To the Laos - To the People of God - June 2016

To the Laos - To the People of God - June 2016

Dear People of God

We face a busy time in the Province in the coming months. The recent Elective Assembly of the Diocese of Christ the King delegated to the Synod of Bishops the choice of a new bishop to succeed Bishop Peter Lee. So the bishops must now choose new bishops for both Niassa and Christ the King at their next meeting at the end of September. Please pray for us as we consider these choices.

Immediately after the Synod of Bishops meets, we will have our three-yearly Provincial Synod. Please pray for the planning process for Provincial Synod, which brings together the whole body of Christ in our church in Angola, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, the island of St Helena and Swaziland. Looking beyond our Province, the body of Christ as represented by Anglicans across Africa will meet in Kigali, Rwanda in August, when we will have a meeting of the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa (CAPA). Pray for this meeting too, and for the election of a successor to the CAPA chair, Archbishop Bernard Ntahoturi of Burundi. Beyond Africa, please pray for the Gafcon grouping of Anglican churches and, indeed, for the whole Communion.

Both the Communion and our own Province continue to face the historic challenge posted by the debate around human sexuality. It is a painful issue both for those who support the traditional position on marriage and for those who wish to introduce changes. In our Province, the bishops are committed to ongoing dialogue and conversations around the issue, and I urge those who have not yet read my pastoral letter after the last Synod of Bishops to read it here.

The Second Agenda Book for Provincial Synod will include a resolution on the matter. Please begin to pray about this issue, reflecting on your own sexuality, on your understanding of the sexual orientations of others and on what might constitute a godly, pastoral, biblical and just way of dealing with this matter, taking us to a place beyond where we are now, in which those on both sides of the debate seem to be locked into our positions. I don't want to pre-empt our discussions at Provincial Synod here, but just be aware that this debate is on the agenda. I encourage you to ask your representatives to consult as widely as possible in your diocesan and parish preparations for Synod.

However, I should say immediately that I don’t want the issue of sexuality to dominate our thinking as we view the Communion, and especially as we consider the welfare of our sisters and brothers in other parts of our continent. I have recently been reading material from the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD), in Durban, and the situation in the Great Lakes Region is very worrying. Pray particularly for the Democratic Republic of Congo—for an end to conflict in the east, for their planned elections and for their rulers as it appears elections might be delayed and the President’s term of office extended. Madiba’s role in brokering a previous settlement there makes the fate of the Congolese people of special concern to us. As you consider the issues to be dealt with by Provincial Synod, please pray for the Synod using the prayer which appears at the end of this letter.

In South Africa, we are scheduled to have heavily-contested municipal elections in August. It is against that backdrop that I joined other religious leaders recently to witness party leaders and the IEC staff signing the Electoral Code of Conduct in Cape Town. At the signing, the IEC pledged to be transparent and accountable as they work to ensure a free and fair environment for elections. Parties also pledged to play their part. Among the commitments which the Code imposes on parties and candidates are that they undertake:

•    Not to use language which provokes violence,
•    Not to intimidate voters,
•    Not to publish false information about other candidates or parties,
•    Not to bribe others to vote for a party,
•    Not to deface or remove posters, and
•    Not to carry weapons.

Preaching at St Luke’s, Salt River, in Cape Town earlier this month, I regretted the fact that in some provinces of the country we have seen an upsurge in what are said to be political killings. I appeal to all Anglicans to take seriously our civic responsibilities: to vote and to take action if you see any signs of the Code being breached.

In Cape Town, news has come in of the passing of Bishop Charles Albertyn, formerly Bishop Suffragan and a Regional Bishop in the Diocese. His funeral will be on Saturday June 25. We remember Bishop Charles for his deep spirituality and centredness on God, and for the deep wisdom and quick wit he brought to the leadership of the Diocese. We convey the Province’s heartfelt condolences to Berenice and the Albertyn family.

Please offer your prayers for all the situations I have mentioned in this letter in the spirit of St Paul, where he says so beautifully in 1 Corinthians 12, that “all the members of the body, though many, are one body...” and “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together with it.”

God bless you

†Thabo Cape Town

 

            Collect for Provincial Synod

            Bounteous God
            You provide all that is needed to proclaim your
               Kingdom to the nations in our generation:
            Grant us
           the wisdom to discern the available resources,
           the means to develop the people you are calling, and
               the humility and strength to commit to the task before us;
            through Jesus Christ who has revealed the Kingdom to us
            and in the power of the Holy Spirit who drives us into your world.
                                Amen

Archbishop Makgoba welcomes Pope Francis's letter on 'Our Sister, Mother Earth'

People of faith need to focus on the moral and spiritual elements of the crisis brought about by rapid climate change, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba of Cape Town said today in response to Pope Francis's encyclical on the issue.

In a statement issued from Cape Town, the Archbishop said:

“I would like to thank Pope Francis for this historic, ground-breaking letter. I look forward to studying it in more detail.

“Across Africa and in other developing countries, we are already suffering the impacts of climate change, and the people hit hardest by severe droughts or storms are in our most vulnerable communities.

