Umbuliso
The
Greeting
Newsletter of the Diocese
of Grahamstown
Lent 2007: Vol 30
No. 1
Bishop Thabo writes:
Epiphanytide: mystery of the Incarnation
Lent Appeal: St Michael’s
Adelaide
Consider going on a Quiet Day (Spirituality Department)
St David’s Queenstown
feeds the hungry
Church gives away land at
Bholothwa
Youth and Mission Chaplain
for St Alban’s East London
Irish sponsor visits
Grahamstown
Umbuliso uyakubulisa (short items of news and greetings)
Synod to meet
The Bishop of Grahamstown has summoned a
one-day Synod of the Diocese, to meet at St Alban’s Church East London on
Saturday 3 March.
The purpose of the synod is to look at the possible multiplication of the Diocese of Grahamstown. The issue is to decide the best pattern of episcopal oversight of the “Gift Area”, which at present consists of the northern part of the Diocese of Grahamstown and the southern part of Free State Diocese. Should this become a “missionary area”, or a “missionary diocese”? Any decision taken by this Diocesan Synod will be taken to the Synod of Bishops in terms of the Canons.
This follows a “Northern Region Imbizo” which is to be held on 9-11 February in Aliwal North.
Ordination of priests: Cathcart couple makes history
On 9 December Bishop Thabo ordained eight self-supporting
priests in the Cathedral: Monica Hobongwana (Cathcart), Velile Sono and Patrick Walaza of St
Michael’s Sterkspruit, Zamile Dlanjwa of St Mark’s East London,
Nkosiphendule Matshaya of Good Shepherd East London, Aaron Hobongwana of
Cathcart, Tobile Makalima of St Alban East London, and Sue Paton of Hogsback.
By no means too old, Aaron and Monica Hobongwana of
Cathcart, both in their 80th year, were ordained priests by Bishop Thabo on 9
December.
Fire at St
Matthew’s: “Thatch” house destroyed
By Christopher Cook
It was most sad to hear that on
Sunday morning, 10 December 2006, the Rector, Fr William Nkomo SSM, discovered
the long building across from the Rectory had been destroyed by fire during the
night.
This historic building
has always been known as “Thatch”, and over the years when Fr Robin
Briggs was the last Warden, and during my years as the first Rector of St
Matthews, it was used as a Conference Centre and Parish Office. Before 1940 it
served as accommodation for St Matthew’s College Staff. During 1941
– 1942, Cullen Hostel was rebuilt after the fire and a new staff house
was built close by. The
Warden’s Report of 1942 says “This will mean the closing of
‘Thatch House’ which has served for this purpose until
now…”
It was one of the early
buildings at the
In 1858 the Revd
William Greenstock took charge of the mission and started industrial education.
Possibly bricks would have been made during that time, and there is still
evidence of where brick making was done by the river.
The two Religious
Communities closely associated with St Matthew’s are the Community of the
Resurrection (Grahamstown) and the Community of St John the Baptist at St
Cuthbert’s in the
The CSJB Sisters
ministered from 1977 until 1986. The Rondavels to the right of Thatch were
developed into a small community house by adding two extra rooms and a small
Chapel. On 30 March 1977 Bishop Kenneth Oram, the Bishop of Grahamstown,
blessed and opened the house and Chapel, which was dedicated to
Victim of an electrical fault, the historic building
“Thatch” is left a smoking ruin.
Shocked, Rector William Nkomo SSM stands in
front of the ruin.
Christopher Cook, Rector of St
Matthew’s from 1970-95, writes:
We thank God for the many
people who have loved and worked with God’s people at St Matthew’s,
but let us pray for Fr William their Rector, and for the people of the parish
in these difficult days, who strive to keep the Faith and hold together in such
a widely scattered and depressed rural area. But what of the future for this
ancient centre of the parish where the decaying remains of three buildings, the Children’s
Home, the CSJB Convent and now Thatch, lie as derelict soulless mounds of
uncleared rubble and weeds? These were vibrant places filled with prayer and
activities of children and people. It does not take much imagination to think
of the reaction of visitors and those young people who read
“Shades” at school, written by
Marguerite
Over the years, I have
put together a number of notes on the History of St Matthews, and hope in time
to bring them together in some order.
