgy;
laureate from 1913 to 1930.
a music whose expression of the
And if we consider and ask ourselves
mystery of things unseen
what sort of music we should wish to
never allowed any trifling motive to
hear on entering a church
ruffle the sanctity of its reserve.
we should surely, in describing our
What power for such good a music
ideal,
would have.
say first of all that it must be
something different from what is
heard elsewhere; The Rev’d Michael Deasey OAM FRSCM
that it should be a sacred music, HonFGCM is Senior Assistant Priest at St
devoted to its purpose. Paul’s Burwood, Organist at MLC School,
Burwood, and Director of Mater Chorale. Image: Chris Shain
A music whose peace would still
St James’ Organ
Replacement & Restoration
Appeal
Striving for the second million!
Thanks to your generosity, the St James’ Organ Appeal has raised just over
$1.4 million in total pledges and donations. A great effort!
Spread the word amongst your friends and keep up the momentum!
Go to the Appeal website to donate online.
Why support this appeal?
A pipe organ plays a significant part in the life of a church and in the wider
music community of the city. The new Dobson organ at St James’ will be the
third largest pipe organ in Sydney after the Sydney Opera House and Sydney
Town Hall.
Its point of difference is that, apart from its use in regular church services, it will
also be available to international organists and music students for concerts and
recitals. In this way, generous donors can be assured they are making a difference
to both the cultural and spiritual life of Sydney.
Visit the Appeal website: stjamesfoundationorganappeal.com.au
The St James’ Music Foundation
ABN 81 868 929 941
4
A Question of Faith
June-July 2020
Andrew Sempell A Twitch Upon the Thread
The experience of the current pandemic has A dilemma that has recurred down
resulted in some extraordinary outcomes through the history of the church has been
in church life, not least of which has been the question: do we come to understand
the response to livestreamed services. because of our faith, or do we come to
This has not only been the experience at St faith because of our understanding?
James’ but also one across denominations
In the past five hundred years, since the
and differing traditions, reflected in a
Reformation, Protestants have tended to
significant increase in people watching
argue that we need understanding first
and participating in worship online.
(which comes from a ‘plain reading’ of the
While it has opened up the involvement
Bible), whereas the Catholic position has
of people more broadly (including across
been to hold to the primacy of faith and its
geographical, political and religious
mystery. Classical Anglicanism has tried The Rev’d Andrew Sempell
divides), it nevertheless also runs the risk Image: Chris Shain
to place itself somewhere in between the
of worship becoming an entertainment
extreme Reformed and Catholic positions– it was the province of ‘complexes’
rather than a spiritual engagement. We
advocating both faith and reason together. and ‘inhibitions’ – catch words of
therefore need to be careful about what we
the decade – and of the intolerance,
are doing. This faith/reason quandary is found in
hypocrisy, and sheer stupidity
Evelyn Waugh’s mid-twentieth century
A strength of liturgy (or the work of the attributed to it for centuries…”
novel Brideshead Revisited. The two main
people in worship) is its capacity to (Waugh E., Et in Arcadia Ego
characters are Sebastien Flyte, a troubled
recount a spiritual narrative through - Brideshead Revisited, 1945)
Catholic younger son of a marquess, and
holistic engagement with the mind,
Charles Ryder, a middle-class only-son, Charles Ryder’s problem was that, to him,
emotions, body, and soul. In the case
who was raised a Protestant but had religion made no sense, whereas his friend
of the Christian narrative, it is one that
become an atheist. Sebastien was captivated by its beauty
promises peace, justice, and hope through
and fearful of its spiritual demands, but
God’s engagement with humanity, made Ryder put his position in this especially had no thought for its logic or theology.
manifest in the work of Jesus and the damning way: Ryder fought against religion through to
ongoing presence of the Holy Spirit in the
“I had no religion. I was taken to the conclusion of the novel. But at the
world.
church weekly as a child, and at end, he finally turned toward it through
In good liturgy we open ourselves to the school attended daily, but, as though the combined effects of having lived
spiritual world to commune with God. in compensation, from the time I went a tragic and meaningless life, and the
In this respect, the elements of Word to my public school I was excused beauty he encountered when revisiting the
and Sacrament assist us to recognise, church in the holidays. The view Brideshead Chapel later in his life during
understand and incorporate the Christian implicit in my education was that the the Second World War.
narrative into our lives. It is similar to
what happens through literature, drama,
basic narrative of Christianity had The Mystery of Eucharist
long been exposed as a myth, and that
music or art, where we ‘suspend reality’ opinion was now divided as to whether Interestingly, the faith/understanding
for a period of time and allow something its ethical teaching was of present dilemma is present in our worship, and
profound to touch and communicate with value, a division in which the main especially in the Eucharist. The process of
us, thereby opening up a new reality. But weight went against it; religion was a Eucharistic worship runs this way:
how does it happen in worship? hobby which some people professed
• we gather as God’s people to
and others did not; at the best it was
participate in a spiritual community,
slightly ornamental, at the worst
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Bicentenary 2019-2024 CONNECTIONS
CHURCH Music Life & Learning
• we engage with the words of Scripture cannot do. The liturgy also emphasises Following the feeding, Jesus moved to
and the understandings
CHURCH Music
that they
Life & Learning
the idea of ‘gift’, which is the receiving of another place, but the crowds followed
bring, something without having done anything him. Jesus suspected that they wanted
CHURCH Music Life & Learning
to deserve it. Finally, the liturgy affirms the more food, but instead of supplying their
• we are spiritually nourished through
importance of relationships both with God material wants, he directed them to the
the mystery of Musicthe sacrament
CHURCH Life & Learning
of
and each other, which is a subjective way symbolic meaning of the feeding. He said:
Communion, and finally
CHURCH Music Life & Learning of knowing rather than an objective one.
