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• Nativity at Maranatha
• Ceremonial Verger (pic)
• Glorious Advent Service
• Advent Taizé Service
• Toyota / Christmas Cheer cheque
• Clergy widows enjoy lunch
• Lay ministers' meeting marred by drowning
• Painting up for auction
(see picture on right)
Nativity at Maranatha
At the end of November members of St Hugh’s Friendship Club
put on a simple nativity play for the residents of Maranatha Senior
citizens' village.
Reading from the Bible, and with all the very loved carols being sung
by all, the various ‘actors’, dressed simply, came forward
to the grotto and took their places. Everyone was there, from Mary
and Joseph to a host of angels (the oldest was 94 years of age),
shepherds and wise women. The gift of gold presented to the baby King
had quite a history, which Mike Wood shared with everyone. His
father, Philip Morley Wood, who had ended his ministry as Dean of St
John’s Cathedral in Mthatha, had given Mike the gold canister to
present when, as a child, he had been a wise man in nativity plays.
The last time he had used it was in 1958, and now it was serving the
same purpose for an adult nativity play.
Picture: Some of the group who put on the impromptu
nativity play at Maranatha
Ceremenonial Verger
Roy Saunders (86) was installed as the ceremonial verger of the
Cathedral Church of St Mary the Virgin on Sunday 14 November.
Roy and his wife, Dorothy, joined St Mary's when they arrived in PE
from Johannesburg 16 years ago. They joined the choir straight away
and also sang in the Oratorio Choir for many years.
Very handy at woodwork, Roy has willingly given of his talent to
make, mend and beautify whatever he was asked to do for the church.
He has also been an acitve member in many other duties - as has Dorothy.
Picture: Roy Robinson - Ceremonial Verger
Glorious Advent service
 Advent
Sunday evening service at the cathedral was a glorious time of
worship and preparation for the celebration of the first coming of
our Lord, while looking forward to His return.
The choir entered the dark church through the back door, moving in
procession from west to east, ‘from darkness into light’.
Beginning in the west with the 'Matin Responsory', announcing the
hope of the Messiah, and going into the ‘Veni, Redemp-tor
Gentium’, the choir then slowly processed down the centre aisle
towards the choir stalls. Prophetic readings alternated with choir
and congregational singing. Finally, in the lit sanctuary, the Advent
Gospel replaced the Prophets.
Everyone enjoyed the beautiful old hymns and carols, ending with
‘Lo! He comes with clouds descending,’ which made a
wonderful start to Advent and prelude to the festive season.
Picture: Up the back stairs - The head-server leads the
procession through the back door at the start of the Advent service.
Advent Taizé service
Advent Sunday evening was celebrated at All Saints’. Kabega
Park, with a quietly meditative Taizé Service.
Esmé Bowren attended the service and had this to say about it,
“I walked into a most beautiful church, ablaze with candles and
flowers, which brought tears to my eyes. It set the mood for the
evening. The choir sounded like angels from heaven, chanting and
reading their pieces without a hitch, and the time of intercession
was so uplifting. I just know the Lord heard every prayer, whether
prayed aloud or in our hearts.”
Picture: The Holy Table and sanctuary of All Saints'
church, ready for the Advent Taizé meditation service.
Toyota / Christmas Cheer cheque
On Wednesday 15 December Ken Simpson collected a cheque for R29
704 from Toyota, which is the House of Resurrection Haven’s R3
from each of the 9 544 competition tickets sold by the Haven team.
Another six months of very hard work was well rewarded with the money
for the Haven. A target of 8500 tickets sales was given to Ken at the
launch in June and he and his team of hard workers managed to sell
well above that. Ken asked Iindaba to please thank everyone who sold
tickets and everyone who bought a ticket sold in aid of the Haven.
The only cloud was the 40 ‘lost’ books, and sadly, one of
the diocesan organisations managed to ‘lose’ 17 of those
books of tickets. That pans out to 170 tickets at R5 ... well it is a
lot of money to ‘lose’.
Picture: Ken Simpson accepts the cheque on behalf of the
House of Resurrection Haven, from Toyota Business and Sales manager,
Tony Henebrey, while Liz Jeal of Toyota marketing looks on.
Clergy widows enjoy lunch
On 10 December Bishop Bethlehem once again invited the clergy
widows to join him for lunch and fellowship to celebrate Christmas,
and to thank them for their faithful service over the years and their
prayers for him and the diocese.
The lunch was held at the Port Elizabeth club and enjoyed by all the
nine widows who were able to join the Bishop. As Mazoe was unable to
accompany him as his hostess, his daughter, Nanthi, graciously took
on the role.
Picture: Enjoying lunch and fellowship - Val Heath, Ruth
Harker, Clemency Atkinson (Shaw), Mary Jourdan and Jessie Haya.
Lay ministers' meeting marred by drowning
Saturday afternoon 6 November saw about 100 lay ministers gather
at St Michael and All Angels in Schauderville for fellowship around
soup, sandwiches and pudding before going into the church for their
final training session of the year.
The afternoon was marred by the news that Bishop Bethlehem was
delayed by the tragic drowning of 15 year old Bathanowa Ngqondela of
St Peter’s, Zwide. As they waited, the lay ministers formed
small groups and discussed the highs and lows of their year of
ministry. This proved very interesting as they realised the vast
differences in what the various clergy expected of their lay
ministers, from those who were strictly ‘chalice bearers’
to those who were expected to preach, lead house churches and take
funerals and morning services.
When Bishop Bethlehem arrived, the lay ministers prayed, together
with him for the Ngqondela family.
In his teaching, Bishop Bethlehem reminded everyone that they were
‘Ministers of Christ’ and as such are the ‘hands of
the priest’ just as the clergy are the hands of the bishop.
“You are to think of yourselves as Christ's servants, stewards
and trustees. You are to bear the character of Christ, immersed in
love, compassion and inclusiveness (for transformation), until your
life is wholly lost in Christ.”
The first training afternoon of this year will be on: Saturday 5 February.
Painting up for auction
Well-known artist, Don Bell, has generously donated his painting
of Jesus on the Cross titled “It is finished” to St John
the Baptist Anglican Church to be used as a fund-raiser for its
mission and outreach programmes.
All those interested in purchasing the painting are welcome to submit
a “bid” via e-mail or postal address
St John the Baptist Church, 40 8th Avenue, Walmer, 6070
All “bidding” will close on 31 March 2005 whereupon the
highest bidder will take ownership of the painting once full and
final payment has been received.
The painting can be viewed at St John’s Church between 9 am and
1pm weekdays.
(See picture at the top
of this page)
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