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Vol 16 No 7 August 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  • The church and traditional healers  • Debilitating virus hits members of the diocese  • Retreat The Bishop writes ... My dear people of God, Greetings in the name of Christ, our Lord and Saviour! The Bridges of Hope Provincial Synod July 2005 has come and gone. Deliberations left us with enormous challenges in terms of our ministry and being a visible church. While we dealt with the legal side of Synod on the Agenda of measures by tidying up loose ends of Canons; motions passed dealt with real life issues. The theme: ‘Building Bridges of Hope’ challenged us to look at Poverty, HIV/AIDS, Theological Education and Human Sexuality, to mention a few. While we are challenged by Millennium Development Goals, the poor have always been the business of the Church. God fulfils Himself in many ways. For example, He brought the Salvation of Israel from Babylon by using the Persian king Cyrus to allow the exiles to return home in order to build the Temple as appointed by the Lord (2 Chr 36:22 - Ezr 1 : 8; Ezra 5 : 13 - 6:14 and Is 44 : 28 - 45 : 13). The United Nations, with all its political agenda, has a mandate to promote the welfare of all the people of the world and establish peace. It is my intention that early in August we meet as Synod delegates to compile a report of all that we have bound ourselves to do in the motions we have passed. A very fulfilling aspect of Synod is the joy of interacting with one another as CPSA family. Notable was the diversity of our languages both in worship and debates. We even had a Portuguese interpreter. We are indeed a jolly big and good family! We thank God for the privilege He gives us, the wisdom of the Metropolitan, the sacrifice of our legal team and the dedication of the Synod Secretariat together with the energies of the Provincial Executive Officer (PEO) and the Dean of the Province. All praise and honour to Him till the endless ages run. Traditional healers I wish to align myself strongly with the views of the Metropolitan and the Bishop of Free State on traditional healers insofar as clergy are concerned. It would be very inappropriate for ordained clergy to practice as traditional healers. While I believe that herbs are part of God’s creation to give us medicine, traditional healing most times tends to participate in “muti” cults for human sacrifice. Media has exposed these acts on various occasions. Clergy are sent, and so is every baptised person, “to go” into the world and make disciples, baptise and teach and train them for God’s glory (Mtt. 28 : 16 – 20). St Paul urges that the ministers of the gospel are in fact “ministers of Christ” and “Stewards of God’s mysteries” (1 Cor 4 : 1 - 5). Those who feel called to be servants of Christ, may not be allowed to train or practice as traditional healers. However, I concur with the view that members who choose to train as such, may not necessarily be debarred from Holy Communion, depending on what is involved in that training. If they are only herbalists I do not think there is a problem. But I think there is a problem when they act as mediums in invoking the spirits of the dead, rather than that of Christ in people's lives (2 Cor 6 : 14ff). As lights of the world let us reflect the light of the Light of God, even Jesus Christ our Lord (Mtt 5 : 13 – 16 ; Jn 8 : 12). With our very best wishes. Yours in the love of Christ, Bishop Bethlehem Nopece Picture: All the King's men - Joining Bishop Bethlehem in preparing to worship the Lord at Synod were Darryl Cotton of Diocese of Johannesburg, and some of our representatives - David Stansbury, Roger Schärges and Daryl Newton. The view from pulpit and pew Errol Johnson, a lay minister at St Hugh’s in Newton Park, offered to stamp the new NIV Bibles in the church, but was given the wrong stamp – thus there is a Bible in the church which is stamped ‘I certify that this is a true copy of the original’. What better stamp for a Bible! Christopher Holmes, Rector of St Hugh’s in Newton Park, recently went on holiday with his family, and on one Sunday morning they attended a service at St Katharine’s in Port Shepstone, where the lay minister was Jenny Lee, sister of our editor, Frankie Simpson. Members of the Diocese, especially those from St Paul’s, will be interested to know that the rector of the parish is Margie Wishart who was assistant curate at St Paul's during the incumbency of the late Ted Smithers and retired priest Peter Bowen. Margie is also the Archdeacon of Umzimkulu. Several clergy have been on sabbatical, and Howard and Sheila Lancaster returned from a trip to Australia where they visited Howard’s brother, Graham, in Brisbane. They flew to Australia via Singapore, and attended a Palm Sunday there. Howard is the rector of All Saints’, Kabega Park, and Sheila has just entered the elitist group of the retired! Dudley and Carolyn Greenshields have also just returned from sabbatical. During his leave, retired priest Peter Bowen cared for the parish. Retired priest George Bode, who lives at Laubscher