The Eight O’Clock
Welcome to CCK, Annie
News Read this in COLOUR at www.cck.org.za
July 2015
8 am Service, Christ Church, Kenilworth
021-797-6332
freedom had arrived and the direction taken was good and right. It gave hope to communities everywhere which had been divided by fear, shame, Since I was little (as young as 5 years old, I think) I discrimination and injustice. have been deeply moved and drawn to South Africa. In 2001 my Dad (photograph left) had a sudden I recall the first time I watched Nelson Mandela's stroke and I returned to the UK to be with him and speech at his trial before being sent to Robben Island. my family. Sadly he passed away and so I decided I can remember all the hairs on my arms bristling. It to come home for good to be with my family. The felt like electricity flowing out of this man's piercing sudden interruption meant I never felt like I had eyes and unwavering conviction. finished in SA I remember thinking he seemed to be a and that God good man but he didn't seem tame. I had simply subsequently discovered that the Spirit pressed with which he spoke was not faint but ‘pause’ until a holy; consistent with future moment the Spirit of the when He would gospel which he press ‘play’ sought to embody again. and draw the nation Over the last to embrace and four years I embody together. have felt God In 1998 I moved to preparing me Durban where I to leave worked for Soul London Survivor (Youth Top R: Mum (Christine), sister Pauline, brother Jon and my brother's and Ministry) based at St Martin-in-the-Fields god-mother Rosemary; Bottom: Pauline, brother Chris, Tash ((sister- naturally I began to with Rob and Sue. It felt
Annie Kirke
in-law), Jon, me; Front row: niece Ellie and nephew Finn.
very significant to be in SA in its post-apartheid infancy and to share in people's hopes for the future. In real terms, the end of apartheid was 'good news' for all South Africans, especially its poorest and most vulnerable members. In spiritual terms it was 'good news' for all of us. Good had triumphed over evil and the fork in the long road to July 2015 Eight O’Clock News
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pray about a return to SA alongside a few other potential places. My sense of return to SA grew stronger and so, when out of the blue after a lot of prayer and fasting, I received an email from Rob asking if I would consider applying for the Assistant Minister position, I felt a real leap in my spirit! I feel really privileged to have the opportunity to come and join you all at CCK as you seek to embody the gospel in the power of God's Spirit at this time. Having spent time with you earlier this year, I know it's going to be an incredible and enriching journey and a lot of fun along the way. At the same time, I am full of emotion at the thought of leaving my family, friends and community in London and around the UK. I leave my Mum (Christine), Pauline, Jon and Chris my siblings, Chris's wife Tash and their amazing kids Ellie and Finn. My family are very important to me and I have lived with both Jon and Pauline for ten and three years respectively in London. One thing I already know, you already feel like family and that is a true gift to me. Thank you for being so warm, welcoming, prayerful and supportive of my appointment. I can't wait to grow to know, love and serve you. It's going to be a privilege. - Annie
Annual Polar Swim Janet Mackay and Denise Wibberley joined in the annual winter swim at Clifton. The water temperature was between 11 and 13 degrees !
Welcome to the Russell Family
Mark Russell joins us as Youth Leader and Teen Ministry Co-ordinator from 1 July. Mark has been living in KZN with his wife Olivia and their 3½ year old son, Caleb. Mark is no stranger to Cape Town—he matriculated at Wynberg Boys’ High in 1994. With a BA degree in Theology from Cornerstone College in Stellenbosch, Mark has spent over seven years in full time church ministry—in preaching, teaching, pastoral care and is experienced in teen and young adult ministry. He has been teaching Natural Science and English in Grades 5–6 at a school near Port Shepstone. With experience in High School and U21 rugby coaching (he is an accredited BokSmart coach through the South African Rugby Union) and canoeing, he engages easily with all age groups. His career opportunities have equipped him in a number of leadership and pastoral roles and we look forward to his adding all this to the CCK-mix. Olivia has 12 years’ experience as an art director in advertising and graphic design. She hopes to continue a career in advertising or design work. [Mark and family are driving from KZN to Cape Town without their animals and without any furniture—just the essentials and have secured a housesitting opportunity in Newlands from 1–16th July. They arrived a few days ago. Once they’ve found accommodation they will bring their animals and household goods to join them.]
