July 2012 (nr. 132) MAGAZINE OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN HAARLEM Church The Anglican Church of St. Anna & St. Mary Kinderhuissingel 74, 2013 AV HAARLEM Priest-in-charge Rev.Joop Albers, Tel: 0229 50 16 11 Dorpsweg 134, 1697 KH Schellinkhout e-mail: [email protected]Assistant Curate Rev.Rik Florentinus, Tel: 06 25008554 Oudezijds Achterburgwal 100, 1012 DS Amsterdam e-mail: [email protected]Reader Jaap Theunisz, Tel: 023 537 42 42 Rijksstraatweg 541-III, 2025 DE HAARLEM Warden Martin van Bleek, Tel: 023 542 21 33 Pieter Kiesstraat 76, 2013 BK HAARLEM Warden Annelies Dix-Swart, Tel: 023 529 12 06 Heemsteedse Dreef 175, 2101 KD HEEMSTEDE Secretary Rob Uittenbosch, Tel: 020 645 71 03 Groenhof 260, 1186 GE AMSTELVEEN e-mail: [email protected]Organist & Martin van Bleek, Tel: 023 542 21 33 Choirmaster Pieter Kiesstraat 76, 2013 BK HAARLEM Lifeline Editor Philip Whittaker, Tel: 0341 45 35 07 Schaapskamp 7, 3849 PS HIERDEN e-mail: [email protected]Website www.anglican-church-haarlem.nl The Anglican Church in Haarlem (Anglican-Episcopal) is part of the NW Europe Archdeaconry within the Diocese in Europe. It seeks to serve all English speaking people in the Haarlem area. All payments, donations, general, missions, subscriptions to Lifeline (€12.50/year), please to: Bank nr 43 70 02 667, Church of England, in Haarlem, or Postbank nr 57 76 41, Church of England Haarlem indicating purpose of payment (donation, mission, Lifeline, etc.)
Transcript
July 2012
(nr. 132)
MAGAZINE OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN HAARLEM
Church The Anglican Church of St. Anna & St. Mary Kinderhuissingel 74, 2013 AV HAARLEM
The Anglican Church in Haarlem (Anglican-Episcopal) is part of the NW Europe
Archdeaconry within the Diocese in Europe. It seeks to serve all English speaking
people in the Haarlem area.
All payments, donations, general, missions, subscriptions to Lifeline (€12.50/year),
please to:
Bank nr 43 70 02 667, Church of England, in Haarlem, or
Postbank nr 57 76 41, Church of England Haarlem
indicating purpose of payment (donation, mission, Lifeline, etc.)
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2½ Year interregnum at an end!
On Sunday evening, 3 June 2012, our interregnum of around 2½ years came to an end, as Rev Joop Albers was licensed as our priest-in-charge and the Rev Rik Florentinus as assistant-curate, the Rev Mark Collinson, Area Dean for The Netherlands, acting on behalf of the Bishop of Gibraltar, Rt Rev Geoffrey Rowell.
As wardens we are very grateful to Rev Mark Collinson for the fine service, and for his help and guidance with the legal and technical issues of contracts, etc. Thank you too to our former Archdeacon John de Wit for suggesting this solution in the first place! Due to his retirement in May he was not able to carry out the licensing himself, but our Area Dean very ably stepped into the breach! We look forward to a fruitful ministry of both our chaplains in Haarlem. Of course our congregation will have to play its own part in this.
We are as always grateful to our locums and visiting chaplains for being ready to fill in a gap. And a big thank you too to all who helped in the preparation of the licensing service, the service itself and the drinks afterwards.
Annelies Dix & Martin van Bleek, Wardens
Our Assistant Curate introduces himself
It took a while but finally Fr.Joop and I got installed to serve in Haarlem. This lifeline gives me the opportunity to introduce myself to you all. I was born and grew up in Apeldoorn in the east of The Netherlands. In 1983 I moved to Amsterdam to the ecumenical community Oudezijds 100. There I met my wife Lyke and we married in 1986. we have six children; Christiaan, Annalyne, Dorothee, Emma, Elyane and Mathies. The four youngest are still living at home.
Oudezijds 100 is located in the historical city centre of Amsterdam, in the red light district (De Wallen)., which attracts all kinds of people, tourists wanting to experience the (in)famous vibrant atmosphere, and a lot of people on the edge of society, drug addicts, people with financial problems, illegal immigrants, the homeless, and people who are simply lonely in a crowded world. Amidst the temptations of sex and drugs, OZ100 is a safe place for everyone who needs it. The OZ100 community currently numbers around 70 people, and from many different countries.
