Happy New Year

I couldn’t say it better than one of our members did. You don’t need much French to get the gist of it. Isn’t it a nice note.

Crisis of the Year

My biggest crisis in ministry during the past year had four legs and meowed (see photo). Sox, a tom cat -- the Church stray -- had become problematic. Since he had friends in the Church, we sought consensus on Sox, through several meetings. Finally a decision was reached -- to find him a loving home. But a member, C., who had fully backed the decision, suddenly opposed it. She accused our leadership of cruelty, and said that Sox would be better off dead -- in fact, that he would have to be put down. She cried in the pew, and fed Sox on the path as people entered Church. She distressed people -- and I must have had a dozen agitated interruptions to my pressured schedule, about Sox. Ultimately I called C. into my vestry, and said, “If this doesn’t stop immediately, I’m suspending your membership and returning it to the members” (which I have the authority to do). The mood quickly changed, and Sox became a non-issue. OBSERVATION: The Church is about a higher order of things than stray cats. C. confessed afterwards that she had been “obsessive”. Sox is still with us, incidentally -- but only by lucky default (he used up one life)!

Final Interview

Among my Christmas visits this year was B. (see photo), who was gravely ill. I asked her whether she was coping within herself. She pointed to a verse on the wall: “Be still and know that I am God.” She has since died. A few months ago, we interviewed her. Here are some extracts: “[In 1999] there was a voice inside calling me. I phoned M. and arranged to meet her. I cried and told her that I had to make a change ... I made a commitment to the Lord. ... The special powerful words in my life were: ‘Be still and know that I am God.’ These words stood out for me, and to me they meant: have faith, be sure, without a doubt, trust, believe. ... I now have the best Friend in the world, who protects me, comforts me, and guides me. ... When our time comes at the Gates, we don’t want to hear the Lord say, ‘Sorry, I don’t know you.’ I have new perspectives now -- inside I am being softened, where previously I have been hard.” OBSERVATION: The positive change that came over B. was profound, and we all saw it. She also dedicated her life to serving underprivileged hospital patients.

Race

I visited the nearby Presbyterian Church today. Meanwhile, back in our own Church, a man who occasionally attends discovered that two dark men were leading our service in my absence. He walked out in protest -- and walked in late at the Presbyterian Church -- where I was attending! OBSERVATION: What a shame. If only he could appreciate the spiritual treasure that those men are. Needless to say, he’s missed a few spiritual perspectives besides. Such incidents are rare.

Presbyterian Church

I attended the nearby Presbyterian Church this morning -- and look who I found on the pew in front of me. This is an historic urban Church that is struggling badly. There were about twenty people there. The lady minister spoke in measured tones of this “harsh and cold reality”, but that this would “not have the final say”. OBSERVATION: It all sounded rather Spartan and cryptic to me -- or perhaps I was missing something. One didn’t have the sense that God is (without meaning to be disrespectful) a Jolly Good Fellow who is very much involved with us.

Speed it Up

Ours used to be a society that turned over about once every generation. Now one needs to think in terms of months instead. About a third of our congregation turns over every year, and in some neighbouring Churches this has been much higher. This requires a significant mind-shift if one has previously ministered in suburbia, where every new family is an event, and every loss is a trauma. Perhaps the biggest change we have made is to speed up all our processes. This includes the membership process (without lowering requirements), and prompt invitations to newcomers to give their testimonies or to lead prayers in Church, to give a few examples. OBSERVATION: In a recent article, I put this at no. 3 on a list of priorities for urban ministry. It enriches the Church, it speeds up reception of Christians into the Body, it speeds up the assimilation of societal changes by the Church, and it serves to mature Christians.

Hazy Beach

I took this photo later today -- the sun setting over a hazy beach. This is taken from the OPPOSITE direction to the previous photo -- again about the same distance from the Church.

High Summer

Here’s another picture of our suburb in high summer. Our public (salt water) swimming pool is near the top of the photo. Entrance costs R12.50 (£1/$2) for adults, and R6.80 (50p/$1) for children for the day. Our Church is four streets behind that large block of flats in the background. Our Church signboard showed 30˚C/86˚F this morning.

Binge Drinking

J. called me. Could “Reverend” meet with her and her fiancé? She had been binge drinking. I approached this on the assumption that there must be a cause. From what I could gauge, it was depression, as a result of seemingly senseless insults from her fiancé’s family. J., a new Christian, was not spiritually equipped to deal with this. She was taking it very personally. I impressed upon her that she needed to see herself through God's eyes -- who she was in Christ -- and make this a matter of spiritual warfare. OBSERVATION: As this happened a while ago, I can report that the binge drinking stopped.

