Post on 24-Jun-2018
Volume 8, Issue 7 1111 1 11
July 2017
What’s HAPPENING
@ happening
OUTREACH SPECIAL
Transforming lives...........
Christ Church Constantia, in its mission
statement, is committed to “reach out into
the community and help others in the name
of Christ”. Our Community Outreach (CO)
team does amazing work, helping to feed
and clothe the needy, counselling the bereft,
starting up libraries in disadvantaged areas,
supporting organisations caring for children
and those with special needs – and yes,
transforming lives, but are we doing enough
to support our small band of volunteers?
This month What’s Happening salutes our
Outreach team, details the remarkable range
of their activities in the community, salutes
our modest man in charge of CO, and most
important, in mid-winter when the need is
greatest, spells out
HOW WE CAN ALL HELP….
2 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G
Personality of the Month
Doing the
hard yards:
Rob Smith
has given 11
years’
service to
Community
Outreach.
It’s the smiles of joy that keep
Rob going..................................
What’s Happening has celebrated
Personalities of the Month for a couple of
years and now it is the turn of the
Community Outreach chairman.
When I first tried to interview him some
months ago I was unable to pin down the
self-effacing Rob Smith. But now, as Rob
clocks up 11 years of serving the church’s
Outreach programme, I’ve managed to
collar him – well over the telephone at least.
First let’s establish some context. There’s
much more to Christ Church Constantia
than getting posteriors onto pews on a
Sunday morning.
Of course, the gracious stone church on the
corner of Constantia Main and Parish roads
is also popular for baptisms, weddings and
funerals and, important as they are, other
priorities beckon.
If part of Christ Church Constantia’s
mission statement promises to “reach out
into the community and help others in the
name of Christ”, how well are we fulfilling
this commitment?
The man in pole position to attempt to
answer this is Rob who has been the
chairman of the Outreach Committee since
taking over from Richard Cooke in 2011.
He and wife Gilly have attended Christ
Church since arriving from Zimbabwe in
2004. They lived in Tokai before moving to
Fish Hoek.
Rob began helping John Richardson with
food parcels in 2006. There is a bench in
memory of John, a former captain of the SA
Agulhas, outside the church hall.
Rob took over the Christmas hamper drive
from Jean van den Heever and in 2007 he
became a member of the Outreach team
with responsibility for food and appeals.
During 2010, when schools closed for three
weeks for the World Cup, the Outreach
team had to go the extra mile to ensure
children had something to eat each day.
The need is great, there is never enough
cash, food and clothing to go around and
there are plenty of frustrations but,
undeterred, Rob has stuck to the job year
after year, overseeing what is an
unglamorous but essential function of the
church, reaching out to the poor and
vulnerable.
“When I see joy on their faces it keeps me
motivated. I’m chuffed with that,” he says.
“There are some amazing people running
these places that we support and it is a real
privilege to be able to contribute to their
work.”
3 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G
So how can we help?
“We like to feel
good about ourselves
as we drop food into
the baskets at the
church entrances on
Sundays,” says Rob.
“People like to feel
part of the deal but
we do need more
variety. The present
focus seems to be pilchards and beans, but
we would appreciate a more mixed basket of
foods from the detailed list of preferred
items.” (See “what food to give” on next
page).
Whenever food donations are insufficient,
Rob goes out and buys staples, making up
food parcels and delivering to schools and
libraries (started in Vrygrond and Village
Heights some years ago by the inimitable Lil
van Ryneveld).
It all takes time, energy and petrol.
Highlights in the Outreach year are the
Blanket & Jersey drive at the start of winter
and the Christmas hampers.
Paul Palmer is the key figure in the church’s
prisons ministry which reaches out to help
those who have strayed and feel isolated,
bringing comfort through healing and
prayer.
Gilly, who works at UCT, is Rob’s
“supporting cast” but the work of Outreach
at Christ Church falls on too few shoulders.
Rob would like to delegate but to whom? He
would encourage more people to come
forward and help in this important work
among the community.
