The Eight O’Clock
News October 2018
8 am Service, Christ Church, Kenilworth 021-797-6332
The Four Kinds I‘ve just finished reading a
marvellous book, The Land Where Lemons Grow by Helena Attlee—the story of Italy and its Citrus Fruit. As one reviewer put it, Every lemon-scented page made me feel it’s time to pack for Italy… and I concur. Italy: food, history, art, literature...
what more to delight? When I was reading the book, a business associate from Milan had just spent some time in Cape Town and I had told him about the book. On messaging him on a Saturday morning, I sent him a picture of the book’s cover. He messaged back that lemons remind him of the Italian poet, Eugenio Montale, who describes a melancholic mood being cured by the lemon yellow scent bringing joy alive. How lovely, I thought, turned two pages and there before my eyes was an excerpt from the poem! I let him know this and he replied, Life connections unpredictable. Now—something from the book to set the scene with regard to another remarkable connection. ‘Although the citron has more varieties than almost any other kind of citrus, Calabria is the only place in the world that produces the Cedro liscio di Diamante, the smooth-skinned Diamante citron that takes its name from the small town in the north of Calabria. For Lubavitcher Jews, a Hasidic movement of Orthodox Judaism, the Diamante citron is one of life’s essentials. They believe that Moses sent a messenger to Calabria to collect an example of the local variety of citron. This enabled him to show the Jews the fruit they should use during the celebration of Sukkoth (the festival of Tabernacles), an autumn festival of thanksgiving for the harvest and the survival of their ancestors as they wandered through the desert for forty years. Rabbis and citron merchants remain in Calabria for at least a month to supervise the harvest and buy esrogim used at Sukkoth all over the world. ‘It looks like the beginning of an idea about fruit, a rough prototype made at an early stage of the design process, a crude unfinished thing, a dinosaur that evaded extinction, a Neanderthal on a tree.’ The citron could fall in and out of fashion in the kitchen, but for observant Jews esrogim occupied a position from which they could never be ousted. Jewish exiles first saw citrons during their captivity October 2018 Eight O’Clock News
in Babylon after the fall of the Temple in 586 BC and when the Persians conquered Babylon in 539 BC and issued a decree allowing them to return to their homelands, the citron tree made the journey with them from Babylon to Palestine. In Leviticus 23:40, the Jews are given the instructions for the preparation of Sukkoth: On the first day you shall take the fruit of the goodly tree, the branches of the palm trees, foliage of leafy trees, and willows of the brook and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. They interpret the ‘foliage of leafy trees’ as the myrtle and the ’fruit of the goodly tree’ as esrogim. On each day of the festival except Shabbat— the esrog and the branches (or lulav) are blessed and then are shaken together in all six directions: left/right, up/down, forwards and backwards. This part of the ceremony is called the taking of the Four Kinds. Four Kinds represent the different types and personalities of Jews (gentiles too?): 1) Those who study the Bible and follow its commandments (citrons—because they are both perfumed and edible) 2) Those who follow the law but neglect bible study (the palm— bears fruit but has no perfume) 3) Those who study but don’t practice (the myrtle— perfumed but bears no fruit 4) The liberals, who neither believe in God nor follow His commandments (the willow—pretty but can offer neither perfume nor fruit). ‘In the eyes of God all are equal, and the shaking of the citron together with the three kinds of branches is an acknowledgement of the unity of Jews all over the world.’ Another amazing connection, after Sukkoth just celebrated in the last week of September this year. Which of The Four Kinds are you?
