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• Synod 2006
Sub headlines -
• Youth matters discussed
• Orthodox Doctrine affirmed
• Da Vinci snoops
• Editorial comment
• In brief
Synod 2006
Youth matters dicussed
Nicolette Leonard, the youth chaplain, brought a motion on young people and their needs.
Accepted was:
•
The Bishop ensures that issues involving young people feature
permanently in the programmes of the Diocese, and that they are
afforded the necessary attention they deserve.
• That such
programmes have a fair representation of young people who be given the
opportunity to express their views and make contribution without any
fear of intimidation.
• Funding and supporting the ministry of
young people in this Diocese is continued at its current levels, with
consideration given to increased funding in the future.
•That
this Diocese employs a youth co-ordinator whose function will be to
organise and co-ordinate the internal youth programme of the Diocese.
Age of youth
The
second resolution Nicolette brought was on the “age of
youth.” She said, “Effective development, nurturing and
training of young people cannot take place because of the huge
discrepancies in the age. The age group 13-17 years is an extremely
vulnerable group, but are often excluded from formal youth gatherings.
This group falls within the formative years in developing an
understanding of faith.”
Synod resolved that clear age
groups for youth structures be demarcated for all parishes in the
Diocese. The following were decided on:
13-17 years of age to form junior youth groups;
18-25 years of age to form senior youth groups;
25 years of age to 30 years of age to form young adult groups.
Pics
- 1) Synod is such hard work ...! - (left) St Cuthbert's clergy,
Mark Derry and Ralph McGuigan looking very relaxed, while Brenda
Southey and Harland Dix-Peek are preparing for the beginning of the
next session. 2) St Francis Xavier lay representatives Daphne
Scheepers, Julian Erasmus and Prudence Clayton are ready for work
again. 3) Lunch break and the clergy catch up on news. Zandisile
Nongauza and Mthetheleli Vena.
Orthodox Doctrine affirmed
Lawrie
Wilmot, priest-in-charge of Christ Church, Kamma Park, proposed a
motion on the Affirmation of Orthodox Doctrine and Ethics.
Giving
background to the influence of ‘revisionist’ teaching in
the CPSA, he asked synod to make a clear affirmation of our continued
commitment to the historic, Biblical and apostolic faith as expressed
in the founding documents of Anglicanism, together with the Creeds,
Baptismal promises and Ordina-tion promises of the APB 1989. He asked
that Anglicans affirm clearly the ethical implications of our continued
discipleship of Jesus Christ, especially in the areas of monotheistic
worship (the first Commandment), and sexual morality (the seventh
Commandment); and to publicly reject and warn against the dangers of
any teaching which undermines or contradicts historic Christian
doctrine, regardless of the apparent authority of its source. He closed
by affirming our Bishop.
Andrew Symes, self-supporting priest at
St Nicholas, seconded the motion, saying that we want to remain
Christians according to the Bible and that the world is watching the
Anglican church in SA as the rest of Africa are very clear on their
interpretation of the Bible, whereas the CPSA is not.
Theological commission
Another
motion on orthodoxy, this time to do with the training of clergy and
laity, was brought by Rory Middlecote, rector of the Parish of the
Karoo.
Rory introduced the motion by saying, “This synod
joyfully and humbly accepts our calling to continue the ministry of
Jesus Christ in the power of His Spirit and rejects the influence
of secular humanism - in that it undermines the teaching of Scripture
and our tradition as expressed in the Creeds.” He asked that a
theological commission be set up to make recommendations regarding the
formation and training of our clergy and laity, so that the type of
education and training being given upholds the authority of the Bible
as the inspired Word of God: ensuring that the creeds with their
insistence on the Trinity; creation; the Virgin birth; the death and
physical resurrection of Jesus; His subsequent ascension and
glorification; the work of the Holy Spirit empowering His church is
being upheld and taught. He also asked that links with other orthodox
theological institutions in Africa and around the world be established.
The
motion was accepted, and the Commission is to give a progress report to
Diocesan Council within a year, and to report back to the next session
of Diocesan Synod.
Da Vinci snoops
Da Vinci made an appearance at Synod and snooped around for anything that smelled of a conspiracy!
