St. Francis-in-the-Wood Spring 2011 Newsletter

St. FrancisSt. Francis--inin--thethe--WoodWood Anglican ChurchAnglican Church

Spring Newsletter, 2011Spring Newsletter, 2011Spring Newsletter, 2011

IN THIS EDITION • Update on a New Priest for St. Francis • Guatemala Mission Update • Power Soccer World Championships • Reflections on the “Naked Man” • Social Concerns: Hands on Development • Youth Ministry at St. Francis • Spirituality at the Academy Awards • A Reflection for Lent • Upcoming at St. Francis A Message from Jerusalem Mankind’s Spiritual Evolution Parish Picnic Strawberry Tea Men’s Breakfast • Holy Week and Easter at St. Francis and St. Monica

W elcome to the Spring 2011 edition of the St. Francis-in-the-Wood Newsletter!

Inside this issue you’ll find reports and pictures from our recent events; both at St. Francis and further afield including our current Lenten Appeal in the parish and an update on the work of Rev. Emilie Smith in Guatemala. You can also find out about what’s happening at St. Francis over Holy Week and Easter.

We’re always on the lookout for feedback and contributions. Contact the office at:

St. Francis-in-the-Wood 4773 South Piccadilly Road, West Vancouver,

V7W 1J8 604 922 3531; [email protected]

http://www.stfrancisinthewood.ca

St Francis-in-the-Wood, Spring Newsletter Page 2

UPDATE ON A NEW PRIEST FOR ST. FRANCIS

T hose who were at the Annual Vestry Meeting this year on

February 13 will recall that a budget was agreed for 2011 that allows for the appointment of an associate priest to work half-time at St. Francis and half-time at St. Monica’s, Horseshoe Bay, funded equally by the two parishes.

The person appointed will have overall responsibility for the pastoral care and spiritual leadership of St. Monica’s, which is currently being covered on an interim basis by our own rector, Angus Stuart. In addition to freeing up our rector to focus wholly on St. Francis, the new associate priest will work with Angus in caring for

parishioners of St. Francis and those who come to us from our immediate community. Together, they will seek to build-up the parish, focusing particularly on the nurturing of young families with children, fostering new members and following-up people who may have drifted away. These are all areas that we urgently need to address if we are to grow as a church.

We are at the stage now of drawing up a job description with a view to advertising the position by the beginning of May. After a further six weeks, a short-list will be drawn up and interviews will be held. Hopefully an appointment will be made over the summer, and the new associate priest should be in position by Labour Day.

GUATEMALA MISSION UPDATE

E milie Smith’s work in Santa Cruz del Quiché and the surrounding region in Guatemala continues to

go from strength to strength as she ministers amongst the poor and broken ones, and as she creates an oasis of healing and nourishment for body and soul at the Peace House. The past few months since she returned after Christmas has seen a number of challenges as she has had encounters with death, disease and sorrow amongst those in her immediate community. As those who read Emilie’s letters will know, she has responded with deep compassion and vulnerability that I am sure has been a balm for broken souls but that has been very costly to Emilie herself. It is a reminder to me that our support for her and the work she is doing is more than financial, but that she also needs our prayers and our encouragement.

The financial needs do of course continue, and Emilie and her support team (of which I am the Convener) are grateful to all who have responded with such generosity – not only from St. Francis and St. Monica but across the Diocese and beyond. Most recently we have been involved in two questions: the first relating to transportation needs in this current year; and the second, thinking about what is to happen as we come to the end of the second year of this two-year project.

In terms of transportation, it has become increasingly unsafe to use public transport in Guatemala – quite apart from the condition of the roads, the vehicles and general driving conditions, the level of violence has

risen dramatically in recent months. It has been the case for some time that bus-drivers and their assistants have been routinely shot dead; this has been the work of extortionists “sending a message” when protection money has not been paid. Even more troubling is the increasing incidence of “chicken-buses” being held-up (and even shot-up) by bandits. It is no longer considered safe for

Emilie to use this form of transport. We have therefore been looking into the possibility of her acquiring a vehicle (and paying a friend to drive it), and providing for the running costs. To this end we have made $5000 available for Emilie to purchase a vehicle, and we are increasing her support budget by $250 per month to cover the running costs. This clearly adds to the financial challenges we have for

this year’s budget, but I’m sure everyone would agree that we want to keep Emilie safe while we enable her to continue the work she is doing.