The heart of OZ100 is the Community Spe Gaudentes (rejoice in hope), and we are like a joyful open cloister. It has many similarities with traditional monasteries only translated into a more modern style. We are committed by vow, and in the community are those who have chosen for celibacy and those who are married.
We live together and share our lives, and together we aim to present Jesus Christ and his gospel to the world in which we live. To live out the Gospel simply means following Jesus’ example. He went out to meet people, surrounded himself with people from all different social classes. He wanted to connect and make a real difference in their lives.
Besides the social and pastoral care, we try to build bridges between the different denominations of the church and learn from each other. I am glad to be now also working and serving in Haarlem, and I want to work on these things here, based upon my experiences with OZ100. I hope that we as a congregation, the familia Dei, will have a blessed time together, that we can learn from each other, and will all use our talents as God’s disciples, growing as a living community in Haarlem or wherever we
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live and work. I look forward to meeting as many of you readers of Lifeline as possible, and to share our faith in Christ, and to see as many as possible on Sunday in Haarlem church. Otherwise I will try to visit you. Until then, I am yours in Christ,
Fr Rik Florentinus
The Installation Service
As Area Dean Rev Mark Collinson said at the opening of the installation service “After a long interregnum of over two years, today you will get your new chaplain - and not just one, but two”!
The service was heart-warming and heart-warmingly well attended, with many visiting clergy, some who had helped the Chaplaincy enormously during its interregnum, Old Catholic priests, Bishop Dick Schoon, Fr Dirk van Leeuwen and two readers from Trinity Church Eindhoven and the Church of St.James in Voorschoten, also colleagues, family and friends of both candidates.
The Institution took place within a Eucharist service. After the Creed came the Institution and Licensing, a fairly substantial procedure, each candidate being required to confirm his faith, and to commit himself to fulfilling his duties towards God and the Haarlem congregation, as set forth in the canons of the Church of England, under the Bishop of Gibraltar. In its turn, the congregation was asked to promise its allegiance and support of the candidates in their respective functions.
In his address, Rev Mark Collinson illustrated, in the form of a parable, the nature of the Holy Trinity in its unity in diversity: Fr Joop has the role as Father, Fr Rik that of Son, and Martin, representing the Church Wardens, the lubricator, conscience, the Holy Spirit. They need and uphold each other, acting as one within our church unit.
The reception, following the service, was very pleasant, with the chance to meet Fr Rik Florentinus. It was also a fine opportunity of fellowship between the various church communities represented at the service.
We look forward very much to having Joop and Rik among us and to their pastoral ministry in our midst. We pray for God’s blessing on their labours.
The Haarlem Congregation
At the altar at the font
(photos thanks to Ann van Egmond)
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♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ Music Matters
Since the last issue of Lifeline there have been many musical events. Apart
from the regular services, the choir has also taken part in the annual
Archdeaconry Choral Festival which this year was hosted by St. Andrew’s
Church of Scotland in Brussels on 12 May. Stephen Barker from Canterbury
conducted the RSCM theme service ‘The Word revealed’ based on the 400th
anniversary of the King James Bible translation.
It was a joyful occasion and we were well looked after by St. Andrew’s; the
service itself was an uplifting experience. Some of the music we sang at the
Festival will appear in our own services.
Our choir then joined other ECS members for a singing ‘break’ on Malta. We
sang two concerts at the Anglican Pro-cathedral of St. Paul’s in Valletta, joined
their own choir for the Choral Eucharist and then sang Choral Evensong at
Holy Trinity in Sliema. There were 19 singers, our organist James Pollard and
myself as director of music, and 13 supporters!
We had time to do some sight-seeing, including the lovely island of Gozo. The
pro-cathedral was very happy to have contact with another RSCM choir as
they are well and truly on an island! There are plans to help them set up other
events and a training scheme. So we all look forward to going to Malta again!
The service in Haarlem on 1 July was the last choral service before the holiday
period, and the choir will now take a well-earned break until 19 August, when it
will be back in residence. They will however not be totally idle musically, since
as usual they will be joining other members of the European Cathedral Singers
at St. Alban’s Cathedral from Monday 6 August until Sunday 12 August
(except Thursday 9 August, our day off, or rather our ‘dumb day’). Do come
and see us if you are in the neighbourhood!