I should be most grateful if anyone has articles or historical facts you
could share with me.
Email: cacook@mjvnco.za
Bishop Thabo
writes…. Epiphanytide: Mystery of the Incarnation
Dear People of God
Greetings! Happy new year to you all!
Advent reminded us of the tension of the Hope, of the coming and ever
presence of the long-expected Emmanuel, and the joy that his birth at Christmas
would bring. In the Christmas
issue of Umbuliso I appealed to the importance of keeping in mind a
picture of dialectical relationship of the victorious, resurrected Lord, and
the crucified and dying Lord. In this article I add two other important
dimensions to bear in mind, in our struggle to understand the Triune God,
especially at this time, as we celebrate the incarnation of God, Word becoming
flesh to dwell amongst us humans.
A
story will best capture the point I wish to make. Sundays to Thursdays
in my weekly programme, I either celebrate
the Eucharist or attend a Eucharist service. The “sacrament of the
altar” and the mystery of encountering Christ in this act of thanksgiving
is real. Paul (I Col.) and Luke say, at the altar when we celebrate the
Eucharist for the whole Church, we do this in remembrance (amnesis) of
him and we proclaim his victory until he comes again. This is a paschal mystery,
the one Advent reminded us about, the joy whose birth we celebrate and whose
incarnation we recall at Epiphany.
However,
the picture cannot end there, with the mystery of “the sacraments on the
altar”. In the same Eucharistic service, we are also sent “into the
world to love and serve the Lord”, i.e. sent to encounter Christ’s
mystery in the sacrament of our brothers and sisters. We are charged to go and
see Christ incarnate in ordinary people, especially in all the marginalised of
our society, the poor, outcasts, raped, gay, unemployed, imprisoned, sick,
displaced, lonely and the dying, and to proclaim Christ by serving them.
Allchin
(1978), in his book This World is a Wedding, warns of the dangers of
being “dis-incarnate, too exalted to be rooted in man’s
(woman’s) creatureliness.” Keep the balance, keep the hope, do not
be overwhelmed by the tasks and ills of society.
I
urge all the people of this diocese as we begin 2007, in celebrating
Epiphanytide this year, and in recalling the incarnation in your daily life,
you do well to keep in balance the mystery of the manifestation of Jesus in the
Sacrament at the altar, and the mystery of the manifestation of Jesus in the
sacrament of our everydayness, through other human beings, especially those different
from us. Let us keep the mysteries of these sacraments balanced before us
always, as we proclaim the good news to all.
God bless you all.
+Thabo
Cluster
confirmations: the benefits of getting together
During the last two or three years
“Cluster Confirmations” have become a regular feature of the
Bishop’s schedule. They serve the practical purpose of bringing the
people to the Bishop when his full diary makes it impossible to visit each parish
individually every year. At the same time, they help people from the various
parishes of an Archdeaconry or region to get to know one another. Seen here
outside the Cathedral with Bishop Thabo are some of those confirmed by him on 7
October from the Archdeaconries of Albany and Grahamstown.
Sixteen Days of
Activism
Moral Regeneration March in Grahamstown
The Moral Regeneration Movement (MRM)
sub-committee of the Eastern Province Council of Churches (ECPCC), headed by
Bishop Ngqono of the Ethiopian Episcopal Church and our Bishop Thabo, organised
a March in Grahamstown on 5 December as part of the “16 Days of
Activism” held in December each year to protest against the violent abuse
of women and children.
Bishop Thabo describes the experience:
The March in Grahamstown from Joza,
This
was in solidarity with those in Grahamstown experiencing violent crime and
other forms of crime. The march was organised by the Eastern Province
Provincial Council of Churches (ECPCC) sub-committee for the Moral Regeneration
Movement (MRM), within the Sixteen Days of Activism against Violence on Women
and Children, and four days after World AIDS Day.
In
the Memorandum handed to the Magistrate, we condemned violent crime, and called
for proper sentencing and thorough investigation of cases, as well as proper
rehabilitation of criminals.
This
march was also an act by religious leaders and civil society to lead to the
Micah call, and to say “Enough is enough” on crime.
The
ECPCC’s MRM sub-committee, in conjunction with Tshwaranang in Queenstown,
will hold another March in Queenstown, to declare Kairos on Crime, as called
for by religious leaders.
