Easter 2013: 31 March 2013: Message from the Dean, Fr Simon Aiken
March 31, 2013
This is the day which the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Alleluia.
From the Dean
Dear Easter people,
As in dark drops the pitting rain
Falls on a dusty street,
So tears shall fall and fall again
To wash thy wounded feet.
Well, we had a rainy Holy Week this year with unexpected, but nonetheless welcome, late Summer rains. The gloomy weather matched the sombre and thoughtful mood of our services as we followed Jesus on his journey from the hysteria of the Palm Sunday hosanna-crowd, to the sleepy disciples in the garden, to the violence of the crucify-him-mob, through the silence of the tomb, to the joy of Easter Day and our reassurance that it was done, all accomplished on the cross for our life and healing. We will face pain again, we will see the woundedness of others again, but the more Holy Weeks we travel the more we have the confidence that
Thy quick hands to heal are strong,
O love, thy patients we,
Who sing with joy the pilgrims' song
And walk, dear Lord, with thee. *
Surely I was not the only one these last days in St Cyprian's to find it hard to finish the sentences of our prayers and hymns as their spiritual truth, and the reality of Jesus' suffering engaged in my mind and heart with the brokenness of our world, the Church and the inhumanity of our race. Indeed we travelled a long - and deep - way this past week.
My thanks are extended, on your behalf, to everyone who contributed to this year's Holy Week observance: our cleaning and office staff, sacristans, servers, singers and sidesmen, confirmation candidates, readers, Lay Ministers and florists. And many more. Truly a team effort that lifted up Jesus in our midst, allowed us to worship, reflect and celebrate. Thank you.
Easter is just the start! We look forward now to Ordinations tomorrow, Confirmations later in April and Corpus Christi and a Diocesan weekend in June… 'Tis good, Lord, to be here!
Fr Simon
* These words, sung on Good Friday, are part of a hymn written by Geoffrey Dearmer, son of the more famous Percy Dearmer whose practical working out of the principles of the Oxford Movement in the Church of England encouraged many priests to engage in missionary work in Southern Africa in the nineteenth century....
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20 January 2013 The Dean Writes... on 'A New Year Carol' by Benjamin Britten : Epiphany II
January 20, 2013
The Dean writes
A New Year Carol
Here we bring new water from the well so clear.
For to worship God with this happy New Year.
Sing levy dew, sing levy dew, the water and the wine;
The seven bright gold wires and the bugles that do shine.
Sing reign of Fair Maid, with gold upon her toe,
Open you the West Door, and turn the Old Year go.
Sing reign of Fair Maid, with gold upon her chin,
Open you the East Door, and let the New Year in.
The words of this carol are very old and most probably refer to pagan customs which pre-date Christianity. As was (is) often the case, previously pagan imagery becomes embraced into the new religion when it can have a double meaning which teaches and reinforces the new faith without completely irradiating the former much loved nuances.
As was often the case in pagan religion, the sun plays an important part in this New Year Carol which contrasts the passing of the year with the course of the sun: in verse two the Sun goddess (Fair Maid) has gold (light) on her toe indicating that the whole year has been revealed (full sun - no shadow) and at the west (the place of the setting sun at the end of the day) it is now time to let that year pass. In verse three the gold (light) is only on the chin, ie partially revealed (at the dawning of the day in the east) suggesting that the whole new year has yet to be revealed. 'Levy dew', in the chorus, could be a corruption of the Old English 'levedy' or 'lady', also referring to the sun goddess. The water of the first verse, refers to an old custom where groups of boys would bring fresh water at New Year and sprinkle the hands and faces of those they met in return for a small payment - they would even come into the home very early in the morning and sprinkle the householders who were still in bed! This could be the reference to the doors of the house (in Scotland the pagan tradition of first-footing at New Year involves leaving the house by the back door and entering at the front with bread and coal representing food and warmth for the coming year).
The carol came into being to celebrate the Annunciation...
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13 January 2013 The Dean Writes... on celebrating the incarnation - Baptism of Christ
January 13, 2012
As the world goes back to work and the so-called 'festive season' comes to an end, the Cathedral's Christmas tree and decorations may have returned to their box and storage space in the crypt, but the crib scene remains, a reminder that our celebration of the incarnation continues.
In recent years we have rediscovered elements of our Christian calendar that allow us to focus at length on the things that matter. Christmastide, punctuated by the arrival of the Magi at Epiphany, lasts for 40 days until we celebrate the feast of Candlemas, the Presentation of Christ in the Temple 40 days later on 2nd February (when we will bless all the candles to be used in the Cathedral during the coming year).
