Sunday, April 26th 2020
An ANZAC remembrance service
Start with this link
Sometimes having to endure the restrictions of
lockdown are getting tiresome and we just want to go out or buy the things we
need or see our friends and not being able to do that raises questions about
what we are enduring and questions about why God is allowing all this.
We invite you to have your bible beside you
for the service, and then take a moment to remember the Presence of God is with
you.
Callto worship
We all belong to each other, we all need each other.
It is in serving each other and in sacrificing for our common good,
that we are finding our true life.
We gather to worship to Remember God who gave his only son, and to
remember those who gave themselves to fight for freedom
And to remember those who today put the needs of others before
themselves
Let us worship God
On this Anzac weekend we think of those who accepted
the call to fight for family and country.
They left our shores yet the hearts of the people went with them, we
were one in a bond of love and prayer.
Today we are fighting not a foreign power but a virus which has the
power to take many lives and we are grateful for those in the front lines who
at risk to themselves serve us. Yet we realise
that it is not just the Doctors and nurses who are essential workers, but
grocers and mail deliverers and farm workers.
And we to have an essential role of staying in our bubble. This reminds us that we are all part of a
larger team. So we are grateful that you
are our God, that you have put us in community, and you call us to have this
community mindset – to remember the Lord’s prayer starts with the words “Our
Father”
Let us say the prayer Jesus taught us
Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed by your name
Your Kingdom come your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our Daily bread
Forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil
For yours is the power and the Glory, forever and ever Amen.
If you are with
others share your highs and lows for the week. If you are doing this with just
you and God, pause and ponder the things of your week that you are grateful
for: the people you know and love, the
company you have shared….
Don’t forget the low
points – what have you struggled with this week?
Opening Song (Click the underlined words)
Sing Be still my soul
Did you know in the 1900’s people doubted
airplanes could ever fly or that people could run a mile in under 4 minutes –
that was until those things happened. If
People doubt the resurrection, we should not be surprised because it is not an
everyday occurrence.
If you are watching the
video we have Arthur Tristram saying The Ode and lowering a flag as the last post is played.
WE also
have the memories of Byron Buchanan who was a gunner in WW2
Here is his story
I Signed up for the army in 1940. I had a first winter in Wingatui,
Sth Island. testing 3 point 7 howitzers, then our
famous 25 pounders.
famous 25 pounders.
I Left Trentham, Wellington, May 1943 for Middle East. Landed in
Italy where I had two winters.
My job in the army Artillery was artificer, which covered servicing a
battery of 8, 25 pounders.
I got to know most of the gunners and was saddened to find that one
of our guns was shelled, in which 3 of the gunners were killed
We were dug in for 3 months at Cassino at the base of a hill that had
the Germans looking down on us. I had one of my best mates killed there , Alan Honest Fearless Basil Brown, another mate , my wedding best man , Ra Bate was wounded.
It was a great sight to see a formation of American bombers arrive and
drop their bombs on the Monastery They had held off bombing for some
time , but decided that viewing the resulting carnage would lift our
morale . It did. That started the retreat of the Germans.
22.000 Germans and 1.600 New Zealanders graves are in the Cassino
area. Their average age is 23.
We chased the Germans from there, to Rome which was kept free from
fighting on religious grounds.. The next battles were at FORLY and
FANZA..Two positions where we were held up. It was there that I came
across a dead German as we were progressing. I found photos of his
family in his pocket , of his wife and two children. Those memories
still haunt me after all these years. It could have been a shell from
one of the guns I serviced that killed him.
History should have taught us that war is NOT the answer and the
sooner we learn this the better. Greed for money, power or religion
are the main causes of war. Hitler, Mussolini and a few more maniacs
found that out.
Although I was fortunate to come out of the war physically unharmed ,
the experience has created moments of torment , when I reflect on the
number of soldiers I maimed during those dreadful years. I console myself
with the thought , that it was either them or me.
I spent four years in the army being taught to hate and kill -Germans, Italians and Japanese. They are now our friends.
War, over the years, have proved nothing but suffering on all sides.
