The Leaflet No. 1084 October 2020

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The Scots’ Church, Melbourne The First Presbyterian Church in Victoria – Founded 1838

Locations The Scots’ Church, Melbourne, 77 Russell St (cnr Collins St), Melbourne Assembly Hall Building, Werner Brodbeck Hall, Grnd Flr, 156 Collins St, Melbourne Assembly Hall Building, Robert White Hall, 1st Flr, 156 Collins St, Melbourne St Stephens Church, Flemington and Kensington, 26 Norwood St, Flemington

Worship Sun: 10.00 am Service, St Stephen’s Church 10.30 am Indonesian Service (www.icc-melbourne.org), Werner Brodbeck Hall 11.00 am Traditional Service, The Scots’ Church 5.00 pm Engage City Church Contemp. Service, Robert White Hall (Crèche and Sunday school are available during all Sunday services.)

Tue: 7.00 pm City Bible Study (CBS), Robert White Hall Wed: 1.00 pm Service, The Scots’ Church Thu: 1.00 pm Lunchtime Worship and Meeting, Werner Brodbeck Hall (Prayer requests may be given to the church office during office hours, or to any duty manager at any service.)

Meetings Sun: 9.15 am Choir practice Wed: 10.30 am PWMU (second Wednesday) 7.30 pm Kirk Session (first Wednesday 7.30 pm Board of Management (fourth Wednesday, quarterly) Directory Interim Moderator Rev. P. Court 9650 9903 Minister, Central Business District Minister Pastoral Care Rev. L. Heshusius 9650 9903 Minister, St Stephen’s, Flemington Mr. A. Wong 9376 3777 Minister, Indonesian Congregation Rev. C. Tirtha 9650 9903 Director of Music Mr D. Lawrence AM 9650 9903 Assistant Organist Ms R.A. Polo 9650 9903 Organist Emeritus Mr R. Batterham AO - Session Clerk Mr P. Armstrong 9650 9903 Chair, Scots’ Church Properties Trust Mr P. Kerss 9650 9903 Honorary Treasurer, Board of Management Mr J. Nuske FCPA 9650 9903 Honorary Secretary, Board of Management Dr D. Sherman 9650 9903 Convenor, Pastoral Care Mr D. Gibb 9650 9903 Convener, Planned Giving Mr. W. Truong 9650 9903 Convenor, Christian Education Mrs L. Taylor 9650 9903 Superintendent, Sunday School Mrs D. Sherman 9650 9903 Administrator Mr S. Ruddock 9650 9903 Operations Manager Mr J. North 9650 9903 Accountant Mr M. Hirst 9650 9903 Ministers’ Secretary Mrs W. Gregory 9650 9903 Building Officer Mr R. Holt 9650 9903 Welcome Desk Attendant Mr K. Bowden 9650 9903 Editor, The Leaflet Miss R. Strother 9650 9903 T HE L EAFLET --- October 2020

Welcome to The Scots’ Church, Melbourne, and this edition of our bi-monthly newsletter, The Leaflet The Scots’ Church Melbourne is a diverse and eclectic body of God’s people The Scots’ Church Melbourne is a diverse and eclectic body of God’s people who come together each week to worship God in a variety of styles and who come together each week to worship God in a variety of styles and settings. settings. Beyond our weekly gatherings, we seek to love and serve the Lord by being Beyond our weekly gatherings, we seek to love and serve the Lord by being faithful in our devotion to the Word of God, caring in our fellowship with one another and visitors, and generous in our outreach to the communities in faithful in our devotion to the Word of God, caring in our fellowship with one which God has placed us. another and visitors, and generous in our outreach to the communities in which God has placed us. We would be delighted to meet you at any of our church services or at any of our other public meetings and functions. We would be delighted to meet you at any of our church services or at any of our other public meetings and functions. If you want to know more about the Christian faith, the Presbyterian Church, Scots’ Church or the range of activities and ministries that we’re involved in, If you want to know more about the Christian faith, the Presbyterian Church, please don’t hesitate to contact us: Scots’ Church or the range of activities and ministries that we’re involved in, please don’t hesitate to contact us: 1st Floor, 156 Collins Street, Melbourne, Vic, 3000 1st Floor, 156 Collins Street, Melbourne, Vic, 3000 Tel: (03) 9650 9903 / 9650 9904 Tel: (03) 9650 9903 / 9650 9904 Fax: (03) 9654 3982 Email: [email protected] Fax: (03) 9654 3982 Web: www.scotschurch.com Email: [email protected] Web: www.scotschurch.com

Cover image: ‘I will lift up my eyes to the hills’. Psalm 121:1 (ESV). The highlands of central Victoria near Cambarville.

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Welcome to The Scots’ Church, Melbourne, Welcome to The Scots’ Church, Melbourne, and this edition of our bi-monthly newsletter, and this edition of our bi-monthly newsletter, The Leaflet The Leaflet

The Scots’ Church Melbourne is a diverse and eclectic body of God’s people The Scots’ Church Melbourne is a diverse and eclectic body of God’s people who come together each week to worship God in a variety of styles and who come together each week to worship God in a variety of styles and settings. settings. Beyond our weekly gatherings, we seek to love and serve the Lord by being Beyond our weekly gatherings, we seek to love and serve the Lord by being faithful in our devotion to the Word of God, caring in our fellowship with one faithful in our devotion to the Word of God, caring in our fellowship with one another and visitors, and generous in our outreach to the communities in another and visitors, and generous in our outreach to the communities in which God has placed us. which God has placed us. We would be delighted to meet you at any of our church services or at any of We would be delighted to meet you at any of our church services or at any of our other public meetings and functions. our other public meetings and functions. If you want to know more about the Christian faith, the Presbyterian Church, If you want to know more about the Christian faith, the Presbyterian Church, Scots’ Church or the range of activities and ministries that we’re involved in, Scots’ Church or the range of activities and ministries that we’re involved in, please don’t hesitate to contact us: please don’t hesitate to contact us:

1st Floor, 156 Collins Street, Melbourne, Vic, 3000 1st Floor, 156 Collins Street, Melbourne, Vic, 3000 Tel: (03) 9650 9903 / 9650 9904 Tel: (03) 9650 9903 / 9650 9904 Fax: (03) 9654 3982 Fax: (03) 9654 3982 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Web: www.scotschurch.com Web: www.scotschurch.com

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T HE L EAFLET --- October 2020

Interim Moderator...... 1 'Every cloud has a silver lining'...... 2 'In the beginning...'...... 3 Interview - Sonal Herlekar...... 4 Youth with a Mission...... 5 Amazing Grace...... 6 Eh Htu Hta School, Myanmar...... 8 From the History of Scots' Church...... 10 The Robertsons who were left in Melbourne...... 12 Melbourne to Scotland revisited...... 15 Douglas Lawrence - Singing and Spaghetti...... 16 Managing change in a pandemic...... 18 A slice with a story!...... 21 Historic Victorian Churches - St. Andrew's Sorrento...... 22 Vivian Bullwinkel - an extraordinary nurse...... 25 Tomb of the Unknown Soldier...... 27 Coventry Cathedral England...... 29 The Red Cross...... 31 Bible Places - Canaan...... 33 Pets' Corner...... 35 Plants of the Bible - Saffron Crocus...... 36 The Bible Museum...... 37 Noah’s Ark -a modern replica...... 38 Scots' Church Coat of Arms...... 40 For the kids...... 41 Crossword...... 42

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Interim Moderator Rev. Philip Court Spring is in the air! Even in a time of pandemic, I find it puts an extra spring in my step. I was reminded recently by Prof Sen Sendjaya that Martin Luther had famously said, “Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.” It’s that promise of resurrection that stands at the heart of our Christian faith. In affirming the Apostles’ Creed, we declare our belief that Jesus Christ, who “is seated at the right hand of the Father… will come to judge the living and the dead.” That is the general resurrection at the end of time. But for all who believe… all who put their trust in Christ and not in their own self-righteousness, there is, in the words of the Creed, “the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.” The communion of saints is a spiritual reality that unites each and every redeemed child of God into the one body of Christ, across all places and throughout time. This is the church invisible; the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church of Christ. But the communion of saints is also a physical reality whenever we reach out to each other, rejoice with each other, bear each other’s sorrows, encourage each other, challenge and even rebuke each other, and uphold each other in our prayers. The restrictions of the state of emergency – necessary restrictions in combatting the coronavirus pandemic – have forced us to do many things differently as we seek to continue being an active and vital church community. To help us think outside the box, our guest preacher throughout September, Rev Phil Campbell, has challenged us all to re-imagine church as we look forward to the post-pandemic future. If you have not yet listened to his four sermons on this theme, I encourage you to jump on to our website and take the time to do so. But for now, let me return to the metaphor of Spring as it is so lyrically and beautifully expressed in Scripture to speak of the God in whom we trust: Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! (Psalm 84:3-4, ESV) Philip

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Minister Pastoral Care Rev. Litha Heshusius "Every cloud has a silver lining" Several months ago, my family came to visit from abroad. At that time, the WHO (World Health Organization) had not yet ‘Every cloud has a silver lining’. Early morning from declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Longing Litha’s balcony. to see each other again, we were joyful to be reunited. After a mere two weeks, COVID-19 cases in Australia began to rise rapidly, leaving little choice but to send our family back home in anticipation of border restrictions. Despite this, my family and I are very grateful because God had arranged everything so that we could meet in Melbourne even though their vacation had to be shortened. At the time of writing this article, Metropolitan Melbourne is at Stage 4 of the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic. We return to the starting point, making things harder. Wearing a facemask is a must when leaving the house; travel distance is limited, and there is a curfew, etc. If a family or friend is sick in hospital, the hospital does not allow anyone to visit them. As a pastoral care minister, it is challenging for me and also for the pastoral care team. Then what can I do? There is something good in everything that's bad. Once again, I thank God, all of this is allowed to happen because God’s thoughts and ways are higher than ours, even though we may not understand God's good plans. Through faith in Christ and prayers, we are called to learn to be patient and to endure these challenging circumstances, believing that "every cloud has a silver lining – the storm will come to pass.” We are reminded that even Jesus' disciples had a storm that nearly drowned them, “The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” (Matthew 8:25). Jesus can calm any storms, not just a pandemic but also the stormy lives of His people. In our stormy times let us too, wake our LORD JESUS up with our immovable faith and prayers. “But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men, this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26 Shalom Litha