Part of our decision to proceed with the purchase of a vehicle is r e l a t e d t o o u r discussions regarding what is to happen beyond the initial two-year project. The work is going well, and Emilie has made a number of s ign i f icant accom-plishments

Continued overleaf

Emilie in the Peace House kitchen with fellow community member Isabel

The new sign for the chapel at the Peace House: “Chapel of the Holy Innocents. How lovely is your dwelling place, o Lord of the Universe,

my King and my God.”


in establishing the Peace House as a centre for healing, justice and community growth, in hosting groups from Canada and elsewhere, and in the growing network of contacts amongst individuals and groups that are being drawn into this “web of life.” She is therefore very keen to extend this work beyond the end of this two-year period, and her support team is willing to continue supporting her, and to encourage others who have supported her thus far to continue to do so. We don’t know how long into the future this work will continue, but we are now looking at 2012 and 2013. Emilie will be returning to Canada for a short break in

June and July, and we’ll be working out further details regarding 2012 and 2013 then. It will also be a good opportunity for us to catch up with her and hear from her in person how it is all going, especially on July 3rd when Emilie will be taking services at St. Francis.

Angus Stuart Convener of the

Guatemala Mission Support Team

For up-to-date information about the Guatemala Mission and all Emilie’s letters:

http://vimguatemala.wordpress.com/

Peace House community folding paper cranes for Japan

POWER SOCCER TAKES ON THE WORLD!

O ver the last several years the sport of wheelchair soccer (also known as Power Soccer) which my

family has been very involved with has really taken off. It feels like just yesterday the Legacy Fund at St. Francis send us on a trip to play in a tournament in Mesa, Arizona. Since then we now have a set of international rules and are governed by the Federation Internationale de Powerchair Football Association (F.I.P.F.A.) Over the last two years I have been privileged to have participated in the Americas Champions Cup in Atlanta ’09 and Vancouver ’10. The teams we played against were the very best in the United States. Our next goal is to send the Canadian National Team to 2011 F.I.P.F.A. World Cup in Paris, France this coming November. Three of my North Shore Eagles teammates and I, whom the church supported through a donation from the Legacy Fund, are currently working hard to be named to the team.


Luke Galvani (left) during a Power Soccer game

This means putting up to four hours or more each weekend into training in preparation for the selection competition. Two B.C. teams consisting of fourteen athletes will be travelling to Montreal, Quebec for six days to participate in our first ever national tournament from April 27-May 2. We will be competing against the Quebec provincial teams as well as making teams consisting of both Quebec and B.C. players. This will be one of the last times that we can show ourselves to the three national coaches before they name the team on May 15th. For me it has been an incredible experience trying out for a national team. I never dreamed that I would be playing a competitive sport which could potentially send me all around the world. I have very strong relationships with all the players competing for selection, and I am proud to be friends with them. Soccer is a great way to provide us with an additional challenge other than the day to day challenges we face with our disabilities. We all though try and keep our limitations and obstacles away from the court. When playing we are all extremely competitive and critical of each others’ kicks, saves, positioning and so on. We aren’t just playing anymore so that we have something to distract us from the obstacles that we face in

our life. We are playing for the once in a lifetime opportunity to represent our country and to be among the elite athletes of our sport. This is not easy to achieve and we know that team cuts are about to happen and that only eight of our best players will be named to the team. This is an opportunity that I never even imagined would be sitting right in front of me. No matter who is named to Team Canada I am really blessed to have had the experience of sport that has allowed me to relate to others who have similar conditions as I do and to be able to put disability aside and to allow the competitive side of me to shine through. Currently we are looking for donations so that we can cover the costs of

the trip. Fortunately we have had several successful fundraisers and many more to come which have reduced costs but there is still much more to be raised. Can you help us to get to Paris? Let me know if you would be interested in making a pledge to the team which is tax deductable. You can also check out our website at http://powerchairfootballcanada.com or talk to me for more information and how you can help.

Luke Galvani


Wheelchair Soccer Night at St. Francis youth group!

Luke’s team, the North Shore Eagles, playing under the watchful eye of coach Luigi Galvani!

