Presbevents 14

Wednesday 25th November 2009
Mpho and Sindiswe Khetsi (Port Elizabeth): The 1st of December is World AIDS Day. The international theme: ”Universal access and the Human rights”. This builds on that profound statement by former President Nelson Mandela that HIV is a human rights issue. This theme asserts that universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support is not a privilege but a human rights issue. The Department of Health (SA) will be promoting our new approach: “I am responsible. We are responsible. South Africa is taking responsibility”. I just wonder what is the UPCSA saying and doing this World AIDS Day?
Rob and Pam Calder (Scottsville): It is understood that Rob has accepted a Call issued by the Pinelands congregation in Cape Town. Pinelands fell vacant with the recent retirement of Matt du Preez, who had been their Minister for many years.
Martin and Jenny Lund (Somerset West): The Elgin United Church celebrated its 10th anniversary last weekend. Neil Meyer is the minister.
William and Lisette Pool (Durban): To continue the saga of long service awards to ministers serving congregations I may report on a lovely experience I have just had.
As immediate past Moderator I was asked to deputize for the Moderator at a service on Sunday 8th November 2009, at Petrus Stein congregation in the Free State Presbytery. For those who remember the Poho dynasty of Heilbron you will remember that son succeeded father there. Both had served for about 50 years each at Heilbron. Heilbron is now known as the Abner Poho Memorial congregation, in memory of the son's 50 years ministry. I went to lay a memorial stone and rename the congregation at Petrus Stein the Tsoane Abraham Poho Memorial congregation, in memory of the father's 50 year ministry. As I mentioned, we had a lovely day there and a great service, and it is a lovely part of our history as well I think.
On a lighter note to those who follow rugby:-
Our son Andrew, playing for the Berg Barbarians, in a touch rugby tournament defeated a side containing Gary Teichmann, Henry Honiball and Wayne Fyvie! The closest we will get to Springboks I suppose.
Coral Surtees: Just a little news from me. During a routine mammogram(both my grandmother and mother died of breast cancer) a small cancer lump was detected. Had the op to remove it and am now having radium therapy - all going very well.
Keep up the good work - love hearing of old friends but the strangest thing is that we are all the old toppies now, when not so long ago we were the new pots on the block as it were! Lots of love - Coral Waite
Michael and Myra Moore (Panorama Estate, (Krugersdorp)): Michael pays this tribute to Brian Stumbles:
For close on 20 years Myra and I have holidayed far down the Natal south coast. Always we have visited Brian and Esme Stumbles in retirement at Palm Beach and the Trafalgar church. Brian died on 9 August this year aged 93.
He started adult life as an underground miner. Because of his mining experience, when he joined up during W.W.II he was placed in the S.A. Engineering Corps as a "sapper" in charge of explosives. In North Africa he was involved in an accident that brought him to Christ and eventually to the ordained ministry. He was down a hole setting charges of gelignite to blast away rock when the explosion went off. He was blown out of the hole "as a clown at a circus is hurled out of a canon." He landed completely naked except for his belt to which were attached a tin opener and a knife. Severely burned he was taken to hospital where he was sedated and left to die. That night he had a vision of the Lord Jesus asking him when he would return to Him and promising him he would not die. Next day his body was bandaged from head to foot. After three weeks when the bandages were removed every trace of the burns had disappeared. Later this experience, of course, became the basis for his faithful healing ministry.
He shared this wonderful testimony with us, and last week we read it again in a booklet printed by his family as a tribute to him.
The part of his story that I particularly want to share with you is the pioneering role he played in our church's opposition to apartheid. In this respect he first came into prominence when he supported the Rev. R. Maja after the Sharpeville shootings in 1960. Coming from a mining background he knew the kind of reaction this would bring about. Shots were fired through the Vereeniging church windows.
I read newspaper cuttings (from the Presbyterian Leader and the Argus) of the proceedings of the 1971 General Assembly held in Bulawayo when he was both Moderator and Convener of the Church and Nation Committee. This was during the period when I was out of the ministry teaching at Pretoria Boys High, so I was not fully aware of how bold Brian had been then, and how he had been mauled by no less an opponent than the Rev Harold Munro. I was sad to read this. But it did confirm an impression I had that many of our Scots ministers lacked the urgency to condemn apartheid that motivated many of our black and white South African clergy. During the debate Alasdair Patterson warned that a "showdown" was inevitable between church and government. I was delighted to read that my old university mate, Charles Gordon, twice stood up during the debate to say that the church could not be silent.