In tribute to Rob’s dedicated and unstinting
contribution to Outreach over a long period
and his reluctance to take any of the
limelight, the following quote comes to
mind:
“Man’s goodness is a flame that can be
hidden but never extinguished” (Nelson
Mandela , Long Walk to Freedom).
If you would also like to experience the joy
on appreciative faces, or help in any way,
you can contact Rob on 082 660 9920 or
rogis@telkomsa.net.
David Hill
Comprehensive guide to the
Community Outreach (CO)
Programme................................
What your team does
The CO team distributes about R280 000
each year in cash or kind to the wider
community of people who are less fortunate
than us.
Monthly support grants go to 11 community
organisations (which are monitored by CO
committee members). This is a direct annual
distribution of R140 000.
Around 500 food items are distributed each
month to six organisations. (about R50 000 a
year).
Seasonal appeals (further R 90 000 a year):
4 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G
a. Annual Harvest Festival : fresh produce
delivered to charity organisations ;
b. Winter Jerseys &Blankets: about 500
blankets and 500 jerseys delivered each year;
c. Christmas hampers : every year over 400
hampers are distributed to needy people.
Monthly clothes sorting (led by Jenny
Warwick) and distribution to 10-12
organisations, including the Haven Night
Shelter, Salvation Army, City Mission and
others (all donated goods).
Counselling, visits and prayer support to
prisoners, carers, staff and Aids workers.
How you can help
a. Drop off tins of food each Sunday into
the baskets at the church doors.
b. Donate clothing, children’s books, money
etc. (parish
office or
boxes in
the
church)
c. Through
supporting
The Shop
- a major
funding source for our outreach
programmes.
d.Through your prayers.
e. By supporting the CO team when help is
needed: packing hampers, sorting clothes.
What food to give
It costs so little to give each Sunday, it
means so much. Please try to remember.
Any “dry goods” food items are most
welcome. Particularly popular are mealie
meal, rice, pasta, peanut butter, tinned jam,
sugar, tea bags, samp & beans, noodles,
tinned meat and fish (beef, pilchards), tinned
vegetables (beans, peas, relish), cooking oil,
long-life milk.
Key charities CO supports
1. Church-based programmes :
St Simon’s Anglican Church in Hout Bay
provides pastoral care and support to the
fishing community on the slopes of the
Sentinel.
Ocean View Anglican Church in Kommetjie
gives support and care to the Ocean View
and Masiphumelele communities.
Westlake United Church Trust acts as a hub
for about 8 000 people in the local
community. Activities include the
Emmanuel Educare pre-school catering for
up to 210 children; a Home-Based Care
programme supporting 350 people, with the
carers making an average of 2 000 home
visits a month, and a Community Advice
Office with a variety of outputs, including
job placement and literacy training. See
http://www.wuct.org.za/
2. Community-based programmes:
Christ Church Constantia has helped the
Vrygrond Community Trust to organise and
equip a local library, develop a pre-school
crèche and organise the community centre.
CO is also involved at the Heights Library, a
satellite library established in nearby Military
Heights. See
https://www.facebook.com/vrygrondlibrary
5 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G
Further broad-based educational outputs
include Life Matters Foundation, an
organisation which strives to stem the flow
of 50% of learners dropping out of primary
schools in impoverished communities such
as the Retreat, Steenberg and Westlake areas,
through literacy, numeracy, counselling and
life-skills guidance in schools. See
http://www.lifemattersfoundation.org/
3. Child-caring centres :
CO gives financial and counselling support
to the Sunrise Special Care Centre, a school
in Elfindale which provides intensive day
care to children with profound disabilities
(CO helps with direct support for the
carers).
CO also supports Margaret’s House, a
registered non-profit child and youth care
centre based in Lansdowne (established in
1987), home to 22 boys in need of care and
protection. See :
http://www.mhouse.org.za/; and
Leliebloem House (founded in 1868), a non-
profit child and youth care centre in
Crawford, home to 84 vulnerable children.
