Back from Synod and Alpha camp

This past few days was hectic, what with Synod being from Thursday to Saturday lunchtime, and then on to the Alpha camp from Saturday afternoon to today. I'm tired, cold, smelling of braai smoke, but generally feeling quite good about life at the moment, because of the following things that have happened these past few days:

1. A Synod resolution dealing with the Supernumerary Fund and proposals for the use / establishment of other finds within the MCSA that I spent a fair amount of time drafting (with the weight of paper nearly breaking my toe when I dropped it!) was accepted virtually verbatim by the Synod, with one or two minor tweaks. It's good to know that despite having moved on from the accountancy profession into ministry, I am still able to disect a set of financial statements. Accounts tend to be like bikinis, in that what they reveal is interesting but what they conceal can drive you insane!

2. Having expressed my anxiety concerning next year, what with the uncertainty around College, wanting to relocate my family, etc. on the floor of Synod, I'm glad that the Bishop has undertaken to address the matter personally before he attends an EMMU meeting in July. There were no concrete answers emanating from Synod, but realistically I couldn't have expected more. I'm however grateful to Bishop Musi Losaba for showing concern and understanding.

3. I met some AMAZING people at Synod - the van der Laars, John Gillmer, Brian Jennings, Peter Woods, and many more - you all spoke such wisdom into my life. Thanks too to John and Debbie van der Laar for allowing me to be part of worship - it was a truly uplifting experience. In fact, this is what makes Synod actually worthwhile.

4. I turned 40 (on Thursday the 28th), and Debbie van der Laar said I looked 35! I KNEW there was something I liked about that lady!

5. I went from Synod straight to our Alpha camp, where I had the privilege of praying for people and seeing the Holy Spirit move in their lives in a mighty and incrediible way. Lives were definitely changed this weekend!

And so, despite the many difficulties and challenges, I truly believe that the call to ministry is stronger than ever. I just cannot imagine doing anything else with my life, and I pray that I can remain God's humble servant. I still find it astounding that God would choose a broken, impervect vessel such as me to carry out this awesome responsibility - I guess that it really IS true that God uses the foolish to confound the wise!

God is good! All the time!

Been quiet, and will be quiet for a bit...

I've been a bit scarce on the blog for the past few days, and will remain so until next week. That's not because nothing's been happening, but with College being closed this week I've taken advantage of the two days and buried myself in assignments. Having put a SERIOUS dent into two of them, it's been time well spent.

For the next three days I'll be at Synod, followed by a day and a bit on our Alpha camp. But watch out next week, 'cos I'll have LOTS to share!

Images of Synod 2008

Here are some pics from this year's Central District Synod.

Central District Synod 2008

As indicated waaaaaay back in a previous blog, here is the news from our recent Synod. Because this report was presented to our Circuit Quarterly Meeting last night, there is a fair bit of emphasis on what "our guys" were up to...

We give thanks to God for allowing the members of the South Rand Circuit Quarterly meeting to appoint us as their representatives at this year’s District Synod, and it is with pleasure that we present our report. The purpose of this report is not to provide a “blow-by-blow” account of all the happenings of this year’s Synod, but rather to provide highlights of the main events, items discussed, and resolutions taken.

Opening of Synod
The theme of this year’s Synod was “Come, Holy Spirit, heal and transform Your people”, and given the political and social turmoil currently being experienced in Southern Africa, there is no doubt that we need to be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit into a Church that is both prophetic and hospitable.

In his opening address, Bishop Verryn once again gave thanks to both laity and clergy for the sacrifices that they made in carrying out God’s calling of ministry, especially at a time when people “who are created in the image of God” have been displaced as a result of xenophobic and criminal violence in their communities. He emphasised the fact that “all people have an unalienable, indelible place in God's consciousness.”

Citing a recent occurrence at Central Methodist Mission where a lady gave birth to her child in one of the toilets, Bishop Verryn indicated that just as apartheid sought to divide people based on race, thereby diminishing the worth of those who were not members of the privileged group, so in the New South Africa we continue to use divisive “poisons” such as race, class, country, language, education, etc. with which to measure the value of people. He challenged the Synod that it is the Church’s role to take away this mask of prejudice and hate, and let us see people as in the image of God.

Ordinands and candidates
A number of ministers, having completed their studies and probation, were presented before the Synod for final screening and approval as ordinands. These precious brothers and sisters in Christ are to be ordained into the Ministry of Word and Sacraments with the imposition of laying on of hands at the forthcoming Conference.