Brian was a nuggety little fighter for the Lord. We should not forget him.
One final comment. We really do need a denominational newspaper. I believe it should be an essential tool to keep our unity, identity and "ethos" (a word I will always associate with Jack Dalziel) as Presbyterians.
Doug and Joan Birtill (Port Elizabeth): St George’s EL is celebrating 125 years on Dec. 6th (incidentally also my 80th!) and only 10 ministers, including the present incumbent, have served during that time. They are:
The Rev. John Ferguson 22 years (1884-1906)
The Rev. Geo. Blair (later Dr) 8 years (1907-1915)
The Rev. Dr RB Douglas 16 years (1916-1932)
The Rev. Hugh Agnew 6 years (1933-1939)
The Rev. Alfred McRobert 18 years (1939-1957)
The Rev. WD Campbell 18 Years (1957-1975)
The Rev. Brian Goble 2 years (1976-1978)
The Rev. Douglas Birtill 19 years (1978-1997)
The Rev. Rodney Brits 4 years (1998-2001) Jan 1998 – Nov 2001
The Rev. Cliff Leeuw present incumbent (2003 - ?)
Can any other congregation better that for the same period?
Rod and Mandy Botsis (Bellville): Rod writes: “This is an instruction or at least a strong request for DC to print Rod’s praise and thanks for Douglas’ book.”
Doug, I have sped-read your book, “Unlocking Your Spiritual Potential” in one go and I could hear your voice, see you hand gestures and even the sparkle in your eyes. It is quintessential “Douglas Crawford”: devoid of claptrap, jargon, convoluted equivocations and to its core evangelistic. I am almost certain to use it for next year’s Confirmation course and so want to purchase 12 copies asap
Now a few other musings:
a) On the home front Mandy had a very sudden 3 day visit to hospital a week ago after not feeling good. The discovery of a blood sugar level of over 30 and the diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes. (Her mother was a Type 1). All is currently being well managed, Mandy being very disciplined by nature. In fact the only known moment of total lack of self discipline in her life was marrying me!
b) As Christ brings work to us this last week I’ve had dealing with 6 congregations. I’m constantly amazed at how little most church members want from their ministers – they forgive us easily and are more ready with excuses for our non-performance than we are. Conversely I have to be reminded often of how deeply the Spirit invests in the person and work of the “pastor/teacher”. Simple, regular, basic ministry is the cure of souls. And so again let me say: “I love my job!”
c) I went to the whisky festival in JHB with George Marchinkowski, Christopher Judelsohn, Peter Langermann, Chunky Young and his son Matthew, Stephen van Schalkwyk and John McKane. The very 1st tasting we attended was led by Chief Distiller and Manager of Glenlivet who we discovered is Session Clerk in his local Church! More to the point: I loved being with these colleagues for an evening of fun, relaxation
and clean enjoyment of shared hobbies: the pursuit of excellence in fellowship, food and beverage.
d) Earlier in the same day I had spent time with Kingsley Dale and received a letter from William Pool. I have been the spoiled recipient of their formative grace in my life for over 40 years in Kingley’s case and 36 in William’s.
e) As we come to Advent let me wish all on this net a blessed Christmas. Enjoy your preaching on the Incarnation. This year I’ve preached in 14 churches outside of Bellville: No parish model is better than another but I am convinced the good news is the power of God to save us. CS Lewis drummed into me: We preach the gospel of Christ because it is true, not because it is helpful.
Alastair and Carolyn Rodger (Port Elizabeth): Thanks for including me on your list for "Presbevents". I've appreciated the opportunity to catch up on news of colleagues.
Some information on the Poho dynasty: according to the tribute printed in the Assembly Papers in 1983 Abner was born on 30/6/1900, ordained on 25/12/32 and retired on 31/12/83 from the Heilbron congregation - 51 years in one congregation! I cannot find any reference to his death, though I also remember it was not very long after his retirement. It was his father who died in the pulpit at the age of 104, shortly before Abner was ordained, according to the same article.