REFLECTIONS ON THE “NAKED MAN” Our rector Angus Stuart has now done a number of public performances of “Testament of a Naked Man – Good News According to Mark,” his rendition of the Gospel of Mark from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible. Here he reflects on the experience, where it has come from and where it is leading…

T he idea of memorizing the whole of the Gospel of Mark has been hidden away

in my subconscious for a number of years. I remember my father had once sent me a notice while I was still a university chaplain in Bristol about someone who was offering the Gospel of Mark as a one-man performance; he suggested that I might think of inviting the person to Bristol to present it to students. As with so many other things that come across my desk, it went into the pending tray as a good idea to be acted on later…. I had heard of others too over the years who had memorized the entire gospel and offered to recite it for groups and churches, and though I never acted on it, on reflection there was always an inaudible question in my head: “Could I do that?” There must have been a similar interior question in my head when I heard my colleague Neville Boundy speaking about how he had begun to recite the passion gospel in church on Good Friday. Neville was the Rector of Cotham Parish Church and chaplain to the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, being a bit of a thespian himself. I remember him saying that the words just didn’t seem to be getting through when that long gospel passage was read on Good Friday, even when it was read well (as I am sure it was, if he was reading it). He came to realize, he said, that there was “a text in the way.” Somehow, even if it was read well, there was still the text, like a veil, impeding the message from getting through. So he decided to learn it and recite it by heart. The effect was dramatic – literally. The words came to life. Sadly, I never got to hear Neville recite it, but I remembered what he had said when it came to Palm Sunday some years ago (2007), and I thought about seeing if we could present the Passion Gospel in dramatic format. My initial idea was to get a number of us to learn relatively short passages, and to

present it almost like a number of news correspondents reporting on the story, or perhaps a number of the disciples telling the story of what happened to their friend. Maybe one day we’ll do it like that, I still think it’s a good idea, but at that time I couldn’t find anyone willing to do it. So, I thought to myself, I wonder if I could learn the whole passion story, that year from Luke’s Gospel, and present it from memory. It was Spring Break 2007; Christine, Aaron and Anna and I had driven down to California for a week just south of San Francisco. We were blessed with some sunny March days, so I began learning the passion narrative from Luke’s Gospel on the beach! I remember lying there with my Bible, reading a sentence at a time, then covering it up and saying the sentence again, gradually adding sentence to sentence. Then I’d get up and walk along in the surf, reciting aloud the part I’d just learned. I found it quite hard at first, and I wondered if I could really do this. But slowly it became easier; the trick I found was to keep doing it, repeating it over and over in odd moments – walking down the street, driving the car, in the bathroom, even in the shower and, later, on the chairlift at Cypress (being careful to get a chairlift all to myself!) – and not to be afraid to look it up if I couldn’t remember. I kept a photocopy of the relevant passage (about four pages of the Bible) in my pocket so that I could check that I was getting it right, or to prompt me if I forgot.

St. Francis-in-the-Wood, Spring Newsletter Page 6

Angus during the Naked Man performance at Christ Church Ca-thedral, February 2011. Photo courtesy of Randy Murray

So, in trepidation I did it, beginning with those four pages from Luke’s Gospel on Palm Sunday in 2007. Then in 2008 it was Matthew’s Gospel that we took the passion story from on Palm Sunday (same as this year), so I learned that; and in 2009 it was Mark’s turn, and I learned the four pages of the passion narrative from Mark in the weeks following my return from my sabbatical “on the road.” Then after Easter 2009 I didn’t want to let go of the passion story from Mark that I had memorized. As in previous years, it had become part of me; I had entered the story in my mind, and the story had entered into my heart and was alive there. The thought emerged from my subconscious, where it had been all along, could I learn the whole of Mark’s Gospel? How hard could it be? I had learned the passion story from each of Matthew, Mark and Luke, and knew that I could do that. I knew that it requires no particular skill, just the willingness to pay attention, and to learn from my mistakes – getting it wrong over and over again. So, that spring and summer of 2009, in my breaks and days off, I began learning and reciting Mark’s Gospel from “The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ….” On the beaches, in the woods, on the mountains, on the train tracks and the trails, with a photocopy of the current passage in my pocket, I gradually added verses, just to see if I could do it, if it would be possible for me. I always had the intention to offer it for public performance – if I could actually do this, I was not going to keep it to myself; if God enabled me to do this, then God must have a purpose in it. These words have power, as I had found in my own life; if I could be a channel for these words to reach others and bless them, then it seemed to make it all the more worthwhile. Very quickly I knew it had to be called “Testament of a Naked Man” – just had to be! An arresting and (I admit) a slightly mischievous title