On Sunday 9 September (the Open Monument week-end) we will sing our
annual Choral Evensong in the Grote or St. Bavo Church on the Grote Markt
at 7 pm. The music will include the Gabriel Jackson Preces and Responses,
Stanford in A canticles and the anthem Vox Christi by Philip Wilby (from ‘The
Word revealed’). Our choir and the Anglican Singers will be joined by a few
ECS members.
I will be conducting a Choral Workshop for RSCM France in the south of
France on Saturday 22 September. The workshop will end with a choral
evensong and there will be a Sung Eucharist on the Sunday morning. RSCM
France was formally initiated in Paris on 18 February. As coordinator for the
RSCM in NW Europe I was also involved. The choirs in RSCM NW Europe are
far apart, but travelling in our part of the world is a lot easier than in France,
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especially if you have to travel east-west across France rather than north-south!
RSCM NW Europe will help RSCM France with setting up the Voice for Life
exam scheme etc.
Our Harvest festival will be held on Sunday 7 October when we will be joined
by the Old Catholic congregation. Fr. Mattijs Ploeger will be taking the service.
Thank you for your support over the past months and I wish you all a good and
restful holiday!
Martin A. van Bleek, Organist and choirmaster
Trevor Day: Ordination
[Editor: received from our man in Swindon as he approaches his ordination as Deacon on 30 June - we were glad to hear that no new mishaps had in the meantime befallen him!]
Just a week to go ... we rehears in Bristol Cathedral on Monday evening and attend a pre-ordination retreat from Wednesday, and then down to the Cathedral for the big step!
There are 21 candidates being ordained Deacon, and approximately the same number being ordained Priest on the Sunday. Because of the numbers, each ceremony is split into two, so there will be four services over the weekend, at 10am and 3.30pm. I am in the 3.30pm group on Saturday. Then, if all continues to go well, next year, also on 30th June, but then Sunday, I shall be priested.
The parishes to which I am going are: the Benefice and Parish of Highworth with Sevenhampton and Inglesham, the Parish of Hannington and the Benefice and Parish of Broad Blunsdon.
The day after my ordination I assist at the 8am service at Highworth [St Michael and All Angels], and the 10am service at Broad Blunsdon [St Leonards]. I then go off to Bristol Cathedral to help with marshalling clergy in the Eastern Lady Chapel for the afternoon Priest Ordinations.
I shall be continuing with my Sea Cadet Chaplaincy [approx 2-3 times per month] and my Daily Chaplaincy at the Cathedral [once a month and occasional special services].
Blessings to you all, Trevor
Stop press: Fr. Trevor was ordained Deacon on 30 June
We wish him wisdom and joy in his ministry
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Singing in English Cathedrals Andrew Kearney
That time of year - August - approaches again, when the Haarlem Choir, as part of the European Cathedral Singers, directed by our own Martin
van Bleek, and with singers from choirs from all over the Benelux, it will
sing the services for a whole week in one of England’s beautiful
cathedrals. This summer, we go to St.Albans.
St.Albans Cathedral stands on the oldest site of continuous Christian
worship in Britain, over the place where Alban, the first martyr, was buried in 300 AD. The existing building dates from 1077. The tower is
the oldest remaining great Norman tower in the country, built of Roman
bricks reclaimed from the nearby site of the Roman city of Verulamium.
The Cathedral has the longest nave (84m.) of any cathedral in Britain
and is the second longest at 168m. It also ‘boasts‘ a magnificent 4-manual organ to delight our organist, and us.
Being a cathedral choir for a week is an awesome responsibility. There
are often new hymns, psalm chants, responses, canticles and anthems
to learn, so there is always a heavy practice schedule beforehand and
during the week. And with practical customs and routines of the
particular Cathedral to comply with, there is a lot to think about. That, and the need to produce music at the level required in a cathedral,
surely at the pinnacle of English choral singing. Martin and the more
experienced hands take this challenge ‘in their stride’ making it easy to
forget what a privilege it is to sing in a cathedral at all, let alone to
replace their professional choir for a whole week!