We
call on all justice and peace loving people of God to join in protesting
against crime and to make a difference.
(Above) Marching behind the Council of
Churches banner, church people arrive in Grahamstown’s High Street.
(Below) Bishops Ngqono and Makgoba hand over the petition to magistrate Judith
Roberson.
Faiths meet for World
AIDS Day at the Cathedral
Worshippers of different faiths met in the
Cathedral to observe World AIDS Day on 1 December. Each lit a candle which
together formed the shape of an AIDS ribbon.
Cathedral
laity honoured
Two lay ministers from the Cathedral were
honoured by the Archbishop of Cape Town in December, although one did not live
to receive his award in person.
Maggy Clarke
The Order of Simon of Cyrene is the highest
honour which can be bestowed on a lay person of the Anglican Church of Southern
Africa. On 9 December at the Ordination service, Bishop Thabo admitted Maggy
Clarke into the Order, on the occasion of her retirement after 23 years as
Secretary to successive Bishops of Grahamstown.
Overwhelmed, Maggy Clarke wears the insignia of the OSC and
holds her citation from the Archbishop, flanked by Bishop Thabo and her husband
Bob Clarke, at the Ordination service on 9 December.
Michael Berning
Michael Berning had been active in the
Cathedral for many years in a wide variety of fields. He was not only a lay
minister, but a server, a bell ringer (tower bells) and a participant in the
handbell group. All these groups benefited from his organisational and leadership
skills. In addition he served on the parish council. Sadly he died on 17
December, a few days after Archbishop Njongonkulu signed his OSC Citation, but
before it could be presented to him. Sympathy goes to his wife Ann, and to the
whole Cathedral congregation who will feel his loss keenly.
Michael Berning serving in the Cathedral.
Lent appeal:
St Michael’s Adelaide
The Lent
Project of the Diocese of Grahamstown for 2007 aims to raise funds to help the
congregation at St Michael’s
The
old St Michael’s was destroyed in 1985, in what was suspected to be an
arson attack by the apartheid “system” during the State of
Parish challenges and
responses
The unemployment rate is estimated
at 35%. The parish is embarking on income-generating projects, e.g. a gardening
project.
HIV/AIDS pandemic: A campaign to
declare and test voluntarily is on-going.
The church has already embarked on a
building project, which is aimed at re-building the destroyed church building.
The burnt ruin of St Michael’s Adelaide.
Worship takes place in this hall.
From the Spirituality Department
Consider going on a
Quiet Day
By Graeme Deas
We all go on holiday probably at
least once a year if we can afford it! And if we can’t, we go anyway and
try to stretch the pennies! Why? Because a holiday is such a pick-me-up! A time
to rest and gather strength; to relax and sleep; to be with loved ones, friends
and family. And all that a holiday is to each one of us, a retreat or quiet day
can be and even more!
We have often heard the
text from Psalm 46:10 which goes “Be still and know that I am
God,” which has the corollary “The Lord of Hosts is with us,
the God of Jacob is our refuge.” I think the Psalmist is saying that
when we make space for that stillness, we shall be able to see
God more clearly and He will become more meaningfully and powerfully our
Refuge and Strength.
If you’ve
never made this Space before, try going on a Quiet Day in 2007. Bishop David
Russell often called a Retreat or Quiet Day a Holiday with God! So
don’t be daunted or intimidated at the thought of large slices of silence
with angst about how you’re going to fill them!
The Day is always well
structured. There is usually opportunity at the beginning to meet with friends,
to chat and to share. Then after some initial prayers, the conductor will give
a short talk. At its conclusion the retreatants are usually given a handout
with suitable texts or passages for reflection, and they are sent off to find a
quiet place to reflect and pray (normally for about half-an-hour). During these
quiet periods the conductor is also available for sharing, or to seek counsel
or for confession. This pattern of a brief talk followed by a time for
reflection is repeated another once or twice, interspersed of course with tea
and lunch. And often a celebration of the Holy Eucharist will end the day, and
one departs with renewed strength and vigour and inbreathed by the Spirit!
Why not try it when the
opportunity of a *Quiet Day next arises? It could make an immense difference to
your life.
*A Quiet Day is also referred
to as a Day of Recollection and Reflection.
