Diocese of Grahamstown
Umbuliso/ The Greeting
Newsletter of the Diocese of Grahamstown: Christmas 2008: Vol 31 No.
6
Church land handed over at St Luke's
Diocesan Administrator appointed
Dioce$an Finance$: a wake-up call!
Bishop Ebenezer writes... The Diocese as a Family of God
St Luke’s MU celebrates life of 100-year-old “Mamthembu” Malgas
Growing the Church
DSR
News
First Confirmation in East London for Bishop Ebenezer
“Two Cathedrals” exhibition
Holy Land Trip
Flower Festival at Kidd’s Beach
Death of Sr
Nonie, CR
Grahamstown Diocese AWF wins provincial award
AWF’s “Thabo Makgoba Fund” launched
Umbuliso uyakubulisa
Several hundred people gathered at St. Luke’s Nxarhuni
on 13 November for a celebration to mark the handing back to the community
of 240 hectares of prime river-side land which was part of a gift to the
Anglican Church in the 1850's. The 45 local people receiving the land have
been trained in farming by the Department of Agriculture. Envisioned for
this area are 200 houses, a police station, taxi rank, small business park
and clinic, in addition to the large area which will be used for
agriculture.
Undeterred by the mud, a team of elegant primary school drummies
turned out to welcome the Bishop and Archbishop Thabo. The Archbishop’s
first action on getting out of the car was to spend time greeting some of
the children present.
Historic day: Bishop Ebenezer and Archbishop Thabo at St Luke’s
Nxarhuni for the hand-over
Report by Andrew Hunter
After
several days of heavy rain, the great day at St Luke's Nxarhuni, for the
land handover, dawned with some cloud, but no rain, and the ground
reasonably dry. Those preparing for the day had worked wonders in the time
available. A hall which had been virtually derelict was transformed and
usable; toilets were in; the entire property bore signs of immense hard work
and thought. The speeches were eloquent and heart-felt. A member of the
community told of how the land had originally been given to the Diocese by
the local chief in 1854 - and not by Sir George Grey - in order to prevent
the land from being lost to white farmers and the colonial government. The
Archbishop rooted what was happening in theology: the earth belongs to God -
and not to the government, or to the farmers, or indeed to any of us: we
hold it in trust for our children and their children's children. The formal
signing and land hand-over was acclaimed by singing and rejoicing. The chief
received a symbolic bucket of earth, which was then used to plant a tree to
mark the occasion.
History in the making
By Suzanne Peterson
The
culmination of ten years of work on the St Luke’s Mission Farm, including
negotiations with relevant government departments, the Deed of Understanding
was signed by representatives of the Departments of Agriculture and Land
Affairs, representatives of the Buffalo City Municipality, the South African
Police Services and the Federation for the Development of the Rural and
Urban Poor (FED-UP), as well as the local chief, and Bishop Ebenezer Ntlali.
Archbishop Thabo reminded those who were receiving the land that all hoped
this turnover would not only be a instrument of healing for the community
from the terrible legacy of apartheid there, but also they had the
opportunity to be healers of the land, by the care they would take of
farm. The land belongs to God and they hold it in trust, not only for
themselves, but for all those who would come after them.
Following the presentations and the signing of documents, a plaque was
dedicated and blessed by Archbishop Thabo as a reminder of the day and the
hopes of all for the future of the farm, St Luke’s Mission and the community
of Nxarhuni. Tony Schnell, director of the Diocese of Grahamstown’s
Department of Social Responsibility, committed the Diocese to stand by this
community as they begin the process of farming the land, rather than to hand
over the land and walk away.
Making history:
At the hand-over ceremony Bishop Ebenezer
sits with (l-r) Mr Maselwa, the last principal of the school which was in
the hall; Advocate Amon Nyondo, Head of Department of the Department of
Agriculture, representing the Premier; and Mr Dali Mata, the Director of
Land Affairs for the Eastern Cape.
Newlands (Nxarhuni) is an area
encompassing 12 villages, nestled in a picturesque valley between the N2 and
N6, about 20km from East London. The communities there have inadequate water
supply (despite their proximity to the Nahoon Dam), no antenatal clinic, no
police station, and no municipal housing. “It is a neglected rural area,”
says Canon Jesse Sage, who has been working with the communities for the
past 10 years in an Anglican Church land redistribution commitment aimed at
“uplifting the poor”.