Wedding Surprise

I was conducting the wedding of an old man -- a multimillionaire. He came into my vestry just minutes before the service, and said he wanted his bride and the two witnesses, during the signing of the register, to sign documents accepting millions of rands in the event of his death. I said, “Do they know this?” He said, “They don’t need to. I just need their signatures.” Phew, this could be a bombshell. When the time came, his bride said (looking at the papers), “What’s this?” He said, “It’s just a formality, honey. Sign it, just sign it!” She signed. One of the witnesses (his son) fobbed him off, saying, “Hey, Pop, we’ll talk about this afterwards. Trust me.”

Too Much

So many things happen in ministry, it’s hard to tell what on earth to put on a blog. I use the categories at the top left as a guide. There’s the story of war correspondent V.S. Pritchett, who, when he was sent to cover the war in Spanish Morocco, didn’t know where to begin. He wrote afterwards: “All I heard was a lot of gunfire in the evenings, but it was a lovely country.” OBSERVATION: It’s a lovely Church, too, but all the activity would seem beyond telling! And I’m weary after Christmas. I could post any one of a hundred stories. Michael Jinkins writes: "One of the most enduring features of pastoral ministry is its stunning variety."

Jewish Beginnings

This is a tombstone that someone rescued for us from a graveyard that was rezoned. It is now fastened to a wall in our Church. Henry Solomon was a convert from Judaism. He built a schoolroom at the bottom of his garden, and opened it on Sunday evenings for “just a gathering of the Church of God”. The schoolroom became too small, and in 1878, a small round Church was built, nicknamed “Solomon’s Temple”. It was in this Church that our first minister was nurtured -- and it was from this Church that our present Church was launched. Henry Solomon, at 80 years of age, lived to see our present Church go up. OBSERVATION: It seems impossible to predict all that small beginnings with God may produce.

Goodwill Day

I encountered this annual event in our suburb this morning. It happens every Goodwill Day/Boxing Day. Many thousands of people, mostly from the Cape Flats to the east, descend on our public swimming pool and promenade. They were not only carrying picnics and tog bags, but chairs, tables, blankets, and plenty more. OBSERVATION: Goodwill Day originally began as a “servants’ Christmas” following Christmas Day. It is the day when “Good King Wenceslas looked out on the Feast of Stephen”.

Rastas

These young “rastas” came into Church early on Christmas morning -- almost before anyone else, as you’ll see by the pews behind them. I thought they looked cute, so I asked to take their picture. Here it is. The Church was full for Christmas.

Hit and Run

Our Honorary Church Secretary J. was hit by a large 4 by 4, and was thrown a few metres/yards across the pavement. She didn’t know what happened. A woman jumped out of the 4 by 4 and screamed at her: “You stupid idiot!” Then she jumped back into the 4 by 4 and raced off, leaving J. lying on the pavement. A few minutes later, however, she turned up again, and lifted J. into the 4 by 4, being abusive all the time. She had a young boy in the 4 by 4. He said, “Mum, she’s hurt.” Then the young boy got it in the neck! The woman took J. to the local hospital, and wrote out a cellphone number for her -- but it was a false number, and it wasn’t possible to trace her. OBSERVATION: Some people!

Christmas Roses

One of our members donated these roses, which were at the front of the Church this morning. She said she wanted people to TAKE them when the service was over. I said, “Would anyone like some roses? You’re welcome to take a few, especially if you’re taking them to the sick or lonely.” Many people came forward and took one or more roses. There was not a single one left.

Christmas Present

One of our poorer members gave me a model motorbike for Christmas, made of wire, beads, and refuse bags. The quality of the design would be lost if I were to publish a complete photo -- instead I am showing a close-up of part of the petrol/gas tank and engine. OBSERVATION: It is exquisite art. But to think that the human talent behind such creations is so often confined to e.g. wire, beads, and refuse bags.

Christmas Crowd

This is our life-deaconess E. She told me on Sunday that 27 family members had descended on her home for Christmas -- to stay with her. And it is a modest home. This includes the two “Songsters” of a recent post. OBSERVATION: An estimated one-quarter of our members follow this custom -- however, they mostly do not gather in the city, but at their parental homes in isolated villages like Uniondale, Joubertina, or Graaff-Reinet. They usually travel there by African taxi. I asked one of our members what she does there. She said, “Nothing! Absolutely nothing!” Another member commented, “That’s not so. It’s cooking and cleaning, and all sorts of things.”

A Dog's Christmas

An elderly friend e-mailed me from the U.K. Her daughter-in-law had baked a tray of sausage rolls for Christmas, and took them out of the oven to cool. This is how she continues the story: “Their ‘Rescue’ dog made short shrift of two dozen. They rescued two only -- probably well licked. They looked a bit rueful when we arrived -- but the dog looked happy enough.”

Happy Christmas!

In a few hours, it’ll be Christmas in the Central Pacific. So this is wishing all my readers a very happy Christmas. The image shows the smaller of our two Christmas trees, which are both African wire art and beadwork. Here’s a poem a child is to say in Church on Christmas Day, which sets the focus: “Baby Jesus, sleeping softly / On the warm and fragrant hay / Children all the wide world over / Think of you on Christmas Day.” I’m not signing off -- I anticipate that the blog will still be active.