- Cheryl Anderson
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McCarters on the Move This is really an article about our recent family-focussed trip to
the United States: to Philadelphia; State College, Pennsylvania; Washington DC, Boston and New York. It was prefaced however, by two glorious weeks in the UK—as ever, loved and known. London: Special times with special people; best day ever making it to see the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace on my own; my staged walk through Green Park so reminiscent of the London of my twenties; Saturday time in Kensington Palace gardens watching London (and its visitors) at play; Holy Trinity Brompton for a late service on a beautiful London evening. Hampshire: a surprise birthday weekend (Our son, Andrew and I
almost share a birthday) at Tilbury Hall—I feel much loved and am given a statue called surrounded by love. Skye: We went on the overnight sleeper to Edinburgh to join up with family for a beautiful trip to Skye. Philadelphia: with its incredibly friendly people on the street and the night spent in a Victorian hotel with hand-embroidered pillow cases and a Victorian sewing box for any ’stitches in time’; great chatter around a superb breakfast table and we hear about Redsox (baseball) and anti-Trump sentiments (we are in the Eastern States). Pennsylvania: And there was State College surrounding Penn State University with beloved cousin family awaiting us as we stepped off the Amtrak train. So began the best part of our US odyssey as the family gave us October 2018 Eight O’Clock News
tastes of the Penn State campus finishing up with a visit to the Creamery to top all creameries; a lunch visit to Millheim where live the Amish with their ponies and traps. Washington DC: Maps to pore over ahead of a weekend visit; the beautiful forested drive to DC and our shared B&B in a very comfortable little house on the prairie with red bricks, a blue door and a tiny bunny in the garden; Sunday glances at the Lincoln Memorial, the Reflective Pools, Capitol Hill and the White House flanking the Washington Memorial; the profoundly moving Vietnam Memorial and Washington National Cathedral—soon to be venue for the funeral of John McCain. We had hugely impressive service excellence everywhere we went and our indulgence in every kind of American comfort food— hamburgers, waffles, bagels and donuts! New York / Boston: After one night in NY, an early start and help from a redcap to get us onto the Acela train for the amazing ride to Boston. While Ed visited his firm’s headquarters the next day, I jumped at the chance to mosey around Quincy’s market and spend time in the founding Protestant Church of America in North End—here I could bathe and pray in the sunshine of a 300 year-old family pew which was all mine. I noted from a brass plaque on a nearby wall that Charles Wesley had preached in this church. After two nights we left Boston for the final assault on New York. An assault it was as we made it to the top of the Rockefeller centre for a 360° view and watched the wealthy dining in the Rockefeller piazza. A bonus on the way back to our hotel was the discovery of St Patrick’s Cathedral wherein mass was ending to the accompaniment of a stunning organ recital—a rest for my ever weakening knee as we continued down 5th Avenue to find a pizza in 40 something Street. Sunday saw us doing the Manhattan downtown loop towards the South where we were to leap on a ferry sailing past the Statue of Liberty—green with sea age but magnificent in her stance. It was a very long walk to reach the ferry take-off point but very beautiful on a clear bright morning. Back on land after the ferry ride we made it to the Ground Zero memorial and the new Trade Centre before another long walk to reach the hop-on hop-off bus back to midManhattan. This was a faith walk as I largely closed my eyes and willed my knee to keep going, one step at a time. A night bus trip of lights ended the day. The next morning and our last day, I got off the hop on/off bus at the southern end of Central Park—it was a time to sit on the grass for a last ice cream; a time to watch New York mums and their babes in the autumn sun; and a time to reflect on all the tastes of America in a very interesting time of her history. Thank You, Lord and thank you, Ed for all that we did in August. - Jessica McCarter 1) Andrew & wife, Tam, Jicky, Ed—and the Thames ! 2) Tilbury Hall, Hampshire 3) Jicky sporting NewYork T-shirt !