Southern Africa Hosts CAPA in Cape Town

Anglican Church leaders from across Africa are being hosted at meetings in Cape Town by Archbishop Thabo Makgoba.

The leaders include Archbishops, Bishops and other members of the Council of African Provinces of Africa (CAPA), a body which coordinates and articulates issues affecting the Church and communities across the continent.

The council, chaired by the Most Revd Bernard Ntahoturi, Archbishop of the Province of the Anglican Church of Burundi, represents Anglicans in 26 countries from 12 church provinces.

The meetings, which are happening in South Africa for the first time, include Primates (the leaders) of churches and members of the CAPA Standing Committee.

The meetings have included a gathering of members of the Anglican Global South, chaired by the Most Revd Dr Mouneer Hanna Anis of Egypt, President Bishop of the Anglican Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East.

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, and Premier Helen Zille of the Western Cape sent messages of welcome to the delegates and their spouses.

Archbishop Makgoba said the meetings were a tangible expression of the Anglican family belonging together. He expressed hope that the meeting would renew relations among churches across Africa.

On the first day, participants visited Masikhanye Food Garden in Khayelitsha, an urban food project supported by the Anglican Church of Southern Africa's outreach arm, Hope Africa.

Archbishops plant onions at an urban food project in Khayelitsha, Cape Town. 

The visitors included, from left, Archbishop Ian Ernest of the Indian Ocean, Archbishop Ezekiel Kondo of the Internal Province of Sudan, Archbishop Mouneer Anis of the Anglican Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, Archbishop Jacob Chimeledya of Tanzania, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba of Cape Town and Archbishop Bolly Lapok of South-East Asia.

Church of the Province of Africa - ‘Ad Laos’ – To the People of God – February 2014

As has become my practice over the last six years, this February letter is the first for the year, so let me start by wishing you all a blessed New Year.

Some of you may have read the latest Synod of Bishops' statement in which the Bishops share briefly the salient points of their February meeting. These meetings form the cornerstone of governance in faith and doctrine matters in our Province, over and above meetings of the Provincial Synod, the Provincial Standing Committee, the Provincial Trusts' Board and of course Diocesan structures. Of particular note was that the Synod expressed its joy at the approval by the South African Qualifications Authority of the Diploma of Theology offered by the College of the Transfiguration in Grahamstown, as well as at the provisional accreditation of the College as a private higher education institution.

Following the meeting of the Synod of Bishops, Lungi and I travelled to Lagos, Nigeria for a meeting of Anglican Primates and their spouses organised by the Council of Anglican Provinces in Africa (CAPA). This was my first CAPA meeting as Archbishop, as Bishop Jo Seoka of Pretoria is our episcopal representative to CAPA and has previously attended meetings on my behalf.

In our time together in Lagos, we as Archbishops from the different Anglican Provinces around the continent shared both our common and our differing contextual challenges. We shall continue to have different understandings on matters of human sexuality, whether legally, theologically or because of our different experiences, so we cannot paint everyone with the same brush. This applies even within provinces, as we see within our own Province, where only South Africa has legalised same-sex unions. For me, love and respect for all who are created in the image of God remain key. The Synod of Bishops affirmed this, as well as the importance of seeking justice and reconciliation on this issue – the differences over which we do not regard as being so serious as to be church-dividing.

Human sexuality was not, however, the central matter in our deliberations in Lagos. We were deeply concerned at tensions and conflict in places as varied as South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho and Mozambique, as well as the conflict between Muslims and Christians and the terror created by the followers of Boko Haram in Nigeria. Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State and his deputy welcomed us, and stressed the need for a critical solidarity by the Church with those called to serve through a vocation to politics.

Immediately after Lagos, Lungi and I were joined by our daughter, Paballo, to travel to Xai-Xai in Mozambique where I was blessing a new church, Salvador do Mundo (Saviour of the World). This was a wonderful occasion, with the Diocese’s largest parish packed to capacity. The worship was so joyful and moving as Bishop Dinis Sengulane and I moved around the church, sprinkling water amid clouds of incense, accompanied by the choir all singing in unison in Mozambique's unique alto voices. The choirmaster had a small school bell and rang it harder and harder the more we sprinkled holy water around the building! Coming from an urban diocese, dedicating new churches is not what one does frequently, especially in Shangaan and Portuguese and wearing full vestments when the temperature is 30 degrees. We are grateful for Bishop Dinis, who will retire soon after four Lambeth conferences and 38 years as a bishop in the Church of God. We are grateful for his ministry not only in the Church but in highlighting the scourge of malaria and the need for peace in the world, particularly in Mozambique. We can only say, while +Dinis is still alive, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

After Mozambique I chaired an ecumenical meeting at the Wits Business School. Ecumenical witness has seen many challenges and changes in post-apartheid South Africa, where we are experiencing the declining influence and identity of previously-strong ecumenical bodies and the rise of new ones which readily support state theology and loathe prophetic and liberation theology. It is as if we are regressing into what the apartheid government achieved through its grip on the Dutch Reformed Church, only this time it is South Africa’s current ruling party which is coercing interfaith and ecumenical bodies to align with it and thereby benefit materially or from their proximity to power and influence. However, in South Africa today the Church is called upon to support the State in this democratic dispensation when it does what is godly and serves the needs of all God’s people, but to be critical if it does not. And we cannot just sit back and point at what is wrong, we need too to work to bring about justice, equity and a sharing of God’s abundant resources. The meeting in Johannesburg highlighted these issues and reminded me of how easy it is to forget our primary vocation because we want government resources even to the point of compromising the prophetic word.