Making Music

Making music ain’t what it used to be. The lass on the left is accompanying the others with music downloaded to a cellphone. They decided to ditch the song they are rehearsing here -- they didn’t sing it during the service.

Songsters

This is J. and L. rehearsing a song before the service this morning. They sang “My Jesus, my Saviour.” There were fits of giggles because they kept forgetting the words, but they got it right when it mattered! OBSERVATION: Or so I thought until someone said to me afterwards, "Did you realise they didn't know the words? They just sang their way through it!"

Extraordinary Demands

Our secretary G. said to me this week, “I’m coming to the conclusion that work in a Church is extraordinarily demanding. It’s not like anything else.” OBSERVATION: I think she’s right. And I think it requires an extraordinary response. Common coping strategies are not good enough. I believe it is possible to do ministry by works (as one has salvation by works). Bono described it as “the idea of karma -- you know, what you put out comes back to you”. The alternative is ministry by grace, whereby a Church leader is “merely” a vehicle of God's grace, and the Church itself is HIS creation. If one can believe this, Church work can become a joy and, in a sense, an easy task -- even if it is wearying at times.

The "Parish"

On my rounds this morning, I passed these people launching a boat -- at least, they were tuning the engine before they launched it. The Church is several streets behind the high-rise buildings in the background.

Planning Sundays

A week or so before a Sunday service, I try to plan others into the service, usually with the help of our office secretary. Tomorrow, several Afrikaans youngsters will be singing, and a Xhosa congregant will take a reading. On Christmas Day, two Angolan children will be saying a short prayer each, and we shall have a few minutes of English cantata. OBSERVATION: Without this, our Church would be a very different place. In general, I try to be broadly inclusive, and try to confer some genuine responsibility on those who take part (not so much the case in the examples given here), to enrich others from their own experience with God.

Breathtaking Beauty

What’s a blog without a little breathtaking beauty? (the vehicle, naturally). This is my Bajaj Pickup parked on Chapman’s Peak pass last week, about 20 km (13 miles) from here. OBSERVATION: A few cars have gone over the top here. As will be seen, it’s rather a steep drop -- not a place for acrophobes (those who fear heights).

Bargaining with God

M. called me this morning. She said she had bargained with God. She had given up her “big sin”, and now God should save her from cancer. In any case, the hospital had mislaid her records, and she could next be attended to only in more than a month’s time. She is experiencing advancing swelling and numbness. OBSERVATION: I am distressed about this. I consider the situation to be critical. I see two problems here. You can’t bargain with God. God is awesome. He’s not for bargaining. And while she bargains, she’s allowing a poorly functioning hospital system to dictate the pace. This is a recipe for death. It goes to show how important basic theology can be.

Popular Review

I’ve written many book reviews, most of which are on the Internet. The most popular of all is a review of Truth: A Guide, authored by one of the best known contemporary philosophers, Simon Blackburn. It’s at http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/17925.htm. The review straddles the line between theology and philosophy.

Giving our All

I met with a couple in my vestry today. I sensed that the husband in particular did not know God. I urged him to offer all of his life to the Lord, for Him to take complete control. OBSERVATION: I felt afterwards that I didn’t do justice to God Himself, whose attributes are the reason WHY we owe our all.

Vagabonds

I was discussing the vexed question of “vagabonds” with my mentor (a well known minister). On the one hand, we want to minister to them as persons whom “God so loved” -- on the other hand, in my experience, they may not be the “humble poor”. One example. There was a system at work in our street whereby a hardened “protector” deployed beggars as “bait”, to garner an income. If anyone jeopardised the system, they could be (and were) assaulted. Further, beggars, under the protector, were empowered to be aggressive and abusive. OBSERVATION: It is indeed a vexed question, because it is so hard to find “the simple answer” to dealing with the overwhelming problem of those in our society who have “hit bottom”.

Membership

Earlier this month, our Church leadership asked me to invite all who would be eligible for membership of the Church to apply. I assumed that there might be ten or fifteen, but on giving the matter closer attention today, I discovered that it was closer to thirty. OBSERVATION: Why Church membership? Besides the specific privileges/rights of membership, I consider that membership says: “I am taking a definite stand with the people of Christ.” It also helps us as a Church, amidst a fast-changing urban environment, to have a settled core to carry it into the future.

Troubles with the Wife?

I said to wife M., “There’s a blog here with 60 000 hits, and all he does is talk about troubles with his girlfriend.” She said, “Why don’t you blog about troubles with your wife? That should jazz it up a bit. It could be far more popular.” OBSERVATION: I suspect she’s not quite serious! She is claiming she'll contribute rebuttals, too, to make it a REALLY popular blog. I might surprise everyone!