Martin’s careful music selection always seems to deliver a feeling of
integrity to the services, covering many periods and styles of music,
wrapped around the never-changing liturgical pillars of Evensong and
Eucharist. It is a glorious thing that these steadfast words can be
celebrated in such a huge range of music, spanning more than 500 years
of musical history. All of this musical history is ably accompanied and enhanced by our organists, who also accompany us at our rehearsals,
always, fortunately, with good humour, musicality and patience. A
tradition that has developed the last few years is that on one day, usually
the Friday, the main accompaniment to the service is provided by Edward
Seymour’s Consort of Viols, all the way from Luxembourg. We then indulge in appropriate music, this year magnificent Gibbons Canticles
and his anthem Great Lord of Lords. On previous cathedral visits our
repertoire has been noted as ‘very varied’, and this year includes, O nata
lux by Morten Lauredsen, and Jauchzet dem Herren, by Heinrich Schütz.
Despite all of the hard work and serious music, time is always found to
explore the local taverns and on our day off to do some shopping (to re-stock on British biscuits and curry powder), and do some local sight-
seeing. Roll on 6th August!
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From the Editor: Numbers in the Bible
With space available in this issue of Lifeline, I take the opportunity of
including a short item on a subject that is dear to my heart. Like all
discussions relating to faith, it is not intended to prove anything, faith cannot
be proved, only to look at some interesting facts, and if they strengthen one’s
faith, all well and good, otherwise they were at least interesting.
From childhood I had been taught that certain numbers (3, 4, 6, 7, 12, etc.)
had special significance in the Bible, but only recently I discovered a book
Number in Scripture by Rev. E.Bullinger, which gave me a whole new
dimension to the subject. The number of purely factual numerical
‘coincidences’ and correlations within the Bible is simply amazing. For
instance:
The significance of the number 666 in the Bible is well known. The number 6
is used throughout to denote human or earthly ‘perfection’, 66 expressing
this more emphatically, and 666 as the ultimate in ‘non-Godliness’. If you
take the square of 6 [6x6 = 36] and add all the numbers from 1 to 36
together [1+2+3+4+ +36], that equals 666.
In the Bible there are 7 occasions (no more and no less) where God or Jesus
repeats a person’s name when addressing them:
O.T. (4): Abraham, Abraham (Gen. xxii, 11)
Jacob, Jacob (Gen. xlvi, 2)
Moses, Moses (Exod. iii, 4)
Samuel, Samuel (1 Sam.iii, 10)
N.T. (3): Martha, Martha (Luke x, 41)
Simon, Simon (Luke xxii, 31)
Saul, Saul (Acts ix, 4)
The number 12 occurs throughout the Bible, e.g.:
12 patriarchs from Seth to Noah, and 12 from Shem to Jacob
12 tribes of Israel,
12 priests or kings were anointed in the OT, and 12 Apostles in the NT
12 pervades the structure of the Temple, and also the New Jerusalem
These are just a few ‘appetite whetters’ (if that is your taste). But one does
not look to such analyses to prove one’s faith, only to reinforce it, if one
will, leaving us to wonder at the ‘heavenly economy’. That is the intention
of the book, to draw attention to the seemingly endless number of
‘coincidences’ and correlations within the Bible generally, and between the
Old and New Testaments. The conclusion of the author is that, with so
much evidence, ‘the Scriptures are absolutely without error, and whatever
difficulties we may encounter in understanding it, are the outcome of our
own infirmities’.
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First ever European Readers’ Conference (June 2012, Cologne)
Edited by J. Theunisz
I was privileged to be among the 50 Readers and readers-in-training, from Trondheim to Athens, who descended on the Kardinal Schulte Haus in Cologne from 15 to 18 June for a three day conference. The theme of the event, the first ever diocese-wide conference for lay ministers, was "Bearing the Word".
Although we have had two diocesan clergy conferences since 2005, there has never been a similar event for lay ministers. However, to quote bishop David, “it simply would not be possible to continue to provide worship in the over 300 congregations of the Diocese in Europe, and to continue to provide quality pastoral engagement without the ministry of our Readers.” There are now over 110 who exercise this ministry week by week, not counting those in various stages of training. “Clearly the time was right to give Readers an opportunity to meet each other and to engage in some time of learning together.” Continuing Ministerial Education funds from Archdeaconries were available to some, as well as direct support from their parishes to attend.
The Conference was designed to enable us to explore some of the most important aspects of our ministry: biblical study, liturgics, spirituality, communicating the Gospel and working as bridge builders and reconcilers. Some highlights were the Bible studies by Clare Amos, the lecture on Conflict in the church, and brother Sam’s reflections on prayer.
As preaching and interpreting the bible is a central feature of the ministry of Readers, it was appropriate that one of the keynote speakers at the conference was a biblical scholar, Dr Clare Amos. Clare is the Programme Director for Interreligious Dialogue and Cooperation at the World Council of Churches, a theological educator, and has taught Old and New Testament studies in Jerusalem, Beirut, Cambridge, London and Kent. She was also a former editor of the national journal The Reader. One of her most recent works is a commentary on Genesis.
