CCK 8am news june 2017

Hamburg, Eastern Cape (Lynn Pedersen)

The Eight O’Clock

News June 2017

8 am Service, Christ Church, Kenilworth

God’s Call

God’s Call to us— Journey with Me Eddie Askew, writing about God driving Adam and Eve out of the garden because they disobeyed Him, says: “We are driven into the world through obedience, following His call to be witnesses. Living, working, identifying, suffering with those who suffer. Bringing word of the beginning of a new world from which the old guilt has been removed, and in which all things are being renewed.

A group of early believers were accused of “...turning the world upside down”. That’s what we are called to do. To change values and perceptions, overturn prejudices. To break out to freedom. To share in the creation of a new world within the old and suffering world of Adam. And we can do it only by being in it, as part of God’s purposes.”

Eddie’s prayer: It seems too big a job for me, and so it is, except I’m not alone.

I’ve got You in my life.

And if it still seems hard to change the world, even with You, perhaps, together, we can make a start at changing me.

- Wendy Gunn June 2017 Eight O’Clock News

I grew up in a nominal Christian family and as the eldest child I was careful to always do the right thing—I was the proverbial ‘goody two-shoes’. It was only after an unwanted, painful divorce that I realised my need for God to become a reality in my life.

Simultaneously, it was the first time I recognised that I needed God’s forgiveness for the mess in my life.

I began to visit different churches but I felt just as empty afterwards as I did when entering them. I was about to give up on the idea when someone suggested I try another church I had not heard of before. I went one evening and I heard the gospel message for the first time. After the service we were invited to stay for tea and coffee. As I did not know anybody and was feeling very fragile I walked out to my car. Inexplicably, as I got to my car, I did an about turn and went back to have some tea. An older woman in the congregation, Joyce, approached me and struck up a conversation. Realising my need to talk, she suggested that we go to one of the side rooms where we could have some privacy. There she explained the gospel message, and in tears I surrendered my life to Christ.

We had no idea how long we had been there for when we opened the door we found that the church was in darkness and everything locked up. As there were no cell phones in those days the only way we could get out of the building was to climb through a window !

The next day while sitting having tea on the verandah at school, the secretary looked my way and said, “You look so serene.”

I thought, “Wow! It’s real, it already shows.”

- Sue Gibbings

God Calling...

But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you.

O Israel, the One who formed you says, ‘Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.

I have called you by name; you are Mine.’

Isaiah 43:1 (NLT)

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God’s Call

God’s Call

As a little girl growing up

Early Days: As a newly-employed

with two brothers just ahead of me, I was a rough-andtumble tomboy—full of noise, competitiveness and self-importance. But I also wanted to be good ! My loving Christian parents had prayed for me and taught me the truths of the gospel from my babyhood.

Looking back I think that what I really wanted was to be thought good, so I was eager to please adults and was very conscientious at school. At home however, I was often disobedient, rude and selfish—and the difference between what I wanted to be and what I knew I was, eventually dawned on me!

On the 10th April 1948 I signed a ‘Decision Card’ after Sunday School and then tried extra hard to be good! My moment of true epiphany came four years later when God spoke very clearly to me at a Scripture Union camp and said, “You’re all talk—but you have nothing to say!”

That was when I was introduced to a pattern of Bible reading, and the Scriptures became “a lamp to my feet and a light to my path”, guiding me through more than 60 years since then.

How I praise the Lord for His Word, which enables me to see Him more clearly day by day!

- Barbara Fish.

Thank you!

‘To our wonderful friends at Christ Church. We are thrilled that Anne Preston has found a warm and welcoming spiritual home with you. The Christ Church family will always have a special place in my heart. Andrew joins me in sending our love and prayers.’

- Claire Nye Hunter, Grahamstown.

Anne went to school in PE (same year as Ali Bourne).

Anne taught in Grahamstown and attended the Cathedral. She now lives in Blouberg and attends CCK’s 10 am service.

teenager, 1951 found me eager to join a Christian Choir. On being told to approach the Leader, he asked: ‘Have you Seen The Light?’ To this I made no reply, looking rather baffled, I’m sure, so he then asked: ‘Are you a Christian?’

Full of assurance, I replied. ’Oh yes!’, sure that I was not a Muslim, or anything else, after 18 years of learner Methodism. This led to a few happy months as a Chorister, and soon I was teaching at a Wayside Sunday School too.