•
What were the rectors of the Great Karoo Parish and of St Hugh's doing
in fancy chasubles? No conspiracy ... just Christopher Holmes giving
choir vestments to Rory Middlecote to use up north.
• David
Stansbury was in the middle of speaking from the podium when he was
interrupted by the ringing of a cell-phone somewhere in the hall. His
consternation quickly turned to embarrassment when he realised it was
his phone ringing from his seat in the hall! He was sure there was a
conspiricy afoot.
• Ruthell Johnson wondered if it was a
conspiracy when Synod members were thanking him for the good lunch had
on Friday ... until he discovered it was his own parish of St Paul that
was providing the meal. As he is on sabbatical, one can forgive his
lack of information!
• It is no conspiracy that Welile Kani
celebrated his birthday on the last day of Synod, so was grateful when
all was wrapped up by 18h00. iindaba wishes him a good year ahead.
Pic: Welile Kani
Editorial comment
Financial implications hamper progress
We
celebrated the festival of Pentecost (Shavuot) on Sunday 4 June.
Pentecost, one of the three great festivals given to the Jews by
Almighty God. A harvest festival of God's wonderful provision, the
festival of ‘first fruits’ (bikurim), the festival of
bringing in the tithes. A time when the Jews went up, in great joy, to
Jerusalem to present their ‘first fruits’ and tithes to
God. This is also the time of celebrating the giving of the law - the
Word.
Some of the motions brought to synod had financial
implications, and this caused representatives to hesitate in accepting
them. Sadly, the reason is that many of the churches in the diocese are
battling to meet their commitments and so are unable to give more. Why?
Because the people of God have not learnt to give of themselves to God,
to give of their possessions to God, and to give of their time to God.
God asks for the first fruits ... the first tenth of what you receive.
That is, your gross income, including any perks.
When David
Scott was rector of All Saints' in Kabega Park in the 1980s he did some
in-depth teaching on Shavuot and tithing. However, he first sat down
with some members of his parish council and discussed his own tithe.
Using his example of what he felt his package for tithing included
(amounts have been brought up to date):
• basic stipend R5 220
• service allowance at R42 per year service (10 years) = R420
• travel allowance R3 100
• house at present average rental R2 500
• water, lights, rates R1 000
• telephone (personal) R350
• parish contribution towards medical aid ±R1 000
This is a (conservative estimate) package of R12 690 per month.
Extras such as Easter offering, weddings, funerals etc. would be tithed as received.
This
means David would be tithing a minimum of R1 269 today. If he were
receiving more for a house allowance, travel etc then the tithe would
increase by 10% of that amount.
Laity challenged
So
now it is up to the laity (that is you and me in the pew) to see that
we also bring in our full tithe to God. In only one place in the Bible
does God ask us to test him, and that is in Malachi 3:8-10.
Be blessed by obedience to God.
"If you do not tithe you deny yourself the wonderful blessings God promises." (Dr Michael Cassidy)
In brief
Medical Aid
The Bishop is to establish a Commission to investigate the implications of treating all stipendiary clergy equally in terms of
the parish contribution, irrespective of the Medical Aid they choose to belong to.
MDG
Synod
requested the Bishop to establish a commission to study the Millennium
Development Goals as prescribed by the UNDP 2004; to work towards the
implementation of these goals; and to facilitate partnerships with
other organisa-tions within this Diocese involved with programmes
linked to the Millennium Development Goals.
Habitat for Humanity
This
Motion looked at the need for decent, safe and affordable housing in
the area our diocese serves, and applauded the work done by Habitat for
Humanity in building both homes and communities.Synod resolved to
appoint June Crichton to liaise with Habitat for Humanity on behalf of
the diocese and to report back to diocesan Council with recommendations
for further action.
Diocesan structures
Synod
accepted a motion that at the first meeting of Diocesan Council a
committee of five competent persons be appointed to investigate the
need for new diocesan structures to enable the diocese to work more
efficiently.
HOPE Africa
Noting
that the people of our diocese need greater exposure to ways of
eradicating poverty, and that a vital component of our Christian
discipleship and mission consists in ministry to the poor: Synod
requests the Bishop to implement Resolution 20.4 of the Acts and
Resolutions of the Thirty-first session of the Provincial Synod 2005 as
soon as possible, and to engage with people to provide information
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