CCK 8 O'clock News Feb 2014

The Eight O’Clock

News February 2014

8 am Service, Christ Church Richmond Road Kenilworth

From Rob & Sue Greetings everyone.

Sue and I thought we might handle this first article in the News as a joint opportunity to look forward to the year ahead with me (Rob) focussing on Christ Church and Sue giving everyone something of an insight into the very significant ministry that awaits her as Chaplain of Herschel Girls’ School (p 2).

The Trinity Project It seems amazing that we have been in Christ Church a mere three months and only a little bit longer than that in Cape Town. So much has happened in that time and we have had such a rich time meeting people and getting to know our new family here at CCK, that it seems as if we have been here much longer. As we enter 2014, I am really looking forward to the year ahead in the midst of this community. If these first few months have been a time to begin to get to know one another, now, I feel, we can begin to journey together. And so, this year we will launch what I call the Trinity Project. Let me take this opportunity to give some idea of what that portentous title implies.

At the heart of our faith is the Good News of salvation. We probably have a reasonable idea of what we are saved from as those who, outside of Christ, were enslaved by sin and subject to death.

We all have an intimate knowledge of what it means to be a sinner and to fall short of God’s righteousness. On top of that, we have, as Christians, a good idea of who we are saved by, and so we worship Jesus and give heartfelt thanks for His Cross and Resurrection. What we might not, perhaps, see so clearly with regard to who we

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are saved by, is the richness of the eternal plan of salvation which originates before the dawn of time in the eternal fellowship of the Godhead—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Perhaps, however, the area of faith where we could most do with a richer understanding is the issue of what we are saved to, and how our experience of being the community of God on earth is a crucial part of it.

The Trinity reminds us that community and relationship in all its fullness is at the heart of who God is. Community and relationship, as Jesus consistently pointed out, is also at the heart of who God calls us to be, and the fullness that He ultimately has in store for us. Trinity stirs us to ask what it means to be adopted into the family of God, and what it means for us to live as those who are already citizens of heaven.

This is why I have entitled it a project, because the Trinity is not some complex, almost illogical concept for those with rarefied philosophical brains to wrestle with; rather our understanding of the Trinity is intensely practical as we explore what it really means for our life together as the church and for our whole sense of who we really are in Christ, both as individuals and as a community. It is something we need to work out, to apply, and to journey into, together. Trinity reminds us that fellowship—the rich New Testament word, koinonia, is utterly central to being Christians, and that it is so much more than tea and a chat after the service.

All this we will be exploring and, hopefully, taking to heart in rich and exciting practical ways in the months and years ahead. So, welcome to the Trinity Project! I really look forward to our exploring it together.

- Rob Taylor

God spoke: Let Us make human beings in Our image, make them reflecting Our nature Genesis 1:26 The Message

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Licensing of Chaplain to Herschel Girls' School—15/1/2014 Sue, as this is your special occasion I want to give you padkos, that is food, for your journey. You firstly join this diocese, the Diocese of Cape Town, as a priest in the church of God and then as Chaplain of this prestigious Anglican school.

Congratulations on your appointment and thanks to those who interviewed and selected you for this role. I know that as a priest and teacher you will serve the school well.

You join a team of hard-working girls, industrious and able staff members, and a visionary and practical head of school and council members.

In sum, as in the story that we read from the Bible (1 Samuel 3: 1-10), there are and will be many voices and demands on you—intellectual, emotional, physical, social—and you will need boldly to weave into this tapestry the spiritual voice. In this way, you will truly form an outstanding Herschellian girl, one who like young Samuel, at the feet of his mentor/teacher or chaplain, and even parent, would boldly say, Speak, Lord, Your servant is listening.

Sue, your task is both challenging and a great joy. You have what I call a double quandary, that of being Samuel, the servant, who says, Speak Lord, I am listening, but at the same time, being Eli, who is called to help the girls and the school to discern the voice of God in our midst and in our time.