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Minister, St. Stephen’s Flemington Mr. Andrew Wong In the beginning… 1In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light . Genesis 1:1-3 ESV. The introduction of a book or a story is important because it provides the first impression. Great introductions grip readers. It makes readers want to read more. To follow the story. I can’t think of a greater introduction than the Bible. The Bible begins by saying, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” What an incredible claim. What a remarkable beginning. Think about it for a second. Imagine picking up a story and reading, “1In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” You read a few more verses and you come to the part which says, “3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” The Bible introduces the story of history with the all-powerful creator God, who created light in an instant. The Bible introduces the story of history with the fact that there is something out there far greater than us. The introduction of the Bible shakes our world. Instead of living for ourselves, our own pleasures and putting ourselves in the centre of the world, God humbles us. The reason why we exist, the reason why all of creation exists, is because God made it. It is amazing to read and to listen to the first verse of the bible. It puts life into perspective. There is something more to this world than our own life. Doesn’t the introduction of the Bible grip you? Don’t you want to know what else the Bible has to say? Spoiler alert- Paul puts it this way in Colossians 1:16 speaking about Jesus Christ, “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him” The world was created for Jesus Christ. He is at the centre of the universe and it is so important to know Him. It is so important to be in a right relationship with the creator of the universe. May God help you come to a greater understanding of who He is and what He has done for you. Andrew Wong

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INTERVIEW SONAL HERLEKAR Sonal Herlekar was born in Malvan, a coastal town in India. The youngest of three children, he has a sister Saroj, who is married and lives in India, and a brother Steven, who is very active in Sonal with his family, from left: David, Sonal, Shilpa ministry work with such organisations and Seanna. as Youth with a Mission (YWAM). As his grandfather was called and responded to Christ early in his life, Sonal is a third generation Christian. Although Sonal’s early childhood was spent in India, the family moved to the island nation of Bahrain, in the Arabian Gulf, for eight years when his father, a radiographer, worked there. His primary school education was in Bahrain, and his secondary education was in Pune, India. Sonal graduated from Pune University, later going on to complete a Master’s Degree specialising in marketing. After graduating from University, Sonal took a position with one of India’s largest banks, where he worked in the home loans office for three years. He left the position to pursue his post-graduate studies. To assist in financing his studies Sonal joined a major technology company, and was able to continue on and further his career with the same company, with whom he has now worked for 16 years. For Sonal the faith of his parents, especially his father, was a major influence on him and a demonstration of how true God’s love and mercy is towards those who love him. Sonal’s brother Steven describes their father as a modern-day Job whose faith in God was almost a ‘stubborn faith’. Sonal considered himself a nominal Christian in his early adult years, but his experience of God’s blessing in every aspect of his life led him to Christ. Sonal’s association with Scots’ Church goes back to December 2018, his first Christmas in Melbourne, and the first Christmas spent away from his family. His father had established a tradition that every Christmas and New Year should be spent in church, thanking God for the past year and praying for his blessing for the next. So Sonal looked for a church with a midnight service on Christmas Eve in the central business district, with Scots’ Church one of the few offering this. He continued to attend Scots’ and quickly became actively involved with church life. Sonal was welcomed into Scots’ as a member at the worship service on 1st December 2019. Since the beginning of the Rev. Richard O’Brien’s leave through illness in April, Sonal has been leading

P AGE 4 T HE L EAFLET --- October 2020 the City Bible Study on-line on Tuesday evenings during the pandemic. He became a member of the Board of Management in March 2020, being appointed through the Kirk Session. Sonal is married to Shilpa and they have two teenage children, David and Seanna. His interests include travelling, Gospel music and football. Our thanks to Sonal for his faithful commitment to Scots’ Church, and his active ministry amongst us. We look forward to getting to know Sonal better in person, when we are all able to meet again.

YOUTH WITH A MISSION Youth with a Mission (YWAM), a Christian missionary outreach group, was founded in 1960. The initial focus was to involve youth in mission work, but the organisation has since expanded its membership to include older age groups as well. Founded by American missionary Loren Cunningham and his wife Darlene, the stated purpose of YWAM is “to know God and to make Him known”. A non-denominational organisation, YWAM has members from over 180 countries and across many denominations. Over half of its staff are from non-Western countries. There are over 15,000 full-time ‘volunteers’ in more than 1,100 ministry locations, with over 25,000 ‘volunteers’ for short-term missions trained each year. YWAM offers a wide range of programs in many countries. The volunteer staff share their Christian faith through many avenues of evangelism, including a presence at international sporting events; they have been active at the World Olympic Games since 1972. Musical events, drama presentations, sports camps, and other creative and performing arts are some of the ways in which the volunteers are involved in outreach. As well as extensive training programs, YWAM also works to help meet the practical and physical needs of the world-wide community through relief and development initiatives, known collectively as Mercy Ministries International. These ministries are very wide in their scope, with programs that range from serving the poor through local food initiatives to international disaster relief teams operating in places of great need. Disease prevention and treatment in developing countries is another sphere in which YWAM is very active, examples being the control of HIV/ AIDS in villages in Uganda, and an international campaign called ‘Buzz Off’ to support nations tackling the problem of endemic malaria. There are 18 YWAM bases in Australia, with locations found in each State. References: YWAM. https://www.ywam.org Wikipedia: Youth with a Mission. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youth_with_a_Mission

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AMAZING GRACE The hymn ‘Amazing Grace’, written in 1772 by English poet and clergyman John Newton (1775 – 1807) and first published in 1779, is one of the most recognisable songs in the English-speaking world. John Newton was born in 1725 in Wapping, a district of London. His father was a shipping merchant who Engraving of Olney vicarage, 1879, where John Newton had been brought up as a Catholic but was curate. Credit: Bernard Martin (1950).John Newton: A Biography, Heinemann, pp. 222-223. Public Domain. had Protestant sympathies. His mother was a devout Independent who had intended that her son would become a clergyman. She died of tuberculosis when John was just six years old and, after living with an indifferent stepmother for a time, he was sent to boarding school where he was mistreated. At 11 years of age he joined his father on a ship as an apprentice. As a youth, Newton had a poor reputation for coarseness and profanity. He was conscripted into the Royal Navy but deserted to visit a family friend, Mary ‘Polly’ Catlett. Following this he joined the crew of a ship carrying slaves and all the while his poor behaviour continued. In March 1748 a violent storm hit the ship ‘Greyhound’ on which he was a working, with one crew member standing close to him being washed overboard. The ship thrashed about in the north Atlantic storm for some days, with Newton and the other sailors fighting to keep the ship afloat. In desperation Newton finally called to the Lord to have mercy on him. Some two weeks later the starving crew managed to arrive safely in Ireland. The memory of calling on God at the height of the storm had not left him, and he began to reflect upon and question his faith. Although his conversion was not immediate, he came to believe that God had sent him a profound message and was beginning to work through him. He continued in the slave trade for some years, but at the age of 30 he collapsed and never sailed again. He had married Polly in 1750 and began working as a customs agent in Liverpool in 1756. At this time Newton began to study Latin, Greek and theology, and he and John Newton in later years. Credit: Polly found a church community in which they became National Portrait Gallery, NPG D5352. Public Domain.

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involved. After encouragement from friends he came to a decision to become a priest in the Church of England. Ordained a priest in 1764, Newton became the curate at Olney, Buckinghamshire. Many of the people there were illiterate and poor. Newton shared many of his experiences from the pulpit, and spent time visiting his parishioners. Although the delivery of his sermons was sometimes unpolished, he was much loved by his people. During this time he developed a friendship with writer and poet William Cowper. Partly due to this and, because of the expectations of vicars to write verses, Newton began The first verse of ‘Amazing Grace’ to write hymns with a plain and clear message. Together on page 53 of Olney Hymns, published in 1779. Credit: Public Newton and Cowper attempted to present a poem or Domain. hymn for the weekly prayer meeting. The hymn ‘Amazing Grace’ was written in late 1772 and probably used at a prayer meeting in early 1773. A collection of hymns written by Newton and Cowper was published anonymously as the ‘Olney Hymns’ in 1779, with Newton contributing 280 of the 348 texts in the book. The ‘Olney Hymns’ became very popular with evangelists in Britain over the following years, however they then settled into relative obscurity. In the United States of America, ‘Amazing Grace’ became very popular with Baptist and Methodist preachers. In early years the words of the hymn had been associated with more than 20 melodies. In 1835 an American composer, William Walker, set the words to the tune known as ‘New Britain’, this being the tune well known to us today. In 1779 Newton moved to become rector of St. Mary Woolnoth in London. There he ministered to the poor but also to the wealthy and influential including William Wilberforce, a member of Parliament and a leader in the abolition of slavery. Newton joined forces with Wilberforce, with slave trade in the British Empire finally being abolished in the Slave Trade Act of 1807. Newton continued to have an active ministry until his health deteriorated in the last few years of his life. He died in 1807 at 82 years of age. ‘Amazing Grace’, now sung and accompanied in many different styles, remains a favourite hymn around the world.

References: Christianity.com. John Newton discovered Amazing Grace. https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1701-1800/john- newton-discovered-amazing-grace-11630253.html Wikipedia: Amazing Grace. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazing_Grace

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School Assembly at Eh Htu Hta, Myanmar, 2020.

