E TH THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE DIOCESE OF CAPE TOWN • ANGLICAN CHURCH OF SOUTHERN AFRICA Consecration of the Bishop of Table Bay Rt Revd Joshua Louw Page 3 From the Bishop’s Desk Page 4 Consecration sermon preached by the Revd Dr John Klaasen The Consecration and Installation service of the Ven God the redeemer of humankind, open wide the arms Joshua Louw, as the 2nd Bishop of Table Bay, by the of love to all the people of this city and Diocese; may we Most Revd Dr Thabo Makgoba, took place on the com- be drawn to the knowledge and love of God through Page 6 memoration of Robert Gray, first bishop of Cape Town, the nativity and passion of Jesus Christ. May God the September 1872, in St George’s Cathedral on 1 September 2020. Holy Spirit, continue to work in all the world, be present Archbishop’s Ad Laos in this city and Diocese, to bring us justice and truth, Due to COVID-19 lockdown stage 2 regulations, only 50 unity and love, for which he teaches our hearts to yearn people were able to attend the consecration. The ser- for. And the blessing of God the Creator, Redeemer and vice was live-streamed on social media. The Rt Revds Sustainer be upon this city and all its people, now and Margaret Vertue, bishop of False Bay and Raphael Hess, always. Amen” bishop of Saldanha Bay presented the bishop-elect to the Archbishop. The homily was preached by the Dean Photographers: James Jacobs & Cedric Brown of Studies, the Revd Dr John Klaasen. The service ended with the newly elected bishop standing on the steps of St George’s Cathedral and blessing the city and the diocese. “May our Holy God, Page 7 surrounded by the angels and saints, look with eyes of Fifity gobetts from the mercy upon this city and people of this Diocese; banish New Testament and from it all poverty, violence and discord, and make it a some Nuggets place of peace, unity and safety for all its people. May VOL 63VOL NO. 70 05 NO.07 FIRST FIRST PUBLISHED PUBLISHED 20 20DECEMBER DECEMBER 1950 1950 SEPTEMBER MARCH 2020 2013 Page 2 THE GOOD HOPE SEPTEMBER 2020 CLASSIFIEDS Editor: Rebecca Malambo EDITORIAL Address: Archbishop’s The Good Hope Spring symbolises promise, renewal and birth. Winter is PO Box 1932, Education behind us, our souls have rested and now filled with vitality as Endowment Fund for new life and new journeys present themselves. “…if anyone is Cape Town 8000 Theological Education in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has Tel: 021 469 3766 come!” (2 Corinthians 5:5:17:) (In office Thursdays only 10h00-14h00) Please support the Archbishop’s Fax: 021 465 1571 Education Fund so that we can Congratulations to our new Bishop of Table Bay, Joshua Louw. E-mail address: continue to train priests for the I would like to thank the photographers, James Jacobs and future of our church. Thank you for [email protected] all donations received. If you would Cedric Brown for capturing these iconic moments. like to contribute please consider a donation. The main roles of a bishop is to teach and preach the Word of God; to govern and observe that church laws are obeyed and A sum of to sanctify - ensuring that the sacraments are administered, R1 483 201.67 to ordain priests and to confirm. He is the good shepherd who has been raised thus far. takes time to listen to people; he leads, understands, lives by Bank: Standard Bank example and offers protection. “Follow me as I follow Christ” Scan QR code with your mobile and learn Branch Code: (1 Corinthians 1:11). more about the Diocese of Cape Town Thibault Square Printed by: Branch Number: 020909 Love and Light, Rebecca Account Number: 070332428 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE DIOCESE OF CAPE TOWN Page 3 From the Bishop’s Desk Dear Friends church, we were a very big congregation as so many people took part in the service via lives- Greetings to you! treaming. What a glorious service as we give God all the glory and praise. The experience I want to start by giving thanks to God for was overwhelming and humbling! journeying with us until this point of the Con- secration service. What a wonderful occasion! Thanks to all those who worked so hard to Thanks to so many people who have kept me make this service to successful: The Vicar Gen- and my family in prayer since my election as eral, diocesan staff, the Provincial Executive Bishop of Table Bay. At First it was strange to