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Zoleka Maqwili has been appointed Diocesan
Administrator from 1 November 2008. Maqwili, who was born in Alexandria,
began working in the Diocesan Office in 1997 as Receptionist. In 2001 she
became Assistant to the then Diocesan Secretary, Ruth Brandt. She is
studying through UNISA for a National Diploma in Human Resources Management.
She has a daughter aged eight, and they worship at the Cathedral. Maqwili
says she is “excited” at the appointment. “The Church has been good to me”
she says.
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from the Diocesan Administrator, Zoleka Maqwili
Assessments: The assessments for the current period to date are
R336,160 in
arrears (and R961,794 in arrears where prior periods are taken into
account).
Actual loss for the year to date:
For the year to date, there is a loss of
R298,712 where
income amounts to R2,989,742 and expenses are R3,288,453.
Actual to budget: There is a negative variance of
R296,832 when
comparing the budgeted figures to the actual figures which is mostly due to
poor assessment collections in arrears of R336,160 and a negative variance
for the Family Day of R267,500.
Although expenses have been contained when compared to
budget by R481,216, the Diocese will make a large loss for the 2008
financial period
unless
assessments can be collected.
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Dear People of God
It is interesting to learn that, as a Diocese, we are the body of Jesus
Christ.
The Church is described as the body of which Christ is the head, all
baptised persons are members. It is called the People of God, a holy nation,
a royal priesthood, a community of faith and the fellowship of the Holy
Spirit (Acts 2: 9). It means that as a Diocese by virtue of our baptism, our
confirmation we are called by one Lord into one faith and into the life of
the blessed Trinity as God of all (Eph 4:4). For us as a Diocese to grow as
a body of Christ we need to respond to Jesus command: “Love one another as I
have loved you, so you must love one another. If you have love for one
another then everyone will know that you are my disciples” (John 13: 34-35).
To grow in love is to grow in God because love is eternal and it is God (1
Cor 13: 8 ff). For us to grow as a Diocese we need to have strong faith in
the life of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and allow that life to
incarnate us and overflow to one another as we serve God by serving each
other. To grow as a Diocese, as a body of Christ we need to grow in the life
of prayer, equipping, strengthening, affirming one another in and through
our Lord Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. We need as a Diocese
to create in our parishes and branches a spirit of freedom which allows
everyone to grow in the faith in understanding, allowing our creative
abilities to give glory to God and to assist one another.
We are grateful that in the Diocese as a body of Christ we are sustained by
the presence of God in our worship, reading of scriptures, proclamation of
the word, prayers and sacraments. May God bless us as we grow in Him.
It is also encouraging to learn that all our guilds and congregations are
engaged in social programmes that are assisting our people and communities
in areas like diseases (AIDS, TB in various forms, cancer through Hospice,
home-based care, etc.) The challenge however remains that we need to
approach the relevant government departments to better their service
deliveries in order to improve the life in our communities. As a church
which is the body of Christ we need to pray for these processes.
I
am pleased to inform you that through the Diocesan Trusts Board we have been
able at St Luke Nxaruni to give back to the community 240ha which will be
used for community development to benefit 200 families. We are grateful to
Canon Louis Flint, Father Jesse Sage, their wives and all those who have
donated to this initiative.
May God continue to pour his grace on us, as we minister to one another,
directly and indirectly, knowing that at the end of times we will be
accountable to Him for our works in His name (Matthew 25: 31-46). May God
bless you at this time when we as a family of the Diocese are joining other
Christians in preparing ourselves for the Advent season, a preparation for
the first coming of Jesus Christ, the Christmas period, and the second
coming of Jesus Christ on judgement day. Let us prepare ourselves by prayer,
study of scripture, reading other Christian books which will enable us to
sing the Christmas carols of joy and good tidings. Enjoy the Christmas
season and a prosperous New Year.
Grace and Peace.
