Different cultures, working
together
Evening Prayer with Rev’d Robyn Davis
Followed by soup and scones
5pm, Sunday 15th June
Christ Church Anglican Church Swan Hill
Cnr Splat and McCallum Streets Phone 50322506 or Rev Robyn 0431155456
A good crowd gathered to celebrate Pentecost on Sunday 8th June at the Nyah West Park. They came from Tooleybuc Church, the Nyah West Uniting, Catholic and Anglican Churches, and Swan Hill Anglican Church. Reverend Jan lead the service and members of the other denominations read the bible passages.
During the service a brisk wind blew from time to time reminding us of that first pentecost, but the sun shone, and there were hot drinks and lunch to warm us up following the service.
Pentecost marks the coming of the Holy Spirit and the birthday of the church so we sang happy birthday and cut the marvelous cake to celebrate.
We wore Red to mark the occasion, remebering the tongues of fire of that first Pentecost.
I came into the church Monday afternoon to see our rather shabby font lit up with beautiful red roses. It looks glori
ous. Yet the words from my study at Trinity College came back to me. God does not like the font used for a receptacle for church decorations. It is set apart for baptism, not to double as a pedestal for vases or harvest pumpkins.
But multipurpose versatile churches are becoming more a sustainable reality now. And anyway I think these roses in the font for Pentecost make a beautiful symbol. Both the flame and the living water and the beauty all rolled into one. But I would like the font to be beautiful without the flowers.
My last parish had a huge font. So large that even when I stood on steps, I had difficulty leaning over the font to baptise the child.
And yet here in the bigger Christchurch Swan Hill, the font is tiny, the original from the first church here no doubt, and I don’t want to change it, but I would love to somehow make it beautiful. 
This one with an added blue bowl looks stunning, and I know a beautiful glass bowl transformed Christ Church Castlemaine’s font to a thing of grace and beauty. I will be looking out for the right bowl.
Despite the weather, but with great thanksgiving for the lovely rain, a wonderful warm weekend was enjoyed by all attending the Art show over the three days. Some people missed the whole event, and others didn’t go into all the rooms so missing the wonderful work submitted by smaller schools of the district. Well done, Beverford.!
The choir and scholarship musicians who performed on Sunday afternoon have promised to return for the next “Pleasant Sunday Afternoon” later in the year.
The scholarship three are Emma Kelly, ( Tenor Sax ) Tessa Myles,( Flute / Guitar ) & Scott Smith (Trumpet.) They are A+ A.M.E.B. students & regular Eisteddfod entrants in Swan Hill & Kerang districts.
All attend Swan Hill College,& were recommended by their music teacher Colleen Zanker, to executor Joan Mellahn. The Swan Hill Anglican Parish administers the Lilian Mary Gibbs encouragement awards for music students.
Each have used the $500.00 to upgrade their own instruments after previously using school rentals.
Friday night at 7.30 pm the 39th annual Anglican Art and Craft Exhibition and Sale will open for the weekend.
Our feature artist this year is Marg Wilson from Ultima. Her landscape paintings are painted using pastels.
There are colour posters around the town in case the publicity was missed, also a display in the Tourist Information Centre.
Whatever the weather it’s a great way to spend the weekend, strolling through every area of the function centre and the church,
and enjoying hearty lunches and decadent Devonshire teas in the Foyer Café.
On Saturday there will be a “Noah’s Ark” display, and our guest artist, Marg Wilson, will be demonstrating her skills on Saturday and Sunday.
At 2.00 pm on Sunday there will be a concert in the church featuring the CWA choir and the three music scholarship students, Emma Kelly, Scott Smith and Tessa Myers.
Entry to the exhibition is by catalogue, valid for both days, containing a map of all displays and times for demonstrations,
also a tear-off slip for people to vote for their favourite painting.
Many teams of people are needed to produce a wonderful result each June, always one week before the Queen’s Birthday long weekend.
Helen needs help in the Art Show kitchen all weekend, and continuing supplies of cakes, slices, biscuits, jams and chutneys for the stalls.
Marg needs people to roster in shifts with a friend for admissions and raffles
Drews Jewellery design and manufacture will again be a feature from Friday onwards.