Officer, liturgical team, cathedral staff and the hear people praying ‘… for our bishop-elect audio-visual operators. Joshua Louw’, but I needed to get used to it- My new reality! Thanks also to those who were present on the day, the Archbishop, the presenting Bishops, My retreat was a real blessing and I want to diocesan chapter, our preacher, my immedi- thank Fr John Klaasen, the retreat conductor ate family, our special guest and some of the and preacher. He was compassionate and people that I have mentioned above. Your caring, but clear in his direction for our time presence has made the service extra special, together. so much so that someone commented that for those who watched the service virtually, Volmoed was the ideal venue for this retreat the service felt the same as a ‘live’ service in a as it allowed for social distancing and yet con- packed service. nection. It is so beautiful and vast, which al- lowed for scenic and meditative walks. One of the over riding themes of retreat and I gave thanks for my family and all those who service, was that God has called us to be his have had an influence in my life, in church and My Retreat was designed so that I could look family. We are all blessed with so many dif- society. It is with humility that I now offer my- back at God’s journey on my life, where he has ferent gifts and we need to use this to build self to be a bishop in the church of God. God brought me and where he is taking me. each other and his kingdom. We are all inter- will guide me further. dependent and therefore need each other to Our text was Genesis 1:26-28 and our refer- be fully ourselves. We ended off our retreat on Tuesday morning ence, among others were Jean Vanier’s book. by attending a Eucharist service with the Mo- ‘The Broken body: Journey to wholeness’. Therefore, as we live out our baptismal prom- nastic Community, resident at Volmoed. What ises of being full members of Christ’s kingdom made this service very special for me was that We had our daily morning and evening offices who has been commissioned to make all peo- the Lauds chants introduced and concluded and midday Eucharists. ple his disciples, let us work with each other. the service. It was so appropriate, because as Please, let us be a people of prayer – pray for I was preparing myself to be consecrated bish- Our daily themes were: WHO AM I: one another, pray for our country and the op of Table Bay, later that day, I was reminded AS A PERSON, AS PART OF A FAMILY, AS PART world during this time of the COVID 19 pan- of the rich history of our church’s liturgy that OF THE CHURCH AND AS A BISHOP IN THE demic, pray for justice and peace and peace in has carried us through the ages. CHURCH OF GOD our country and the world. It was indeed very special that amid lockdown The sessions and reflections allowed me to +Joshua level 2, we were able to have a consecration look afresh at the privilege of being uniquely Table Bay service. Though we were only 50 people in created in God’s image for God who loves me. “Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.” Psalm 51:5 Page 4 THE GOOD HOPE SEPTEMBER 2020 Consecration sermon for the Bishop of Table Bay Our place within the God’s mission Matthew teronomy 32:11 will linger in your ears “As an 28:16-20 eagle stirs the nest, and hovers over its young; as it spreads its wings, takes them up, and Introduction bears them aloft on its pinions, the Lord alone We remember today all those who contrib- led him”. As we open our hearts and wills to uted to ministry within this diocese through- God, so too will we be filled with exuberance out the past 150 years. These years have been when you excite us to fly (perhaps not as Frank marked by the visible and tangible participa- Sinatra said, to the moon, but certainly to the tion in and anticipation of The Reign of God. corners of our diocese). We stand with you in We remember the many laity and clergy who anticipation today. responded faithfully to God’s call on their lives. Within the context of our celebration of 150 It is our joint responsibility to participate, lov- years of being a diocese we remember Sophie ingly labouring as we follow God in the “not Gray whose ministry of gifting architecture re- yet”, in the “transcendence”, in the “beyond”, in mains the visible presence and embodiment the promise of the fullness of life here in our of koinonia or gathering of the faithful.