“Do not work for the food that
• we are sent out as a renewed people perishes, but for the food that endures
CHURCH Music Life & Learning We therefore accept that we can ‘know’
to continue the work of Christ and be for eternal life, which the Son of Man
things in different ways; which, when
a blessing to the wider world. will give you.” (John 6: 27)
it comes to art, music, literature,
In all of this, we are being engaged relationships and faith, is a subjective way
The dialogue then went back and forth
intellectually, emotionally, physically, and of knowing because we are part of that
between Jesus and the others about what
spiritually by the worship activity. Are we, which is both experienced and observed.
is eternal life, its sign, and how people are
then, increasing in our understanding so
that we might grow in faith, or are we
God Comes to Humanity in to attain it. It ends with Jesus saying to
them:
being nourished in our faith so that we Jesus
might grow in understanding; or is it a bit “I am the bread of life. Whoever
The Bible describes God as Creator, and
of both—in the best Anglican tradition? comes to me will never be hungry,
therefore existing outside of the creation;
and whoever believes in me will never
One way of appreciating the liturgy of but it also recognises God as being
be thirsty.” (John 6: 35)
thanksgiving, (which is what ‘Eucharist’ present in creation, and especially in
means), is through the movement toward people. Historically, this may be seen in As in our liturgy, Jesus here directed his
and away from God that is symbolically the activities of the prophets, priests, and listeners to the symbolic language of
expressed in it. We move toward God by kings of the Hebrew Scriptures, as well as metaphor, by which they might come to
prayerfully entering the time and space the apostles, pastors, and teachers of the know the mystery of God’s coming to his
of worship, and God also moves toward New Testament. people. This is not the rationalist language
us and blesses us through Word and of logic or propositions, but rather the
Through the history and experiences of the
Sacrament. This is especially the case figurative one of poetry and relationship.
Hebrew people, we can see how they came
when God receives what we have to offer Hence, in this instance, faith leads to
to understand more and more God’s active
(the bread and wine) and returns it to us understanding.
presence in the world in special ways. For
blest, transformed, and ready to nourish
us spiritually.
Christians, this culminated in the story Every Phrase and Every
of God’s entering the world in the person
Sentence is an End and a
of Jesus—a human being filled with the
In this process of approach and blessing
we, like the bread and wine, are also Spirit of God. As in our liturgy, this is also
Beginning
transformed, made new creations, and about movement toward and away from Anglicans have shaped the liturgy to
empowered to be Christ to the world. For God. Hence, God enters the world in Jesus become a blend of symbol and word, of
that too is the mystery, that as the church and people respond by moving toward faith and reason, and of revelation and
(or people of God) we are called to be the him, both physically and metaphorically. exploration. One does not exist without
embodiment of Christ in the world today. the other, and when the complete consort
The Gospel of John is a grand narrative
In other words, we the people of God are dances together, a wholesome expression
about Jesus (the Word) entering the world,
called to be a sacramental presence to of the Christian faith is created. To this
followed by human reaction to him, his
others—an experience of God’s grace and end, most of the words in the Eucharistic
being rejected and killed by humanity, his
nourishment for others. This is what we liturgy are derived from Scripture. They are
overcoming death through resurrection,
call ‘incarnational ministry’. then coupled with the sensual additions of
and his return to God. Along the way,
music, colour, movement, incense, touch,
It is difficult to understand logically, and so Jesus reveals the nature of God through
and taste to make it more tangible and
it is for this reason we consider symbols his teaching and ministry, of which the
experiential.
(including music, poetry, and art) to be story of the feeding of the five thousand is
important, because they communicate a key passage. This liturgy is also a work of theology,
meaning at a depth that ordinary words which seeks to give expression to the
6
June-July 2020
revelation of the person of Jesus and his
work of salvation. In so doing, it provides
a continuum in the understanding of
salvation history from the beginning of
the Hebrew Scriptures, through the New
Testament, and on to the present times,
culminating with an experience of Christian
community in our midst.
