Rector’s Report to Annual Vestry 2020: St Andrew’s Church, Newlands

Rector’s Report to Annual Vestry 2020

St Andrew’s Church, Newlands

 

“…‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’” (Matthew 4:10b; NRSV)

 

Introduction

 

The responses of Jesus to the Devil during Jesus’ time of testing in the desert are telling, especially as each temptation touches on three areas of life to which human beings are all sensitive: security, affection and esteem, and power and control. “…’Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him’” (Matthew 4:10b; NRSV) touches deeply on the manner in which we seek to live together as a community of Faith. I am deeply grateful for the commitment of all at St Andrew’s to being open to the bigger picture, to the broader scope of ministry to which the Gospel calls us. Service marks us in so many different ways. That doesn’t mean we always get it right, but it does mean that we take our mission seriously, and that our tag-line Serving each other; serving the world is words that truly direct our action.

 

Looking Forward

 

Our Lived Context

 

There are joys and struggles ahead. As South Africans we face a stagnated economy, a fractured political environment, and social space that remains divided on many levels. In the darkness we search for glimmers of light, and they are there: our President, while often appearing to be indecisive, is committed to seeking consensus, which while not producing instant results has the potential to bear meaningful fruit; our national department of health often seems totally under-resourced but has managed to identify the first instances of the novel Corona Virus in South Africa quickly; we are faced with ongoing load-shedding, but Eskom does at last appear committed to proper maintenance on our power system. As people of Faith we are also people of light, and it is our calling in noting the light to restore hope in our world.

 

Bishop-Elect of Table Bay

 

Excitingly, we have a Bishop-elect for Table Bay! It has been an extended journey, but we need to trust that the process has elicited in Archdeacon Joshua Louw of the Waterfront Archdeaconry a person who will give us solid and caring leadership going forward. As St Andrew’s we look forward to welcoming Joshua and his family as our new neighbours in Newlands when they move into the Bishop’s House in April this year.

 

125 Anniversary

 

We formally became a Parish in 1895, a year after the present Church building’s foundation stone was laid in March 1894 and according to R. R. Langham-Carter in his booklet St Andrew’s Newlands: The First Century 1894-1994 the Church was consecrated for use on St Andrew’s day in November of the same year, with the first baptism taking place on 2 December. By 1896 there were 10 services a week, and some 450 parishioners on the roll.

 

Our existence as a worshipping and educational community goes further back to 1854: R. R. Langham-Carter here notes that, “By 1954 open air services were being held in the summer on the old proposed site.” And in relation to our first Church building on the corner of Newlands Ave and Palmboom Road that, “… it looks as if [Bishop] Gray laid the chapel’s foundation stone on 2^nd May , 1856 and it was opened on 2^nd May in the year following …”.  

 

Anglican worship has taken place in Newlands for at least 166 years. Anglicans have worshipped formally in a chapel/church building for 164 years, in the present St Andrew’s Church for 126 years; and we have been formally been a Parish for 125 years. Are we wanting to celebrate any of this?

 

Mission and Ministry Fund, and Archdeaconry Development Fund

 

2019 saw St Andrew’s blessed with unexpected generous and regular additional income. Parish Council debated how this money should be utilised, not wanting our regular expenses to become too reliant on giving from one source. The outcome has been a decision that as of January 2020 a portion will go towards our Dedicated Giving income, another portion towards a development fund for the Archdeaconry, and the bulk into a Mission and Ministry Fund with broad terms of reference to resource different aspects of our mission and ministry as a parish.

 

Safe and Inclusive Church

 

Directly as a result of the recommendations of the Anglican Consultative Council’s Safe Church Commission (the ACC is an instrument of the Anglican Communion), the Anglican Church of Southern Africa is introducing new requirements in order to ensure Anglican Churches in Southern Africa are places where adults and children can be safe from any form of abuse. To this end all licensed ministries and informal leadership appointments (e.g. Children’s Church Teachers, Sidespeople, etc.) are required to sign a declaration form, and back this up with Police and Child Protection Register clearances, which will require renewal every two years. While this may seem onerous in a Church context it is a normal expectation in many other fields, such as education and nursing, and brings us into line with the local requirements of the South African Children’s Act 38 of 2005.