EH HTU HTA SCHOOL, MYANMAR – AN ENCOURAGING STORY Recently a report was received from the school at Eh Htu Hta (ETT), a remote jungle settlement in Eastern Myanmar (Burma) which was founded about twenty years ago by Internally Displaced People (IDPs) who had fled attacks by the Burmese Military on their home villages. It is situated near the Salween River and the border with Thailand, and from which the camp may be accessed. The school, which provided the only opportunity for education for children in the area, was opened initially by an international consortium, but when funding ran out the camp was advised that the school would close. At the time of the threatened closure the camp was visited by representatives of a Karen relief organisation, who invited Michael North, The Scots’ Church Administrator at the time who happened to be in the area, to join them. The IDPs shared their concern, and told of their helplessness at the closure of the school. The visitors were Christians, as were most of the IDPs, and the camp dwellers were urged to pray about the situation. Immediately, and without any appeal for funds, the cost of running the school was met from Christian organisations, most of which one would not expect to be aware of this need in the remote area. Over the last few years the school has been supported by ‘Sharing Hope’, which is based at the Croydon Hills Baptist The teachers of Eh Htu Hta School, Myanmar, 2020.

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Church, Victoria. From the beginning the ETT school staff have been meticulous in being accountable for assistance received, which provides an income for the teachers who then feed their income into the camp community. A friend on the Thai side maintained communication with the school, with occasional visits by Michael, backed up by email contact with the friend who was able to visit and pass on funding. But one day the helper was removed to a Refugee Camp elsewhere in Thailand – but on that very day Lah Klee Paw moved into the border town, and immediately offered to take over the helper role assisted by her father, himself a refugee who had once been imprisoned in Burma. Communication was maintained with the camp and the school has continued Lah Klee Paw with her son Seth. to grow, until today it has 545 students, some from other villages and camps, all attending to receive a Christian education. Communications have since improved and ETT communicates through Sharing Hope workers some distance away. Lah Klee Paw is a young lady, now married with a young son, Seth, who, when her family was impoverished, was supported through Payap University in Chiang Mai, by the Scots’ Church Outreach Committee and the Presbyterian/ Scots' Church Joint Mission. She now works for an NGO in Mae Sariang, and says that she is determined to come one day to thank the people at Scots’ for their support, which Michael North, who has made encouraged her whole family to trust in God and grow in many missionary visits to Myanmar. His service. The whole story of Eh Htu Hta is an encouraging reminder of many of the ways in which our caring God presences Himself among His children, responds to their requests, and co- ordinates His work in ways we would not be able to plan. Michael North

Lah Klee Paw with her husband and son Seth.

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FROM THE HISTORY OF SCOTS’ CHURCH FACING FORWARD 2000-2013 This is the last of the chapters comprising the first section of our history, ‘The Scots’ Church, Melbourne: A Story of 175 Years 1838 – 1913’ by Rowland S. Ward. The first part of the book is arranged in chronological order followed by From the left, Rev. Douglas Robertson, Rev. Dr. Geoffrey Blackburn, Very Rev. David Lunan, and Rev. Richard chapters based on various themes in O’Brien, taken on Remembrance Sunday 2010, just after the next section. The chapter under the arrival of Rev. Lunan as Turnbull Trust preacher. review covers the period from the beginning of the century and commences with the appointment of the Rev. Douglas Robertson as senior minister. He returned to Scots’ Church to take up the position in early 2001 having previously been an assistant minister to the Rev. Norman Pritchard for almost three years between 1991 and 1994. The Rev. Dr. Geoffrey Blackburn was appointed as a part-time assistant minister responsible for pastoral care soon after Robertson’s arrival. Already well past retiring age, Blackburn took care of all pressing pastoral visiting, and also preached at the Wednesday lunchtime services for some years. Loved and respected by all, he finally retired from active ministry in 2012, at 97 years of age. The chapter continues with a description of ministries initiated by Robertson to involve the community around Scots’ Church. The Rev. Richard O’Brien was appointed minister to the central business district in early 2003, and became very active in a number of initiatives in the city area to meet a range of needs. A ministry to students began in August 2001, with the commencement of a youth service. With changes in leadership, style and times of worship services over the years, in more recent times O’Brien took over the care of this congregation. An Indonesian language congregation led by Dr. Sen Sendjaya began to grow steadily. Held on Professor Sen Sendjaya was instrumental Sunday evenings at first, it later moved to the Werner in the establishment of the Indonesian language congregation, now the Brodbeck Hall on Sunday mornings. Indonesian Christian Church.

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The ministry of the Rev. David E,P. Currie, who came to Scots’ Church in late 2011 as assistant minister with a focus on mission, outreach and new models of church, is described, and includes some biographical details of his earlier work in these fields. A brief section on Robertson’s ministry includes a reference to two highlights: an invitation to preach before Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Crathie Church in Scotland, and an invitation in 2010 to attend 120th anniversary celebrations honouring Joseph Henry Davies, the first missionary in Pusan, South Korea.

Rev. David Currie joined the Scots’ The chapter concludes with a reference to controversy Church ministry team in late concerning advertising launched by St. Michael’s Uniting 2011. Church, Collins Street under the leadership of Dr Francis Macnab, to which Scots’ Church responded. The chapter, and the first part of this history of Scots’ Church, ends with these words on page 221: ‘Scots’ Church, as a well-endowed city church, has its moments in its relationship with the wider Presbyterian Church, but the motto in its Coat of Arms- ‘In God We Trust’ – and its commitment to Crathie Kirk, Balmoral, where Rev. the historic faith suggest that whatever the ups and Robertson preached in H.M. The Queen’s downs of the past, Scots’ Church is set to uphold presence. Credit: Nicholas Mutton, 2009. Creative Commons. the old faith: O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home. Under the shadow of Thy throne Still may we dwell secure; Sufficient is Thine arm alone, And our defence is sure. Isaac Watts

Reference: Ward, Rowland S. ‘The Scots’ Church, Melbourne: A Story of 175 Years 1838 – 2013’. Australian Scholarly Press, North Melbourne, 2014.

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THE ROBERTSONS WHO WERE LEFT IN MELBOURNE In a strange turn of events, this year has seen a total flip in the locations of our family. As usual we’re not all together, but if we’d been told 18-months-ago who of us would be where, we probably wouldn’t have believed it. Even before any of us had heard of COVID-19, 2020 had in store a lot of changes for us. For the 19 years from January 2001 until December 2019, status quo for our living arrangements was pretty simple and went something like this: Mum and Dad in Melbourne, Duncan living with Mum and Dad, Mairi mostly living The Robertson family (left), together with the O’Brien family, on Douglas with Mum and Dad, though with several stints living or and Alison Robertson’s last Sunday at Scots’ Church on 29th December travelling overseas, and me and Ben gradually living 2019. here less and less with a few trips overseas, and then the last few years living permanently in Kazakhstan. That of course was gradual, since I was 11 when we first arrived. Fortunately we were all able to be in Melbourne with about a two week crossover from mid-December last year until Mum and Dad left on the 1st of January 2020, which was certainly hectic, and I won’t lie, also a bit stressful, but was also very special and highly appreciated time together over Christmas. The plan was then that Mum and Dad would abandon us, I mean move to Inverness. Mairi was beginning a job in Canberra in early February, and Ben, Duncan and I would rent a house in Melbourne. Duncan would live with us for the first half of 2020, and then he’d be leaving us too, basically to go and do a semester of study in Germany, but with a few exciting activities on the side. The first would be a stint in Ukraine to do an intensive language course there, he’d then be turning 21 part-way through the semester, for which he’d nip off to Scotland and have a big family 21st birthday celebration, and conveniently our cousin was also getting married in Wales just after his birthday. And possibly some other bits and bobs of European travel during or after the semester. During that time Ben and I would continue to be running our tours in Central Asia, as we have been since 2014, but we were just going to have Melbourne as a base for a bit of stability for a year or so. So one or both of us would be leaving for a few weeks at a time to do some tours, and in between times we were looking forward to

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rekindling some of the activities here in Melbourne that we miss from being on the road so much. For Ben that’s mainly sport, and for me that’s mostly music. And of course we’d get loads of opportunities to have all the things we love and just aren’t the same (or don’t exist) elsewhere – fish and chips, a parma and a pot at a trivia night, nice salad dressings, a good variety of reasonably-priced ice-cream flavours, Ben and Eilidh at the Wagah border crossing between and loads more. Pakistan and India, during the time they were based in Central Asia. One thing we were really looking forward to was becoming part of the Scots’ Church community again, as we’d started to do at the start of this year. We always come along when we’re back in Melbourne, but having the chance to go into the city and attend Church regularly was one of the things on our list of stuff we miss. Even without Mum and Dad here to make us! (Just kidding – we’re in our 30s and can quite well decide whether to go to Church or not ourselves!) And Duncan of course would have still been in the choir every week. Well, I think you all know how the story ends. All of that went according to plan until late March when our first tours we de-railed, and then gradually all our extra- curricular activities were cancelled. We of course haven’t been able to leave to run any tours, and Duncan is still trapped here with us and didn’t get to do any of his things this year. And here we all are, with all of you, in a highly restrictive lockdown. So it hasn’t quite gone according to plan, but we’re trying to make the most of it. We’re very fortunate and very grateful that we have each other. I can understand how much harder this would be for some of you who live alone. We’re also very glad that we ended up moving into a house with a decent sized garden, as again, I imagine it would be quite tough for those living in apartments or on properties with not much space. Duncan is still working and although it’s all online, is still at university here in Melbourne. And although we’re not able to go to any tours at the moment, Yangykala Canyon, Turkmenistan, on the tour itinerary for Ben and Eilidh.

