Hello Faith Pals, Welcome to Monday.  I was wondering how to start this email, when I realized I was humming ‘These are a few of my favourite things,’ from The Sound of Music. Now, for those who don’t remember the words: . (Hammerstein 11/Rodgers) So…what are a few of YOUR favourite things? Interesting looking at the things listed in the song. Most cost very little, or are free. We might not list the snow ones, or the copper kettles, or brown paper packages, but maybe raindrops on roses?  What about the sound of rain on the roof?  Stars on a clear night?  Sunshine after frost? Steam from a cup of tea? A hot shower? A flock of galahs? Whiskers on kittens can stay…but I’d just change it to CATS! (and dogs!) Phone calls from friends and family?  Being able to pray to a loving God?  Favourite things make good prayer points, things to include in prayer as we thank God for so many wonderful gifts.  The Sound of Music: made me wonder about favourite films.  What are some of your favourites?  I have to confess that I am not a fan of The Sound of Music. I will have to think for awhile about my favourites.  So…send in your favourites!  We can pretend that we are going to have a movie marathon together!  Wouldn’t that be fun. An update on Jean Raynor’s funeral details.  I am pleased to say that Rev Christine MacDowall from Sandringham is conducting the service.  Jean had been part of her congregation before coming to Leighmoor UC, so knew her well.  Christine had met up with Jean earlier in the year for a cuppa and catch up.  The service is on Wednesday at 2pm.  When I have details about whether it is going to be steamed live, I will forward those details on. Joan Bennett is a member of the Heatherton-Dingley congregation.  Her daughter, Candice, works with children and families at St Augustine’s.  Candice is very talented.  Joan has sent me a link in order to watch Candice tell one of her stories about a church mouse named Gus.  Candice has said I can share it with you all.  It is well worth a watch…or two: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUa9X_FRKfE To conclude with a story many of you know: You make a difference to many people’s lives, even in lockdown.  Live in HOPE, and remember…you are NOT alone! Jesus said to the man whom he had cured: “Go home to your friends, and tell then how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.'(Mark 5: 19) ‘I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. …I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.'(Psalm 34) Blessings and love Barbara

Hello Faith Pals, Welcome to Friday.  What a sad week it has been. I have included the addresses of Jean  and of Joy’s daughter Helen, (thank you, Janet) if anyone wants to contact family/send a card etc.  Janet has sent cards from Leighmoor UC. I have included a reflection from Bill  as an attachment. This is wonderful to watch!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw5KQMXDiM4 It is thought provoking…and uplifting too. I could base a sermon or two on it! It made me think of books, and stories. One person from Heatherton-Dingley had written in an email that at one time at work they were to nominate who they would be if they were to be a cartoon character. She chose Kermit the Frog I I thought that was a lovely choice-(I am rather partial to that green frog!) Who would you be? You can extend it any character from a story, or from real life. Whose shoes would you like to step into for a day? OR…if you would prefer a slightly different slant-if you could invite 3 people to dinner-who would you invite? (of course this wouldn’t be during lockdown…so travel for the invitee would not be a problem.) The person could be living, or have died. After you have made your choice, you may wish to write a sentence about why you chose that person/people. Stories. Books. We are people of stories, we ARE story! No one has lived the life you have lived, or had the same experiences. Look at your fingers-unique fingerprints! How can everyone who has ever lived have a different finger print? Mind boggling! Did you know that a zebra’s stripes are different too, like our fingerprints? Marty, the rather anxious zebra in the animation film Madagascar, asked this question: Zebras are generally thought to have white coats with black or brown stripes, because the stripes end at their bellies and the inner side of the legs, which are white. However, zebras have black skin under their whitecoats!  Each species of zebra has a different general pattern of stripes. The Grevy’s zebra has very thin stripes. The mountain zebra has vertical stripes on its neck and torso, but horizontal stripes on its haunches. Some subspecies of plains zebras have brownish ‘shadow’ stripes between the black stripes. It is believed that the zebra’s stripes work like camouflage.  