Dear Friends
Greetings to you in Jesus’ name.
This Sunday marks the beginning of the Christian year. Since ancient times, the Church begins its year with a four week preparation for Christmas. These weeks involve a journey ‘upward’ to the great celebration of Christ’s birth. Its a challenge for all of us who feel like its the end of a year, with all its Christmas functions and end of year parties, to begin a new journey. And I suppose, for many it seems like another repeat of an often repeated series of services. What can bring a newness to our Christmas preparations this year?
The Western Church is in decline. The post modernity has brought a generation of people who are focussed on the present, on individual freedom and who are reluctant to commit. This faces the Western Church with tremendous challenge. Our faith is historical, it is communal and it demands a commitment of faith. How will we minister to a generation like this. The beauty of the Church and the reason she has survived for 2000 years is that under the guidance of God’s Spirit, we have been able to declare the unchanging Gospel of Christ to each context and in each generation. We will have to put our hearts and minds together to meet this challenge by discerning God’s way into the future. The world we live in, its ways, are no surprise to the One who goes always before us!
Since our hope is in Jesus and since Jesus is able to save us, let us approach this advent season with a sense of expectation, eager to see Him at work in our midst. He is, after all, a God of miracles and wonders and if we have the eyes to see, we shall be amazed.
Some news of the family
The General Secretary, the Rev. Dr. Jerry Pillay, having been honoured by the world ecumenical movement in June 2010 in their election of him as President of the World Communion of Reformed Churches, has been honoured again. The university of Stellenbosch has appointed Jerry as a Professor Extraordinarius. The appointment is an honour and will not affect his position as General Secretary of the UPCSA.
We are very proud of Jerry. His achievements and his stature in the ecumenical family are a credit to him and to us. He is a great gift to us and we warmly congratulate him.
The Church in Singapore and Hong Kong
I recently travelled to Singapore and Hong Kong upon the invitation of those denominations. The Presbyterian Church of Singapore was celebrating its 130th Anniversary.
The Presbyterian Church in Singapore can be traced back to the work of the London Missionary Society and the Presbyterian Church (England) Mission in South China. In 1829, Rev Benjamin Keasberry came to Singapore to work among Malay-speaking people and subsequently started the Prinsep Street Presbyterian Church. In 1856, the famous Orchard Road Presbyterian Church was established for Scottish Residents. In 1881 the English Presbyterian Mission organised the first Chinese Presbyterian Church. It was this event which was seen as the beginning of the Presbyterian Church in Singapore.
We were so well received by Elder Wong Pock Yeen and his staff, exposing us to all kinds of facets of the PCS life and work. It is hoped that other exchanges and visits might be arranged. The PCS is a small church (like the UPCSA) and it has something to teach us. We also, I believe have much to offer the PCS. The PCS has two Presbyteries (groups of congregations) along language lines: the Chinese speaking Presbytery and the English speaking Presbytery.
Following this, we (Jerry and I) visited the Churches of Christ in China (Hong Kong Council). This denomination was part of a greater family of Churches before the cultural revolution in China (1949). After the cultural revolution, many churches were closed and others became interdenominational. The congregations in Hong Kong and Macau remained. During the week, Jerry and I attended their annual ordination/licensing service for ministers as well as their General Assembly which took a total of 2 hours to complete its business!
Churches are growing in the east, particularly in mainland China and this denomination has a wonderful engagement in mission.
The Presbytery of Central Cape
At the beginning of this month, I completed the first phase of my ‘tour’ of the Presbytery of Central Cape. Having gathered all the retired ministers in and around Port Elizabeth for a tea during the sitting of the Executive Commission, I was able to meet also with the Revs Glen Craig (and his wife, Jeanette) and Thembi Ntshudu (and his wife Vivienne) during this part of the tour. In addition, I visited the congregations of Trinity, Makanaskop and Tantyi (Grahamstown), Port Alfred, Bedford, Nonzwakazi, Lingelihle, Glen Avon and St Andrew’s (Somerset East).
Eighteen of the Presbytery’s ministers (together with their spouses) attended a Retreat where I was asked to teach. This was a wonderful event where ministers could talk, enjoy each other’s company and share struggles. I enjoyed this interaction immensely. On Saturday 12th November, the Presbytery met and I was pleased to be present so that I could listen to their regular business. The Rev. Mike Taylor, who has now left the Presbytery to take up a position with Theological Education by Extension College in Turffontein, Johannesburg, was the Moderator at the time and I would like to thank him for all the help he gave to me in arranging this first part of the tour. The Rev. Nzimane Jita was elected Moderator at the November meeting and will be inducted in February 2012.
I will return in March 2012 to tour the Port Elizabeth and Southern Cape churches.
Becoming a missional congregation
So many people have enquired about The Church without walls material that I have quoted in my addresses and used in workshops with Presbyteries. This is available online via the Church of Scotland website: www.churchofscotland.org.uk
Many of you will know that we belong to a family of Churches called the Council for World Mission. These are Churches which were planted in full or part by the London Missionary Society in the 18th and 19th Centuries. CWM seeks to encourage its members to become missional Churches. That is outward looking churches, community involved churches, evangelical churches. I think this a great invitation which should be taken up be all. Some years ago, the UPCSA set up a Mission Priorities Fund to support local congregations in mission. In 2013, another gift will be received by the UPCSA to be used for mission projects within local congregations, Presbyteries and by Standing Committees. Before we can design all kinds of elaborate programmes, we need to become mission minded. I would encourage Presbyteries and local congregations to engage in strategic thinking about what it means to be Church in their context in our time. Maintenance is a natural hiding place for the Church but being Missional takes faithful courage.
I wish you well in this season. It is such a hopeful place and it culminates in the place of celebration. May the Church be full of thanksgiving and praise for the One who was and is and is to come.
Rejoice and be glad – for Our God reigns.
With Love in Christ
George Marchinkowski
Moderator of the General Assembly
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