My dear brothers and sisters in Christ
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord, Jesus Christ. We hope that you have enjoyed Christmas, New Year and your holidays. May the joy of Christmas, the inspiration of the Epiphany of our Lord Jesus Christ and that of the Candle Mass which is closing the 40th day period from Christmas, continue to be a blessing to you as we journey together following our Lord Jesus Christ.
As we enter Lent, as your Bishop, we urge you to observe this time as following:
That of self denial, repentance, intercession and identification with the needy, and a way of listening to what God is telling us,
To follow our Lord’s example and other scriptural sources that teach us self-discipline as an aid to prayer,
To abstain as a voluntary act of lessening the quality of food one eats or denying oneself other pleasures,
To remember days of self-denial such as week days of Lent, all Fridays except Christmas, the Fridays following Christmas, Easter and Ascension Day, and also public holidays falling on a Friday. On these days let us remember the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ,
As Parishes, Chapelries and Congregations to engage in the following:
1. Give more time to prayer, Bible Study or spiritual reading.
2. By giving up luxury and using the money saved for “Theological Education in the Diocese for 2010.
BISHOPSBOURNE FAMILY
I thank Noncedo, Nokuzola, Mzinzisi, Aphiwe, Zipho, Anda, Esona, Mxoli (Driver) George and Maria (Chaplain), Diocesan Staff, our Canon Theologian Melany Adonis, Jabu of Raphael Centre, Tony Schnell of DSR, Canon Lubelwana OVC, Revd Noelene Arends HIV Co-ordinator, Mr Ndzengu - New Start HIV/Aids Programme, Monica and Heidi - Isibindi including Archdeacon Louis Flint our Congregational Development Officer for the wonderful support which they give me. It is a therapy and a gift from our Lord Jesus Christ. Nokuzola BSC, Hons in Chemistry – University of Fort Hare will be starting working on 1st April 2010 in Port Elizabeth. Zipho at DSG has passed Grade 9 and now doing Grade 10. Aphiwe has passed Level 2 Computer Science and now doing Level 3 at East Cape Midlands. Anda has passed Grade 5 at St Andrew’s College, now doing Grade 6 at St Andrew’s Prep. As a family we want to thank you all in the Diocese for your prayers and support in various ways.
EPISCOPAL MINISTRY
We thank God as we are in the second year of our consecration. The first year has been a year of double work. We had to do Episcopal work that was not done at a time there was no Bishop in the Diocese. It manifested itself in our actions on doing 450 confirmations per cluster, others 375, 265, 150 etc. Nevertheless, the joy, the co-operation and the fellowship which we received from you together with our calling is keeping us going forward. God in Christ through us managed to achieve the following:-
Launch of Diocesan Development Agency (Capraway Section 21 Company) 18th September 2009;
Inauguration of the new Diocese of Ukhahlamba;
Filling up of more that ± 18 Parishes vacancies with Rectors and Priests-in-Charge;
Appointment of Archdeacons and new Canons;
23 Clergy attended Business Investec, Rhodes University doing a Certificate in Management (Archdeacons Course). They have passed the following subjects:
i. Servant leadership;
ii. Administration and Strategic thinking, and
iii. Accounting and interpretation
A lot has been done and we are in a journey together, thanking God for the Dean and Archdeacons as we share the Episcopate. We are also grateful for the advice and prayers of the Canons and Honorary Canons of the Diocese. We are looking forward to 2010 challenges as we share the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ as priests, Deacons and the laity as the body of Christ.
CANTERBURY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME 26TH JANUARY TO 4TH FEBRUARY 2010
I had a privilege to attend conference for Bishops in the early years of their Episcopal Ministry. We were 27 Bishops from 20 countries. It was an informative and an enriching experience. I am grateful to the leadership of the course that granted the scholarship to me, for the financial support which I received from Archbishop ++Thabo and our Diocese. May God’s name be praised for such opportunities that grow us in order to grow God’s people in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.
SYNOD OF BISHOPS: 8TH – 12TH FEBRUARY 2010
We were summoned and attended the Synod of Bishops which was held in the City of Mbabane in Swaziland in a Diocese centre called “Thokoza Anglican Conference Centre”. We thank God for the wise, prayerful leadership of Archbishop Thabo and the love, fellowship which experience with one another as Bishops. Highlights of our Agenda were African Spirituality by Professor Mtuze. Discussions on CUC, Theological Education, African Communion matters, revision of the Canons, Bible and Hermeneutics by Prof. J. Draper, the opening of a section and hospitality was excellent and we thank God for Bishop Mabuza. The Synod was fruitful and thank you for your prayers.
UKHAHLAMBA NEWS
We are grateful for the leadership of Revd Gordon Johnson Vicar General. We received news from the office of the Archbishop that the people of the Diocese of Ukhahlamba could not elect their bishop and on the fifth ballot referred the matter to the Synod of Bishops to elect a bishop for them. By God’s Grace and prayers, we want to inform you that bishops on the 10th of February 2010 were able to elect a Bishop for Ukhahlamba. We congratulate +Mazwi Tisani as the first Diocesan bishop of Ukhahlamba. We rejoice with the people of Ukhahlamba and ACSA for this election. May God pour His grace on our daughter that she may grow under able leadership of Bishop Mazwi. Let us prepare ourselves to attend his installation on the 24th of April 2010.