Finally, I attended a church leaders’ consultation with the South African Christian Leaders’ Initiative (SACLI), where we looked at how to strengthen the unity of the ecumenical voice in being courageous and prophetic. We looked at organisational as well as moral issues in our country, we planned for the forthcoming SACC triennial meeting and we considered how we could encourage SACC member churches to adopt education as a priority missional issue. We also noted that, welcome as the birth of SACLI is, it has created confusion and tensions at a time during which the SACC is ailing. Bishop Zipho Siwa, Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church, has been asked to chair a subcommittee to look at aligning the ecumenical bodies in our country so that we can all act together in tackling the challenges faced by our country, especially in the upcoming elections. As chair of the church leaders’ consultation, I find these meetings edifying – stretching but fulfilling too as we face the challenge: How do we maintain our prophetic voice in a constitutional democracy when legitimate leaders are robbing the land and ignoring the cause of justice?

I have headed this letter the Church of the Province of Africa, to highlight the need for us to strive, whether in our Anglican Communion in Africa or ecumenically, to bring God’s real shalom, peace, justice and equity to the continent. There will be differences in theology, in matters of sexuality and in politics – let us face these and deal with them, and not pretend we don’t encounter them. Let us adopt a Pauline understanding of our vocation and build the body of Christ, recognising that it has different parts and abilities, but that they can all work together towards a common purpose. In this way we will have a deeper appreciation of the presence of the incarnate Christ at work within the body, pointing us to the realised Eschaton which at the same time is yet to be realised. This tension should not divide us, instead it should help us appreciate that we are of the same coin, bringing quality and equality to all.

This year, God willing, we will see the election of two new bishops suffragan, of Niassa and Mthatha. We are thankful to God that in spite of the challenges we have in a few dioceses, our Province is healthy and continues to witness to what God is up to in this part of God's vineyard. As we prepare to observe Lent, let me once again encourage you all to use the Bible study material that Professor Gerald West and his team have prepared for our Province.

I end on a note of thanksgiving – even if it is tinged with sadness. The “Masite Sisters” – the members of the Society of the Precious Blood in Lesotho – who provided a home away from home for South African political refugees as well as spiritual refugees over many years, will close their house in Maseru at the end of this month. The sisters have planted the seeds of faith for many but the remaining sisters are ageing, so although their Chapter says they may resurrect their ministry differently one day, for now we wish them well and give God deep thanks for their ministry in building the body of Christ in our Province.

As we enter this Lent, let us continue to build the body of Christ, in our relationships with one another, in our places of worship and in our different nations in this Province.

God bless you all in your Lenten observances,
+Thabo Cape Town

To the Laos - To the People of God, October / November 2011

Dear People of God

Once again, I must wrap two months into one! It is not always easy to find time, but I am grateful these letters make me pause and consider a wider perspective on my life and ministry. I was very encouraged last weekend, when a priest in Natal Diocese said ‘Please don’t stop writing! My sermons have improved a lot because of your letters!’ Certainly, it is my hope and prayer that in sharing my own reflections on God’s call on my life, I can help enrich your understanding of God’s call to you, and help inform your prayers for our whole Province. So whenever I am late in writing, please conclude that I am particularly busy and in even more need of prayer than usual!

When I last wrote, we were preparing for Synod of Bishops and Provincial Standing Committee. At Synod, we grappled with stretching questions of faith, culture, and ‘reading the signs of the times’. We affirmed that ‘true expression of the Gospel of Jesus Christ within our cultures must be exercised graciously and with great carefulness, for example, in the pastoral care given to those claiming to have a call to Isangoma training – recognizing that these two worlds, of Christianity and this aspect of African traditional life, will never meet.’ We noted that ‘other inherited cultural values (such as giving honour to God; respecting grey hair; virginity testing for young people; upholding honesty, and the values enshrined in the philosophy of ubuntu) need to be vigorously debated …’ Our discussions were enriched by the presence of Canon Grace Kaiso, General Secretary of the Conference of Anglican Provinces in Africa (sadly, Archbishop Ian Ernest, CAPA President, was unwell, and could not join us). The Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church was also briefly with us, at the end of her short visit. We acknowledged many differences, including over human sexuality, but pledged to continue dialogue. Please pray her time here will have given her a better understanding of this part of the Anglican Communion. You can read the Synod’s full statement at http://archbishop.anglicanchurchsa.org/2011/09/statement-from-synod-of-bishops-meeting.html.