Sermon Outline

A feature of our services which has been very popular indeed is a Sermon Outline. We hand this out on a small piece of coloured paper every Sunday (this Sunday’s outline is shown). On the back, we usually put something that will be for the encouragement or strengthening of Christians -- for instance, news of the Church worldwide, basic apologetics, or a Christian testimony.

Adieu

I sold my motorbike this week, a Yamaha 550 “Thumper”. It was very reliable, and an immensely powerful machine -- although not easy to handle in traffic, and not the all-weather thing that my new three-wheeler is. These motorbikes are still in great demand here. The photo is courtesy of son M. We used to do short tours on the motorbike from time to time -- up the mountain, to bookstores, and so on.

Another Spirit?

A man viciously attacked our Church’s main gate with his bare feet. He actually severed one-inch thick cast iron. I said what are you doing? He said, “I’m breaking down these gates in the power of the Holy Spirit!” I said if you’re breaking down Church gates, it’s unlikely to be of the Holy Spirit! He stood still for a while, gazing at the gate, then ran away. OBSERVATION: With hindsight, I got too close to him for safety (and I’ve done THAT before).

Jacob Zuma

Tonight, Jacob Zuma was voted president of the African National Congress (see photo) -- an event of major consequence. Those who are familiar with the situation in South Africa will know that many have considered him, for various reasons, a deeply suspect candidate. So what do I say as minister? I say to the congregation that there is the news that one reads in the papers, but the papers seldom, if ever, trace the hand of God. The Bible is the supreme example of a text which reveals the hand of God. God is sovereign, and there is not the slightest cause for Christians to be concerned. One finds this attitude, as an example, in the words of Peter and John after their arrest and release. In short, we walk by faith, not by sight, and we ask God to enable us to be true. (Thanks to http://midnightjester.wordpress.com/ for the picture).

Pillaging

It would probably be true to say that anything that can be stolen in Cape Town will be stolen. This is a photo of one of several copper pipes that was hacked out at the Church. In the morning, water was spurting everywhere. Despite fairly high security, the things that have been pillaged at the Church include: all our copper pipes, half our window shutters, many garden plants, various items of electronic equipment, and many communion glasses and Bibles. Twice we have had “full frontal” attacks on our property, with people battering down a large front window and a garage door in full public view. OBSERVATION: Someone wrote to me: “It must be hard not to get discouraged.” I replied: “No I don't get discouraged. I'm not here to see that the buildings are unharmed, but I'm here to get on with the job of ministry.”

Bank Intrusion

I was waiting in a queue at a bank. Two men burst in with fighting sticks, and demanded to see the manager NOW! They were agitated, and shouting in isiXhosa, and everyone froze. A bank official pacified them in isiXhosa, and the manager closed a small conference to see them. OBSERVATION: Perhaps I could try this myself, to get speedier service from my bank!

Introducing ...

G. (see photo) is our Church treasurer. He is one of very few members in our Church to have come up through the Sunday School. He is a highly qualified engineer, and a quick thinker, who not seldom introduces new (and more businesslike!) perspectives to issues we discuss. He also evidences FAITH in our discussions, which is valuable. He is “the coolest guy”, and breezes in, breezes out. He has a wife, N., and two small children. She had an unfortunate moment in a previous post, “Hospital Floor” (yes, she ended up on a hospital floor)!

Church under Apartheid

Yesterday I interviewed T. in Church -- the daughter of a former minister of the Church. I was interviewing T. in the context of the verse on her father’s memorial plaque: “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” Here is part of the story she shared: “The Native Law Amendment Bill came out in 1957, and one of the clauses in that bill prohibited people of colour from attending White Churches. They were forbidden to worship there, and if they did so, not the minister of the Church but the person concerned would be arrested. And a number of Churches felt this was not correct, and these posters [with the above verse] were produced and put up by certain Churches.” OBSERVATION: The emphasis of the interview was spiritual -- the political facts were simply part of the story. I said, “I think it would mean a great deal to him [her father] to be here today, to see that it IS a house of prayer for all nations.”

(Non) Statistics

I needed to do a statistical analysis of my suburb (Sea Point) for a course in the U.S.A. This was not as easy as it first seemed. Mostly, Sea Point statistics were pooled with those of four other suburbs, quite different in character. One set of statistics showed that these suburbs had 13 390 residents, another 22 219 -- while locals considered that both figures were terribly wrong. The area of Sea Point was given as 221 km², while in reality it can’t be more than a few km². No doubt there is much in the statistics which is genuinely informative -- but what? OBSERVATION: Some ministry models rely quite heavily on demographics. Lyle Schaller famously said: “Who is the client?” One wonders about the application of such models in Africa.

Camp Planning

Some of the Lutheran Youth leaders are planning the next Church camp at our home tonight. I asked them, “Are you planning the next camp?” M. said, “We’re planning to take over the world.” J. corrected him: “That’s the NEXT step.” They are having a braai/barbecue.