based on those mysterious words in Mark 14:51-52 after Jesus is arrested: “A certain young man was following him wearing nothing but a linen cloth. They caught hold of him, but he left the linen cloth and ran off naked.” No one knows who this young man is – we are not told – but the tradition has grown up that this is the otherwise unknown author of the Gospel himself, Mark. That seems reasonable to me, it’s like

an artist painting himself into the picture, and it suits my purposes! But he’s not the only naked man in the Gospel of Mark: there’s the Gerasene demoniac who lives among the tombs (with the dead) by the Sea of Galilee and is always howling and bruising himself with stones; after Jesus has cast out the demons, we see him sitting “clothed and in his right mind.” In a way, I like the idea of the man being a parable for our experience of the transition from the insanity of our crazy lives filled with all those legion things that are not really important, to the sane clarity of a mind cleansed of everything but the “one thing necessary” (to quote from one of the other gospels!). Then of course, there is the naked man on the cross; they stripped Jesus of his own

clothes and cast lots for them while he hung naked on the

cross; this Gospel is really, most of all, his testament. Jesus is the naked man; the Son of Man, humanity in all its suffering and nakedness; naked before the world, and innocently naked in all his glory before God. The shame of humanity hangs naked on the cross; the Glory of God hangs naked on the cross. I too am the Naked Man – not literally naked, you may be relieved to hear – but naked in spirit as I abandon myself to this role and let it become one with me; I am the naked man that ran off in fear in the dark, and later put it all down for posterity; I am the naked man raving by the sea; I am the naked Francis performing the gospel life in poverty of spirit and radical impetuousness; I am Jesus – I hesitate to

Angus aglow during the performance at Christ Church Cathedral - caught on camera by Theresa Odishaw!


St. Francis-in-the-Wood, Spring Newsletter Page 8

say such a thing – but when I speak his words it’s almost as if it is him, speaking those words through me. I can say this, not out of any sense of being special, or unique, or different from anyone else, but because these are living words; somehow whenever the speaker, whoever he or she may be, abandons themselves to these words and allows them permeate one’s heart and soul, when they allow themselves to enter into the world of the reality of the words, then their identity becomes one with the one whose words these truly are. On Maundy Thursday last year we had a “trial run” when I recited the first thirteen chapters of Mark’s Gospel after the evening Eucharist – the story up to just before the passion narrative, having recited the passion from Luke’s Gospel four days earlier on Palm Sunday. Then in October we had the first public airing of the entire Gospel of Mark from start to finish. On that occasion Carol Coulson was present through the invitation of her daughter-in-law, who is a parishioner at St. Monica’s. Carol is a professional acting coach and dance teacher; she was also the director of “Scrooge” in which I played the part of Jacob Marley at St. Monica’s Christmas production. So, after Christmas she offered and I asked (I can’t remember which happened first!) for us to get together and for her to give me some help with the presentation. It’s one thing to learn the words, it’s another thing to present it in a way that can hold people’s attention for over two hours; and that’s where Carol has been able to help me. Those who witnessed the performance at St. Francis in October and then what I did in the Cathedral in February can attest to the improvement this work we have done together has made. And it’s not over yet. With each performance (not sure what other word to use) I hear new things, or sometimes familiar things in a new way; every time there have been one or two surprises when I hear what is coming out of my mouth, and the story opens up in a new way for me. I still make mistakes, probably always will, but I take comfort from the hope that we learn from our mistakes. Generally I find that having made a mistake, I don’t tend to repeat it; so it has the effect of

making me more present the next time around, for it is lack of attention that causes the slips. The danger, I find, is that making a small mistake can distract me so that then I make a bigger mistake; when that happens I have to get a grip of myself and really focus! It’s all about being present in the moment, and from this point of view, the experience is deeply contemplative, such that it has enriched my life as I have continued to recite it, whether on my own or in

public. Where do we go from here? As Thomas Merton said in his famous prayer, “I have no idea where I am going, I do not see the road ahead of me.” There have been two more performances since the Cathedral in February, I will be at St. Hilda’s, Sechelt in Holy Week, and I have three dates lined up after Easter, including an open-air public performance in the shopping centre in Sapperton. After that, I hope to continue to offer it for any who may have a desire to hear and experience it; hopefully next year interest will grow when we move into Year B in the lectionary with its focus on Mark’s Gospel; in 2012 I’d like to offer it in the UK if I make a return visit then – especially I’d like to do it in Winchester Cathedral,

which is the setting of the photograph I have used in much of the publicity so far; and in 2013, who knows, maybe I’ll take it “on the road” (again).