We start our spiritual journey with worship
in Baptism; we progress it by being
nurtured through Word and Sacrament;
and we end the journey in an act of worship
at a funeral. The spiritual journey remains
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7
Bicentenary 2019-2024 CONNECTIONS
The Ordination of a
CHURCH Music Life & Learning
CHURCH Music Life & Learning
CHURCH Music Life & Learning
CHURCH Music Life & Learning
Robert Willson
CHURCH Music Life & Learning
Bishop Broughton met Gore, and they
CHURCH Music Life & Learning would have prayed for guidance in St
On 11 June 1843, the Bishop of Australia,
James’, across the road from the Bishop’s
William Grant Broughton, before a crowded
Office, before Broughton accepted the
congregation in St James’ Church,
young man as a candidate for Holy Orders.
ordained two deacons and two priests. The
Bishop, who was desperate for suitable The Bishop put Gore in the hands of
men to staff parishes and districts in his his close friend Robert Allwood, newly
far-flung diocese of Australia, must have appointed Rector of St James’, and
felt a great sense of satisfaction that day. apparently Gore attended lectures in the
crypt of the Church, as well as Sunday
One of the men ordained deacon was James
worship there. Where today tea and
Allan, whose ministry I described in the last
coffee are served after worship, was then
edition of the St James’ Connections. The
a miniature theological college. Allwood,
other was William Francis Gore, graduate
with his Eton College and Cambridge
of Trinity College, Dublin, and who came
William Francis Gore University background, had a great
to be notorious in the Sydney Press at that Image: Geni.com interest in education, and trained men for
time as ‘the Puseyite of Parramatta’.
Holy Orders in the crypt of St James’, and
in conveying sacramental grace to the
As St James’ celebrates two centuries of then in the College set up by the Bishop in
worshipper. Those influenced by Pusey
Anglican worship and ministry in Sydney, 1845 at Lyndhurst, Glebe.
were sometimes nicknamed ‘Puseyites’.
I have made a special study of those whom
We know little of Gore’s training, but it
Broughton ordained. Many of them were Both Bishop Broughton and his close
would have made use of the theological
influenced by his theology and he hoped friend The Rev’d Robert Allwood, Rector
books of the Bishop—many volumes sent
that they would carry on his traditions. of St James’ from 1840, were strong
to him by his friend and English agent, The
supporters of the Tractarian or Oxford
What was a Puseyite? Movement, later known as the Anglo-
Rev’d Edward Coleridge of Eton College.
But what was a Puseyite? If you were a Today, the surviving letters from the
Catholic Revival. Both in Britain and in the
member of the Church of England at that Bishop to Coleridge are a priceless source
Australian colonies, especially Sydney,
time, you would have had no doubt about for information on Broughton’s episcopate.
their followers, like William Gore, were
the answer. The movement was led at first I have spent many hours reading them in
sneered at and described as ‘Puseyites’.
by John Henry Newman, and after his the Moore College Library, and it is to be
The Sydney press was filled with such
conversion to the Roman Catholic faith, hoped that they will be published in full.
accusations against the Bishop and his
by Edward Bouverie Pusey, Professor of followers, accusing them of betraying Attacks on the Bishop
Hebrew at Oxford. The movement was the Reformation and leading the Church
Bishop Broughton incurred the hatred and
often called ‘Tractarian’ because of a long of England back to Rome. The career of
suspicion of many in the colony because
series of tracts expounding its ideals, and William Gore highlights this controversial
of his support for Pusey and the Tractarian
was also called the ‘Oxford Movement’. issue.
movement. A group of squatters, as
Pusey led this movement with renewed William Francis Gore recorded in the Sydney Morning Herald
emphasis on the divine origin of the in 1849, accused Broughton of being
William Francis Gore was born in Ireland in
Church of England, the importance of a ‘Puseyite’: in other words, they said,
1819 and graduated from Trinity College,
the role of bishops in maintaining the of being a genuine (Archbishop) Laud,
Dublin, in 1841. Soon after his graduation
apostolic succession of the Church from reviving old rituals, and pomp, and
he came to Australia with his wealthy
the days of Christ and His Apostles, and solemnities, and high churchisms and
widowed mother and his brothers and
the central place of Holy Communion of being an enemy to the liberties of the
sisters, arriving on 5 November 1841.
8
June-July 2020
Puseyite at St James’
people. In due course, William Gore was his mentor, Robert Allwood, he avoided REFERENCES:
suspected of being tarred with the same confrontation with his critics. Allwood
The files of the Sydney Morning Herald include
brush. was never accused of being a ‘Puseyite’ much material on the Puseyite controversy (See
After his ordination, Gore served at in St James’. After 1851 the complaints Trove newspaper search). It is to be regretted
of Gore’s ‘Puseyism’ died away, and that the Archives of the Diocese of Sydney are
Muswellbrook and seems to have avoided
not available for research.
accusations of being a ‘Puseyite’. In his ministry at Parramatta was deeply
appreciated. He won over his critics. His Robert Willson, ‘William Gore, a Puseyite in
February 1844, Gore returned to Sydney Parramatta’, (Unpublished paper).
to be married by the Bishop to Elizabeth family resources enabled him to build a
beautiful rectory which still stands 150 Broughton to Coleridge manuscript letters:
Baldock. Moore College Library.
years after his death.