South Rand Circuit was well represented, with Rev Pumla Mtshiselwa (Mondeor) and Rev Thandeka Dintlhe (Kibler Park) among those to be ordained this year. Rev Kaiser Thibedi (Imvana Trinity) has also completed the second phase of his probation, and his application to advance into Phase 3 (preparation for ordination) was accepted.

At the other end of the journey of training for the ministry, South Rand Circuit was also well represented with two out of the seven candidates for the ministry (Christine Laubscher and Steven Jones) coming from our neck of the woods.

HIV Voluntary Counselling and Testing facility
Recognising the scourge of HIV / AIDS in South Africa, a facility whereby Synod delegates could be voluntarily tested was set up. While it would have been hugely symbolic for a large contingent from the Synod to avail themselves of this facility, time unfortunately did not allow for a specific slot to be worked into the Synod programme, with the result that only 15 people came forward to be tested.

Use of languages other than English for Synod business
It was recognised by the Synod that many delegates do not speak English as a first language, and felt that the use of other languages would promote inclusivity and engender greater participation in the proceedings. Unfortunately, given the vast amount of business that needs to be concluded during the three days that Synod takes place, use of one common language is necessary.

Synod therefore decided that while the business of Synod would be conducted in English, delegates should feel free to address the Synod in the language of their choice, with interpreters on hand. A number of the delegates did in fact use this opportunity to express themselves in their home languages, resulting in wider participation than in previous years.

Election of District Bishop
Elections were conducted for the position of District Bishop, since Bishop Paul Verryn’s third term of office as Bishop expires at the end of 2009. In addition to the incumbent Bishop, there were four nominees for the position. However, as voting was about to commence, Bishop Verryn announced that he would not be making himself available for re-election, which meant that a new Bishop for Central District was guaranteed. Bishop Verryn’s withdrawal from the list of nominees was seen by many as a courageous step, and he was given a standing ovation by the Synod.

The voting was tight, going to a third ballot, but eventually an emotional Rev Peter Witbooi was confirmed as the new Bishop of Central District from 2010.

Rev Witbooi acknowledged his predecessor’s guidance and leadership, and expressed his gratitude to Bishop Verryn for his experience and expertise, from which Rev Witbooi intended to draw extensively. Regarding the direction in which he sees the District taking, his main concerns are the causes and consequences of crime, ethnic and racial intolerance, and the impact of the widening gap between rich and poor on the Church and its ministry.

Election of Presiding Bishop
All twelve Districts of the Connexion participated in elections for the Presiding Bishop, as the term of the current incumbent, Bishop Ivan Abrahams, also comes to an end next year. Once the votes from all the Synods were tallied together, Bishop Ivan Abrahams was confirmed as Presiding Bishop for 2010 – 2012.

Report on the Seth Mokitimi Methodist Seminary Project
A new Methodist seminary for the training of future ministers is in the process of being established on the University of kwaZulu-Natal’s Pietermaritzburg campus. It is named after the late Rev Seth Mokitimi, who was elected as the first black President of the Methodist Conference in 1964.

Rev Jack Scholtz presented a DVD outlining current developments, including the purchase of land for the seminary as well as accommodation for students and academic staff. Thus far R22.6 million has been spent, with a further R66 million earmarked for the completion of the project (according to the brochure handed out at Synod). Thus far around R35 million has already been raised for the project from donations and other sources, while the sale of Church property under the Jubilee 2008 programme is expected to raise a further R13 million.

While there was a degree of excitement at the establishment of a world-class training facility for future Methodist ministers, concerns were raised regarding the cost thereof – the total of which was reported as R93 million. Ongoing running costs of such a facility are also likely to be substantial, and questions were raised concerning the perceived current lack in the training of Methodist ministers that would necessitate the establishment of such a facility. Given the context of a country ravaged by unemployment, high food and energy prices, HIV / AIDS, and abject poverty, a number of Synod delegates felt that the Church has more pressing priorities.

Ministerial benefit schemes
Benefit schemes operated by The Methodist Church of Southern Africa for its clergy came under the spotlight – in particular, the Supernumerary Fund and the medical scheme.

With regard to the Supernumerary Fund (which in lay parlance is the pension fund for clergy), Rev Dimitris Palos led a spirited discussion concerning the use of the actuarial surplus in the fund. He reminded delegates that the Supernumerary Fund was in parlous financial shape some years back, with the result that the ratio of church contributions to that of members was increased from 1: 1, as provided for in the rules of the fund, to 3: 1. Since then, the financial position of the fund has improved significantly as a result of these increased contributions, and it now has a healthy surplus.

