The New Church Newsletter
Hurstville Society April
2005
Important
Announcement!
In the March issue of the Hurstville Newsletter the timing
of events surrounding the visit by Rev. David Lindrooth was outlined.
That timing has now changed! Please look at the News
Notes and the April
Calendar of Events sections later in this Newsletter.
The
Homing Instinct
by Rev. Garry
Walsh
Some years ago a study was conducted involving a lovely little
bird called the Bank Swallow. This is the smallest of the swallows
found in the Americas. In the northern hemisphere summer it nests and
bears its young across a broad sweep of the northern United States
and southern Canada. In winter it makes its home in South America.
The swallow takes its name from its habit of building its nests in
deep burrows towards the tops of steep river banks. With the
progressive influx of people into its territories, the swallow has
adapted like many other species and now can be found making its
burrows in a variety of man-made excavations as well.
By now you might be wondering what a discussion of the Bank
Swallow is doing in a New Church publication. The answer is found in
the study mentioned a moment ago. Researchers went into a series of
summer nesting colonies and banded a large number of birds. While
doing so they noted not only the colony that the bird was from, but
also the position of that bird's burrow within the colony. With the
approach of winter the birds migrated south as they always do. In the
following Spring, the researchers were surprised to find that a very
large percentage of the banded birds had not only returned to the
same location, but had also returned to the same region within the
colony.
Most of us have probably seen enough documentaries by now to not
be too surprised by this discovery. Since the banding and recording
mentioned above took place, many other studies with other species
have produced similar results. It still leaves us with the questions,
though, "Why do birds such as this tend to return to the same spot
every year?" And, "How do they know how to get back there?" These are
especially questions we can apply to the Bank Swallow. This bird's
range is huge. And, within that range there are many sites that
appear equally suitable for nesting. So why does a bird colony such
as the Bank Swallow's stick together the way it does? And, why do
they keep coming back to the same place?
There is a lovely passage in the Arcana Coelestia that deals with
this. We read:
Animals are propelled by nothing else than the loves and
accompanying affections into which they have been created and
afterwards born; for every animal is carried in the direction its
affections and loves take it. That being so, animals also have all
the knowledge that ever accompanies that love. For they know from a
love resembling the love that belongs to marriage how they are to
mate, cattle in one way, birds in another. Birds know how they must
build nests, lay eggs and sit on them, how they must hatch chicks and
feed them. They know these things without any instruction…
…Creatures are born into that knowledge because they exist in
the order which belongs to their true nature and into which they have
been created; and as such they are driven by a general inflow from
the spiritual world (Arcana Coelestia 6323:2)
So, the Bank Swallow automatically knows how and where to build
its nest. It knows its true home in the northern hemisphere summer
and it knows how to breed and raise its young. Then, as the seasons
change, it knows how and where to fly in order to remain warm and
find food until the seasons change once again. The swallow does not
need to learn any of these things. It just knows them. These
swallows, like all animals, are born into the order of their
creation. They are what they are. And, we can look at them and marvel
at the wonder in this universe that the Lord created.
What about us? Why is it that people don't find it as easy to do
what they are supposed to do? Why is it that we can get lost at
times, philosophically speaking? The answer, quite clearly, is that
we are not born into the order in which the Lord created us. There
tends to be a disconnection between the person the Lord created us to
be and the person we often are. The result is that we sometimes fail
to spontaneously do the right thing. We tend to not automatically
make good decisions. We sometimes struggle to know with any certainty
what we are supposed to be doing in our lives.
The Arcana Coelestia goes on to talk about the result of
our tendency to be in a state that is not in line with the order in
which the Lord created us:
If the human being were living in the order into which he was
created -; that is to say, in love towards the neighbour and in love
to the Lord, for these loves are peculiar to the human being -; he
would be born, pre-eminently over all animals, not only into the
knowledge but also into all spiritual truths and all celestial forms
of good, thus into all wisdom and intelligence. For the human being
is able to think about the Lord and to be joined to Him through love,
and so be raised up to what is Divine and eternal, which animals
cannot be. Thus if he were living in his true order he would be
governed solely by general influx from the Lord through the spiritual
world (Arcana Coelestia 6323:3).