But Gore held to his Tractarian principles, Brian Douglas, The Eucharistic Theology of
and slowly began to put them into effect William Francis Gore was one of the most Edward Bouverie Pusey, 2015, Brill.
after his appointment as Rector of All able men ordained by Bishop Broughton in
Marcus Loane, Hewn From the Rock, 1976,
Saints’ North Parramatta in June 1849. St James’ but the traditions of the Oxford Anglican Information Office. The author lists all
The newspapers recorded in detail the Movement in Sydney, espoused by Pusey the men ordained by Broughton, 1836-1852.
annual Vestry meetings of the parish for and his followers, remained limited to a The immense help of Mrs Prue Gore of Tasmania
the years 1849, 1850 and 1851, and those few parishes, including St James’ and in writing this article is acknowledged.
meetings were filled with angry claims Christ Church St Laurence. After the death
that Gore was a ‘Puseyite’ and his services of Bishop Broughton, his successors
Fr Robert Willson is a retired priest in
were not those of his predecessors, such in Sydney followed a more evangelical
the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn,
as Samuel Marsden. tradition, which continues to this day. But
and studied under the late Kenneth Cable
in the wider Anglican Communion, Pusey
at Sydney University. Ken Cable wrote a
There were letters of protest about Gore continues to have a profound influence
series of important articles on the history
to the Bishop and even to the Archbishop long after his death.
of St James’ Church in the Journal of
of Canterbury. Worshippers were on the
the Royal Australian Historical Society,
lookout for tell-tale signs of ‘Puseyite’
especially volume 50, part 5.
leanings. Were there crosses on the
building? Was the celebrant wearing a
surplice, perhaps with a coloured stole?
Was there chanting by a robed choir?
Were there services on Saints’ days and
more frequent eucharists? These were
all indications of ‘Puseyite’ leanings, and
William Gore was accused of all of them at
times. Today such issues seem trivial.
As he remembered his ordination in
St James’ years before, Gore must
have wondered how he had come to be
scorned for his deeply and sincerely held
convictions. But, following the example
of the Bishop and of Robert Allwood, he
carried on with his faithful ministry and
suddenly the tide turned. He seems to have
refused to engage in controversy. Like Image courtesy of the State Library of NSW.
9
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CHURCH Music Life & Learning
CHURCH Music Life & Learning
CHURCH Music Life & Learning
CHURCH Music Life & Learning
you would be greatly mistaken. The if the parish priest was in favour. At that
Michael Horsburgh
CHURCH Music Life & Learning
Wesley brothers were conservative High time, only metrical psalms were allowed.
CHURCH Music Life & Learning Church Torys. That is to say, they took Some of the Methodist leaders were
the church seriously, as opposed to the Anglican priests and could have celebrated
Latitudinarians of their day, who sought to the Eucharist in Methodist chapels, where
diminish the differences between various the prohibition of hymns did not apply.
Christian expressions. Most relevant Even so, this gave a limited opportunity
to them were differences between the to sing anything from this collection at
established church and the Puritans, who actual celebrations of holy communion.
generally looked to a more Calvinistic They could, of course, have been sung in
reformed church with little ceremony and relation to, if not at, communion.
decoration. That is to say, in comparative
More important for our purposes is the
contemporary terms, John and Charles
extensive preface that John included in the
would have been happier at St James’ than
book. The full title of the volume included
in the Diocese of Sydney generally.
the words ‘With a Preface concerning
John and Charles were politically the Christian Sacrament and Sacrifice.
conservative, holding to the divine right Extracted from Doctor Brevint’. Daniel
of kings and opposed to mob rule, which Brevint (1616-1695) was an Anglican
began to emerge later in their lives as priest originally from the island of Jersey.
The New English Hymnal (NEH) has a revolution appeared in Europe. During the He held one of the fellowships for Channel
section of hymns on the ‘Holy Communion’. second Jacobite rebellion, the one involving Islanders, founded by Charles I at Jesus
It may come as a surprise to you to know Bonnie Prince Charlie, the Wesley brothers College, Oxford, until 1648, when the
that four of the section’s 48 hymns are were accused of favouring the rebel cause, Parliamentary Commissioners removed
by Charles Wesley: 274 (‘Author of life but fought back, John declaring: them. He fled first to Jersey and then to
divine’), 287 (‘Glory, love and praise and France, where he was ordained deacon and
honour’), 309 (‘Victim divine, thy grace All I can do for his Majesty, whom I
priest. After the Restoration, he returned
we claim’) and 314 (‘With solemn faith we honour and love—I think not less
to England, first as a prebend (canon) of
offer up’). Wesley has the largest number than I did my own father—is this,
Durham and, from 1682 until his death,
of hymns in this section, followed by the I cry unto God day by day, in public
Dean of Lincoln. While at Durham, Brevint
Rev’d George Timms, chair of the NEH and in private, to put all his enemies
wrote two books about the sacrament of
committee, and St Thomas Aquinas, with to confusion: and I exhort all that
holy communion. The first was an exposé
three each. hear me to do the same; and, in their
of the errors of the Roman Mass, Missale
several stations, to exert themselves
Romanum (1672), and the second, The
The original English Hymnal of 1906 had as loyal subjects; who, so long as they
Christian Sacrament and Sacrifice (1673).
the Rev’d Percy Dearmer as its editor, fear God, cannot but honour the King.
