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• The Vicar-General writes ...
• The view from
pulpit and pew
• Tag lines
• First birthday celebrations
• Thank you
The Vicar-General writes ...
To God’s people in the diocese of Port Elizabeth,
 May
the love of Jesus continue to be your hope and strength. Bishop
Bethlehem is on sabbatical leave, so the privilege of writing to you is
mine for a short while. I know that all of you join me in wishing our
bishop a blessed and restful time.
The cathedral remains without
a rector/provost. I appeal to you to pray to the Lord to lead us to the
right person for this very important ministry. Please continue to pray
until an appointment is announced.
1 March is Ash
Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. For most of us Lent has always been a
memorable part of our life in the church. I like the ashes. They remind
us of who we are and to whom we belong. We are Christ’s, and we
belong to a church that belongs to him. Each of us will be one of
millions who will walk out of the church with a cross of ash on our
heads. The words, “Turn away from sin and believe the good
news” (APB Page 164) will be ringing in our ears. Those ashes
remind us that we need a support group to help us to live up to our
baptismal promises. Well, we have a support group: it is our local
parish and the wider church.
The Gospels during the
Sundays of Lent tell us about characters who seem so real and vivid.
The Temptation of Jesus is always read on the first Sunday of Lent. The
hideous description of Satan given in Sunday school scared many of us.
The image of Satan doesn’t scare us so much any more, but the
reality of demons still troubles us, especially the personal demons we
have to wrestle with daily.
The dominant colour during Lent is
purple. Purple is inclined to evoke a tone of solemnity in us. Being
solemn helps us to focus on the journey toward Calvary. It is the
custom to avoid using the word “Alleluia” during Lent. This
is to make us aware that something is missing, and feel the need to
start looking for what is lost in our lives. In many parish
churches you will do something different from the normal during Lent.
This will help, I hope, to shift our attention to something which is
more substantial to our faith.
It is nice to have
Refreshment Sunday (Mothering Sunday) on the fourth Sunday of Lent. We
all feel the need for a break from our strenuous disciplines. It is
good to be reminded of the Lord’s provision for us and how aware
he is that we need respite and refreshment. It is also good to remember
that we can fail and need daily reviving by the spirit of Jesus.
Then
there is also fasting and abstinence. This is not an enjoyable part of
Lent. But fasting forces us to re-evaluate and examine our most basic
activities. This is the time when our bodies and spirits start to
wrestle with our urges. As we think about the things our bodies
crave, we are also forced to think about what the spirit within
us craves. This will make us pay attention and be more alert to the
stirring of the Holy Spirit.
Synod will meet from 25 to 28 May
2006 at St John the Baptist Parish, Walmer. Please pray for all the
preparations and for those you will elect to represent you.
I
hope you will enjoy Lent and see the season as an old friend that comes
to visit you year after year, a friend with whom you can argue knowing
that you will be a better person for being challenged. Pray that during
this Lent we will all be given the grace to be formed and transformed.
Love and Peace,
Leon Foster
The view from pulpit and pew
- iindaba is sad to announce two deaths:
- Retired priest, Ronald
Gwentshu, who died last month. Ronald was the husband to Ellen, and
father to Busiwe, who works in the Diocesan Office. His funeral took
place at St Augustine's in Walmer Qebera;
- Andrew Watt's mother, who also died last month. We extend our condolences to the families.
- Eddie Daniels, rector of St Saviour's in Walmer, visited his parents in
Johannesburg for two days in January, as his mother, Salomi, was ill in
hospital. Eddie's father, Ronald, is also an archdeacon - iindaba
wonders if there are any other fathers and sons (or indeed mothers and
daughters) who are archdeacons at the same time.
- Christopher
Holmes, rector of St Hugh's in Newton Park, had a different Christmas
Day this year. After presiding at the Midnight Mass at St Hugh's, he
went to Nanaga early Christmas morning to preside at the Nanaga
Methodist Church. Perhaps his years at Kingswood College put him in
good stead, although that was over 50 years ago!
