ANGLICAN CHURCH OF SOUTHERN AFRICA(ACSA)
VOLUME 2 ISSUE 7
FRA N CI SCA N
OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE PARISH OF ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI, WATERKLOOF, PRETORIA, RSA
UPDATE ON PARISH MISSION AND MINISTRY
IN THIS ISSUE: 1
LETTER TO THE FAITHFUL
2-4
5
WELLNESS AND JUMBLE SALE NEWS
6-7
8
910
SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST:
Photo: Father Julian Work is underway to deepen mission and ministry work within the Parish as previously reported in this newsletter. The Parish now boasts of a Ministry Team comprising mostly of the Lay Ministers. The Ministry Team had their second meeting on 11 August 2018. The first one was held on 14 July 2018.
New items on agenda included a paper on " Practical needs" prepared by Nadine Pienaar and Michelle Nadison which was tabled and discussed.
ty and Family Ministry
The following matters were noted for further exploration, discussion and implementation (in no particular order):
Parish Arts Minis-
Parents Universi-
Living Word Insights Column
Wellness News Financial Update
List of parishioners with special needs to be circulated to Lay Ministers, and other Parishioners involved in ministry to ascertain extent of relationships and what ministry is currently taking place.
try
Affirm and build on the excellent work done by the St Francis Prayer Chain coordinated by Terry Brauer and Monique Winn.
At our second meeting, we discussed and adopted the minutes from the inaugural meeting
Consider establishing a "St Francis Pantry" which would be stocked with nonperishable food stuffs for distribution to parishioners in need.
LIVING WORD INSIGHTS COLUMN
PARISH MINISTRY NEWS
Antony Jongwe to arrange for a visit by his chapter of the Bernard Mizeki Guild.
UPDATE ON MISSION AND MINISTRY
PARISH FINANCE REPORT
M O N T HLY
Notwithstanding, I have started visiting folk on the list. At the time of writing of this report two visits done with further visits scheduled.
Publication of a card detailing the various ministries and contact details of those involved.
Establish a group of hospital visitors and provide necessary training.
Introduce a “Buddy System” for followup on those absent from Church for protracted Sundays
Arrange training for those interested in bereavement support.
Following on Parish Executive Committee Meeting - reach out to other ministry groups (Sides persons, Sacristans, etc.)
Have a " Mission Sunday " wherein those involved can be affirmed and commissioned.
Encourage the formation of additional House/Fellowship groups and provide training for potential new house group leaders
Let us pray for each other and for this work.
Julian Kok Fr. Julian Kok
FRANCISCAN MONTHLY
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Letter to all the faithful your own set of skills – the gifts that God has given specifically to you. The priesthood is a lightning rod for so many emotions and reactions. I’d like you to spare a thought for your very human priests. You might not like the way we work. You might take exception to our personalities and actions. The best parish priest is always the one who was there before the present incumbent. There is always a comparison with this priest or that priest. Priesthood is a vocation, and there is more work to be done in Christ’s name than anyone can possibly do. We were generally adequately prepared for the spiritual work of the priesthood. We were schooled in preaching (oh yes, we were!). We were taught how to validly and lucidly administer the sacraments. We had incredible lecturers in scripture, dogma, psychology and history, among other courses. All parish priests have to do all 14 the things below. The list is arranged alphabetically, because it is impossible to rank these “jobs” in order of importance (for example, presiding at church services is hugely important, but so is pastoral care of the parishioners, and making sure the organization runs smoothly). The parish priest develops basic competency in every single item on this list, and seminaries don’t often teach these basic skills. A parish priest will need to keep working at these.