+Ebenezer
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"Mamthembu" Malgas
By N Q Laxa
Selina
“Mamthembu” Malgas born 06.01.1907, died peacefully at home on 19.09.2008
just three months before her 101st birthday celebration in January. She
joined the Mother’s Union on 14 October 1937, and had an unbroken service of
over 70 years. Working, raising her six children, and family challenges
never stopped her from holding on to the Lord. She served as an MU delegate
on several occasions and received two awards, in 1999 and 2005, for
continuous service.
An
honorary MU member, “Mamthembu”, parish member, never stopped paying her
pledge and contributing towards Advent. The family and the congregation
regard her as a role model and leader; a teacher, parent, adviser who lived
out the five MU “Objects”, not a resource to Anglicans only but also to
other denominations: Methodist, Ethiopian, and the community at large. She
was a source of strength to her family when her first born Sylvia died early
this year of smoke inhalation in a house blaze.
The St
Luke’s congregation and MU do not mourn her death but celebrate the life of
a true Christian, giving thanks to the living God. She leaves behind three
daughters, a son and grandchildren.
Dedicated: Selina “Mamthembu” Malgas, who died in September, was a
member of the Mothers’ Union for over 70 years.
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“Growing the Church” is a province-wide initiative. 24
teams from overseas visited the various ACSA dioceses to launch it.
A team from
Sharing of Ministries Abroad (SOMA) spent a week in the Diocese of
Grahamstown at the end of September to assist with the launch of “Growing
the Church”. The six men and women from the Diocese of Bunbury, Western
Australia, were led by the Revd Bill Byleveld. They visited Queenstown for
the Diocesan Launch, reported in the last issue of
Umbuliso,
and went on to King William’s Town, Grahamstown and Port Alfred.
As
Bill Byleveld explained at a meeting in Grahamstown on 1 October, the secret
of church growth as they see it lies in empowering leaders. Such people must
be carefully chosen from the local community as being full of the Holy
Spirit and faith, influential and of good reputation. In order to empower
them, the task must be explained, they must be motivated and then released
to act.
Among
the searching questions Byleveld asked the meeting were “Do I desire to
raise others above my own level of leadership?” and “Do I affirm leaders
publicly?” He believes that God sends us the calibre of leaders we need for
the vision we have for our church: the bigger the vision, the better the
leaders will be.
Sharing ministries abroad, members of the SOMA team at a meeting in
Queenstown with local clergy and parishioners.
Bill Byleveld from Bunbury, Australia
To
EMPOWER
people,
Bill Byleveld
offered the following recipe
Evaluate
them
Motivate
them
Pray
for and with them
Open
your life to them
Walk
alongside them
Express
belief in them
Release
them to serve
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STOP PRESS: URGENT
APPEAL
Say NO to
Cholera for Christmas
Please spare a thought for those dead and dying for lack of clean water (or
any water). With the right treatment, cholera can be turned around very
quickly.
To
assist on both sides of our border with Zimbabwe, please make a donation to:
Medicins Sans Frontieres South Africa
Nedbank, Parktown Branch, code 194405
Account No: 1944209425
For
cellphone donations give your cellphone number plus EFZC.
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At the AGM
of the Diocesan Department of Social Responsibility (DSR) on 18 November in
King William’s Town, the Director Tony Schnell set forth DSR’s vision of
justice and human dignity. This emphasis has earned DSR the respect of
international funding organisations like Oxfam and Australia’s AngliCORD.
In
line with this commitment, the DSR staff have all been encouraged to attend
training courses or study by correspondence. Since the last AGM the
organisation has undergone two independent reviews. These are some of the
results:
-
A
concentration on
permaculture*
as essential practice within the context of building communities.
A new focus on
training
the trainer. As with most DSR work, this is not merely an arbitrary selection of persons
representing different sites relating to the work of DSR. Rather this is the
result of years of mentoring relationship and each person is a recognized
leader within a group, recognized by the group and by DSR. This is a
deliberate succession plan to be an alternative to employing extra staff and
also investing the resources of DSR in the community. These trainings will
start soon in a number of ways.
· The
focus on
men in AIDS
has been a bold move and again a result of relationship-based development.
Since this, other organizations have also launched into men’s work. It is a
learning curve for DSR.
· A
return to
family values
and old practices within the developmental practice of
Dialogue is another focus which awaits DSR next year.