The Bible says "Love thy neighbour" Let`s practice it.
My job in the army Artillery was artificer, which covered servicing a
battery of 8, 25 pounders.
I got to know most of the gunners and was saddened to find that one
of our guns was shelled, in which 3 of the gunners were killed
We were dug in for 3 months at Cassino at the base of a hill that had
the Germans looking down on us. I had one of my best mates killed there , Alan Honest Fearless Basil Brown, another mate , my wedding best man , Ra Bate was wounded.
It was a great sight to see a formation of American bombers arrive and
drop their bombs on the Monastery They had held off bombing for some
time , but decided that viewing the resulting carnage would lift our
morale . It did. That started the retreat of the Germans.
22.000 Germans and 1.600 New Zealanders graves are in the Cassino
area. Their average age is 23.
We chased the Germans from there, to Rome which was kept free from
fighting on religious grounds.. The next battles were at FORLY and
FANZA..Two positions where we were held up. It was there that I came
across a dead German as we were progressing. I found photos of his
family in his pocket , of his wife and two children. Those memories
still haunt me after all these years. It could have been a shell from
one of the guns I serviced that killed him.
History should have taught us that war is NOT the answer and the
sooner we learn this the better. Greed for money, power or religion
are the main causes of war. Hitler, Mussolini and a few more maniacs
found that out.
Although I was fortunate to come out of the war physically unharmed ,
the experience has created moments of torment , when I reflect on the
number of soldiers I maimed during those dreadful years. I console myself
with the thought , that it was either them or me.
I spent four years in the army being taught to hate and kill -Germans, Italians and Japanese. They are now our friends.
War, over the years, have proved nothing but suffering on all sides.
The Bible says "Love thy neighbour" Let`s practice it.
Bible Readings:
Brett’s Message
I’ve had a few moments this week when I have had
lockdown fatigue. In our house and in
others I know a few words have been said which were a little sharper than
normal. I have read that cases of domestic
violence are also on the rise and I read that in the UK 16 women have been
killed in the past 3 weeks from family violence. People are hanging out for this lockdown to
ease.
Answer this question “When we drop
down a level or 2 I want to …
Answers I have heard this week include, have a good coffee, Walk on the
beach, See my grandkids, eat some KFC.
Christians in Corinth were not under Lockdown but they
were under pressure and not behaving well.
Paul writes about their acting like children, with Jealousy and quarrels. Saying one preacher is better than another
and generally falling into factions.
Instead Paul emphasises we are all in this together. We may have different roles – as he said Paul
planted, Apollos watered but GOD GAVE THE GROWTH.
His final verse in our reading says “For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s
field, God’s building.”
This sense of being a co-worker
with God in the task of building the church and building a society which
reflects God’s love and care is crucial for dealing with stress, ours and the stress
of others.
This sense of teamwork is emphasisied by Ecclesiates
4:9-12 where the writer gives 34 examples
of where “Two are better off than one, because together they can work more
effectively…. If one of them falls down, the other can help
him up…. If it is cold, two can sleep together and stay warm…
two people can resist an attack that would defeat one person alone. And he
concludes with “A rope made of three cords is hard to break”.
Paul wants us to develop an
outward mindset. By this I mean the opposite of an inward mindset which emphasizes
My rights, my needs… An outward mind set sees the
needs and rights of others. It is recognising the person not as a problem
but part of our team. We are partners working together
A
Psychologist called Steven Karpman developed what he called the Deadly Drama
Triangle. In it people take roles as
either Victim, rescuer or persecutor. Victims elicit our sympathy and help but
it is ultimately disempowering. Rescuers
might feel good and strong and needed. But ultimately this is not helpful as the
rescuer gets tired of helping and complains, or the victim gets sick of being powerless
and either can take on the role of persecutor and chaos begins. Instead of adopting these roles he suggests
encouraging maturity and growth. To
treat people as adults. As an adult I can
take responsibility for my needs but it also means I can ask for help. He advocates different roles as part of The
Empowerment Dynamic
•
Creator – I can do it (taking responsibility for my own needs)
•
Coach – how will you do
it - what support and assistance do you
need - but you have to do it.