When zebras stand together, it is harder for predators to determine how many zebras are in the group. The stripes may also make the zebra appear unattractive to smaller predators, such as bloodsucking horseflies, which can spread disease. In addition, the stripes may work as a natural sunscreen. Isn’t God’s creation wonderful? Would we have been able to design such variety? The poet Shel Silverstein posed this question in a poem: Zebra Question I asked the zebra Are you black with white stripes? Or white with black stripes? And the zebra asked me, Or you good with bad habits? Or are you bad with good habits? Are you noisy with quiet times? Or are you quiet with noisy times? Are you happy with some sad days? Or are you sad with some happy days? Are you neat with some sloppy ways? Or are you sloppy with some neat ways? And on and on and on and on And on and on he went. I’ll never ask a zebra About stripes Again. A few jokes: What’s orange and sounds like a parrot? A carrot. I ate a clock yesterday, it was very time consuming. As I suspected, someone has been adding soil to my garden. The plot thickens. (I didn’t say they were good jokes!) Duncan Macleod, our of our Presbytery Ministers, included this poem in his email this week. I have included it for those who do not receive his emails:  From the Iona book, Sing but keep on walking, by Jan Sutch Pickard A time for panic and a time for hope,  of urgency with much uncertainty,  of waiting and impatience;  a time of looking forward and a time for looking back,  awareness of our mortality,  with eagerness to celebrate new life.  A time for prophecy  and for practical preparations;  a time for silence and a time for singing,  a time for stillness and a time for travelling on;  when plants die while seeds and corms store spring;  when the safe and familiar give way to wonder.  As migrating flocks cross our skies,  constellations wheel with the turning year;  the story of the seasons,  the story of salvation –  Advent and Christmas, Lent and Easter, Pentecost –  the song never ends.  A time of too many expectations,  and a time of deep expectancy;  a time for being human together,  and a time to celebrate God-with-us:  Incarnation. Amen  Duncan Macleod Presbytery Minister – Team Leader Port Phillip East Presbytery Well, that is probably enough to read and think about. During these times of anxiety, we are not to despair! God is here with us. I feel for those unable to visit their loved ones in hospital, or to be there when they go on their final journey, BUT our thoughts and prayers are with them, as God is too. Blessings and love Barbara

Good morning Faith Pals, Welcome to another week.  Nearly August!  We are getting closer to spring! Now, some of you may have known (I didn’t) that the words I forwarded to you on the clip about Steve Jobs were actually a hoax ( I am sure Bruce didn’t know either!) I am of that generation that believes that what is reported is correct.  We could echo the words of Pilate: “What is truth?” (John 18:38) I wondered about what that meant,  does it matter if Steve Jobs didn’t actually utter those final words? The sentiments are still wonderful-doesn’t matter who said them or who wrote them.  It made me think about some of the quotes I find.  Some of them have been attributed to the wrong person-but the words themselves are still powerful. The beautiful poem ‘Footprints in the Sand’, which has been a source of great comfort to many over the years: For years it was thought to be anonymous-no one knew who wrote the words.   Mary Stevenson originally wrote the poem Footprints in the Sand in 1936 when she was only 14 years old.  For many years handwritten copies were distributed by Mary to those who needed something to give them comfort at a low point in their lives. It was sometime after this that friends of Mary saw it in print and wondered why she wasn’t given credit for writing it. A lawyer at that time told her that it would be very hard to prove she was the author because it had been used by many publishers of religious materials and greeting cards. Mary wrote ‘Footprints’ in 1936 when she was very young and knew nothing of copyrighting. Discouraged she didn’t pursue it any further.Unfortunately she did not keep a copy.  However, in 1984 while cleaning out the garage to prepare to move from her house, in a small suitcase, among her other poems, she rediscovered a very old handwritten copy that she thought was lost. It was one of the copies Mary had made and dated 1939, just three years after she wrote the original. Later that year the U.S. copyright office awarded her a copyright for ‘Footprints in the Sand’ 48 years after it was written. It was another 11 years before her handwritten copy was authenticated by a forensic specialist as to its age Therefore, the record states that the original version of Footprints in the Sand was written by Mary Stevenson in 1939. There have been different versions of it, one by Mary Fishback Powers, popular in the early 1960s. I have a wonderful kitchen clock.  It has a drawing of a chicken, and underneath it these words: ‘I dream of a better world, where chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned.’ I don’t have the source of the quote on my clock.  Some attribute this quote to Emerson:’ I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives.’ I doubt that it is from the pen of Emerson- BUT it is a fun quote, and I like it. We have some more favourite Bible verses: From Rob: John 11:35 “Jesus wept” … as a man of few words, I appreciate this verse which puts so much meaning into two words. Romans 8:26 (from today’s list of readings) … gives me encouragement that when I/we have no words to express the struggle, the Spirit prays on my/our behalf Proverbs 31:10-31 … reminds me of my Mum (and a few other remarkable women in my life)! I thought I should let you know some of mine!  Most of my favourites have been covered. Others include Psalm 139, and Isaiah 11: 6-9: The wolf shall live with the lamb,     the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together,     and a little child shall lead them. 7 The cow and the bear shall graze,     their young shall lie down together;     and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,     and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den. 9 They will not hurt or destroy     on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord     as the waters cover the sea. News about people: John is recovering well.  He appreciates your prayers, thoughts and phone calls.  Possibly a scan today and ? home tomorrow or Wednesday. Jean : still in hospital.  I spoke to her this morning.  At this stage, she doesn’t know what will be the next step. Rehab?  If so, when?  When I have more news, I will let you know. I have concluded with some beautiful examples of human kindness.  I had been on-line looking, and then this arrived via an email from a friend.  I hope the images come through (you may have to click somewhere on your screen to allow remote content to be visible). To close with a bit more Emerson: “Ralph Waldo Emerson once asked what we would do if the stars only came out once every thousand years. No one would sleep that night, of course. The world would create new religions overnight. We would be ecstatic, delirious, made rapturous by the glory of God. Instead, the stars come out every night and we watch television.” ― Paul Hawken (an American environmentalist, entrepreneur, author, and activist). Now-you are allowed to watch television: just remember to poke your head out the door, or look through the window on a clear night-to consider the stars and their Creator now and again! Blessings and love Barbara

Hello Faith Pals, Happy Friday!   And a Happy Birthday to Maureen, who had a birthday yesterday.  It is hard when we cannot celebrate as we would like-but our hearts can still be joyful.  Remember when you were a child, and you were so excited the day BEFORE your birthday?  At least I was! (and I still get excited the night before). News: Rohini is progressing very slowly…her shoulder is still causing her some pain…we will keep her and Jaya and family in our prayers.  Jaya is doing well, and his blood sugars have lowered, so that is wonderful news. Alan and Fredrica: Alan is due for blood tests and chemotherapy next week.  Fredrica’s hand is improving, but still quite sore if she does too much. Jean: still in Sandringham Hospital.  She said she got a bit worse so they have kept her in.  She said she will be going to rehab before going home.  At this stage, Jean is unsure when she will be leaving hospital. She said Jacqui is doing quite well. Please keep Rob’s Uncle Kev and Aunty Elv in your prayers please, especially with the disturbing news about the number of covid 19 cases in aged care facilities. David came home from hospital yesterday, and is doing quite well, so that is good news.  He goes back this afternoon for dialysis-I am trying to fall in love with Punt Road! Collection of favourite Bible verses from people: Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 25:40 And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Proverbs 31: 10-31 Psalm 23 Romans 5: 1-6, Romans 8 If I have missed any out, or you want others included, please let me know. I realized I was going to send around a very thought provoking clip from Bruce Bird, about Steve Jobs.  I will send that as a separate email later. Masks.  Interesting seeing people in masks.  Some are fashion statements-that is fine if it encourages them to be worn. Reminds me a little of masked balls (masquerade), or carnivals.  They have been popular since the 14th century.  They are very popular in Venice. We have probably seen films where there is a masked ball.  Who is behind the mask? This is a question we can ask when we are out walking or shopping: Who is behind the mask? Masks have been used to describe one’s behaviour: hiding behind a mask-putting up a barrier, or creating a facade to hide or to protect oneself…It might be pretending to be brave, or full of bravado, hiding behind academic credentials…the class clown is often protecting some inner  insecurity,  or perceived  inferiority. The mask can help our faith-a reminder that what ever mask/front/show we put on…God sees our true self, and loves us. I don’t mind wearing a mask- BUT I can’t smile at people…well…I do…but they can’t see the smile.  I hope my crinkled eyes give away what is behind my mask.   ” src=”blob:https://www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au/bbf9a327-8a34-4c72-a44d-2a35b211359a” alt=”” class=”Apple-web-attachment Singleton”> This is an excerpt from a public health poster about the Spanish influenza (flu) pandemic drawn by children’s illustrator and author May Gibbs in 1919. The detail features a gumnut baby and a kookaburra sitting on a branch, with eucalyptus leaves wrapped around their mouths in the manner of surgical masks. Apart from the leaf, the gumnut baby wears only a gumnut on her head. The illustration is captioned ‘Hullo! How are you?’ This public health poster was part of a government campaign in New South Wales to limit the spread of the deadly Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-19, in which about 12,000 Australians died, 6,300 of them in NSW. Soldiers returning from the First World War and infected people were quarantined, wearing masks in public places was made compulsory, schools were closed, many public activities were banned or restricted and pharmacy prices were regulated. This illustration by children’s illustrator and author May Gibbs (1877-1969) uses familiar characters from her children’s books to encourage readers, especially children, to wear masks to reduce the spread of the deadly infection. So…I hope you have obtained a mask-if not, you can use eucalyptus leaves! Blessings and love Barbara Keep reading, then you will get to the joke which I have forwarded on from a friend. Last week I think I neglected to include a joke…sorry!  I know I was having internet problems-and that wasn’t a joke!                An  American decided to write a book about famous churches around the world. So he bought a plane ticket and took a trip to Orlando, thinking that he would start by working his way across the USA from South to North.   On  his first day he was inside a church taking photographs, when he noticed a golden telephone mounted on the wall with a sign that read  ‘$10,000 per call’.  The  American, being intrigued, asked a priest who was strolling by, what the telephone was used  for.  The  priest replied that it was a direct line to heaven and that for $10,000 you could talk to God.  The  American thanked the priest and went along his  way.   Next stop was in Atlanta. There, at a very large cathedral, he saw the same looking golden telephone with the same sign under  it.  He wondered if this was the same kind of telephone he saw in Orlando and he asked a nearby nun what  its purpose was.  She told him that it was a direct line to heaven and that for

Hello Faith Pals,   I am not sure when you will receive this email.  I am having internet problems!  The things we take for granted-until they go wrong!  You will receive this sometime.  If it is tomorrow-remember-it is still Monday somewhere in the world! Now, I know home schooling is back, as is being on site for senior students.  A reminder that I set you some homework several weeks ago.  Do you remember?  Some of you have already submitted them to me (virtual gold stars for you!).  Favourite Bible verses or parts of Scripture.  I have some, but I would like more!  Then I can compile them and we can all have a handy page to turn to during these challenging times in lockdown (which will end). The 11th July was listed as The Feast of Non-Pilgrims.  Edward Hays writes that this is a good day to stay at home, instead of heading off on pilgrimage.  Now you know why I have chosen to write about this feast day! Hays quote these words of the 14th century Kashmiri poet, Lal Ded: ‘I was passionate, filled with longing, I searched far and wide.   But the day that the Truthful One found me, I was at home.’   Hays points out that Christian pilgrimages to the Holy City of Jerusalem and other holy sites did not become popular until after a few centuries.  In the first centuries of the early church, Christians believed that Christ could be experienced,  as though on pilgrimage, in one’s home, or when visiting a neighbour [we are not to do that at present, though!] The home was holy because that was where worship, and the Lord’s Supper, took place. Well…isn’t that where worship is taking place now? We often talk about church buildings being ‘soaked in prayer’- surely our homes also come under that category?  If not…now is the time to give them a good soaking!  Look around.  What have you got on display, or tucked away safely in a drawer or cupboard, that can be brought out to signal that your home is also a place of worship?  A Bible that could be left open on a table, a candle, a cross?  An Easter card…a Christmas decoration…a sculpture of praying hands? Set aside an area if you would find that helpful.  I know I mentioned a Christmas decoration-yes, there is a tradition that states that if you don’t take down all your Christmas decorations by January 6th (Epiphany) you will suffer bad luck (and no, the fact that I ALWAYS find a stray one AFTER they have been packed away IS NOT the reason for covid 19!), but I am now of the opinion that a little reminder somewhere of the birth of the baby Jesus is suitable all year round.  