Like Eli, you are to give the girls and staff, as well as parents, the confidence to listen and to hear God’s voice, but equally help us to find and exercise our own voice. In the midst of competing volleys of dogmatic utterances, you are called to create space, especially for the girls and this place to discern all that is Godly and noble and truthful. You are to help the school, which may drown in a sea of privilege, to discern the word of God, yearning and crying in a sea of poverty where many South African youngsters are learning in mud schools and may possibly be destined for failure and hopelessness.

This discernment has to lead to action. Sue, welcome to this place and I pray that you will grab that voice, that very thin yet mysterious thread and weave into the tapestry of what is called Herschel, the spiritual dimension.

In other words, I pray that you will grab God by the scruff of the neck, take God and bring God here, and then take the school by the scruff of its neck to where God needs it to be, in such a time as ours, in the world.

As an Anglican priest in the church of God, a church whose declared Vision is to be Anchored in the love of Christ, Committed to God’s Mission, and Transformed by the Holy Eight O ’Clock News, February 2014

Spirit, you are to help the girls, and indeed the whole Herschel community, to be anchored in all that is loving and caring, to be committed to the pursuit of Godly knowledge in the world and to be critical in doing so, and to be transformed by God’s love and voice in God’s world.

With this brief homily and comments, welcome Sue, as we license you as Chaplain to the school.

- Archbishop Thabo Makgoba (behind Sue)

Weaving the Tapestry...

Thank you (CCK) for the prayers and encouragement you have given me as I embark on my chaplaincy at Herschel. My first couple of weeks have been full and happy, with the high point being a visit from our gracious Archbishop Thabo who conducted a moving licensing ceremony at school.

I would really value your continued prayers as my task is huge. In addition to regular weekly services in both the Senior and Prep schools, I will be teaching Divinity to all the girls, from Grade 1 to Matric—so this will require not only a lot of preparation but sensitivity to both the needs of the girls and to the Holy Spirit. In addition to this, there is a wider involvement in the activities of the school as a whole, and developing a pastoral ministry to my ‘congregation’, including all the staff.

An exciting initiative in this first term is supporting Jared and Justine as they bring a Youth Alpha into the school. They have invited boys from Bishops to join us, and my prayer is that it bears much fruit for the Kingdom.

- Sue Taylor

Point to Ponder As I hurtled through space, one thought crossed my mind—every part of this rocket was supplied by the lowest bidder.

- Astronaut John Glenn – sent in by Alison Kempton Jones

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Congratulations !

Happy Birthday

Choir member, Maureen Pearson, exchanging wedding vows with Paul Neil on 30/11/13.

to

Lorna Thompson (6/2) 98 Jackie Mellor (6/2) 86 My Word will brighten your steps and light your paths.

Psalm 119:105

What is this?

And what is its use?

- Origin unknown, sent in by Peter Wilkinson

Margaret Murray (left) celebrated a special birthday in 2013 and these are some of her friends who shared in the party.

- Photographs sent in by Janice Prendergast Eight O ’Clock News, February 2014

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Mary Ussher 4/12/1932 — 1/12/2013 Mary Ussher, who worshipped at Christ

trusted, worshipped and loved God. She treasured her daily times of quiet prayer and Bible reading and was in ongoing communication with God. She fed her soul and ours—through wonderful birthday cards—on the Word of God! She freely spoke about her Lord to whoever crossed her path and faithfully prayed for those with whom she had shared her faith.

Mary was very concerned for those less fortunate than herself and after retirement she organised Feeding the Hungry for many years. Apart from the organisational work and the shopping she also ministered to the men in prayer and helped them in practical ways too.

She was well into her 70s before she abdicated from FTH. My own special memory of Mary is the 20 years or more we spent together in a Prayer Group. This will be a special memory for other group members too, both past and present. Mary was a Pray-er par excellence. We will miss her and her full-of-faith prayers. In fact, not only our group but many, many people will be the poorer without Mary’s ongoing prayer support. Politicians are probably wondering why life is more difficult for them now than it was a few months ago !

Altogether, this loving, friendly, interesting, gracious, humble and deeply committed person was a gift from God to countless people and we treasure every memory we have of her. We love you Mary and miss you. Thanks be to God.

