|
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
• Surrendering to Christ
• Rediscovering holy hunger
The Bishop writes ...
The Great story
My Dear People of God,
Greetings to all of you in the name of Christ, born to us as Saviour as at this time!
Year by year we celebrate the mystery of Christ in the church calendar,
beginning at Advent - Christmas - Epiphany, through to the very heart
of our faith in Easter celebrations. This is the mystery which
transmits the divine light in three ways: The history of the coming of
Christ; our response to him in spiritual nourishment of our faith; and
his coming again in glory.
1. Advent is the beginning of the church calendar. It is a time
of intense preparation for the coming of Christ at Christmas. Yet it
recalls his first coming as Lord and Saviour of humankind.
Historically, Jesus came in human weakness and manifested his divinity
to the world.
2. It is when we take that great story of his coming and make it
ours in our journey of faith that meaning is brought to our spiritual
understanding and growth. With our little stories we come to the Christ
made flesh, so that we may understand our humanity. The “Spirit
of Christ” continues to be with us in our participation in the
liturgy of our church year. When we speak of God’s Visitation, we
bring ourselves to the experience of God’s presence, the ultimate
Mystery making himself known in the Word made flesh in the Christmas
story (Thomas Keating: The Mystery of Christ).
3. The great story of Christmas continues to be told in the world
through us who believe. In the manifestation of Epiphany, Jesus is
proclaimed not only by word of mouth, but by our acts of love and
mercy. Our different stories of the experience of Christ begin at the
great story of Incarnation. It is when Christ comes to us that we begin
to come to grips with ourselves in understanding our worth (ubuntu).
When this happens, then we become eager to share the story of the
presence of Christ in us with the others -thus they also begin to
realise their worth. This telling of the great story of Incarnation is
an obligation, since we first affirm our faith at confirmation. When
hands are laid on us, we are charged to worship God, to witness to his
power of salvation, and render the due service to all the needy of our
world.
4. The great Christmas story compels us to bring joy to others,
and to lighten up many lives, and ease burdens of poverty, disease and
abuse of the powerless, the poor and oppressed at our doorsteps. This
is what Christmas means to believers.Finally, I am encouraged by the
many efforts you make to address HIV/AIDS in your communities. There
are success stories. However, I wish to encourage those whose outreach
ministry is not visible enough, to pull up their socks. Orphans and
vulnerable children continue to pose a great challenge to us and the
nation. Let us engage ourselves and save the children for a future
South Africa. The church is an ‘outgoing community’. Church
growth cannot be realised by a static community of believers. The Lord
adds to the number of believers those that are being saved, when action
and outreach is in place (Acts 2:47).
May God-made-flesh bless you this Christmas with joy and peace, with a bright and prosperous new year.
Yours in the love of Christ,
Bishop Bethlehem Nopece
Pic: Great
minds meet - Bishop Bethlehem and visiting speaker, Russ Parker, enjoy
a chat after Russ had addressed a group of people at St John's, Walmer,
during his visit to the diocese. See report below.
The view from pulpit and pew
-
Iindaba is sad to record the death of two members of the Order of the
Diocese: Peggy de Reuck from the Cathedral, and Jack Lake from St
Peter's, Kinkelbos.
-
Peggy was very much a part of the Cathedral
for many years. She and her late husband Des were both members of the
Order. Many friends and family gave thanks to God for her life at her
funeral service in the Cathedral.
-
Jack Lake was admitted to
hospital on his 88th birthday, and died ten days later. As it was felt
St Peter's, Kinkelbos would be far too small, the funeral was held at
St Hugh's in Newton Park. Only standing room was left in the church as
thanks were given for this gentle and loving farmer from the farm
Tankatara. Jack is survived by his wife, Joy (also a member of the
Order of the Diocese), three sons, and two daughters.
-
Iindaba is also sad to record the death of Joseph Xhallie, a
self-supporting priest from Cradock, who exercised a much-appreciated
ministry in Cradock, Somerset East and Cookhouse. Joseph, a school
inspector, was admitted to Greenacres Hospital on Friday 4 November and
died the next day. His funeral was held in the Church of the Ascension,
Cradock with so many people present that even the standing room was
taken up. Iindaba extends condolences to his widow, Nomvuyo, and his
family.
We give thanks to God for the witness of these three. May they rest in God's eternal keeping.
-
Ray Smithers, widow of Archdeacon Emeritus Ted Smithers, is recovering
after a long spell in hospital and at Aurora. She will be staying at
Maranatha Frail Care for a while before going to stay with her
daughter, Nanette Kable. Iindaba prays for a speedy recovery.
