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• The
Bishop writes .....
• Prison ministry growing fast
• What a party
• The
view from pulpit and pew
• Tag lines
The
Bishop writes ...
My Dear People of God,
Greetings in the name of the Risen Christ!
Racism
I have been reading a book, “Small Island”, by Andrea Levy,
in which she handles the challenges England faced after 1948. Weighty
matters of English colonialism, racial prejudice, the aftermath of the
war and love as well. It does not surprise me that since those colonial
days, and apartheid, racism and prejudice on account of colour are
still rife among us. Sadly, even those within the church circles are as
guilty, as they display their sinful attitudes of racism and hate.
Even now, in our new and fragile democracy, racism still surfaces in
many of its ugly facets. The University of Free State, some other
centres of learning, the Black Editor’s Forum, communities, the
church and work places, have not displayed the desirable knowledge of
God’s law of love. The Diocese of Port Elizabeth is no exception.
The pain is to observe racial attitudes even among those who claim to
know Jesus as personal Lord and Saviour according to the Scriptures.
What a pity! Obviously there are ‘weeds among the wheat’
(Read Mtt 13:24ff). Jesus is right in saying that ‘let them grow
together until the harvest’. It is one thing to be a member of
the church. It is something else to be ‘in Christ’ (2 Cor
5:17ff). When church people know Jesus as Lord, love becomes genuine
and sensitivity towards one another is exercised (Rom 12:9), thus the
Lord blesses us with an increase both in the quality of faith and in
numerical strength.
Derogatory words like ‘kaffir’, ‘malawu’,
‘albinos of the sea’ (iinkawu zaselwandle) and
‘baboons’, as well as those that cause offense like
‘monkey’, must be removed from our vocabulary. I appeal to
you to offer yourselves to God as a living sacrifice, and pursue love,
fellowship, unity and embrace. Otherwise God shall never change this
world through us.
The Sharia Law
The comments of the Archbishop of Canterbury on the Islamic Sharia law
that it was “unavoidable” to incorporate some of its
aspects into the English legal system has raised great concern
among some of us. I have read the full text of his speech and have
asked the Canon Theologian to look at this and advise accordingly. We
shall also consult with our legal Fraternity. We are all concerned that
liberal theology seems to be down playing the Bible as the Word of God
to just ‘a primary source’ document of our faith. Added to
this is the attitude that everything from other religions must be
embraced unequivocally, and that Christian Faith is always the
‘guilty party’ in theological debate. There is no more
‘antichrist’ or anything sinful. Should these be mentioned,
a judgmental element has already been employed for doing so. This
distresses us. We appeal to you for your prayers for the church and her
leadership daily.
The Bishop’s Consultative Council (BCC)
The collation of the BCC was a happy and fulfilling service to us. Many
thanks for your ever appreciated support. We apologise to the
churchwardens for the behaviour they found upsetting from some of our
clergy towards the Bishop at the Wardens’ Meeting. The process of
change is uncomfortable to the ‘old’, especially those who
claim ‘more than ten years’ in the leadership of the
Diocese. It is a great pity that things have to be so in the business
of Christ! We are indebted greatly to the Registrar and the Chancellor
for all the work they have done in helping the Bishop put his
Consultative Council into place. May the Lord add more blessings on
them. Blessed are those who take no offence on us and our mission to
the world. One leg of the call of Diocesan Synod 2006, to revisit the
structures, has been completed. The Structures Committee has also
submitted their recommendations on resource management. Hopefully, we
shall bring you into the light on this one in the next letter. The
Sanballats and Tobiases cannot win where the Lord is in charge, and
“the people eager to work” (Neh 4:1ff).
The Risen Christ appeared in the upper room and stood among his
disciples and said: “Peace be with you!” and the disciples
were glad to see the risen Lord.
May the Peace of the Risen Christ fill your hearts always.
Yours in the love of Christ,
Prison ministry growing fast
Help is needed for this ministry to succeed
iindaba spoke to our prison chaplain, Jogra Galant, and heard that she
now has to run two classes for the Bible students at St Alban’s
Prison as there are 550 who have signed up for this year. Not
only is she running classes for the inmates but her theological
students are also running small Bible study classes for the juveniles
and the veterans. The Lord has blessed this work and iindaba hopes that
readers will become part of that blessing by offering her help in
whatever way they can. The large numbers of students has meant a
logistical headache for Jogra as she needs funds, or help in kind, to
make that number of copies of the lessons each week. She is not
receiving funding from the diocese so has to rely on parishes and
individuals to help her. Anyone who would like to help can contact her
at home on: 041 481 7654 or through the parish office at St Mark and St
John, where she is the assistant priest, 041 457 2033.