Lord, forgive me when I have not listened to You. Thank You that You promise that if I return to the eternal paths and walk in them, I will find rest and contentment for my soul. - Nicky Gumbel
Judy Jenkins 29/10/1937—9/10/2018 Rodney Jenkins (Rod):
On behalf of our family, we would like to welcome you here to say a big ‘thank you’ for your support and encouragement in being here today. We know some of you have travelled far to be here. Bron, I think you win that one (New Zealand)! We know of many more who would have wanted to be here but can’t, including our two families: Village, Dulcie and Sonnie and Susie, Ewan and Francesca and also Dave, Daniel and Ethan. Today is our opportunity to celebrate the life of our beloved Mom, Judy. As you may or may not be aware, Mom was very well right up until a week before she died and lived a life that was an inspiration to so many, including us, her children. Today we would like to pay tribute to her. Bronwyn Copeland (Bron): Mom had many hidden talents, one of those being her creativity. She loved drawing and painting and in her later years, used her creativity to bless others in the form of her handmade cards. As an aside, Mom had been upscaling production recently in preparation of a mass launch and therefore we would like you all to take one of her many cards as a memento. She never let up an opportunity to share her faith with others using these cards as a vehicle. She has left her legacy of creativity with me as well as Rod, though for him, mostly in the form of spreadsheets and has passed this creativity on to the grandchildren too. She was also very creative in the kitchen. Growing up, things were always tight financially and therefore cooking on a limited budget required all her creativity. That creativity meant she could turn 100g of beef mince into a dish that would serve up to 20 people! It also created a new game in hunting for the lucky pieces of meat. Joking aside, this taught us a valuable lesson in really being grateful for what we have, never wasting and thinking how things could be used to maximum benefit. Rod: Like all of us Mom had many challenges that she had to deal with, not least a naughty little red-headed scoundrel. That scoundrel (me) was actually an answer to prayer. Both Bron and I were answers to prayer and she was very specific when she prayed for ‘a naughty boy with red hair’. I did repeatedly have to tell her that my misbehaving was merely doing the Lord’s work! I do wonder whether she regretted that prayer at times when we were fighting like wild cats and perhaps a more placid angelic little boy should have been her prayer request. She prayed for us before we were born and continued to pray for us throughout our lives and then extended her prayer web to her grandchildren and way beyond. Bron: The other thing I have always loved and appreciated about Mom is her acceptance of everyone. Mom could talk to anyone and everyone and would never put herself above anyone. There was one time I felt that trait went a little too far when she led the church walking group on a walk past Sandy Bay where she truly accepted people for who they are, looking beyond any material adornment! Her interest in people got the better of her that day, when she was so busy looking at the naked volleyball players October 2018 Eight O’Clock News
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that she cut her head open on a tree and ended up looking like she had been badly assaulted on a church walk, ending up with a bald patch on her head and a row of stiches. Rod: But that acceptance of others as well as her intrinsic desire to help others in whatever way possible made her such a vital cog in her community, not a visible or big cog but a vital one. She truly had a nature of servanthood. Another characteristic of Mom that we all loved was that she was always so truthful and genuine. One knew exactly where one stood and she wore her heart on her sleeve. Bron: Even though we both live so many thousands of kilometres away, she just had to say a word or two and one could tell where she was emotionally. I think sometimes she didn’t like it that she was so transparent, but for us and everyone else, it made her even more real with no false pretences and it allowed all those around her to be true to themselves just like Mom was. I think this is just one of the characteristics that drew others to her, as she was genuinely Judy and she genuinely loved others and loved God and no one would ever or could ever doubt that. Rod: A tribute to Mom would never be complete without talking about her amazing faith in God and her relationship with Jesus. As I mentioned before, she never ceased praying for us, her family, her friends, total strangers, animals, the world—you name it she was praying for it. Her love of Jesus and her desire to spread the Word of God was phenomenal. I remember as a teenage boy, my room was sometimes a little messy (Bron adds: ‘it was always a tip’) and eventually she would get so desperate that she would tidy it up and then I would find my Bible on top of the pile of books next to my bed in a subtle or not so subtle attempt to nurture my relationship with God. Bron: Her love of nature was also something