CCK 8am News - September 2018

The Eight O’Clock

News September 2018

8 am Service, Christ Church, Kenilworth 021-797-6332

‘There is so much to praise God for.

Praise the LORD— Remember His Benefits Psalm 103 : 1-12 1

Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name.

2 Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all His benefits— 3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, 5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

6 The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.

7 He made known His ways to Moses, His deeds to the people of Israel: 8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

9 He will not always accuse, nor will He harbour his anger forever; 10 He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us

David appears almost to be speaking to himself and urging himself on: ‘O my soul, bless God, from head to toe, I’ll bless His holy name! O my soul, bless God, don’t forget a single blessing!’ (vv.1–2, MSG).

David had clearly faced many troubles in his life: sin, disease and ‘the pit’ (vv.3–4). Yet he, like the apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 1:3), begins with praise for so many of God’s benefits.

Forgiveness God forgives all your sins (Psalm 103:3): ‘He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities’ (v.10); ‘as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us’ (v.12).

Healing God ‘heals all your diseases’. One day we will be completely healed. We see signs of this now, when God heals us directly and supernaturally. In addition, God has put in our bodies the immune system, antibodies and the mending process.

Redemption God ‘redeems your life from the pit’ (v.4a). There is no pit so deep that God’s redemption cannot reach.

Love He ‘crowns you with love and compassion’ (v.4b): ‘for as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him’ (v.11).

Satisfaction He ‘satisfies your desires with good things’ (v.5a).

I praise You, Lord, for all Your benefits: for Your forgiveness and healing, for redeeming me, for crowning me with love and compassion and for satisfying me with good things.

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- Nicky Gumbel Bible in One Year, Extract: 26 August 2018

Sue Taylor, on top of Swartberg Pass

September 2018 Eight O’Clock News

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Barbie & Wayne duCroq Barbie and Wayne du Croq have a special word in their marriage

– MUCH. This stands for Married Under Christ’s Hand. For both of them it is their second marriage, and they are very aware of how important it is to cherish it, making sure to have a date night once a week. They met in Cape Town in 2007 and were married later in the same year and have five teenage children between them, Tony, Kayleigh, Lizzie, Camryn and Matthew.

Wayne was born in Fish Hoek, but grew up in the (then) Transvaal, going to school in Ermelo. After a four-year stint on the permanent force of the Air Force, where he qualified as an Avionic Instrument Technician, he left to study Project Management at Stellenbosch University and joined Plessey (Dimension Data) where he worked in telecommunications for twenty years, being sent all over South Africa during that time, but finally settling in Cape Town in 2004. In 2011 he left Plessey to start his own business, also in telecommunications as well as engineering manufacturing. He grew up in a Christian home, but says he was twenty-eight before he made a firm commitment to follow Jesus.

Barbie was born in Shebani in Zimbabwe and went to school at St. Andrews in Johannesburg. She then came to UCT to study music, where she obtained her honours, majoring in recorder and classical percussion. After graduating she spent a year in Namibia, where she played in the Namibian National Symphony Orchestra. She then returned to Johannesburg, where she taught at her old school, St. Andrews for eight years, and then at the Dominican Convent and the German School. During this time African Marimba became her passion, and she was privileged to play at Walter Sisulu’s 80th birthday. In her last two years in Johannesburg she was diagnosed with Multiple Schlerosis. Her marriage ended at this time and in 2006 she moved to Cape Town to be close to her parents. Of course the Lord knew what He was doing in guiding her here, because she met Wayne in early 2007.

She taught at Bay Primary School for a while, but her disease made teaching difficult so she had to stop. She has always been a Christian, and has always sung in choirs, school and church.

While Barbie and Wayne were living in the Fish Hoek area they attended King of Kings Church. When they moved to Kenilworth

in 2014 they started looking for a church closer to home. They wanted a church which taught the Holy Spirit, and decided to try five different churches nearby, CCK among them. They found that all five taught the Holy Spirit, so, unable to make a choice, they stayed at King of Kings. However, their children joined Ambies, so they decided that it would be best for them all to worship at the same church.

As CCK fitted another two of Barbie’s requirements—being a church that looked like a church and not a barn, and having a choir for her to sing in, they made the move three years ago, and she has, indeed, become a valuable member of the 8 am choir.