Origins... In the 1400's a law was set forth in England that a
July 2015 Eight O’Clock News
man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence we have ‘the rule of thumb’. In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes, the mattress tightened, making the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase, ‘Goodnight , sleep tight’ - Sent in by Jean Van Zyl-Smit
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Visit to Bettaway Church
On Sunday, 31 May five cars left Christ Church to visit Bettaway Church in Delft where Clive and Glenda McMinn are ministering. We had a lot of art materials and toys to contribute to the Holiday Bible Club they planned for the winter holidays for 400-500 children. It was a stormy day, cold and wet, which gave us a sobering impression of the winter conditions in the poorer suburbs of Cape Town. The welcome however, was warm and spontaneous, with coffee and cupcakes. We were led in worship by their high-energy youth band and vocalists—a product of their Saturday morning music workshops. We really enjoyed the service and their freedom to minister to the needs of people there. We were reminded to show daily to others the faith, hope and love which Christ has given us. After the service we toured the Sunday school accommodation (in dark and damp containers) which are used for the homework club during the week. This will hopefully change soon, when Bettaway can buy the neighbouring plot and build a new multiJuly 2015 Eight O’Clock News
purpose centre. The highlight was the opening of the remedial centre in a new carpeted Wendy house, where several Christ Church members are helping children with learning problems in the afternoons. We left there sure that God is doing great things, and grateful to be playing a part in Bettaway’s outreach to Delft. - Lindy Tomalin
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Habitat for Humanity Leadership Conference in Bratislava The conference, 22-24 May 2015, was arranged by the Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA) area of the world-wide Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) organisation. It was a very significant event in that it was the first conference since the merger of Africa and the Middle East with Europe. Over 25 countries from this newly established area were represented at the conference, as well as staff from the EMEA office which is based in Bratislava and a few from the head office of HFHI in Atlanta. Each country in this area was represented by the board chairperson and the national director. As the current chair of HFHSA, it was a very great honour and privilege to have represented South Africa. It was a wonderful experience to meet representatives from as far afield as Tajikistan and Northern Ireland. I discovered that there were strategic partnerships between rich European organisations and countries such as Ethiopia and Malawi. Many friends with whom I shared my proposed trip had never heard of Bratislava which is the capital city of Slovakia, which, by the way, only became an independent country in 1993. The focus of the leadership conference was to expand and intensify the global impact of the organisation. The vision of HFHI is: “A world where everyone has a decent place to live.” This is a compelling and inspiring vision for all the partnering counties. In the past year HFHI served over 300 000 families—about 1,6 million people—through home construction, rehabilitation and repairs or increased access to improved shelter. One of the cornerstones of Habitat is providing opportunities for volunteers and many millions of faithful supporters have been mobilised over the years. July 2015 Eight O’Clock News
One of the keynote speakers was the International Strategic Director for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). He is a leading expert on fundraising and achieved a massive increase in the scale of individual donations. While corporate sponsors are very significant for Habitat, it is clear that the focus going forward needs to be on individual donations of money, time and skills to serving the poor and marginalised in need of decent shelter. It was most rewarding and encouraging to be in the company of volunteers and dedicated staff members who are all driven by the same vision and mission. I gained new insights into this most remarkable organisation and its strategic plan for the future. I am very thankful to EMEA and HFHSA for sponsoring the costs of my attendance. Habitat is keenly aware that it was founded in 1976 by a dynamic Christian leader and that it needs to continue to be faithful to its Christian principles. There is recognition that in order to ensure this continuity it is important to set clear goals. There is now in place renewed energy and commitment to ensure that Habitat reaches its 50th anniversary in 2026, and beyond, as a vibrant effective Christian organisation, committed to demonstrating the love and teachings of Jesus Christ. “Keeping God at the Centre” is now a focus of the work and I was particularly pleased when Paul Durrant (National Director of HFHSA), and a member of CCK, addressed the conference on this theme. Every morning of the three day conference was started with a 30 minute devotion and on Sunday morning all the delegates shared in a service of Holy Communion. Having attended the conference I am in no doubt that the global impact of the ministry of Habitat is going to grow from strength to strength. I am very appreciative and humbled by the wonderful support and encouragement I have received from CCK and the parish over the past 11 years of my involvement with Habitat as a volunteer. - Peter Tomalin
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Somewhere over the Rainbow
Rooted in Love
