Wednesday, 29 May 2024

Prayer for South Africa's 2024 National and Provincial Elections

Archbishop Thabo Makgoba prayed the following prayer at the Western Cape offices of the Independent Electoral Commission in his capacity as chair of the Electoral Code of Conduct Observer Commission (ECCOC):

We pray to the Creator of us all:

Creator God, all power belongs to you,
Yet you grant us free will and share with us the ordering of your world,
Bless us today as we exercise the right which you have given us
and for which many have fought and died.

Help us to perform this solemn civic duty with the reverence it deserves,
And to use wisely this gift of freedom of choice.

Grant us tolerance and respect for one another,
and peace through the day.
Guide all those who will administer the elections,
Bless them with wisdom, tact and efficiency.

We pray that all who vote will accept the outcome
And that candidates and parties will be magnanimous in victory
and gracious in defeat.

May all who are elected serve our nation faithfully and diligently
for the good of all its citizens,
and the upholding of our Constitution.

We ask these things in the name of He who is Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer of Life 

AMEN

Thursday, 23 May 2024

Ad Laos - To the People of God – May 2024

As published in Good Hope, the newsletter of the Diocese of Cape Town:

As Bishop Joshua wrote last month, Diocesan Synod is around the corner, and we ask for your prayers as the clergy and lay representatives of all the parishes in the Diocese gather from the 13th to 15th of June.

Synod is a time for clergy, laity and bishops to come together and take counsel on the needs of God’s church. We look at theological, pastoral and spiritual matters that should help us govern the church together for the next three years. We change our laws (the Canons) and pass resolutions to enable church order as well as to make our Diocese safe and inclusive. 

Wednesday, 22 May 2024

Introductory remarks at the UWC-Archbishop Thabo Makgoba Development Trust 2024 Lecture

Archbishop Thabo Makgoba Development Trust
Annual Lecture on “Integrity and Leadership”
Introductory Comments
Archbishop Thabo Makgoba


21st May 2024

Programme Director,

Prof Panther,

the Vice Chancellor, Prof Tyrone,

Distinguished panelists,

Ladies and gentlemen:


The UWC-Archbishop Thabo Makgoba Development Trust Lecture for 2024 occurs during flu season, so we have a lot of apologies. I have also just shaken off a week-long bout of flu. Our daughter, Paballo, who works in the Trust's resource management and mobilisation section was to be here to ensure her dad is well, but opted for virtual attendance. However, the church's Provincial Executive Officer is here as my chaplain.