Reflecting on 2019

 

2019 has been a year of consolidation at Parish level, while the Diocesan Elective Assembly provided some distraction, and then disappointment when it failed to elect and the process had to be escalated to the Synod of Bishops. At Archdeaconry level, Archdeacon Keith retired as Archdeacon in October and we wish him and Valencia well in his retirement once his role as Vicar General of the Diocese comes to an end with the consecration of the new Bishop-elect of Table Bay in early May this year.

 

Treasury

 

While 2018 saw a change in Honorary Treasurer, 2019 has seen a change in Honorary Auditor. Doug Wallace came to the end of his self-imposed three-year term (we would happily have had him serve longer, his predecessor having served for over 10 years) and indicated he was wanting to stand down. I wish to extend a big thank you to Doug for having had the courage to audit our accounts over a period of change as we computerized our accounting system, trained up our Parish Secretary as our book-keeper, and instituted new procedures to account for these changes. Doug offered solid and considered advice at a variety of critical moments in our transition to the Pastel Accounting package.

 

My thanks to Cullen Penny (who generously offered to help the Church in any way when I visited him in hospital and he was still fighting off the effects of an anesthetic after an operation to his hip) for accepting appointment as our new Auditor for the 2019 financial year. In his and my defense, I did confirm his offer once he was home and recovering! Each Auditor brings their own unique set of skills to the position, and we look forward to all that Cullen has to offer St Andrew’s over at least the next five or more years.

 

Children’s Church

 

A year a go Penny Middelkoop had just stepped into the position of Children’s Church Coordinator, and I am pleased to report that under Penny’s leadership the Children’s Church has gone from strength to strength this last year, as you will hear in the Churchwarden’s report.

 

Layministers

 

I reported last year that we had seven layministers-in-training, and am pleased to report that they have completed their training and probation, and are ready to be licensed. They each bring fresh perspective and new energy to the ministry, and have elicited positive response from many of you over the last few months as they have stepped in to their new role in our liturgical and pastoral space.

 

Sacristans

 

The work of our sacristans often goes unnoticed, largely because of their proficiency and dedication, yet is key to the proper functioning of our services of Worship. Jill Joslin, after many years of service, indicated towards the end of 2019 that the time had come for her to relinquish her role as head sacristan. Jill’s leadership has been marked by her proficiency and her care, energized by an interest in sacristan work developed in her school days; and she has left big shoes to be filled! There are no easy words to express the value of all Jill has given over such a long period but we salute you, Jill, for your example and perseverance, and we hold all that you have given so generously over the years in the simple words, “Thank you!”.

 

Margie Thomas has had the courage to step into Jill’s shoes, and we welcome her to this role. Margie brings a different set of skills to the position, and we look forward to her leadership of this vital Parish ministry going forward.

 

Intentional Discipleship

 

A small group of Parishioners under Derek Mitchell’s facilitation picked up exploring the training module around this Anglican Communion initiative, and have submitted a report to Parish Council, which we will hopefully pick up in the new Council year. Their report offers helpful insights, and highlights the critical importance of growing our Home Groups as a foundation for Discipleship, and additionally the need to offer opportunities for the wider community to interact meaningfully with the Church.

 

Diocesan and Interfaith Responsibilities

 

I was appointed interim Archdeacon of Rondebosch in at the end of October. I was also elected Chairperson of the Western Cape Religious Leaders Forum (WCRLF) at the same time. Both positions are proving demanding with the WCRLF needing revitalization and refocusing, and the Archdeaconry having two Parishes in interregnum. I am discovering that both positions are more than the sum of their parts, but I am enjoying the new levels of responsibility and challenge they both offer, and am thankful for the support and encouragement of our Churchwardens and Council, and the willingness of our assistant and retired clergy for picking up unexpected duties. As I also carry portfolio responsibility at Chapter level for Safe and Inclusive Church I may, however, live to regret not taking up Doug Wallace’s kind offer of lessons in saying “no”!

Thank You

 

I remain deeply thankful for the support and affirmation I receive from you all as Rector. It often feels undeserved, as I am not aware of doing or being anything particularly special. However, whatever the magical ingredient is, it includes your ongoing willingness to work with me in seeking out God’s purposes for our Parish and our world. Thank you for the wonderful variety of gifting you all bring to God’s mission in and through St Andrew’s! 