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we still have some work relating to that as well, though not as much as we usually would. But we try and make the insignificant day-to-day tasks into events – we’ll eat lunch together and then play a boardgame, or one of us will walk to the supermarket and another will come and pick us up. We’ll plan in advance to watch a movie or play a Duncan (left) enjoying his 21st birthday celebrations with game together in the evening. Ben and Ben and Eilidh. I are loving having a garden again, as that’s not something we’ve had since we lived with our parents in Melbourne – it’s great just to potter around in the fresh air and do bits and bobs of weeding, chopping, raking, or whatever takes our fancy. After all, 1960s Krushchev era apartment blocks aren’t known for their spacious gardens! And it’s nice not to have to rely on a 50 year old Soviet elevator to get to our seventh floor apartment. There are some other things that most of you wouldn’t think about too much, but seem kind of novel and exciting for us still. Being able to speak in English when you go to the supermarket, buy petrol, or say a passing “hi” to your neighbour is a big one. Not having to dig our car out of two metres of snow for six months and then be in sweltering 40+ heat for the remaining six months is something we’ll never take for granted again. Using a public toilet, and just knowing for sure, even if it’s the grossest one in the back of a dingy restaurant, that firstly it’ll be a sit-down Western-style toilet (not a squat toilet), and that most importantly there will be toilet paper (or at least you can ask for it if it has happened to just run out), is something that we will always appreciate. And something we have so good in the developed world is year-round access to just about anything you can think of. And although it was nothing like what was originally planned, Duncan’s birthday was fantastic, and we all had a great time. On his actual birthday we had a day of games and junk food, followed by fish and chips in the evening. Then on the following Friday we organised an extravagant German themed evening for him. Not quite the same as being there in real life, but we did our best to make it feel as German as possible. We got out our German flags, switched on some German music, tried to yodel, and to really try and make the whole thing authentic, we even attempted to speak to Duncan in German. “Das is mein haus” (that is my house), “das is mein bratwurst” (that is my bratwurst), and “mein krankenwagen is kaput” (my ambulance is broken), that kind of thing. (He wasn’t that impressed since he actually speaks German, but

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I think the attempt was appreciated.) We started the three plus course meal with a selection of sauerkrauts, breads, pretzels and pickles, followed by cheese kranskies and bratwursts for entrée. The main course, which put us all in a coma, was a slow- roasted one kilogram pork knuckle each, with mashed potatoes, roast carrots, and the selection of sauerkrauts. And finally, apple strudel with cream and ice-cream to put us all to bed. All washed down with a carefully selected range of imported German beers that we spent weeks sourcing from all over Melbourne. Although on the whole we have had it pretty good during lockdown and we’ve been able to try and make the most of it, we’re definitely ready for some restrictions to be eased, and hopefully it’s not too long until we can all be back together at Scots’ Church! Eilidh Crowley

MELBOURNE TO SCOTLAND REVISITED It is now over eight years since Eilidh and Ben, together with two friends, set out to travel overland from Melbourne to the village of Appin, Scotland, where Eilidh went to primary school. An enormous amount of planning and research went into the preparation for the trip, which included travelling through over 40 countries in Asia and Europe. Eilidh and Ben visited the Gates of Hell in Turkmenistan, on their trip. Before embarking on the journey Eilidh wrote: “Travelling is something I have always found compelling – especially the type of travelling that takes you off the beaten track and provides opportunity to explore areas rarely visited and largely unknown to foreigners.” This is exactly what the group did, travelling in a custom-modified Toyota 4Runner, and setting out on 25th March 2012. The journey took less than a year and, during that time, they travelled 56,650 kilometres through 43 countries in an overall time of 339 days. On their arrival at Appin on 26th February 2013 they received a warm welcome from family, friends and the people of the village including Eilidh’s teacher from school days. The travellers returned to Melbourne with memories of wonderful experiences never to be forgotten. For more detail of this trip go to http://4guysinacar.blogspot.com/

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MESSAGE FROM DOUGLAS LAWRENCE SINGING AND SPAGHETTI I just can't get used to the idea of Sunday without church! If, like me you are missing Sunday morning services, you might like to receive a video each week from the Australian Chamber Choir. Throughout the ages, the church has been the place where people could go to enjoy good music, so it's no coincidence that most of the music sung by the ACC was written for the church. And of course you'll see plenty of familiar smiling faces from the Scots' Church choir. Another thing I'm looking forward to when things return to something like normal, is inviting the choir for a meal. When I was studying at Melbourne University I had weekly organ lessons with Sergio de Pieri. Sergio's younger brother Stefano de Pieri has become quite famous as a chef, but I've always believed that Sergio could just as easily have been a celebrity chef. I think we spent more time cooking together than playing the organ. I don't see Sergio so often these days, but cooking has continued to be a passion for me and much of what I cook is inspired by him. A good Spaghetti Bolognaise is an easy way to feed a large number of people. My recipe below will feed 20 people. You can make the sauce in advance and freeze it or keep it in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week. The Bolognaise sauce is supposed to originate in Bologna, but in Bologna, they call it Al Ragù. Don't ask me why! Spaghetti Bolognaise Method The Sauce Fry the meat in 1/4 cup of olive oil on Ingredients for 20 servings: high heat in a 24cm saucepan. Stir 1kg mince meat (does not need to be classy meat) regularly, as it must not stick (5 mins). 4 large celery sticks, finely sliced Add the celery, carrot, onion and the rest 4 large carrots, finely sliced of the olive oil. Turn the heat down to 1 large onion, finely sliced medium and stir (8 mins). 2 large handfuls of parsley, finely chopped Add the diced tomatoes, tomato puree, 3 cans of 400 gram diced tomatoes, or fresh tomatoes half the parsley and the rest of the herbs. 2 140g cans of tomato puree Any herbs that you are fond of - Thyme, Marjoram, Simmer for a minimum of 2 hours. Stir Basil, finely sliced, 1 desert spoon in total occasionally, it shouldn't stick but ...... 1/2 cup olive oil such is life! Optional additions 4 cloves of garlic, crushed Chilli to taste (I use a table spoon of a chilli sauce known as sambal oelek, which you'll find in a jar with the Asian specialities in your supermarket)

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Douglas serving the last of his delicious spaghetti bolognaise to some of the Scots’ choir members at the farewell lunch for Rev. Douglas and Alison Robertson, December 2019. The Spaghetti or Other Pasta 500 grams of pasta feeds 6 adults as an entrée, 4 as a main course. Tagliatelle is the traditional pasta for Bolognaise. Any pasta is fine. I like spirali. I think Italian pasta is superior to any made in Australia. Di Cecco and Reggia are excellent brands. Method More than half fill a 24cm saucepan with water and bring it to a fast boil. Keeping a high heat, add the pasta and one teaspoon of salt. If using spaghetti or fettuccine, stir until all the pasta is underwater. Regardless of what type of pasta you use, if the water goes off the boil, stir occasionally until it returns to the boil. Do not cover. Most pasta takes about 12 mins to cook, always in lots of boiling water. The cooking time is always written on the packet. Cottura means cooking time. Al dente (to the tooth) means that the pasta is still a little hard, which is how the Italians like it. If you prefer your pasta soft, just add a minute to the cooking time. When you serve the pasta, sprinkle some finely chopped parsley onto each serving. It is traditional to grate parmesan cheese onto the pasta when you serve it. Buy a block of parmesan cheese and grate it yourself. This tastes much better than the grated cheese available in supermarkets. No other cheese matches it for this dish. Enjoy, or as Sergio would say, Buon appetito! To receive a weekly video from the Australian Chamber Choir, sign up for the ACC eNews: Go to www.AusChoir.org/subscribe or Call 0452 531 750 and tell us your name and email address. Douglas Lawrence

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MANAGING CHANGE IN A PANDEMIC As we progress through the restrictions during the current COVID-19 pandemic each one of us is affected directly but in different ways according to our circumstances. We each have a unique story to tell. Four members of our Scots’ Church family provide their perspective on the Jenny Pilgrim. Elizabeth Lewis. current situation through which we are all living. Jenny Pilgrim describes the challenges she faces as she works in a health care setting; Elizabeth Lewis tells of some initial issues that arose as she began to work from home; Rae Anstee highlights the importance of pets for company during this time of isolation; and Brenda Johnson provides an insight into her experience at Kew Gardens Aged Care, having moved there from her home just a week before the first ‘lockdown’ in March 2020. Jenny Pilgrim works in a haemodialysis unit, where patients with renal disease may receive treatment several times a week, sometimes over a long period of time. In normal circumstances one of the major concerns for nursing staff is blood contamination due to the nature of haemodialysis. However these patients with chronic disease are especially vulnerable to infection, with the risk of contracting the highly transmissible coronavirus adding another layer of complexity to the management of infection control. The patients wear masks for the entire time they are in the unit. They are already very restricted because of their chronic illness, with this adding to their frustration. The staff are also required to wear face masks and full face shields. These can cause pressure areas on the face and head, so care of the skin is very important. The masks make communication a great challenge, as both staff and patients rely on facial expression as an important adjunct to conversation. The nursing staff need to be eternally vigilant in ensuring that all remain safe from cross-infection. A regime of additional cleaning, and increased audits of hand-washing technique, are now routine. The social engagement provided by breaks in the tea- room has been lost at a time when it is needed more than ever, as staff manage the heightened awareness of the ever-present risk of the coronavirus. Sadly, nurses from the unit have been unable to undertake hospitals visits to any of their patients whose health has deteriorated necessitating hospital care, support they would provide under normal circumstances. When Jenny arrives home each day after working at the unit she washes her uniform immediately. The unit has so far been clear of any

P AGE 18 T HE L EAFLET --- October 2020 coronavirus infection of staff or patients. Well done to Jenny and all her colleagues as they care for their vulnerable patients in challenging circumstances. Elizabeth Lewis works for a large insurance company that provides indemnity for doctors, dentists and optometrists. When workplace restrictions associated with the pandemic began a decision was made that most of the staff would be able to work from home, with each person using the laptop computer they accessed at work. The first problem: three doctors who worked part-time shared one computer, so two new laptops were purchased and the appropriate programs installed. The company is Australia-wide, and the computers had to link to the Sydney based system, with the necessary security in place. Mobile phones also had to be linked to the laptops, to allow communication with staff around the country in the management of a complex system of dealing with calls and queries. Another complication for Elizabeth: the NBN (National Broadband Network) had recently been installed to her home, with some initial internet issues. However, with perseverance and excellent IT support, the problems were resolved within a couple of weeks and now all runs smoothly most of the time. Elizabeth is enjoying the luxury of not having to drive through peak hour traffic to the city and home again, and the flexibility offered by the arrangement. Working at home is a great alternative to the ‘open office’, with freedom to work without interruption. However she misses the opportunity to informally discuss any issues that may arise with others in the office. Instead, it is a phone call to find someone who can clarify a query, which can be time-consuming and frustrating. Elizabeth often follows issues up throughout the week, rather than being confined to her specified working day, with the company reaping the benefit of this flexibility. Rae Anstee is more limited than many in being able to move only a short distance from her home, so she really appreciates and values the company of her two delightful dogs, sister and brother Skye and Fergus. Maltese cross terriers about four years old, they are inseparable, and have a daily routine established by Rae that they really love. They have a sunny but sheltered deck area with kennels, a grassy area where they are able to have a run, and mats and cushions inside where they spend time later in the day. They enjoy a cuddle on Rae’s lap in the evening, as she reads or watches television. Pets provide unconditional love and give focus and a purpose to the day, especially during the period of isolation we are experiencing at present. Skye and Fergus are very special to Rae. Skye and Fergus.