At the 2014 Oscars they celebrated the 75th anniversary of
(Integrating Ignatian spirituality into daily life) I have to admit that I’m influenced by the cover of a book, and as a keen gardener the cover of this particular book really appeals. Those hands gently but firmly holding the plant in its surrounding of earth give such a comforting picture. For some years I struggled with the idea of faith as an insurance policy, as an entry ticket to heaven, with very little thought of the journey of life and deep relationship with God. In more recent years I’ve been drawn to a more contemplative form of spirituality and this book has been so helpful in that regard. In the introduction the author, Mags Blackie, explains that ‘the fundamental ideas are drawn explicitly and unashamedly from The Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius. It is a spirituality founded on the principle of finding God in all things, a spirituality that is designed to be lived in the midst of life, not as something apart from it. It requires honesty with oneself, with God and with others. This is not a ‘how-to in ten easy steps’ book. There are thirteen chapters interspersed with blocks of exercises for the reader to do. It’s important to do the exercises so that you really engage with the text. The writer encourages the reader to write down any insights that the book prompts. As I read I found so many insights popping into my head, so many things to which I related. In the first chapter we take stock of who we really are and in the second we look at who God is—leading into the next which is about finding God in all things. Following chapters deal with desire, grace, discernment, indifference, decision-making, tough times, hurts in personal relationships, the central core of our faith, and finally on moving forward. Each chapter is full and rich, and contains lively word illustrations, some of them the personal experiences of the author. I found this very helpful. The style is easy and I felt drawn into what was being said. There are no quick fixes—the reader is led into a journey which is at times uncomfortable. We are reminded that God meets us in our humanity. I found myself pausing constantly to re-read something, to think it through. The author encourages a relationship with a spiritual director for the accountability and companionship this provides. For the past few years I’ve experienced a relationship with a spiritual director and have found this has added so much to my life. She refers to this relationship as a conversation which facilitates encounter with God’. There is lots more one can say about this book, but I think the best idea is to get a copy (available from the Resource Centre) and read it for yourself. Be prepared to be enriched, challenged and led into a deeper, more realistic relationship with God, and, as a result, with others. - Jeanette Harris July 2015 Eight O’Clock News
the release of the Wizard of Oz by having Pink sing Somewhere Over the Rainbow, with highlights from the film in the background. But what few people realized, while listening to that performer singing that unforgettable song, is that the music is deeply embedded in the Jewish experience. It is no accident, for example, that the best known Christmas songs of all time were written by Jews. Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer was written by Johnny Marks and White Christmas was penned by a Jewish liturgical singer’s (cantor) son, Irving Berlin. But perhaps the most poignant song emerging out of the mass exodus from Europe was Somewhere Over the Rainbow. The lyrics were written by Yip Harburg, the youngest of four children born to Russian Jewish immigrants. His real name was Isidore Hochberg and he grew up in a Yiddish speaking, Orthodox Jewish home in New York. The music was written by Harold Arlen, a cantor's son. His real name was Hyman Arluck and his parents were from Lithuania. In writing it, the two men reached deep into their immigrant Jewish consciousness—framed by the pogroms of the past and the Holocaust about to happen—and wrote an unforgettable melody set to near prophetic words. Read the lyrics in their Jewish context and suddenly the words are no longer about wizards and Oz, but about Jewish survival: Somewhere over the rainbow, Way up high, There's a land that I heard of Once in a lullaby. Somewhere over the rainbow, Skies are blue, And the dreams that you dare to dream Really do come true. Someday I'll wish upon a star And wake up where the clouds are far behind me. Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Somewhere over the rainbow, Bluebirds fly. Birds fly over the rainbow. Why then, oh why can't I? If happy little bluebirds fly Beyond the rainbow Why, oh why can't I? The Jews of Europe could not fly. They could not escape beyond the rainbow. Harburg was almost prescient when he talked about wanting to fly like a bluebird away from the "chimney tops". In the post-Auschwitz era, chimney tops have taken on a very different meaning than the one they had at the beginning of 1939. Pink's mom is Judith Kugel. She's Jewish of Lithuanian descent. As Pink was belting the Harburg/Arlen song from the stage at the Academy Awards, I wasn't thinking about the movie. I was thinking about Europe’s lost Jews and the immigrants to America. I was then struck by the irony that for two thousand years the land that the Jews heard of once in a lullaby was not America, but Israel. The remarkable thing would be that less than ten years after this song was first published, the exile was over and the State of Israel was reborn. Perhaps the "dreams that you dare to dream really do come true". - Author unknown, sent in by Denise Wood
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GeoCorrection: Els Ravine, Newlands
To Be in His Presence...