Visitors in Church

We had a couple from England in Church this morning. The husband said: “The attendance is extraordinary! A vicar in England would be over the moon with support like this!” Wife M. replied: “It was empty this morning. It was pouring with rain.” OBSERVATION: However, having close contact with the Church in the Global North, I repeatedly find myself thinking: “If we tried that here, the Church would fail.” That’s part of what I’m investigating through my present MTh thesis. I’m looking at leadership assumptions in the Global North (to put it simply). I speak very generally, though -- God is alive and well in the Global North, too.

Safe House

I reported previously on J., who barely escaped an honour killing due to his conversion to Christianity (see “Persecution” elsewhere). He was removed to a farm, then placed in a safe house, where he is until now. I met with him again today, for the first time. It was obvious, at first sight, that he was so much more relaxed. It was a pleasure to see him looking so good. But he said, “I’m scared. And I’m scared for the people who run the safe house.” He said, “I have depression. I’ve never had such a thing before.” The man who runs the house said he took J. into the city by car, to help him readjust -- but J. panicked, and wouldn't get out of the car, in case anyone should recognise him. OBSERVATION: There are various Christian ministries, like this safe house, which essentially operate underground. For this reason, their services can’t be advertised, nor can they appeal freely for support.

Displeased Priest

It was about twenty minutes before the wedding began, and there was a gentle buzz in the pews. Father A. strode to the front of the Church, and took to the lectern. He boomed into the microphone: “Would you please be silent. This is a Church. It is a holy place. It is not a cinema. In a cinema you can whisper in the rows. Not in a Church.” I took this photo from the altar behind him, where I was seated. OBSERVATION: It would seem that one encounters such incidents more often in the Global South than in the Global North. Not seldom, clergy are not afraid to lay down the law here, in various ways.

Buffet Lunch

After the wedding today (see “Distressed Flower Girl”), it was a lavish buffet lunch (top photo) at a well known location. My seat overlooked grazing horses and the Noordhoek wetlands (bottom photo). OBSERVATION: Not seldom, I turn such invitations down, because (shhh) they can be tedious, and I have better things to do. But this was a special occasion. Always, I greatly appreciate it if the minister is invited.

Distressed Flower Girl

I spent most of the day in Kommetjie village today, about 50 km (30 miles) south of here, co-conducting a wedding ceremony at the Roman Catholic Church. It was well attended. We all know what weddings look like. Here instead is one of the flower girls having a crisis. The wind blew the flower petals out of her basket.

Bad Signs?

I have found that there are two signs among newcomers to the Church which put me just a little on alert: 1. They put their minister on a pedestal, or 2. They claim to have a sound spiritual life. In my experience, these are people who are more likely to become troublesome, or more likely to fail. OBSERVATION: Of course, it’s natural to esteem a minister, or to speak of one’s personal walk with God. I am talking about something a little more pronounced than this. Perhaps it is a failure to understand the weakness of human nature, too great an emphasis on human ability, and too little appreciation for what God does with and through human weakness.

Naked and Drunk

This is another one that comes with a "mature content" rating! I saw S. and D. (two young women) for counselling, in that order. S. said that D.’s husband was insanely jealous of their friendship, which had been a close one for many years. This didn’t seem to add up -- until D. explained the situation. She said that she and S. would get drunk and naked on the bed together. It was just a girls’ thing, she said, so what was her husband thinking? OBSERVATION: Once again, a naïve minister fails to put two and two together!

Linguistics

Any linguists out there? I was crossing Chapman’s Peak pass today (see photo, taken from the cab of my microcar). It is famous for having been cut out of steep cliffs. It’s a toll road, and different fees are paid for motorbikes, cars, and various heavy vehicles. At the toll booth, an official said to me, “Is this a car or a motorbike?” He decided it was a motorbike. Another official shouted, “It’s NOT a motorbike!” A third called it a “little big truck”!

Wedding Rehearsal

I travelled to a quiet village south of Cape Town today -- Kommetjie -- for a wedding rehearsal. It was just over an hour's drive in my Bajaj microcar. I'm to lead the ceremony on Saturday with the Catholic priest, although I'm playing the minor role. The photo shows a well-prepared bride-to-be in discussion with the priest. OBSERVATION: The priest was very accommodating of this Protestant minister (me).

Encounter with the Rabbi

I was over at the synagogue (just a block away), sitting in the office of the Synagogue Director, when Rabbi S. walked in through a side door. The Director said, “Rabbi, meet Reverend Scarborough.” The rabbi stopped dead in his tracks, and didn’t move. He said, “Do you believe in God?” I said, “Yes I do.” He went white in the face. He put his hands to his ears, and began to scream: “Your Church will come crashing down around your ears! Your Church will come crashing down around your ears!” Then he stormed out. The Director said, “Sorry, he gets like that.” OBSERVATION: I feel sad for the rabbi’s upset. This just didn’t seem to make sense. Maybe it has to do with the Shoah (holocaust).

