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Bishop Merwyn’s Latest Ad Clerum
My dear
brothers and sisters in Christ
It's
some time since my last Ad Clerum but we have communicated and shared news in
so many ways these past months. There
was the Formation Week, Diocesan Synod, Diocesan and Parish occasions,
Archdeaconry meetings and through the False Bay Anchor.
Spreading
the News
It is
crucial that we adopt an intentional culture of communicating with one another
and with the people of God. As clergy,
I urge you to read all correspondence from me or the Diocesan Office and to
respond as soon as possible. If we are
'the winning team' let us be eager to help one another and to make this Diocese
efficient and effective. Every pastoral
charge should by this time have a fax machine, a computer and an email
connection. This might be difficult for
some but possible for most. My brothers
and sisters, let us also try to keep our people informed of what's happening in
church and state, even the difficult bits.
Use your parish magazines and pew leaflets to good effect in educating your
congregations.
We must
say thank you to God for those who are producing the Diocesan Newsletter, which
at this early stage is raising awareness and uniting us as a Diocese. Let me urge you again to gather a group of
interested people together in the parish, to write articles and take pictures
at parish events and to be responsible for placing 'an Anchor' in the hands of
all families on the Sunday it is first available after publication. It should be taken to the housebound, and to
those in prison or in hospital - do not leave them in a pile at the west end of
the Church. Richard Martin continues to
edit and the headquarters is at the Diocesan Office with the following email
address: fbanchor@falsebaydiocese.org.za
We are hoping to produce a Christmas number with lots of pictures of
events of 2007.
Ordinations
We
continue to struggle with the best day and time which will allow the greatest
numbers of us to be present and participate in these most important events in
the Diocese. We moved to Saturdays this
year to avoid clashing with Sunday services and rural concerns. Even so, at our priest's ordination,
funerals and marriages kept many of you away from what was a blessed and unique
event. The ordination to the diaconate
takes place on 15 December at 2.30pm at St Michael and All Angels in Elgin, and
I hope that many of you will be there to present a strong witness to the laity
of the wonder and attraction of the ordained ministry of the Church.
Ordinations
are a strong reminder to our people to the claim that God has on all their
lives. These dates are set well in
advance and should not be displaced in your diary for anything. (Am I being
unrealistic?)
The
Healthcare Fund
Chapter
and the Finance Board have asked me to urge you to be prudent in the use of the
Fund. It has been reported that there
are growing concerns about the future viability of the DHCF. Although the financial status of the fund is
still healthy it is starting to show deficits on a monthly basis, indicating
increases in both fund usage and supplier cost. If at all possible, make use of public/state clinics for chronic
medication. Take care of your and your
family's health.
Stewardship
If we
are to maintain the financial viability of our pastoral charges, it is
imperative that regular teaching on stewardship and effective pledging systems
be implemented. This is your
responsibility together with the lay leadership of the parish. You can take the spiritual temperature of
any congregation by not only looking at the vibrancy of its worship, its
pastoral ministry, and its social outreach programmes but also by the readiness
of its people to give financially in order to make all the others happen. One third of the teachings of Jesus are
about money and good stewardship. So as
a minister of the Gospel you cannot escape your responsibility to present the
Gospel in its fullness. You have no
need to nag about money but to encourage the giving of time, talent and money
by effective preaching accompanied by effective pastoralia. The lay leadership is key and have to be
taken with you. I am asking you to do
some introspection on this topic and if the above finds an echo in you, to
either do something yourself or ask for help.
Neil Adams of St Mary Magdalene, Belhar and Tony Lawrence (082 536 5169)
are willing to assist. I intend setting
up a Stewardship Department soon with representatives from each Archdeaconry.