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Brenda Johnson had been planning for some time to move from her home to Kew Gardens Aged Care. Having made the move just prior to the first ‘lockdown’, she was almost immediately limited in being able to go out. However Brenda and her fellow residents were able to go for walks into the beautiful Alexandra Gardens right outside their door, until recently when Alexandra Gardens, Kew. Credit: Melburnian, 2006. Creative Commons. more stringent restrictions became necessary. At present Brenda is able to go walk around the building and within the grounds of her new home. No residents have contracted the coronavirus so far, and the staff are constantly vigilant. All residents have their temperature taken each morning, and there is an appropriate distance between each person at the dining room tables. Brenda has settled in well to her new surroundings and is happy there. She finds all the staff very helpful and caring. There are many activities on offer for residents to join in if they wish, ranging from learning the art of floral arrangements to gentle exercises, watching films and musicals, and a library. A pastoral care visitor who comes regularly is very kind and helpful. With the Alexandra Gardens on the doorstep, Brenda is looking forward to enjoying walks there again. These gardens extend for 1.2 hectares (three acres), and were officially opened in 1908, being named after Queen Alexandra, consort of King Edward VII. The gardens are well laid out and include densely planted garden beds and extensive lawns with serpentine paths bordered with mature trees, including plane trees. There is a bandstand, an ornamental pond with a bridge, and an historic drinking fountain, as well as picnic tables and a children’s play area. Brenda’s mother played in the Rae Anstee. gardens as a child when they were first established, and Brenda used to take her young grandchildren to play there. We thank Jenny, Elizabeth, Rae and Brenda for their perspectives on various aspects of the pandemic and its impact on our lives. Our best wishes to them, and to all as we each manage our unique circumstances through these challenging times.

Brenda Johnson.

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A SLICE WITH A STORY! In 1995, Dame Pattie Menzies' funeral service was held in Scots' Church. The ladies of the congregation were asked to contribute food for the afternoon tea. I was unable to attend but I sent along this slice with Val Griffith, who at that time was Secretary to the Board of Management. Val said the slice disappeared very quickly and she decided that henceforth the slice would be called "The Dame Pattie Slice"! Chocolate Rough Slice BASE: TOPPING: 125g butter, ½ can condensed milk, 1 packet 1 tablespoon butter, 1 cup icing sugar, 1 cup Marie Biscuits (crushed) 1 tablespoon cocoa and coconut, 1 tablespoon cocoa, 1 teaspoon vanilla. 1 teaspoon vanilla. Melt butter and mix into other ingredients with Melt butter, add condensed milk, then add all a little hot water to make it spread. Spread over other ingredients. Mix well and press into 28cm base. Set in fridge. x 18cm slice tin. (Line tin with baking paper for easy removal.) Enjoy! Judith Kilmartin

Dame Pattie Menzies Dame Pattie Menzies, wife of the former Prime Minister of Australia, Sir Robert Menzies, had a long association with Scots’ Church. She unveiled a replica of the Scots’ Church Coat of Arms at the 100th Anniversary of the first service held in the present church building, at a worship service on 24th November 1974. Sir Robert Menzies died on 15th May 1978 and a State funeral was held at Scots’ Church on 19th May. Dame Pattie handed over her late husband’s ‘Insignia of the Order of the Thistle’ for safe keeping in the church, at the worship service on 27th 1980, when Queen Elizabeth II visited Scots’ Church for the second time. Dame Pattie Menzies died on 30th August 1995 at 96 years of age.

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VICTORIAN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES PAST AND PRESENT ST. ANDREW’S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, SORRENTO Although little is known of the beginnings of the Presbyterian congregation in Sorrento, combined Presbyterian and Church of England services were held in the Athenaeum Hall in Portsea Road (later to become St. John’s Church of England) from 1874 to the end of 1885. In late December 1885 Presbyterian services commenced in the Mechanics Institute, Sorrento, St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church Sorrento, circa 1920 to under the care of student missionary 1954. Credit: Rose Stereograph Company. State Library of Victoria. Mr William McBride. In March 1888 land was purchased in Kerferd Avenue, Sorrento on behalf of the congregation, with the intention to build a church. Construction commenced in October and the foundation stone was laid by the Hon. J. Balfour MLC on 17th October 1888 in the presence of Rev. McBride, who had been ordained in June, together with a large congregation. Work proceeded rapidly, and the first public worship service was held in the building on 17th February 1889. The original section of the white limestone church, built in 1888, is now the transept nearest the street. At first there was neither a porch nor vestry. A limestone porch was built in 1898 and, in 1906 a nave and vestry built by Charles Haslett were added. The limestone church building shows a Norman influence rather than the more common Gothic design; the round arches of the windows and chunky corbels at the base of the parapets reflect this. The nave is attached to the Ellen Grant Hall, built many years later. Some windows in the church are now boarded up, but a window in the porch is made of diamond leadlight, and the front western window in the nave depicts a shepherd. The building saw major alterations in 1971. Work undertaken by Messrs. W.S.W. Croad and A.W. Croad included the addition of a new minister’s vestry, a choir vestry, and an enclosed area between the church and hall to form an entrance foyer. These extensions were opened and dedicated on 10th October 1971. Although land adjacent to the church had been purchased in the early days with the intention to build a manse, this did not occur at the time. In 1920 a block of land opposite the church was donated for the building of a manse. However later in 1920 it was decided to purchase a residence in Darling Road, close to the church, rather than

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embarking on the high cost of building a manse. Some 25 years later Mrs Ellen Grant bequeathed her home ‘Quamby’ in the Nepean Highway, Sorrento, to be used as the manse. The minister at the time, the Rev. W. J. Holt, moved in and renovations and additions were carried out over the next three years. The previous manse was leased for many years before being sold. A recent view of St. Andrew’s, Sorrento. Credit: Chris Burgess, Presbyterian Church of Australia. The Ellen Grant Hall was endowed by Mrs Grant who saw the need for a new Sunday school hall. The new weatherboard building, of an unusual neo-Georgian design, was opened in November 1937. A new kitchen was added in 1962, the roof replaced in 1979, and the following year the exterior walls were covered with aluminium cladding. Although the earliest minute books of the congregation no longer exist, the first available records of late 1891 report that the congregation sought to call a minister, the Rev. David Maxwell. With this appointment the Sorrento Home Mission Station was established. During the following 17 years Sorrento was served by seven Home Mission Agents, many of whom went on to become ordained ministers. In late 1919 the congregation made a decision to call Mr. J. Gray Robertson, who was about to be ordained, to the charge. This major step began the next era in the story of the church. A series of ministers appointed to the charge over the following years each brought new ventures. In 1920 a Young People’s Guild was formed, and an envelope system of planned giving commenced. In 1924 a new organ was presented to the church, and a cradle roll began. A Kirk Session was formed in 1931. Various items of furniture for the church were gifts of members of the congregation over the years, including a pulpit chair, communion table and chairs, and a baptismal font. Stained glass windows, some in memory of family members, were placed in the church. It was at the annual congregational meeting of March 1949 that the decision was made to name the church ‘St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church’. The church continued to flourish through the middle decades of the 20th century, with an active youth group, a group that catered for mothers with young families, a crèche for church services, and a Bible study group that continued for many years. A new electric organ was donated to the church in 1963. Over the years the organists, choir leaders and choristers made a major contribution to the worship services through their music.

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The Sunday school was established in the early years and, although attendance varied considerably over time, it remained open continuously for over 100 years, with very small numbers in latter times. In 1988 the church celebrated its centenary, holding a special thanksgiving service on Sunday 16th October with the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria, the Right Rev. Professor Allan Harman, presiding. In more recent years the church had a Home Missioner from 2002 to 2006. The manse,’Quamby’, was then sold, and the monies placed in trust for the future ministry. In 2007 the parish again became a full charge with the appointment of the Rev. John Brennan. The present minister is the Rev. Hui Lim, who now leads St. Andrew’s as it continues to actively serve the community of Sorrento.

References: Australian Christian Church Histories – St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Sorrento, Victoria. https://www.churchhistories.net.au/church-catalog/ sorrento-vic-st-andrews-presbyterian Churches Australia: St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Sorrento, Victoria. http:// www.churchesaustralia.org/list-of-churches/denominations/presbyterian- church-of--australia/directory/4907-st-andrewand%2339%3Bs-presbyterian- church Mornington Peninsula Shire Thematic History, July 2013. Prepared for Mornington Peninsula Shire by Graeme Butler and Associates. Edited by Context Pty Ltd. Nepean Conservation Group Inc.: Sorrento Churches. https://ncgvic.org.au/ sorrento-churches/ St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church Sorrento: 1888 – 1988. Pamphlet compiled by Betty Collins, September 1988, with attachment updated 1988 – 2013. ‘Quamby’, the St. Andrew’s manse for many years, The assistance of the Rev. Hui Lim in the providing content for this article is was bequeathed to the church by Ellen Grant.

acknowledged. Credit: Source unknown. Secret Message: Come Follow Me Follow Come Message: Secret

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VIVIAN BULLWINKEL – AN EXTRAORDINARY NURSE Vivian Bullwinkel, a nurse who served with the Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS) in World War II, was the sole survivor of the Banka Island massacre in 1942. After the war she returned to Australia, later becoming the Director of Nursing of Fairfield Infectious Diseases Hospital, Melbourne and making an enormous contribution to the community. Born in Kapunda, South Australia in 1915, Bullwinkel Vivian Bullwinkel in Australian Army grew up in Broken Hill, New South Wales. She completed Nursing Service dress uniform, 1941. nursing and midwifery training at Broken Hill and Credit: Australian War Memorial. District Hospital, then worked at a hospital in Hamilton, Victoria before moving to Melbourne in 1939, where she worked for a time at Jessie MacPherson Hospital. In May 1941 Bullwinkel joined the AANS and sailed for Singapore. After a few weeks at the 2/10 Australian General Hospital (AGH) she was assigned to the 2/13 AGH in Johor Baharu, in [then] Malaya. Bullwinkel and her colleagues found a poorly equipped hospital struggling to deal with the surgical cases it received. The Japanese troops invaded Malaya in December 1941 then advanced south, with the Australians forced to evacuate when Singapore was invaded by Japanese troops. Bullwinkel boarded a ship with 65 other nurses, including Matron Irene Drummond, and 265 men, women and children, to flee from the conflict zone. Two days later the ship was sunk by Japanese aircraft and many passengers, including 22 nurses, made it ashore to Banka Island where they were joined by others, including about 20 English soldiers, making a total of about 100. They decided to surrender to the Japanese, and one officer set off for a town on the island to contact the Japanese. Matron Drummond suggested that the civilian women and children should start walking towards the town. Japanese soldiers then came and killed the men first, and ordered the nurses to walk into the sea, also killing all but Bullwinkel, who was wounded and feigned death until the soldiers departed. She hid with a wounded British soldier who had been Group photo of the nursing staff, 2/13 AGH. Vivian Bullwinkel is sixth from the left in the back row, standing on the beach, nursing him for 12 days next to Matron Irene Drummond seventh from the left.