Grant from
Did you know that in December 2006 the Department of
Spirituality was awarded a grant of £9000 by the Archbishop of
Canterbury’s Anglican Communion Fund? We praise God for this blessing.
Give blood—give
life!
Tobile Makalima, Assistant at St Alban’s,
has asked Umbuliso to publicise a request for Anglican parishioners and
their friends to consider becoming blood donors. If you are healthy, you can
give the priceless gift of life to someone else who might otherwise die! Contact
your local branch of the South African National Blood Service to find out times
and places where you can give blood. Less than an hour of your time, once every
two months, is all it takes.
St
David’s Queenstown feeds the hungry
Queues form early every Wednesday morning outside St
David’s Church Queenstown, as hungry people know that members of the
church congregation give out food that day. Under the leadership of Tozi
Nogemane, the wife of one of the priests, food parcels are distributed to some
50 pensioners, and about 300 children receive nourishing meals. Local shops
give donations in kind to support this worthy work, but more donations are
always welcome.
Thank you, God… One of the children says Grace.
Reflection
on Christmas from the Children’s Project
Heidi Schmidt and Monica Vega found the
Nativity story especially relevant in places like Ilinge.
Today Jesus is born all over again in the poor
shacks and simple dwellings of Ilinge, Ezibeleni, Alice, Cala, you name it.
Mary is old and tired, like the majority of the grandmothers, aunties, older
sisters who take care of so many orphans. They like Mary have found all the
doors closed. They don’t have education, health care, nutrition or
sanitation, ownership of any kind of property in a patriarchal
society…and these women are the ones who find a place for children who
have no place in society. Yes, not one, but many... But there in the fringes of
society the Word becomes history, contingency, solidarity and weakness.
AWF 40th
Anniversary
The Anglican Women’s Fellowship of the
Diocese of Grahamstown celebrated its 40th anniversary on 25 November 2006 with
a day of rejoicing in Grahamstown, attended by about 200 AWF members from all
over the diocese.
Singing in the rain, members of AWF branches from around
the diocese process behind their parish banners, from the Cathedral to the City
Hall.
Long service awards: Ann Berning of the Cathedral AWF
was among those awarded certificates by Bishop Thabo for membership of 20 years
or more. Another was Jeanette Simenukane of Gonubie (behind, holding the
Bishop’s crozier).
Sharing their abundance, after the 40th anniversary
celebrations the AWF gave the surplus cereals to the Raphael Centre in
Grahamstown, to help feed clients living with HIV and AIDS. Jabu van Niekerk
(back) received the gift from AWF members Mpumi Quntu of
Church
gives away land at Bholothwa
The farm belonging to the Anglican Church
at St John’s Mission, Bholothwa was due to be transferred under the
government’s Land Reform Programme to local beneficiaries at a formal
handing-over ceremony on 24 January.
The
decision to donate the land was taken by the diocese in 1998 as part of
its mission to assist people in disadvantaged communities. Since that
time 24 beneficiaries from the community have been selected and trained in
farm management under the criteria of the Land Reform programme.
Full report in next issue.
Youth and Mission Chaplain for St Alban’s
East London
Richard Wyngaard, the only ordinand to be
licensed as a stipendiary deacon on 27 January, has been appointed Youth and
Mission Chaplain at St Alban’s
Irish
sponsor visits Grahamstown
We meet at last! Sheila Jennings (left) from the parish of Moira
in
Umbuliso Uyakubulisa
New Deacons
Umbuliso greets ten
people who are due to be ordained deacon in St Alban’s
Farewells
We wish Godspeed to Brian and Kholeka Stephen, moving to
For prayer
Bishop Thabo’s young daughter Paballo ran into a plate-glass
window while on holiday in
Pray for the congregation at Lady Grey, in the Barkly East parish, whose
church was burgled and vandalised on 12 December.
Umbuliso is your diocesan newspaper!
Contributions welcome
Deadline for next issue: 20 March 2007
Please send news to:
P O Box 181, Grahamstown 6140
Tel: (046) 622 7803 Note change of number.
Fax (046) 622 5231
E-mail: umbuliso@diocesegrahamstown.co.za
Umbuliso is published by the Diocese of Grahamstown, edited by Maggy Clarke
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