See : http://www.leliebloem.org.za/
4. Feeding schemes :
CO helps support the Happy Valley Feeding
Scheme, Heinz Park, Mitchell’s Plain, where
many people are in desperate need of
clothing, food and spiritual support.
Outreach also supports the Fikelela
organisation, GAPA (Grannies against
Poverty & Aids), and others.
5.Transforming lives
Your CO team recognise that people need
help up as well as a handout. They support
LifeXchange - see
http://www.lifexchange.co.za/ - which
transforms lives through professional
mentoring programmes, the Kairos Prison
Ministry (Paul Palmer), and the DP Marais
TB hospital in Retreat, where CO provides
personal touches such as a birthday card and
slab of chocolate on each patient’s birthday.
For more information on any of these (and
other Outreach programmes) please contact
the church office (021-794 5051) or Rob
Smith on 082 660 9920
From the Wardens
The first of the winter storms hit with a
vengeance and we are pleased to report that
the only damage was to the green
noticeboard in Constantia Main Road
reflecting service times. The strength of the
wind ripped it from its moorings and
scattered it in a million pieces across the
road. Quotes to replace it have been
obtained and an insurance claim will be
lodged.
The most pleasing aspect from the heavy
rain is that the leak above Jean Catchpole’s
desk in the office appears to have been
resolved. Jean came to work the day after
the storm with some trepidation, once again
expecting to find her papers and pens
floating on her desk but the roof withstood
the deluge so it’s “another box ticked”.
No sooner did we start recovering from the
devastating fire in Hout Bay when we were
confronted with the horrific blazes in the
Knysna area and surrounds. Your Parish
6 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G
Council has agreed to donate R10 000 which
will be paid to the Diocese of George to
assist those who have been left destitute.
Over and above what we as a parish are
contributing perhaps you may feel you too
would like to make a difference to
someone’s life which was so suddenly turned
upside down. Should you wish to make a
donation please credit our banking account,
Standard Bank, Constantia branch, account
number 07 1699120, with the reference
“Fire”.
Jean, our longstanding secretary will shortly
be on annual leave, visiting friends and
family in the UK. We wish her safe travels
and a relaxing, much-deserved break.
In her absence, Anne Burrough will be
occupying the “hot seat”. We thank Anne
for agreeing to fill this important position.
On returning from annual leave James has
been working with gusto on the brick-paved
pathways around the church which have a
habit of being lifted by roots, creating a
potential hazard to those walking on them.
Thanks James for your attention to detail
and ensuring that the paths remain safe as
well as looking tidy.
We feel it would be remiss not to comment
on the quality of the What’s Happening as
well as the variety of interesting articles
which we are sure appeal to most readers.
A big thank you to David Hill, our editor,
for the time and effort he puts in to produce
such an excellent monthly magazine – long
may it last.
Mike and Grant
Each parish
councillor
has been
asked to
share their
vision for
their
portfolio.
Ruby
Klazen’s
area of
responsibility
is our church’s Youth Ministry.
Youth Ministry vision for 2017...
Our vision is to create a culture of worship
that is both nurturing and inspiring, that will
cultivate a more active and engaging youth
within the parish and broader community.
Our objectives are:
Accountability - to foster a relationship
which will instil trust and confidence, our
team have committed to being accountable
in our conduct relating to youth matters and
deadlines set within our team.
Responsibility – we are tasked with leading
the youth into a deeper understanding of
who God is. We are therefore responsible to
have well prepared lessons and activities
geared to reaching them at their level; giving
them a sense that God is tangible and not
something abstract from the past.
Reliability – we will strive to be reliable
when having to meet deadlines required for
Youth events or any other duties placed on
us in relation to youth matters. We will strive
to create a sense of community that can be
depended upon.
7 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G
Consistency – we will strive to be consistent
in our preparations and interactions with our
peers as well as the parents and guardians of
those in our care. We will strive to create a
sense of continuity within our ministry.