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before they decided to surrender, but he died soon afterwards. She spent the last 3½ years of the war in captivity but did not speak of the massacre until after the war in case it put her in danger as a witness. Her courage during these years exemplified the bravery of Australian women in war. After the war, Bullwinkel continued to serve in Japan in 1946 and 1947 before resigning from the Army as a Captain. She rejoined the Citizen Military Forces (CMF) in 1955, serving until 1970, when she retired as Lieutenant Colonel. Our elder and trustee, Rae Anstee, who served as a Lieutenant in the CMF with Bullwinkel during this time, had a very high regard for her. Vivian Bullwinkel during her time with the Citizen Military Forces. In civilian life Bullwinkel was appointed Assistant Matron of the Repatriation General Hospital, Heidelberg, then became Matron and later Director of Nursing at Fairfield Infectious Diseases Hospital, Melbourne, retiring in 1977. In that year she married Colonel F.W. Statham and moved to Perth. She devoted herself to the nursing profession, and to honouring those who were killed on Banka Island. In 1992 she returned to the Island to unveil a shrine to the nurses who had not survived the war. Bullwinkel served on numerous committees associated with nursing and beyond, including the Committee of the Australian War Memorial, and was the President of the College of Nursing Australia for a time. Vivian Bullwinkel was appointed to the Order of Australia (AO) in 1993, was a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) (1973), and was awarded the Red Cross Medal (1947) amongst many other honours. She died on 3rd July 2000 and was given a State funeral, held at St. Georges’ Anglican Cathedral, Perth. A Thanksgiving Service to honour her was also held at St. Afternoon tea at the Repatriation Hospital, 1942. Paul’s Cathedral, Melbourne. Credit: War Memorial Canberra. References: Australian War Memorial: Captain Vivian Bullwinkel. https://www.awm.gov.au/people/P10676383/ National Library of Australia. Bullwinkel, Vivian (AO, MBE, ARRC, ED, FNM, FRCNA) (1915-2000). http://trove.nla.gov.au/people/783063?c=people Royal Australian Historical Society: Vivian Bullwinkel (1915-2000) by Elizabeth Heffernan. https://www.rahs.org.au/vivian-bullwinkel-1915-2000/ The Scots’ Church Melbourne. War Memorials and Remembrance. November 2015. ‘Vivian Bullwinkel – an extraordinary nurse’. Wikipedia: Vivian Bullwinkel. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivian_Bullwinkel

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TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER Many nations have a tomb dedicated to the memory of an unknown soldier, and to the common memories of all soldiers killed in war. These tombs are usually associated with high- profile monuments. Throughout the course of history, many soldiers have died on the battlefield and their remains never identified. Following The Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, Westminster Abbey. World War I, a movement arose in Credit: Mike from England, 2010. Creative Commons. both the United Kingdom and France to commemorate their fallen soldiers with a single tomb containing the body of an unidentified soldier. This was met with immediate support, and symbolic funerals were held simultaneously in London and Paris on the second anniversary of Armistice Day, 11th November 1920. The unidentified British soldier, also termed warrior, was buried in Westminster Abbey and the French soldier at the Arc de Triomphe. The original unknown soldier entombed in Westminster Abbey was one of four recovered from the British battlefields of the Somme, Aisne, Arras and Ypres, France. Although the soldier was assumed to be British, he could have been from Canada, New Zealand or Australia, but it was intended that he was representative of all young men of the British Empire killed in World War 1. The burial service for the unknown warrior at Westminster Abbey was held with full military honours after the funeral procession moved to the Abbey. The service was attended by King George V and the Royal family, members of State and many other dignitaries. The guests of honour were a group of about one hundred women, each of whom had lost their husband and all their sons in the war. The coffin was interred in the nave and servicemen from the armed forces stood guard as thousands of mourners filed silently past. It was capped with black Belgian marble and inscribed with brass melted down from wartime ammunition. It is the only tombstone in Westminster Abbey on which it is forbidden to walk. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Australian War Memorial, Canberra. Credit: Nick-D, 2018. Creative Commons. When the future King George VI and

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Hall of Memory, Australian War Memorial, Canberra. The Australian War Memorial, Canberra. Credit: Capital Credit: Australian War Memorial, Creative Commons. photographer, 2008. Creative Commons Elizabeth Bowes-Lyons were married in 1923, Elizabeth laid her bouquet at the tomb on the way into the Abbey as a tribute to her brother who had been killed in 1915. Since then royal brides married at Westminster Abbey have had their bouquets laid on the tomb on the day after the wedding. Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, also requested that her funeral wreath be placed on the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior. Although plans to honour an unknown Australian soldier were put forward in the 1920s, it was not until 1993 that this took place in Canberra, marking the 75th anniversary of the end of World War 1. The body of an unknown Australian soldier was recovered from Adelaide Cemetery near Villers-Bretonneux in France and brought to Australia. The soldier was interred in the Hall of Memory at the Australian War Memorial on 11th November 1993, at a service after lying in state in King’s Hall, Old Parliament House. The coffin was made of Tasmanian blackwood on which a bayonet and a sprig of wattle were placed. Soil from the French battlefield of Pozières was scattered in the tomb which lies directly beneath the dome of the Memorial. It is covered with an inscribed slab of red marble and placed in a recess of black granite with a sloping marble border to the floor. The inscription on the tomb reads: ‘An unknown Australian soldier killed in the war of 1914 – 1918’. The words ‘Known unto God’ are inscribed at the head of the tomb, and at the foot, ‘He is all of them and he is one of us’. The unknown Australian soldier represents all Australians who have been killed in war.

References: The Australian War Memorial: The unknown soldier. https://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/customs-and-ceremony/soldier The Australian War Memorial: Tomb of The Unknown Australian Soldier. https://www.awm.gov.au/visit/visitor-information/features/hall-of- memory/tomb Wikipedia: The Unknown Warrior. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Unknown_Warrior Wikipedia: Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomb_of_the_Unknown_Soldier

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COVENTRY CATHEDRAL, ENGLAND A SYMBOL OF PEACE AND RECONCILIATION The modern Coventry Cathedral, named for St. Michael, is the seat of the Bishop of Coventry and the Diocese of Coventry, in the West Midlands, England. It is the third cathedral in Coventry, with a history reaching back to the early 11th century. Today the ruins of the second medieval cathedral stand linked to the modern building, with The interior of the old Cathedral of St. Michael about 1880. both on hallowed ground. Credit: Unknown artist. Public Domain. Dedicated to St. Mary, the earliest cathedral in Coventry was founded as a Benedictine community in the year 1043, and was built on the site of a former nunnery. It became the seat of the bishop in the year 1102. After extensive expansion and rebuilding, by the middle of the 13th century the medieval cathedral was very large and included many associated buildings. At the time of the dissolution of the monasteries under King Henry VIII in 1539 the town of Lichfield, almost 40 kilometres away, became the seat of the bishop, and the former Cathedral of St. Mary fell into disrepair. It was not until 1918, almost 380 years later, that the modern Diocese of Coventry was created in its own right. As the earlier cathedral had been destroyed, the parish Church of St. Michael, which stood close to the site of the original St. Mary’s Priory, was designated as Coventry Cathedral. The building of St. Michael’s Church began in the late 14th century and, although smaller than the original St. Mary’s Cathedral, it was still one of the largest parish churches in England. The medieval St. Michael’s Cathedral was destroyed on the night of 14th November 1940 when the city of Coventry was devastated by Luftwaffe raids. Although hit by several incendiary devices, the west tower of the building remained relatively intact. Immediately a decision was made to build a new cathedral while preserving the shell of the medieval building as a sign of faith, trust and hope for the future of the world. This led later to the cathedral’s Ministry of Peace and Reconciliation, which has provided both spiritual and practical support in regions of conflict around the globe. The new Coventry Cathedral, which also bears the name of St. Michael, is a striking modern building designed by Sir Basil Spence with the involvement of other leading

P AGE 29 T HE L EAFLET --- October 2020 architects and artists of the time. The old cathedral was retained as a garden of remembrance, and was linked to the new structure to create one large church with an indoor space for worship and an open air space for contemplation. The foundation stone was laid by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on 23rd March 1956, and the building was consecrated on 25th May 1962. The old cathedral area includes Coventry Cathedral with the medieval ruins to the left and the new building on the right. Credit: DeFacto 2018. Creative many sculptures with the theme of Commons. reconciliation. One of these is known as ‘The Charred Cross’, consisting of a pair of blackened beams on an altar made of rubble. After the destruction the cathedral stonemason, Jock Forbes, noticed that two charred roof timbers had fallen in the shape of a cross. He set them up with the words ‘Father forgive’ written close by on the sanctuary wall, and ‘The Charred Cross’ remains. Another cross was fashioned by a local priest from three medieval nails found in the ruins. ‘The Cross of Nails’ now sits in the centre of the altar cross in the new cathedral, and over 160 Cross The interior of the new Coventry Cathedral. Credit: Photo by David Iliff, License: CC BY-SA 3.0. of Nails centres have been established world-wide to spread the message of peace and reconciliation. Each centre has its own Cross of Nails made from materials salvaged from the ruins of the old cathedral. The concepts of peace and reconciliation so important to Coventry Cathedral and its people continue have a positive influence around the world almost 80 years after the terrible events of November 1094.

