Opening of the Legal Year

This is an annual service at St Paul's Anglican Cathedral that I believe has been attended by several past moderators during their term of office.

The service itself was a testimony to the highest standards and best example of Anglical pomp, ceremony and liturgy.

The procession would have made quite a sight for locals and toursits alike, as we paraded from the Canon's Vestry, down towards Flinders Street on the outside of the Cathedral and then made our way in via the door that is closest to Fed Square. What a magnificent location for a gospel witness!

There were about 15 clergy and every one of us was attired differently, from the full black cassocks of various orthodox priests and bishops, to the colourful casual wear of the lady representing the Quakers, from the simple, open preaching gown of the Presbyterians (yep, that was me) to the white albs and colourful stoles of Anglican, Catholic and Uniting church representatives. Even the two Salvation Army officers had different uniforms on, one blue, one white.

We followed at the tail end of a procession that began with the Cathedral vergers or beadles or whatever they call them carrying an ornate cross atop a long staff; then followed the Cathedral Choir of perhaps 25 boys and young men adorned in white vestments; and after them, Supreme and Appeal Court judges in magnificent scarlet robes and full wigs, County Court Judges, also in full wigs, with black robes trimmed in purple, probably 50 or so Senior Counsel, Queen's Counsel and Barristers, all in full court gear, waistcoats, geneva gowns, bands and wigs.

We began by singing Advance Australia Fair, but not the National Anthem version. I have previously heard (and sung) an additional 'Christian' verse, which some say was part of the original song, but this was different. It was two verses instead of one, and they were not appended on the end of the better known 1st verse of the National Anthem, they were sung simpliciter and attributed to Robin Lorimer Sharwood.

A brief search on the internet has discovered that Sharwood was the warden of Trinity College, University of Melbourne, and his version - which is an entirely different version to either the National Anthem or the extra Christian verse - is now the 'official' version to be used in St Paul's Cathedral! It's worth a look. http://users.bigpond.net.au/leslies/Heritage/advanceaus.htm was most useful.

Alistair Macrae of the Uniting Church was the preacher and he spoke about the relationship between love and justice. While some might suppose that the church embodies love and the judiciary (as the name itself would suggest) justice, Alistair wanted to say that they were part and parcel of the same thing, God, whose character is both loving and just.

The entire service, other than the sermon, was liturgically scripted, including the prayers that us visiting clergy were invited to join in leading. I was asked to read the prayer for 'the Queen and all in authority'.