PSC was up-beat, despite economic and other pressures, and enthusiastic planning for the future ranged from developing our Vision to renewing theological training. I came home feeling we are deepening our grasp of the identity into which God is calling us to grow, taking seriously our place both within Africa and globally as we seek to share his love, his redemption, his new life. You can read more at http://archbishop.anglicanchurchsa.org/2011/10/anglicans-plan-for-future-with.html.

At the beginning of October it was a great joy to join Archbishop Emeritus, Desmond Tutu in laughter-filled the celebrations for his 80th birthday, and also Mama Leah’s birthday the following week. Tata, Gogo, we love you more than words can say, and pray that God may bless you richly in retirement.

After such happy celebration, it was sobering to travel with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, to Harare, to express our solidarity with Bishop Chad and his Diocese, as well as Anglicans elsewhere in Zimbabwe, who have suffered all manner of outrageous persecutions at the instigation of the breakaway Bishop, Albert Kunonga. Do not believe press reports which say this is a disagreement over human sexuality – that is just a smoke screen for shameless political thuggery and self-enrichment. Even President Mugabe seemed surprised by the scale of events when we presented him with a dossier. Yet we also found great hope. Over 10,000 worshippers gathered on Sunday morning in the Sports’ Stadium, to hear our messages of support, and, as I said there, if God is on our side, who can ever be against us (Rom 8:31). (You can read my fuller reflections on the visit at http://archbishop.anglicanchurchsa.org/2011/10/zimbabwe-visit-with-archbishop-of.html.) It seems to have been some improvements in conditions. Pray these will be sustained, and uphold our brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe in your intercessions.

After Cape Town’s Diocesan Clergy School, and parish visits which are my usual Sunday fare, I was soon on a plane again – to Toronto, to deliver the Snell Sermon. A former Bishop endowed an annual lecture on ‘The incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ – his person and his message in contemporary theological thought’, a theme which is close to my heart. Jesus is at the heart of God’s mission, and so must always be our goal, our guide, and our model. You can read what I said at http://archbishop.anglicanchurchsa.org/2011/11/snell-sermon-incarnate-jesus-christ-in.html, and the sermon I delivered in Toronto Cathedral, for the feast of All Saints, at http://archbishop.anglicanchurchsa.org/2011/11/sermon-for-feast-of-all-saints.html. I also discussed the Anglican Church of Canada’s support to ACSA, e.g. through the Primate’s Fund, and the link between the Dioceses of Toronto and Grahamstown.

It is not just me who travels – as mentioned above, others come to us! It was a privilege to have the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall worshipping at St George’s Cathedral in Cape Town during their visit to South Africa. In my sermon, I was able to speak about the ability of the Anglican Communion together to do far more than merely the sum of our separate actions, as we seek to respond to God’s call always to ‘stay awake’, ready to take every opportunity to let God’s ‘justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an everlasting stream’. (You can read my sermon at http://archbishop.anglicanchurchsa.org/2011/11/sermon-for-prince-of-wales-and-duchess.html.)

Finally, I have just made a busy pastoral and teaching visit to the Diocese of Natal. At the heart of this was the consecration, in a packed Cathedral, of Bishop Tsietsi Seloane, the new Suffragan. Pray for him and his wife Rachel in this new chapter of their lives. I also visited local community projects and presented Hope Africa awards for excellence; spoke with Prof Barney Pityana at a dinner raising funds for the redevelopment of COTT (http://archbishop.anglicanchurchsa.org/2011/11/support-development-of-college-of.html); and shared reflections on the life and work of a priest at a Clergy Forum (http://archbishop.anglicanchurchsa.org/2011/11/these-two-talks-were-delivered-at.html). On Sunday, I preached at on ‘Anglicans in Mission: Here am I, send me!’ (http://archbishop.anglicanchurchsa.org/2011/11/anglicans-in-mission-here-am-i-lord.html).

It was also my privilege to deliver the Third Rubin Phillip Peace Lecture at St John’s, Pinetown (see http://archbishop.anglicanchurchsa.org/2011/11/if-you-want-peace-you-must-work-for.html). This provided an opportunity to pay tribute to Bishop Rubin (and of course also to Rose), and his Diocese, for all that they do, not only in KwaZulu-Natal, but for the Province as a whole, through generous financial support, and in many other ways. We keep them in our prayers, in this, and in all their evangelistic and mission endeavours. Their ‘radical hospitality’ was shown also to the Synod of Bishops earlier this year, and later this month they will be deeply involved in the witness of faith communities to COP-17, as we call on governments to make binding commitments to safeguard our planet’s future. Meanwhile, I have asked Revd Canon Rachel Mash (who heads HIV and AIDS work for the Diocese of Cape Town) to coordinate the Province’s environmental work, and assist me in my new responsibility as chair of the Anglican Communion’s Environmental Network.

Please keep our Province and me in your prayers at this busy time! (And apologies to those who do not have internet access, for providing so many web links.)

Yours in the service of Christ

+Thabo Cape Town

Archbishop to Visit Zimbabwe - Comment on Synod of Bishops

The following press statement was released on 29 September 2011, following the meeting of the Synod of Bishops from 26 to 28 September (see their statement in the previous blog post).

