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• The
Bishop writes .....
• Wider Anglican news
• The
view from pulpit and pew
• St Hugh’s MUCFL turns 80
• Tag lines
The
Bishop writes ...
My Dear People of God,
Easter, the crux of our faith
Greetings in the name of the risen Lord!
No Easter no faith. The apostle Paul puts it this way: “And
if Christ has not been raised from the dead, our preaching is useless
and so is your faith ... If only for this life we have hope in Christ,
we are to be pitied more than all people. But Christ has indeed been
raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen
asleep.” (1 Cor 15:12-20ff). What does Easter mean to us? I think
it means three things, namely: relationships, transformation and hope.
Relationships
Our faith is faith in the living God. We enter into relationship with
him when we accept him as Lord and Saviour. We journey with him through
life, from our baptism. God who has revealed himself in the person of
Jesus Christ walks with us individually when we believe and take
an act of faith to receive him. This relationship has both vertical and
horizontal dimensions. Once we encounter a “living God” who
indwells our lives, we are required to mind the neighbour and their
needs. Easter challenges us to acquire “eyes to see, hands to
reach out, arms to embrace and feet to go/visit.” Pray and take
courage to reach out this Easter so that the risen Christ may be seen
in you and those around you.
Transformation
When we are “in Christ” we experience transformation to
become brand new people. The old nature of hiding in our cozy corners
passes away. We get the guts of venturing into challenges of
transforming the world for the love of him who died our death (2 Cor
5:17; Gal 2:20). Christians who are simple pew warmers are not fit for
the service of the Lord. The early church grew both numerically and in
the quality of faith because Christians were active in transforming
communities. The city of Port Elizabeth together with our beloved South
Africa can never be transformed until the transformed people become
active to engage in the building of God’s kingdom. The moral
decay that surrounds us will continue to deteriorate for as long as our
mouths are shut against the evils that exist in the government circles
and communities of our land. Transformation must begin in your life
now, in order to transform your home and community with your active
engagement in bringing the joy of Easter to those who humbly believe.
Hope
Easter is about hope. Hope can be realized in three ways, so that
‘better life will come to all’. Our preaching of Christ
will be more effective when development is brought in. In our diocese
we are in partnership with Hope Africa with the purpose of bringing
quality of life to the disadvantaged of our communities by starting
self-help projects. Quality of life is about putting food on the table
three times a day - and things would be better still with
“teas” in between. People should have clothes, shelter over
their heads, jobs, schooling for the young, access to health services
and safety. This is the will of the risen Christ. Please visit the
needy and the lonely. Do you know how this brings a smile to those in
need? The risen Christ lives in you. Change the status quo by
“being-bright-in-your-corner.” Then people will be filled
with the love of the risen Christ and carry a smile on their
faces.
Hope is of the glorification of our mortal bodies. Sometimes
we may think that this will happen in the ‘by-and-by’. It
starts now. When we experience aches in our bodies, Christ remains the
ultimate healer. One of our friends wrote to me in an SMS when I had
heart ailments, “take courage bishop, claim your health from God,
he is the ultimate healer.” Immediately I took courage amidst so
many who prayed for my health. God glorifies himself in our mortal
bodies, now and not tomorrow. I am thankful to you for those prayers.
All I need to do is to take care of the mortal body. Yet this glory
takes us further to eternal life. A glorified body is the one that has
been used to bring about good works of the kingdom of God.
Laziness, fear, excuses, hibernating etc may prevent us from
realizing this glory.
Finally, it is the hope of resurrection and of eternal life. This is
the finality of our life. By the good we do in the name of Jesus and by
his grace, we attain to this state of life at the end. Read
meditatively 1 Corinthians 15 and listen to Paul unraveling the mystery
of resurrection. He concludes: “Always give yourselves fully to
the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is
not in vain.” Resurrection is about action by God through us.
May the joy of the risen Christ fill your hearts always.
Wider Anglican news
The “Anglican Episcopal World”
magazine has been suspended because of lack of funds. Jim Rosenthal,
the editor, will be putting news on a web page, ‘News and
Notes’. As soon as iindaba has more details of the page we will
publish them.
The Archbishop of Canterbury,
Dr Rowan Williams, launched the official programme for Lambeth
Conference 2008, ‘Equipping Bishops for Mission’, at
Lambeth Palace on 21 January. Joining Dr Williams on the panel were
Archbishop Ellison Pogo (Archbishop of Melanesia and Chairman of the
Design Group) and Archbishop Ian Ernest (Archbishop of the Province of
the Indian Ocean). Thirty bishops from 17 provinces around the Anglican
Communion also joined the press conference. Mrs Jane Williams outlined
the plans for the Spouses' Conference which is being held alongside the
bishops' conference. Jane Williams was joined by Margaret Sentamu.