that we continue to treasure. We were very little, probably only about 4 or 5 when we were dragged up Table Mountain together with Inga and Barry Fletcher. There was initially lots of moaning but as we hiked up the mountain we really started to relish and enjoy the experience. Her love of nature included her love of animals, in particular her latest little Jack Russell, Bella. Not an animal easily loved by most, due to her desire to toe nibble or sometimes more depending on hunger levels. There seemed to be some conditioning going on, as when the phone rang, it was like the dinner bell being rung, saying, ‘Dinner is served’ - and Bella would lunge for one’s foot. Mom hadn’t quite lost toes or fingers, but that didn’t stop her from loving Bella with all her heart. Rod: Mom was also an encourager and I still have fond memories of Mom cheering Wynberg on during my hockey matches on a Saturday morning. At the time, as a teenager, I remember being rather embarrassed and asking her to turn down the decibels. But secretly I really rather enjoyed the fact that we had that secret weapon cheerleader. If Bron or I had a dream or idea, she would always encourage us to do it. She never expressed any doubt that we couldn’t, she fully believed in us and we loved making her proud. Bron: You all probably know that Mom sometimes came across as quite a cautious person. However, put her behind the wheel and all that changed, so much so that we gave her the nickname of Sterling Moss. She even had to have a big sign on her dashboard to remind her to not go faster than 60, though she may have confused miles with kilometres. In addition to being a speed
merchant, she was also an ideal parent for us naughty children, as she hated smacking us. In those days there was no such thing as ‘time out’ and smacking is what you did, but not if you were Mom. Instead, Mom threatened to take us to the neighbour to get a smack, which only happened on a few occasions. Rod: In closing, we miss our Mom so much. She was the best because she was our Mom and she loved us with a never failing and never ending love. We just want to thank God for Mom’s life and all she meant to so many of us here and how it will impact our lives and future generations. We love you and miss you, Mom, but know we will meet again.
My Big Sister Judy Judy came into the world nearly 81 years ago and I arrived four
years later. She arrived prematurely to Pikkie and Ruth Robottom. Being prem, her start in life was difficult—she was so small that she fitted into an adult shoe box! I and many of you will miss her too. She was a gift from our Father God, her heavenly Father. He understood every detail of her life with her purposeful commitment to Him, alongside the complex struggles with anxiety which were coupled with a genuinely loving, caring and generous heart for those in need. As a preschooler, Judy went to Miss Dick's Preschool held in a large-sized Wendy house on the tennis court, part of the property on which Callow House was subsequently built. From Miss Dick's, Judy went to Micklefield School in Rondebosch, and while there she became a keen 'goal-shooter' in netball, and also was awarded her 'colours for deportment' - something of which she was very proud. Wynberg Girls' High School followed and some of those years were spent in the boarding house at her own request. (I think she had been reading Enid Blyton's Boarding School series called The Twins At St. Claire's). She had an expectation which was disappointed—and she didn't stay there long. In her teenage years she attended a couple of Baptist Churches and it was during that time that she publicly declared her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ in the sacrament of Believer's Baptism. At school she was a keen member of the Scripture Union Society led by Cynthia Richards, a teacher at that school. She also went to a few S&V Camps (now called Scripture Union Camps) which she enjoyed immensely. On leaving school at the end of Std. 8, Judy joined the staff of the Norwich Union Insurance Company—and it was there that she met Chris! Chris was immediately smitten but it took a little while before Judy agreed to walk down the aisle on his arm on 15 July 1972—both of them beaming. Not long after this Judy had to undergo open-heart surgery (not a light matter in those days) performed by Dr Rod Hewitson. It was very successful and Judy recovered well. Rodney arrived in 1975 and Bronwyn followed in 1978. They were a happy suburban family! Judy struggled throughout her life with anxiety. Life was stressful and for those of us who knew her, our love increased and we wanted to be there in whatever way we could. At school she was older than most of her class mates. She lacked confidence and saw herself as a 'non-achiever'. How delighted and proud we were when in Std 8 she was awarded the History prize for a beautifully written and illustrated book she made as an History project. Before her marriage she joined the Wynberg Methodist Tennis October 2018 Eight O’Clock News