Our aspirations for this year are:
A service coordinated by the youth at least
once a term.
Youth socials – engaging with the members
within our parish in a manner that is non-
threatening whilst also creating a sense of
belonging through team-building activities.
Active recruitment of youth members
through posters on noticeboards and
announcements of youth events and socials
at services and through social media;
possibly creating a Facebook page or linking
with the church website or both, and having
a section in the What’s Happening monthly
newsletter.
Creating a platform to engage with parents
through fellowship and communication.
Our challenges for this year are:
Creating a data-base of the youth in our
parish.
Access to lesson plans or the use of media in
the Youth Room due to the lack of a
projector.
Communication with parents and youth with
regard to the importance and relevance of
this ministry.
Regular attendance of young people to
Junior Church and Youth group.
Games and equipment for entertainment
within the Youth Room.
Kyle and Bianca ... working together to grow a
thriving youth group.
Meet our youth team trio,
nurturing the ministry
– through God’s grace........
Bianca Mariani is a youth worker at Christ
Church Constantia. She has been here since
September 2013 and first became involved
with the youth as a leader for the Pirate
Time Travel theme holiday club that year,
largely organised by the Rev. Sharon Davis.
After seeing Bianca’s passion for Christ and
young children, Sharon asked her to stay on
as a Junior Church teacher to fill a need for
youth ministry. Since then she helped plan
and run another successful holiday club in
2014 and attended the Uth2UK trip in 2015.
She is 23 years old and is enrolled in first-
year medicine at Stellenbosch University.
She enjoys working with people and has a
passion for helping those in need. She has
recently started visiting Hout Bay Educare
8 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G
with Sarah Fenton, delivering donations of
books and stationery for the Grade R
students. She enjoys reading and making
yummy food.
She looks forward to working alongside
Kyle and Ruby to strengthen and build a
thriving youth at our church.
Kyle Marco Abrahams works alongside
Bianca. He heads up the Senior Youth at the
church. He arrived in August and assists
Bianca with Sunday School during term
time.
Kyle, 22, has been involved with youth work
and young people’s ministry since the age of
16; he is the vice-president of the Diocesan
Youth Committee of Cape Town.
He says, “Growing up with my father as a
priest, I have been fortunate enough to be
part of many different and diverse parishes
within the Anglican Church.”
Kyle matriculated at St. George’s Grammar
where he assisted in the service and outreach
portfolio. He is a first-year student at the
University of Cape Town, studying for a
Bachelor of Theology.
He believes in building a platform and a
space for the young people within Christ
Church and the broader Anglican
Community. He enjoys interacting with
people, and does not hesitate to debate
controversial issues.
Before joining Christ Church Kyle had been
away from home, part of the Volmoed
Youth Leadership Training Programme. He
enjoys educating and equipping young
people with the tools for their ministry,
beginning with a loving God.
He is excited about being part of the youth
ministry at Christ Church and hopes to
create a sustainable running youth group,
with Bianca and Ruby.
Ruby Klazen wears many hats within the
Christ Church community. If she is not seen
welcoming members of the 9:15
congregation to worship on a Sunday as a
steward, she can be found either seated in
the second row, behind Aunty Marie, or at
the altar serving alongside Helen and
members of the clergy.
Recently, she has been elected to serve on
parish council, with youth ministry as her
portfolio.
Part of Ruby’s childhood was spent in
Kimberley, where she was a member of the
Altar Guild, Youth Group and Sunday
School, in the parish of St. Augustine.
Relocating to Ocean View, Ruby has been
actively involved in the parish of St. Clare of
Assisi, serving as a youth leader, preparing
confirmands and co-training altar servers.
She often spent time volunteering as a
holiday club co-leader for Living Hope.
Ruby is passionate about children, their
education and spiritual well-being. She is an
educator and is often exploring creative
methods with which to capture the
imagination of children and sometimes
adults, so as to instill a love of learning. She
finds inspiration through meditation,
9 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G
Bible studies and exploring uncharted
territory.