Tony
Schnell explained that these new ideas arose “by learning to listen and
through dialogue with communities”. He offered the “challenge of the
day—development through dialogue”.
*Permaculture
combines the words “permanent” and “agriculture” as well as “culture”.
Permaculture courses train individuals in design principles, to help them
design their own environments and build increasingly self-sufficient human
settlements, which reduce society's reliance on industrial systems of
production and distribution. It is a way of caring for the Earth.
Source: Wikipedia.
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They came from around the city, they
even came on crutches, to be confirmed by Bishop Ebenezer Ntlali.
Nkosiphendule Matshaya, Assistant Priest at Good Shepherd Church, sent in
this photograph of the Bishop's first confirmation in the East London
cluster. The congregations represented were: Good Shepherd, St Saviour’s,
the Bernard Mizeki congregation in St Saviour’s parish, St Mark’s and St
Peter's.
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By
Jeanette Eve
In 2005
our twin Cathedral, St James, Toronto, mounted an exhibition entitled ‘Two
cathedrals; two countries’. When it was dismantled Nancy Mallet their
archivist who had set it up, sent to Grahamstown much of the material,
beautifully mounted and ready for display. Fleur Way-Jones and Zac Taljaard
of the Albany History Museum have agreed to provide exhibition space in the
museum and to help with the mounting of the material from Toronto,
supplemented by local artefacts. The exhibition will be open from
mid-February 2009 for a month.
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By
Christopher Cook
In June-July a group of
11 Anglicans and friends from Buffalo City travelled to the Holy Land, to
tread the ground and breathe the air in the places where Jesus walked in his
life on earth. Desrae Lazarus of Good Shepherd, who had led two groups
before, initiated the trip. Christopher Cook, the Chaplain, arranged the
programme of daily devotions, and shared the celebration of the Mass with
the other priests in the group, Jesse Sage and Reg James, in a number of
famous holy places.
Their packed itinerary took them from Caesarea Philippi in the foothills of
Mount Hermon, in the north, to Mount Sinai and the desert in the south, with
a Christian Armenian lady as a guide. They spent three days in Tiberias, to
visit the sites of Our Lord’s Galilean ministry, and three days in
Jerusalem. In groups of three, they carried a cross along the crowded
streets of the “Via Dolorosa”, jostled by many pilgrims, passing countless
noisy merchants’ stalls, stopping briefly at each of the “Stations of the
Cross” for meditation and prayer. They attended the Sunday morning Eucharist
at the Anglican Cathedral before going on to discover the city of Jerusalem,
including the Mount of Olives, Gethsemane, and the Upper Room.
They
then travelled south along the River Jordan, and into the heat of the desert
to visit Qumran, the place of the discovery of the “Dead Sea Scrolls”. They
floated on the salty water of the Dead Sea. After a ride up the cable way to
the top of Masada, they finally arrived at a Bedouin village at the foot of
Mount Sinai. At 03.00 the next morning they were taken by bus to the foot of
Mount Sinai. The hike started by the light of torches, hoping to reach the
summit by daybreak. Everyone made it to the top, some with the help of a
friendly camel, but not before dawn. Some shunned the camel’s help, but all
with bold hearts and aching limbs, and on the wings of prayer, made it up
and down the Holy Mountain. The pilgrimage ended with a visit to the great
Greek Orthodox Monastery of St Catherine, on the site where God appeared to
Moses in the Burning Bush. It is the oldest continuously inhabited Christian
Monastery dating back over 17 centuries. It houses many ancient Christian
manuscripts, including the major part of the “Codex Sinaiticus”.
The group in front of the Basilica of the Annunciation,
Nazareth. Their prayer for you is
that Our Lord may also grant you this privilege and opportunity in
your life to visit the land of His birth. They ask us to pray for the peace
of Jerusalem.
Desrae Lazarus and Fr Tom Bartley are
combining to organise a Pilgrimage next year.
If you are interested please contact
Desrae on
082 851 7325.
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From the Department of
Spirituality
Can you see them?
By
Margaret Fourie
How
often haven’t we thought and said, “If only God would write a message across the
sky, I would know what to do!” or something similar. We tire of dealing with
the unknown, of waiting for the small voice that God so often uses to guide us.