Southern Africa’s Bishops have reaffirmed their support for Anglicans in Zimbabwe, as Archbishop Thabo Makgoba prepares to accompany the Archbishop of Canterbury on his pastoral visit there next month.

At their twice-a-year meeting held in Benoni this week, the Synod of Bishops repeated their concerns at the difficult situation faced by Anglicans in Zimbabwe, and voiced their continuing support and prayers. Dr Makgoba will travel at the invitation of Dr Rowan Williams, who will also go to Malawi and Zambia during his visit to the Church of the Province of Central Africa. Dr Makgoba commented ‘I am glad of this opportunity to be able to demonstrate in person our support for and solidarity with Bishop Chad of Harare, and the wider Anglican Church in Zimbabwe. In Southern Africa’s troubled past, our Church was enormously strengthened and encouraged by the continuing expressions of support we received from around the Anglican Communion.’

In response to a presentation by the Most Revd Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church (centred mainly on the USA), the Bishops acknowledged some deep differences, including over human sexuality, but affirmed the value of continuing dialogue, in a spirit of truthfulness and sensitivity. The Bishops also underlined their African heritage and commitment to continuing engagement with the Church in the rest of the continent, and welcomed the participation in their meeting of Canon Grace Kaiso, General Secretary of the Council of Anglican Provinces in Africa.

The Bishops stressed the need for considerable sensitivity in the cultural expression of the Christian faith, and for vigorous debate around inherited cultural values ranging from the ethos of ubuntu to honouring God, respecting the elderly and virginity testing. They noted that some practices, such as isangoma training, were incompatible with Christian beliefs.

Other matters which the Bishops discussed included a range of pastoral and theological issues. Among these was a recent CCMA ruling affirming that in South African law, licenced clergy are not viewed as employees of the church, as such, but in line with their vocation as ‘servants in God’s vineyard’. Other visitors to the Synod included theologians Professor Denise Ackerman and Dr Nomboniso Gasa, and Mrs Jeanette O’Neill, the first woman and layperson to be appointed General Secretary of USPG, the Anglican mission agency based in Great Britain and Ireland, which this year celebrates the 300th anniversary of its founding

Issued by the Office of the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town Inquiries: Ms Wendy Tokata on 021-763-1320 (office hours)

Note to editors - The Anglican Church of Southern Africa encompasses Angola, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, St Helena, South Africa, Swaziland and Tristan da Cunha.

Statement from the Synod of Bishops' Meeting

“The Signs of the Times”

“… Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called ...” (1 Tim 6:11-12)

28 September 2011

We, the Synod of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, gathered from 26 to 28 September, 2011, at the Kopanong Conference Centre, Benoni, East Rand, for a time shaped by prayer, and by theological and pastoral reflection.

Presentations were made by Professor Denise Ackerman and Dr Nomboniso Gasa, which provided a context for reflection upon, and dialogue and engagement with, our formal agenda. We became aware of the need for a more contemplative spirituality, given expression in diaconal service in and to the world. We were also challenged to become interpreters of the signs of the times, analytically discerning the course of events in Southern Africa and the wider world. In this respect, we noted the challenges the media pose, through rapid and effective communication, which sometimes causes the churches’ voices to be drowned out.

True expression of the Gospel of Jesus Christ within our cultures must be exercised graciously and with great carefulness, for example, in the pastoral care given to those claiming to have a call to Isangoma training – recognizing that these two worlds, of Christianity and this aspect of African traditional life, will never meet. Other inherited cultural values (such as giving honour to God; respecting grey hair; virginity testing for young people; upholding honesty, and the values enshrined in the philosophy of ubuntu) need to be vigorously debated as Bishops continue to speak to society.

The theme of leaders as enablers of the people of God entrusted to them was a thread running through the presentations. This means enabling through assessment, discerning and auditing gifts, and putting these gifts at the service of God’s mission. We were reminded of Jesus’ leadership, shown in taking a towel and washing his disciples’ feet. We also acknowledged the challenges that leadership poses for exercising episcopacy, management and vision.

We received with great regret the news that Archbishop Ian Ernest of the Indian Ocean and Chairperson of the Council of Anglican Provinces in Africa could not be with us, incapacitated by illness. Our prayers are with him at this time, and we wish him speedy recovery and the Lord’s anointing healing. Our relationship with other Anglicans in Africa was nonetheless reinforced by the welcome presence of Revd Canon Grace Kaiso, the General Secretary of CAPA. We hope that CAPA will be more fully informed about us, and how we pursue our life and mission, as Bishops of ACSA. For our part, ACSA must give expression to its heritage and historical connection with the Church in the rest of Africa. We need constantly to bear in mind our role within the African continent as a whole.

We were encouraged and energised by the presentation from the Most Revd Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, centred mainly within the USA. She shared insights emanating from the colonising history of the Episcopal Church, which gave rise to the continuing re-expression of the phrase ‘We do not have Missionary Societies – we are a Missionary Society.’ While we acknowledge some differences between TEC and ACSA (for example, with respect to human sexuality), nevertheless we affirm the value of ongoing dialogues, exercised through truthfulness and sensitivity towards one another.