That led to a shock! ‘Your turn to do the Sunday School lesson next week, so please tell the tale of John Chapter 3, telling the children. ’Everyone needs to born twice!’’

Humbly for the first time, I volunteered to desert from the School, honestly admitting that I had had no such experience. This wise man, David Sadler, recommended that I should skip the next week, but sort this all out as soon as possible. It took me two further months, with important letters to and from my Christian parents before the Lord convinced me that I needed to be ‘born again’! At the age of 19 my life changed forever.

I had been working towards an actuarial qualification but the Lord soon showed me that I was more interested in People than Pythagoras! Just then, in God’s good timing, Mr Frank Millard invited me to join Scripture Union, where for 45 years I worked out my mission calling.

66 Years Later: I find myself still learning lessons, eternally grateful to Our Wonderful Lord, and to David, Joy, Bill, Cyril, and many others—especially Barbara.

- Stan Fish.

Puns for Educated Minds * The fattest knight at King Arthur's round table was Sir Cumference. He acquired his size from too much pi. * I thought I saw an eye doctor on an Alaskan island but it turned out to be an optical Aleutian. * She was only a whisky-maker but he loved her still. * A rubber-band pistol was confiscated from a geometry class because it was a weapon of math disruption. * No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery. * Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie. * Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana. *Atheism is a non-prophet organisation.

- Source unknown. Sent in by John D’Arcy Evans

June 2017 Eight O’Clock News

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my religion and I replied, ‘Hear O Israel, the LORD My Calling our God, the LORD is one.’ I did not know then that I grew up in a highly dysfunctional family. My parents this was Sh’ma—it resonated with indescribable were divorced when we three girls were very small, the beauty deep within me and it still does. How did youngest being but a baby. We were split up and cared Jesus fit in? He said ‘No one comes to the Father for by different family members. I was raised by my except through Me.’ My problem was that I had maternal grandparents. known the Father since babyhood. Now what?

I have always known God although my family were not One night God gently showed me that if Jesus had churchgoers, not even High day or Holy day visitors. not come and His followers had not been scattered Somehow, my mother was persuaded to give me, her throughout the world, the good news would never firstborn, to God. I was the only one in my whole family have reached the shores of England. It was a really to whom this happened. simple equation—no Jesus = no God. The glory is all From infancy I knew ‘my God’, as I called Him, was His. there and that He always would be, even when my I can control a sweet babe in a manger, who can’t? school was bombed during WWII. Through the But when a divine being dressed in shimmering white screams, shouts and flames I knew that everything stands at the bottom of my would be all right because He was there. I would chat bed commanding, ‘Follow to Him about things going on around me, sitting happily Me—that is quite a different on the loo talking about the games my friends and I had matter. played—not what some folk would call a ‘quiet time’.

I have no date as to when I But God and I seemed to enjoy it and nowadays if I slip surrendered my life to Him. into a formal, rather structured prayer, which I feel I How could I? It was already must when praying in public, I sense ‘my God’ having a His by right. private chuckle.

Although I still struggle with It seems odd to me now but was perfectly normal way some aspects of Jesus’ back then, that in a family which seemed to pay teaching, I know that ‘my homage to no god when I was put to bed at night, redeemer liveth’. without fail, a voice would come floating up from How about you? downstairs—‘God Bless’.

A group of my friends and I were sent off on Sunday - Doreen vd Merwe afternoons to an old chap who taught us all about God and the H’angels in ‘eaven. We were deeply grounded HAPPY –47 SPECIAL BIRTHDAY in the Old Testament and won prizes in religious Annie Kirke competitions for our knowledge. The only Jesus I knew 7 June about was a rather pretty ceramic figurine which I once saw in a nativity scene.

My mother became seriously ill and was at death’s door. I made a bargain with ‘my God’ that if she became well again then, when I grew up, I would become a nurse and it was so.

When I was a sixteen and a half year old cadet nurse at How beautiful on the The Canadian Red Cross Memorial Hospital in Taplow, mountains are the feet UK, I was invited to spend a weekend at All Nations of the messenger who Bible College to hear Gladys Aylward or ‘The Little brings good news, the Woman’ as folk named her because she was so tiny.