It was from this second book that John
indicating that it came out of the Anglican
In 1745, the Wesley brothers published extracted his preface.
High Church faction following the Oxford
Movement. ‘Author of life divine’ and a volume called Hymns on the Lord’s
Brevint sets out the two traps that
‘Victim divine’ appeared in that volume. Supper. It is not immediately apparent
he thought had bedevilled historical
It appears that at least some of Charles’ when they thought that these hymns might
approaches to the Eucharist: to ‘make it
Eucharistic hymns passed High Church be sung. In general, Methodists went to
either a false God’, or an empty ceremony’.
scrutiny. their parish church to receive communion
The first error was the Roman Mass, the
and were strongly urged to do so. At that
second, the Calvinistic memorial. Brevint’s
If you think of John and Charles Wesley as time, it would not have been legal to sing
intention was to take a via media between
‘evangelicals’ of the type we know locally, these hymns in parish churches, even
10Lord’s Supper
June-July 2020
what he regarded as the idolatry of the included in the Wesley brothers’ collection, a ‘converting ordinance’, which implies
Mass and the emptiness of regarding even though some of them, while present an objective presence even if the person
the Eucharist as the celebration of a past in earlier versions of the Book of Common receiving the communion does not fully
event. To do this, he adopted a view Prayer (BCP), had disappeared from the believe.
that postulated the Real Presence of 1662 book. In fact, when John arrived
Thus, you can now see how Charles’
Christ in the Eucharist without adopting in the American colony of Georgia in
hymns passed the NEH test. In some ways,
the Aristotelean philosophy behind the 1735, he revised the 1662 BCP to reflect
these hymns owe their popularity more to
doctrine of transubstantiation. more closely the 1549 version, and used
Anglicans than to Methodists.
his revision while there. Given that they
In his own life, Brevint experienced the
rejected transubstantiation, yet retained From their Oxford days, both John and
political consequences of the differences
Real Presence, what did the Wesley Charles had been weekly communicants.
that he articulated. He was ejected from
brothers believe about the elements of the This was unusual, even for clergy, and
his Oxford fellowship by the Calvinists
communion? Their view can be explained was difficult to maintain in an age when
during the Commonwealth, and avoided
in the term transignification which said communion was often limited to the
the return of Catholicism in the presence
that, although Christ is not locally present minimum three times a year prescribed
of James II, who was deposed in the
(transubstantiation), he is personally by canon law. We should not assume,
Glorious Revolution of 1688.
present. The actual substance of the however, that Methodism, as it developed
Charles believed in a Real Presence as elements remains but they express the into a separate denomination, held to its
shown in the last verse of ‘Victim divine’, presence of Christ. founders’ high sacramental principles.
which, I think, is the only place that this
phrase appears in NEH: The change in meaning is not the result Now to the hymns in NEH. Three of them
of our decision to treat the elements come from the Lord’s Supper collection:
differently. It is the action of the Holy Spirit ‘Author of life divine’, ‘Victim divine’, and
invoked during the Eucharistic prayer ‘With solemn faith’. ‘Victim divine’ is the
(technically, the epiclesis). It is, therefore, earliest to find a wider audience, but it
permanent, which is why any remaining did not appear in the Methodist hymnals
elements must later be consumed. Wesley until 1797, amongst a group of ‘Additional
John adopted Brevint’s arguments as his
wrote this view into Hymn 72 of the Lord’s Hymns’.
official position on the sacrament. While
Supper collection, where he says that the
John and Charles used 18th century ‘Glory, love and praise’ comes from another
Holy Spirit ‘realizes’ the ‘Sign’ and infuses
Anglican ritual, in terms of Eucharistic volume of hymns called Graces Before
‘Life’ and ‘Power’ into the elements,
practice, they adopted some approaches and After Meat. It comprises verses from
making them ‘effectual’ by ‘Heavenly Art’:
then considered to be in the minority but Hymns 13 and 17 in that volume. In its
easily recognised by us today: present form, this hymn first appeared in
the 1969 Hymns and Songs published by
(1) The mixture of water and wine in the
the British Methodists as a supplement to
sacramental cup; (2) The oblation of the
their long-standing 1933 hymnal. It went
Eucharistic elements as the representative
from there to the 1974 Royal School of
sacrifice of Christ’s body and blood; (3)
Church Music publication, Hymns for
The Blessing of them or the Invocation of
Celebration: a Supplement for Use at
the Holy Ghost upon them; and (4) The
Holy Communion Today. I think that this
recommending of the faithful departed
Furthermore, the Wesley brothers rejected is how it finally arrived in NEH. The tune,
to God’s mercy at the Celebration of the
‘receptionism’, the view that communion ‘Benifold’, to which NEH sets this hymn,
Christian Sacrifice.
depends on the faith of the recipient. John was written in January 1968 specially for
All these features appear in the hymns believed that the Holy Communion was Hymns and Songs by Francis Westbrook, a
11Bicentenary 2019-2024 CONNECTIONS
Livestreaming
CHURCH Music Life & Learning
Methodist minister, musician and member
CHURCH Music Life & Learning
of the committee that produced the volume.