As a result of the fund’s healthy financial position, Conference took a decision during 2007 to reduce the Church’s contribution to the Supernumerary Fund back to the statutory 1: 1, and divert the additional contributions into a general fund to be used for other projects. Part of the funding for the new Methodist seminary would come from this fund.

The Synod expressed strong disapproval of this decision, firstly because Districts and Circuits were not consulted prior to this decision being taken by Conference, and secondly because there are issues of justice that need to be addressed. Rev Palos cited an example of one minister with 40 years’ service rendered mainly in an urban context receiving a monthly pension of R6 000, while another minister with similar years of service would receive only R2 000 per month largely due to being placed in rural contexts. This iniquitous disparity is yet another legacy of apartheid, and one that the Church needs to address.

The Synod consequently passed a resolution requiring that the Conference 2007 decision be rescinded; that the Circuit contributions that had already been diverted into the general fund be reinstated to the Supernumerary Fund; and that mechanisms be investigated to redress imbalances in pensions arising from past iniquities.

There was also widespread unhappiness about the Church’s medical scheme that is administered by Pharos. It was pointed out that while the benefits provided by the scheme are reasonably comparable to those provided by other schemes, particularly given the relatively low contributions that ministers are required to make compared to most corporate schemes, the main difficulty arises from the fact that service providers need to be paid up front.

A resolution was therefore passed, requesting the Methodist Connexional Office to investigate the possibility of having the payment mechanism changed to one where the service provider is paid directly by the scheme, and any portion to be contributed by the minister be recovered from their stipends.

Finance
District treasurer John Storey presented his financial report for 2007, which included statistics on membership as well as how District finances were spent. He complimented the Circuits on their timeous submission of their 4C and 4S Schedules, with only two Circuits having failed to submit their schedules by Synod (compared to five Circuits last year).

An interesting statistic presented was the average level of giving per member. Based on 65 475 members in the District and total giving of just shy of R90 million, the monthly average was R115.

The main financial problem at District level remains the high level of arrears, although the situation has improved when compared to the previous year. The District treasurer expressed his thanks to Brian Hovelmeier who is the District Finance Committee member responsible for chasing up the arrears.

The issue of contributions by organisations to the District budget was discussed, with approximately 10% of the District income to come from this source. This is in recognition of the fact that much of the costs of running the District are incurred on the work of the organisations. While the principle of organisations being assessed was generally accepted, there was resistance from the Women’s Auxiliary, who cited lack of funds for this purpose.

St Stithian’s College
The Rector of the College, which has campuses in Randburg and Sandton, presented its annual report for 2007 to the Synod. The ownership of the College vests in a trust created upon its establishment, but there is a strong Methodist presence on both the board of the St Stithian’s Trust and the College Council.

While the College continues to hold its place among the top private schools in the country, concern was once again expressed that such institutions tend to be elitist and the fees charged prove to be a massive barrier to all but the wealthier sections of society.

Retirement of Rev Thenjiwe Mahlakalaka
In a moving service on the Saturday evening, the Synod bade farewell to Rev Thenjiwe Mahlakalaka, who served at Central Methodist Mission and goes on retirement at the end of 2008.

As is tradition at such services, the retiring minister places a stole across the shoulders of one of the ordinands, and Rev Pumla Mtshiselwa had the honour of being the receiving ordinand this year.

Synod - the lighter side

Talk about flogging a willing horse?! My Circuit decided that seeing as I was required to attend our recent District Synod anyway (because I was appearing before the screening committee as a candidate), I may as well represent the Circuit as a delegate as well. I guess that this means that I will need to present a report from Synod at our next Circuit Quarterly Meeting in July, so I may as well update my blog at the same time.

However, since I am still trying to gather my thoughts together concerning the proceedings at this year's Synod (not to mention still pinching myself to make sure that being accepted as a probationer minister wasn't a dream), the "heavy stuff" will have to come later. In the meantime, allow me to share some of the lighter moments in these humorous quotes from Synod 2007:

1. In response to my question concerning a Youth Synod resolution proposing the establishment of a Sports Desk aimed at "ensuring that all Methodists participate in sport", which I considered to be a noble sentiment that was however worded rather prescriptively, Bishop Paul Verryn (in reference to my "full Gospel preacher" waistline) remarked that I "needed more participation in sports".


2. "Never trust a preacher who says 'finally'..." - Bishop Verryn, interrupting during a rather long-winded report from a group who shall remain unnamed... (This cartoon first appeared on the website "The Ongoing Adventures of ASBO Jesus" - my kind of humour!)


