In excess of 300 years

Today, 8 February 2021, a band of us gathered to celebrate the 40th anniversary of our Ordination to the priesthood. [8 Feb 1981]

Our ordaining Bishop, then Archbishop of Adelaide, Keith Rayner at the great age of 91 celebrated The Eucharist with us.

[pictured here from L-R: Stephan Clark (me), Keith Brice, (not present...but in contact) Archbishop Keith, Ross Morony, Graham Head, Barry Davis...we are now all retired; not pictured here was  WarwickWinsall-Hall who was ordained a deacon on that day and was present...two Roberts who were also deaconed on that day were not with us for different reasons]

Then we went out to a pleasant lunch! (at the Feathers Hotel)

Together this small group of people represents more than 300 years of pastoral ministry! But I find myself feeling glad that these days this picture would have women as well as men!

And then again there are 4 walking sticks

[pictured here from L-R: Malcolm Thomas  (who was ordained in Melbourne around the same time) Stephan Clark (me), [Keith Brice, ( was not present...but in contact)] Bishop Keith, Ross Morony, Graham Head, Barry Davis...we are standing in more or less the same order but we are all looking 40 years older]

Spencer Dunkerley 1916-1982 (Year's mind 3 July)

Spencer Dunkerley

I met Spencer, for so he was ever  known , when I went to St Mark’s College, Adelaide in the early 70s. He was at that time  a Lecturer in History of Education at the  University of Adelaide.

But most of his students  sussed early on that he was boring and lacked the capacity to deliver… a dull voice and he had a total lack of awareness that he was NOT connecting with the couple of hundred folk who were supposed to receive his wisdom.  His content was rock solid, so thank goodness he provided good notes ..in the days long-before it was usual for Lecturers to provide same.

Spencer was born in Oldham, Lancashire c 1916 He was privileged to go to Manchester Grammar School, one of the schools which straddled the state/private school system.

He went to Kings College Cambridge in the pre-war period and consolidated an already expansive knowledge of modern history there.

There is a record of his commissioning as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Intelligence Corps on 25 Jan 1942, my memory is that he served in the Middle East and particularly in Cairo (prior to the Israel ‘resettlement’), and then subsequently in Africa as a functionary of the Foreign Office burning unused currency ( a funny story for another day)

Post-war he tested his vocation at the Community of the  Resurrection, Mirfield, Yorkshire -(https://www.mirfield.org.uk/) but did not proceed to profession. He was however prepared for ordination and duly ordained ( not a 100% sure but maybe for St Nicholas Leicester or Coventry…by Bp Guy Smith (c 1952.) or perhaps Cuthbert Bardsley for Coventry...am thinking the latter)

Spencer subsequently came as  a ‘missionary’ to be a Bush Brother in Queensland [ maybe the Brotherhood of St Paul, or the Brotherhood of the Good Shepherd…not sure which]…either way he drove outback Queensland in a Mini,  which was a miracle in itself.  he was a fairly hair-raising driver!

(Spencer (L) with the saintly Fr Percy Smith a pioneer advocate and pastor to young indigenous men in Alice Springs, and Port Adelaide watch the Charles Perkins video here )





He was seduced to Adelaide in the 60s to be a Chaplain at the University, and then to be   a senior Lecturer  in the Department of Education. He lived as resident fellow at St Mark’s College until his retirement c. 1980.



Spencer was tragically killed at Edwardstown, South Australia when struck by a motor vehicle on 3rd July 1982 at about 11 p.m. outside his home.

His funeral was held at St Mary Magdalene’s Church, Adelaide and his burial at St Mary’s on the Sturt 1163 South Rd, St Mary’s. Archbishop Keith Rayner presided at the Funeral, and I officiated at the burial. Many of Spencer’s friends  and students were present and a fine young cohort of univeristy and St Mark's students  acted as pall-bearers.



                             “he was a good priest…and I liked him”

Discursive terrorism!

I have some sympathy with the lovely British comedian Jason Manford who got caned by Facebook (shame on them) for declaring that these 'idealists'  are in actual fact cowards.
To be fair he said a bit more than that but I don't think his observations were misplaced

To open fire on unarmed civilians, is not bravery and idealism.

It is total and utter cowardice

It is bullying and thuggery.

I imagine the prophet Mohamed, peace be upon him, would be deeply ashamed of the evil that is perpetrated in his name. 

I have been interested about my own reflections, and those who live hand-in-glove with me about what this means.

As I drove into Adelaide yesterday (quietly on Sunday at about 8 a.m.)  I thought about how we might feel about such awfulness. Then cast my mind back 24 hours....the Christmas Pageant.

My granddaughter (10 months old ) was present....and loved it. 

200-300K people present just celebrating their community life....what if a bomb? or a gunman..?  it doesn't bear thinking about.   But my conversations led me to believe I was not the only one who thought this thought!