As far as I remember she had been a parlour maid in good news of peace and London with little or no education but knew that God salvation, the news that was calling her to go to China so she did. She escaped the God of Israel reigns! the Communist purge by travelling through and over Isaiah 52:7 (TLV) mountains taking quite a number of children with her.

Her talk one night was about the Bamboo having to be pruned vigorously to enable it to grow straight. She likened it to God being the gardener pruning us so as to bring forth good fruit (John 15). It cut through me like a knife and that night I wept bitter tears although I didn’t know why but was sure God was teaching me something new about His son.

From then on it was a struggle. I had known ‘my God’ all my life—now Jesus was on the scene—what was I to do with Him? Years ago someone asked me what was the basis of June 2017 Eight O’Clock News

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My calling As recently as a year ago, I would still periodically wonder what I

will be when I grow up. Well I am now retired and in a funny way I still wonder. Unlike many people who have a very clear sense of calling or very clear ambitions my life has been one of following the less obvious paths. Even frequently, paths I did not choose, but felt led into and in retrospect saw to have been the better ones. I used to go white water kayaking, and the leader of the trips observed that when we came to a rapid men tended to study it, choose a route and fight the water to keep to the route. Women never imagined they could fight the power of the water, so they learned to go with the flow, simply striving to stay upright and avoid rocks. I guess I have let life’s flow pretty much take me but have been observant of the flow, and the challenges and opportunities along the way. The joy of this has been variety, but also the joy of the gift—discovering paths that God unfolded to me at each turn.

When I was in my early 20s I did what young people of my age group did, I went overseas. But I did not just want to tour. I wanted to stay and connect into this new world. So after five months of travel and staying at the famous L’Abri community started by Francis Schaeffer, I sought work in England.

I knew not one corner of England from another. My own basis for job applications went like this: I had liked colour of the building stones in Shropshire driving through there, so applied for a job there. I applied for one in Bristol as an ex-school teacher I had visited in Wales said his brother liked the city. I applied for a job in King’s Lynn because my name is Lynn!! Real discernment on my part!

Anyway, I got the job in Bristol, at an excellent psychiatric hospital.

I was to be astounded at how profoundly this was God’s unfolding of the road to me. The head of my department who recruited me had to work hard at getting me a work permit. She turned out to be a Christian and offered me accommodation till I found my feet.

The head of the hospital was not only of high repute, but also a Christian. As a result many Christian young intern psychiatriasts came to train under him. Lunch breaks in the canteen were a fantastic experience. We were exploring mental breakdown and health holistically—what of this or that psychological or physiological theory? Where did sin and the fall fit into it all?

Through L’Abri connections I found fellowship with artists and philosophers who wrestled deeply with the nature of our faith in the context of late 20th C Western culture’s assumptions and worldview. It was an incredibly rich time of growth.

I believe that this period— three months in the L’Abri community and three subsequent years in Bristol was my real ‘university’. It was certainly more deeply and more comprehensively formative than my formal studies had been.

Lesson learnt: God has the whole world in His hands and knows just the fit for me at any point in time.

My mother had kept mail for me that was not personal letters. But oddly she had forwarded one newsletter from SCA to me. I read it with interest. As a student, SCA had been where my fledgling faith had been nurtured. I told my Englsih flatmate that they were expanding its staff so that they could have staff at each of the main centres where tertiary education was. She turned to me and said, that’s the job for you! I was quite taken aback. It would never have crossed my mind. But I decided to investigate. After a Christmas June 2017 Eight O’Clock News

visit back home I made a stop in Johannesburg to chat, ever so tentatively, with the director. During that one conversation he said to me, ‘So when can you start?’ I returned to England knowing that this was God’s unfolding of the next step.

Lesson learnt: listen with care to what friends, who know you well, discern.

It happened that American friends of mine back in Bristol who had themselves been involved with a campus ministry, arranged for me to go and train over their summer with that group, before I returned to SA to start with SCA. What a gift!

If the years overseas had been an intellectual growth phase, the years in Johannesburg took me onto the inner journey and developing awareness of social justice issues in our country.

After four years with SCA, I returned to hospital, psychiatric and adoptions social work.

At the same time I volunteered to train students for short-term mission work, and went myself to live for several months in a peri-urban township. I sensed the next move to be towards development work. I began to speak to Development organizations. While interested in my application, strangely, nothing concrete happened. In the meantime a pastoral staff member of CCK had asked me if I would be interested in working as a counsellor at the church in CT. I really liked the idea of returning to CT but working in a church was not how I envisioned my next step.