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Clare led a bible study on Genesis 32 and 33 (the story of Jacob wrestling with the Angel) and another on the Transfiguration. She also led a plenary session on some issues in biblical hermeneutics, particularly apt for this conference of lay theologians and preachers (indeed she thought we should be called hermeneuts!). Clare inspired the participants at the conference with the vision of Archbishop Michael Ramsey: "to be a theologian is to be exposed to the vision of heaven and the tragedies of mankind".
Conflict as opportunity for ministry was the theme of the Revd Sara MacVane, the Assistant Priest at St Andrew's Zurich. She distinguished between "honest conflict" on the one hand, where parties, even though holding different opinions, are trying to promote the good of the Church, and "toxic behaviour" on the other hand, where conversation and communication become secretive, manipulative and destructive.
Sara recognised the potentially important role that Readers have in addressing conflict in our congregations. They are often the only minister a local priest in our diocese can talk to and share situations which are problematic. As lay persons they also understand the, often emotional, investment that people have in their local church.
"Prayer is like breathing - you can't do without it". With these words, Brother Sam SSF, began his session on prayer at the heart of the life of the Christian minister. Brother Sam, a Franciscan friar and until recently the Provincial Minister of the Society of Saint Francis (SSF), spoke about prayer as having to do with our relationship with God, with others and with our natural environment. He spoke to us on some key dimensions of prayer and the spiritual life: 1. the link between prayer and action: opening our hearts and wills to God's
purpose for the world. 2. the need to be free of distraction in our prayer so we can truly listen to God. 3. that our life of prayer needs to be earthed - it should not be divorced from
real, even mundane life. 4. the importance of practice - making sure our prayer is regular. Like athletes
and musicians, regular practice helps us improve. 5. that we need always to be reminded that we pray with brothers and sisters
around the world and those who have gone before us. We are not alone. 6. to be aware that prayer opens us up, touches our wounds, our hurts, our
vulnerabilities.
Brother Sam, in his Franciscan habit, was also a visual reminder of the fact of the existence of religious communities in Anglicanism. Interestingly, this year there have been 4 men from continental Europe testing their vocation with the Anglican Franciscans in England, 2 Swedes, a German and a Romanian!
Last but not least we discussed our interaction with the (social) media in order to let the world know about our existence and our message. In between our sessions, devotions and Eucharists there was time to socialize and to enjoy some good meals. The conference was concluded by a dedication ceremony. More coverage of this event will appear in The European Anglican.
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Should you require further information about a service or event
please contact our secretary Rob Uittenbosch (020 6457103)
Sunday 8 July Trinity 5
14.30 Sung Eucharist with hymns
Tuesday 10 July 10.00 Coffee morning at the home of
Mrs Corrie Anne Oeverhaus Fr. Schubertlaan 21 2102 EJ Heemstede 023 5286240
Sunday 15 July Trinity 6
14.30 Evening Prayer and Eucharist
Sunday 22 July Trinity 7
14.30 Eucharist (said)
Sunday 29 July Trinity 8
14.30 Eucharist (said)
Sunday 5 August Trinity 9
14.30 Eucharist (said)
Monday 6 August till
Sunday 12 August.
The choir, as part of the European Cathedral Singers, will sing daily Choral Evensong in St.Albans Cathedral (except Thursday); and on Sunday also Choral Eucharist.
Sunday 12 August Trinity 10
14.30 Eucharist (said)
Tuesday 14 August 10.00 Coffee morning at the home of
Mrs Mary Brunt M. Vaumontlaan 20 2101 ED Heemstede 023 5295045
Sunday 19 August Trinity 11
14.30 Morning Prayer and Eucharist
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Solution to puzzle in previous Lifeline (May 2012 no.132):
You divide the card as follows:
These 4 pieces are identical and are nowhere wider than 5cm diameter.
Sunday 26 August Trinity 12
14.30 Eucharist (said)
Sunday 2 September Trinity 13
14.30 Choral Eucharist
Sunday 9 September Trinity 14
14.30 Sung Eucharist with hymns
19.00 Choral Evensong in St. Bavo
Church, Grote Markt Haarlem, sung by
our Choir and The Anglican Singers
Saturday 15 September from 17.00 Barbecue at the home of