•
Challenger – you can do it –
encouraging growth
(read some articles about this if you
want to learn more.)
Paul I think
would see this as part of being in a
team together with God. Where the emphasis is on growth in maturity rather than
prolonged dependence. For Paul and for
us the promise is that God is at work through others who plant the seed or
water it – but the main thing is God is at work. It is God who gives the growth. This is because God believes in us, he has called us his children and made
us in his image. We also have the Promise
of forgiveness when we get it wrong. And ultimately we have the presence of God
with us as Eccl 4 reminds us there is a “third strand”. This is the promise
that God is in the midst of your bubble and in the midst of your struggles. God
who believes in our growth and is working in us and through us.
Is
there other connections between your bible readings and your highs and lows for
the week?
·
Was there a word, sentence, or phrase
that stood out to you in the readings today?
Pray
for those who shared their highs and lows giving thanks for the blessings and
asking for God’s help with the struggles.
A further Prayer
Written and spoken by Pam Thrupp
Prayerfor Ourselves and Others
– 26 April
Let us pray
Almighty God. Gracious and
Loving God, we are facing times of
uncertainly both here in Aotearoa and around the world. We know we are not
alone and that You, dear Lord are watching over us and loving us no matter our
state of mind or body. For many people this is a time of loneliness, depression
and sadness. We pray for them to be surrounded by people who care, people who
will listen and encourage to bring some
hope and peace into their lives. For those who are struggling with illnesses,
those waiting for treatments to start, those who are grieving the loss of a
loved one at this very difficult time, we ask that you would surround them with
your loving arms bringing them peace and comfort.
We are aware of the enormous
needs of those people who have businesses that are on shaky grounds and the
fear of what the future holds for them. Bless them Lord and may they call on
you for courage to face the future. We think of those people who will need to
return to work next week but still have children at home to home- school and to
take care of. May their employers be considerate and caring as they work
through these issues. We pray for the teachers who, at the moment are teaching
on-line, a whole new experience for
them, the children and their parents. As some of them return to school
next week we pray for safety for them all.
Bless the children Lord, our Grandkids
our Kool Kids, Youth Group, Mainly Music and K.F.C. kids. We pray that
at this time they stay safe within their bubbles.
We give thanks for our fellow Christians here
at St Columba's. We especially pray for Brett as he leads us, encourages us and
helps us to both grow in our Faith and in our service to others. Bless Sue as
she supports him in his Ministry. Church is very different for him and for us.
The Church is just a building, the real Church is its people who love and
worship you Lord. As we tune in to listen to your word on our Tvs or computers,
may we be touched by the word that is being spoken. Open our hearts and our
minds to receive you.
How gracious You have been to
us this week. The beautiful weather we are experiencing and the way we have
been able to go out and exercise and experience your wonderful creation. To
hear the birdsong and see the clear skies makes us feel and know how privileged
we are to live in the beautiful land and this province.
Thank you for this Church family who love and
support one another. There is a lovely sense of belonging and caring for each
other. The many phone calls being made by people who check in and make sure they
are ok, offering support where they can, is heart warming.
We remember today O Lord all
those who have died in any kind of war: Soldiers who perished in the horror of
battle and the householders buried beneath the rubble. Today we remember
especially the victims of the two World Wars: including those close to us, or
for our parents or Grandparents. We remember especially those who came home
with terrible injuries, those who came home mentally ill through the trauma of
war and those who lost someone they loved. Have mercy on us Lord for all the
damage done to people by people in war and strengthen those striving to bring
peace to our World today.
Heavenly Father we remember
before You the worlds great needs and its many sorrows. Bless all those where
war is a way of life for so many and the human tragedies that cause so much
despair. We pray for the refugees living in crowded and the poorest of
conditions We have all been moved by the plight of the suffering of the men, women and children
in the refugee camps. We pray that the Corona virus does not attack these camps
or the suffering will be beyond belief. Help us to reach out our hands in
support of the refugees.