Ruby is eager and excited to be working with
Bianca and Kyle within the youth ministry at
Christ Church and wishes to see this
ministry growing through God’s grace.
“After life’s many storms… the peace and
beauty of our Lord “
(Photograph and caption: Keith Honeyman)
Take a drive around the Cape Flats and
witness the destruction... Forget about your
oak trees that were uprooted, your alarms
and electric fences that don’t work – think
about those without homes, schools, food
and warmth (Sandra Thomas, Claremont)
Excerpt from a letter in the Cape Times
Parish
councillor
Marvel
Billett has
the
Education
and
Spirituality
portfolio.
Apart from having a super-hero first name,
Marvel has a lovely sense of humour. “Not
everyone knows I’m the cheeky one,” she
says.
When asked for some biographical details
for What’s Happening, she replied: “I hate
writing. I’d rather talk - much easier!”
Marvel certainly manages to project her
voice. No-one nods off when she is reading
the lesson or leading intercession.
So who is Marvel Billett?
She was born and bred in Mossel Bay. She is
a retired teacher/lecturer, having taught at
Plumstead High and Cape Peninsula
University.
She worshipped at St Peter’s Mossel Bay, St
Barnabas in Kloofnek Road, St Saviours
Claremont – “so I have always been an
Anglican and involved with the church”.
She has worshipped at Christ Church
Constantia for 22 years. She was a steward;
now a lay minister “and now, for my sins,
Terry asked me to draw up the duty rosters
for clergy and lay ministers”.
What would she like to achieve? “To
establish a committee to run with this
portfolio (any offers?) – please don’t be
shy!”
10 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G
Portfolio objectives:
1. To recruit people to serve on the
Education and Spirituality Portfolio,
representing the following areas:
1.1 Quiet mornings/retreats
1.2 Small groups
1.3 Lent and Advent courses
1.4 Bible study
1.5 Contemplative prayer
1.6 Prayer diary
2. To set up a year plan for retreats, Bible
study, retreats, courses
3. To review Bible study and small groups
within our parish.
4. To ensure that an article on Spirituality is
written for What’s Happening.
Why did she become a parish councillor and
why take on the education/spirituality role?
“I was asked to serve on Parish Council and
now that I am retired I thought I would be
able to give back to the church. I was
looking at taking on the Admin portfolio but
our dear Terry suggested I take on
education/spirituality (I suppose because I
was in education).
“So now, as the hymn says, I am fighting the
good fight with all my might!”
What is the value of retreats, small groups,
bible study etc? “Well, spirituality is
important to us all and many want to get to
know the Bible as sometimes we are not
always sure what preachers are referring to
in their sermons...
“Quiet mornings/afternoons and the
contemplative services are time to spend
with God!
“Penny Day will be leading a quiet morning
and a quiet afternoon (for those who work)
later in the year.
“Our contemplative services on the 2nd and
4th Sundays of the month are becoming a
popular space for people to be with God.
Connie Hutton, Penny Day and Father
Terry lead wonderful services.
“As far as Bible study and courses go we are
looking at a course with small groups in
September – details to follow.
“Most important – I am looking for those
who are interested in serving on this
committee – my thanks to Glynis Schreuder
and a number of persons for their input.
“We are always looking for new ways of
doing things. Please feel free to contact
Marvel at mr.billett@telkomsa.net
“So ‘Onward Christian soldiers, onward we
shall go’.”
PADDY
DOESN’T
FAKE IT...
You never
know what
sort of
goods will
arrive in
the church
shop. This unusual item, modelled sportingly
here at our request by Paddy McPherson, is
potentially controversial. It’s a real animal fur,
which is not so PC these days. and in excellent
condition. It will have been an expensive item
in its heyday. The shop price of R200 was a snip
and it soon found a new owner to help boost
Community Outreach funds.
11 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G
The significance of Petertide......
Around this time marks Petertide,
traditionally regarded as “ordination season”.
