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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 3  • The Bishop writes ...  • The view from pulpit and pew  • Tag lines  • Half a century as a server  • Needed The Bishop writes ... My Dear People of God, Building the Body Greetings in the Name of the Risen Christ, Alleluia! What is most worrying these days is the thought of broken unity in the Anglican Communion. This is so because the present times need a united Christian witness to address the needs of our world. The burden of leadership keeps on impinging on the need to stay united, as the prayer of Christ points out (Jn 17 : 1-26 esp vs 11). We live in a world which embraces knowledge, power and personal inner thought as ‘necessary for salvation’ to take one's ambitions wherever one may want to go in terms of personal gain and achievements. Philosophies like ‘creative thought’, ‘humanist’, ‘secularism’, etc, all seem to culminate from the ‘follow-your-heart’ attitude for one's own existence. The ultimate ideal to aspire to, as set out in the Holy Word, is no longer fully emphasised. The Bible as the word of God no longer seems to be our starting point in all our deliberations as the Church. The written Word seems to be holding less or no authority in our deliberations (of Article XX p 43 of Constitution and Canons). My problem has always been that, if in our theological debates we appeal less or not at all to the written Word of God, what are we left with as a guide to our moral life and aspirations to God? We have struggled with problems in the past and stayed together. The reason being that we all set to keep the unity of the Body in love, which Jesus has spoken about in the very same Bible ( Jn 13 : 34-35; 15 : 12-13). Homosexuality would not be a problem for us if we were obeying the written Word, and had not lost the sense of sin (Carey : The Gate of Glory P 14). However, there are voices crying for love and pastoral care. I believe we still need to listen, embrace and teach and guide (Lambeth 1998 Resolution 1.10). We need to explain orientations including sexual ones. Discrimination need not be there. Sin should be rebuked, not forgetting our own frailty, (Apb Ordinal, p 587) ‘pronounce forgiveness to the penitent, absolving them in the name of Christ.’ Americans and Canadians have pushed far too hard and too quick on this sensitive issue. As I said earlier on, if we care about our unity we would wait for one another to be on board in terms of our deliberations. The attitude of a know-it-all superiority will carry us nowhere in this body. It makes me sad to realise that all that the first missionaries told us, the modern theological thinking waters down. Everyone who agrees with the present theological status quo of thinking does well and is in line. All those who oppose such thinking are out of step and uninformed. The American and Canadian sisters and brothers must take Africa more seriously on these issues than they seem to be doing. Africa is only a dark continent of yesteryear. The light of the Gospel has come here, and must continue to shine. There is still a lot of spade work to do though. It is therefore my fervent prayer that our dear friends from across the Atlantic Ocean, will make a reconciling, penitential come back. The comprehensive, well represented Anglican gathering is a good idea. We should support Anglicans, including all Christians, and we must get to know one another better. This call by the Metropolitan is worth supporting. We may have our orientations, hold our point of views, be well-informed or ill-informed, but the bottom line is unity of the Body. Love unites. Love comes from God. Let us remain in love and unity of both body and purpose. May God make us truly loving people to transform our world by the truth of the gospel, to the glory of God the Father and Creator of all. Yours in the love of Christ, Bishop Bethlehem Nopece The view from pulpit and pew March's Iindaba mentioned the arrival of Mzie and Lovely Doda, saying that their 3rd child's birth was imminent. Well, come it did, and they are now the proud parents of their third son - Thembile. Mzie is the new assistant at the Cathedral. Congratulations! Iindaba also missed the birth of another clergy family's new arrival. Zola and Thobeka Nanana are the very proud parents of their first child - a son, Anda - who was born at the end of January. Zola is the rector of Saint Augustine's, Walmer Gqebera. Congratulations! In the Bible, we read 'The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: blessed be the name of the Lord.' (Job 1: 21). As we rejoice with the births mentioned above, Iindaba expresses its condolences to Desmond and Sandra Langeveldt on the brutal murder of their daughter, Delray Wynford, 33, wife of Barry and mother to two small sons. The funeral took place at San Francesco Roman Catholic Church in Charlo where Delray and Barry worshipped. Sandra sings in the choir at Saint Mary Magdalene, whilst