The CHURCH
committee was meeting
Music
in Life
Benifold,
& Learning
a
at St James’
country house in Hampshire subsequently
owned by the rock band,
CHURCH Music Fleetwood Mac.
Life & Learning
As usual,
CHURCH
later editors
Music
choseLifeto soften
& Learning
some of Charles’ more extreme language.
‘WithCHURCH
solemn faith’ takes two verses from
Brooke Shelley
Music Life & Learning
a four-verse hymn. In the first verse, ‘That
In mid-March, as the COVID-19 pandemic day, the Archbishop of Sydney announced
precious bleeding sacrifice’ becomes ‘That
worsened, we got the impression our long- that all church gatherings were to cease for
all-sufficient sacrifice’. ‘His’ in the second
term project of livestreaming services at St the time being. But with my iPhone and
line of the second verse becomes ‘the’.
James’ was going to become an immediate new microphone balanced on the music
project. We started researching what we’d stand, we were ready to continue with
need to do, enlisting advice from our resident our planned Wednesday Choral Evensong,
photographer, long-time parishioner and sadly with no congregation. Whilst the
tenor, Chris Shain. Chris suggested we livestream of that service on 18 March was
consult baritone/lawyer, Simon Turnill for a success, and those afterwards, it became
advice, as Simon has recorded the choir in evident we were in for the long haul with
concert and services in the past–purely out how the services were to be conducted
of his enjoyment for such things. Simon amid COVID-19 restrictions, so we turned
suggested one short-term solution was to to Simon to see if he could provide a more
livestream on Facebook. We had a good sophisticated set-up.
camera in the office, so Tony (the Facilities
‘Victim divine’, refers specifically to the Simon describes how this evolved:
Manager) and I went on the hunt for a
Eucharist as a sacrifice, as does ‘With microphone to plug into the camera. After I had never done any livestreaming
solemn faith’. ‘Author of life divine’ takes visiting every tech store in the CBD, we before, but had plenty of experience in
up the theme of Real Presence and the life- came back to the office empty-handed, and audio and video production and knew
giving nature of its reception. ‘Glory, love a little defeated. The next day (Wednesday there were plenty of tools available
and praise’ seems an appropriate post- 18 March), we dropped the idea of fancy online. I downloaded the standard
communion hymn, which is how it was video quality and tested livestreaming from streaming software, OBS, and installed
described in the Royal School of Church my mobile phone. We set up my iPhone that on my laptop. The next challenge
Music collection, summing up all that the on a little tripod, balanced precariously on was to find an ‘encoder’—a small piece
sacrament means. a music stand in the middle of the nave. of hardware to allow me to connect
Tony stood outside the church and phoned a video camera to my laptop. Since
None of these hymns appeared in the
Christopher Waterhouse, who was seated almost everyone in the country was
1785 Collection of Hymns for the Use
at his desk, watching the test livestream suddenly starting to livestream their
of the People Called Methodists, so it is
on his computer. Fr Glenn read bits of the events, the regular suppliers’ stocks
not possible to know which tunes were
service from the pulpit, the lectern, and were bare. However, I recalled that
originally used by the early Methodists.
the altar. The result was that the image online gamers use a very similar device
Their appearances in later hymnals used
was okay but the sound wasn’t anywhere to stream their screens to YouTube and
tunes then available for the specific metres.
near cinematic standard. We phoned Chris I was able to pick up one of these at the
It would take too long to trace the tune Shain again, who advised us on the type of local JB Hi-Fi!
histories of all these four hymns. Suffice microphone to get to plug into my iPhone. We started with a single camera in
to say that they have been set to what was Off to all of the tech and photographic the gallery, plus two high quality
available and singable from time to time. shops in the CBD Tony and I went, looking microphones in the nave. I was
for the exact microphone. We found it, at learning as I was going along in terms
Associate Professor Michael Horsburgh
the fifth shop we visited, but it didn’t fit of what settings in OBS provided the
AM is a Parishioner and Lay Parish
my iPhone. Thankfully, they offered an best quality, and it was a bit of trial and
Reader at St James’.
alternative, and we were away. Later that error. There was no wired internet in
12June-July 2020
The adverse effect of not gathering as a
community to worship in the church is
plain to see; we miss seeing our friends
and colleagues in person, sharing the peace
with a warm handshake or embrace, and
enjoying a catch-up over tea and coffee (or
wine) afterwards. But livestreaming has
enabled those in our parish who have been
isolated by illness to attend services again,
as with those who have moved interstate or
abroad. Not only that, we can now welcome
new parishioners from all over the country
and the world to our parish—something we
couldn’t have imagined before.
Brooke Shelley is Communications and
Media Manager at St James’.
Simon Turnill at the livestreaming desk.