Park in Walmer, now has a phone – 083 500 2114. George comes from German stock – hence the pronunciation of his surname ‘bow (as in bowtie) dee’. George spent most of his life running a shop in the Transkei, which tragically burnt to the ground. The House of Resurrection Haven elected a new chairman at the AGM which was held in June. She is Anne-Marie Gerretsen, manager of Personnel Development at the Dora Nginza Hospital, before which she worked at the Provincial Hospital. She succeeds Nobantu Makunga, who is vice chairman. St Hugh’s in Newton Park is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the building of the church on 5, 6 and 7 August. John Suggit, rector at the time of the building in 1955, and his wife Thelma, will be special guests for the weekend. A Eucharist will be held on Saturday 6th (Feast of the Transfiguration) at 09h00, where John will preach. This will be followed by a Flower Festival in the church. Teas will be on sale in the Mayo Hall, which was the original church! Professor Suggit will also preach on the Sunday at 08h00, when †Bethlehem will be the celebrant. The church and halls will be full of memorabilia from years past, and visitors are welcome. Iindaba recently heard of the death of Gordon Jenneker, a retired priest who ministered in our diocese some years ago with his wife Hope, also a priest. Gordon died during surgery. We express our condolences to Hope and the family. Hope also lost her brother, Alan Hendrickse, earlier this year. Thank you - The editor, Frankie Simpson, thanks everyone who has been praying for her recovery from a broken ankle. Despite all the pins and plates, she is able to walk and drive, and do some of her market research job at present. Most of all she praises the Lord God for His having gone before her, making things easier, and also for the power of the Holy Spirit who speeded up the healing process. Tag Lines Joy is the feeling of grinning inside.   The Church and traditional healers This article is reprinted from 'The Diocesan Link', newsletter of the Diocese of the Free State, with permission. Readers are referred to the Bishop's letter for his comments too. Several lay ministers, some of whom are members of the Fellowship of Vocation, have indicated their intention to train as traditional healers. Bishop Patrick (Glover) has discussed this matter with the Archbishop. Archbishop Njongonkulu has ruled, and this was endorsed by several of the bishops with whom Bishop Patrick raised the issue, that it would not be appropriate for an ordained Anglican clergy person to practise as a traditional healer. The archbishop and other bishops feel that church members would be confused by someone trying to combine his or her ministry as an ordained or licensed minister of the church, with that of a traditional healer. There would be an inevitable blurring and confusion between the Grace of God and the benefits of traditional medicines - which would not be helpful to the faithful. Consequently, church members need to be advised that they will not be considered for selection and training for the ordained or lay ministry whilst they persist in training for and in practising as a traditional healer. Also, a licensed lay minister will be obliged to return his/her licence and cease to function as a lay minister. However, members who choose to train as traditional healers will not necessarily be debarred from receiving Holy Communion. Debilitating virus hits members of the diocese A 'deadly' virus has once again hit the diocese causing problems that need urgent attention. This disease was first discovered in 34AD by a husband and wife team, Ananias and Saphira (Acts 5). It is an acute condition that renders the patient's hand immobile when he or she is called upon to move it in the direction of the wallet or purse and then to the offering plate. The remedy is to remove the patient from the House of God. It is clinically observable that this condition does not occur in other places like the supermarket, restaurant, music shop, video shop, club or pub. Of course the sure and lasting cure is to get right with God as this affliction is symptomatic of a more serious problem - heart trouble. A horrible dream I dreamed that the Lord took my weekly contribution to the church, multiplied it by ten, and turned this amount into my weekly income. In no time I lost all my furniture and had to give up my car. Why? I couldn't even pay the bond on my house. What can a person do on R200 a week? Suppose the Lord took your offering and multiplied it by ten and made that your weekly income. How much would you earn? God's reminder There is no such thing as "I cannot afford to tithe." Christian, you cannot afford not to tithe. Centre of Spirituality - Retreat Date: 4 - 6 November Conducter: Sister Annia Maria Venue: St Joseph’s Pastoral Care Centre Time: Arrival before 18h00 Friday Departure after lunch Sunday Cost: R275 Deposit: R100 Booking with deposit essential before 5 October Contact either Betty Ledger 041 581 1439 or Elizabeth Shier 041 581 4129 Quick Links: Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Top | Homepage