References: Britain Express: Coventry Cathedral History and Photos. https://www.britainexpress.com/counties/westmid/coventry/coventry-cathedral.htm Coventry Cathedral – our history. https://www.coventrycathedral.org.uk/wpsite/our-history/ Wikipedia: Coventry Cathedral. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coventry_Cathedral

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THE RED CROSS This year the British Red Cross celebrates 150 years since its formation in 1870, just seven years after the international movement was formed in Switzerland. It is now part of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies founded in Paris in 1919 following World War I. This society is a world-wide neutral and humanitarian network with a goal to ensure close cooperation between Red Cross Societies around the globe. The origin of the Red Cross goes back to 1859, when a young Swiss businessman, Henry Dunant, was Jean-Henri Dunant (1828-1910) in travelling in northern Italy. He witnessed the outcome 1901. Credit: Time Life Pictures. Public Domain. of a terrible battle between the Austrian and Franco- Sardinian forces near the small village of Solferino that had left 40,000 soldiers dead or dying, and lack of medical attention for many who had been wounded. Neither of the armies or the residents of the region were equipped to deal with the situation. Dunant organised local people to dress the soldiers’ wounds, and to feed and comfort them. On his return to Switzerland he called for the creation of national relief societies to assist those wounded in conflict and in doing so pointed the way to future Geneva conventions. A Swiss-based committee of five men, including Dunant, went on to set up the International Committee for Relief to the Wounded in 1863. This was later to become the International Committee of the Red Cross. Its emblem was a red cross on a white background, the inverse of the Swiss flag. The following year 12 governments adopted the first Geneva Convention, offering care for the wounded and defining medical services on the battlefield as neutral. The British Red Cross was founded in 1870, and assisted in providing aid to armies on both sides of the Franco-Prussian War and subsequent 19th century conflicts under the protection of the Red Cross emblem. It grew to take a major role through World War I, joining forces and pooling resources with the Order of St. John Ambulance. As well as primary assistance at the front line, the Red The British Red Cross at Sacre Coeur Hospital, Ypres, Cross was active in many other spheres, occupied Belgium 1914 – 1918. Credit: Imperial War Museum. Public Domain. including the tracing of the missing, injured

P AGE 31 T HE L EAFLET --- October 2020 and dead. They also trained Airedale terrier dogs to search for wounded soldiers on the battlefields. Following the war, the emphasis moved to the prevention of disease and suffering around the world, and the British Red Cross was also instrumental in starting many societies throughout the Empire and Commonwealth. Their work continued through World War The International Committee of the Red Cross, II and expanded to other activities such Geneva. Credit: Torbjorn Jorgensen, 2019. Creative as arranging parcels for prisoners of war Commons. under the Third Geneva Convention of 1929. After the war they provided relief to huge numbers of displaced civilians as well as continuing their other work. The British Red Cross continues to provide relief to people around the world. A branch of the British Red Cross was The Red Cross delivering food to flood victims, North established in Australia in 1914, just nine Dakota, USA in 1997. Credit: Father of Nehrams. days after the beginning of World War I. Creative Commons. Under the leadership of Lady Helen Munro Ferguson it grew rapidly, with every shire and municipality across the country being invited to form a branch. Accepted by the community from the beginning, many home front activities in World War I were led by local Red Cross branches. The Red Cross Information Bureau was established in 1915 to supplement information provided by the armed forces. In 1916 the Society sent a team of 21 civilian nurses to France. The work of the Red Cross continued through World War II. In 1941 the name was changed to the Australian Red Cross Society. Through the years since it has continued to provide support in national emergencies and disasters as well as to refugees together with international aid, and many services to communities throughout Australia. It is also responsible for Blood Banks across Australia. Today there are more than 60,000 trained volunteers associated with the Australian Red Cross, with its program entirely funded by public donations and corporate partnerships.

References: IFRC History. https://www.ifrc.org/en/who-we-are/history/ Red Cross History. https://www.history.com/topics/19th-century/red-cross Wikipedia: Australian Red Cross. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Red_Cross Wikipedia: British Red Cross. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Red_Cross

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BIBLE PLACES CANAAN According to ancient texts the land of Canaan was an area that included parts of modern-day Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. It corresponds to the areas of the Southern Levant that provide the main setting for the Bible and the ancient nations of Israel, Phoenicia, Philistia and others. Much of the knowledge of scholars about the Canaanites comes from records of people with whom they came in contact. The most detailed surviving records are found in the Hebrew Bible and from the site of Amarna, an ancient Egyptian city. Information also comes from excavations of archaeological sites where Canaanites are thought to have lived. Canaan and its habitation Map of Canaan about 2250 to 1700 BC, at the time of the has a long and complex history that goes back to Patriarchs. Credit: MACCOUN, prehistoric times. 1899. Public Domain. The earliest habitation in the region was at least 10,000 years ago around the site of the city of Jericho. This early rural community later developed into the oldest urban centre in the region. Cities grew up over time and trade with other civilizations, most notably Egypt, grew and flourished. Canaan, also referred to as Phoenicia at this time, continued to prosper until some time between 1250 and 1150 BC. According to the biblical books of Joshua and Numbers, the destruction of Canaan was brought about by Joshua and his conquest, although this claim bas been challenged by some modern scholars. Egyptian pharaohs between the 13th and 11th centuries BC, including Hatshepsut, Thutmose III, Amenhotep III and Ramesses the Great, all helped to enrich the city- states of Canaan through trade and building projects in the region. However, beginning in the 12th century BC, turmoil afflicted the whole region of the Near East as Assyrian, Hittite and Egyptian rulers sought to conquer territories and control trade routes. About 1250 BC Canaan was overtaken by catastrophic events, with cities demolished and the inhabitants dislocated. According to the Bible this was due to the invasion of Canaan led by the Israelite general Joshua. The book of Exodus gives an account of the patriarch Moses leading his people, the Israelites, from Egypt where they were slaves, towards the promised land of Canaan, where they would live in peace, in a land flowing with milk and honey. Moses led his people toward Canaan because this had been their homeland prior to going to Egypt for food during a famine many years

P AGE 33 T HE L EAFLET --- October 2020 earlier. They had stayed there but the Egyptians later enslaved them, fearing the Israelites’ strength as their numbers grew. The book of Joshua follows on from the narrative of the book of Exodus. It tells of the campaign the general Joshua led to subdue the people of the land of Canaan, most famously displacing the The landscape typical of Canaan. Credit: people of the city of Jericho which was destroyed YakupC, 2006. Public Domain. by God’s command. After the conquest of Canaan was finally achieved, the land was divided amongst the Israelites. Archaeological evidence does not match up in every way with the biblical account of this period, although there were clear indications of upheaval in the land. By about 1080 BC the Kingdom of Israel was established in Canaan, with Saul as King. He was followed by King David and his son King Solomon. Following Solomon’s death the kingdom was divided into two, with Israel in the north and Judah in the south. The Kingdom of Israel was destroyed by the Assyrians, who invaded the country in 722 BC, when the population was relocated to cities in Mesopotamia. About a century later the Assyrian Empire fell to the Babylonians and Medes, and Judah was attacked by the Babylonians who sacked Jerusalem and destroyed the temple. They later went on to destroy the remainder of the Kingdom of Judah. In their turn, the Babylonians were conquered by the Persians, who allowed the Jewish people to return to their homeland in 538 BC. It was during this period that Judaism as it is recognised today was established. The Persian Empire was defeated by Alexander the Great and his army in the second century BC. Subsequently the Jewish people were freed from occupation but were later to become part of the Roman Empire in 31 BC. By the time the region became part of the Byzantine Empire in the fourth century AD the land of Canaan was reduced to a narrow strip of land at the edge of the Mediterranean Sea, where Lebanon is today. The remainder of the region had, over time, come under the control of foreign powers interested in its position as a hub of commerce and trade in the Near East. The land of Canaan and its people, the Canaanites, are mentioned some 160 times in the Old Testament, mostly in the early books. Canaan is referred to only twice in the New Testament, both times in the Acts of the Apostles when paraphrasing stories from the Old Testament.

References: Ancient History Enyclopedia: ‘Canaan’ by Joshua J. Mark, 2018. https://www.ancient.eu/canaan/ Live Science: ‘Who Were the Canaanites?’ by Owen Jarus, 2016. https://www.livescience.com/56016-canaanites.html New World Encyclopedia: Canaan. https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Canaan Wikipedia: Canaan. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canaan

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BUTTERCUP GREGORY Buttercup came into our lives as a kitten about 13 years ago from the Cat Protection Society in Greensborough and is an indoor cat. We have a family tradition started by my late husband, of calling our animals by Gilbert and Sullivan names. We have over the years had cats called Katisha and Patience. We have had chooks called Mabel and Pitti Sing, and a budgerigar called Tom Tit. My son Owen, whom l am sure many of you have met, has recently continued on this tradition by calling his cat Ruddygore, or Ruddi for short. Butters is, as most cats are, the boss of the house and has very clear boundaries which we cross at our peril. She is an endless source of amusement with her funny ways and antics and occasional loving moments, usually because there is a gain for her. Like a nice warm lap to sit on when the heating is still not on in the morning. Friends calling have learnt to approach with caution or not at all lest they come away with a scratch and a good hissing at. There is nothing more reassuring and pleasurable than a purring cat sitting on your lap. A house is empty without a cat to pat. Wendy Gregory

Buttercup relaxing. Buttercup – awake and alert. The Mexican standoff between Buttercup and Ruddi (Wendy’s son’s cat) when he lived with them for a short while.

