Bishop Merwyn’s Address to Diocesan Standing Committee – November 2010

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A very warm welcome to all of you to our Diocesan Standing Committee meeting for 2010. In 2009 we held our Second Session of the Synod of the Diocese and today we shall spend some time in recalling some of the resolutions which were passed and report back on those which we have acted upon and responded to within our capabilities as a Diocese. We published, very soon after Synod, the yellow booklet – called the Acts and Resolutions of Synod, and distributed them to the parishes and pastoral charges.

Recently, the combined Acts and Resolutions of both Synods of 2007 and 2009, were published in, the Acts of the Diocesan Synod (the green booklet to be placed in the Vestry of each pastoral charge). We are extremely grateful for all those responsible on the printing committee.
We are extremely grateful to the Rector and people of All Saint’s Somerset West for hosting us today and providing refreshments. 2010 has been an extremely busy year filled with great productive activity and outstanding events locally and in the wider Province. Two new Dioceses have been created out of Grahamstown and Mtatha, new Bishops elected and the 32nd Session of Provincial Synod took place from 29th September at the Kopanong Conference Centre in Benoni. This was preceded by a Synod of Bishops which considered amongst other things draft guidelines for a pastoral response to those in committed Civil Unions in our parish families. Soon these will be available for discussion in the congregations of each Diocese. At Provincial Synod, the disciplinary Canons of the Church were revised and made more user-friendly. It comes at the right time in our living and serving together in the Church as clergy and laity.

The Archbishop dealt with the Provincial Vision as his theme which looks at eight priority areas:

Liturgical renewal for transformative development
Theological Education
Leadership formation
Health, including HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria
The Environment
Women and Gender
Protection and Nurture of children and young people

Many of these, if not all, are reflected in some ways in our own Vision and Mission Statement so that, in our own context, we are proceeding along parallel lines.

There were new resolutions on the ministry of women calling for all Diocese to ordain women both priests and bishops. Creative liturgy was called for, better education was encouraged, Haiti was supported – the Bishop of Haiti was our guest – a culture of high spiritual living reflective of Christ within a spirit of secularism was called for and a resolution on an Environment Network was encouraged in all our Dioceses. Synod also opposed the proposed Protection of Information Bill and urges South Africans to vote with their Consensus, instead of along party lines.

These were just some of the highlights of the Synod (the Bishop, Ron, Margaret & Austen, Nitano, Phillip and Kholeka attended).

Locally there has been much to celebrate and there has also been some difficult challenges to face. All our congregations have been touched by financial pressures due to the enormous debt crises in America, Britain and Europe. The melt down in America has affected the entire world – just – look at the happenings in Seoul – the G20 meeting, South Africa, though somewhat sheltered, has nevertheless felt the affects on the currency, in the stock market and on foreign investments. Many of our parishes struggle to pay their assessments, the first claim in all parish revenue, and are unable to cover day to day costs. The audited statements 2009 will be presented and we will be able to see a bit for ourselves. The budget for 2011 will also be presented for our vote. The meeting of Rectors and Churchwardens last week passed it as well as Finance Board. There is a small deficit after much cutting of costs and listening to responses from the Archdeaconries.

We have recently brought to a close a tedious and drawn out Tribunal and we are in the process of another. This has had enormous financial consequences for us and has been energy sapping, very sad but necessary. The bishop, as overseer of the Diocese, is called to maintain discipline and accountability based on our Canons and Constitution and our Code of Pastoral Conduct. But God is good and continues to support us in suffering and hardship and continues to guide us by His Holy Spirit. He continues to bless our faithfulness and hard work as a Diocese. We have been blessed with so much human and financial resources and abound in the gifts of the Spirit and we praise God’s Holy Name. Our continued spiritual growth will lie in our faithfulness to Jesus Christ who speaks of himself as the True Vine and we the branches – a wonderful illustration and recipe for evangelical success which begins in each parish, Archdeaconry in the Diocese.