We also welcomed Mrs Jeanette O’Neill, the first woman and layperson to be appointed General Secretary of USPG, the Anglican mission agency based in Great Britain and Ireland, which this year celebrates the 310th anniversary of its founding.

The situation within Zimbabwe continues to pose a great challenge to our engagement with and support of Christians there. Canon Kaiso affirmed that this is also a priority for CAPA. We are praying for our Archbishop as he accompanies the Archbishop of Canterbury to Zimbabwe next month, as part of Dr Rowan Williams’ pastoral visit to the Church of the Province of Central Africa.

Through all these discussions, we were reminded again of our vocation to be apostolic in our ministry and to be pastors in the Church of God. As we joined in worship together, daily homilies brought the Scriptures to life and shed light on our deliberations. We shared the need for prayers for Angola and Swaziland, as well as Zimbabwe.

The Synod of Bishops is a unique opportunity for Bishops to gather to engage in dialogue to foster the deepening of relationships which sharpen the focus for ministry, recognising the call always before us to energise mission and ministry in our Dioceses and Province. We noted that our understandings of ecclesiology and episcopacy are being appreciated, strengthened and celebrated in all that is happening in Mozambique to extend God’s kingdom, sometimes despite the heat of the day. We applauded the growth of the Province, and considered the possibility of additional Bishops to provide episcopal ministry through new episcopal areas, as a necessary act of faith, despite envisaged financial constraints. We were also inspired and encouraged by the presentation of a Lent Study for 2012 from the Diocese of Johannesburg, focussing on discipleship.

It has been very satisfying to see the depth of gifts amongst our clergy and young laity. The role of believers in leadership within Dioceses, particularly participation in diocesan administration, needs careful consideration. Another challenge is to look again at clergy stipends, and to explore further the new system which the Diocese of Pretoria has put in place. We note with love and appreciation that our understanding of the call to serve God’s church has recently been vindicated again, through the CCMA affirming that all licensed clergy are servants in God’s vineyard, rather than employees as such, in terms of the law within South Africa. Other pastoral matters we considered included baptism; pastoral guidelines in relation to civil unions; lawsuits involving clergy; and vocations and theological education.

Issued by the Office of the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town

Inquiries: Ms Wendy Tokata on 021-763-1320 (office hours)

Note to editors - The Anglican Church of Southern Africa encompasses Angola, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, St Helena, South Africa, Swaziland and Tristan da Cunha.

To the Laos - To the People of God, August/September 2011

Dear People of God

I am writing at the tail end of August, with the Cape Town Diocesan Synod just over, and the Provincial Standing Committee lying ahead in late September, so please excuse me if I roll two letters into one. I also apologise that because of travel and other busyness, I did not find an opportunity to write to you in July.

In my Charge to the Cape Town Diocese, I took as my theme The Good News of Faith and Love. This reflected St Paul’s words to the Thessalonians that he had been greatly encouraged to hear of their faith and love from Timothy (1 Thess 3:6-7). The faith and love of Christians are always good news, building one another up in Christian maturity, and shining as a beacon of light and hope to the surrounding community. The best good news is that both start with the God who is love, the God who is faithful, with overflowing generosity. All of us need to discover God’s love and faithfulness towards us, for ourselves, and keep on growing in them throughout our lives. This must be our top priority – for it is only through God’s overwhelming generosity that we find our worship invigorated and ourselves enabled to live out our other baptism promises of witness and worship.

In this season of Synods and Committees, we need to remember to root and ground ourselves in God’s love and faithfulness, and allow him to shape and fuel our lives, even as we grapple with the sort of managerial and financial questions that tend to dominate our agendas. We should not despise such work as ‘less spiritual’ than other aspects of church life. Rather, it is an aspect our calling to good stewardship, to collegiality within the body of Christ, and being answerable to one another within the body of Christ. In the language of the secular world, these are matters of good governance and accountability, with the world’s standards merely a secular reflection of God’s high calling to us. Therefore we can be ready to learn from the best of secular practices, for example as set out in the King reports. These can help us ensure we operate in ways that best promote our desire to be wise and faithful servants, of our God, and of those to whom he sends us.

At the same time, we must remember that, as we debate the wider concerns of the societies to which we find ourselves called in mission and ministry, we are nonetheless not called to be environmental activists, nor social workers, nor politicians, nor moral commentators – though we may contribute in all these areas and many more. Our unique calling is to do what no-one else can do: to live out our baptismal promises in lives of faithful worship, witness and service. How can we best bring the good news of Jesus Christ, his healing touch, his redemptive power, to areas of need, suffering and deprivation? Sent by God, at his direction and in his power, we can roll up our sleeves, and get our hands dirty, and confidently engage with the messy realities, and the dire needs, of so many of God’s children alongside whom we live and work in this city. This is the lesson of Jesus’ incarnation. And I am sure that the all-encompassing breadth of Jesus’ redemptive death and resurrection should press us not only to address symptoms but also causes of human failings, suffering, brokenness and need.