My angels might come under that category, or the Australian nativity set that I still have arranged on a bench because it is so cute.  I’m  not good at maths, but I figure I don’t have as many Christmases in front of me as behind me…so I will enjoy the beauty and the reminder of God’s son, in a small way, all year round. How does it alter things, seeing the home as holy?  Remember the saying that Jesus is the unseen guest at the table, and at every conversation?  Would we be kinder to one another? Or more mindful of the important things and let the petty things disappear? News: David is improving-hopefully home Thursday or Friday. Erica  said that James has been discharged from hospital (they decided against operating) and he is now at Goldlinks Road Rehab.  Please remember Erica and family in your prayers too. It is hard for families working from home, juggling children etc.  Long hours and much tiredness. Rob : could we keep his Aunty Elv and Uncle Kev in our prayers please?  Rob’s uncle, who is in Aged Care has developed a nasty chest infection (not covid), and is struggling. I have forwarded a lovely story from Margaret. You will probably need a tissue or hanky-very moving. One of my favourite quotes is from Abraham Heschel ( I don’t think I have shared it before…if I can’t remember, you probably don’t either!): ‘When I was young I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.’ -Abraham Heschel   Remember: God will visit you at home. Blessings and love Barbara Allen               Grab a cuppa and keep the tissues handy, well worth the read. This obviously originated in America but it’s a “feel good” sort of story! The Folded Napkin … A Truckers Story If this doesn’t light your fire … Your wood is wet!   I try not to be biased, but I had my doubts about hiring Stevie. His placement counsellor assured me that he would be a good, reliable busboy. But I had never had a mentally handicapped employee and wasn’t sure I wanted one. I wasn’t sure how my customers would react to Stevie. He was short, a little dumpy with the smooth facial features and thick-tongued speech of Downs Syndrome. I wasn’t worried about most of my trucker customers because truckers don’t generally care who buses tables as long as the meatloaf platter is good and the pies are homemade.   The four-wheeler drivers were the ones who concerned me; the mouthy college kids travelling to school; the yuppie snobs who secretly polish their silverware with their napkins for fear of catching some dreaded “truck stop germ,” the pairs of white-shirted business men on expense accounts who think every truck stop waitress wants to be flirted with. I knew those people would be uncomfortable around Stevie so I closely watched him for the first few weeks.   I shouldn’t have worried. After the first week, Stevie had my staff wrapped around his stubby little finger, and within a month my truck regulars had adopted him as their official truck stop mascot.  

Hello Faith Pals, Great fog this morning!  Are you walking around ‘in a fog’?  Do some of your thoughts need to be in focus? If you want to be theological, think of the fog as God’s ‘cloud by day’-God’s presence, being with the Israelites as they made their way through the wilderness: ‘The Lord went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night.  Neither the pillar of cloud  nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.’ (Exodus 13:21-22) Fog: a slightly damp reminder that God is always with us. There is a lovely attachment from Margaret – have a tissue handy for happy tears! This reminded me of our faces and of laughter (and of something else-but if I write it it will spoil the watching!) And of St Ephraem (Ephrem/Ephraim) the Syrian who lived in the 4th century. He fled from the Persians, living in a cave and writing many hymns.  He was given the title ‘Harp of the Holy Spirit’ because of the hymns he composed BUT according to sources/legend, Ephraem never laughed or smiled. Well, if he had fled persecution and was living in a cave…I don’t know how often I would have laughed either! BUT if you  want to give your face a rest-smile more, uses fewer muscles than frowning!  Also-each day we have a choice-to smile, or to have a down-turned mouth. Emerson said that our face reveals what the spirit is doing.  In our daily lives, we may think that if we smile, we are not taking the problems of the world/our lives seriously.  We have to remember that everyone has troubles and problems-especially now.  We have to think about how we respond to them.  Your face is the window of your soul.  Don’t pull down the blind, or draw the curtains-don’t cover up God’s light.  Make your soul full of God-and then your face will be full of joy! AND I DON’T (mostly) MIND MY WRINKLES!  They are smile lines (I don’t mind them being called crow’s feet-I like crows). Wrinkles are carvings of our life’s experiences. ‘Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy.'(Psalm 126:2) ‘A cheerful heart is a good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the bones.’ (Proverbs 17:22) Blessings and love, Barbara