The process of being regenerated by the Lord is really the process
of being brought into the order into which we were created. Heaven is
opened to those for whom this return to order has been achieved. So
it is that the angels of heaven know their place just as surely as
the Bank Swallow knows the breeding spot that it returns to. Angels
know which zone in the heavens is right for them. And, they know
exactly what services the Lord asks them to perform there.
Since the zones are thus engraved, so to speak, on every angel,
and on the whole heaven as well, therefore an angel knows the
location of his home and of his place of abode wherever he goes,
unlike a person in the world. A person does not know the location of
his home and place of abode from any interior orientation for the
reason he thinks in terms of space, thus in terms of points of the
compass in the natural world, which have nothing in common with the
zones in the spiritual world.
On the other hand, birds and animals have this knowledge in
them, for it is inborn in them to know the location of their homes
and places of abode instinctively, as people know from a good deal of
empirical observation -; evidence that a like phenomena is found in
the spiritual world. For all phenomena that occur in the natural
world are effects, and all phenomena that occur in the spiritual
world are the causes of those effects. One does not find anything
natural that does not have its cause from something spiritual
(Divine Love and Wisdom 134).
The
Happiness of Heaven and the Happiness of Earth
by Rev. Frederick L. Schnarr
(Adapted from the final chapter of his book Thy Kingdom
Come)
All the doctrines in the Word teach and confirm that genuine
happiness comes from a true acknowledgment that the Lord Jesus Christ
alone is God. In explaining the key ingredients that make such a true
acknowledgment, the following things are noted:
1. There must be a knowledge of the Lord as defined and described
in the Word.
2. There must then be a willingness, and in time a desire, to obey
and be led by the Lord by means of knowledge learned and
understood.
3. Finally, there must be an effort to bring the intellectual
acknowledgment of the Lord into works and uses of life.
So faith, charity, and good works must come together as one for us
to have a full and true acknowledgment of the Lord. And from this it
follows that they must be together as one also if we are to enter
those states of life which are truly happy and heavenly. It is indeed
in this vein that the Word declares in the Psalms, "Happy are the
people whose God is the Lord!" (Psalm 144:15).
We are conjoined with heavenly states from the Lord when we truly
acknowledge Him, or what is the same, when we do the work of
reformation and regeneration. For this reason it is stated as a law
of Divine Providence that "The more closely a man is conjoined with
the Lord the happier he becomes" (Divine Providence 37).
The Lord, of course, desires that every person should have the
fullness of heavenly happiness. Yet for us to receive any heavenly
happiness requires that the Lord leave us in freedom to determine
what degree of life from the Lord we desire to receive. It is
according to our free desire to receive or reject Him that the Lord
can give us more or less of His Divine life and the happiness
thereof. The happiness of angels in the natural heaven, therefore,
who have only desired to receive a small part of the Lord's life,
cannot be compared to the happiness of angels in the celestial
heaven, who desire nothing more than to receive everything from the
Lord.
Because we on earth had lost a true idea of the nature of heavenly
happiness, the Lord in His second coming has once more revealed
something of its character and quality. He has given us this
knowledge so that in our understanding, we can see that it must be
so, and so that, in this delight, we can find a new source of courage
and patience in striving for happiness and peace in earthly life.
Besides this, the teachings concerning the source and nature of
heavenly happiness bear an immediate relationship to our earthly
lives, in that they give us the means to search for an earthly
happiness and to defend ourselves from those pleasures and
allurements of hell which parade before our natural senses, disguised
as the true happiness of earth and heaven.
With an angel of heaven, two things spring from his acknowledgment
of the Lord which make his eternal happiness possible; they are a
state of peace and the love of use. In regard to the first, we read
that "peace is the inmost of all happiness" (Arcana Coelestia
5662, 8722). The angels have a peace of mind utterly unknown on
earth. Such a peace of mind is possible because they have a sure and
abiding trust in the Lord's Divine Providence. In the life and
happiness of the heavens, they see before them the fullness of the
Lord's wisdom and love. No longer are they bothered and troubled by
perverted inclinations from heredity; no longer are they enmeshed in
the wild imaginations which spring from the disorderly impressions of
the natural memory. This heredity and this memory are now quieted by
the Lord. And so the angels know a peace of mind that, while
primarily concerned with the welfare and happiness of others, is not
in the least burdened by states of doubt, fear, or despair.