In
Bethlehem on that night, the shepherds saw exactly that – a
huge
display, with full surround-sound, in more than Technicolor – of God speaking
directly to people, in a language they understood. They got the message.
But what of the people in Bethlehem? I imagine that, had they bothered to look
up into the sky, they might also have seen the angels.
Perhaps some heard the sounds of loud singing and said, “Just listen to the
neighbours! Those Feinsteins always throw such noisy parties. They had better
not go on too late!” and gone to bed, really angry. Others may have said, “What
a storm! Just listen to that thunder!” and hidden under their beds in fear.
Perhaps some saw the light from the angels, and thought, “That lightning doesn’t
stop – it’s almost continuous!” and closed the curtains. So many possible
interpretations – and all of them negative!
I
suspect God often
does
write messages to us
across the sky, with angels shouting out his truth, but we don’t see them for
what they are. I’m sure that there are often angels all around us, and we, who
tend to interpret things through our filters of fear, resentment, envy,
self-pity, indifference, hear the sounds of their wings as danger, their
messages as threats. We often jump to the most unhappy conclusions when out of
the ordinary events, or things we don’t recognise happen. Why should this be?
Maybe it
is because we have never actually accepted the astonishing fact that God really,
really does love us: that he is passionate about us! Perhaps we need to repeat
over and over again to ourselves, “I am loved. I am very loved.” Then we can
start to trust God, to understand that when Jesus promised to be with us to the
end of time, he really meant it, and he has kept his promise.
We need
not fear the worst. We
can
take the risk of seeing the angels and being excited because this is still God’s
world, and the truth of the world is that
God is
with us –
Immanuel!
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St Mary and St Andrew Kidd's Beach held a
Flower Festival on the weekend 17th -19th October in the church. The weekend
culminated in a combined service, involving all the churches represented in the
greater Kidd's Beach area, at St Mary and St Andrew’s Church.
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Obituary
Sister
Nonie CR, a former Principal of the Training College and Mother Superior, and
the first CR Sister to be ordained a priest, died on 1 October 2008 at the age
of 85.
Nonie Newey was born on 22 May 1923 in the Eastern Cape. She felt a calling to
the priesthood at the tender age of 10, but reacted with some anger towards God:
“Then why did you make me a
girl?”
Her formal
schooling was brief due to the financial circumstances of her mother, a widow
with five daughters, but she qualified as a primary teacher at the age of 25,
and then entered the Community of the Resurrection. Later she took a degree at
Rhodes in English and Theology, and still later obtained her Diploma in Theology
at St Paul’s College in Grahamstown.
Her
teaching ministry with the CR took Nonie to Bulawayo, Salisbury (now Harare) and
Rusape in the then Rhodesia, and then back to the Training College where she had
herself trained, from 1962 to 1969 as lecturer and then Principal.
In 1974 she
asked permission to be released from the Community to look after an elderly
bachelor uncle on the family farm, which she did for seven years, while at the
same time maintaining links with the Sisters. On her return to the Community in
1983 “on probation”, she went to work at the retreat house at Hillandale, then
run by the Sisters, and after renewing her vows she was the Sister in charge of
Hillandale from 1984 to 1991. At this point Mother Valerie CR died in office,
and Sister Nonie was elected to succeed her. She was Mother Superior until 1998.
Mother
Nonie was finally ordained priest on 9 April 1994 at the age of 70. In old age
she was resident in St Luke’s, where she continued to compile the quarterly
intercession leaflet for the Community and Associates almost to the end.
Although she grew frail, her memory for songs and stories was notable, as was
her sense of humour. The Community and her friends and family give thanks for
her life. May she rest in peace.
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By
Kokela Siqendu
The AWF of
the Diocese attended a Provincial Conference in Mthatha on 24-28 September 2008,
with the theme “Walk in His Light in Faith”.
Ladies were
reminded:
· To
engage in the gospel of transformation for better characters and good life among
all our people.
· To
be on duty for the extension of God’s Kingdom in all our family engagement at
home, in Church and community.
· That
our duty to God and the needy of our communities is 24-hours as the opportunity
to serve unfolds.
· That
our Ministry within the love of God should bring hope of better things and
opportunity to improve the life situation of those created by God.