Church from the moment she entered into a relationship with Jesus in the 50s, died in December 2013—over 50 years of faithful worship and service! Mary was an institution in our church and served in many ways—teaching Sunday School, co-leading the Youth Group, leading Bible studies, co-leading House Churches. Her last House Church responsibility was with Anthony and Sandy Collier and it was special that Sandy was with Mary when she died. She was able to pray for Mary and encourage her as she moved from this earthly life to be with Jesus, her Saviour.

Mary was an amazing tennis player and the recent loss of her ability to play tennis was hard for her. Memories of her tennis years, however, including those when she represented SA in Veteran Tennis, were very precious to her. Her poetry— yes, she was also a poet—written in her own unique style is peppered with poems about her tennis and her tennis friends.

Mary also played hockey and is remembered as a brilliant hockey player. In 1949 Christine Milligan representing Western Province, Helen Myburgh representing Northern Transvaal and Mary representing Natal Schools all met at the Inter-provincial schools’ hockey tournament in Grahamstown.

- Denise Wood Who could have guessed in 1949 that all three of them would be very active members of Christ Church in years to come and also very closely involved in one another’s lives! In 1950, An Early Morning Hymn her first year at UCT, Mary was chosen for the first Combined SA Universities tour to Europe—quite an achievement. This Lord Jesus, how could You have given me very determined and accomplished Left Half later became a such beauty to see?

Springbok. Mary was a sportswoman of note!

Every morning when I wake I draw my curtains Mary was a people-person. Relationships with family and and there they are— friends were at the core of her life. She often spoke of her Those glorious mountains, family who are multitudinous and I found it hard to keep A semi-circle all around me like the rim of a saucer. abreast of all the generational intricacies! But she had all Awesome family information at her fingertips and treasured every family member.

Silent Mary’s friends are legion! Everyone knew Mary and loved Protective her. She nurtured all her friendships—friends from school and Speaking of Your majesty varsity; friends made through her many and various And love of beauty involvements; Christ Church friends and all the friends she Your protectiveness around. made at Trianon in these last years of her life. And not only people—two really good friends of Mary’s at Trianon were Yet all do not see, do not connect the magnificence dogs: one was a resident’s guide dog, and the other a little of Your works. dog who belonged to Health Care. He attached himself to For they remind me every day of Your Presence, Mary until she died. Mary loved us all and would do anything Your Gracious Love for all creatures. for anyone. Her generosity to all and sundry knew no bounds.

At the end of her life she received unbounded generosity from Father, Son and Holy Spirit, her long-standing friend, Joan Evans, and she often All encompassing, united harmony expressed how deeply grateful she was to Joan for all the between You Three, care and support Joan gave her.

Reaching out to everyone and me.

Mary loved her Lord. Her relationship with God was central - Mary Ussher to her being. Life wasn’t always easy for her but she always Eight O ’Clock News, February 2014

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That Beautiful Voice is Silenced : Peter Krummeck For many in St John’s Parish, the name of Peter Krummeck conjures up vivid images from the many plays he created when he was a member of Christ Church. Peter was one of the three founders of Acts (initially St Johns’ Parish Drama Group), along with John Freeth (parish rector at the time) and the late James Thomas.

The two biggest productions, Lodestar, in Bishopscourt and The Passion at the Baxter Theatre, became hardy annuals not only in the church but on the Cape Town theatre and tourist scene, running for around ten seasons each in the 80s and 90s and spreading to other venues in South Africa and abroad.

My first meeting with Peter was in the grounds of Bishopscourt in December 1981. He was perched atop the wooden frame of Herod’s palace, building the set for that whacky and magical Christmas play in which, year after year, we would join the three not-so-wise men on their adventurous journey led by the Lodestar. That was my introduction to Peter’s world of theatre—the world in which he ‘lived and moved and had his being’ as a highly accomplished playwright, actor, director, designer and composer. It was also my introduction to a beautiful, challenging and caring man who would be my very dear friend for more than three decades.