So I asked some friends to pray with me. While we were praying, one with great wisdom said, if she were in a situtaion where she was being asked to apply for one position, and another where the doors were just not opening she would take seriously the former.

That struck me as likely God’s way of guiding. So I applied to CCK even while the church would be the last place I would have sought. It took me over a year to find my feet in this role but I never doubted that God had led me.

Lesson learnt: God knows me better than I know myself.

I have come to recgonise that I am not a community developer, with its needed activism, but a pastor of the heart and inner spirit.

And I have loved the richness of community that church ministry is, and the role that seemed to unfold of developing the more contemplative side of our life together.

At the time I moved to church pastoral work a longstanding friend commented that I had made ‘another horizontal move’. She by contrast had been steadily climbing the ladder in her career and did very well at it.

Questioning myself, I shared this with another friend, who gave me a gift that has lived with me ever since, ‘but Lynn, you are a mosaic person’.

Yup. That sums up my vocation. A colourful, varied image springs to the imagination—a little bit of bright blue and a red piece, a shiny shard of gold, a bit of delicate old bone china, a little seasoftened piece of green glass.

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And the next turn in the road, ordination? Again it was the one thing I was sure I would not seek, despite Bishop Bruce Evans’ gentle nudges. I have this theory that after his death he was nearer the seats of power and had intercessory influence I could not counter! Eventually I did dip my toe into the process of discernment which led five years later to my and the diocese concluding I was not called to the priesthood but diaconate. And yes, that was the right turn in the road on which I travelled these past 15 years, first at a Bergvliet church and then for the last five years at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital. That was a particular delight as I had worked there in my very first job as a social worker.

That special place formed the ‘bookends’ of my formal employment career.

And now? Well, I am in this liminal space, exploring the undergrowth for another less trodden path. But right now I love having the time for some more creative arts and crafts, with ‘pick up art’ and photography. I enjoy leading walking and environmental retreats.

- Lynn Pedersen

My Testimony ‘In Psalm 34:18 David reminds believers that God remains

very near to those who are suffering and in sorrow. Believers can cling to this promise at all times. Believers will also find that it is when we are suffering and in pain that we give the Lord our closest attention, our most honest prayers, and our boldest requests. He has never gone away; it is simply that we have made Him the top priority in our life. Suffering and pain exposes our weakness and lack of control over this life of ours and causes us to lean in utter dependence on the Lord. The Lord works no less in the lives of those He loves whether they are in tragedy or in abundance. His love never dims. His compassion fails us not.

What heartache will you surrender to God today? Who do you know experiencing heartache that you can pray for?

Father God, I thank You that You are an ever present help when I am in trouble. When I begin to doubt Your presence, Your purpose, and Your plan for my suffering, remind me that it was in the midst of my pain that You took Your rightful place as My Heavenly Father. Remind me that You are bigger than my tragedies, and that through suffering and sorrow I will be able to experience a love and intimacy from You that I have never known before. In Jesus’ name. Amen.‘

- Margaret Clark From "Love God Greatly" Bible Plan, Rick Warren

HAPPY SPECIAL BIRTHDAYS To

Lindy Tomalin (4/6) David Louw (9/6) Eric Bateman (11/6) I am the LORD, I have called you in righteousness, I will also hold you by the hand and watch over you, And I will appoint you as a covenant to the people, As a light to the nations.

Isaiah 42:6 June 2017 Eight O’Clock News

Northern Ireland: Gate of Tears During my years at Portora Royal School in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, a pleasant ordained man, Donald Caird joined the school for a few terms, ostensibly to teach us Scripture. He was a Hebrew, Latin and Greek scholar as well as being very proficient in the various dialects of Irish so he had our respect; even more so, when he did running translations direct from the original Greek text, of the relevant passages of the New Testament. He went on to become Archbishop of Dublin, I believe. We had various Scripture teachers, one of whom was the Headmaster, Rev. Douglas Graham himself, none of whom were particularly inspiring as I recall other than Lizzie Hall, our teacher when I was nine years old, who told us how to personalise the first five words of Psalm 23. Their perceived responsibilities appeared to be to teach one Biblical History, rather than to lead one into a living relationship with the Lord. Such is the nature of a nonEvangelical context! However, two remarkable things happened during those years, both of which only emerged as fundamental, if not remarkable to me, some years later.