The [Lord's] Word requires that we look beyond what is
natural and temporal. Rather, we must look to purpose and use, and,
in the sad and unpleasant chaos that often arise in worldly states,
we must never forget the essential work that the Lord put us in this
natural world to accomplish, our reformation and regeneration. From
the new doctrine the Lord has given, we are instructed to fight to
repel all states that would destroy peace, both spiritual and natural
peace. We are to find ways to think and act on behalf of our
neighbour without thought of recompense or reward. This is not an
easy task in a world where the necessary requirements of life demand
that we think of just recompense and reward for our employment and
skills. Yet if we search well, we will find many such uses in the
home, in society, and especially in the church, where we can exercise
a just charity for the sake of use, without a dominant thought of
self. This charity acts first because it sees what is right in the
eyes of the Lord and does it even if it does not give apparent
delight or recognition or reward of any kind. It is through such
effort that the peace and contentment of all natural happiness is
born.
This is why we are instructed that a truly religious person is
essentially a happy person. The activity of use, from the
acknowledgment of the Lord and the purposes of His creation, brings
something of spiritual peace and happiness down into the natural. It
pervades the natural with a sense of well-being, trust, and
contentment in the dispensations of the Lord's providence. This state
in the natural receives the seeds of heavenly peace and happiness:
the spiritual delight in truth, and good, and use for their own
sakes. These are the internal treasures that are stored up in us by
the Lord for our eternal use. These are the gifts of heavenly loves
that neither moth nor rust can corrupt, nor which thieves can break
through and steal - "for where your treasure is, there will your
heart be also."
Note: Rev. Schnarr sadly passed away just a few
weeks ago. His memorial service can be heard online by going to
www.newchurch.org
and following the links to "recent audio events." A longer extract
from this portion of the book Thy Kingdom Come can be found by going
to www.newchurchvineyard.org,
or by following the links from the main General Church site given
above.
News
Notes
Rev. David Lindrooth's Visit
As announced in the March Newsletter, we are eagerly awaiting a visit
from Rev. David Lindrooth, the Director of General Church Outreach.
The plan is for David to use our Friday doctrinal class time to talk
to us about the uses of the office of General Church Outreach and to
discuss the work of outreach that is occurring at various places
across the international General Church community. David will also
lead our Sunday morning worship service and then also lead a Society
Meeting to follow in which issues immediately affecting the
Hurstville Society will be discussed and where strategies for the
future can begin to be explored and put in place.
All of this was initially planned to take place on the first
weekend in April (1st -; 3rd). Unfortunately, for various reasons,
David's trip has been delayed a few days. He is now due to arrive
sometime during that weekend, although his revised flight schedule is
yet to be completely worked out. What this means is that the events
that were scheduled for the first weekend in April will be delayed
until the 2nd weekend. The schedule will now be:
- Friday 8th Dinner and Class.
- Sunday 10th after church there will be a Pot Luck
Luncheon followed by the Society Meeting, which we hope
as many people as possible can attend. Please bring a
savoury or sweet dish to share for the luncheon.
(Please note these events on your April calendars.)
As a result of moving the Dinner and Class to 8 April, we will no
longer have a second Friday class this month. The next scheduled
class will be Friday, 6 May.
Please accept our apologies for this unavoidable change in plans.
Hopefully most people in the congregation who were planning on
attending these events will still be able to.
A Young People's meeting will still take place on Friday
29 April.
Pastoral Travels
At this stage Garry is planning to travel with David
Lindrooth to Brisbane for the day on Monday, 4 April. The
purpose of this trip, which is sponsored by the General Church, is to
visit Rev. Les Shepherd and to introduce David to Rev. Ian
Arnold and discuss the uses of the Australian New Church College
(ANCC).
Garry will also travel to Brisbane for the day on Thursday, 21
April to attend the annual New Church in Australia (NCIA) Council
of Ministers' meetings.
100th Anniversary Planning
During the last month the Anniversary planning committee has
continued to work to put together the details of this celebration.
There is not a lot new to discuss at this time other than to make
special note that some of the Young People in the congregation have
come up with the fabulous idea of creating what they simply call
"Hurstville Society New Church Artwork." It involves having the
members of the Society decorate a small piece of cardboard (square
mostly) that will be joined together with the others to make a
circular collage that captures the collective spirit and imagination
of the congregation. Contributors are asked to decorate their square
in a way that reflects themselves or their sense of the congregation
at this time when we celebrate our history and look to the future.