Critical News

A nursing sister called me from the hospital today. She said, “Someone wants to talk to you.” It was M., a young(ish) member of the Church. M. sobbed, and said, “I’m too upset to talk! Can I see you?” I said, “Come to my vestry.” She had lost the feeling down one side. They diagnosed cancer. At her birthday party last week, she told the guests that, next time, they would meet at her funeral. She said, “I didn’t ever THINK of saying that, it wasn’t my words.” I said, “Didn’t that shock the guests?” She said, “No, they asked me what colour [scheme] I wanted.” I sensed too much resistance in all this, and advised her to offer her whole self to God -- to give Him carte blanche. She said, “That’s one thing I haven’t done, yet.” OBSERVATION: This was a concentrated session, beyond what can be summed up in a post. I deeply sympathise with M.

Stuck in Mud

My microcar had a bad morning. I sometimes zip it up a wheelchair ramp and park it on a traffic island -- very convenient, if perhaps a little doubtful! This island was deceptive. It was mud. I couldn’t extricate the vehicle myself. A passerby helped me lift the back wheels out of the mud, and drag it onto the pavement/sidewalk.

Tipple

One of our group leaders arrived at the Church somewhat inebriated. There was a function on at the time that he had nothing to do with, and he demanded that he be served with the other guests (the way I know him, he may have been taking a joking chance -- fuelled a little by the tipple). I said to the deacons, “This is an isolated incident, I would think we can let it pass -- this time.” No, no, said the deacons, you must challenge him on this. OBSERVATION: Our emphases differ at times, as will be seen by this example, yet what this shows is that we have a culture of “order” in the Church.

Blackouts

Eskom, our national electricity provider, yesterday stated that the city faces a “very serious situation” with rolling blackouts, aggravated by fuel shortages. I keep a backup system in the corner of my office (right). An "intelligent" charger maintains a car battery, and, in the event of a power failure, a 300W inverter keeps my computer system going. So I have ample time to round off what I'm doing, communicate over the Internet, or transfer necessary files to my handheld. OBSERVATION: Planned power cuts aim to cause minimal disruption to businesses. However, this may mean increased disruption to Churches. We have a backup P.A. system at least, so that we have amplification if we lose power during a Church service. And we have candles!

Just For Fun

Just for fun, here’s another photo I took of members of our Over 21’s group. None of these three speaks English as their home language. In fact, not one of our Over 21’s group does! E., on the left, was brought up on a farm, in poverty, and is now an au pair in the city. M., in the middle, survived a civil war, and is now well settled and greatly blessed, with two young girls -- while S., on the right, is taking time out after a crisis she experienced in Europe. OBSERVATION: What interesting, precious people there are in our Church.

Feature Article

It’s been a while since I wrote a feature article for an electronics magazine. Today I posted a prototype to Silicon Chip in Australia (see photo). I normally submit to Everyday Practical Electronics (EPE) in the U.K. -- but articles which appear in Silicon Chip ordinarily make it into EPE later, i.e. they then have a far wider audience. This project, in my estimation, is likely to be a hit -- therefore my choice is wider exposure rather than the reasons why I normally submit to EPE. OBSERVATION: In terms of writer’s etiquette, I can’t reveal what the design IS. This is mainly because there is a sometimes rapacious appetite for new ideas out there.

Marital Hitch

A businessman called me: “The wife and I would appreciate your presence, Thomas. Could you come now?” The “now” seemed carefully emphasised. There had been an indiscretion -- a dalliance (not adultery). Well I know the wife, but I never knew she had such spirit! She displayed a primal fury. I felt privileged to have a ringside seat. Her husband was openly contrite. There was little I could still tell him. I said to them, most people make capital mistakes in life, don’t be astonished -- the question is what to do with that. I asked the husband whether he felt rejected. “Yes,” he said, “you’ve put your finger on it.” I said to the wife, “You’ve made the children your focus.” An hour-and-a-half later, things were much settled.

Sunday School

This is a photo of E. this morning, one of our Sunday School children. She is from West Africa. I need hardly mention that she is a spirited, mischievous young girl -- but a happy one. OBSERVATION: It is her mother who barely escaped execution (see “Tried by Fire” at http://thomasscarborough.blogspot.com/2007/09/tried-by-fire.html).

Sunday Sermon

At the moment I am doing a short series of sermons on Paul’s letter to Philemon. A theme that came up this morning was that of encouragement and refreshment -- which is an abiding theme of the New Testament. The early Christians were encouragers. I said that this is so because God Himself is an encouragement, by virtue of who He is, through His power and His love -- the God of “ALL comfort”. For this reason there is no cause for Christians to feel DIS couraged, even if they do (we are, after all, human).