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters of St Francis of Assisi, Dominus Vobiscum… This adapted article seeks to give you a glimpse into a life of an Anglican Priest engaged in parish ministry. The parish priest – indeed any ordained person – is most visible at the weekly Sunday service. There s/he stands before a crowd of people and performs a ritual, and says a lot of words. This is followed by a few minutes at the church door shaking hands. But is that really the sum total of a priest’s working week? So what is a (parish) priest’s life really like? It depends given that not all priests are parish priests. Chaplaincy (hospital and military, among others) is a full time jobs in which priests are frequently employed, and such people have very different lives from those of clergy who serve in congregations. Those called into religious life (Monks and nuns) can be priests, too, and their lives are different again. But the vast majority of Anglican priests function in a parish setting, and that is what this article is about. And, even after limiting the topic in this way, if I try to describe what your life is going to be like as a parish priest, I still have to say “it depends.” The daily duties of a parish priest can be extremely different from one parish to another, depending on the size of the parish, and what kind of people it serves. It varies, too, depending upon
Seminaries are good at, among other things, Old Testament, New Testament, Liturgy & Worship, Spirituality, Church History, Pastoral Psychology, Doctrine, Pastoral Theology, and the interface between the church and the current social order. But the new priest sometimes has to “fly by the seat of the pants,” learning the hard way how to manage staff, write a good bulletin notice, read a balance sheet, teach a Confirmation class, or form good relationships with all and sundry. Administration: Some standard administrative duties for priests: overseeing the printing of bulletins; preparing reports to the diocese/archdeacon(ry); making sure outdoor signs and parish websites are current; meeting with and managing other church ‘staff’ (depending on parish size – music leaders, children’s ministry & youth leaders, ministry leaders, etc.); ensuring that the buildings are maintained, bills are paid, and financial records are properly kept. Baptisms: Every priest is asked to baptize infants and sometimes to baptize adults. You will have to decide for yourself the degree to which you should work at preparing individuals and families for living the Christian life. Counselling: Parishioners often turn to their clergy for spiritual and moral guidance on marriage, parenting, relationship, and job problems, among other things. Daily Prayer: Priests are obliged to say what is called the “Daily Office” every day of their lives. It can be done publicly in the church, or it may be done privately, but it is just as much a “duty”
Continued on page. 2
FRANCISCAN MONTHLY
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LETTER TO ALL THE FAITHFUL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
as is preaching a sermon or visiting the sick. A priest at prayer is “on the job.” Diocesan and wider church (Ecumenism): Clergy are expected to participate in Ecumenical & Diocesan (this includes Archdeaconry) meetings and conferences and to provide leadership in various ways. Funerals: People pass on. As a priest, not only does one have to preside at someone’s funeral service, but offer a ministry of presence to the immediate family and community. Meetings: Managing a parish involves innumerable meetings – from a small group planning a Sunday service, to the parish planning meetings. The clergy have a central role, not just in attending these gatherings, but convening and often chairing them. Preaching sermons: Prayer, Bible study, scholarship, and intense reflection on eternal verities lies behind every sermon that is preached. Presiding at the weekly Eucharist: Presiding at a worship service requires good elocution and public speaking skills, a sense of timing, and a combination of humility and dignity in one’s personal deportment. Preparation for worship can involve meeting with lay ministers, music leaders, intercessors (An ‘Intercessor’ is a lay person who leads the portion of a worship service that is generally called “The Prayers of the People.”), lectors (A ‘Lector’ is a lay person who proclaims the Scripture readings at a worship service) and many others. Teaching the faith: Confirmation classes are very often considered the responsibility of the priest. As well, parishioners will turn to their clergy for leadership in Bible study, and for general adult Christian education programmes (Lenten classes are very common, for example). Visiting parishioners in hospital: Hospital calls are a standard feature of every parish priest’s life. Visiting parishioners in their homes: Home visits to parishioners have many purposes. But more importantly, praying with families in an intimate space of a family setting. Weddings: Canon Law prescribes that the priest becomes personally acquainted with the bride and groom, and ensure that they are well prepared to enter into marriage. I'm sure that – whether by law or by custom – it is not much different in other parts of the church. Writing: You may write well or badly, but church bulletins, newsletters and/or websites are always expected to have some contribution from the clergy.