-
Jacques Nell, younger son of Sharon and Piet Nell, is seriously ill in
hospital in Cape Town. Whilst in theatre, having electrodes placed on
his brain to determine the reasons for his seizures, he suffered a
massive seizure, and was placed on a respirator in the ICU. Iindaba
asks its readers to continue praying for him and his family. Sharon is
assistant priest at St Hugh's in Newton Park.
-
Is there a
doctor in the house? Yes, but don't take your aches and pains to him!
Iindaba congratulates Eddie Daniels, rector of St Saviour's in Walmer,
on achieving his D Ed at the NMMU. His graduation will probably take
place during April next year. Last month Iindaba congratulated his wife
Nicky on her appointment as principal of the Museum and Snake Park
education centre. Young Joshua is certainly surrounded by
educationalists!
-
Iindaba is pleased to see that Ronnie
Allwright is all right! After his by-pass surgery, Ronnie is now
'firing on all six', and has taken up the reins of his ministry again.
We give thanks to God for his speedy recovery.
-
Mark Derry,
assistant priest at St Cuthbert's in Westbourne Road, and Lovemore
Mofu, self-supporting priest from the Parish of the Sundays River
Valley, have just returned from spending some time at Queen's College,
Birmingham, UK. This is part of an exchange programme, as three
students from the college came to St John the Baptist in Walmer earlier
this year. It was a wonderful experience for them, particularly for
Lovemore, who had never been further than Oudtshoorn, and had never
been in a plane before! He said that the highlights for him were
the lectures on other faiths, a visit to a synagogue, a visit to the
Cardiff Millennium Stadium in Wales, and a visit to William
Shakespeare's grave in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Tag lines
You can widen your life by yourself,
but to deepen it you need a friend.
Surrendering to Christ
Fifty
years ago a friend asked Michael Cassidy, “Have you ever surrendered
your life to Christ?” and during the last week of October this year, he
visited Port Elizabeth and shared his powerful testimony of half a
century of having opened the door for Jesus to come into his life.
That
act of surrender on 23 October 1955, began the growth of this man,
called by God, who started African Enterprise as the vehicle for the
great work of evangelising the cities of Africa. Using the letter ‘'T'’
Michael shared that in order to grow one needs: teaching and reading;
learning to trust Jesus completely; growing through times of testing;
and learning to tithe. On the latter he said, “If you do not tithe, you
deny yourself the wonderful blessings God promises.”
The PE leg
of his (Spiritual) birthday celebrations took place at Westway Bethel
Baptist church in Kabega Park on Friday 28 October. The church was full
with friends who have been involved with, and grown, through the many
missions and visits by AE team members.
Michael also spoke about
his latest book, “Getting to the Heart of Things”. It is a collection
of essays on more theological subjects which are relevant today.
Foxfires needed
The
Foxfire team entertained the audience with some awesome dances.  This
team is made up of young people who have set aside a year (or more) of
their lives to grow in the Lord and learn to evangelise. Clive Lawler,
leader of the Foxfire team, pleaded for young people to sign up for
next year. He said they especially needed more young white members in
order to truly reflect our rainbow nation of Christ.
Any young folk, or clergy, wishing to know more about this ministry
can contact Mvusi Gwam at the PE AE office: 041 373 2007
or on his cell : 072 112 4056
Pic:
With love from Michael - Dennis Burkinshaw and Christine Lobb asked
Michael Cassidy to autograph their copies of his latest book.
Rediscovering holy hunger
The
group of about 150 listeners, who attended an evening lead by Dr Russ
Parker, were challenged by words such as, “It matters to God how much
we want him, or not.”
Using Philippians chapter 3 as his
reference, Russ spoke on what happens when we lose our appetite for
God, and how to get it back. He challenged the listeners to grab hold
of the truth that, having been baptised into Jesus, one is with him at
his baptism when God says, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am
well pleased”, and to
start living with this truth.
Russ
was visiting our diocese under the auspices of the Algoa Christian
Foundation. He is the director of Acorn Christian Foundation, which
exists to resource and educate the church in the Christian healing
ministry. He has written a number of books which include: ‘Healing
Dreams’, 'Healing Death’s Wounds’, ‘Free to Fail’ and ‘Healing Wounded
History’ (which has a workbook co-authored with Michael Mitton).
Give a Chrismas gift!
Tour / Pilgimage to Israel for 10 days starting 13 March 2006
Experienced leaders:
Roy
Snyman tssf, who has visited Israel seven times and studied in
Jerusalem, and Pastor Rykie Steyn of Kingfisher Radio, who has made
dozens of visits and ‘knows Israel like the back of his hand’.
Cost per person sharing is R12 998 (from Johannesburg)
For more details and to book contact Roy 041 373 1283 (tel/fax/ans)
or 706 Park Sheraton, 44 Cape Road, PE 6001
Quick Links: Page 1 | Page
2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Top
| Homepage
|