- Neville Lobb, the chairman of iindaba, suffered a stroke recently, but we are glad to
report that he is making a good recovery and able to walk unaided.
After being in Greenacres Hospital and Aurora, he is now home, being
lovingly cared for by Christine.
- At the time of writing, Jacques Nell, younger son of Sharon and Piet Nell, was in Aurora, but
plans were afoot to move him to another care facility. Jacques is
suffering from a very rare brain disease. Please keep him and his
family in your prayers.
- Congratulations to Sharon Nell, rector
of the Zwartkops River Valley Parish, who was recently awarded her M
Phil through the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University; and also Susan
Holmes, who was awarded her B Ed by NMMU. Susan is now teaching maths
at Alexander Road High School.
- Recent arrivals in the
diocese are John and Joan Davis. John, a retired priest from the
Diocese of the Free State, now lives in Kenton-on-Sea, a favoured
retirement spot for clergy. Joan is the daughter of the late Hubert and
Doris Tanton. Hubert, an architect, worshipped at St John's in Walmer,
and was a great scout leader. He designed Christ-the-King in
Gelvandale. Joan has a sister living in Port Elizabeth - Rosemary
Rowse, who was the conductor of the Collegiate Carol Service for many
years.
- The farming community in the Kinkelbos/Nanaga area held
a service of thanksgiving for the recent rains. Although more rain is
needed, the community felt that so often prayers are held for rain, but
seldom do we remember to give God thanks for His precious gift when it
comes. As we join them in giving thanks, we also pray more of God's
blessing of rain for the farming communities here in the Eastern Cape.
- Some clergy moves are imminent, but iindaba does not have the details
yet, so next month we will be able to bring you up to date. What we can
report is that Elliott Banzana, currently rector of Holy Spirit,
KwaZakhele, is moving to St Timothy's in Motherwell before Easter.
- We welcome Ernie and Jenny du Plooy. Ernie is the new rector of Holy
Trinity United in Thornhill. His telephone numbers are:041 371 2188,
and cell 082 770 3998.
Tag Lines
There can be no happiness if the things we believe in are different from the things we do.
 First birthday celebrations
A first birthday is always a special time to celebrate, and so it was
when Christ Church in Kamma Park celebrated on Sunday 5 February.
The
little church was full as friends and family turned out for the
celebration Eucharist. Glynn Smith, one of the churchwardens from the
‘mother’ church of St Nicholas in Charlo, brought greetings and a
message. Saying she had felt such love and concern from everyone as she
and her husband, Mike, arrived, she went on to say, “I honour Lawrie
and Isobel for their courage in obeying what God called them to do.” Many of the congregation followed with testimonies of God’s love and
blessings as they have grown in him over the past year through
teaching, Alpha courses, cell groups and recently, a first for most, a
wonderful quiet day led by Sr Anna-Marie of the Franciscan Order.
Festive
balloons hung from the rafters, and the service was followed by tea and
by cutting and enjoying a very large birthday cake - with just one
candle, of course. After the party half the cake was taken to the frail
care home.
At lunchtime everyone gathered again at the home of
Dave and Jean Stewart to enjoy fellowship and a braai in their
beautiful tranquil garden.
(Pic)
Big, beautiful and tasty - A group of parishioners from Christ Church,
Kamma Park, admire the first birthday cake in anticipation of it being
cut. (Pic 2) Birthday blessings - Peter
Morris, member of Christ Church , shared a birthday with the little
church and was asked to have the joy of cutting the birthday cake.
Thank you
Please accept my thanks for your inclusion
of news about me when I was ill. I had four months in five different
hospitals! I thank all those kind people who prayed for me and sent
messages and cards and visited me. Truly I am so thankful to be a
member of God’s church family, and I testify that he was by my side
every step of the way, so here I am safely back in my little cottage.
He is SO Good!
Thank you for keeping me up to date with iindaba, and may God bless you in the year ahead.
Love,
Ray Smithers Quick Links: Page 1 | Page
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