In previous churches they have attended the du Croqs have run Divorce Care courses, but since coming to CCK they have wanted to take things slowly. Wayne helps with various things quietly in the background where he is needed, and both of them were on the Alpha prayer team. For the last year and a half Barbie’s disease has been brought into remission, but the tablets she has to take are immune suppressants, so she is inclined to pick up any bug that is doing the rounds. The du Croqs have a dream that one day they will be able to move to a farm, where Wayne can be Farmer Brown, while Barbie can fulfil her ambition to make place for unmarried teenage mothers to come and be cared for.

Until that comes to pass, CCK is blessed to have them here as part of our congregational family.

- Sally Palmer

HAPPY SPECIAL BIRTHDAY Mary Bateman(15/9) ‘By the Holy Spirit, God has put His ‘Yes’ within us.

By His Spirit He has stamped us with His eternal pledge—a sure beginning of what He is destined to complete’.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 September 2018 Eight O’Clock News

Isobel Blake Died Friday 24 August 2018 ‘Isobel Blake lived with her very large and very friendly Tabby cat called Kalinda in a charming cottage in Harfield Village…’

So began Elizabeth van Lingen’s interview of Isobel published in the August 2017 News.

Isobel had recently moved from Johannesburg and had been attending Christ Church for about three months at the time of the interview in July 2017.

Isobel was keen to become involved in as much as she could manage and faithfully attended the 8 am service and could be seen helping with teas after the service and being part of a team who served at funeral teas.

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Isobel was part of Ascencia Tebbutt’s small group and attended her last meeting the week before she died.

She had opted to not have chemotherapy when her cancer returned a year ago.

She became ill the week before she died and was admitted to hospital and died in Vincent Pallotti after a very short time.

She leaves two daughters, Lisa and Gina, both of whom live with their families and work in Cape Town. They told CCK that Isobel felt very loved and supported in our community.

Extract from Elizabeth’s interview: ‘Isobel feels she has come to stay. She has been warmed by the loving reception she has received from the people she has met, and attends both the Sunday 8 a.m, and the Wednesday services.’

Farewell, Isobel—we are so glad you joined us.

You enriched our fellowship and you will be fondly remembered.

Sent in by Alison Bourne

Granny’s Cute Donkey Sally Palmer’s grandson, Fynn, in a donkey costume made by Sally.

Only Holiness Leads to Happiness Our magazines and TV screens are filled with stories of the rich,

the beautiful and the strong. Our culture places these things on a pedestal and many of us aspire to achieve them. There is nothing wrong with these things—but they certainly don’t always lead to happiness.

The French philosopher, Blaise Pascal, spoke of three orders of greatness. Riches, beauty and strength fall into his first category of superficial ‘physical greatness’.

Above this is a higher, second level of greatness. It is the greatness of genius, science and art. The greatness of the art of Michelangelo or the music of Bach or the brilliance of Albert Einstein—these stand way above superficial physical greatness.

However, according to Pascal there is a third kind of greatness— the order of holiness. (And there is an almost infinite qualitative difference between the second and the third categories.) The fact that a holy person is strong or weak, rich or poor, highly intelligent or illiterate, does not add or subtract anything because that person’s greatness is on a different and almost infinitely superior plane. It is open to every one of us to achieve true greatness in the order of holiness.

The word ‘holy’ (hallowed, holiest, holiness) appears over 500 September 2018 Eight O’Clock News

Scottish Thrift ‘A Scotsman and his wife walked past a swanky new restaurant.

‘Did you smell that food?’, she asked.

‘It smells absolutely incredible!’

Being a kind-hearted Scotsman, he thought, ‘What the heck… I’ll treat her!’

So, they walked past it again !

- Origin unknown

times in the Bible. God is holy. He gives you His Holy Spirit to sanctify you, and you are called to share in His holiness.

The word ‘saints’ means ‘holy ones’. In the New Testament it is applied to all Christians. You are ‘called to be holy’ (1 Corinthians 1:2). Holiness is a gift you receive when you put your trust in Jesus, receive His righteousness and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Seek to live out a holy life in grateful response to God’s gift, through the imitation of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Ultimately, only holiness leads to happiness.

