So far we
haven’t decided which congregation to join. We have attended services at the
Lutheran Theological Institute (LTI), with the Scottsville Methodist
Congregation, in the Anglican Cathedral of Pietermaritzburg and in the Lutheran
churches in Macebisa (PMB), Imbali (PMB), Sobantu (PMB), Elsies River (Cape
Town), and Batho (Bloemfontein). Our plan was to celebrate Easter at LTI but it
has been closed over Easter. So we went to the Anglican Cathedral of Holy
Nativity on Maundy Thursday and today, on Easter Sunday. Good Friday we felt
the services in the Cathedral were either too early or too long, so we joined
the Lutheran Congregation in Hayfields (Kreuzkirche – Church of the Cross),
which belongs to the Lutheran Church with German origin (ELSCA-NT). (The reason
was, that this was one of the few churches nearby that had published their
service roster on their web site. And the service was in English on this
occasion). The church is mainly a white
church but they are involved at LTI and I hope that in the future this church
and our own church, ELCSA, could join.
Both in the
Cathedral of the Holy Nativity and in Kreuzkirche much focus was put on the
sermons. But the liturgy is more elaborated in the Anglican tradition. So, on
Maundy Thursday there were both washing of feet and stripping of the altar.
Today we enjoyed the renewal of our baptismal vows with the sprinkling of
water. But the sermon was a bit longer then we usually find in the Anglican
cathedral. The best sermon, though, the children presented. Totally unexpected!
The Dean invited all the children at the end of the 2½ hour service. He asked
one of the Sunday school leaders to estimate how many they were and the leader
answered: 40! The Dean seemed satisfied and started to give out sweets to the
children. We prayed hard, because more than 40 kids approached the altar. When
the sweets were finished 8 kids still waited for their treats. I really felt for those children but also for the Dean. I could have done the same.
I promise that you will get sweets if you come next Sunday!
Probably
not the answer the children wanted. So we all held our breath. Then one of the
older girls, who had already received a piece of chocolate, came forward and
gave hers to the youngest among the eight. She was followed by another and soon
the youngest had got sweets and the oldest had willingly given up theirs. We
were impressed! And so was the Dean. What a mighty example in today’s world and
today’s South Africa were entitlement and corruption are such major problems.
The Very Revd Ndabezinhle Sibisi, gathers the Sunday school children to give them sweets.
3 comments:
Så underbart! Hoppas att de äldre barnen kände uppskattningen!
Glad påsk till er alla!
Deep in our african, human hearts sharing is obvious.
Gerthie: Ja, det tror jag att de kände. Elisabet: tyvärr är det alltför många vuxna som tappat kontakten med sitt ursprung! (Något vi var och en bör fråga oss ibland!)
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