Called to something smaller

This past week I have been in Belhar attending the 184th Synod of the Cape of Good Hope District.

Amongst other things, Synod is the body that reminds me of my calling as well as holding me accountable. While reflecting on our ordination vows (author: Revd Emeritus Professor William Loader FAHA, NSW, Australia https://billloader.com) we reflected on the following words from Methodist Church of Singapore’s Ordination Liturgy:

Called to Something Smaller

We are not ordaining you to ministry; that happened at your baptism.

We are not ordaining you to be a caring person; you are already called to that.

We are not ordaining you to serve the Church in committees, activities, organisation; that is already implied in your membership.

We are not ordaining you to become involved in social issues, ecology, race, politics, revolution, for that is laid upon every Christian.

We are ordaining you to something smaller and less spectacular: to read and interpret those sacred stories of our community, so that they speak a word to people today; to remember and practice those rituals and rites of meaning that in their poetry address human beings at the level where change operates; to foster in community through word and sacrament that encounter with truth which will set men and women free to minister as the body of Christ.

We are ordaining you to the ministry of the word and sacraments and pastoral care. God grant you grace not to betray but uphold it, not to deny but affirm it, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Below is a letter addressed to the Editor of the Cape Times in response to the article that appeared in the Cape Times on 22 May 2013:

Dear Editor: (Cape Times)
Your Wednesday, 22nd headline, Lesbian pastor vs church refers:
As a former leader of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa (MCSA) I grieve to see a great Christian denomination, with a strong record of witness for compassion and justice, brought to this. Had the matter been handled with more care and wisdom in the councils of the church, it would not today be in a secular court.
It is important, however, to emphasise that the MCSA is not united on this issue. A growing body of Methodist clergy and laity fully support Rev Ecclesia de Lange’s right – and the right of other gay and lesbian persons  to marry the person of their choice, and are working for change. Far from being in conflict with our Christian convictions, we regard this as a further necessary step in the Spirit’s work of breaking down barriers of prejudice that have stood too long. We are not without sympathy for conservative members in the church who struggle to come to terms with new insights into human sexuality, because old teachings and attitudes die hard. But those teachings and attitudes have inflicted such cruelty, pain and exclusion on gay and lesbian persons that they cannot be justified on the basis of a few Biblical proof-texts. The Charter of Compassion is right: for all religions, ‘any interpretation of scripture that breeds violence, hatred or disdain is illegitimate.’
I am confident that the MCSA will become an open and including church, honouring the love of gay and lesbian persons and blessing their unions. The journey to openness, however, just as with the struggle against racism, will not be easy. With that struggle the MCSA and other faith communities gave moral leadership in resisting injustice. On this issue we lag sadly behind secular institutions and the Constitution of this country. I can only hope that this court case will help, rather than hinder the road to true inclusiveness.
Rev Prof Peter Storey

Peace and grace to you, Alan

Speak the truth …

Above is a quote from Maggie Kuhn who dedicated her life to fighting for human rights, social and economic justice, global peace, integration, and an understanding of mental health issues. At age 65 she founded the Gray Panthers — a national organisation dedicated to social justice — specifically against Age Discrimination in the areas of retirement, housing, and health care.

 

The Secrecy Bill is set to pass through the NCOP by the end of this month and the securocrats have dug in their heels. Yet across the country, there has been a rise of a massive people’s movement to fight for the free flow of information, tackling not the Secrecy Bill but broader threats to our right to know. It’s time to bring it all together.

Starting on Monday 19 November, R2K is hosting a week-long ‘Camp-Out for Openness’ at the gates of Parliament, calling for ‘Free Information! Full Participation! Fair Process!’

The Right 2 Know campaign is bringing together communities and causes from across society who want not only to stop the Secrecy Bill, but fight for broader openness in our society.

Join the Day & Night Camp-Out! There will be workshops, teach-ins, rallies, pickets and even a film festival that will be showing each night at 19h00.

R2K Freedom Film Festival

Details Here

Films will screen outdoors every evening at 19h00 in partnership with the Tri-Continental Film Festival.

Monday: Cointelpro 101 (56 min)
Tuessday: Ai Weiwei – Never Sorry (91 min)
Wednesday: Bitter Seeds (88 min)
Thursday: Man on Ground (88min)
Friday: Five Broken Cameras (90 min)

Camp-Out Programme

Engaging MPs:

Every morning and late afternoon we will be outside the MPs entrance/exit with placards at 08h30 and 16h30.

Monday 19 November: Towards the Right to Know

10h00 Teach-in: Camp Leadership Agreements
13h00 People’s Parliament: Rally to Stop the Secrecy Bill!
14h30 Teach-in: Is the Constitution Pro-Poor?
19h00 Freedom Film Festival: Details Here
21h00 Fireside Chat: Topic to be confirmed

Tuesday 20 November: Right to Know for Basic Services

10h00 Teach-in: The Education Crisis
13h00 People’s Parliament: Keep Our Schools Open / Solidarity with Bisho Camp!
14h30 Teach-in: Electricity Price & Energy Future
19h00 Freedom Film Festival: Details Here
21h00 Fireside Chat: Topic to be confirmed

Wednesday 21 November: Workplace Democracy

10h00 Teach-in: Where does all the money go: Wages, profit, taxes
13h00 People’s Parliament: Marikana & De Doorns solidarity
14h30 Teach-in: Housing, Land & Evictions
19h00 Freedom Film Festival: Details Here
21h00 Fireside Chat: Topic to be confirmed

Thursday 22 November: Women’s Power, Women’s Struggle

10h00 Teach-in: Rural Women’s Struggles
13h00 People’s Parliament: 16 Days of Act: Stop the Violence, & End Patriarchy
14h30 Teach-in: Paying for National Health Insurance
18h00 Night vigil for Openness: Lead by Religious Leaders
19h00 Freedom Film Festival: Details Here
21h00 Fireside Chat: Topic to be confirmed

Friday 23 November: The Right to Communicate

10h00 Teach-in: Communication Rights in Reality
13h00 People’s Parliament: Demanding Free Basic & Affordable SMS and Airtime
14h30 Teach-in: The Right to Call
19h00 Freedom Film Festival: Details Here
21h00 Fireside Chat: Topic to be confirmed

We have the right to know, Alan