- Nicky Gumbel, Bible in One Year, 9/8/18

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News from Northern Ireland Dear Ali Work in east Belfast is so different from Polokwane.

It’s so different from Kenilworth. At one time, in the early 20th century, this was probably the most evangelised part of the world. Churches and mission halls full every Sunday and belonging to church organisations was the norm. It was a hard life though with most employment in the shipyards and the linen mills. And all along there was the protestant/catholic animosities. The heavy industry has all gone, there’s been redevelopment and many people left for the suburban housing estates. The churches are now generally locked up during the week and home to small, elderly congregations on a Sunday. But there are lots of people living in the surrounding streets.

Churches have a nice nostalgic link for many (their granny was married there) but are generally viewed as irrelevant to their lives. There’s tons of social work projects and the para-militaries’ influence permeates much. Powers and principalities—that is where the battle is. How else can there be such evidence of the Church in the buildings of the area and such a sense of worthlessness and Godlessness among so many people?

We had a Holiday Club last week. Had no idea who would come, if anyone. Our church has three children!

Well, we had 35 children for 4 days. It was great. My workers were Anna and Laura and three young people

from YWAM. I’m talking to YWAM in Belfast about developing a formal link with us. Photo of the Holiday Club attached. I am Sully (from Monsters Inc.). Anna has become a really experienced youth worker, with a special way with young un-churched teenagers, and Laura is also now a youth worker at Willowfield Parish Church, not far away, and relating so well to young children. For these things I am so very grateful. We’re starting a Homework Club in September, but the September 2018 Eight O’Clock News

children might be initially disappointed that the leaders will all be over 60. But I’ve visited a homework club in a Presbyterian church nearby and the work they do is amazing— and they are a group of mainly quite elderly women. I’m also committed to starting a new congregation in St. Patrick’s—I’ve set end of September for start date. That’s a real unknown!! At present, there’s me.

I have a sense that the Holy Spirit is going to shake this part of Belfast up.

Wouldn’t you like a visit here? This is Ephesians 6:12 territory [For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.].

And Sandy is finishing off her work and will be here before Christmas. I will be glad for that.

And tell me how you are doing. And what God is doing at Christ Church? I miss my contact with the Mission team folk like Janet and the Moores. And the

Children’s ministry people like Barbara and the Kerrs.

Lots of love and blessings, Pat [Letter written to Ali Bourne and shared with us] Pat Lennox (Revd), St. Patrick’s, Ballymacarrett Parish Church, Diocese of Down and Dromore, 212/220 Newtownards Road, Belfast BT4 1GZ pat@stmark.org.za 07718249852

Jean Knaggs News from Australia I have settled in very well at my daughter's home, and as Tomas says, ‘Granny lives under the house’. I have a lovely bedroom just off the garage and have total use of the house upstairs. This allows me to have my own space as well as leaving the family with their own space. We share main meals together which is wonderful.

Tomas is an absolute gem—even when he is being grumpy and challenging. I have the privilege of making him breakfast and taking him to school and back three times a week.

This frees up Angie and Andres to get to work and back without having to make a detour to Tom's school. I also babysit every few weeks so that Angie and Andres can have some time together without Tom. I have joined a lovely church called The Gap Uniting Church. It has a small congregation (about 200-250 people) and they have two services on a Sunday. The children and teenagers are with us at the beginning of the 8:30 service and after their talk, go off to participate in activities. The teenagers remain in Church with us, but there are some activity sheets available to them to help them get the most out of the main sermon. I think this is a brilliant idea. I have not been to an evening service but I believe it is mainly young adults and teenagers who attend. I join the prayer group on a Tuesday morning.

This is not well attended—usually only two or three of us, but it is really a very special time, and we always have Communion as part of the meeting. I was part of a small group that did a study on hearing God speak which was great. I have not yet joined a Bible Study group as I will shortly be off travelling again.

I have transferred from my Lions International service Club in Bergvliet (SA) to the Brisbane Bardon Lions Club over here. I am used to a club that conducts itself in quite a formal manner, but my new club is very informal and it is taking me a while to get used to that.

Just after I joined the club I organised Mother's Day gifts for all the clients who attend a local respite centre for adults with intellectual difficulties and I am doing the same for Fathers' Day in September. Next week I will be manning a stand at a local shopping mall selling daffodils on behalf of the Cancer Association.

