Category: Ordinary Days of the Spirit

Awakening Prophetic Agency and Urgency

CMM, Cape Town / / Ordinary Days of the Spirit, Sermons, Sunday Letter

2024 07 07 Sunday Sermon

Sikawu Makubalo: Awakening Prophetic Agency and Urgency
Ezekiel 2:1-5;  Psalm 48; 2 Corinthians 12:2-10; Mark 6:1-13

Dear Friends,

The ministry of the church ought to be prophetic: giving warning as well as offering hope and healing. We are urged to highlight what it means to be prophetic agents by the Presiding Bishop under the theme “Awakening Prophetic Agency and Urgency, Reviving the Church of Christ”. 

Prophetic agents should have the unwavering willingness to challenge the systems of oppression and exploitation with a deep commitment to justice motivated by the love of Christ and learning to love from Christ. The church should ask herself what it means to be prophetic agents in a constitutional democracy and 30 years after the first democratic elections. Prophetic agents are called to critique the status quo, exposing its flaws and calling for change. They articulate a vision of what could be, grounded in God’s justice, hope, peace and love and they have the moral and spiritual courage to advocate for the marginalised. They help people see beyond their current reality, helping them imagine a new world shaped by God’s justice, hope, peace and love.

This is the challenge before us: to see the marginalised, identify oppressive and exploiting systems, so that we can love courageously as we proclaim the Gospel by word and deed. So, this month we will ask God to awaken in us prophetic agency and urgency.

Grace and peace, Sikawu

 

Priorities

CMM, Cape Town / / Ordinary Days of the Spirit, Sunday Letter

Dear Friends,

The past two weeks we focused on Child Protection and the Elections.

Child Protection Month
Childhood is a critical stage for character, moral, and spiritual formation. Early spiritual development of children that includes fellowship, mentoring, exposure to God’s love language can have a lasting impact on a child’s faith and values. It is for this reason that in our mission and ministry, children are prioritised.

It was exciting to host children from the Circuit’s Early Childhood Development Centres — Gateway (Kensington) and Stepping Stones (District Six) during Child Protection Week. This was done in partnership with FAMSA’s Wellness Hub (based at CMM during the week). Children were educated on what it means to be healthy as well as on their right to good health. They were offered vitamins and had great fellowship and playtime.

At CMM we will endeavour to include and prioritise children in our services where we can. We will continue to observe the principles of child protection week to educate adults on just and healthy relationships with children and the responsibility to nurture and shape children as responsible ethical leaders.

 

 

Elections
South Africa enters an unprecedented and critical stage of her democracy. Response to this stage by politicians may shape or further fragment the nation.

The Church’s mandate at this critical time is to insist on the project to unite people, uplift and develop the poor, educate and safeguard all children, and the provision of bread for all people (eliminating hunger). The church, in her prophetic mission, should question any agenda that protects the privilege of some at the expense of others (Brueggemann) as it is contrary to the commandment to love.

God bless South Africa (and all the world) guard her children,
guide her leaders and grant her peace.

Peace, Sikawu

 

The bell, banners and blasphemy

CMM, Cape Town / / Ordinary Days of the Spirit, Sunday Letter

 

Friends,

The first Yellow Banner that CMM raised was in 2011. In solidarity with The Right To Know Campaign (r2k) and many other civil society organisations CMM decided to spread the disturbing news about The Protection of Information Act, more honestly known as The Secrecy Bill. A Bill that would seriously curtail the press and punish whistle-blowers. In short, it was a law that would make it easier to lie and more difficult to speak the truth. We figured Jesus would object to it, so we objected to it.

This kick-started CMM’s Yellow Banner Campaign that would result in 18 more Yellow Banners being raised up CMM’s steeple tower, covering topics as varied as: The Arms Deal; ARVs; Xenophobia; Gender based violence; Sex Work; Homophobia; COVID; Marikana; Housing and State Capture among others.

What they all had in common was 1] an abuse of power resulting in vulnerable people becoming more vulnerable and 2] a remnant of courageous resistance. 

I am excited to let you know that a book about CMM’s Yellow Banner Campaign is about to come out. It is called The bell, banners and blasphemy. This book hopes to tell a little of CMM’s story for the past 13 years or so. The book includes large colour photos of the banners and a social and theological commentary of each Yellow Banner. There is also a photo essay of CMM’s hospitality to the refugees.

As a result of a gift, a 100% of the sales for the first 250 copies will go directly to Stepping Stones Preschool.

You will be notified of a book launch as soon as a date is confirmed. If you have any enquiries or if you would like to purchase the book or host a discussion / launch, please email: aslowwalkbooks@gmail.com

In grace,
Alan