Desmond worships at St Hugh's in Newton Park. Iindaba extends its condolences to the family. Pat Holmes, a leading Christian and former Parish Worker at St Hugh's in Newton Park, died suddenly last month shortly before his 84th birthday, and only months before he and Dorothy were to celebrate their Diamond Wedding Anniversary (60 years). His funeral took place in a packed church as many came to give thanks for the witness of this wonderful man. Iindaba has also heard the news of the death of Peter Campbell who served as assistant at St Hugh's many years ago. Peter, who was retired, lived with his wife Stella in Knysna. - May the families and friends of Delray, Pat and Peter, feel the love of our Lord Jesus surround them during their time of mourning. The March Iindaba mentioned that Musa Daba, a deacon who had served at the Cathedral, had moved to the UK. But he and Levidia have not yet moved overseas. Iindaba will keep its readers informed about their future plans. Howard and Sheila Lancaster are in Australia visiting Howard's brother and family. Sheila retired at the end of February which will bring much joy to Howard having her at home! After many years of service as Archdeacon of Port Elizabeth, Ruthell Johnson, rector of St Paul's in Parsons Hill, has resigned as Archdeacon, and on other Diocesan bodies. The Diocese owes a debt of gratitude for the valuable contribution he has made through his leadership role. Iindaba prays for God's continued blessing on his ministry. Solomon Nkesiga, rector of the Zwartkops River Parish, will be leaving the Diocese at the end of May as he returns to Uganda to take up his appointment as Principal of a Theological College there. Ignatius and Temba will return with their father, whilst Diana will remain until the end of the year. More details of his new post will appear in the next Iindaba. Congratulations to Peter and Valerie Bowen who recently celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary (50 years). Iindaba tried to contact them, only to be told they were celebrating it in East London. Iindaba wishes them many more years of happiness together. Peter, who retired from the ministry some years ago, is an honorary Canon of the Diocese. Tag Lines If quitters never win, and winners never quit, then who is the fool who said “Quit while you’re ahead?” Half a century as a server In January this year Wyndham Muspratt-Williams celebrated half a century of being a server and Iindaba asked him to share some of the highlights with readers. Wyndham began serving at the altar of St Saviours Church under the rectorship of the late Donald Leavey shortly after being confirmed late in 1954, eventually becoming Head Server there and secretary of the Deanery Guild of Servers. This guild held quarterly services and socials at different parishes in the Port Elizabeth area. In September 1962 he joined St Mary’s Church under the Reverend WF Bunyan and the Head Server, the late “Pop” Duberley. A few years later Pop Duberley celebrated 50 years as a server at St Mary’s and within two weeks he died and was succeeded by Basil Almond as Head and then by Bruce Allsobrook. Wyndham takes up the story: “In 1969 I was appointed Head Server by the late Reverend Derek Hill after Bruce Alllsobrook left to work in the United States. I also resigned as secretary of the Deanery Guild of Servers. Regretfully, as no one else was prepared to take over, the Guild ceased to function. “During the 1960’s and early 1970’s (before the petrol crisis in 1972) St Mary’s servers used to go on an annual outing visiting different areas, such as St Matthew's Mission, Keiskammahoek. One year, on a trip down the Garden Route as far as George, we stopped at Plettenberg Bay for lunch on the beach. After lunch we marched through the grounds of the old Beacon Isle Hotel led by one of our older servers, Wally Hunter, wearing a kilt and playing the bagpipes, causing quite a stir among the residents. (Wally had been a founder member of the PE Caledonian society) “At Knysna we also marched down the main road leading to the old harbour causing a minor traffic jam. "Although our annual trips had their lighter side we also used the occasions to visit many churches etc on our travels. “One of the most memorable occasions of my life was being made a member of the Order of the Diocese on Christmas day, 2003.” Picture: Serving his Lord - Wyndham Muspratt-Williams robed for service in the Sanctury at the cathedral. Needed If anyone has photographs of local shipwrecks, any age, any condition, I would sincerely like the opportunity to copy them for a project I am working on at present. Two of the ships that I especially need are the “Pati” (1976) and the “Kapodistrias” (1985). If anyone is able to help please contact the Diocesan Archivest, Warren Morris, at 041 360 3113. I will copy any photographs and return them to their owners asap, unless otherwise stated. Quick Links: Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Top | Homepage