The first was a series of highly Evangelical films produced in the USA and entitled “Fact and Faith”. They all seemed to touch me deeply, relating reality to the ‘religion’ we were taught. One that was particularly effective for me was “God of the Atom”.

I remember no details, except the name of the presenter, ‘Moon’.

After one such film show towards the end of my schooldays, I became particularly aware in a significant way of our Creator and His love. He seemed to direct me to look up at the sky and indicated to me that not only did He love me, but that it was He who had made all those stars that shone out so brightly on that cold clear northern Irish night. It was a deeply emotional experience and I felt at the same time a strong urge to forgive another boy from whom I had received what was undoubtedly an imagined offence. It probably dated from that time, although I can’t be sure, that I found myself jabbering ‘baby-talk’ from time to time, attributing it to one of the madder aspects of an Irish character!

The second occurrence was the Confirmation of a number of us

by Dr Richard Tyner, the then Bishop of Clogher and a Governor of the School. As I learned in later years here in Cape Town, from a colleague at the school whom I did not know personally at the time, Cecil Kerr, Dr Tyner was a particularly godly man and a few boys received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and spoke in ‘Tongues’ when he laid hands upon them. Cecil Kerr went on to become ordained and the Chaplain of Queen’s University, Belfast, following which he began a work of reconciliation between Catholics and Protestants at Rostrevor in Co Down.

What a wonderful God He is to Bless one so much! But He does expect one to keep one’s eyes and ears open; to be alert to His Blessings . . . and to give Him great thanks and praise!

- John D’Arcy Evans

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God’s Call on My Life I have never received a ‘calling’ per se, but with

encouragement and on reflection I see that I have been on a journey over many years—God has been training me and, although I was not always conscious of it, guiding me.

This journey started in ±1993 when I responded to a call from Mary Ussher for volunteers for Feeding the Hungry. At that stage I hated to think of anyone going hungry and loved my FtH ‘work’. Some years later, once the children were at High School I decided to volunteer at The Warehouse. I didn’t phone ahead and as I was driving I reverted to my shy-self and felt very unsure. I asked God, that if this was what He wanted me to do, He would have someone I knew at reception. Well I walked into a great big welcoming hug from Elizabeth Clack!

I started sorting second-hand clothing which included a mountain of men’s clothing, mostly XL and XXL sizes! Beth Brand, who was also a FtH volunteer, and I started making up Christmas clothing parcels for the men. We had such fun colour coding and putting together lovely outfits. We rather miraculously found enough small, medium and large sizes—supplemented by suitcases of good clothing arriving, donations of new underpants, T-shirts etc.

It was an exciting time of witnessing answers to prayers and the joy on the faces of the recipients was worth all the hours spent.

These clothing parcels brought me into contact with General Malepe in the Advice Office and that involvement grew over the years. At the same time my heart had shifted to feel very deeply for unemployed, unskilled men and I got more involved with the Advice Office.

Somewhere along the line I was asked to join the Social Transformation committee and started doing the minutes.

I enjoyed being involved with CCK outreach at a ‘higher’ level.

Perhaps a year later U-Turn invited me to join their board (I’m sure a big ulterior motive was because I could take minutes!). The latter threw me right out of my comfort zone as the other board members were all top executives but I learn a lot and find the meetings very stimulating, and I believe I do a good job on the minutes! As I think back I see how all these contacts have moulded and grown me. Being on the ST committee exposed me to people like Clive McMinn—he and Sam Vos (of U-Turn) are such wonderful examples of unswerving faith in God’s faithfulness, and neither is afraid of dreaming big!

June 2017 Eight O’Clock News

In 2014 Lindy Tomalin as Chairman of ST committee, started speaking about justifying the cost of the Advice Office and Feeding the Hungry and my heart said, ‘over my dead body will we stop either of these—how can we desert ‘our’ men, the ‘forgotten ones’. But she planted a seed!

When I took over as Chairman of the Social Transformation committee in January 2016, God put a desire to learn more on my heart.

I have attended every meeting/presentation that my diary permitted, I have watched DVDs, read (not as much as I would have liked), and ventured into townships—and loved it.

My heart started to shift and I began to realise that the AO and Feeding the Hungry were not delivering anything life- changing, were not meeting even one of the ‘real’ needs of the men.