The Cancer Association provide the daffodils and our Lions’ members do the selling. I am looking forward to that.

I have joined two craft clubs and am about to start a third one for ladies who want to learn to knit. There is an appeal out currently from our drought-stricken farmers for jumpers to keep the newborn lambs warm September 2018 Eight O’Clock News

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and a number of ladies want to learn to knit so that they can assist. I am teaching some ladies tomorrow and will see if they think I should continue inviting new people to join us.

I started a book club which is great. I have met a wonderful group of ladies who never knew each other before, so as one of our ladies says—we have formed a tribe! I am enjoying reading books written by Australian authors, especially those who write stories set IN Australia. I am learning a lot about the history of Australia and the challenges people are facing even now.

As far as my travels are concerned, I have an exciting few months coming up. We are off to Uruguay at the end of September to celebrate Tom's third birthday with his Uruguayan Grandparents. From there I fly off to Turkey. Sheldon is engaged to a lovely lady from Turkey and I am going to meet the family. Not only Cansu's parents, but her extended family as well.

I am expected to attend a dinner with 67 people in attendance, most of whom cannot speak English.

I think this might be a good time to use some sign language and to just smile and nod a lot ! I am really looking forward to meeting the family. They are hoping to get married while I am with them in Turkey, but they are waiting patiently for some legal document from the SA Department of Home Affairs stating that Sheldon is not currently married. From Turkey I will be flying in to South Africa for a few weeks as Sheldon and Cansu are coming out to have a wedding party over there with all their friends. Then hopefully it will be back here to carry on with life.

My Visa Application to be accepted as a Permanent Resident is in. The current timeframe is around four and a half years before I will be given an answer. In the meantime I hope to get a Visitor's visa which will allow me to spend twelve months here, then six months in another country and then twelve months back here again.

God has still not given me a definite ‘YES’ to this move but He has also not given me a definite ‘NO’.

So I press on setting up life here and getting involved in what I can while I am not allowed to work. It is very exciting and challenging, but I miss my friends a lot.

Thank goodness for Skype and Whatsapp!!!!

Love to one and all.

Be Blessed

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News from London Pam & Berkeley Maytham were delighted to attend the baptism of their 2-year old identical twin granddaughters at St Peter de Beauvoir on 19 August by the Revd Julia Porter-Pryce.

Paternal Grandparents, Kate and Bruce Lyon, travelled from New Zealand for the occasion.

Back/L>R: Berkeley, Bruce, Pam, Ben Lyon (Dad).

FL>R: Kate, Emilia, Zoe and Kate (Mom).

Moving...

On 9 September our praise and worship will move from this grand old church in Woodside Park to a modern commercial building on the High Street in North Finchley. After 104 years in the heart of a residential community, St Barnabas has been sold to developers who are going to build 30 luxury apartments.

We shall miss this beautiful red brick building where we have been worshipping every summer for 15 years.

- Pam Maytham

Is God Calling You ?

Surprise Portrait !

‘When you enter this church

Felicity de

it may be possible that you hear ‘the call of God’.

However, it is unlikely that He will call you on your mobile.

Thank you for turning off your ’phones.

If you want to talk to God—enter, choose a quiet place and talk to Him. If you want to see Him, send Him a text while driving.’

- Poster found in a church in France (translated).

- Source unknown September 2018 Eight O’Clock News

Necker presented Ev Els with a portrait of herself painted from an old photograph taken many years ago.

Ev is tickled pink and wishes to publicly thank and honour Felicity for her friendship over many years in and out of the choir and for her fellowship in Christ in our community.

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Old Age—Not for Sissies !

Old age is something everyone laughs about, possibly because it isn’t the slightest bit funny, but if one took it seriously, what a miserable world it would be!

It is something even the relatively healthy may have to face—but that only happens to other people—or so we like to think. Until the day arrives when one is forced to accept that one is no longer young—and what a shock that can be! Even if still in good health, the calendar seems to shout, You are an old person now !

And not only the calendar—aching joints, stiff limbs, aching backs, loss of memory, What day is it? Living in the past, boring others with old memories. Needing help to carry on after being completely self-sufficient can be so demoralising.

Often it can bring a lot of loneliness too—when a spouse dies or family members move far away.