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Club and played a steady game. Her service was formidable—and something that I feared on numerous occasions. Judy loved singing and both she and Chris were members of the Christ Church Choir for many years. Amongst other things she knitted intricately patterned jerseys and learned to do patchwork—she was eager to learn any kind of handwork. Judy's life revolved around the Church: she taught Sunday School lessons, joined various groups over the years and prayed regularly and fervently for people and situations which troubled her and others. She had a strong desire to see others come to know Jesus and had a heart for cross-cultural mission. She wrote regularly to missionaries and used her holiday time to visit missionaries who were serving in other parts of Africa and beyond. Above all, Judy loved God's Word—and combined this love with her artistic skills to create lovely greetings cards which she made enthusiastically, using them as a tool to convey the truth about God's love and His kingdom to others. She had a genuine compassion and heart for others—especially those who suffered as she had. As she grappled with her own issues, that compassion continued to shine through, and she used every opportunity to encourage others to persevere, as well as sharing her faith with them, simply and genuinely. I am so grateful for those special people who came alongside Judy to listen, pray and counsel her in difficult moments. Thank you so much! In closing, I want to share about my own relationship with Judy as my 'big sister': We were very different, but as we grew older, we became closer. Judy would frequently phone me through the week to share problems, trust me with secrets, and more recently since Peter died, to see if I was allright. God was good to give us each other. Many of you will have received—or given—her cards on occasions. One of these expresses so clearly her trusting faith which so often seemed to waver, but which, I believe, was genuine and deep within—a testimony to God's love for her. Engraved upon His hands my name Jesus Christ, forever the same. His love will never let me go, This Saviour, Jesus, whom I know ! [Isaiah 49:16] That was Judy, my big sister. ‘Judy—You have done so well. I will miss you, but the memories of your generous heart will remain. The memories of your struggles are also there. How glad I am that you are now free and at peace: "Knowing as you are fully known". Go well! I love you!’
- Mary Holgate [Thank you, too, to Inga Fletcher, a long-time friend of Judy’s for her tribute. Due to a space shortage, we are unable to print it.
HAPPY SPECIAL BIRTHDAY Ed McCarter (30/9) ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.’ Philippians 4:6–7
Christine Richardson Christine, daughter of Barbara and Brian, moved to Paris to work for Total in 2012, after completing an internship with them at the end of her Master’s in chemical engineering at UCT. She went with very little French, but is now fluent. She joined a small church in Paris, where she was able to serve and to make strong friendships. In 2015 she was transferred to Lyon but on 1 October will start work for Cray Valley, a brand of Total in Philadelphia, USA. Her time in France has been a time of growth and development, both in her work life and spiritually and she has taken advantage of the opportunity to travel. Now there is a sense of excitement and anticipation for this new challenge. Please pray for her as she makes this big move: that she would soon find somewhere to live, good friends and a supportive church. [Aunt Christine will miss her niece Hannah and nephew Joshua.] - Barbara Richardson
A Symbol of Community In the Redwood forest (Muir Woods
National Park) a park ranger told the visitors about the sequoia and redwood trees, the largest trees on the planet. Some of them are hundreds or even thousands of years old. Interestingly, their roots do not grow deep. These trees have been standing for centuries, enduring massive windstorms, frigid blizzards, devastating earthquakes—all without deep roots. How do they keep standing? The ranger explained their secret. Their roots underground grow outward, seeking roots of other redwood trees. When they meet, they intertwine, making a permanent bond with each other. In this way, all redwood trees in the forest are either directly or indirectly giving support to each other. Unity is their strength. They reach out to care for each other. Even a little new baby redwood’s tiny roots are given shelter by the ancient giants. In the Muir Woods Park, nature is giving humanity a very crucial lesson that our real strength is in our willingness to care for and support each other. We are caretakers of divine property. Wisdom is to understand this simple universal principle that in giving, we receive. By getting things we make a living—by giving we make a life. - Britha Padkin October 2018 Eight O’Clock News
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Welcome ! Charles (Charlie) William Westwood arrived safely on the Isle of Man [he’s officially a Manx!] on 11 September. He weighed in at 3.72 kg, a normal delivery after a long labour. He and Mom, Debbie were exhausted. Dad Jeremy is tickled pink. After a good sleep, Charlie had a photo shoot with Mom and Dad. Grandparents, Jean and Tony were on hand to record the occasion. Thanks be to God. Well done and congratulations to all humans !