All of us need to be focussed and deeply committed to Christ and the spread of His Kingdom – bishop, priests, deacons and people alike. You will read in the various organizational and ministry reports of the progress being made in putting in place the necessary structures for both our Youth and the Social Welfare Department. Three huge Youth events have taken place as reported in the False Bay Anchor but there are still challenges around absolute buy in by all clergy and Archdeaconries and youth organizations. The structures need firming up and the whole area of integration is still a huge challenge.

The Social Welfare Department is up and running, but as reported by Lynne Edwards, the Chair – much is still to be done and important decisions need to be taken for 2011. Read her interesting report as well as that of Nitano Muller. There will be updates on Stipend review and we are going to need a vote from you on the Retreat House, on Self Insurance, Stewardship and Gender. There will also be presentations by some organizational heads.

Recently we completed a Selection Conference and chose three new ordinands for training and formation to join an already existing large group in the Diocese. We have a Fellowship of Vocation of about twenty people willing to discern a call from God. And God continues to call. We have an active Training for Ministries Team and have excellent relationships with the Faculty of Theology at Stellenbosch University. Recently we commissioned a Music Drama called ‘Brothers’ which Peter Krummeck and the University were responsible for. It commemorated the 40th Anniversary of the expulsion of two Anglican priests from Stellenbosch as a result of the Church’s witness against racial discrimination. Last week I boasted that we were the only Diocese with a full-time Gender Desk person. The Province has appointed the Revd Cheryl Bird to advocate and visit Dioceses to establish theirs – our Bettina has been given permission to actively assist her.

We have launched new lay minister’s medals this year and we have an army of almost 800 licensed lay ministers in our Diocese. I must report that the AIDS Ministry will continue although we have abolished the position of AIDS Co-ordinator from the budget. It will continue in the OVC programme funded by the AIDS Trust and the families programme, an experience based programme in Lwandle.

Our Administration has increased by two relatively new people – Batandwa our receptionist and front desk person and Wilmot Bushby who replaces Wayne. New Auditors have also been appointed and staff reviews are in progress.

I will be ordaining six new deacons in December – three of whom will be stipendiary – to serve at Kuils River, Worcester and Somerset West. Only one person will be sent to College next year. Fr Nkoloti finally goes on pension in December and Fr Zolile has taken early retirement. Elizabeth Cherry and Vincent Bastiaan also retired. My deep thanks and gratitude goes to all our priests and deacons for their servant leadership in our pastoral charges both stipendiary and self supporting. And also to the Chapter of our Diocese for their loyalty and support. Above all to all God’s faithful people, who give so freely and generously of their time, their money and their skills to build God’s Kingdom and to be the hands and feet and heart of God in the world. Christ needs to be visible in all areas of our common life through us.

As we are asked to pass the Budget remember that how we spend our money as a Diocesan Family is a good indicator of our priorities and commitment and love for God and our neighbour. We must be caring and sharing and not be selfish and greedy and unaware of our duty to be good stewards of all God’s creation. All things come form God and of God do we give in thanksgiving. Times are hard, many are unemployed and poor, some have lost homes and are dependent on Government support and from friends and neighbours. But we are people of hope, people of faith and people who are prepared to venture forth where others hold back. God will supply all our needs if we ask, and knock in faith. So don’t be afraid! God has blessed us these five years and will continue to bless us into the future.

Next year we will face with great excitement. We will welcome in May the visit of the Bishop of Whitby - Bishop Martin Warner and his team into our Diocese. Whitby is part of the Diocese of York – our Link Diocese. We hope to involve the team in our Clergy Formation Week and are going to arrange a great Diocesan Service in the Veledrome in Bellville to enable the Diocese to greet them and give them an African welcome in the Liturgy and Music of this Diocese.

It will a year of consolidation for the Youth Department and the Social Welfare Department and we want to complete the new Church in Gansbaai and Centre in Lavender Hill and maybe the Church in Eastridge and the Hall at Tafelsig and make a start in Eerste River.

All in God’s hands and yours and mine. Let us go into 2011 fearless and confident.