No Wheels

This man parked his car outside the Church last night (that’s the Church in the background), then came back to find that all his wheels had been stolen. He said, “I deliberately parked it under the street light!” I asked him whether he was insured. He was not.

On Board

For about two years, we have mentored pastor G. (right, in the photo, with his wife E.). Last month, our congregation gave his Church the go-ahead to relocate to our premises, and this week we hammered out the details. His Church (numbering about 70) is to pay us a tithe. Not that we need it -- our own finances are sound. OBSERVATION: We have said that we don’t want this merely to be a business relationship, as is so often the case. We want it to be a relationship of mutual support and enrichment. But how? We are not sure -- and we didn’t want to prescribe the future.

How Are Things?

A pastor in the U.S.A. read my blog this week, then e-mailed me: “How are things going in the ministry?” My blog didn’t say? Church attendances and finances have been unusually good. I receive great joy from the congregation. What a privilege to be here. And life is never dull -- to the contrary. I have supportive people around me. I also have the spiritual resources I feel I need in my heart. However, I can never keep up -- not even remotely. The task seems impossible. While I don’t attempt to DO the impossible, I do feel my inability. And I wish I had more time for study and writing.

Rock Star

Any rock stars in your congregation? We have one. His stage name is Andrew Mac (on the left of the photo). He's the lead singer of Flat Stanley, one of South Africa’s top bands.

Poverty Relief

At our leadership meeting this week, we selected about twenty people in the congregation, either individually or as families, for Christmas charity. Most of those on the list are hard working, yet barely able to support themselves and their families. One out-of-the-ordinary situation is a young man who has AIDS, and is now too weak to work. Each amount is R500 (£40/$80). While this may not seem much in the West, it will, as an example, pay two months’ rent for one of our families, or a few months’ school fees for another. OBSERVATION: I’m really glad that we are able to do this. The people we help are precious to us, and we know how badly they struggle.

Leadership Priorities

We held our monthly leadership meeting tonight. It followed our usual pattern. We began with short devotions, dealt with spiritual issues, then “people” issues, then business issues, and closed with a round of prayer. Our leadership is diverse, and includes e.g. servants and high-level professionals. OBSERVATION: I have found that there is a tendency in Churches to discuss business first -- then there is little time over for spiritual issues. Our present way of doing things has worked very well, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Disruption

The disruption of services would seem an annual event here. Recently someone walked to the front of the Church, a cigarette behind one ear, and held a hand in the air. He effectively said he was taking over the service. He seemed “as high as a kite”. I walked over, put a hand on his back, and said, "Hey, it's great to have you here. What's your name? Can we do this later?" One of our deacons said to me: “That could have been dangerous!” OBSERVATION: It’s thanks to God that I managed to calm this man down fast -- in a very public way. My usual technique is to “swing” them, not to stop them. I’ve heard of ministers who have tried to stop them, and it made things worse.

Marriage Register

This note popped up in my Inbox (right). The Marriage Register is a crucial document. Without it, one may not be able to register a business, buy a home -- or take maternity leave, as in this case. Yet judging by the number of people asking me whether I can retrieve the document that the government can’t (I am a Marriage Officer), the Marriage Office is in turmoil. The Marriage Office itself has written to me a few times claiming that I haven’t returned Marriage Registers. We checked the serial numbers, and most of them weren't mine. The few which were, our records showed that the Marriage Office had them. OBSERVATION: It would seem that they’ve lost track of which Marriage Officers have which Registers. And not only that.

African Dress

Here is a typical example of what I would call “African dress”. One sees it often in our congregation. It is elegant and colourful -- festive, one might say -- yet simple.

Which Way Out?

I spent some time with J. this morning, seeking to work out priorities for his future. He has been too long on the street -- but how to get off? Before you can get a job and start to settle, there are serious hurdles to overcome. Here are some: 1. You need ID -- or a permit/visa. 2. You need to be contactable. 3. You need a way to save. 4. You need to neaten up. Each of these can be a major hurdle. For instance, the quest for a permit might get bogged down in negligent bureaucracy or corruption, “contactable” would ordinarily mean a cellphone, which is expensive, and to open a savings account, one needs to meet the various requirements of security legislation. And then there is a good chance one will be robbed and sent back to square one. OBSERVATION: Zygmunt Bauman refers to “the walls ... the moats” which loom before the “vagabond”. For the Church, it is a priority to prevent congregants from falling below the line of no return (see “Benevolent Fund”). At least J. and I, this morning, fixed a few priorities -- including spiritual ones. This may help.

Free Pudding

Here’s a tip. Several years ago, we began to offer free pudding at events. At the time, it doubled our numbers. And it’s relatively easy to do.