111th Birthday Bash 1/9/18
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The Head Hobbit, Rob Taylor, was on hand and foot to welcome revellers. A delicious spread, Celtic music and decorations were enjoyed, photographs taken and community was in full force. Smiles all round. God was thanked for His faithfulness through many years and a poem was written and presented by Judy Bates (See page 7).
Sue Gibbings, Judy Eales, Ann & Sam Moore, David & Lynn Beyer
Tessa & Rob Ferrandi Jim & Jeannette Harris
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Christ Church Kenilworth is 111 – 2018
Hebich’s Barrel
Welcome all to CCK
A Lesson from Ephesians 4:16
We’re one, one, one years old today We want you all to celebrate Our happy milestone, on this date.
A newcomer you might well be So thank you for your company! We won’t forget the faithful who Have come for years—you’re welcome too!
The church is not just bricks and mortar It’s people doing what they oughta Being Jesus’ feet and helpful hands At work, at home and other lands.
Of things to do—the choice is vast So sign up soon and get in fast. Three Sunday meetings—take your pick And prayer for those with needs or sick.
Rob Taylor is the man in charge (He’s lost some weight—no longer large.) His dear wife Sue—ordained as well Supports his work as you can tell.
Worthy men—you will agree From Coldstream Sampson to McLea Have led us ably—see the book (show book) Remember : Evans, Prior, Ashcroft, Cook?
Miss Dixie was the Founder who In 1897 knew A Sunday School was meant to be It led to Christ Church, as you see.
So count your blessings—sing a song That Christ Church is still going strong! God, keep us growing, fan the flame To honour You in Jesus’ Name. Judy Corder Bates – August 2018
Rodent Evangelism !
October 2018 Eight O’Clock News
Samuel Hebich was a German missionary to India in the 1800s. He has a good illustration of the ‘fellowship of saints’ or Koinonia, which he entitled being 'Fitly joined together'. It is the 'Tale of a Tub', Hebich's tub: `You and I cannot make a barrel. It requires a good carpenter to make a barrel or it will leak, because it is not made of one piece of wood, but of many, and they must be snugly joined together. There are four things to make a good barrel: * It must have a good bottom. * Each of the pieces must be snugly joined to the bottom. * Each plank must be snugly joined to his fellow. * Each plank must be kept close by the bands outside. One piece may be narrow and the next piece wide, yet it shall still be a good barrel. However, if a little stone or a bit of stick comes between the pieces, it will not do at all. If the pieces are near, but do not touch, it will not do at all; and if all the pieces, except for one, touch, and are snugly joined together, and this one falls in or out of the circle, it is no barrel at all and will leak. What is the small stick or stone between the pieces of wood? It is the little quarrel, the hard word, the dirty bit of money that keep brother or sister from being snugly joined to each other. What is the piece of wood that falls out of the circle? It is the proud, unforgiving spirit that everyone can feel is in the meeting and which causes all heavenly peace to leak out. Oh, beloved, be snugly joined together!’ - Presented by Jon Kerr at Emerge
Spotted At Emerge Liz Engel pausing for breath after a fun run on Sunday— looking good, Liz !
