Vicar's newsletter Dedication Sunday

[Hugh Kempster]

Dear Parishioner and Friends of St Peter’s,

How are you? I do hope that you are all OK. These are worrying times.

This weekend we celebrate our Dedication Festival, the anniversary of the “first service” conducted at St Peter’s Eastern Hill on Sunday 6th August 1848, presided over by the newly installed Bishop of Melbourne, the Rt Rev’d Charles Perry. Was this early congregation able to look 172 years into the future, the church building might be largely recognisible, but the TV recording-studio nature of lock-down worship, with a physically present congregation of just 5 people, would be thoroughly bemusing. Even more so, perhaps, the fact that well over 100 people were joining the service of worship remotely from all over Melbourne, inter-state, and indeed as far away as Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the USA. I must say that even I am still having trouble getting used to that reality of Eucharistic worship in 2020.

I mentioned in last week’s sermon an excellent paper, written by Bishop Bradley Billings, entitled “Spiritual Communion” (bit.ly/339roDN <http://bit.ly/339roDN>). He writes: “The celebration of, and participation in, the Sacrament of Holy Communion is an important part of Anglican worship, being described by the Articles of Religion (28) as ‘a Sacrament of our Redemption by Christ’s death.’ Many Anglicans are feeling acutely the present inability for us to meet in places of worship and to share in the Sacrament of Holy Communion.” Bishop Brad then reflects on the long-held Anglican doctrine of “Spiritual Communion” outlined in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer service for The Communion of the Sick: “if a person is unable to physically receive the sacrament of Holy Communion, and if that person ‘truly repents’ and ‘steadfastly believes’ that Jesus shed his blood for their redemption, that person ‘doth eat and drink the Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ profitably,’ even though not physically receiving the Sacrament. As well as providing solace for those who are ill, there is provision for Spiritual Communion in other circumstances, such as ‘want of warning in due time to the Curate; for lack of company to receive with him; or by any other just impediment.’”

Scattered across Melbourne, and further afield, due to the pandemic, if ever there was such "just impediment", it is now. The receiving of Spiritual Communion is of course very different from going to church, but it is well worth persevering with in these times. You may wish to create a small chapel space at home; with candles, an icon, a Bible and of course these days the obligatory computer, phone, smart TV, and/or i-pad. You may also like to print off the order of service from the St Peter’s web site (www.stpeters.org.au <http://www.stpeters.org.au/>) or if you have enough devices just follow it online while watching the Mass. Holy Communion at St Peter’s is live-streamed each Sunday at 10.30am, on FaceBook and YouTube, or you may wish to watch it later at your leisure (followed by a zoom  “morning tea” at 12.30pm -  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/91491816647 <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/91491816647>).

When it comes to the time in a live-steamed or pre-recorded Mass, to receive the Sacrament, you may find it helpful to pray this prayer: 
Lord Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Holy Sacrament. 
I love you above all things, and I desire to receive you into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,
Come at least spiritually into my heart. 
I embrace you as if you were already there and unite myself wholly to you. 
Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen. 

Holy Communion is a profound experience, connecting us as Christians to one another and to God. This week I have received three beautiful letters from parishioners expressing so lucidly their lived reality of Spiritual Communion in our current dispersion. I thought you might find it encouraging to read these uplifting and faith-filled “letters in exile” from New South Wales, Hawthorn Victoria, and even as far as Cambridge Massachusetts in the USA. I have printed them in full in my Vicar’s Musings, in this week’s Pew Sheet, if you are interested to read them(https://bit.ly/3fgjond <https://bit.ly/3fgjond>).

Finally, our hearts go out to St Peter’s parishioner, Suzanne, whose husband Gerald died this week, and to their families. May he rest in peace … and rise in glory. I have attached a lovely photo of Suzanne and Gerald for those who may not recognise the name.

God's blessings to you and yours as we struggle through the ups and downs of life during this pandemic.
Kind regards,
Fr Hugh
___________________
The Rev’d Dr J. Hugh Kempster
Vicar, St Peter’s Eastern Hill
www.stpeters.org.au
vicar at stpeters.org.au
+61 488 960 022

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