 

My particular thanks to all who give particular leadership to the variety of ministry opportunities St Andrew’s provides, from Sacristy to Parish Council and everything in between. My special thanks to the two important women in my life: my wife, Dawn, who brings order and focus and support to my home life, and our Parish Secretary, Bev, who similarly brings order and focus and support to my work life!

 

Dawn and I are also highly appreciative of your love and care during her father’s illness and subsequent death. Thank you.

 

MARK R D LONG

Rector

 

9 March 2020

Summer Newsletter 2019: Article

Dear Friends

 

As we gathered in St Andrew’s Church early on Reconciliation Day to begin our vigil for our country and our world I was struck by the words from one of the readings of the day: “Proclaim further: Thus says the LORD of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity; the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem” (Zechariah 1:17; NRSV). Scripture has a wonderful way of surprising us! In the midst of all the heartache that 2019 has been on so many levels, and on a day when we gathered as a Christian community to pray for our nation, broken in so many ways after the Zuma years, and continuing to struggle from one crisis to another, hearing these words felt like coming unexpectedly upon a stream of cold, refreshing water in the midst of a hot, dry desert. For me, an unexpected word of hope; and a reminder that with God nothing is impossible. And so while we continue to address the raggedness of our political, economic, and societal breakdown God’s word interjects into our consciousness and revives us, re-envisions us, and guides us. All is not lost, and we are recommissioned and tasked for the New Year: “Proclaim further …”

 

Proclamation in Scripture is always in word and in action, emerging prophetically from the intimate space of relationship with God. It is often disturbing and encouraging, and requires an intentional and active commitment from us, God’s people. It is primarily a call into intimate relationship with God, with God’s people, with God’s world. It is a call to join a journey of exploration, “Go … and … I will show you” (God’s call to Abraham; Genesis 12:1; NRSV). It is to go without a specific destination in mind, to  expect that God will lead and direct our lives, allowing the arena of our relationship with God to be sufficient.

 

I met recently with a young couple exploring their journey towards marriage. They have fallen in love with each other, and they have also fallen in love with Jesus. Their love for Jesus is deeply embedded in their relationship with each other, and has been nurtured outside of the traditional, institutionalised experience of Church. They have discovered their love for Jesus through small communities of seekers committed to exploring what it means to live the faith Jesus espoused; where open ended conversations leave room for further exploration and discovery; and there is an intentional commitment to actively live this faith as part of a journey of relationship with Jesus, with each other, with community.

 

I share this story because while our world and our nation are in crises of various depth and nature, the Church in its traditional and institutionalised form is struggling. We have our doctrines comfortably wrapped up; we are concerned that there are various demographics missing, but are unwilling to discomfort ourselves; we offer answers to questions that younger generations aren’t asking; we’ve sanitised the Gospel. There is very little that is truly prophetic about the Church in our times. And so when I hear the words of Scripture saying, “Proclaim further …” I wonder if we can? What does the Church need to be exorcised of in order to be reignited as a prophetic and effective presence in our world?

 

We need to fall in love.

 

Blessings

Mark

Spring Newsletter 2019: Article

Dear Friends

 

God bless Africa, protect our children, guide our leaders, heal our communities, restore our dignity and give us peace, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen

 

I have found great solace in this adapted prayer of Trevor Huddleston, CR, in the tumultuous events of the last few weeks as the silence around gender-based violence has been shattered, and foreigners in our urban communities have again been targeted. For many of us, living in the leafy suburbs of Cape Town, it is often all to easy to be asleep to the harsher realities of our wider society, which include the scourge of gang and drug-related violence in many of Cape Town’s communities. Uyinene Mwretyana’s murder at the Clareinch Post Office broke through the illusion that gender-based violence is someone else’s problem.

 

As South Africans we have become inured to violence in general, and somehow Uyinene’s death has pierced the protective shell we build around ourselves. It leaves us feeling overwhelmed – the reason we constructed our shell in the first place – and unsettled, fearful. The temptation to run, to hide, or just to ignore, is strong. In the midst of all our reactive emotion there are moments of lucidity in which we pray; and what is our prayer? God bless, protect, guide, heal, restore!