I am pointing to the contact between the top of the older (510 million years) Graafwater Formation, with relatively thin beds of
After lunch the other day I sat outside in the sun and was so blessed by the warmth and by the awareness of the amazing growth in the garden after the recent rains and the gazanias now full of colourful daisy flowers. God certainly gives us wonderful colours to enjoy in the winter to brighten our lives. We are indeed blessed and can respond to all this beauty, sunshine and stillness by thanking and praising Him for His generosity and love. Dr Pablo Martinez, a Christian Psychologist and student lecturer in Barcelona, writes in his book Prayer Life, “If the relationship that the Lord wants of us is to be characterised by love for Him, then first of all we need to practise being in His presence. The key is to be with. This is the first and indispensable requisite for a love relationship to be able to grow. Without the presence of the loved one, no intimacy is possible, and without intimacy, there can be no progress in the relationship. It is important to note how in the Old Testament and especially in the Psalms, the idea of prayer is inseparably joined to the concepts of intimate communion and meditation. However, we sometimes get snarled up doing so many things for God that we do not have enough time to be with Him. We work so hard in the work of the Lord that there is no river-sandstones and the younger Peninsula Formation (490 million place for the Lord of the work. Be aware of activism! We can years), with much thicker beds of river-sandstones, both in the bring many gifts to the Lord, immersed in a thousand spiritual lower part of the Palaeozoic (“Ancient Life”) Table Mountain activities, but deep down these are all a mere imitation of true Group. The younger (130 million years), intrusive, igneous, black love. It is difficult for us to understand it and it even surprises us, dolerite dyke is just out of sight behind me on the north edge of the but God does want to be with us. The Lord is delighted when His waterfall at the top of Els Ravine, below The Saddle between the children seek Him. God is self-sufficient, He has need of nothing; Back Table and Devil’s Peak above Newlands and the Contour nonetheless, He takes great pleasure in our relationship with Him, Path. in our prayers. The Lord seeks worshippers who ‘will worship the - John Rogers Father in spirit and truth’ (John 4:23). To come near unto God, to be with Him, giving Him an unequivocal sign of our love with our - Sent in by Denise Wibberley presence, is in itself a form of prayer: Lord, this time is yours; here I am, speak to me as You want.” The message in this bit of writing is very helpful for us to look at how we are living, and where necessary to let go of some of the ‘activities’ we may be involved in, which are crowding God out... quite a challenge! Look after yourselves in this cold weather and pray for those who are only just surviving in it. God may want you to do something special for just one person in - Wendy Gunn need. Psalm 37:7: Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Psalm 46:10: ‘Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!’ Apology Psalm 62:5: For God alone, O my soul, wait in Time constraints (renovating, moving house, preparing silence, for my hope is from Him. for a holiday) have resulted in a shortened News. Normal service will hopefully resume in August Editorial Team Tel. e-mail (dependent on your contributions !) Deadline for Ev Els 021 696 0336 August issue is 26/7/15. (I’m away till 17 July.) - Ev Els emichael@iafrica.com July 2015 Eight O’Clock News
Cheryl Anderson
083 272 1530 canderson@beckman.com