3. "We are the Grade Noughts of 2008" - a reference to the newly-accepted candidates for the ministry, who will commence Phase One of their probation in 2009.


4. Someone got a bit tongue-tied in an attempt at protocol. Instead of the customary "Bishop and the Synod-at-large", this person addressed us as "Synod and the Bishop-at-large" (sweet revenge for Point 1 above, perhaps?).


5. "Now we are going to enjoy some organised chaos" - Bishop Verryn again, as he invited the whole of Synod to celebrate with the newly-accepted candidates by coming up to greet us. Many hugs, handshakes, and tears followed!


6. At the first mealtime, one of the delegates questioned why there were two queues, one much shorter than the other. Rev Brenda Timmer, superintendent minister of the host Circuit, indicated that the shorter queue was for diabetics and vegetarians. "Goody - that's for me, then", he responded, making for the shorter queue. (To my knowledge he was neither diabetic nor vegetarian!)


7. "You think that now you have been accepted as a candidate, you can come dressed casually?" This was a comment by a disgruntled Phase One probationer wearing a clerical shirt that looked two sizes too small around the neck, which was in response to the fact that while I wore a tie on the Thursday for the candidates' screening, this was dumped smartly in favour of an open-necked shirt on the Friday.


8. "The males in my family have a congenital defect - our bladders are located between our shoulder-blades and connected to our eyes!" (Bishop-elect Peter Witbooi, explaining why the tears flowed so freely when the results were announced confirming his election as Bishop commencing in 2010, and again that evening when he paid tribute to his family in the service that evening.)


9. "Some people will do anything to get out of having to attend Synod!" (a reference to Rev Kym Bishop, who is currently on maternity leave.)


10. "I'm sleeping like a baby at the moment - out like a light for an hour, followed by an hour of crying..." This came from a tired dad, Rev Michael Bishop who, unlike his wife Kym, was not granted dispensation from attending Synod.


11. "I think I'll try that next year!" (the response from a jealous male Phase One probationer to the female Rev Bishop being granted dispensation. A bit of confusion around gender roles, perhaps?)


12. "I have bad news...South Rand Circuit still needs a new Circuit Treasurer next year." This was my response to one of our Circuit Steward, Jane Valla, when I was informed that the screening committee sanctioned my acceptance as a candidate, meaning that I would be leaving the Circuit at the end of the year.


13. "Oh well, Steve ... I tried." These were the first words from Brian Hovelmeier, another of our Circuit Stewards, when he shook my hand during the period of "organised chaos" referred to in 5 above. For the past two years he has been questioning my sanity in giving up a well-paying career in corporate finance to become a full-time minister.


14. "Well, I always said I was called. I never said anything about being sane!" (My response to Brian.)


15. "Wow - talk about confidence! What if you didn't make it?" This was the response from a member of the screening committee who was chatting to me afterwards about the need to purchase clerical clothing once I had been accepted as a candidate, after I had informed her that due to the price of such clothing, I had already started buying one shirt a month from January! (The minister who gave me the advice to stock up early just happens to have the same shirt size as me ... should I read anything into this?)

I'm accepted!

After a process of candidature stretching over nearly two years, it has finally come down to this - the final appearance before our District Synod. This would determine whether we would be accepted as probationer ministers in the Methodist Church of Southern Africa.

The "whittling-down" process has been ruthless. While I don't know how many potential candidates entered the first stage of appearing before their Circuit Quarterly Meetings, of the 39 people in our District who made it onto the list of candidates issued by the Education for Ministry and Mission Unit at the beginning of 2008, only 7 of us got to stand in front of the Bishop and the rest of the Synod delegates to make our promises to the Church.

There were many tears flowing as the Bishop prayed for us, after which he invited the Synod delegates to participate in "organised chaos" as over 200 people came up to hug us, shake hands, and offer congratulations.

Up to now there have been three pivotal moments in my life - receiving Jesus as Lord, marrying my wonderful wife, and seeing my son come into the world. Being accepted as a probationer for ministry must surely rank up there.

I give thanks to God for choosing one so unworthy to be part of the Great Commission by calling me to the ministry of Word and Sacrament. It is only by His grace that I can even hope to bring Him glory in this manner. I also want to thank those who have supported me thus far, including my family, friends, and the many people within the Church who have journeyed with me (even those who "nailed" me in the February screening - that experience has enabled me to grow).

[I have not long returned from this morning's service, and since I have not even seen my family for nearly four days, we are going out for a meal to celebrate. Words and images from Central District Synod 2008 will follow shortly.]