Angus Stuart Upcoming Performances of the Naked Man

April 18 SECHELT 7pm Anglican Church of St. Hilda 5838 Barnacle Street (604 885 5019)

May 11 GOLDEN 7pm St. Andrew’s United Church 901 11th Ave South (250 344 6117)

May 28 NEW WESTMINSTER 3pm Knox Square, Sapperton (604 524 6712) (open air performance)

June 17 VANCOUVER 7pm Canadian Memorial United Church 1825 West 16th Ave at Burrard (604 731 3101)

SOCIAL CONCERNS Each Lent, the Social Concerns Committee at St. Francis runs a special appeal for projects at home and abroad. Here, the co-chairs of Social Concerns introduce the Lent 2011 project.

T his year we are excited to begin work with an organization known as HODI (Hands on

Development Initiatives). In the small village of Muhanda in Kenya, HODI is helping to alleviate poverty and advance education and healthcare. Muhanda is now being watched both by government officials and surrounding villages, and has become the ‘Flagship Village’ for sustainability.

Recently, HODI helped to establish a clean water system providing purified water to 5000 people. Women and girls no longer walk five hours each day to collect water. Mothers can now take care of their children; girls can go to school. A hospital is presently

under construction. Last summer, five of our St. Francis Parishioners had the privilege of traveling to Muhanda to help construct a Community-Resource Centre. This multipurpose building offers Daycare, and an Early Education and Nutrition Program to over seventy orphans. Each child will receive one meal a day. The building will also serve as a library for students, and a Tailoring Academy will teach women the skills, and provide them with jobs, sewing mandatory school uniforms. Our goal at St. Francis is to empower the Center to be the hub of a thriving community by supplying food, books, computers, sewing machines and more. We challenge the congregation to raise $10,000 for this very worthy cause. Donations can be directed to the St. Francis-in-the-Wood office with “Social Concerns HODI Project” on the memo line. And, as one generous parishioner has offered to match all donations made, your gift will go twice as far! Thank you for your involvement. Your single donation will directly influence

the lives of so many! If you have any questions about the HODI project or

want to find out more, get in touch with Social Concerns Co-Chair Rosal inda Voth at [email protected]

Jan Volker Rosalinda Voth

Images from the HODI project taken during Jan Volker ‘s (centre) visit in 2010


OLYMPIC ACHIVEMENTS AND CONSTANT PRAYER YOUTH MINISTRY AT ST. FRANCIS

S pring at the St. Francis youth groups has seen lots of new and exciting opportunities for ministry

developing across all our age groups. Monday drop ins continue to be at the heart of what we do. As well as having a lot of fun together, they’re a chance to reflect on what’s going on in our world and make a difference. Recently, our junior group joined youth from across the world who responded to the earthquake and tsunami in Japan by making origami cranes and writing their prayers and reflections on them. Some of them are now hanging in the youth room and others travelled to Christ Church Cathedral (where there’s a very impressive display you can go visit in the Cathedral narthex) These will serve as a reminder over the coming weeks and months that we should keep remembering those who have suffered most, and who continue to struggle, on the other side of the Pacific. Other themes at Monday drop ins have including a Sushi Making Night and First Nations Night; both led by youth group members. We also took part in our own Olympics; now an annual event!

This year, our Shrove Tuesday celebrations were done jointly with the children at St. Monica’s, Horseshoe Bay. We took part in pancake decorating and a crepe flipping contest as well as enjoying a fabulous meal between our two churches. On Sunday evenings, we’ve been having a series of sessions for those considering confirmation in the Anglican Church. If you read the diocesan newspaper, TOPIC, you may have seen an article by me writing about our approach to confirmation and my own feelings that we should worry less about confirming as many young people as possible and focus instead on making it a more meaningful sacrament for those who do decide to do it. With that in mind, this year’s confirmation group has been an eclectic mix of teens; some of whom have decided they would like to be confirmed this year, and others who are attending the sessions without making a commitment at its end. That’s fine with me; and it points us towards a more mature view of the sacrament of confirmation: that it’s a process which allows young people to come with their questions and to explore, rather than to be given a set of answers which may not mean much to them.