The Acts productions (including Trials of a Good and Blameless Man, Saints Alive, War Toys, and Like an Eagle) drew their casts and crews mainly from this parish, and for most of us this was our first experience of relating as equals with people of different races. Many lifelong friendships began there. Though this was no doubt part of Acts’ vision, one never had the sense that this integration was in any way ‘engineered’—it was just part of the often intense process of getting the production together. The ability to relate and engage sincerely with a very diverse group of people was

one of Peter’s special gifts. He later consolidated this aspect of his work into “the Acts process”, which he used extensively in South Africa and the United States to bridge various kinds of diversity.

Peter was always involved in several things at a time—and was forever teaching and mentoring, giving generously of himself. Besides his theatre work, he also wrote numerous radio plays and a few novels, acted in films and TV series, painted, drew cartoons and invented complex board games.

Of his many prestigious awards over the years, my personal favourite was the inaugural Baxter Tribute in 1985, which celebrated his achievements in all aspects of theatre.

Peter’s greatest work of the last decade must be his powerful one-man play, Bonhoeffer. It had a few short runs in local theatres, but really took off in Canada and the USA, where he gave more than 500 performances to highly appreciative audiences and was part of the first anniversary commemoration of 9/11 in Washington. (More on Bonhoeffer at http://www.rondeboschunited.org.za/content/ peter-krummeck-bonhoeffer-play.)

Faith, for Peter, was a way of life and could not be compartmentalised. He often spoke of his faith when interviewed by the media, and enjoyed preaching occasionally in his church.

Peter was diagnosed with advanced cancer in the middle of 2013. He made peace early on with the idea of dying, though naturally concerned about the suffering involved. On 1 November he booked himself into St Luke’s Hospice for a few days’ rest, but the disease progressed quickly and he remained there, being ‘treated like royalty’, as he said. He died a week later, gently and with dignity, as he had wished.

He leaves his sisters Anne and Judith, his niece Yvette and his nephew Neville. (Anne Daring, formerly Prinsloo, was the Christ Church secretary in the 80s.)

“Death doth hide, But not divide, Thou art but on Christ’s other side!

Thou art with Christ, and Christ with me, In Christ united still are we.”

(From the personal prayer book of the late Fr Alf Beresford who lived at Braehead.)

- Carola Meyer

Richard III Stan Fish reported that on 14 January, John Maytham included something in his radio broadcast that had him giggling.

John gave no source of where he found this, but he maintained that: Somewhere there’s a Camping Supplies business which had an advertising poster in the window claiming to be Richard III, this is the winter of our Discount Tents.

(With apologies to Lauren Bates !)

Eight O ’Clock News, February 2014

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Letter from the Birches Last month we enjoyed our thirteenth Christmas in the UK. What a lot has happened since we left SA on a three-month return ticket! It was on a cold Christmas Eve that we packed Bronwyn’s car and headed south from London to Brambleside, an unknown cottage in Ringwood about 90 miles away. We had very little money and a few things to make Christmas, Christmas. Little did we know that Brambleside would be our home for the years to come, nor did we know that we were beginning a new life with many new adventures and experiences to follow. We have been truly blessed.

Brambleside, about two miles out of town, is in the country, within the New Forest National Park. It is a small cottage surrounded by trees, on a large piece of land and looks directly on to a little Methodist church. It is very peaceful and quiet.

We arrived in the dark not knowing anything about the area, but within half an hour of our arrival, we had been invited to drinks with the neighbours. That night Deirdre and I decided to attend a midnight service somewhere so went into town, followed the sound of the bells and found ourselves in the Parish Church. Next morning we attended the Methodist church and were invited by neighbours to enjoy mince pies and snacks with them. And so we became part of a very friendly little community with a cluster of six houses off the beaten track.

For various reasons, our first year or two here were not easy. Deirdre signed up to an agency as a cleaner and worked at various places. Her cleaning job took her to Quaker Court, a sheltered housing complex. When a permanent job came up she applied and has been a sheltered housing officer there for just over ten years. She really enjoys working with elderly people and she is one of the residents’ favourite staff members. She is also secretary for Churches Together in Ringwood and District, an active group.