The intent is to take the completed circle to the General Church
Assembly in June and display it as part of the Societies'
exhibit.
Completed squares are to be returned to Kristen Johnson or
Michelle Heldon by 1st May. If you need further information, the
ladies can be contacted on: Kristen -; 9028 4647, and Michelle/Angela
-; 9545 3823.
New Intern
Plans are still coming together, but at this early stage it seems
very likely that the Hurstville Society will have the pleasure of
hosting a young lady from the Bryn Athyn College. The plan is for her
to visit us from early May until sometime after the Anniversary in
mid-July. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to be joined by a
very capable and enthusiastic young lady as we work through the
Anniversary planning and running process.
Work Days
You will note in the calendar that another Work Day has been
scheduled for after church on 17 April. It is our intention to
schedule one Work Day each month until the time of the Anniversary.
Please stay after church and help with this important use if at all
possible. The work mostly involves gardening and general property
fix-up projects together with cleaning and other work to tidy and
enhance the appearance of our buildings and grounds. If you would
like to lend a hand but find that the timing of the Work Day is not
suitable for you please talk to Garry Walsh and together plans for
your greatly appreciated assistance can be worked out.
"Off Assembly" Notice
As most readers of this Newsletter will know by now, The General
Church is holding an Assembly in Bryn Athyn this coming June. The
Committee organizing the Assembly called for proposals for workshops
and received more than they were able to use. A group of people have
since come forward with the idea for an "Off Assembly," in the
tradition of "Off Broadway." Everyone who proposed a workshop that
could not be used would have an opportunity to share their passion
and present their workshop, in a setting where a variety of
viewpoints can be respectfully heard. This probably day-long event in
Bryn Athyn would not be part of the Assembly, but a separate event
later. If you are interested in participating, please contact Roslyn
Taylor at P.O. Box 620, Bryn Athyn PA, 19009, 215-947-9673, or by
email at hrtaylor@temple.edu.
Tom and Shirley Taylor
It is sad to report that at the time of writing, long-term Hurstville
Society stalwart Tom Taylor's health was not as good as he or Shirley
would hope. Tom has been suffering from repeated chest and bronchial
infections with the result that he may need to return to hospital
following Easter. We wish Tom and Shirley the best and send our love
as they continue to fight through these periods of ill health.
Continuing on the subject of the Taylors, Tom and Shirley
celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on the 10th of April.
Shirley reports that Tom has already given her a "little diamond
ring." I'm sure we all share a sense of joy that the Lord has helped
these two wonderful people be together so long, and we pray that they
will be together in this world for quite a while to come.
From the Heavenly Doctrines
"… love truly conjugial endures to eternity, it follows that
the wife becomes more and more a wife, and the husband more and more
a husband." (Conjugial Love 200)
April
Birthdays
Happy Birthday to Donna Heldon (5th), Gaye Heldon
(15th), Merv Kennedy (17th), Huiling Sun (20th),
Kerry Horner (22nd), David Horner (25th)
Book
Review: "Spirituality That Makes Sense"
Rev. Douglas Taylor
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For years people have looked for a book that helps
introduce the wonderful teachings of the New Church. We now
have such a book. It is Rev. Douglas Taylor's
"Spirituality That Makes Sense." Many will know Doug
from his combined total of more than 17 years as Pastor of
the Hurstville Society. Altogether Doug has served in the
New Church ministry for over 30 years and during this time
he has continually reached out to the broader community,
offering "Inquirer's Classes" to people who crave a new and
fuller understanding of the Lord and His Word.
Spirituality That Makes Sense is the text of those
"Inquirer's Classes." The introductory sections draw heavily
from the Scriptures, with quotes from Swedenborg used
sparingly. The later sections increase the use of these
quotes. Throughout its pages the reader finds clear and
eloquently stated teachings on all the foundational concepts
regarding the Lord, as well as the true nature of the faith
and life that flow from these.
Spirituality That Makes Sense is an ideal choice
for friends who have an inquiring mind and who are open to
examining the life of faith. It is also a wonderful
reference book for those in the church who simply want a
convenient place to find the key teachings that define the
New Church. Copies are currently available through the
Hurstville Society's Swedenborg Bookroom. Each copy costs
$19.00 Australian plus postage where necessary, and makes a
wonderful gift for a friend or a great addition to your
library.
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April
2005 Calendar of Events