A “day in the life” of an Anglican priest: What is it like to be a parish priest? Size and location of a parish make a big difference in how clergy spend their time. Sometimes a day starts before 07H00 and ends well after 21H00. I’ll tell it as if you were that Rector: The day may begin, for example, by meeting a parishioner for breakfast at 07H00 or attending an ecumenical Ministers’ meeting at 07H30 on the other side of town. This is a bit of a strain because you were out until after 20H00 last night at the monthly Diocesan Board or parish meeting. But you want to connect with this fairly young gifted adult in the hope that s/he will take on some leadership in the church, so you agree to breakfast. The conversation is pleasant, but at this point s/he doesn’t want to commit to anything, and is merely interested in getting to know his/her priest, and the parish ministries, a little bit better. If there is a big issue on his/her mind, s/he keeps it to herself/himself. However s/he suggests another breakfast for about a month from today, and you accept. It’s about 09H30, if not a bit later when you arrive at the church. This may be your normal time to get there, because you try to be in the church office for a good few hours. For one thing, that’s when the parish administrator is at work; for another, this provides a regular time that your parishioners can find you if they wish. In a typical week, preparations for Sunday begin on a Tuesday. Midweek service of Mass followed by ministry meetings; and occasional meetings with colleagues within the Archdeaconry and Diocese; and here and there, with ecumenical partners. Keeping an eye on the sick parishioner is a priority. Hospital pastoral visits are no longer as easy as we’re increasingly not allowed into hospitals except during visiting hours. Although you had to prepare for a later commitment, you decide to drive over to the hospital right away. The Sacrament of Holy Communion is administered; you lay your hands and administer Sacrament of Holy Anointing. Not long afterwards you are in your car on the way back. You might have a funeral to organise. You need not only to watch out for the organisation of the funeral, but also— most importantly—provide a spiritual contact space for bereaved families. You might do spiritual direction with some, counselling with others, prepare couples for marriages and occasionally for their weddings, have meetings planned and unplanned (a person/ people just showing up – referrals), prepare for Diocesan, Archdeaconry and/or ecumenical activities. The Bishop or other Diocesan/Archdeaconry body may entrust you with responsibilities of a certain diocesan/ archdeaconry ministry. Sometime during the day you have some tea, then go to your personal corner spend some time in prayer. Although the Daily Office is intended for morning and evening, you sometimes hardly ever find solitary time in those phases of the day, so instead you’ve developed a practice where you have a single long-ish prayer session once a day in the early afternoon. It works for you during those days when it proves difficult to say your prayers at intended times. The familiar words of the psalms and the prayers, along with the regular round of Scripture readings, anchors your day,
Continued on page.4
FRANCISCAN MONTHLY
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Letter to all the faithful although like thousands before you who have tried to follow a regular prayer discipline you have to wrestle with distractions. After a while, prayer completed, you begin to prepare for the evening’s activities – meetings, Bible study session, and/or Parish Family visits. Otherwise, you spend the next hour or two “cracking the books,” taking notes and trying to get as much into your head as you can about what scholars and preachers have said about this week’s readings. Come Lententide, a Lent course gets underway and the parish priest gets involved with that as well as preparations for the Paschal Triduum services. Some senior parishioners would prefer a day-time Lenten study group during the week. The youth have their own that also needs attention, and so does the Children’s ministry. Then there’s loved ones whom you may only see in the later afternoon.... You’ve made it a practice to devote this part of your day to being with loved ones. For you, the daily evening meal is an essential building block for loved ones. However, because of the upcoming evening meeting, and because your spouse had to work today until almost 18H00, tonight’s meal is takeaways: simple and quick. But the younger one(s) likes it, and there is good conversation around the dinner table about the day’s doings. With young children, you try not to miss bed-time, yet your “job” does takes you out of the house several evenings a week. Last night’s one ministry meeting, for example, and tonight’s committee meeting are quite typical. And tomorrow night you have an appointment with a young bride and groom. This “day” that I’m describing here is something that would happen in a small to middle-sized congregation. In such a church there might be 75 to 100 people in church on a Sunday. The parish administrator only works mornings. A paid cleaner cleans the church once or twice a week so does the gardener. That is the setting in which our imaginary priest works. The smallest churches generally have no paid parish administrator at all, and any required building maintenance is done by parishioners themselves. In such a setting the Rector will likely do most or all of the secretarial work and may also take up hammer and saw, or paintbrush, or broom and dustpan, from time to time. In churches that are larger than the one in my scenario there are staff members who prepare services, choose music, visit hospitals, and run classes. However, it is my impression that the average day of the average priest of the average Anglican Church is roughly like the fictional example above. These 8 are some of personal traits that a priest needs in order to be effective - No one has them all: Communication; Teaching; Theological knowledge; Empathy and Car-
Continued from page.3
ing; Leadership; Administration; Prayer and the Inner Life; and Liturgical skills Priests need various skills and talents in order to accomplish such “jobs”, and I have listed and described some of those. The imaginary “day in a life” created here taps into real experiences of many priests. Qualifications of a good Priest A good priest must have:
The strength of an ox;
The tenacity of a bull-dog;
The daring of a lion;
The wisdom of an owl;
The harmlessness of a dove;
The industry of a beaver;
The gentleness of a sheep;
The versatility of a chameleon;
The vision of an eagle;
The hide of a rhinoceros;
The perspective of a giraffe;
The disposition of an angel;
The endurance of a camel;
The bounce of a kangaroo;
The stomach of a horse;
The loyalty of an Apostle;
The faithfulness of a prophet;
The tenderness of a shepherd;
The fervency of an evangelist;
The devotion of a mother;
And then the priest would not please everybody!!! In Prayer and partnership, Oremus pro invicem
Fr Meshack The Ven Dr. L Meshack T Mariri † RECTOR
FRANCISCAN MONTHLY
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LIVING WORD INSIGHTS WITH ANTONY JONGWE dened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation]." (Matthew 11:28 AMP) Dearest friend, the word "tradition" can be defined as: "the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, or the fact of being passed on in this way". From a theological perspective, the same word could mean a "doctrine believed to have divine authority though not in the scriptures".