I taught for about five years, spent a year renovating Brambleside, and then became manager of a Church Community Centre. (Look up Trinity Centre, Ringwood, on the internet—our website soon to be completely revamped.)

For about eleven years I have been organist at All Saints, St Leonards and St Ives and play there for five services a month. (It’s also on the internet.) I also play frequently at various churches and seem to be in constant demand. Over the years I have composed a number of anthems and carols that have been performed by various choirs and “A Parish Eucharist” that I composed has been used at All Saints for about six years. Last year I was invited to direct a nearby choral society and we did various works with small orchestra.

Our family? Bronwyn was the first to get married and she lives just south of Auckland, New Zealand, with her husband Brendan (an architect), Keagan (7) and Keira, (5). We have been privileged to visit them on three occasions. NZ has the Eight O ’Clock News, February 2014

most amazing, varied scenery.

David was the next one to tie the knot and this time we took a trip to Skiathos, with many of their friends, where he and Emily were married on the beach in a very special ceremony. They have bought a house and live in a pleasant part of London. We have been involved in helping them with their renovation work. Both work very hard. David is a director of an expanding market research company that he and two other family members are developing.

Catherine got married last year and we were pleased that my sister, Mary, was able to travel over for the wedding and stay with us for six weeks. Catherine and her husband Tony, recently bought a house about eleven miles away and we see them regularly. They both work at JP Morgan Bank.

Both sets of parents have been very useful assistants with their major renovations projects. (We are kept busy!)

What we have enjoyed here is the contrasts of the seasons.

We walk or cycle across fields and along the old railway track the two miles to work each day and three years ago we were snowed in. The only way to get to our carol service was to walk into town and get a lift from the centre of town to the church. I will never forget the walk home. The snow across the fields was crisp, the sky was clear, there was no wind, there was a full moon and we could see Christmas lights twinkling in the distance. Absolute magic!

Salisbury Cathedral, only 18 miles away, has been a favourite of ours and we have spent many hours there. The music is always superb. Christchurch Priory, only eight miles away, dates from the end of the 11th C, has the longest nave of any parish church in the country and is larger than 21 cathedrals. There is an interesting story going back to the beginning of the 12thC. When the priory was being built, it was found that a wooden beam had been cut too short when it was hoisted into place. This was very embarrassing for the carpenters as the wood was expensive and difficult to replace. There was however, a mysterious carpenter who had worked and eaten alone. The next day when the carpenters arrived at work, they found the beam was in place and it now fitted. The unknown carpenter was never seen again! The story came to be that it was Jesus Christ Himself who had been the unknown carpenter and the church became known as Christ’s Church and the name of the town changed accordingly.

We were so saddened by the news of James Thomas’s untimely death. It affected us very deeply, especially as we remembered the many happy times that we had made music together at Parish Praise and my meeting him and Colleen last year at Salisbury Cathedral.

We send our love to all our friends at Christ Church.

- John and Deirdre Birch Article shortened—full text available.

New Meanings to New/Old Definitions Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease Glibido: All talk and no action Egotist: Someone who is usually me-deep in conversation - Sent in by Belle Divaris

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Churches Visited in Europe In May and June last year, Phil and I backpacked across Europe from the west coast of Crete to the west coast of Ireland.

En route we encountered various churches, which were very varied and I’d like to mention a few of them and how they added depth to our time away from home.

In Venice we stayed in a centuries-old orphanage, now converted into a pilgrims’ hostel, where abandoned babies were “posted” through a hole in the wall, to be brought up by nuns. Next door, a few minutes away from the Piazzetta, is the Church of Santa Maria della Pieta, where Vivaldi composed music, sung by the foundlings later in life.

In Paris, our hostel in Montmartre was close to the Sacre Coeur and, arriving on a Sunday, we decided to attend the evening mass there—a memorable experience...

In Cambridge, after morning service with friends in All Saints in Jesus Lane, we later attended a short service in the chapel of Jesus College across the road, with a full choir of staff and students.

In Winchester we visited the Cathedral to discover the strong links with Jane Austen and with Charles Darwin’s nemesis, Bishop Samuel Wilberforce. The guided tour was excellent.