 

The original version of Trevor Huddleston’s prayer was for Africa’s children to be protected, giving the word “child” a broad inclusion of all of Africa’s people in God’s protection. We need to discover that original intent as we pray for “our children” in these times.

 

I’ve been aware in my preaching over the last while that I often return to the theme of our needing to wake up to God’s purpose for us, wake up to the machinations of our social milieu; and become conscious animators of goodness in our world. The Christian Gospel requires of us that we be different: different in our perspective, our attitude, our action. The curse of our time is that too often we mirror our society, asleep to the call upon us, unconsciously carried by the narrative of our world; and the standard teachings of the Church, sadly, do not often inspire us to wakefulness and action.

 

I was introduced recently by a friend and colleague to the Celtic spirituality of the Rev’d Dr John Philip Newell, a Church of Scotland minister. In his book Christ of the Celts: the Healing of Creation (2008) John writes, “To say that the root of every person and creature is in God, rather than opposed to God, has enormous implications for how we view ourselves, including our deepest physical, sexual, and emotional energies. It also profoundly affects the way we view one another, even in the midst of terrible failings and falseness in our lives and world.” The doctrine of original sin, formalised by St Augustine in the early 5^th century, has too often had us believing humanity is rooted in opposition to God; it is refreshing to be reminded that humanity is actually rooted in God. It gives us that necessary difference in perspective.

 

I also find the writings of Anthony de Mello, SJ, a Jesuit priest and psychotherapist, helpful and inspirational. In his book One Minute Wisdom (1985) Anthony writes,

 

SLEEPWALKING

 

The Master’s expansive mood emboldened his disciples to say, “Tell us what you got from Enlightenment. Did you become divine?”

 

“No.”

 

“Did you become a saint?”

 

“No.”

 

“Then what did you become?”

 

“Awake.”

 

Let us become “Awake” to the realities of gender-based, xenophobic, gang and drug-related violence and criminality; and not shy away from the hard questions this raises for us as people of Faith and as people of Africa. Let us allow the disturbing death of Uyinene to inspire a renewed and lasting respect for the women in our midst, to befriend the foreigner, to stand with communities bereft by the influence of gang and drug-related violence: and to embrace the belief that humanity is rooted in God, not in opposition to God.

 

Blessings

Mark

Winter Newsletter 2019: Article

Dear Friends

 

At St Andrew’s we affirm the Gospel imperative to love in the inspiring phrase, “serving each other; serving the world.” In order for our physical bodies to live we need to breath in and breath out, and we do this largely without thought and mostly unhindered. Our spirituality at St Andrew’s also reflects this as we breathe in by serving each other and breathe out by serving the world.

 

As we breath in our pastoral care and worship life are critical; as we breathe out our outreach is a priority.

Care & Fellowship

 

Pastoral care is a broad area of ministry encompassing everything from home and hospital visits to participation in small groups, to our fellowship events and prayer for one another, and more. Chris King has bravely accepted this Parish Council portfolio for 2019, and brings a multitude of great ideas to this task, but also a keen interest in wanting us as a Parish community to help define the priorities for the breadth of this ministry. As with our physical breathing, pastoral care happens largely unconsciously through the daily life of our community at St Andrew’s, but it is helpful to occasionally awaken to what is actually happening, and to where the gaps in our care for one another lie. Chris is keen to have this conversation, and I encourage you to have a word with him. I look forward to seeing where this conversation takes us over the next few months, both in affirming what is already happening and in igniting new initiatives in our midst.

Worship & Liturgy

 

One of the anomalies of being Christian (and Anglican) in the Southern hemisphere is that we are out of sync with the Church Year, which is based on Northern hemisphere seasons. Pentecost Sunday marks a shift from the big celebrations which began with Advent leading into Christmas, followed closely by Lent leading into the season of Easter (or Eastertide). The time following Pentecost is generally referred to as Ordinary Time, and is marked liturgically by the colour green, mimicking (in the Northern hemisphere) spring and summer and all the wonderful growth that these seasons symbolise. Here in the South the trees have lost their leaves, winter is moving into full swing with the cold seeping into our bones, and so we need to find other ways of making the symbolic links between the natural world around us and the focus of our worship. This is one of the tasks the Anglican Church of Southern Africa’s Liturgical Committee has been assigned as they guide us towards developing a new Prayer Book: to develop liturgies that make sense of living under African skies.