Dear Reader I would like to welcome you to this second instalment of “Living Word Insights” column in which we meditate on the Word to bring it to life. The words of John 1:1 are instructive: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” The Word is the bread of life and it was released to you and me by the Father. The Father has commanded us to meditate on His Word day and night (Joshua 1:8). When we meditate on the Word, we enable it to renew our mind and strengthen our faith. The Word is also the weapon which we can use to reject the falsehoods that are constantly peddled against us by the Devil. When confronted with his lies, we can always follow the example of our Lord and Personal Saviour Jesus Christ by answering back: “It is said…” while citing the appropriate Scripture. Let us remember that the Word is the truth and will not return void to the Father (Isaiah 55:11). Our Scripture for this instalment is as follows: "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily bur-
During His ministry on Earth, Jesus encountered the Pharisees who were sticklers of tradition. They questioned his unorthodox approach to certain things which they held in high regard as part of tradition. These were the people who were more interested in outward appearance than inward appearance. Jesus reminded them that it was foolish to worry about beautifying a tomb when its contents were rotting! (Matthew 23:27) We should not just love tradition for the sake of observation and conformance. Certain traditions prevent us from maturing in our relationship with the Father. It is not what we eat which defiles us but what springs forth from our heart. Let us open ourselves to Jesus so that He comes and sanctifies our inner parts so that they are in alignment with the perfect will of the Father. Jesus came to set us free from the shackles of religious rituals. He wants us to experience true freedom and inner peace as we commune with the Father. It all begins by accepting Him as Lord and Personal Saviour. Will you receive Jesus today dearest friend and enjoy the freedom and peace that comes from an abiding relationship with the Father? Disclaimer: Antony Jongwe is a Lay Minister and Editor of the Franciscan Monthly at the Anglican Parish of St Francis of Assisi in Waterkloof (Parish). He is also a member of St Bernard Mizeki Men’s Guild (BMMG). He writes in his personal capacity and the views contained in this article do not represent those of the Parish or BMMG
VOLUME 2 ISSUE 7
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Page 6
WELLNESS DAY IN PICTURES
See story on page.7
FRANCISCAN MONTHLY
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REPORT ON WELLNESS DAY AND EXCLUSIVE JUMBLE SALE By Dorah Semenya The event went well albeit the turnout was slightly lower than last year because most people had gone home since it was month-end. Our Health Team, comprising Psychologist Mark Southwood, Drs Rose and Molefi Phayane, Gynaecologist Dr Bongiwe Tlailane, and Diabetes Educator York Rodda did exceptionally well. Their efforts were complimented by Tumelong Mission Team who conducted Voluntary Counselling and Testing of HIV. Table 1: Number of people attended to by Health Team Total of people seen: 40
BP above 130/90
Blood sugar above 7
Referrals
15
4
2
0
Females - 25
5
0
2
Male -
Pap smears (R200 per person for lab testing) 5
Source: Dorah Semenya, Wellness Team Co-ordinator (2018) The beauty spa ladies rendered head, neck, shoulder, and full body massage as a donation. The exclusive jumble sale was held as a fund-raising initiative for St Francis Wellness Centre. The money will assist health workers to buy equipment and disposables needed to run the Centre. This is our key project after have accomplishing our goal at Maboloka Day Care Centre where we built a solid structure and flushing toilets facility. Cash received and banked after the jumble sale amounted to R3 000. In conclusion, I would like to extend a special vote of thanks to Olga Warambwa and Heatherlynn Lewis for assisting with sorting out clothes and pricing. As usual, a big thank you to all parishioners who continue to give unwavering support to our annual jumble sale call. Last, I would like to thank all our team members for their selfless dedication and commitment to this ministry.