(Above) Pancake decorations from Shrove Tuesday

(Below) Kenny leading First Nations Night

(Left) A youth group visit to the Laser Dome in

January

Our confirmation sessions at St. Francis have been complimented by a new program I co-organised along with Bishop Michael and clergy at Christ Church Cathedral and St. Mary’s Kerrisdale: Confirmation for the Rest of Your Life. On April 2nd, our confirmation candidates gathered with forty five others from around the diocese for a day exploring what happens after the day of confirmation itself. They explored spiritual gifts and took part in a journey around several ‘prayer stations’ which we set up around the Cathedral nave. From using finger labyrinths to forming prayers from Scrabble pieces; we wanted to quash the myth that prayer is only something done silently in our heads or out loud on a Sunday morning. It’s a program which will be repeated every year as part of our diocesan approach to confirmation. Another diocesan wide event we were heavily involved in this year was the annual retreat of the Diocesan Youth Movement, Apocalypse Wow! on Gambier Island. 55 youth and youth leaders from around the Lower Mainland (and as far afield as Edmonton!) came together for a weekend of activities, games and worship all themed around the end of the world. Emily Galvani, who along with me is part of the DYM leadership team, used our experiences from the

Youth Guatemala Mission last year to lead a session on the Mayan views of 2012. It was a great weekend and the perfect start to Spring (since although it was pretty cold, the sun shone throughout!) This term we look forward to some of the highlights of our annual calendar; including a visit to TBC Racing in Richmond and our End of Year Barbeque in June. We’ll also be doing some fundraising for the HODI appeal (see elsewhere in this newsletter for more details!) and, of course, will be celebrating confirmations at the Cathedral. We’ll also have our regular youth band led worships and our monthly visits to the Lutheran Urban Missions Society!

Phil Colvin

Confirmations - May 8th Christ Church Cathedral, 4pm Join us for this year’s service of Confirmation at the Cathedral where three of our youth: Emma Berton, Chelsea Henry and Christopher Schmid will be confirmed alongside others from around the diocese!

(Above) Chelsea and Emma form their own Scrabble prayers at the Confirmation for the Rest of Your Life event at

Christ Church Cathedral

(Below) A gathering around the campfire at the Apocalypse Wow at Camp Artaban on Gambier Island


DEATH, RESURRECTION AND A STAMMERING KING Spirituality in the 2011 Academy Awards

O ver the past few years, the St. Francis Home Study Group has run a number of popular

series where we have looked at movies from a spiritual perspective; attempting to identify the thoughts, beliefs and world views underpinning them. The feedback from these sessions continues to be enthusiastic because the subject matter remains interesting. Most of us love watching movies which move, inspire or challenge us and we want to identify why that might be. With most of 2011 ’s Academy Award winning movies now finding their way onto DVD, and in a year which most commentators agreed that the quality of the selections was high, it’s time to take a second look and see which ones really stand up to scrutiny when the dazzle of awards season has faded. This year’s Best Picture winner was The King’s Speech. In many ways it’s a very typical award winner: it’s carefully made, well written and (given many of the other nominated movies were more polarising or controversial in their appeal) was clearly the movie that almost everybody could agree was a very good thing. What was atypical about The King’s Speech was the strong reaction to the film around the world; where dozens of countries reported audiences bursting into applause at the film’s end. Why did a British heritage movie strike such a popularist note? The journey of Colin Firth’s lead character from struggling bitterly with a stammering problem to delivering a rousing speech at movie’s end clearly echoes the structure of many ‘triumph over adversity’ stories told before. Generally, though, those stories feature underdogs and those on the lower rungs of society, rather than the aristocracy.

Perhaps the key to The King’s Speech’s success lies in the context of that final speech: it’s a moment of victory for the main character but, in the context of the film’s story; it represents the movie’s darkest hour. The speech Firth is giving is on the eve of one of the most destructive wars in mankind’s history. It’s a moment which galvanizes all the other characters in the film; no matter which social strata they live on. The film’s triumph is to demonstrate

that it is in the darkest moments, rather than the brightest, that people and nations most readily come together into one egalitarian community with one purpose and voice. My favourite movie of last year was Black Swan; the story of Natalie Portman’s ballerina who strives for perfection but loses

her soul along the way. Whereas the King’s Speech seeks to connect its audience together; Black Swan sets out to polarize them by presenting an incredibly tough movie to watch. The ballet scenes, which movies usually present as beautiful and effortless, are presented here as moments from a horror film. Every move could end with a fall and the sound of feet performing torturously painful moves plays louder than the music in the background. The rest of the movie is filled with disturbing dream sequences, troubling confrontations and a soundtrack which plays Tchaikovsky’s familiar themes from Swan Lake out of tune, off key and sometimes even backwards! By the end of the film we, like Portman, can no longer tell the difference between the visions and reality. And although the character’s triumph on stage seems to be within her reach, we are only too aware that disaster is just around the corner.

