Grace and peace to you from God our Father and His Son Jesus Christ.
Over the last two days I have sent you notes on our Covenant with God. I trust you read them and have reconsidered that fact that God has made a Covenant with you and that each one of us have to do our part to keep the covenant. I do encourage you to use the resources that you are sent daily to deepen your relationship with the Living God.
The Diocesan Chapter has released a Statement (attached) as a decision has been taken to remain closed for services at present. Our Church Office remains closed, but we will be opening up for specific workshops and meetings.
I want to share what the church is busy doing in terms of Social Responsibility at present:
- We are co-ordinating a Programme to build a capacity at Early Childhood Development Centres to develop food gardens.
- We are Facilitating a workshop this week to assist Early Childhood Development Centres with their Return to Work Programs. The Department of Social Development has released some Regulations but not all. (I am still looking for a translator from the parish to help me with that training on Tuesday.)
- We are actively involved in the COVID 19 Churches Response team. Our church alone has facilitated R54,000.00 in financial aid supplied by the Mayor’s Office, which we have delivered to the broader community.
- Earlier this month I was appointed the Chairman of the Inkwazi Izu (Fish Eagle) Project which is the biggest collaborative environmental project to address plastic pollution in the country at present. This initiative involving the local Clean Surf Project, Sapphire Tourism and all the major Plastic and Recycling role players, has now reached the point where the community is taking responsibility for the implementation of the plan to address Plastic Pollution through an extensive Recycling Programme. I will be providing more information on this in the weeks ahead.
In the broader Church
- I am assisting with the facilitation of a Green Anglicans Conference on the 30th of July where we will meet with Environmentally minded Anglicans (and Lutherans) from Swaziland, Mpumalanga, Zululand and Natal, to discuss the critical aspects of Earth Care.
- I will be preaching on the Provincial platform again in the 7th of July.
- I was appointed to the Diocesan Theological Education and Formation Committee (this morning) which will really enable me to fulfill my passion to develop leaders and especially engage with the regeneration of the Diaconate.
In the Parish:
- We have appointed Kim Marais (our current Administrator and very experienced Youth Worker) to the position of Youth Pastor. She joins, Revd Peta May and myself; together with Vanda Chittenden, the Pastoral Assistant, and the Lay ministers on our Ministry team. This is to assist us to develop the youth ministry in the parish which has suffered under the current situation. We will, with the help of Kim’s leadership be reconstituting the lay leadership of the youth and strengthening the group. I ask all our parents to engage with their children and assist in bridging this gap that has developed and bring life to our youth ministry.
- Thank you to all of you who have continued to support the parish financially, we are struggling to hold our own and are naturally experiencing the financial stress and we do still owe the Diocese a lot of money. We live in faith that God will open a way for us to find a way for a new funding model.
Many troubling things are happening in the world today and I hear the cries of collective groups of hurting people. While I cannot comment on every issue, it does not mean I do not hear the fears and the pain. Please, I exhort you to engage with me on these issues. Write and tell me how you feel, what your worries are. I keep hearing that it seems the Church doesn’t care, but what I am not experiencing is a willingness for engagement. There is a safe space for you to deal with your hurts – I am here to listen, and to pray with you and for you. I pray that you will use the many mediums you have to engage.
May God bless us all abundantly as we reorder our lives and seek the blessing of God.
Choose Faith not fear
Fr. Andrew.
