Tag: confirmation

From The Rector's Desk

From The Rector’s Desk

VandaLeave a comment

The Lord be with you.

What a truly wonderful service we had with Bishop Tsietsi for our Confirmation, congratulations to all who were confirmed.

Bishop was exceptionally complimentary of the people of our parish, and affirmed my reasons to be proud of you all. May we continue to go from strength to strength. Thank you to Good Shepherd for hosting us.

I really encourage those who didn’t attend, to make an effort to attend these combined services, it is a truly uplifting and encouraging experience. I must admit, that I am surprised that Galleria is not too far for shopping but Good Shepherd is too far for Church, (just saying).

Our Confirmands all committed to being involved in the life of the parish this coming year in ways as diverse as joining the music team, to assisting with the logistics and exploring their vocation and discovering what ministry God is calling them to.

I remind you, that we are the fellowship of the “priesthood of all believers” and mature Christians are called to ministry!

Please support these people as they seek to serve God with all their heart and all their soul and all their strength.

Be assured of my prayers as we continue to seek to be faithful to God in our times and do His will in every aspect of our lives.

So let us (in the word of Ecclesiasticus 50: 22-24

“And now bless God of all things, the doer of great deeds everywhere, who has exulted our days from the womb and has acted mercifully towards us. May He grant us cheerful hearts and bring peace in our time, in Israel for ages and ages. May His mercy be faithfully with us, may He redeem us in our own times!”

Yours in Christ.

Fr. Andrew Manning

Church Chatter · In other news.

Confirmation Sunday

VandaLeave a comment

I write this post today, from the perspective of being one of the confirmation candidates.  Even though I was confirmed before, at the Dutch Reformed Church, and it was a really, really … long time ago, I felt the need to experience the confirmation class again, and be confirmed in the Anglican Church.

This past Sunday, 7 confirmation candidates were confirmed at The Church of the Good Shepherd.

Bishop Tsietsi conducted the service, with a rich mix of Zulu and English liturgy and hymns. And was assisted by Revd Peta and Fr. Andrew.

For many years, I did not feel at home in church, first at the Dutch Reformed Church and then in the Methodist Church. 

It was only when I started attending the services at St Mary’s Anglican Church, that I felt I had “come home”, from the very first service. Everyone was very welcoming and friendly, and I could really feel the Spirit moving within the St Mary’s community, which I never felt anywhere else.

Now, I have to say, that when I first started going to the services, I was really confused. With all the different books that we use, and when to sit, when to kneel, when to stand, when to respond, can we throw our hands up in the air in abandon? Why is the Priest, wearing those clothes? What is with the candles? And why do they do those things during communion etc. The list of questions and what confused me was long!

That was my main reason for attending the confirmation class, with the youth.

It turns out, that this was the best decision I could have made. With learning all about the church, our sacraments, our faith and our Christian responsibilities. Confirmation preparation helped me to have a proper understanding of how to live as a follower of Christ. And sparked a thirst for more.

By more, I mean that, I want to explore ministry as far as Christ allows me to do so. I am looking forward to continuing this journey with God and with my Spiritual Friend and also my Church Community. All of you have played an important role in my Spiritual Growth, and I thank you for that.

I encourage all of you! Young and matured! To think about taking part in the Confirmation classes next year, even if you don’t get confirmed again. To remember things you may have forgotten, or possibly learn something new, or even rekindle the spirit within yourself.

If confirmation class is not your cup of tea, then please look out for other events during 2019, and there are many. And take part in the learning experience.

A big thank you to Fr. Andrew, for your dedication to teaching us throughout this year, and answering millions of questions. And a big thank you to everyone that helped during the service and bringing eats.

Your Sister in Christ

Vanda


From The Rector's Desk

From The Rector’s Desk

Fr. Andrew ManningLeave a comment

The Lord be with you!

It is indeed a wonderful privilege to be able to welcome Bishop Tsietsi Seleone and his wife Rachel, to our parishes. We thank them for their time here with us.

I have had the joy of journeying with our group of confirmands over the last year and it is wonderful to be able to present them for confirmation. My prayer is that they will continue to seek God with all their heart, soul and strength every day and all of their lives.

On Thursday, as we commemorated the martyrs and confessors of our time, we were reminded of how God calls every generation to stand firm in faith. We don’t know how history will remember us, but we do know that God has placed us here to do battle with the evil of our time and to keep the faith in this world of competing claims of truth.

As we stand as a Church and confess our Faith in God the Creator, Jesus our redeemer and the Holy Spirit, the power of God lives in us and gives us life; we all recommit ourselves to the ministry of reconciliation.

Faithfulness to God is our primary calling, because a desire to be faithful leads us to a desire to deepen our understanding of God and ourselves and our relationship. To strive to be faithful means to seek to do God’s will in every aspect of our lives. A desire to be faithful leads us to trust God, and to seek His blessing over our lives. Faithfulness must be lived in love. That’s the difference between works and grace. If we accept God’s grace, then we accept love.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters in Christ, let us love one another, as Christ loves us and live in faith, the assurance of things not yet seen.

Be confident in your walk with God, and live for the kingdom, for this is your true vocation. All other things must serve this one goal, to be faithful to God.

Be assured of my love and prayers.

Rector.

From The Rector's Desk

From The Rector’s Desk

Fr. Andrew Manning1 Comment

Greetings and welcome to No(way)vember!

Yes, the Liturgical year is over in just a few weeks and we begin with Advent shortly. With exams and year end functions and scrambling to complete things that have been agenda items for 2018, it is a busy month.

I’m writing this at the end of a very special day of the year “All Saints”. A day on which we give thanks to God for the “unsung heroes” of our lives. We all have people in our lives who have made an enormous contribution. Your Sunday School Teachers and other spiritual guides from your youth, parents, godparents and grandparents who have now gone to be with the Lord; but were instrumental in making you who you are. Then there are the disciples of Jesus who made an impact on the world through their faithfulness. We were just reflecting on the people who wrote the creeds for example, people who wrestled with heresy and differences of opinion and grappled with who God is, so that you can recite a creed of what you believe. You need to thank them for such things that came at no cost to you, but are of eternal value. So, thank you God for all the Saints, known and unknown, recognized and unrecognized, who helped shape our lives and our world.

Just to clarify one or two things: When I said I wished to go on a Sabbatical – I did not mean for a whole year. I will be back in January, and again I say that the purpose is to spend time in prayer and study preparing for 2019.

Our confirmation service on 11 November will be conducted by Bishop Tsietsi. He and his wife Rachel will travel down on Saturday, be hosted by the Parish of St Mary’s, and will conduct the 9am service of Confirmation at the Good Shepherd. After the service we will have fellowship together over a bring and share “brunch”.

My prayer for you this week is from Philippians 1:9-11 “And my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that come through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

Be assured of my prayers for you.

Rector.

In other news. · Sunday Services

Confirmation Service

VandaLeave a comment

On 11 November 2018, we will take part in a combined Confirmation Service at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Amanzimtoti from 9am.

There will be no service at St Mary’s on that day, please come and join all the confirmants and Bishop Tsietsi at Good Shepherd.

Please bring a plate of eats. Coffee and tea will be provided.

Yours in Christ

Vanda