When we eventually made the decision and called General in to terminate his services I was surprised and actually rather dismayed at how peaceful I felt. It turned out though that God had it all in hand—General had just been offered two other parttime jobs. Closing down tea and sandwiches for the men at the side of the road was a real challenge, and I had to ‘grow up’ a lot as I dealt with the resistance to the idea that we were not doing the men any favours. I also went far out of my comfort zone as I sought alternatives to offer the FtH volunteers, and enjoyed the challenge.

I feel like the real journey has just begun as we wait on Jesus to identify new opportunities and as we look at Social Transformation from a different angle finding ways to include all generations, new ideas and to make meaningful change.

Sometimes I get impatient and feel like nothing is happening— and I realise I still have lots to learn. Perhaps my calling now is to help facilitate as God touches the hearts of members of all three congregations, and let new blood pave the way ahead. I love to think of myself being part of the adventure of CCK Social Transformation, wherever God’s journey of calling takes me.

My heart is now in the place of asking how we can make holistic change—and my overriding passion is still with the men; I dream of empowered churches in under-resourced areas, where church leaders reach out to the men in their community, growing their faith, and strengthening/developing them as loving father figures being able to provide for their families. I see this man having a ripple effect—on his wife and children, and out into the community.

- Jean Swan

It was a happy occasion for Sue Cooke when her son Chris married Nichola James and an all-family affair as older brother, Bruce, officiated at the ceremony. L>R: Darryl, Bruce, Sue, Nichola, Chris, Caro

Ministry to Retirees So-called retirement. A

time, for those in their 50s+ or already retired, to joyfully prepare for or take charge of the Moses promise.

I have been looking through the referenced Exodus readings and listening to Rob’s ‘The Call’ season and thinking how appropriate they are to those of us either preparing for or already in the Moses age!

In May I met with some 26 congregants on a sunny Saturday morning to consider the concept of ‘ministry to retirees’. We even had coffee and biscuits, bought not baked (my Moses age activities do not yet extend to baking).

I find no indication in Scripture that Moses reflected on how God had equipped and prepared him for the Exodus and the qualities he would need for that gargantuan task. However, it seems clear that, indeed, God had done just that, even waiting for Moses to reach an advanced age by which time he had gathered the appropriate skills, experience (even if only in guarding and shepherding sheep and living with his in-laws) and wisdom.

Each of us has a wide range of unique backgrounds, experiences, training and talents gained over the years of our lives. We need not be identified or defined by our career positions, titles or status.

Ever stop to consider God’s hand at work in your lives? Perhaps a little quiet and honest reflection will yield some interesting and revealing results.

In preparing for the Journey to Significance with Paul Bradnum and then Richard Newton, my own reflections certainly revealed God’s consistent hand at work in my life, often not apparent to me, in my ‘business’, at the time.

So, here we are, equipped with a life of skills, experience and some wisdom and perhaps more time for investing them than ever before. What can we individually or with one or more others in the same boat offer our communities? Too often one hears folks say, ‘I don’t really have anything special to offer so I am not sure what I can commit to?’

As we age, community becomes more and more important.

Meaningful activities and pursuits are essential to our spiritual wellbeing and enjoyment of life.

The idea behind the ‘Ministry to Retirees’ is to open us up to recognizing our God-given talents, experience and wisdom and considering how they might be best employed in the Lord’s service. This may start with one-on-one or couple-on-one confidential discussions, which I am happy to facilitate.

A number of suggestions came out of our Saturday morning discussions and I would be delighted to take them further. I don’t have a schedule of ministry or mission options to offer because, in reality, you will likely come up with your own passions, which you want to invest into the community around us. Some may be in existing activities while others might be new and specific to God’s blessings and equipping in you over the years. For those not yet in ‘retirement’, this could be a time of preparation for that outreach.

Another benefit we would like to see emerge from this is the development of a parish-wide database of skills, experience and willingness to assist one another and others. If this touches a nerve please contact me (back.newjourneys@gmail.com) or Rob.

- Barrie Jack (with Joy in photograph)

June 2017 Eight O’Clock News

I attended the Ministry to Retirees

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seminar on Saturday 6th May, led by Barrie Jack, without any particular expectations but believing that this ministry is important to the growing number of people either in or facing this new season of their lives.