IMPORTANT INFORMATIO INFORMATION N ON ANGLICANS ABLAZE 2018 Please tell others about the conference via Whatsapp, Twitter, & Facebook etc. Please like our pages and hit share too. Please! Registration: You must register for the conference please, not simply pay for it, or we will not know that you are coming. Write names clearly please. Registration forms for individuals and groups are attached. These are for those who are struggling to use the online system. Fill it out in capital letters, then scan and email it to info@growingthechurch.org.za OR office@growingthechurch.org .za . You can also fax this to 086 623 6187
FRANCISCAN MONTHLY
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PARISH FINANCIAL REPORT UPDATE Commentary and Graphics by Rob Lewis Following the good news I was able to share a little while ago, I am able to confirm that the Dedicated Giving for July has shown a further up turn as the graph shows. July’s Dedicated Giving reached R129,000, up on June by R9,000k. There is a growing correlation between the spiritual growth of the Parish, and the financial giving – so thank you, and we give thanks to God for all His blessings, and the work and ministry that is taking place at St Francis
350 000
MONTHLY PROJECIONS - ACTUAL VS BUDGET 300 000
EXPENDITURE BUDGET 250 000
EXPENDITURE FORECAST 200 000
DEDICATED GIVING BUDGET
150 000
DEDICATED GIVING FORECAST
100 000
50 000
-
Jan
Feb
Giving Actual
Mar
Apr
May
Giving Budget
June
July
Aug
Expenditure Actual
Figure 1: Monthly Budget Projections: Actual versus Planned Source: Rob Lewis, Churchwarden and PEC Member (2018)
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
Expenditure Budget
VOLUME 2 ISSUE 7
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P A R E N T S U N I V E R S I T Y A N D F A M I LY B R E A K F A S T By Eardley Twigg The Parents University at St Francis has been started with the purpose of:
Encouraging Family learn-
ing
Teaching and supporting parents to support their children academically Encouraging good social practices Encouraging healthy bodies and minds etc.. Those who have attended past workshops have found them
useful and I would like to see every parent, tutor, child minder etc. attend as well. Family Breakfast commenced on 4 August 2018 and the topic of discussion was: How does children learn and what is the difference between the new and old mathematics? Families also participated in some fun learning activities as shown in the pictures below. A healthy discussion around mathematics ensued and was carried over to a workshop which was
held on Saturday, 11 August 2018. The program for the Parents University is as follows:
Family Breakfast on the first Saturday of each month commencing at 09:00.
A Workshop on the third Saturday of each month commencing at 09:00.
All Franciscans and their friends are invited to these sessions. There is not obligatory charge for the breakfast and workshops but to cover costs participants are asked to make a donation of any amount.
READER FEEDBACK: Please send your comments on any story in the Franciscan Monthly to Mrs Zenobia Francis via the Parish e-mail: mail@st-francis.co.za or to the Editor: antonyjongwe@yahoo,com
P i c t u r e : Some of the parents and children who attended the inaugural Parent University and Family Breakfast
VOLUME 2 ISSUE 7
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PA R I S H A R T S M I N I S T RY By Eardley Twigg
The St Francis Arts Ministry made its first presentation at church on Sunday 1 July 2018 at the 09:30am service. They led the singing in place of the choir and did a skit on conservation together singing some songs. The response on this presentation was very positive and we would like to encourage more of the parishioners to become a part of this ministry. Please contact me on 083 383 2266 for more information.
PARISH DIRECTORY St Francis of Assisi Mission
“To be role models of Kingdom values, immersed in Mission, Ministry and Social Justice”
St Francis of Assisi Vision “We are a transformed and culturally diverse community of faith, bound together through caring, fellowship and worship, reaching
St Francis of Assisi Anglican Parish
out to influence our environment for Christ”
381 Long Street Waterkloof Pretoria South Africa
Parish Directory
Rector
Fr. Meshack Mariri
0827016887
Telephone: (012) 346 1106 E-mail: mail@st-francis.co.za
Assisting Priest:
Fr. Julian Kok
0827812963
Parish Administrator
Vacant
Publisher: The Rector, St Francis of Assisi Anglican Parish
Parish Secretary
Zenobia Francis
07129418173
Youth Chaplain
Jon-Reece Evans
0768519875
Editor: Antony Jongwe
Parish Caretakers
David Ntswane
0799560709