March/April 2014
No. 03/14
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ
Bishopsbourne family
We, the family of Bishopsbourne are well. Thank you for your prayers, love and all the other ways of supporting us. We give thanks to God for your unceasing love for us and the Diocese. We are grateful to the Trust Board as well for maintaining the fabric of Bishopsbourne. Nevertheless there are still challenges. We will need re-wiring at some stage as it has “old wiring” according to the electric company. The main gate is sometimes not working due to the electric problems. Let us continue to pray for one another as the Diocesan family in the body of Christ.
Vestry meetings
We thank all parishes that have forwarded their annual financial statements and reports to the Diocese. We continue to encourage all parishes that have not yet held their vestry meetings to do so and furnish the necessary documents to the Finance Manager and to the Bishop’s office.
Clergy Moves
The Revd Dr Samuel Beja is Team Ministry Incumbent with Holy Trinity, Dimbaza since Ash Wednesday, the 5th of March 2014.
The Revd Godfrey Walton has started as Team Ministry Incumbent at St Saviour’s, East London on Sunday 23rd March 2014.
The Revd Zamuxolo Kilana was instituted Rector of St Mary Pumlani on 16 March 2014.
The Revd Wezo Bloko has been appointed by Bishop in Chapter as stipendiary team ministry assistant at St Saviour’s, East London under the Revd Godfrey Walton with effect 22nd March 2014.
The Revd Lindile Somandi has been appointed by Bishop in Chapter as a non-stipendiary team ministry assistant at St Saviour’s East London under the Revd Godfrey Walton with effect 22nd March. We thank the Revd Canon Nzwana and the parish of St Augustine, Grahamstown for their warmth and hospitality towards and their training of the Revd Somandi during the time he was serving them.
Revd Canon Cynthia Webbstock has moved to King William’s Town and is appointed Researcher in the office of the Grahamstown Diocesan Development Trust; Bishop’s Personal Assistant and to be our liaison officer with the Toronto Diocese, Canada.
Grahamstown Diocesan Development Trust
The launch of the Grahamstown Diocesan Development Trust in Greenfields Methodist Church was a memorable event. The Diocese was fairly represented. An amazing amount of R10,000.00 was received in contributions from those who attended. Some people have signed forms pledging towards the Trust on a monthly basis and otherwise. We thank God for the able leadership of Archdeacon Mfenyana and the hard work which he put in with the trustees, the steering committee and the diocesan staff. This Grahamstown Diocesan Development Trust is a fundraising instrument of the Diocesan Council for God’s mission work. We trust that this will bring relief on the budgetary load which is being carried by all the parishes at the moment. May God bless this initiative abundantly together with all the role players, its partnerships and the beneficiaries.
Mothers' Union News
The Mothers' Union has celebrated a very successful Lady Day on 29th March 2014 at 09h00 at the Roji Skenjana Hall in Bisho. They raised an enormous amount of R82 000.00. We congratulate the president and the ministry of the Mother’s Union in the Diocese. Other upcoming events:
17 May 2014 Couples Seminar
9 August 2014 Single Parent Seminar
04-05 October 2014 Gospel Concert
St Agnes Guild
St Agnes Guild will hold their Bi-ennial Conference from 17th to 20th July at Byletts Boarding School in East London. Please keep them in your prayers.
Social Development
We have been invited as heads of the churches by Social Development and Special Programmes led by the Revd G M Vika. Discussions were focussing on Social Conscientisation – “Towards the development of a new consciousness through implementation of a provincial integrated anti-poverty strategy.” With the Archdeacon to the Ordinary, BTM Mfenyana, we attended the seminar with the University of Fort Hare, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Walter Sisulu University, Premier’s Office officials, officials from the ten ministries of the Eastern Cape Government and House of Traditional Leaders, ECPCC and others. The first seminar was on 23rd and 24th January and the second one was on 25th and 26th February. The Eastern Cape Government, through Social Development and its stakeholders have prioritised the family on the following resolutions:
- That conscientisation is a political act that shall be spearheaded by the Civil Society actors.
- Framework for Social Conscientisation as a political philosophy should incorporate programmes such as Integrated Food Security and Nutrition, Early Childhood Development etc.
- The Institutions of High Learning involved in the Anti-Poverty programmes should consider writing the new story of our Province based on the Anti-Poverty Programme.