 

Our Parish Council agreed to us being a test Parish for some of the new liturgies being developed, and thus the Advent, Lent and Eastertide liturgies that we have used over the last eighteen months. Another task of the Liturgical Committee’s mandate is to develop season-specific liturgies, whereas our present An Anglican Prayer Book 1989 (APB’89) essentially offers one liturgy for all seasons. Thus you may have noticed the Lent liturgy in 2018 was different to the Lent liturgy this year, an attempt to explore what a seasonal liturgy could look like for Lent. Another aspect of the Committee’s mandate is to develop more gender sensitive language, which in English can become somewhat complicated grammatically, especially when pronouns are avoided!

 

Personally I have enjoyed the different liturgies, a reminder that our worship is not always “business as usual”; and that while I miss some of the APB’89 rhythms, new words make me stop and think about what I am saying, and bring about fresh insights into who God is and the faith we share. That said, there is clearly a lot of work still to be done: the liturgies have tended to be quite wordy, and there is a missing simplicity; there is also a missing fluidity to the Eucharistic Prayers, and a grammatical harshness about some of the attempts to be more gender neutral.

 

We have had some useful discussions around these liturgies at our monthly Layministers meetings, but it would be useful to have some feedback from the pew. As Rector I would value your comment, brief or extensive, in terms of how these liturgies have helped or hindered your worship experience over the last while; and more specifically (if you have the time and inclination) which particular aspects have been helpful or unhelpful?

Outreach

 

The Ministry to The Needy (MTN) is our main form of breathing out, but in fact any act of care that reaches beyond our community is outreach. Sometimes we do it together and MTN helps our communal response, and sometimes we reach out as individuals, but always representative of God’s people active and caring in and for our world. Debbie Coombe is always willing to chat about what our MTN programme is up to, and is open to suggestions and additional support. We do a lot in financial terms to help others, but the bigger challenge for me is how we grow our person-to-person contact in these activities? Relationship is fundamental to living and sharing the Gospel, and has been the primary vehicle for evangelism over the millennia.

 

Keep warm and keep healthy!

 

Blessings

Mark

Rector’s Report to Annual Vestry 2019: St Andrew’s Church, Newlands

Rector’s Report to Annual Vestry 2019

St Andrew’s Church, Newlands

 

"Master, it is good for us to be here;…” (Luke 9:33; NRSV)

 

Introduction

 

Our Annual Vestry meeting this year falls on the cusp of Lent, marked by our celebration of the Transfiguration, an experience in the lives of Peter, James, and John highlighting Jesus’ immanent Exodus (departure). Exodus, as we know, is all about moving from captivity into freedom; a shift from living under the oppressive agenda of others to the freedom of God’s all-encompassing love. Our journey of faith is never disconnected from our daily lives, and is always a forming and informing influence on our life-experience. The temptation to remain on the cusp is often intense; to join Peter in his comment to Jesus, “Master it is good to be here; let us make three dwellings…” (Luke 9:33; NRSV) is always compelling. However, like Peter, James, and John we find ourselves quickly back down from the mountain, grappling with the joys and struggles of life. 

 

Looking Forward

 

Nationally we are reeling from the ongoing revelations of how deeply “State Capture” has devastated our political and economic resources during Jacob Zuma’s tenure as President, further undermining our trust in those who govern us, and leaving South Africans staggering under an increased tax-burden and fearful for our future. The upcoming elections in May are critical, and we will require great wisdom in exercising our vote effectively.

 

As a Diocese we will bid farewell in April to Bishop Garth and Marion as he retires as the Bishop of Table Bay; and towards the end of the year we will welcome a new neighbour next door! 

 

As a Parish we have begun implementing the Communion-wide Anglican commitment to being intentional in our discipleship and in our making of disciples, and look forward to the impact the  Leadership for Evangelsism And Discipleship (LEAD) course will have in transfiguring us as a Christian community.