Psalm 51 : You are Pleased with our Generosity I recently had the privilege of being part of a conference:
Restitution: Creating a Shared Future. The conference was arranged by the Restitution Foundation, the Dutch Reformed Church, the Human Science Research Council, the Warehouse plus twelve other organisations that work in the space of restitution, healing and reconciliation. My role for the opening session was to ensure that the correct protocols were followed for the main speaker and guests, particularly the seating arrangements. An incident that sticks out occurred after the initial hustle and bustle and movement around the room and everyone was settling down. A humble elderly Xhosa woman quietly slipped into an empty chair next to me at the main table. At the time I was brimming with pride and self-importance having averted a few blunders on the seating arrangements. It was too late to say to this dear lady, don’t you know who are sitting at this table: There is the Keynote Speaker, the Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng; here is the special guest, the Premier of the Western Cape Government, Helen Zille; There is Archbishop Dr Thabo Makgoba who is to introduce the Chief Justice; Alongside the Chief Justice is Lukhanyo Calata, who with his wife Abigail have recently published a book, My father died for this. On the other side is Wilhelm Verwoerd, the grandson of HF Verwoerd, who has recently published the book, Bloed Bande. Wilhelm and Lukhanyo were later to share their stories at the Dutch Reformed Groote Kerk. [See the attached YouTube link to the podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Os6akFx5R4.] In his address the Chief Justice emphasised that we were created to connect with our soft being, but somehow we are becoming hardened to the plight of others. He noted how in the past injustice and inequality was instituted through the force of superior weapons. The modern looting machines however, use the law and legal system, which are manipulated with networks of patronage. A select selfish and greedy elite abuse the state and corporate systems to serve their personal enrichment process at the expense of the majority. In the process however, material benefits are given to those who do not oppose them or the system. The issue is to understand and confront the systemic reality, which perpetuates the unjust cycle of inequality in our society. Though the conference was on Restitution from the Apartheid era, one could not help see the parallel with the enquiry into State Capture chaired by the Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo! Mogoeng challenged the church to not abandon its moral responsibility to assist in resolving the inequalities that exist in our society. He quoted Jesus’ statement; Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me. In his conclusion the Chief Justice gave a personal and specific challenge: Are we willing, for the sake of the future of the people in this nation, to make personal sacrifices? After the address, we turned to each other and reflected on Mogoeng Mogoeng’s introduction. October 2018 Eight O’Clock News
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The humble lady introduced herself as Nomonde Calata—the mother of Lukhanyo. She spoke of her personal struggle, putting on a brave face for her children as she raised them to be free of bitterness and anger. Now that her children are gown-up, she is still dying inside. She cannot understand the hatred that existed for the leaders in the Apartheid government to instruct that her husband, Fort Calata, be eliminated by the police. Thirty three years later she still experiences enormous pain because she has lost a loved one, but the murderers have never been called to give an account, nor those who instructed them. In silence I sat listening to her story. Restitution means nothing unless we recognise that while people like Nomonde and her husband Fort were resisting the Apartheid system, others like myself were carving careers and creating lifetime savings—maximising all the educational, employment, housing, social and health opportunities the Apartheid system could offer. For those who wish to meditate on the Psalm and the scriptures used to compose the prayer and/or wish to receive further meditations, please email me at MikeWinfield@mweb.co.za. This document may also be used as a discussion prompt and prayer in a study group. You are welcome, if you deem it appropriate to share this with others or forward their contact details. Yours—praying for answers in our vibrant but complex society.
- Mike Winfield, Praying Scripture
Psalm 51 : You are pleased with our generosity—sacrifices that bring restitution Father have mercy on me, according to your unconditional love. According to your great compassion, blot out the stains of my selfish rebellion. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin! For I recognise my greed and resentment; it haunts me day and night. Against You, You only, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in Your sight. You will be proved right in what You say, and You will win Your case in court. For I was born a sinner—yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. You desire honesty in one’s inmost being, teaching wisdom to my subconscious. Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back the joy of Your presence, for I am broken with grief— let me celebrate Your freedom. Jesus, You paid the penalty—… [… for rest of Psalm, please contact Mike] Editorial Team Tel/e-mail Ev Els
021 696 0336
emichael@iafrica.com
Cheryl Anderson
083 272 1530
canderson@beckman.com