So please pray for me, and especially for your Diocesan Representatives – Bishop(s), cleric and layperson – as we prepare to gather for PSC. If you don’t know who they are, your Rector or Diocesan Office will know. On our agenda, as well as the budget and reports from our organisations and institutions, our particular concerns include completing the task of bringing the Omokunda Development Network fully under ACSA’s wing; our work with young people; our preparedness to engage with the UN COP-17 Conference on Climate Change in Durban from 29 November to 9 December; and our relationship with Kairos Southern Africa, which was launched in March 2011 to carry forward the legacy of Kairos theology in Southern Africa and to be in solidarity with others throughout the world. We shall also be finalising a Memorandum of Understanding with USPG to guide the next phase of our relationship, with a particular focus on both leadership and health.

We shall spend a considerable amount of time, much of it in groups, looking at the ACSA Vision, and work at the Provincial level in the 8 priority areas identified by Provincial Synod, in ways that support diocesan life and goals. I have appointed Coordinators to each priority area, who will provide updates on taking forward the Synod mandates, on which PSC can offer further guidance. Our desire to go forward together as Anglicans ‘Anchored in the love of Christ, Committed to God's Mission and Transformed by the Holy Spirit’ is gradually growing in substance.

Another area I want to mention, and for which I ask your prayers, is the development of Pastoral Guidelines in relation to the same-gender civil unions for which South African legislation now provides. Following requests to the Bishops for advice in relation to the pastoral care of people in such unions, and their families, the Synod of Bishops has, over several meetings, produced a document reflecting our common mind on this very sensitive issue. Proposals have now been sent to Dioceses for consultation within archdeaconries and parishes. We are requesting feedback on whether this offers the sort of guidance that those in pastoral ministry seek, in time for our February 2012 Synod of Bishops. PSC will also consider them. Let me underline that this document is not directly about the continuing debate around human sexuality, though it affirms that we uphold the moratoria of the Anglican Communion on the ordination of persons living in a same gender unions to the episcopate; the blessing of same-sex unions; and cross-border incursions by bishops. Rather, this focuses on the human and pastoral realities that we inevitably face in parishes following South Africa’s new legislation.

I am glad that we shall be welcoming two very special guests at Kopanong. The Most Revd Katharine Jefferts Schori, the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, will join part of the Synod of Bishops meeting that precedes PSC; and the Most Revd Ian Ernst, Archbishop of the Indian Ocean, and current Chairman of the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa, will be with us both at SoB and PSC. We hope that through sharing in our meetings, and some other brief visits in Cape Town and Gauteng, they will learn more about ACSA, and we can strengthen our relationships within the Anglican Communion and as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Yours in the service of Christ

+Thabo Cape Town

Support the Somalia Famine Relief Effort

The following open letter was released on 16 August 2011.

My dear brother bishops,

I want to commend to you and your dioceses this global Somalia Famine Relief effort. As you will see, the facilitation of this huge effort was led by the Anglican Alliance for Development, Relief and Advocacy, as described in the attachment (copied below, in this blog).

We are all well aware how the devastating famine in the Horn of Africa is very much in the hearts, minds and prayers of people around the world. This appeal offers an opportunity to be committed to this effort for the ‘long haul’ as it indicated in the attachment. In addition to donations from people of faith around the world, it also calls on international bodies to increase their response.

Please send donations from your dioceses to the Office of the Provincial Treasurer, clearly marked “Anglican Somalia Famine Relief” and deposited to:

Account name: ACSA Disaster Relief Fund; Bank: Standard Bank of SA Ltd; Branch: Cape Town Branch IBT No: 020009; Account No: 07 007 8394

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Revd Suzanne Peterson, Public Policy and Advocacy Officer at Bishopscourt (021 763 1333).

I know that you will join me in continuing to hold the people in the Horn of Africa in our prayers, along with the many groups who are trying to assist them, often at some peril to themselves.

God bless.

Yours in the service of Christ,

+Thabo Cape Town

The Anglican Communion News Service issued the following release on 10 August 2011.

Ecumenical faith leaders in Africa today launched a Call to Action and Appeal for the people affected by famine in the Horn of Africa.

The move came after a two day meeting in Nairobi led by the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa and involving the All Africa Council of Churches the Lutheran World Federation, WCC-EHAIA, FECCLAHA, LWF, OAIC, WSCF, EAA, ACT Alliance and World Vision, brought together by the Anglican Alliance for Development, Relief and Advocacy.

As the first Africa regional ecumenical and interdenominational gathering in response to the food insecurity and humanitarian crisis, the group paid tribute to the heroic work of the humanitarian agencies, churches and others who had saved millions of lives working in difficult circumstances to meet the needs of people fleeing drought, famine and war.

And the meeting issued a Call to Action to:

- The international community to meet the US$ 1.4 billion humanitarian funding gap; provide the necessary technical support to meet the needs of the affected population, especially women and children and ensure that global food security is given a high priority at the G20 meeting in France in November. Food aid is no substitute for food security. (See below)

- The UN to give higher priority to the policies to provide sustainable food supplies, and to work with the Arab League to address the root causes of the conflict which has affected the region for so long.