 

Reflecting on 2018

 

Looking back briefly over 2018, there is a lot to give thanks for:

 

Kildare Pre-Primary School

 

We have made great strides in our relationship with Kildare Pre-Primary School: we at last have a new lease in place, which includes a substantial commitment towards the cost of renovating the School building; and a constitutional amendment passed at the School’s Annual General Meeting on 19 February 2019 giving St Andrew’s a permanent position on the Governing Board. I was elected to the Board in 2018, which proved hugely beneficial in forging a renewed working relationship between St Andrew’s and the School, and led directly to the constitutional amendment, which passed without controversy. 2018 was not easy for the School as Jo Griffiths resigned after a brief tenure as Head in order to emigrate to the United Kingdom, and a completely new Board was elected at the start of last year. We welcome Heather Porter as the new Head, appointed in September 2018.

 

Building Plans

 

Our Building Plan, as you will hear from the Building Committee’s report, is now a tangible reality, and we await the City of Cape Town’s final approval of our plans.

 

Treasury

 

Financially, Freya Griffiths stepped back as Honorary Treasurer soon after last year’s Annual Vestry due to growing responsibilities in her day-job. Freya has played an important role over the past few years in helping spread the load of the Treasury and getting our accounts computerised, for which I am deeply grateful. I’m thankful to our Churchwarden, Debbie Coombe, who was willing to step in as acting Treasurer while we sought a new person to fill Freya’s shoes. Council formally appointed Graham Reynolds in August 2018 as our new Honorary Treasurer, and he has settled in well to the role. Graham holds a B.Comm CA (SA) from the University of Cape Town, and is presently Group Chief Financial Officer for Mediology, presently South Africa’s largest independent media agency.

 

Children’s Church

 

Jess Gwynn-Evans has stood down in December as our Children’s Church Coordinator in order to pursue her cycling (she’s been awarded Provincial Colours for Downhill MTB Racing), but will continue to offer ad hoc youth events for our young people. We’re thankful for her leadership over the last two years, and the older Children’s Church group are already missing her energy! We welcome Penny Middelkoop, appointed by Council in January, as our new Coordinator, and wish her and the growing team of teachers every blessing for this year.

 

Liturgy

 

In terms of Liturgy, February saw – after consultation with the regular attendees, Layministers and Council – an important shift in our Wednesday morning Eucharist from the Book of Common Prayer to An Anglican Prayer Book 1989 as the usual liturgy at 09:30. More generally, we will continue to use some of the experimental liturgies authorised by the Synod of Bishops for use in Lent and Advent after positive affirmation of these liturgies by parishioners last year.

 

Layministers

 

Over the last few years we have spoken often of the need for additional people to swell the ranks of our Layministry team, and excitingly we now have seven new Layministers-in-training. Sadly Daphne Myburgh, due to health and family needs, has made the difficult decision to step down: we are thankful, Daphne, for the gift you have been to us in this particular role over a long period of time.

 

The Environment

 

A new portfolio on Council in 2018 has been that of the Environment, which Meagan Hughes embraced to the full, contributing notably not only at Parish-level but also to the Diocesan team. If you haven’t yet bought your “Bring-your-own-Bag” there may still be one or two available! 

 

Personal

 

In August 2018 I was elected by my peers as Canon of the Cathedral, which while not having yet proved too onerous, together with my being elected at Synod in 2017 as the one of the Diocesan representatives to Provincial Synod and the Diocesan Representative to Provincial Standing Committee, has meant for the first time since my appointment to St Andrew’s that I have some substantial Church-related commitments beyond the boundaries of the Parish. I have been very grateful for the support of the Churchwardens and Council in this regard.

 

After five years in the Diocese I am due Sabbatical leave of which I will be taking a portion this year, probably in June/July. This additional leave builds up at 18 days a year to a maximum of 90 days.

 

As some of you are aware, Dawn’s dad was diagnosed with progressive heart-failure around the middle of last year. This has necessitated the closing of his Stamp Dealership and moving him into a care-facility, which we did during my December leave. He has been hospitalized this weekend for the second time this year, which he finds hugely disorientating, and which necessitates Dawn flying up to Pretoria to be with him. While his condition is terminal, the journey ahead has few other certainties. I’m deeply thankful for Dawn’s ongoing support of my ministry in the midst of all she is coping with at this time.

