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Vol 16 No 3 April 2005 ONLINE The official gazette of the Diocese of Port Elizabeth: Church of the Province of Southern Africa

Quick Links: Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Top | Homepage PAGE 1  • Split averted  • Celebration of love  • St Mark's on the go  • Entrepreneurship - country style Easter 2005 He is risen! Alleluia! Alleluia! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia! Split averted Communiqué The full text of the Communiqué issued by the gathering is available from your parish priest. The full Statement by the Metropolitan of the CPSA, Njongonkulu Ndungane, is on page 2 of Iindaba. For the full report from David Virtue visit www.virtueonline.org More reports: www.anglican-mainstream.org.za A split in the Anglican Communion, was averted when the Episcopal Church of the USA (ECUSA) and the Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC) were asked to withdraw voluntarily from the public activities of the communion for the next three years, reports David Virtue on Virtueonline. Thirty-five Primates of the Anglican Communion and Moderators of the United Churches met at the Dromantine Retreat and Conference Centre, Newry, in Northern Ireland from 20 to 25 February to consider, among other things, the Windsor Report. At the press conference that followed, Archbishop Rowan Williams, who has a gentle and sincere manner and respectfully speaks well of those with whom he disagrees, explained that the primates meeting does not have the authority to expel dioceses or provinces from the communion of churches. However, the Primates' meeting can use its spiritual and moral authority to make strong recommendations to provinces for their spiritual welfare. At the primates' meeting they had used this same authority to recommend to the ECUSA and ACoC that they voluntarily withdraw from the public activities of the communion for the next three years. The purpose, Dr Williams said, was to create a space for more listening. He had discerned that there was a real fear amongst a majority of primates, who had not been consulted on the unilateral actions of the North American churches. “We have entered into a listening process and I have asked them to withdraw from the Anglican Consultative Council in order to create such a space so that there will be a hearing to discuss theology and the reasoning behind their actions, and to clarify their actual processes. These strategies will go a long way to restore the bonds of affection,” said Williams. Picture: In the hot seat - The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, was in the 'hot seat' at the meeting of Primates in Northern Ireland, where the Windsor Report was the main point of debate. Celebration of love With Valentine’s day being celebrated on the Monday, Holy Trinity Central had a ‘Celebration of Love’ service on Sunday evening 13 February, followed by tea and love cakes. The service began with the singing of wonderful ‘love’ hymns and songs led by Roger Hewitt and his team of musicians. Love candles were handed out to the congregation who then said a prayer pledging their love for the Lord and for one another. Present among the invited guests were Dennis and Ruth Burkinshaw, who had met at Holy Trinity 62 years ago and married there in October 1956. During tea, after the service, they were asked to cut the ‘wedding cake’ for the guests. Picture: Did you make a wish? - Ruth and Dennis Burkinshaw cut the ‘wedding cake’ at Holy Trinity Church in Central after the ‘Celebration of Love’ service.   St Mark's on the go Cooking up a storm The Ladies' Guild of Santareme chapel, part of St Mark’s Parish, cooked up a storm in St Francis village, on Shrove Tuesday. A wonderful fellowship enhanced the making of variously filled pancakes which sold out very quickly indeed. The pancakes were made at the Kwikspar shopping centre in the village, so members of the public were encouraged to buy and enjoy. Funds realised have already been used to help a destitute family, complete more tiny tots packs and Mothering Sunday posies. Lenten workshop on Benedictine Spirituality On Wednesday 8 March, members of St Mark’s joined the women of the Methodist Church, Jeffreys Bay for a Lenten Workshop run by Brother Andrew (OHC) from Umariya Umama weThemba Monastery at Grahamstown. 26 people attended this day retreat which focused on Benedictine Spirituality built on community. We thank Brother Andrew for giving of his time whilst on leave and to the Methodist Church for hosting this special day. Mothering Sunday celebrated Especially for mothers Pictures: 1) How many for you? - Making pancakes on Shrove Tuesday were members of the Ladies Guild of Santareme Chapel in St Francis Bay. 2) On Mothering Sunday, 6 March, Fiona Esterhuizen, self-supporting priest at St Mark’s, handed out posies made by members of the Ladies' Guild. This welcome thank-you to the women of the parish followed an inspiring sermon from Fiona. Entrepreneurship - country style When Dudley Greenshields, rector of All Saints’ United in Somerset East, discovered the church lawn-mower was missing he didn’t expect a strange twist in the tale. One Saturday morning during December Dudley looked for the lawn-mower, only to find it was missing. So off to the police station he went to report it stolen. The police did their duty and asked various people lots of questions and finally heard that X and Y actually ‘borrowed’ the mower every Friday and ran a lawn-mowing service. They religiously returned the mower to the shed every Saturday evening, so when they were questioned by the police they were very indignant saying, “We would never steal! We only borrow the mower!” The real culprit was finally found and reprimanded. Dudley remarked, “Now we know why we had so many mower repairs to pay for. Country life is never dull.” Quick Links: Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Top | Homepage