Pic: Some
of the new Theological students at St Alban’s Prison with our
prison chaplain, Jogra Gallant, and her two helpers Judy Arendse and
Jenny Derrocks.
What a party
[Hazel Braun]
A generous donation from a well-wisher enabled the St
Mark’s Mission to provide a party for 300 children - as per the
kind donor’s request.
The inclement weather did not deter the enjoyment and excitement of the
grateful children who went home with smiling faces and satisfied
tummies.
Pic: Some of the children who enjoyed the party provided by a well-wisher.
The
view from pulpit and pew
-
Now you see him, now you don’t. Musa Daba left the diocese unannounced,
and he and Lavinia and their daughter are in Bermuda, where iindaba
hears Musa is working. We wish them happiness in their new home and
country. Perhaps he is wearing a dog collar and Bermuda shorts as his
uniform!
-
Three of the clergy canons have names beginning with
‘M’ – Mike McCoy, Mario Hendricks and Mark Derry, the odd one being
David Stansbury. Do we refer them as the 3M? We can’t, as that’s a
registered name. However they are not as biblical as in the old days,
when we had Peter, James and John as archdeacons – Peter Bowen, James
Haya and John Dumesweni. The odd one out in those days was Neville
Whitford, archdeacon of Uitenhage. Peter Bowen, the only survivor of
the team, lives with his wife and soul-mate Valerie in Bushmans.
-
What
does one call a lay canon? Are they still Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms, or are
they called Canon Smith etc? In England, where there have been lay
canons for some time, they are referred to as ‘Mrs Sheila Smith, Lay
Canon’. So there you have it!
-
In one part of the collation of
the archdeacons and appointment of the canons, Ethel Pittaway from St
Nicholas in Charlo didn’t know where she belonged, as she was once
referred to as Yvonne, and that she was from St Ninian’s – which is an
isiXhosa-speaking congregation in Somerset East! She quickly checked
her licence, resplendent with the Bishop’s seal, and was relieved to
find she was indeed Ethel Pittaway from St Nicholas.
-
Lorna
McCoy, wife of our new canon, Mike, had a shocking experience recently.
On a Monday evening last month, the evening of the thunderstorms over
Port Elizabeth, Lorna was in the shower, and got the shock of her life
– a genuine one. A lightning flash obviously hit the house, and Lorna
had a massive jolt go through her body. Fortunately she was standing on
a rubber mat which probably saved her life! Not so lucky were their
television, Mike’s computer and other electrical appliances which were
‘zapped’.
-
‘Churchwarden becomes rector of St Peter’s, Zwide’.
Such a headline would probably cause a bit of consternation, but that
is exactly what has happened at St Peter’s, Zwide, where the Bishop has
appointed Churchwarden as rector. This is because the new rector’s name
is Churchwarden Mkhwanana Mgedezi. Perhaps his parents had high hopes
for him, not realising that he would step out of the laity into
the priesthood. Unfortunately his wife, Sweetness, is presently
teaching in Mount Fletcher, the other side of Umtata on the way to
Matatiele. She travels to their new home every Friday and returns
Sunday afternoons. The good news is that she has now got a post in Port
Elizabeth, but the department is a little slow in processing it. Your
prayers for a speedy transfer will be much appreciated!
-
Henk de
Groot, retired priest who assists at St Paul’s in Parson’s Hill, has
flown to Australia to be with his eldest daughter, Reneé. Henk, a
widower, is a retired doctor who spent many years in obstetrics in
Livingstone Hospital.
-
iindaba congratulates our Diocesan
Secretary Emeritus, Dennis Burkinshaw, on his 90th birthday. May he
enjoy many more years in good health and happiness. We want to hear
more of his wonderful stories!
Stop press!
-
iindaba is
sad to hear of the death of Bishop Bethlehem’s youngest brother,
Fundani Ferrington Nopece. He died suddenly on Sunday afternoon 9 March
whilst driving to hospital. His wife, Bongiwe Natasha, was with him. He
leaves behind 5 children, three sons and two daughters.
-
As we
were going to press we had news of - Nicollette Leonard, assistant
priest at St John’s, being very ill; - Jacques Nell having had an
operation for broken arm bones. He had been attacked at the beachfont.
Jacques is the son of our new archdeacon, Sharon, and husband Piet.
May the healing of the Lord be theirs.
Tag
lines
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