 

Thank You

 

St Andrew’s is an amazing community: welcoming, caring, busy. Thank you to every one of you, and especially to those who facilitate our common life. I am amazed and massively thankful for the amount of volunteer-time that is given freely and without expectation: the Morning Market, events like our upcoming Shrove Tuesday Pancake Evening, fundraising for our Building Plan, Building Committee commitments, Home Groups, Children’s Church, Youth and Confirmation, Music and Readers, Sides-people and Money-counters, Sacristans and Layministers, Council, and more.

 

A special thank you once again to Bev Shaw, who does everything from bookkeeping to counseling, minutes to rosters, pew leaflets to service-sheets, and a whole lot more; surrounded constantly by the steady flow all year round of goods delivered for the Morning Market, always with a smile and without complaint. Thanks, too, to Stephen Middelkoop, Bishop Geoff and Denise Ackermann for their high quality of preaching and teaching, and a willingness to always go the extra mile.To our outgoing Churchwardens, Councillors, Representatives to Archdeaconry Council and Diocesan Synod, thank you for your commitment, time, and ongoing support.

 

In Conclusion

 

In closing, the words of 2 Corinthians 3:17 (NRSV) hold my attention, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” As much as we may wish to remain on the mountain-top, revelling in how good it is to be there, St Andrew’s lies at the foot of the mountain in the midst of suburban life. As we embrace 2019 let us do so in the spirit of freedom, whether it is voting in the upcoming elections, participating in parish life, involving ourselves in family and with friends. Let us trust in the Spirit of the Lord, in the Spirit’s prompting and leadership. My prayer for us is that we may have the courage to let go of the mountain-top experience, however we may experience it, and embrace the tough realities of the moment and of life itself; and let us do this for our great good and to God’s greater glory!

 

MARK R D LONG

Rector

 

March 2019

Summer Newsletter 2018: Article

Dear Friends

 

A Season of Giving

 

A prayer that I used at the Kildare Pre-Primary Nativity evenings this year spoke of “… this season of giving that lies ahead” in the context of remembering “… people less fortunate than ourselves”. Praying this, and hearing the words spoken aloud, I realised that there is a realm of disquiet within me that these words ruffled. It’s a disquiet formed by the inequality of our material existence in Southern Africa, mixed with my own selfishness and envy, which this season – particularly in terms of the over-indulgent consumerism that I associate with it – only serves to highlight. The prayer went on to ask God to “… bless us with your love and peace as we celebrate this Nativity together.” These were words that touched me, and called forward a different response, relief almost, but not exactly; more a realisation that there is potential for a creative response to my disquiet. I am realising that the real challenge of this season is to allow these two gifts of love and peace to profoundly transform me, and that any disquiet I experience can be channeled into a renewed lifestyle and attitude that meaningfully embraces the disparities of our society and world, bringing real opportunity for making a difference to the lives of those “… less fortunate than ourselves.” It is in the daily moments of interaction with others that this comes to life; and it is more than a season.

 

And it needs to be practical. Professor Hugh Corder, presently Dean of the Law faculty at UCT and also a parishioner of St Thomas’ in Rondebosch, addressed the vision he shares with his colleague, Anton Fagan, at our recent Archdeaconry Council meeting: The Five Plus Project. Information on this initiative is available at http://www.fiveplus.uct.ac.za/, but in essence “The Five Plus Project’s goal is to get as many comparatively well-off South Africans as possible to give at least 5% [or more] of their [taxable] income to organisations and initiatives helping to reduce poverty in South Africa or alleviate its effects”, and make a public pledge to this effect. If you read through the list of members on their website you will doubtless recognise some of the people who have had the courage to do this. In the Church context we often speak about a “tithe”, but in reality for most of us – and there are always exceptions – our giving is far less than the 10% a “tithe” is understood to represent, even if we add in causes and initiatives we may support beyond our giving to the Church. At our recent Diocesan Clergy School at Houwhoek we were privileged to have Professor Jonathan Jansen address us, and he mentioned he donates 50% of his annual salary to educational bursaries. Ultimately, however, it’s not about how much we give, but rather that we do give! And making a public pledge may not be our comfort zone, but it does help keep us accountable and honest to our commitment.