Barrie’s presentation was excellent, clearly evidenced by the comments, suggestions and discussions afterwards. I believe that this ministry holds much potential in terms of not only addressing the concerns of retirees but also identifying the significant, untapped pool of skills and experience in CCK and the wider Parish, for the benefit of all together with very definite outreach opportunities.

- Gavin Hiscock (10 am congregation)

Ministry to Retirees Renewal and Release As I walked up to church to attend the

session that had got my attention as something I ought to be thinking about, I wondered if it was the most productive use of my time on a Saturday morning.

After all, retirement is not something I contemplate. Running my own business since 1987 means that I decide if and when I will retire, and as long as there is work to do that I enjoy and that I am able to do, I will continue to do it.

However, something was telling me that I should at least go and listen to what Barrie Jack had to say on the subject. There could well be pearls of wisdom that I need to hear, even if my current life plans do not include retirement from work. In addition, if retirement through illhealth or other unforeseen cause is forced upon me, there is no other community than CCK that I would like to be involved with in that stage of my life.

Barrie took us briefly through many aspects of what retirement can be—both negative and positive. His easy style of engaging with his audience together with the wisdom gained over many years of working with and coaching people to find their passion and value made the 90 minutes pass very quickly and pleasantly.

Personal anecdotes, both amusing and moving, kept the ‘presentation’ on just the right level of engagement with the subject and with the audience. Barrie’s warmth and giftedness as a people person makes him the ideal man to encourage others to see ‘oldhood’ as an exciting and fulfilling time of life.

It soon became apparent that the ‘Ministry to Retirees’ was something of a misnomer. Barrie shared the vision of how the wealth of wisdom and experience available particularly among (but of course not limited to) the 8 o’ clock congregation could be used not only in CCK, but in the wider parish and community.

It should really be ‘Ministry by Retirees’, a giving by folk retired from formal employment to others (young and old) in a way that provides purpose and value to the giver and support and encouragement to the recipient. I look forward to seeing how Rob leads us in making this vision a practical reality.

Saturday’s session was definitely a productive use of my time, giving me encouragement and plenty to think about. Grateful thanks to Barrie for planting seeds that I have no doubt God will water and bring to fruition.

- Daphne Burger

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Placebos*

[* a substance or event that has no therapeutic effect, used as a control in testing new drugs.]

One of the best stories about placebos began in 1939 when Italian surgeon David Fieschi invented a technique to help patients suffering from angina. His procedure involved slicing open the chest and tying off a major artery, forcing the other one to pump more blood to the heart. It enjoyed a success rate of over 80% and for almost two decades Fieschi’s invention was practiced all around the world.

But in the late 1950s cardiologists in Seattle and Kansas City proved that it was the patients’ minds, not the procedure, that was actually doing the trick. They divided patients into two groups—one got Fieschi’s artery tying procedure; the other half were immediately closed up again after their chests were opened. The results staggered the medical fraternity: those who got the full monty reported a 73% success rate; but the sham operation patients scored 83%.

Understanding the power of the mind is one of mankind’s final frontiers. It’s a quest we can all contribute towards, just by becoming aware. Socrates told us the unexamined life is not worth living.

[Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to ‘... take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.]

My Lord God I have no idea where I am going I do not see the road ahead of me I cannot know for certain where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself, And the fact that I think I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You. And I hope that I have that desire in all That I am doing.

And I know that if I do this, You will lead me by the right road Though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore will I trust You always Though I may seem to be lost And in the shadow of death, I will not fear, for You are ever with me And You will never leave me To face my perils alone.

Thomas Merton

1 Peter 2:1-7 Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all

The Vagaries of English

* I wonder why the word funeral starts with FUN? * Why isn't a Fireman called a Water-man? * How come Lipstick doesn't do what it says? * If money doesn't grow on trees, how come Banks have Branches? * How do you get off a non-stop Flight? * Why are goods sent by ship called Cargo and those sent by truck Shipment? * Why do doctors 'practise' medicine? * Why is it called 'Rush Hour' when traffic moves at its slowest then? * How come Noses run and Feet smell?

- Source unknown. Sent in by Joan Evans

June 2017 Eight O’Clock News

deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

As you come to Him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to Him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.”

Now to you who believe, this stone is precious.

But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”

New International Version Editorial Team Tel/e-mail Ev Els

021 696 0336 emichael@iafrica.com

Cheryl Anderson

083 272 1530 canderson@beckman.com