Anglican Church of Southern Africa

ANGLICAN DIOCESE OF GEORGE

Vol. 01 Number 01 May 2020

FROM THE BISHOP’S DESK

LETTER TO PARISHIONERS

Greetings in the name of Christ.

We are living in challenging times; definitely the most disconcerting in my living memory. But it is not the first time that something like our present situation happened. In fact 100 years ago the Spanish flu infected 500 million people and killed between 20 and 50 million people around the world. All nations of the world
suffered, but at the end they prevailed.

Our nation will prevail again; our church will prevail again through the grace of God. The questions however are: Are we the light of the world and the salt of the earth during this scourge? Do we see the hand of God in the midst of all this? Do we discern and hear the voice of God amidst all the many voices?

We at this time more than ever are called upon by our faith to hold on the Gospel Imperative:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you Love one another.” (John 13:34-35)

We want to thank the clergy and lay leadership in our Diocese for the leadership that they offer during this time. We also want to thank the clergy for the creative
ways through which they offer pastoral and ministry support to those entrusted to their care.

We want to thank each and every one during this financially challenging times to continue to support their local parish financially. We appeal to each and every member to keep up their giving to their Parish Church. Whether you are a regular Planned Giver, or you contribute by placing an offer in the collection Plate each Sunday, we ask that you find a way to ensure that your contribution reaches your parish. Your contribution is essential to the well-being and sustainability of your church, and the extension of God’s kingdom.

Yours in the service of Christ

Wees gegroet in die Naam van Christus.

Ons lewe in ‘n tyd van uitdagings en beproewing; beslis die mees verwarrende in menslike heugenis. Maar dit is egter nie die eerste keer dat iets soos ons huidige situasie plaasgevind het nie. Inderdaad is 500 miljoen mense 100 jaar gelede geïnfekteer deur die Spaanse griep en het tussen 20 en 50 miljoen mense dwarsoor die wêreld daardeur omgekom. Dwarsoor die wêreld het alle nasies gely, maar aan die einde van die dag het hulle dit oorkom.

Ons volk sal weer oorkom; ons Kerk sal weer oorkom deur die genade van God. Die vraag is egter: Is ons tydens hierdie epidemie die lig van die wêreld en die sout van die aarde? Sien ons te midde van alles die hand van God? Onderskei en hoor ons God se stem onder die vele stemme wat tans weerklink?

In hierdie tyd word ons, meer as ooit, genoop deur ons geloof om vas te hou aan die opdrag van die Evangelie:

“’n Nuwe gebod gee Ek julle, dat julle mekaar moet liefhê; soos Ek julle liefgehad het, moet julle ook mekaar liefhê. Hieraan sal almal weet dat julle my dissipels is, as julle liefde onder mekaar het”. (Joh 13:34-35)

Ons dank die Priesterskorps en Leke-leiers in ons Bisdom vir die leierskap wat hulle in hierdie tyd aan die dag lê. Ons wil ook die Priesters bedank vir die kreatiewe manier waarop hulle Pastorale en geestelike ondersteuning bied aan die kudde in hul sorg.

Ons dank elkeen wie, gedurende hierdie finansieël uitdagende tyd, voortgaan om hul plaaslike Parogie finansieël te ondersteun. Ons lewer ‘n pleidooi aan elke lidmaat
om vol te hou met hul bydrae tot die Parogie. Of u nou ‘n gereelde Bydraer is, of bydra deur elke Sondag ‘n offergawe in die kollekte bord te plaas, vra ons dat u ‘n manier sal vind om te verseker dat u bydrag wel die Kerk bereik. U bydrae is noodsaaklik vir die welsyn en volhoubaarheid van u Kerk asook vir die uitbreiding van God se koninkryk.

U dienaar in Christus

INdiyabulisa egameni lika Krestu

Siphila kwixesha elingumceli-mngeni, eneneni kwelona xesha lingemnandanga nakwiinkumbulo. Kodwa ke asikuko okokuqala oku kusenzeka kwithuba lokuphila kwethu, kwiminyaka elikhulu eyadlulayo kwakukho imfuxane eyayibizwa nge Spanish flue eyathi yachaphazela kangange 500 yezigidi zabantu yaza yawacisa kangange 20-50
yezigidi zabantu kwihlabathi liphela. Zonke iintlanga zehlabathi zaxhwaleka, kodwa ekugqibeleni zaphumela ngaphaya kwalo bhubhane.

Isizwe sethu siyakuphumelela kwakhona, ityalike yethu nayo iyakuphumelela kwakhona ngenceba kaThixo. Imibuzo yeyokuba ingaba sililo na ukhanyiso lwelizwe netyuwa yehlabathi ngalo eli thuba? Siyasibona na isandla sikaThixo kuko konke oku? Siyaliphulaphula silive na ilizwi likaThixo kule meko phakathi kwamazwi amaninzi? Thina ngeli xesha sibizwa lukholo lwethu ngakumbi ukuba sibenokubambelela kuyo ivangeli.

“ umthetho omtsha endininika wona, thandanani, njengoko ndinithandileyo, nani thandanani. Ngokwenza oko bayakwazi bonke ukuba ningabafundi bam xa nisukuba nithandana.
(Yohane 13: 34-35)

Sibulela kubefundisi neenkokheli zebandla kule dayosisi ngesikhokelo abasinike sona ngeli xesha. Sibamba ngazo zozibini kubefundisi ngendima ezahlukileyo abathe basebenzisa ubizo lwabo ekuxhaseni amarhamente kwiindazo ababelwe kuzo.

Sibamba ngazo zozibini kuni nonke enithe ngeli xesha elicela umngeni kwezezimali naqhubeka nixhasa iinkonzo (parish) zenu ngezimali. Siyacela kumalungu onke okokuba anikele, nangoluphi na uhlobo olwenkongozelo/ umnikelo wetikiti. Sikwacela kanjalo wenze indlela umnikelo wakho onokufikelela Ngayo ecaweni yakho.

Inxaxheba/ indima yakho onokuyidlala apha ibaluleke kakhulu kubomi betyalike nasekwandiseni ubukumnkani bukaThixo.

Owenu kwinkonzo kaKrestu