So I don't emir from J Manford's sentiment

Equally well, as my eldest daughter and I were practising speaking French, we spoke about the Tour Eiffel.   How it had been evacuated; and how easily three or four well-placed bombers could have taken it out.....shudder!

Surely these mad boys ( for such they are...BOYS....will blog about this shortly) don't want to live in a world in which families cannot have lunch together, or friends laugh with each other....

Having been a boy, I know that boys are not that bright!   They get enthused. But we are a bit thick!

Easy targets for unscrupulous propagandists who convert their stupidity to misguided 'enthusiasm'...which is a most dangerous thing!

The term of my natural life

I have lived most of my life in South Australia and I am glad to have done so. There is always a modicum of melancholy at this time of years because it was on March 18th 1967 that we arrived on the SS Orsova (pictured) at Outer Harbour. We did not get to see much of Adelaide, our family who had come to meet us were in much haste to get back to Whyalla where they had work commitments etc.

Those of you who have made the journey from Adelaide to Whyalla will know that you travel from the relative lushness of the city to the edge of the desert. It was for us a great adventure, though the culture shock was probably greater than you imagine. Looking back it felt more like moving into the American mid-west than Britain down-under. It was remote, culturally sparse, and educationally harsh.

All but one of my siblings has gravitated to Adelaide, and I often think how fortunate we are to live in such a temperate and stable place. Here, in the middle of a State election campaign, you get the impression that even if the worst happens and your opponents win, life will still go on much the same.

Although in SA we bemoan all sorts of things, and we are mocked ceaselessly by those who live on the Eastern seaboard for being small, quiet and perhaps a little inward looking; I suspect that most of us quite like that. And in fact I sometimes think we like to keep the secret and certainly do not want Adelaide to become like Sydney or Melbourne, so we almost conspire to not promote ourselves too much.

It would be good to be included on some of the national tours a bit more often. It's a pity that plays, musicians, art and so on seem to manage to go to Perth but find that Adelaide is hard to do.

As for the rest, I am glad to have discovered the secret.

Off and running

.... Adelaide Airport All those who complain habitually that Adelaide is a backwater will be interested to note that some aspects of our transport hub do indeed work.
Leaving on an International flight with no one free to take me to the airport I agonised about what to do.
It seemed easy, catch the train and tghen the airport bus. Despite three very kind offers of people who thought this was just too much like hard work that's what I did. Left home at 10.30, met a parishioner on the platform...she was bemused and said (tellingly) that's the sort of thing you expect people to do overseas. I nodded and said that's what inspired me. Why shouldn't we do it at home. Boarded the train and used my interpeak ticket. ($1.53/trip)
Met another friend on the train who used to live in Singapore, and we had a nice chat. I chugged up to Currie Street, bumped into B...I mean some days I catch the train and see no one. Hurtling down Currie I heard "Stephen, Stephen!". Twas my wife. "Can't stop! can't stop" and waved.
Waited 10 minutes to catch the J2 which takes you right to the Upper Concourse. (used the same ticket)
Have checked in. And am here filling in the time...not resisting the temptation to blog. 12.07 p.m. all for a cost of $1.53
k is already on her way ringing at 7 a.m. (our time) as she chugged through Heathrow (never again will I fly out of Heathrow!!!! And why should you?)

love that city

Have you noticed my eyes lately...a blog for later in the week.

But...I love February. Tomorrow 33, Wednesday 32 then 37, & 38 then wait for it wait for it.....40 and then 40 agin' truly SA February

When I was ordained to the priesthood at 4 p.m. on Sunday 8th February 1981 it was 42 degrees. Eucharistic vestments and all. Love the summer!!!

In looking for a picture of the cathedral I found St Peter's Belfast...don't you think they look the same.

Order in the house

The newly ordained Jenny Wilson imparts
a blessing to the Reverend Caroline Pearce.
(Caroline had to be ordained in the US because
at that time (many years ago!!)
Australia did not ordain women priests)

In the scheme of things the world cares not an hoot about the fact that Archbishop Jeff Driver will ordain new clergy today.
We choose in our (Anglican/Episcopalian) church to recognise that everyone is called to ministry by sacramentally recognising that some are also called to specific roles of leadership and service. Those of us who are privileged to be bearers of that sacrament know what a great day your ordination is.
Although we have had a terrible time of it in recent years, there has always been a steady stream (sometimes a trickle) of people prepared to respond to God's call to be priests and deacons. Today there are two new priests. Jenny (a finer person you could not hope to meeet), Mike (an enthusiast and passionate about ministry. Three new deacons: Sam (who is the son of two of my parishioners and an articulate, intelligent man with a lovely wife and a beautiful new baby), Barbara (who is quiet, humorous, reflective and will be a great gift musically (opera singer)) and Tracey (who inspires us and attracts them (so it seems to me) to the possibility that church might be fun, enthusiastic, committed and effective.)
Hope for the Church?
Well it would seem that the Holy Spirit is working powerfully in these lives and that can only be good.