We pray for countries around
the world who are trying to cope with horrors of Covid 19. Bless all the Health
workers both here in New Zealand and overseas. The USA and the UK are
experiencing enormous numbers of people who are ill or dying. May their
Governments make wise decisions on how to deal with it. May our Government continue to bring wisdom
and comfort to our nation. Bless Jacinda and her large team who are working
tirelessly to bring about the best results. May we not close our eyes or our
hearts to the things that bring so much despair.
Bless all the essential
workers who are doing an amazing job, The Police, the ambulance people, the
supermarket workers, cleaners, cooks and Rest Home carers. We are sad to hear
of the death of another person at the
Rosewood retirement village, Bless the families and staff as they grieve.
Faithful God as we leave our
Worship today, to go back into our bubbles,-- we thank you for walking
alongside us keeping us safea and if we fail to be aware of You, forgive us for
our human weakness and open our eyes to see you as our constant companion and friend.
Please accept these prayers
for the sake of Your son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen
Final HYMN InChrist alone
We
close reading, praying or singing the hymn:
Click
the underlined words
Say this to one
another – (and yourself)
The Lord bless you
and keep you;
May the Lord be kind and gracious to you;
May the Lord be kind and gracious to you;
the Lord look upon
you with favour and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24ff
Gonow in peace, Go now in peace. May the love of God surround you, Everywhere,
everywhere, you may go.
NOTICES
Help during the health crisis: We are wanting to be able to offer help where
we can and where it is needed. For
example, this might be to pick up some groceries and leave them at the door of
someone who feels unable to be in contact with people at that time. It might be a ride to an appointment. If you wish your name to go onto a list of
those willing to help please let anyone Brett or the church office know. Please note - in order to protect everyone,
you must be in good health yourself to be involved in this.
The Prayer Team: If you or someone you know would benefit from having some prayer
support we have a prayer chain so please feel free to send your requests to office@stcolumba-taradale.org.nz
and the team will spring into action. (You can be assured of confidentiality).
Zoom Meeting after worship (BYO cuppa and chat)
We are having a get together on Zoom on Sunday after worship at 10:30am.You can also use your regular phone and dial in the numbers below and add the meeting id when asked.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/376981534?pwd=K1dlTWZMNUJUUDZpTnNyRWhydzVxZz09
Meeting ID: 376 981 534
Password: 014488
One tap mobile
+6448860026,,376981534#,,#,014488# New Zealand
+6498846780,,376981534#,,#,014488# New Zealand
Dial by your location
+64 4 886 0026 New Zealand
+64 9 884 6780 New Zealand
Meeting ID: 376 981 534
Password: 014488
Ministers all the people Parish contact
details
Website: www.stcolumba-taradale.org.nz
Church office Will be unstaffed but Anna will answer
emails for all needs or questions Phone Brett Walker
Home 06 8442256
Mobile 0274083658
TV and Online services on Sunday
St
Columba’s
Look for the link on the church face book
page
or go to
https://brett-walker.blogspot.com
Other
online and TV Church services
Man and his donkey
July 6, 1892 – May 19, 1915
Later research undertaken by the Australian War Memorial suggests that the water colour was copied by Moore-Jones from a photograph of a stretcher-bearer with the New Zealand Medical Corps, Richard Alexander Henderson.
John Simpson Kirkpatrick, affectionately known as “the man and his donkey”, was born on the 6th of July 1892 in South Shields, England. He landed at ANZAC Cove at 5 a.m. on the 25th of April 1915 and was mortally wounded in Shrapnel Gully, near the mouth of Monash Valley, on the 19th of May 1915 at the age of 22. During the 24 days he spent at ANZAC he operated as a sole unit with his beloved donkey/s and is credited with saving the lives of probably hundreds of men. He has become a part of the ANZAC folklore and though recommended for the Victoria Cross, twice, and the Distinguished Conduct Medal, he was never decorated for his actions.
John Simpson Kirkpatrick served as 202 Private J Simpson, Aust. Army Medical Corps, 19th May 1945, Age 22