Cooking for one is no fun and almost not worth the effort. Shopping is a lonely occupation and a miserable chore without any warmth or satisfaction.

Eventually many people have to accept that they are

Joy

no longer capable of living on their own and have to give up their home, no matter how precious and full of special possessions and memories.

Adjustments are more difficult to make and take longer to accept but along with it comes the reality that decisions have to be made. Eventually, acceptance brings peace of mind. Then gratitude takes over and life becomes easier as the new status quo is accepted.

It is good for one to be humbled too! Having to be thankful and appreciative of all the help one gets is humbling and good for one! Hopefully, it will improve one’s manners and make them better persons.

- Irene Bekker, Sherwood House

Rob Taylor—on top of the world 0

Abraham Lincoln, President of the USA from 1861-1865, who knew all about power, said, ‘Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.’

September 2018 Eight O’Clock News

God’s Benefits in Suffering 2 Corinthians 1:1-11 (NIV) 1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all His holy people throughout Achaia: 2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Praise to the God of All Comfort 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.

6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.

7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself.

9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us again. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

Have you suffered loss or bereavement?

Are you facing some health issue? Are you under great pressure in your finances or some other area of your life? Are you being opposed or criticised? Are you in a time of difficulty, disappointment or hardship?

Paul was the founding pastor of the Corinthian church. In this, his most personal letter, he reveals the heart of a leader. He reveals his feelings as a man of flesh and blood who knows what it is to go through trouble (v.4), sufferings (vv.5–8), distress (v.6), hardship (v.8) and pressure (v.8) – the word Paul used means to be pushed down under great weight.

He had been in despair (v.8), he had felt ‘the sentence of death’ (v.9), he had faced ‘deadly peril’ (v.10). As well as physical persecution, he had faced criticism, ridicule, sickness, depression, bereavement, injustice, disappointments, temptations and difficult personal relationships.

Sir Winston Churchill said, ‘The pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; the optimist sees the opportunity in every September 2018 Eight O’Clock News

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difficulty.’ By this definition Paul was definitely an optimist!

He starts the letter with praise—not for the problems but for the positive benefits that have come through them. What are these benefits? How can you and I see the benefits in every difficulty?

You will be comforted ‘The God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles’ (vv.3–4). The word for comfort means to encourage, cheer and come alongside. God is the ‘Father of compassion’ (v.3). He is not aloof from suffering. He comes alongside us and suffers with us.

His Holy Spirit is ‘the Comforter’ (John 14:26, AMP).

You will be a help to others If you are in a time of suffering right now it may not seem much comfort—but one day you will bring great comfort to other people: ‘He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, He brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us’ (2 Corinthians 1:4, MSG). Those who have faced difficulty in life make the most effective ministers.

You will be changed Hardship ‘produces in you patient endurance’ (v.6). Like gold refined by fire or a vine pruned to produce more fruit, difficulties lead to patience, endurance, steadfastness and perseverance.

They lead to character transformation.

You will not be alone Paul writes, ‘Just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort’ (v.7). The word he uses for ‘share’ comes from the Greek word koinonia, which is the word used to describe the closest possible relationship. In times of difficulty we should experience an extraordinary closeness of relationship as we comfort and encourage one another, ‘Your hard times are also our hard times’ (v.7, MSG).

You will learn to trust God When things go well it is easy to become self-reliant. But when everything goes wrong and we reach the end of our tether, we are forced to trust God. As Paul puts it, ‘Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally’ (v.9, MSG).

You will be rescued Paul writes, ‘He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us’ (v.10). As you look back and see how God has delivered you in the past, you can be confident He will deliver you in the future.

Your prayers will help others Prayer is powerful. God really does answer prayer. One of the best ways you can help other people is by praying for them: ‘As you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favour granted us in answer to the prayers of many’ (v.11).

When your prayers are answered, God will be glorified.

Lord, help me to see the benefits in every difficulty. May I experience Your comfort and learn to rely not on myself but on You. Lord, I cry out to You for help…

- Nicky Gumbel Bible in One Year, Extract: 26 August 2018 Editorial Team Tel/e-mail Ev Els

021 696 0336

emichael@iafrica.com

Cheryl Anderson

083 272 1530

canderson@beckman.com