- Institutions of High Learning must be actively involved in the development of methodologies for developmental programmes so that practice can be endorsed by theory.
- A programme for conscientisation needs to be designed as modules by members from academic institutions in consultation with civil society in our Province.
- Academic institutions and civil society should jointly design a handbook that will guide conscientisation programmes.
- The Department of Social Development as a co-ordinating department must have a plan aimed at ensuring that it sustains the active participation of Social Partners.
- Issues of intellectual property IKS and copyrights must be protected: presenters must acknowledge the authors of the sources used.
- The Department of Social Development officials who were present in the meeting will make recommendations to their seniors and those who are actively involved in the process of conscientisation.
- IKS must be fused into the Conscientisation and Food Security Programme.
Eastern Cape Premier’s Breakfast Meeting
We were invited to attend the Breakfast meeting of the Premier on the 3rd of March 2014 at 06h00 to 09h00. The discussion was on the State of the Province address and the achievements of the 20 years of democracy in the Eastern Cape. It was informative. As we know the Eastern Cape Province is the second poorest province in South Africa. For this reason the government will be focussing on rural development, land, agrarian reform and food security, creation of decent work, developments at Coega IDZ for economic development, building social and economic infrastructure, strengthening education, skills and the human resource base of the province, improving the health profile of the province, the intensification of the fight against crime and corruption, building of a developmental state, the improvement of public service, and the strengthening of democratic institutions, building cohesive, caring and sustainable communities. The Premier believed that together we can move South Africa forward.
Budget Statement Policy Speech
We were invited to attend the Budget Statement Policy Speech which was given at the Legislature Chamber in Bhisho, Eastern Cape, on Thursday the 6th of March 2014. The Eastern Cape Provincial Budget will focus on roads, health and education infrastructure, access to water and sanitation, smme development, youth employment and engagement, tourism, sports, Arts and Heritage Promotion, Rural Development, Food Security and Agriculture promoting Human Capital Development, investing in education, transforming human settlements and improving performance of the municipalities, social welfare and safety, strengthening accountability. The meeting brought some hope, and we pray that the government leadership and all its role players may be good stewards of God’s resources.
Congratulations
We congratulate the College of Transfiguration on its new status as a registered Higher Education Institution which was successfully launched in our Cathedral on the 19th of March 2014 by Archbishop Thabo. The College is now offering a diploma in Theology and in 2015 it will be offering the B.Th Degree as well. We congratulate Archbishop Thabo the Archbishop of Cape Town and the Metropolitan of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa with the Synod of Bishops together with the Revd Canon Prof Barney Pityana, the chairperson of the College Council +Rubin Philip and the members of Council of the College of the Transfiguration for such an achievement. We also congratulate the ordinands who graduated on the 19th of March 2014.
Congratulations also to Revd Boniswa Lillian Magodla, non-stipendiary assistant priest at St Andrew’s Ginsberg on completing her BTh Degree with UNISA and majoring in Congregational Ministry and Theologies in Context. She will graduate on 23 May 2014.
Intercessions
We pray for:
- Archdeacon Zamile Dlanjwa who lost his four-year-old grandson, Alulutho, in a freak accident on Sunday 23rd March 2014.
- Revd Pumza Tiso who had another heart failure on Sunday 23rd March 2014 and who is presently in the Milpark Hospital, Johannesburg; We spoke with her on the 3rd of April telling us that her operation went very well.
- Revd Canon Simphiwe Magxwalisa who suffered a heart problem was admitted at St Dominic’s Hospital and was discharged on the 28th of March 2014 and is in good health.
- We are pleased that the Revd Barry Wittstock is recovering from a knee operation.
- Canon Nontobeko Moletsane had a knee operation. It was successful and she is recovering at home.
Chrism Service
We invite you to attend the Chrism Eucharist on Thursday 17th April 2014 at 10h00 at Holy Trinity, King William’s Town.
Anglicans Ablaze
A reminder of the Anglicans Ablaze Conference which will be held at the New Life Centre, Bryanston, Johannesburg from 2 to 5 July 2014. Archbishop of Canterbury Archbishop Justin Welby will be a keynote speaker at the event. For more information visit the official website www.anglicansablaze.org.
In conclusion, may this Lenten journey awake our souls, affirm our wholeness and re-kindle our connectedness to God.
+Ebenezer Grahamstown