Speaking to, and for, a nation in The King’s Speech


The most important thing to realise about Black Swan is that it is not a film about ballet; it’s about mental illness. And it seeks to tell its story by trying to give its audience an experience of what that illness might feel like. It is disturbing, yes; and many of its scenes are virtually unwatchable. But in a world where even six year olds are told to strive for perfection at any cost; it’s important to have at least one movie which goes to extreme lengths to demonstrate what the potential outcomes of that mindset can be. If you can get through the first viewing; then all the repeat watches only help to bring out even more of the film’s incredibly complex visual and audio landscape. Of all the award winners this year, it’s Black Swan which will be picked apart and re-examined by academics for years to come. Of the other Best Picture nominated movies; I’d pick out The Social Network and 127 Hours as the most interesting of the year. For a while, it looked like The Social Network might end up taking most of the honours from the awards season. With the world seemingly obsessed with both scorning and taking advantage of the world of Facebook and other computer based social media, The Social Network looked like the most timely of all the contenders. I wonder, though, if the film made its points so well that it eventually took itself out of the running. The Social Network argues that Internet based social media doesn’t replace normal human relationships; it simply recreates them in a new form. Those who have large circles of connections with disparate links between them will find t hose r e l a t i onsh ips mirrored and exemplified by their experience with new technology, but not u l t imate ly rep laced. Similarly, a socially awkward and rather self serving programming guru like Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg will find he may find some level of fame and fortune through

his work; but he cannot escape his true nature. Which in Zuckerberg’s case, as the movie clearly demonstrates, is to be a complete jerk. Ultimately, Facebook doesn’t overcome our gut instincts that complete jerks aren’t people we want to spend a great deal of time with, and so audience’s sympathies with Zuckerberg (and the movie

as a whole) were drastically reduced as its running time went on. 127 Hours also features a character who we feel to be a jerk, but which this time manages to elicit our sympathy for him. The movie tells the true story of a young caver who walks into the wilderness without telling anyone where he’s gone and ends up with his right arm pinned beneath a boulder with no hope of rescue. The movie manages to shift our attitude from one of being scornful to supportive by being put into the same space as the lead character. We suffer his pain and his struggle; and we feel his triumph when he realises that the reason he needs to survive isn’t just a basic human need, but because he wants to have one more chance to see the people in his life he truly loves. It’s the antitheses of Black Swan since, although terrible things to happen to secure his escape, the film manages to create an increasing sense of euphoria that each struggle is pushing us closer to victory. And success isn’t just about survival, it’s about building a new life as a result of it. As we movie towards Easter there are some obvious death and resurrection parallels in 127 Hours. And perhaps it’s the most pertinent of all these movies

for today’s world since it transpires that the biggest regret this Christ figure has as he faces down his darkest moment isn’t his poor moral choices; but the fact that he hasn’t spoken to his mother and father recently.

Phil Colvin


Death, resurrection and escape in 127 Hours

Madness at the ballet, in Black Swan

A REFLECTION FOR LENT During Lent, the Home Study Group has been meeting to explore together the Passion narrative as recorded in the Gospel of Mark. Through a combination of Bible study, discussion and reflections the group has been following the journey of Jesus and his disciples into Jerusalem, to Gethsemane and to the foot of the cross. Here, Marilyn McBeath shares one of the reflections which the group has used together this Lent.

L ent is a pilgrimage, which Christ personally invites us to make. The journey is not an adventure for tourists who wish to capture snapshots of spiritual insight, but rather an invitation, which comes from

Christ and draws us to Christ. What is unique about this personal invitation is that Christ invites us to make a journey that he himself has already made. It is the nature of his grace not merely to call us from the outside, but actually to draw us from within. In one sense, the Lenten journey is our journey home into the community of the Holy Trinity and it is Christ, who by his incarnation, leads us there. ……By identifying himself with us in our humanity, Christ redeems our humanity and thereby enables us to be ourselves authentically, for the first time. The process of our redemption is never the result of courageous forays into ourselves, but rather, the life-long process of the Son drawing us out of ourselves and into the community of his triune life and the life around us. As we respond to the invitation of Lent we should expect to face two important realities. First, we will be led to remember the life of Christ including his ministry, sacrifice and resurrection. But second, we will be led to face ourselves.