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PLANTS OF THE BIBLE SAFFRON CROCUS The saffron crocus or autumn crocus, Crocus sativus, is a species of flowering plant of the Crocus genus from the Iris family, Iridaceae. A perennial plant, it flowers in the autumn and is unknown in the wild. The wild species from which the saffron crocus originated is not known although several species are under Saffron - Crocus sativus. Credit: Victor M. consideration as predecessors. Vicente Selvas, 2015. Creative Commons A small plant that grows from a bulb or corm about the size of a large hazelnut, the purple flowers of the saffron crocus emerge in autumn, with the narrow leaves appearing at the same time. The plant grows about 10 to 30 centimetres high. It is described as a ‘triploid’, with three times the usual number of chromosomes, making it unable to produce seed and therefore sterile. It is propagated from young corms that form and multiply each year. These will last from three to five years. The tube-shaped purple flower of saffron crocus is made up of six elliptical parts inside which are long yellow or orange stamens and the style, a long filament that divides into three red strands, or cloves, of saffron. It is from these red strands that the spice, saffron, is produced. More than 182,000 flowers are needed to produce just one kilogram of saffron, making it the most expensive spice known. Used in various ways and highly valued from ancient times, today saffron is used as a seasoning for food, as a colouring agent, for the making of perfume, and in medications. The cultivation of saffron for many uses has extended across cultures, continents and civilizations for more than 3,500 years. There is just one reference to saffron in the Bible, where it may be found in the Old Testament Song of Solomon chapter 4, verse 14, described in a garden with other spices including nard and cinnamon. There is also a reference to the crocus in Isaiah chapter 35, verse 1, stating that ‘the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus’ (ESV). Today Spain is the largest producer of commercial Illustration of Crocus sativus by Franz saffron, although Iran and Kashmir are also Eugen Köhler, 1897. Public Domain

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important saffron-producing areas. Saffron crocus is also grown as an ornamental plant in gardens around the world. An unrelated plant that strongly resembles the saffron crocus in appearance is also called the autumn crocus. It comes from the genus Colchicum, and belongs to a different plant family altogether. While crocuses have three stamens and three styles, colchicums have six stamens and one style, and are toxic. The bulb contains colchicine, which acts as a poison and can cause a range of symptoms that are sometimes fatal. However in correct form and dose Crocus flowers in the lawn of it is used as a drug in the treatment of a range of Sandringham House, Norfolk UK. conditions including gout.

References: Evangelical focus: The rose of saffron by Antonio Cruz, 2018. https://evangelicalfocus.com/zoe/3320/the-rose-of-saffron God as a Gardener: Crocus by Carolyn A. Roth, 2019. https://godasagardener.com/tag/crocus/ Old Dominion University – Plants of the Bible: Saffron. https://ww2.odu.edu/~lmusselm/plant/bible/saffron.php Wikipedia: Crocus sativus. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crocus_sativus Wikipedia: History of saffron. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_saffron

THE BIBLE MUSEUM Did you know that, until recently, a Bible Museum was located in the town of St. Arnaud, 244 kilometres from Melbourne in the Wimmera region of Victoria. Founded by Ellen and Jean Reid in 2009, the temporary closure of the Museum was announced recently, and there are plans for its relocation with details still to be announced. Australia’s only Bible Museum contains more than 20,000 Bibles as well as other artifacts and models. The collection includes original Bibles printed about 400 years ago as well as the most recent modern versions. There are large Victorian ‘family’ Bibles and miniatures that need to be read with a magnifying glass. Bindings include vellum, velvet, olive wood, mother-of-pearl, tin and various sorts of leather. Some Bibles have brass buckles and many have gilt edges. Some contain beautiful illustrations. We look forward to hearing more of the Bible Museum when it is established in its new location. References: The Bible Museum. https://www.thebiblemuseeum.com.au/

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Johan’s Ark in Dordrecht, Netherlands. Credit: Ceinturion, 2012. Creative Commons. NOAH’S ARK – A MODERN REPLICA Noah and the Flood “9These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. 10And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled with violence. 12And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. 15This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. 16Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. 18But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you. 19And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. 20Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground, according to its kind, two of every sort shall come in to you to keep them alive. 21Also take with you every sort of food that is eaten, and store it up. It shall serve as food for you and for them.” 22Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.” Genesis 6: 9-22 ESV.

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Johan’s Ark, a full-scale replica of Noah’s Ark, is just one of three modern replicas of the original ark as described in Genesis. There are two other arks, one built in Hong Kong and opened in 2009, and another in Williamstown, Kentucky, USA and completed in 2016, neither of which float. Johan’s Ark is found on the Maas River, Dordrecht, Netherlands. The amphitheatre in Johan’s Ark. Credit: Ceinturion, 2012. Built by Johan Huibers following Creative Commons. a dream about a large storm that flooded his home, it is a full-scale interpretation of the biblical ark and has animal models including cows, penguins, an elephant, a crocodile and a giraffe. It opened to the public in 2012. This was not the first ark Huibers had built. A few years earlier he constructed a half- scale version. On completion he opened it to visitors and towed it by tugboat to various harbours in the Netherlands. He sold this first ark to a Dutch artist in 2010. His second full-size ark was built according to the measurements given in Genesis 6: 15, in order to make the construction as accurate as possible. He reviewed historical measurement units from a number of ancient civilisations to create a measurement scale for use in building his ark. With eight helpers he built the ark in four years. The wooden construction is carried on a floating platform of 21 steel barges. It can be towed along rivers but is not seaworthy. The Bible specified gopher wood for the building of the ark, but this is unknown today. Johan’s Ark is made of American cedar and pinewood. It is 119 metres long, 30 metres wide, and 23 metres high. The ark has a deep interior surrounded by side decks, and is relatively dark inside. It features an open amphitheatre at the centre, connected to a raised deck by a series of stairs that visitors can climb. Upon its completion the ark became a multi-floor interactive exhibition with a focus on the spreading of Bible teaching for the purpose of Christian education, with many Bible-based stories. Johan’s Ark has brought the story of Noah to life for its many visitors.

References: ABC News: ‘Builders of Noah’s Ark ‘Replica’ Hope to Sail From Holland to Brazil’ by Vanessa Williams, 28 April 2016. https://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/ builders-noahs-ark-replica-hope-sail-holland-brazil/story?id=38683032 The New York Jewish Week: ‘Dutch Christian Boatmaker Wants to Sail Life-Size Noah’s Ark Replica to Israel’ by Cnaan Liphshiz, 26 November 2018. https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/dutch-christian-boatmaker-wants-to-sail-life-size-noahs-ark-replica-to-israel/ Wikipedia: Johan’s Ark. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johan%27s_Ark

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THE SCOTS’ CHURCH COAT OF ARMS The Scots’ Church Coat of Arms, issued by the Lord Lyon King of Arms, Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1974, may be seen at the rear of the church, beneath the gallery. On the shield of the coat of arms, four symbols are depicted: the Bible superimposed on the cross of St. Andrew; a stag’s head; the burning bush; and the Southern Cross. The Bible superimposed on the cross of St. Andrew represents the Word of God that came to us from Scotland. St. Andrew is the Patron Saint of Scotland, with St. Andrew’s Day being celebrated by Scots worldwide on 30th November each year. The stag’s head is taken from the Coat of Arms of Dr. Alexander Thomson, the first Presbyterian to preach the Gospel on the banks of the Yarra River in 1836, where he had been appointed medical officer to the settlement of Port Phillip. Soon afterwards he moved to the Geelong district, where he became a prominent member of the community and was largely responsible for starting Presbyterian services in the area. He died in 1866, at the age of 66. The burning bush, the symbol of the Presbyterian church worldwide, depicts God’s presence as revealed to Moses through the burning bush that was not consumed by fire (Exodus 3: verse 2). The Southern Cross, or the constellation of Crux, is a group of stars in the Milky Way, seen only from the Southern Hemisphere. Early Portuguese navigators in southern waters saw the Southern Cross as a symbol of their faith. The two bright stars at the head and foot of the cross can be used as a ‘celestial clock’ by skilled astronomers. The Scots’ Church Coat of Arms is used on church stationery and publications, and serves as a constant reminder of our heritage and focus. It is of interest to note that, with the exception of the stag’s head, all of the symbols on the Coat of Arms appear on the intricately carved panels around the base of the pulpit, together with other symbols.

References: Hartung, E. J. Astronomical Objects for Southern Telescopes, 1984, Melbourne University Press. Lyndsay Gardiner, ‘Thomson, Alexander (1800 – 1866)’, Australian Dictionary of Biography, Online Edition, Copyright 2006, updated continuously, published by Australian National University. Pamphlet: ‘Welcome to the Scots’ Church, Melbourne’.

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Word search Mark Chapter 10 Find the words in the grid. When you are done, the unused letters in the grid will spell out a hidden message. Pick them for out from left to right, top line to bottom line. Words can go horizontally, vertically and diagonally in all eight directions.. kids (Solution on page 24)

The words to find ... Baptism Bartimaeus Blessed Children Eternal Faith Healed Jericho Jerusalem Jordan Judea Rich Servant Sight www.WordSearchMaker.com Treasure Amazing Maze Help the man find the way to hear Jesus teaching.

P AGE 41 T HE L EAFLET --- October 2020

Biblical Crossword Mark Chapter 10 Solution on page 24

Across 4. Jesus went to Judea beyond what river? 7. What made the blind man well? 8. All things are possible with ______. 9. If you give to the poor, what will you have in heaven? 10. Jesus ______the children. 12. The rich young man asked about inheriting ______life. 13. Who asked Jesus questions about divorce? Down 1. Jesus said, 'Let the children ______'. (3 words) 2. What was the name of the blind man at Jericho? EclipseCrossword.com 3. Who was the father of James and John? 5. When the crowd gathered Jesus ______them. 6. When children were brought, Want to join the disciples ______them. us at Scots’? 7. The last will be ______. You’d be sure of 11. The Son of Man came to ______. a warm welcome. Please contact the Session Clerk, Mr Peter Armstrong, on (03) 9650 9903

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