THE ISSUES OF MORALITY IN ALL COUNTRIES IN WHICH ACSA OPERATES
This is to inform you that the Archbishop of Cape Town and Metropolitan of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa together with all the Bishops have made a collective press statement on the morality of our leaders and people in our countries in Southern Africa. Click here to read it.
The second statement made by the Synod of Bishops was “Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Draft Bill”. The Archbishop and Bishops humbly ask you to join us in prayers that our voice in the statement may be heard and that God may intervene through us protecting all people as they are created in the image of God. Click here to read it.
ACSA ISSUES
Click on the links below for:
Press Release Statement made by the Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba
Archbishop’s letter of appeal for Haiti
Statement of Archbishop Thabo and the Chief Rabbi on the issues of morality.
BREAK THE CIRCLE OF CHILD ABUSE – PRAYER CAMPAIGN
Let us join the campaign that fight against Child Abuse. Please find the document of those that are engaged in this campaign which will happen on the 30th of May 2010, which will be a day of Pentecost. Please be in prayer and join this effort. (See Annexure 5)
INVITATION TO AFRICA JUBILEE 2010 CONTINENTAL CONFERENCE
We are invited to attend the Africa Jubilee 2010 Continental Conference, which will be held in Abuja, Nigeria on the 15th – 21st March 2010. Should you wish to attend or send a delegation, find the attached invitation letter for visa and the registration from for the conference. (See Annexure 6)
HAITI
We in the Diocese of Grahamstown support the initiative by the Province to reach out to the people of Haiti following the massive earthquake on the 12th of January 2010.
We pray in particular:
for the Bishop of Haiti, Bishop Jean-Zache with 168 Congregations and only 40 active Clergy. We thank God that the Bishop and his wife are safe after their home collapsed in the earthquake.
for those who have died and their families and friends,
for those who have lost their homes and livelihood,
those that are still missing or trapped,
the injured and those who are caring for them.
We urge parishioner in the Diocese of Grahamstown to support relief efforts in Haiti.
We thank God for the support of the International Community to people who are traumatised because of the quake.
We are reminded that life is fragile and vulnerable but also the assurance of God’s loving compassion and care for His people, as the Psalmist says “in His hands are the depths of the earth and the picks of the mountains are His also. The sea is His and He made it: His hands moulded dry land” (Psalm 95:4-5).
This gives us the assurance that God is in control of His creation.
IMPORTANT DATES
Prepare yourselves for praying for the following dates:
1st April 2010 Maundy Thursday : Renewal of Vows
20th – 23rd April 2010 Synod
2nd May 2010 Ordination
29th August 2010 Family Day
27th November 2010 Churchwardens and Treasurers Budget Meeting
We will be blessed by your attendance which will affirm that in this Diocese we love one another as Jesus have loved us and that we are a body in Christ.
DIOCESAN ASSESSMENT BUDGET
We congratulate all Parishes for the following achievements:-
Assessment budgeted for 2009 was R4 300 037. 05
Payments received from Parishes was R4 066 410. 30
Percentage paid was 94.56%
Lent Offering received from Parishes for 2009 was R47 075. 20
We know that you can do better and we urge that all parishes through this Lent may give generously towards Theological Education in the Diocese.
Amount budgeted for Family Day 2009 was R230 000. 00
Amount received from Parishes by 31st December 2009 was R180 965. 00.
We pray that Bernard Mizeki Guild and AWF will pay their contributions which will bring us close to the budgeted amount.
After payments of the Gala Dinner we have received the following amount towards the deficit account - R154 064.49. Well done.
The Premier of the Eastern Cape Government – Ms Noxolo Kiviet promised to donate towards our Gala Dinner and we have received an amount of R50 000. 00. We thank God for her and her Cabinet for assisting us in the launch of our dear Capraway Development Company.
ARCHDEACONRIES
We have asked all Archdeacons to do the following:-
Each Archdeacon must operate within its archdeaconry according to the Acts of our Diocese,
To hold 4 Archdeaconry Council per year for purposes of love, fellowship, information and to seek God’s guidance in the issues that are affecting our common life and society,
That each archdeacon would look at the composition of the Archdeaconry Council according to our Acts of the Diocese and make sure that the relevant people are invited including all Guilds and other formations of the Diocese.
To create a sense of family and belonging which will flow into the Diocesan Family.
Archdeacon need to be respected (See Canon 15 and look at the Acts of the Diocese of Grahamstown Number D Archdeaconry Councils page 25 ).
BISHOP’S DIARY
For the Bishop’s Diary click here.
INTERCESSIONS: Please pray for:
Bishop Joe Tsubella of the Diocese of Highveld, who has started his chemotherapy and is in Hospital having scans and x-rays done.
Elective Assembly of the Diocese of Mpumalanga to be held on 20th – 22nd April 2010
Consecration of Bishop of Mpumalanga on 24th July 2010
Thank you very much for God’s love, for your love, for yourselves, for other people and your outstanding love for us and our Diocese. Again many thanks for what you have done in 2009. We pray that God in His Son Jesus Christ in the Power of the Holy Spirit may take us through 2010.
“Now to Him who is able to keep you from falling, and make you stand without blemish in the presence of His glory with rejoicing, to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power and authority, before all times and now and for Ever” Jude 1:24-25
Grace and peace.
Yours in the service of Shepherd of Shepherds
+Ebenezer Grahamstown
Bishop of Grahamstown
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