Setting Boundaries

Every week I receive notes on my vestry desk, for my attention. This is one that was on my desk this morning. It is written by a counsellor in the Church. G. is our secretary and “gatekeeper”. The trouble with counselee A. is that she wants one person then another to right the world on her behalf, now! -- or she tears a strip off them! But this is Africa. The doctor isn’t available, or your plumbing doesn’t get fixed, or you wait five hours for attention, and so on. OBSERVATION: So our counsellor is saying that, under these conditions, we cannot continue to counsel A. I agree with our counsellor, although I think that A. needs the support, and shouldn’t be abandoned. We need to firmly set boundaries here. I myself do that anyway with A., so that I receive little if any abuse. But it’s not as easy for others. I’ll be giving this some attention this week.

Christmas Message

I delivered my annual Christmas message for our Women’s Association this morning. I adapted an article by Andrew Lansdown on the Christmas carol Once in Royal David’s City (see http://lifeministries.org.au/pamphlets.php?content_id=66). This was very well received. The photo shows a small section of the group today. OBSERVATION: While the Women’s Association is mostly elderly women, they have real spiritual life, and are a great asset to the Church. “Old” need not mean “out of it”.

Privilege of Ministry

A young wife came to see me. She sat down in my vestry and leaned her head back against the wall, looked up at my vestry ceiling, and began to tell me about her life -- which included things she had not told her own husband. I watched her face and listened. OBSERVATION: This is just one example among many of the great privilege of ministry. One enters into people’s lives in ways which would normally be closed to one.

For Good Measure

For good measure, here’s a photo from our service this morning. They gave me two minutes' notice that it would be Sunday School Prizegiving! I tried putting the camera up high in a transept -- I climbed up there before the service began -- but the pictures were poor. Although the front pew is empty (on the right of the photo), Church was really crowded today. OBSERVATION: Someone said that people want the front of the bus, the middle of the road, and the back of the Church!

Introducing ...

On the right of the photo is G. He is a life deacon in our Church, and our Property Steward (we have properties worth many millions, and he keeps an eye on the “big picture”). Although he is well into his 70’s, he continues to work as an architect. He is ever helpful, and very thoughtful -- and if anyone is patience incarnate, it is G. He is a fantastic asset to our leadership, if perhaps slowed down by old age. OBSERVATION: I know that I have meant a lot to G., and he has meant a lot to me. It is one of those relationships where a strong bond exists.

Revelations

Perhaps you have seen the movie Soylent Green. It was a classic. In the movie, a priest receives a shocking confession of far-reaching consequences. What is he to do? As an urban minister, I find that I hear no shortage of “ambiguous” revelations. Type 1. Someone confesses to a crime they INTEND to commit. Strangely, people do! Type 2. Someone confesses to something illegal they are into, or have done. Type 3. Someone reveals something shocking that they know is “going down”. Type 4. Someone threatens suicide. OBSERVATION: Here are some TRENDS in my counselling: Keep it confidential, so as to stay their counsellor. Do everything possible WITH THEM to downgrade the threat. Deal with their personal concern and personal responsibility, but don’t put a foot into the things revealed. And trust God to work a solution.

100th Member

By some standards, it would seem a modest achievement. Today we received our 100th new member under my present ministry -- one of three new members we received today. I said to the congregation, “I am IMPRESSED by their trust in God, and their faith in Jesus Christ.” All three have endured severe hardship, and have endured in hope, and with dignity, and in faithfully serving God. Here are M. and C. and their children. I took this photo in their home. She was magnificently dressed this morning, in African style.

Carols by Candlelight

Every year we have a service of Carols by Candlelight. This year and last year, we invited the Salvation Army. Their “director” in particular is very personable. Our children sang -- or perhaps “cheered” would be a closer description! We offered free pudding afterwards, and our large hall was crowded out. OBSERVATION: I think the Salvation Army were a little disorientated by the two-way “traffic” in our Church, which is quite normal for us. The director said humorously: “I announce ‘Away in a Manger’ and they all run away!” (a crowd of children ran out -- then ran back in). That’s what happens when you “Africanize”! Personally, I like a little chaos. The photo is last year’s -- my camera failed tonight.

Surrounded

This is Badith Chabaan, leader of the Africa Muslim Party, in conversation with a policeman in Greenmarket Square this morning (see “Notorious”). A bodyguard stands in the background, dressed in black. The square was surrounded by heavily armed police in bullet proof vests. OBSERVATION: I love the vibrancy of our city and its people. Just a pity about the severe crime and degradation.

Notorious

This is me this morning sharing a joke with Badith Chabaan, surely the most notorious politician in the Western Cape (see e.g. "City of Cape Town" in Wikipedia). He controls half of Greenmarket Square -- perhaps the best known market in the city. He was on Greenmarket Square for an anticipated showdown with authorities over control of the square. Yesterday he SMS’d his nemesis on the City Council: “As a true sportsman I bid you good luck for tomorrow, I’ve postponed a facial to be by you tomorrow, may the best man or woman win, Salaam.” OBSERVATION: At his best, Badith is articulate, engaging, disarming. But I am not under any illusions. Notoriety does not stalk him for nothing.