Image: Simon Turnill
the gallery, so I was streaming via my We also added a semi-transparent
iPhone hotspot, which often dropped watermark to show St James’ branding
out and caused the stream to freeze. for its Bicentenary, but probably the
Tony has since installed a 4G device most popular upgrade has been the
(supplied by the Rector’s Warden, addition of a small camera in the organ
Chris Lock), to which I now connect loft. This gives a unique view of the
using an Ethernet network cable, and organ console, and is something even
the reliability of the connection has regular parishioners never ordinarily
improved enormously. get to see. Again, the professional
The first major update came after there devices required to transmit video from
the organ loft to the gallery can cost
COUNSELLING
were comments about the spoken
parts of the service being difficult to thousands of dollars, however, again, a AT ST JAMES’
hear via the distant nave microphones. high street retailer came to the rescue
St James’ Church offers a
We therefore connected another with a simple device that can take a socially inclusive and non-faith
audio channel directly to the church’s video signal at one end, convert it to a based professional counselling
existing public address system, to format that can be run over a hundred service as part of its outreach
allow us to obtain clear audio from metres or so on standard computer ministry to the city.
the microphones in the pulpit, lectern network cable, and then convert it back Our professional counsellors/
and altar, and also from the wireless to video at the other. psychotherapists/coaches are
microphones worn by the clergy. I think The streaming is now starting to run available to assist individuals,
this made a huge improvement to the much more smoothly, and from my couples and family members
experience of viewers at home. perspective it is incredible to see the
on a wide range of issues.
Appointment flexibility is
Once the basics were in place, there number of viewers our services draw
offered to accommodate
were opportunities to increase the in, and the positive feedback we have work schedules. The service is
quality of the broadcasts. Firstly I added received in a relatively short time. I provided in rooms in the lower
a second camera which permanently think this is a genuine opportunity for St level of St James’ Church,
showed a ‘general view’ of the church. James’ to connect with a much broader located in the heart of the city.
This allowed me to cut to that view community, in Sydney, Australia as a To make an appointment, or
and then reposition the main camera whole, and indeed around the world. for further details,
without any unsightly zooms or pans. please visit sjks.org.au or
*** telephone 8227 1300.
13COVID-19 crisis
Bicentenary 2019-2024 CONNECTIONS
CHURCH Music Life & Learning
CHURCH Music Life & Learning
in East Africa:
CHURCH Music Life & Learning
CHURCH Music Life & Learning
CHURCH Music Life & Learning
CHURCH Music Life & Learning
Nicola Lock
Nicola Lock with the IFAGE Conference Team in Rwanda, 2019.
Image: https://ifageinternational.org/events/f/2019-faith-gender-
international-conference-report
The COVID-19 pandemic has left no near the northern shores of Lake Victoria. Rev Domnic is a humble and passionate
country worldwide untouched. We man, and writes of his own ‘conversion’
For the past three years, I have travelled
in Australia, due to some proactive about issues of gender equality, which
to East Africa to support Reverend
government intervention, the community’s required him to challenge his traditional
Domnic Misolo in his work battling gender
willingness to comply with social and upbringing and an evangelical heritage:
inequality in Kenya and surrounding
economic restrictions, and our relative
East African countries. Rev Domnic is an I came to know about the need for
wealth, have been impacted far less than
ordained Anglican priest who has devoted justice and equality for women and
many other affluent western nations. Not
his life to the empowerment of women girls during my seminary education
so in the two thirds world, where economic
and girls in his region through IFAGE, a at St. Paul’s University (Kenya) in the
instability, fragile health systems and
registered non-government organisation, year 2009 when I came across the
lack of good infrastructure prevent
that he formed over five years ago. IFAGE academic journal about Bible, Faith
dissemination of clear public health
works with faith groups and community & Gender. As an Anglican priest,
messages. Social distancing measures,
organisations through empowering faith I followed traditional evangelical
even where possible, have devastating
leaders and women’s leaders on gender spirituality that views Scripture (Bible)
effects on poverty and food security. St
justice and equality throughout Eastern as authoritative and actual God’s breath
James’ has been given the opportunity to
Africa. Through the work of IFAGE, Rev without criticism. Being moulded in
partner with an organisation in western
Domnic is well-networked with leaders in the African culture (Luo Tribe) where
Kenya, the Institute for Faith and Gender
the Anglican church and other churches women are viewed as inferior and
Empowerment (IFAGE) to participate in an
in his region, working in partnership to rated with children, my attitude from
Emergency Response to COVID-19 plan
deliver education programmes and health childhood and in the ministry (as
which seeks to respond suitably for their
promotion programmes. a priest) was heavily influenced by
situation in Bondo and Rarielda counties,
14June-July 2020
St James’ Support of an
Emergency Response Project
that context and worldview. I did not As this crisis began to unfold, Rev Domnic Assistants/Volunteers (CHA/Vs), and
know that my understanding of the wrote to me: local Clergy/Faith Leaders, raising
Bible was influenced by a patriarchal awareness, educating on preventive
Kindly, I’m writing to you with a heavy
culture as socializing people and their measures, and facilitating reporting of
heart as fear engulf our families and
relationships in the society through suspected cases.
communities considering possible
male pre-eminence.