Any movement we make toward Christ will always be an act of response. And every step taken toward him confirms the mystery that our journey into the community of the triune God is our journey home. This painting (left) by the Russian fifteenth century iconographer Andrei Rublev depicts the Holy Trinity with the Son in the centre, the Father to the left and the Holy Spirit on the right. Within the composition the figures are seated around three sides of the table, with an open place before the viewer. By this openness we are invited to take our place at the table and join the fellowship of God. In terms of perspective it is also interesting that the vanishing point appears to be placed where we are (rather than in the distance), and opens beyond us into the ever-widening life of the Trinity. By these two compositional details alone, Rublev’s icon echoes the invitation of Lent – that we might move beyond the confines of ourselves into the life and infinite possibility of the triune God.

Steven D. Purcell From “Even Among These Rocks

- A Spiritual Journey”


Wednesday 20th April, 7pm

“A Message from Jerusalem” with Rev. Dr. Kamal Farah

Since his retirement in 2008 from St. George’s College , Dr. Kamal Farah has continued to lead visiting groups from North America, Asia and Europe ,

many of them including his former students. He is respected at home and abroad as an authority, not only on the Bible, but also the Holy Land , its history, past and current.

A deeply spiritual man, he has brought alive the Bible for many hundreds of

students, pilgrims and others whose lives he has touched.

COMING UP AT ST. FRANCIS-IN-THE-WOOD...

From May 4th for 8 weeks

“Humanity’s Spiritual Evolution”

led by Harold Rosen

Q u e s t i o n s t o b e explored include: How

have humanity’s higher capacities developed during our time on

earth? What figures and forces have generated

and fostered our unfolding powers? Why has our spiritual evolution

been conceived with such stunning variety

across the ages?

For more information on Harold Rosen, visit:

http://www.interfaitheducation.org

Cost: $100 per person for the eight sessions Call 604 922 3531 or email [email protected]

to reserve your place.

Parish Picnic

May 29th, after 10am service

Bring a picnic lunch and come join us for our annual picnic on the green outside

of St. Francis!

Strawberry Tea

June 19th at the Rectory

Come for afternoon

tea with the

vicar! Enjoy delicious

treats and

good company.

Tickets will soon be available from St. Francis.

Men's Breakfast

June 4th, 8am

Fellowship, discussion with

special guest David Thomas and a great breakfast!


Holy Week and

Easter 2011 at st. francis-in-the-wood

and st. monica’s, horseshoe bay Palm Sunday April 17th @ St. Francis 10am LITURGY OF THE PALMS on Caulfield Green (in front of the Church) & dramatic presentation of the Passion Gospel according to St. Matthew 7pm Crosswalk Praise at West Vancouver Baptist Church with Afshin Javid Holy Week Ecumenical “Crosswalk” series 9:30am each day: Monday, April 18 St. Francis-in-the-Wood, 4773 South Piccadilly Tuesday, April 19 West Vancouver Presbyterian, 2893, Marine Drive Wednesday, April 20 West Vancouver United, 2062 Esquimalt Ave. Thursday, April 21 West Vancouver Baptist, 450 Mathers Ave Wednesday April 20 @ St. Francis 7pm: A MESSAGE FROM JERUSALEM a talk from Rev. Dr. Kamal Farah Maundy Thursday April 21st @ St. Monica 7pm IN THE UPPER ROOM readings and Eucharist for Maundy Thursday Good Friday April 22nd @ St. Francis 10am THE STORY OF GOOD FRDAY for children 12pm GOOD FRIDAY LITURGY - readings, prayers and reflections Easter Sunday April 24th 6am SUNRISE ON THE ROCKS (FOR THE RISING SON) On the rocks near “the anchor” in Caulfeild Park Followed by breakfast in the parish lounge at St. Francis @ St. Francis 9am HOLY COMMUNION FOR EASTER – a traditional service 11am ALLELUIA! CHRIST IS RISEN –contemporary celebration and Eucharist @ St. Monica 10am HOLY EUCHARIST – a celebration for Easter

Documents

St. Francis-in-the-Wood Spring 2011 Newsletter