Appeals
a)
Bishopric Appeal
I set
this up in 2005 with the hope of creating a Diocesan Bishopric Endowment to
support the ministry of the Bishop for future years. The intention was for each pastoral charge to raise R10.000 a
year for three years with the hope of raising R1,5 million. I enclose an up to date list of what
parishes have given thus far. 2007 is
the last year and I am asking that parishes bring their contribution to the
Deacon's Ordination Service on 15 December at St Michael and All Angels, Elgin
at 2.30pm. If you are not able to give
the full amount give what you can and resolve to pay it in installments. This would be a wonderful achievement for
our new Diocese. All should
participate! God's name will be
glorified.
b) The
Lenten Appeal
The
Lazarus Project was the Bishop's Lenten Appeal for 2007. I enclose a list of parishes and individuals
who gave generously. My deep thanks to
you all. If your parish has forgotten
to send in your efforts please, there is still time. Next year's appeal is yet to be decided.
c)
Parish Tithes
If it
is the practice in your parish to give away an amount of money each year to
good causes, could I remind you of the following:
Heaven's
Nest
The
Hawston Hospice Project
St
Michael's School, Khayelitsha
The
Gender Desk
The
Lazarus Project
Restoration
at Villiersdorp
Events
Advent
Ordinations
Ramsay
Naidoo will be ordained deacon and will serve his title in the parish of
Bredasdorp.
Franklin
Davids will be ordained deacon and will serve his title in the parish of
Westridge.
James
Belelie will be ordained deacon (self supporting) and will serve his title in
the parish of Grassy Park.
Fr
Richard Martin will conduct the Retreat and preach the Ordination sermon.
Appointments
Patrick
Domburg has been appointed assistant priest in the parish of Portlands w.e.f. 1
January 2008.
Andrč
du Plooy has been appointed Rector of St Mary Magdalene, Belhar w.e.f. 1
December 2007.
Kenneth
Trevosr Jones has been given permission to officiate.
To
College 2008
Clarence
Chee Mee
Ulric
Groenewald from St Mary's Stellenbosch
Beauty
Nomxego from St Andrew's Strand
Dates
to diarize for 2008
Enthronement
of the Archbishop of Cape Town - 28/29 March
Clergy
Formation Week - 26-30 May
Lambeth
Conference - 16-4 August
Recent
Books on my desk
A
Christlike World - Ian Carrick (Pretext)
Some
Salutary Quotations - John Suggit (Pretext)
Edward
L King. This Strange Pilgrimage (Sermons) (Pretext)
The
Volmoed Journey - John & Isobel de Gruchy (Salty Print)
The
Dignity of Difference - Jonathan Sacks (Continuum)
A
History of the International Anglican Liturgical Consultations 1983-2007 -
David Holeton & Colin Buchanan (Alcuin)
Equipping
the Saints - Ordination in Anglicanism Today - Ed R Dowling & Colin
Buchanan (Columba Press)
Historical
Dictionary Of Anglicanism - C Buchanan (Scarecrow Press)
The Oxford
Guide to the Book of Common Prayer - A Survey -- Ed. E Hafling & C Shattuck
(Oxford Press)
The
Retreat House
As you
know, the Retreat House and its future, has been giving us sleepless
nights. The Diocese pays out over
R200.000.00 each year on salaries and maintenance. We heard four presentations from developers and interested
groups. Two presentations dealt with
housing developments which could mean selling the property and continuing to
derive benefit through buying units and a percentage on each sale. Two presentations involved leasing the
property and maintaining and enlarging the present usage with greater marketing
etc.
Trusts
Board has decided to lease the property for three years with an option to
extend for another two, (i.e. outsourcing) to give us time for a more thorough
investigation, bearing in mind the future development in that area but also to
discover the true value of the property.
So the Retreat House will be under new management from next year. The House will close at the end of this year
and the staff will be paid out. We will
keep you informed.
My
thanks
I want
to thank you all for your continued commitment to Christ and his Church and
your loyalty and hard work for this Bishop and our wonderful Diocese. It might all seem rather pointless and
thankless in those periods of the dark night of the soul, but as we remain
faithful and continue to love and give sacrificially of ourselves to God's
people and our communities, little by little, His Kingdom is built and our
lives and ministry gain meaning.
As
servants of the Gospel and ministers of the sacraments we are cardinal markers
in a swiftly changing world - a world which God has created and set in motion
and in which we are called to bring healing and sense.
Do not
tire, do not get caught up in negativity.
Enrich yourselves in good work, in study of the scriptures, in your
family, in the fellowship of your colleagues and in discerning the signs of the
time and you will find fulfillment and joy.
Thank
you for your loyalty and patience and I wish you and your loved ones great
peace and happiness as we once again prepare ourselves to celebrate the mystery
of the Incarnation and remember God's abiding presence in us and all around us,
encouraging and drawing us to Him.
My love
and prayers
BISHOP
MERWYN E CASTLE
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