It is centred on the Feast of St Peter and St
Paul which we celebrate on June 29.
The other traditional “ordination season” is
Michaelmas, which occurs around the end of
September. It is centred on the Feast of St
Michael and All Angels which we celebrate
on September 29.
St Peter and St Paul are also celebrated
separately in the lectionary. On January 18
we remember St Peter’s confession of Jesus
as The Messiah and on January 25, St Paul’s
conversion, maybe to signify the esteem and
regard in which God’s Church holds them.
St Paul wrote with such clarity that there is
“neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male
nor female for all are one in Christ”. This
meant that the national, ethnic, racial, gender
and social divides in which so many place
such high regard, counted for less because
they have been surpassed by God’s love and
grace shown to all.
Similarly and quite separately, St Peter came
to much the same realisation when he
announced in the home of Cornelius that he
has learnt that nothing that God has created
should ever again be regarded as “unclean”.
As we remember those being ordained this
Petertide – and we think especially of Jo
Heal, who is being made deacon on 2 July at
St Alban’s. We also pray that the gift which
St Peter and St Paul gave the Church will
again come into its own in the power of the
Spirit, especially amongst the Church’s
leaders.
Every blessing, Terry
Much-
loved,
long-time
Christ
Church
regular
Pam
O’Brien
celebrated
her 90th
birthday on June 27. Here she gets a happy hug
from verger James Grootboom.
Virginia’s protégés set for
Christ Church............................
Head of Vocal Studies at UCT, Professor
Virginia Davids, has nurtured the talents of
some of South Africa’s finest operatic
singers, including multi-award winning
Pretty Yende, Grammy nominee Pumeza
Matshikiza, Given Nkosi, Maudee Montiere,
Magdalene Minnaar, Mandisinde Mbuyazwe
and Robin Botha. These young singers are
already gracing the stages of La Scala, The
Met and Covent Garden.
Now you have the opportunity to hear her
current crop of students aiming for operatic
stardom, when they appear in concert at
Christ Church Constantia on Sunday 6
August.
Virginia says: “I will be bringing along a
group of young singers, some already young
professionals. The programme will consist
of arias and ensembles from operas by
Verdi, Rossini, Bellini to name a few, as well
as a few lighter pieces from the musicals.
They will be accompanied by Danie Theron,
one of our accompanists/coaches at the
South African College of Music.”
12 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G
The concert starts at 3pm. Tickets are R100.
Book through Anne Burrough on 082 218
0100 or by writing to
ccctickets8@gmail.com Payment can be
made at the door (cash or snapscan); no later
than 2.45pm please.
Roll out the barrel............
We will be hosting our annual
winter dinner on Friday July 28 in the hall at
6.30pm. This year’s event is a pub evening
with pies, mash, peas and gravy followed by
cappuccino chocolate pudding and custard.
Bring your drinks and there will be a
complimentary glass of draught beer with
each ticket bought. Come along, join in the
sing-along and enjoy what is always a very
popular evening with lots of fun.
Tickets are R100, available from the church
office. They sell out fast, so early booking is
advised.
Christ Church Constantia Telephone 021 794 50 51 parish@cchconst.org.za
www.christchurchconstantia.co.za
DIARY
Monday 3 July 7pm
Healing service
Tuesday 11 July 8.30am
Clothes sorting – note the change of date.
Saturday 22 July 10am
Baptism preparation classes start
Friday 28 July 6.30pm
Pub evening
Tuesday 1 August 8.30am
Clothes sorting
Wednesday 2 August 10.30am
Seniors’ Tea at the home of Veronica
Douglas
Friday 4 August 10am-noon
Party for learners of Constantia Primary
School
Sunday 6 August 3pm
Concert – Virginia Davids Singing
Studio
Sunday 6 August 5pm
Confirmation classes start
Back-page smile......
Overheard during a walk through Newlands
Forest: “Comrades is the only thing in this
country the Guptas don’t run...”