We had a brief sortie to Scotland, especially to

visit The Isle of Iona (my beanie was hand-knitted there) via The Isle of Staffa with its fabled Fingals’s Cave, so our first view of Iona was from the sea. The long summer evening allowed us to attend a laity-led service in the restored Abbey, which included a chant in isiXhosa!

Crossing to Ireland, we visited the church, built in 1681, in Waringstown, County Down, where I was confirmed.

Returning to London, at the end of our travels, Matins at Westminster Abbey was impressive.

The lesson was Acts 27, dealing with the storm that drove St Paul from the south coast of Crete, where we had just been, all the way westwards to Malta. The sermon was on the former Archbishop of Cape Town, Joost de Blank!

Something Else to do With Onions - Origin unknown, sent in by Denise Wibberley

Eight O ’Clock News, February 2014

- John Rogers Photograph—off Inisheer, one of the Aran Islands off the west coast ot Ireland.

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Splitting Hairs I’m constantly amazed at what divides us in the church. Jesus’ words from the cross still ring true, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. We still don’t.

Did you know facial hair has marked divisions in the church?

Jesus and His disciples were Jewish and sported beards— well, those old enough to grow them did. The first generation of the church continued to be largely Jewish so beards were the order of the day. When the good news about Jesus broke into the pagan Roman world it wasn’t long before new believers, who thought they were a cut above the Jewish believers, joined the church. Empires changed and the cleanshaven look caught on.

Hair today, gone tomorrow.

Fast forward and people still split hairs over beards and theologies. Some church leaders required beards, others banned them. Roman Catholic priests were and are most often clean-shaven.

Greek and Russian Orthodox priests have big bushy beards.

Some from the Reformed traditions went for beards to distinguish themselves from Roman Catholics. But several Christian colleges in the USA banned beards in the 1970s because of the association with protest movements. Good evangelicals in the 1980s in South Africa were clean-shaven or at most, wore moustaches, while liberals went with beards, or so I've heard.

Hair-brained idea, really.

Thank God we’re past that. Now it’s more about personal preference and making other statements such as, for myself, I'm too lazy to shave everyday.

Still on the theme of hair, I’m reminded of a time I visited a church in Seshego to preach at a service being recorded for SAFM. A person read out a passage from Romans 8 that I was to preach on, boldly pronouncing that we are hairs of God. It actually read, heirs and the term was used several times...

So whether hairs or heirs, in the words of St Paul, The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may share in His glory.

Let it be so.

- Peter Houston (Peter’s Progress) Rector of the Parish of Umhlali (Previously Youth Pastor at CCK)

The Journey Ahead...

When Eddie Askew died, his daughter, Jenny Hawke, found in his files some notes of his ‘unfinished symphony’—There was a Garden.

She has added her own thoughts, meditations and prayers and completed those chapters that had only been written in note form.

The book begins with the Garden of Eden and the meditation she has written for Eddie’s article based on Genesis 2:8 follows:

What would I say?

An evening walk with You, Lord?

How would it feel to walk at Your side, to feel the warmth of Your breath, to match my step with Yours?

And as we walk, beauty and fragrance surround, the light of Your presence showing the way ahead, the path smooth to my feet, My heartbeat slows, the rush of my world falls away and I relax into who I am. and yet I long to be more for You. Stronger, more faithful, and courageous.

Taking giant steps, doing great things, all in Your Name.

But all You are asking is that I walk with You today.

- Sent in by Wendy Gunn

Out of the Mouths…

We’ve just had a telephone conversation with our 11 year old granddaughter. I have no idea what Peter said to her but her response was, your logic is slightly flawed, Grandpa !!!!!!

Difficult to continue the conversation without fits of laughter...

What a blessing grandchildren are!

Editorial Team Tel. e-mail** Ev Els

021 6960336 emichael@iafrica.com

Cheryl Anderson

083 272 1530 canderson@beckman.com

- Margaret and Peter Barrett (1/12/13)

Photograph, front page: House Martins build nest on top of Jim Michael’s front door alarm !

Eight O ’Clock News, February 2014