All
speakers reminded women to stand up and be counted. Women were reminded to have
a voice on the issues of human dignity, safety and security. We were reminded
that as Christian women we should approach and challenge parliamentary policies
that are in contrary with our Biblical belief. We were encouraged to use the
constitution of the county as a weapon to challenge government on issues such as
domestic violence.
The
Grahamstown AWF always puts this Diocese on the Map at Provincial level. Again
this year, our AWF won an amount of R7,500.00 from Corporate Social Investment
based on the outreach projects that the AWF is engaged in. Only four Dioceses
(Grahamstown, Mthatha, George and Kimberley and Kuruman) won this out of 22
Dioceses. Projects that made Grahamstown to win this prize include: Prison
Ministry, Bursary Fund (Adoption of Zikwaba Public School at St Luke’s Newlands
in East London), Adoption of Families, Visits to Old Age Home, Hospital
services, Informal Settlement services, etc.
Well done
ladies!
The light
of Christ in our lives becomes the source of strength to face up to the many
challenges our world presents us.
Mothers' Union Field Worker for the Diocese of Grahamstown
The Anglican Diocese of
Grahamstown invites applications for the full-time position of a Mothers' Union
Field Worker, to start as early as possible in the new year.
The Field
Worker should be a
dedicated member of the Mothers' Union, and should have at least a Matriculation
certifi cate, and a good command of isiXhosa and English, as well as a valid
driver's licence.
Her duties
will include visiting
the parishes of the diocese to fa cilitate and train local leadership, and
working with the diocesan MU President and Executive, as well as keeping open
lines of communication between the Executive, the Bishop and the par ish clergy.
She will be required to write and present reports.
For
further details of the
job description and employment criteria contact Sikelelwa Wababa-Putini on Tel.
072 960593, or email sikelelwa.putini@dhlgta.ecape.gov.za.
Applications should
be sent to The Secretary, 34 Smith Street, King William’s Town 5601, to
arrive by 31
January 2009.
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Anglican
Students' Society, Stellenbosch
Starting at Stellenbosch
University?
New students are invited to
attend the
Anglican First Year
Camp 2009
The
committee is organising a fantastic camp for Anglican first years next year. The
aim of the camp will be to get to know all the first years before they arrive on
campus. Through this we can already start building relationships between seniors
and first years. The camp will be the ideal place to meet new people and give
you some kind of kick-start to varsity.
Venue:
Bainskloof Camp Site
Date:
16-18 January 2008
Price:
R250 (all inclusive)
Registration: Friday
16 January 2009
Where:
D F Malan Centre, Coetzenburg Stellenbosch
When:
10h00-12h00
Contact:
Randall Hartnick, 073 315 9768, Fr Austen Jackson, Chaplain, 082 814 6201
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By
Kokela Siqendu
On 31
October at a fundraising dinner in East London, the AWF of the Diocese of
Grahamstown launched a bursary fund, the “Thabo Makgoba Educational Trust Fund”.
This initiative was well supported by the clergy of the Diocese and people of
the Diocese. A substantial amount of money was pledged in support of the fund,
and also to honour the name of our present Bishop’s son-in-law (Mkhwenyana-Archbishop
Thabo Makgoba). AWF felt that God has provided through Archbishop Thabo
Makgoba! A token of appreciation to thank Archbishop Thabo Makgoba as he
inspired AWF ladies was presented to Kokela Siqendu.
The
key-note speaker, Buffalo City Municipality Manager, Mr Ntsika, also pledged a
substantial amount of money, and encouraged AWF members to be involved in women
empowerment programmes.
AWF members
were hailed for organizing an event to fundraise for the needy children. The
Revd Ntshingwa (who also made a generous pledge) said that this event should be
repeated annually. The joy and happiness was reflected in members as they
pledged to sustain this project, some during Lent and some on an annual basis.
The Mkhobeni Traditional Dancers, and Stirling High School Choir, also
brightened up the occasion and kept attendees awake. They lightened up the
evening with their wonderful voices. The old felt young, and the young felt
even younger and danced like there was no tomorrow - even the clergy danced for
their lives. What a momentous evening, what a glamorous event!