impact of COVID-19 pandemic in • Phase 2: Establish hygiene
I deeply reflected back on my church Kenya and East Africa – with poor demonstration points where those
and life in the community, I was health facilities and crushing (sic) trained in Phase 1 can show
challenged, and my pre-conceived economies. Cases of infections and and cement the correct way for
worldview was largely questioned. I death are being reported in many handwashing.
started to rethink on the fact that men places across the region, but our
and women are equal and that can it • Phase 3: Lead Public Awareness
hope is in Christ…… I believe we can
be true. campaigns in the region, run by Phase
partner with you and your church to
1 trainees, to disseminate accurate
The most recent figures from Kenya do our best part in a small way, to
public health information in villages
report a total of 887 COVID-19 cases1, pray and reach out to needy cases and
and towns through use of outdoor
but a serious shortage of testing due to vulnerable families here in Kenya and
broadcasts/speakers.
availability of testing, fear of being forced East Africa. Kindly, attached find our
into quarantine and stigma attached to proposal as an emergency response • Phase 4: Provide Economic Stimulus
the virus suggests the actual numbers are to the crisis which we request you Package for businesswomen to inject
likely to far higher. Measures have been present to your church. back fresh capital/blood into their
put in place to contain the virus: closure businesses after weeks and months
IFAGE has a well-planned project proposal
of schools, colleges, and international of self-isolation and stay-at-home
which has four phases:
borders, and banning of social gatherings, orders. This will enable the women
but in a crowded and poor country like • Phase 1: In partnership with local to gain back/resume their businesses
Kenya, the social distancing measures medical/health providers, training and continue providing food and
we can adopt in Australia are almost and empowering local Public livelihoods for their families.
impossible. Health Officers, Community Health
Impact of gender on effects of
COVID-19
In Australia, there have been reports
of lockdown conditions worsening the
situation for women living with domestic
violence. Worldwide, international bodies
such as the World Council of Churches
have recognised that the COVID-19
pandemic is having a disproportionate
impact on women in countries where there
Image supplied. is existing gender injustice2. A recent joint
statement issued reports that ‘the impacts
1
East African Community reporting COVID-19 cases, 15 May 2020.
2
https://www.oikoumene.org/en/press-centre/news/global-faith-based-organizations-jointly-call-for-gender-justice-amid-covid-19-response
15Bicentenary 2019-2024 CONNECTIONS
CHURCH Music Life & Learning
of COVID-19 will be hardest felt by women Here is Rev Domnic delivering food stuffs
CHURCH Music Life & Learning
and girls. Worldwide, many people who to one of the first recipients. Rev Domnic
are enrolled
CHURCH in health Music
care and the related
Life & Learning writes ‘Today we visited this lovely woman!
care economy are women. Occupying She lost both of her two hands and one leg
positions
CHURCH on the frontline
Music makes
Life & women
Learning to a chronic wound. She also lost her three
more susceptible to the risk of infection. grown up children. She purely depends on
Many people will lose their livelihoods, as people’s donations and support. At a time
CHURCH Music Life & Learning
already experienced worldwide with the like this with lockdowns due [to] Covid-19,
CHURCH Music Life & Learning
global lockdown. This impacts the service such physically challenged persons need
industry and informal sector, where many our love and prayers.’
women work. The closure of schools will
I will be keeping in touch with Rev
impact girls’ education now and in the
Domnic and the project: you can keep
long-term, with an increased risk for child
in touch through the IFAGE website:
marriage and child labour.’
ifageinternational.org/, and FaceBook page,
IFAGE has shown how it can respond to www.facebook.com/ifageinternational/.
local conditions and, due to Kenya’s early Please keep this region in your prayers:
lockdown orders, Phases 2 and 3 were that they will be protected from the
curtailed sooner than planned. Concerning Image: Nicola Lock ravages of the virus and that food security
the local crisis, IFAGE has shown flexibility is maintained, domestic violence kept in
• Responding to increased cases of
by identifying and responding to two more check, and for the effectiveness of the
domestic violence. IFAGE is providing
areas requiring support: IFAGE team as they seek to ameliorate the
a 24/7 hotline to the community
impact of the virus on this impoverished
• Very vulnerable families who are not health volunteers and clergy so they
region.
able to find food. IFAGE has identified can report cases of domestic, intimate
500 households of the elderly and partner violence, and sexual violence. Nicola Lock is a Parishioner at St James’.
most underprivileged families that This will be connected through police/
need immediate food assistance. security offices and children office
departments.
An approach was made to the St James’
Mission and Outreach Committee for
funding to support Rev Dominic’s project
in rural western Kenya. The committee’s
timely and enthusiastic response to the
request is enabling us as a parish, out of
the relative wealth of St James’ resources,
to partner in a small way with Rev Domnic
and his team, as they respond to the
COVID-19 crisis in a developing region in
East Africa. When Rev Domnic heard that
the $5000 grant was on its way he replied:
Please thank you so much [for] this
donation and we are most grateful!
I’ve informed my staff and executive
board about this and we all feel very
thankful for this great donation and
your connection for this consideration.
We plan to start working on these
[new] activities as early as next week.
Image supplied. Image: efogeinternational.org/
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