A GREEK LITANY.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 30, Issue 3, 1 May 1939, Page 8

A GREEK LITANY.

For peace from above and the salvation of our souls let us ask God. For the peace of the whole world, the stablishing of the holy Churches, of God and the unity of all men. For the holy place where we wort ship arid for those who enter into it with faith, godliness and the fear of God. . 1 For our Bishop Vincent, for thehonourable priesthood, for all minisr ; ters and people. : For our most gracious King Georgeand all his council and his forces. For our city and every city and land and the faithful who dwell, therein. For fair weather and fruitful crops; and peaceful times. For all that travel by sea or land', or air, for the sick, the weary arid, prisoners, and for their salvation. That God will deliver us froni. every affliction, anger, danger and. necessity: Succour, save, pity and keep us,. 6 God by Thy grace. We present ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God. The above is, save for three words, a literal translation of the "Deacons'" Litany" from' the Liturgy of St.. Chrysostom, the regular service of the Greek Church. Those who use it with the response, "Lord have; mercy," after each petition will join m prayers that are still used and. have been used for over a thousand! years m the Greek Church.

jtnehcement of the camp the Rector, iwith a band of willing helpers, pre-, pared both a tent chapei arid a suitable open-air chapel. " The Jattefc, situated amidst sortie bottlebrush trees, was a delightful sanctuary of worship and was the more popular of the two." Nearby, a willy- wagtail had her nest, and if her continuous notes expressed her delight at bur . /presence, then her pleasure was very real indeed. A most joyous whipbird, too, was ever ready to give us of her best, and also some delightful little wrens. It was just the music suitable to "our chapel amidst the trees." .-. .■■;.. .■■■.,. . • .... >..'.'. ':■_ ■;, On the first Sunday a thousand lads received the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper and on the following Sunday some 900. The Rector was assisted by a number^ of clergy who were also Scoutmasters. Lord Hampton— the' chief guest of the jamboree and representing the world's Chief Scout, Lord Baden Powell— expressed his delight at the response and added that he had never before witnessed so great a Scouts' Communion service. This speaks well for the Church, as there at the jamboree we were only enjoying the faithful work of many a parish clergyman. , Another feature of the spiritual work was the morning prayer conducted by each troop. The Rector, as camp padre, had the privilege of conducting many of these prayer groups from 5.30 a.m. and onwards, and as he heard the" lads asking that they might .think wisely, speak rightly, resolve bravely, act kindly, live purely (from Scouts' Prayer), he felt that such words must indeed have been as Heavenly music m the ears of God. The glorious sun shed his early morning radiance on these happy circles and the Rector also felt that this was indeed expressive of the radiant joy of God. One Scout said that there was only one thing wrong with the 1939 Australasian jamboree— "We have to go home." Ido riot know if the leaders agreed with this, but we all felt that the whole experience had been absolutely worth while. The lads had enjoyed a fellowship which .seldom comes to us m our in-

sular life. They realised as perhaps never before that the Scout is the member of a great brotherhood and there is wondrous jpy m the service of pots and pans and plates. This joy ought to be fostered. It is a ■: wondrous opportunity for the "Mums" m Australia to take a holiday and allow ;these enthusiastic young culinary artists to carry oh: : Parish Magazine;