Dancing for their lives, the
Mkhobeni Traditional Dancers from Nqamakwe in Transkei entertained the diners
at the AWF’s fund-raising dinner.
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Chancellor of the Cathedral
Umbuliso greets Canon Bill Domeris,
Rector of the College of the Transfiguration, with congratulations on being
appointed Chancellor of the Cathedral. This post is always held by a theologian,
who is responsible for overseeing training for ministries in the diocese. It
must not be confused with the “Chancellor of the Diocese”, who is an Advocate
(Richard Brooks).
Clergy Training
Three diocesan self-supporting clergy are to
attend the College of the Transfiguration for the year 2009: Hazel Goodfellow
(St Bartholomew Grahamstown), Sandile Mhlontlo (Lady Frere) and Mzikazi Mfenyana
(Zeleni proposed parish).
Number 2 to +Thabo
Paddy Glover, Bishop of the Free State, has
been appointed Dean of the Province of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.
He succeeds the late Bishop David Beetge. This is the “No 2” job in the ACSA
after the Archbishop.
Ordinations
We pray for
those due to be ordained by Bishop Ebenezer on Tuesday 16 December, at 10:00 in
the Cathedral:
Deacons:
Randall Gallant (to serve at Holy Trinity King
William’s Town), Noluthando Gixana (the Cathedral) and Simphiwe Mnukiso
(Sidbury).
Priests: Noelene Arends (Bholothwa),
Nomakorinte Biko (Alice), Peter Boucher (St Peter East London), Zamuxolo Kilana
(St Gregory Mdantsane), Vuyiswa Kuse (St Michael Queenstown), Themba Mdedelwa
(Priest-in-Charge, Ezibeleni), B B Mfenyana (St Michael Queenstown), Rodger
Norman (St Mark East London) and Moses Sibamba (St Michael Sterkspruit).
Clergy moves
New to the diocese in the new
year
Lawrence
Ndzwana (from
Mthatha Diocese) to be Bishop’s Vicar for the Diocese of Ukhahlamba, based in
Queenstown.
Thanduxolo
Bada (Mthatha
Diocese), Rector, Lady Frere.
Mzoxolo Doda
(Port Elizabeth
Diocese): Rector, Zwelitsha.
Sam Makalima
(Mthatha Diocese):
Rector, Cathcart.
Other appointments:
Thami Mhlana
(St Clement Grahamstown): Rector, Holy Cross Mdantsane.
Themba
Mdedelwa (St
Michael Queenstown): Priest-in-Charge, Ezibeleni, and Acting Diocesan
Administrator, Diocese of Ukhahlamba.
Nkosiphendule
Matshaya (Good
Shepherd East London): Priest-in-Charge, Good Shepherd.
Elliot Masoka
(Sada):
Priest-in-Charge, Sada.
Peter Lenkoe
(St Gregory
Mdantsane): Rector, Aliwal North and Burgersdorp to succeed
Chris Kokoali
who retires at the end of December 2008.
Godfrey
Walton (Gonubie
and Komga) is leaving the diocese to take up the post of Rector of St Peter the
Fisherman, Cape Town, from 1 February 2009.
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Going green at Kidd's Beach
The parish of St Mary and St Andrew Kidd’s
Beach responded to the call for a greener planet by planting five indigenous
trees in their church garden. Rector James Rusch steadies the tree while Warden
Bob Carroll fills the hole. The parishioners were reminded of the words from
Isaiah 55:12: “You shall go out with joy … and the trees of the field will clap
their hands”.
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Bedford stalwart dies
By Garth
Morwood
Willie Dumile Mangolisa, lay
minister and churchwarden at St. Edmund’s Church, Bedford, died on the 15th
October at the age of 72 years. He will be sorely missed by the St Edmund’s
congregation. He was an able administrator, who held the congregation together
during the many moves instigated under the Group Areas Act and established it in
the present church, designed and built by Canon Alex King, on its fourth and
final site.
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From the Bishop's diary
December 2008
16 Tue
Ordination
17-20 Jan On leave
January 2009
21 Wed Biko
Bowcott Trust
25 Sun
Confirmation, St Alban EL
February
3 Tue
Finance Committee, Budget Committee
9 Mon Chapter
16-20 Mo-Fr Synod of
Bishops
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