 

In the late 1990’s in the Parish of St George in White River we adapted a stewardship programme developed by the former Diocese of Johannesburg (as part of their multiplication into four new Dioceses) that helpfully spoke of “Giving for Others”, which encouraged a broader stewardship that was sacrificial rather than percentage driven; took into account our giving not just to the Church, but also within the wider community; focused us beyond our financial resources to sharing our available time, and our skills; and suggested that at any particular time in our lives the ratio of resources to time to talent would reflect the stage of life we found ourselves in. To this day my personal budget contains an item headed “For Others” and is divided into “Church” and “Charity”. I have to sadly confess the latter lags consistently behind the former!

 

This brings me back to the Nativity prayer: what do the gifts of love and peace look like when I apply them to my resources, my time, and my skills base? What does it mean for me to honestly address the envy I experience when I mix with people that I perceive to have more than me; and the selfishness that grips me when I am called to share with those less privileged and less fortunate? Do I have the courage to commit to 5% or more of my pre-taxed income to my giving for others?

 

These questions are perhaps a little too deep for comfort, asking as they do whether our Christian faith, often seemingly profound on the surface of our lives, isn’t actually somewhat superficial below the surface? And the Christmas holidays are, after all, a period in our full lives when we look forward to some time off, some time away; an opportunity to set aside the big questions of life and to enjoy a relaxed break with family and friends.

 

Our Advent Liturgy calls us to “… offer ourselves anew as witnesses to the advent of Christ’s glory, seeking to bring Christ’s light and love to those who sit in darkness.” I offer the above in this context as food for thought, something to chew on over the Advent and Christmas seasons; as much for myself as for you.

 

Wishing you a transformative Christmas and New Year!

 

Blessings

Mark

 

 

 

Spring Newsletter 2018: Article

Dear Friends

 

In our previous Newsletter I reflected on the addition of the word inclusive in our Parish Mission Statement. I am wondering if you have any thoughts on the question I asked in conclusion:

 

So who do you respect, expect and include in your circle at St Andrew’s?

I’m hoping that in asking the question we have, even on a subconscious level, become more aware of the people around us; and that we are increasingly intentional in drawing the stranger in? I am often aware during the tea after the 9am Eucharist that when walk into the Hall there is always a buzz of friendly chatter and groups of two or three or more engaged in lively conversation; but I am also aware of people standing or sitting on their own, not included. I visited Ian Bailey in hospital on Monday and he expressed his amazement at how many Church people had visited him over the last ten days. Simon Finsen, too, is greatly appreciative of the breadth of care he has received around his recent bout in hospital. We are a caring community, but intentionality in stretching our personal and community boundaries ever remains important.

 

I had the privilege of representing the Diocese at the Western Cape Consultation for the Archbishop’s Commission on Human Sexuality in June. The consultation concluded with an open session where individuals and couples of a variety of sexual orientation were able to share their stories without comment or discussion. These were stories of pain and joy, suffering and healing, hope and longing, and presented a beautiful tableau of who we all are in God. It gave hope for a Church where we can put judgement aside, and truly love each other for who we are. It, too, was a picture of the inclusive nature of God’s love, and of what I perceive we as the broader Church need to embrace.

 

At our monthly Archdeaconry Clergy Fellowship this morning we had a lively discussion around issues of patriarchy, and the need for us to be conscious of seeking justice in practical relational ways; that it is not just systemic issues that need to be addressed, but the manner in which we are intentional in being relationally inclusive of each other. For the clergy it is about moving away from the need to use titles in addressing one another, and having the courage to navigate ourselves around the rich diversity of culture we represent. It is again about who we respect, expect and include, and how we choose to do that.

 

The land debate, especially around the South African Constitution and the expropriation of land without compensation, is in essence also a debate about inclusion, specifically the inclusion of those who have been excluded due to the influence of Colonisation and Apartheid on the South African landscape (pun intended!). While it is a highly politicised issue at this juncture in our history, on a basic human level it is about sharing our common resources, and giving others opportunity. I am aware that in this instance, or those mentioned above, our discomfort is often due to our need for power and our need to control our access to resources. The words of Jesus to the rich young man are both informative and freeing:

 

Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” (Mark 10:21 NRSV)

 

What do we need to let go of in order to be set free? What is limiting our lives, our relationships, and our faith?

 

A blessed Springtime to you all

Mark