As I was told the story some time ago, Poho senior was originally a minister of the D.R.C. and was in Heilbron during the Boer War. As there was no white minister in the town he was asked to minister to the white congregation as well, which he did. After the war however that congregation was able to get a permanent minister again, but Mr Poho apparently felt they had dropped him rather unceremoniously, or without due appreciation for what he had done. At any rate he was said to have left the DRC for that reason and come over to us. I haven't been able to check on this, but a quick run through the
Assembly Proceedings I have brings up several mentions of "Native Mission" work in the Free State, but no mention of Heilbron and Abraham Poho until 1911, when he is said to be an Ordained Evangelist in charge of Heilbron and a number of other stations. The number of outstations grew to 26, if I remember correctly from my time in the Transvaal Presbytery of the former PCSA in the late 1970's and early 80's.
Incidentally all the long ministries mentioned so far were in the PCSA. I wonder if there were not similar ones in the RPCSA. Can anyone tell us?
Rob and Pam Calder (Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg): After 28 years of ministry at Scottsville Presbyterian church, Rob and Pam Calder will be moving to the Pinelands Presbyterian Church in Cape Town and will begin ministry there in February 2010.
Rob writes: “We are excited about the challenges and opportunities that await us and we carry many special memories of the years spent at SPC. Some of these were relived at the end of October when Scottsville Presbyterian Church (Pietermaritzburg) celebrated:
•Sixty years of Witness. (On the 30th October 1949, the foundation stone of the Hall at Scottsville Presbyterian Church was laid by the Rev Gordon Wiles).
•Forty years of Worship. (On the 12th October 1969, the foundation stone of the sanctuary was laid by the Rev John Johnston).
•Twenty Eight years of Ministry. (Rob and Pam Calder have ministered at SPC since January 1982)
At the Thanksgiving dinner, 150 people, (members, former members, family and friends) gathered at Jabulani Centre, African Enterprise - an apt venue for a time of rejoicing. Situated as the church is, in the heart of UKZN ( Pmb Campus), the Scottsville congregation has become home to people from many countries in Africa and beyond. From its early beginnings in an exclusively white suburb, it is now a multiracial and multi-cultural congregation with a predominance of African members.
In the late 1990’s the front entrance of the congregation was remodelled and given the name “A Gateway to the Nations”( Psalm 96:1-3)
We were privileged to have one of the founding members at Scottsville present at the dinner. Gwen Drennan remembers the day on which the foundation stone was laid and will celebrate her 91st birthday in February,
2010. She is still active in the life of the congregation. We were delighted to have Calvin and Patricia Cook as our special guests on the evening. Calvin was a student at the college that was later to become the university and his call to ministry was forged while he was a student in Pietermaritzburg. As many of you know, he was later an assistant to the Rev Gordon Wiles and when Scottsville was developing as a preaching station “near the university” Calvin was called as the minister of the Presbyterian Church of Pietermaritzburg. In more recent years having retired from Rhodes University and while residing in Hilton Calvin and Pat have been special friends and so he was able to share many delightful insights as we met to celebrate 60 years of witness to the Scottsville community.
Sunday Morning saw the congregation gather to worship, celebrate communion and bring their Thanksgiving Gifts – some in Song, others in Dance and Testimony. Toward the end of the service, the whole congregation came forward (many dancing as they did so) to offer their gifts and most significantly – their lives to the Lord.
This wonderful weekend of Thanksgiving and Celebration has been the start of our goodbyes as we prepare to take our leave of the congregation. Christmas Day will be our last service at SPC.
Eddie and Lauren Germiquet: Eddie Germiquet (Ministry Secretary) recently attended the graduation ceremony of the UPCSA ministry students studying at the Justo Mwale Theological University College in Lusaka. The three UPCSA students all obtained their BTh with Distinction. At the same graduation one of our Evangelists (Peter Mwale) graduated with a Certificate in Theology at the age of 75 years. He is still very much at work in the rural congregation of Kasenga some 30 km from Lusaka.
This is by far the biggest Presbevents so far. Many thanks to the various contributors.
Doug