Lambeth is being held 16 July - 4 August.
The Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON)
will be held in the Holy Land towards the end of June. This conference
is being called “by those members of the Anglican Family who see
themselves as orthodox Anglicans, who are upholding the authority of
scriptures, and believe that the time has come to come together to
fashion the future of our Anglican family.”
Pray for both conferences as they seek God’s sovereign will for our church.
The
view from pulpit and pew
-
Congratulations to Jacques Nell, younger son of Piet and
Sharon Nell, who returned to university last year after being
critically ill for some time. It was thought he would not be able to
return to his studies – but Jacques proved the doubters wrong.
Not only did he complete the year, but did so with distinction. Well
done, Jacques, and praise be to God!
-
Last iindaba mentioned that David McCoy of Alexander Road
High had achieved an A aggregate in Matric. iindaba is happy to report
another – David Green, who plays the violin in the music team at
St Paul’s in Parsons Hill. David matriculated at Grey where
he obtained 4 As and 2 Bs. Unlike David McCoy, who is studying music,
David Green will be studying towards a BSc in environmental studies at
NMMU, whilst continuing with his music studies.
-
Many changes are afoot in the diocese, and the next
iindaba will throw more light on the new archdeacons and canons.
However one move that has taken place is that Michael Julius has been
appointed rector of the Parish of the Great Fish River. No, iindaba has
not made a mistake, the Parish of the Great Fish River, consisting of
Saint Peter’s and Saint James in Cradock – with their many
outstations – has been re-constituted, and the Church of the
Ascension in Cradock is a separate parish again. At present there is no
rector there.
-
iindaba hears that a new rector has been found for Holy
Spirit, KwaZakhele, but has no details of his name or from where he
comes. Next month we will furnish our readers with his details!
-
Mrs Ruth Pityana, a remarkable lady who has played an
active part in the life of many, died after a short illness last month.
An obituary will appear in the next edition of iindaba. One of her
three sons is Professor the Revd Barney Pityana, vice-chancellor of
UNISA.
-
The members of All Saints’ in Kabega Park will be
paying more attention to the Protea’s tour of Sri Lanka –
not because their rector Howard Lancaster is cricket-mad, but because
of the inclusion of Robin Petersen in the team. Let’s hope he is
given more chance to prove his worth by playing in at least one of the
Tests. Robin’s parents, Eddie and Veronica, are lay ministers in
the parish.
-
Welile Kani, rector of Christ-the-King in Gelvandale, must
be very proud that his brother, the well-known and respected actor,
John, who will be appearing on the stage at the Opera House in Port
Elizabeth. The original cast of John and Winston Ntsona will be
performing the formerly banned play “Sizwe Banzi is Dead.”
They first played in it in 1972, and it has received international
acclaim. During the apartheid era, they were not allowed to perform in
the Opera House, so it is fitting that they play their parts for the
last time in the city of their birth, and in a place that was barred to
them in the past. The play, by Athol Fugard, also from Port Elizabeth,
will be staged from 25-29 March.
-
iindaba is happy to report that although she is still far
from being well, Margaret Durham is doing what so many do –
shopping, driving her car, cooking, making beds etc. Margaret denies
it’s because of her husband, retired priest Ben’s, cooking
that took her back to the kitchen. Margaret, you are in our prayers.
-
The group, mainly from St John’s, Walmer, who toured
Israel last year were thrilled to receive a souvenir bound copy of
sketches done during the tour by Talbot Cox. A great memoir!
St Hugh’s MUCFL turns 80
[Pam Shapiro]
Pic: Edith Stock, Brenda Hill (Deputy), Nomonde Qoto (Diocesan President of MUCFL) and Pam Shapiro attended the celebration.
St Hugh’s branch of MU Christian Family Life joyfully
celebrated its 80th birthday on 3 December 2007. A luncheon was held
and attended by our members, our clergy and staff, and our MUCFL
Diocesan President , Nomonde Qoto.
Our branch held its first meeting in 1927, and in those days Newton
Park was known as Fairview. The parish fell under the church of St Mary
the Virgin, whose rector at the time was Canon Mayo.
Today we are very aware of all the hard work, and the much
loving and caring done by the women in those early years - through the
great depression, and later, the Second World War. We give our grateful
thanks to our pioneering sisters who were always very mindful of being
part of a worldwide Anglican organization whose main concern was always
to uphold Christ’s teaching on the nature of marriage, and to
promote its wider understanding of Christian family life.
Tag
lines
Laughter is a tranquillizer
with no side effects.
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