- The African Union to bring forward its donor conference, increase budgetary support for agriculture, and bring forward strategies to address the crisis affecting the refugees in the region, and ensure that there is safe passage for humanitarian purposes.

The faith leaders also committed their churches to long term support for people and communities affected by drought and famine. Launching the Appeal, the Most Rev Ian Ernest, Chairman of CAPA and Archbishop of the Province of the Indian Ocean said: “In showing solidarity and support to our brothers and sister affected by the current crisis, we the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa (CAPA) hereby launch an appeal for financial aid from all good people and well wishers. This appeal will be used to support local partners that are working in the affected areas. Because our intention is not only to deal with immediate needs, but to find long term solutions, this appeal will extend up to the end of 2012.”

A statement by the Synod of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa

We, the Bishops of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, have met in Synod at the Kopanong Conference Centre, Benoni, Gauteng East Rand from 27 to 29 September 2010. In prayer and fellowship - the hallmarks of our Synod - we deliberated over many matters affecting the life of the Church: our own Church, the wider Anglican Communion and the ecumenical Church of Southern Africa. In this time we heard the stories of achievements and pain from the Bishops of Swaziland, Namibia, Mozambique and St Helena.

The presence of Bishop Zaché Duracin, Bishop of Haiti, among us reminded us of the devastation that his country had recently experienced and of the long road that still has to be travelled towards full restoration. We are grateful for Archbishop Thabo Makgoba’s pastoral visit to Haiti and for the many Anglicans of our Province who contributed towards the rebuilding efforts.

The Bishops who attended the recent meeting of African Bishops in Uganda, gave mainly positive reports. However, while not able to endorse all that was said and done at that meeting, we state our full commitment to the Anglican Church in Africa, of which we are a part.

We, the Bishops, were deeply disturbed to hear from the Bishop of Swaziland of the growing human rights abuses in his country. He also challenged the Church to become more involved in the urgent quest for democracy; we agreed.

The Bishops of St Helena, Namibia and Lebombo (Mozambique) reminded us of the many missional challenges facing their countries.

We noted with joy the creation of the new Diocese of Mbhashe. And we received a request from Bishop Dinis Sengulane for the multiplication of his diocese – all signs of the growth of the Anglican Church in Southern Africa.

We reflected on other ways of growing our Church, and in this regard encouraged the use of “Rooted in Jesus”, a Church growth programme.

The draft document entitled “Pastoral Guidelines in Response to Civil Unions” was given careful consideration. It has been drafted in response to pastoral situations that are arising within parishes as a consequence of South Africa’s Civil Union legislation. An amended document has been referred back to the Diocese for comment and will be discussed by us again at the February Synod of Bishops. As Bishops all are acutely aware of the need to act pastorally and prudently on this sensitive matter, while at the same time committed to remaining within the accepted teachings of our Church on marriage and the ongoing dialogue within the Anglican Communion.

The important subject of “African Spirituality, Traditional Practice, Orthodoxy and Traditional Healing” received attention once again. At the heart of our discussions was the question: What does it mean to be a Church in Africa, in terms of liturgy, pastoral practices, such as healing, Christology, etc.

We re-stated our support for the “Anglican Covenant”, a document which was issued for consideration by the Churches of the Anglican Communion in response to the difficulties currently facing our church. It can be a tool for healing and for helping the Communion move forward. We noted that this matter will be raised at Provincial Synod.

The Bishops were mindful of meeting at a time when many pressing problems are facing our countries, especially poverty and rising unemployment. We therefore call on all our political leaders to put aside its internal divisions and to focus on addressing these and other problems.

However, in the midst of all the pain and problems within our region, we rejoice at what God is doing in our church and the peoples of all our lands. As we walk in the faith so God will be glorified. To God be all the glory.

Emotion, Rationality and Generosity

The conference is heading towards the end now, the Indaba process went ahead amidst challenges, enthusiasm and at times frustration. These are appropriate effects when people really talk and encounter one another. The Indaba Reflection group has produced a third draft of the process so far. You should find it on the website soon - when this entry was posted, the second draft was available there (in PDF form).

Today was full of emotion, rationality and a spirit of generosity as we discussed the issue of the bishop and sexuality. As I write, I am preparing to go for an interactive media training workshop run by Trinity Wall Street's TV and communications department - I am looking forward to it, something different.

Last night I attended my first Global South and CAPA (Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa) meetings. It was good to meet and see my colleagues whom I have read and heard so much about. The meetings were in the evening following a reception hosted by Virginia Theological Seminary. The fatigue was obvious at our Design Group meeting this morning and carried through to our Indaba. I had a bit of rest around lunchtime and am feeling ready for the next phase.

The Windsor Continuation group, Covenant process and Reflections, as well as the Archbishop of Canterbury's closing text are now the conference “instruments” to which we look to articulate what we were about. Please pray for these processes.

I spoke to +Rubin and Mrs Glover yesterday morning; pray for both families and +Rubin and +Paddy’s recovery.

God bless you,

++Thabo