As a Christian gathering, the Bible encourages us to “let the word dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another in all wisdom through psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16). COVID-19 has, of course, made it impossible for us to sing together as a group, but there is nothing to stop us from letting the word of God dwell among us richly. I think this means that, as well as hearing the word of God in the service, we also think on it, respond to God in prayer and obedience, and speak the word of God to one another in an encouraging way. I hope that this happens among you today (while I am on holidays).
Some weeks back, I received a lovely gift from a gentleman who had attended St Jude’s as a child and teenager in the 1950s and 60s. This consisted of some old Parish Papers, Orders of Service and other documents from St Jude’s dating from the 1940s. These contain everything from news of those from the Randwick community who were serving in the War, to what was showing at the Randwick Theatre (e.g., Rio Rita with Abbott & Costello and Kathryn Grayson, Wake Island and Tarzan’s Secret Treasure), to the messages which the rector, Rev. Oscar Abram, wrote to the community. These paint an interesting picture of parish life nearly 80 years ago. If you would like to have a closer look, here are some of the documents.
St Jude’s Christmas card from REV. O. V. AbramSt Jude’s Randwick Parish Paper July 1942
St Jude’s Randwick Parish Paper Feb 1943
St Jude’s Order of Confirmation- year 1959
I hope you will be able to make it to church on Sunday 25th October for our St Jude’s Day Spring Picnic with games in the graveyard. For COVID safe reasons, the picnic is BYO. As numbers are limited to 100, RSVP to the church office.