This mirrors the 40 days of preparation for Easter in Lent, and the 40 days of Easter itself culminating in Ascension Day. Ash Wednesday comes particularly early this year, so let us enjoy this extended time of celebrating the reality of Emmanuel, God-with-us in the birth of his Son Jesus.
We must place on record, however, our sincerest thanks to all those who made our celebration of Christmas and Epiphany so special. The Cathedral Church was made most beautiful by the labours of our dedicated Flower Guild and the cathedral staff. Servers and choristers adorned our worship with their skills and devotion.
This year, it was our special pleasure to welcome the 49th Royal School of Church Music annual Summer School whose members enabled the Christmas message to be celebrated in glorious music and words from New Year's Day to the great feast of the Epiphany. The soaring sounds of Mozart and Mendelssohn was surely a marvellous way to mark "12th night'.
May God be with us and his Spirit inspire us as our hearts embrace the Babe of Bethlehem and ponder how he will become the Christ of Calvary. My seasonal good wishes to you all.
Fr Simon
The Very Revd Fr Simon Aiken, Dean of Kimberley
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6 February 2011: to be salt and light
February 6, 2011
Today's Gospel, St Matthew 5:13-16, which bids us to be salt and light in the world, prompts us to ponder what God desires to manifest through us, and to wrestle with what hinders this.
We pray for the faithful departed: Sakkie Bredenkamp, Drydon Goliath, Michael Oliver, Noeleen Marthinus and Canon Dan Peters' son, Daniel. Fr Dan was to have preached in the Cathedral this morning. Bishop Patrick Matolengwe stepped in at short notice and delivered an inspired sermon on the theme of today's Gospel reading.
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The Dean Writes - 30 January 2011
January 30, 2011
After discussion with the Bishop, it has been announced that the Revd Carol Starkey will take up a new portfolio of responsibilities sometime early in 2011. Mother Carol has already had a concern in her ministry in the area of HIV/Aids, and it has been agreed that this will become a full-time responsibility for her throughout the Diocese of Kimberley and Kuruman. Along with the expansion of this work will also be responsibility for the Kimberley hospitals and the Diocesan Gender Desk. Fr Gawie Bouwer continues to look after the hospital for the next month or so until arrangements are finalised. Mother Carol continues her responsibilities as Chaplain of St Cyprian's Grammar School until Easter. Mother Carol continues to have a liturgical and preaching base at the Cathedral. It seems the new year is bringing exciting new developments in priestly ministry for which we give thanks to Almighty God. Perhaps this is a reminder to all of us, priests and people alike, that we must always be ready to listen to God's guiding voice and take up those challenges and responsibilities that will best further the building up of his Kingdom.
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The Dean Writes - 23 January 2011
January 23, 2011
After discussion with the Bishop it has been announced that the Revd Marcellus Conway will join the Cathedral and Cathedral cluster team as a self-supporting priest. I am very pleased that Fr Marcellus will join us at the Cathedral and encourage him in his new responsi-bilities. We hope that Fr Marcellus’ family – his wife Nasli and sons Jonathan and Gregory – will also be part of our family. Fr Marcellus will be primarily responsible for ensuring that ministry is carried out at St Alban’s, De Beers, which is part of the Cathedral cluster. However, to be properly part of our family at the Cathedral, he will spend one Sunday a month worshipping with us – and other members of our clergy team will assist in providing ministry at St Alban’s. We look forward to this being a positive and fruitful collaboration between our two parishes and we send our very best wishes to the people of the parish of St Alban’s, De Beers, as they begin a new chapter in their life. It is expected that Fr Marcellus will fully take up his new responsibilities at the beginning of March.
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16 January 2011 - Sermon by the Very Revd Fr Simon Aiken, Dean of Kimberley
January 22, 2011
Listen to Fr Simon's 16 January sermon by visiting our Sermon Blog at:
http://stcypskimberley.blogspot.com/
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New Years Day 2011
January 1, 2011
AD 2011: This year we will celebrate our Diocesan Centenary (11 October 11). Just prior to that, the Sister Henrietta centenary (6 October).
Other anniversaries this year:
AD 601: the 1410th anniversary of the establishment of the Anglican Church as a distinct entity in Christendom by St Augustine of Canterbury;
AD 1611: the 400th anniversary of the completion of the Authorized King James Version of the Bible; and
AD 1871: the 140th anniversary of the founding of the Parish of St Cyprian, in a tent, at ‘New Rush’ on the Diamond Fields.
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Christmas 2010
December 25, 2010
God is here among us, light in the midst of us, bring us to light and life.
The Dean and Cathedral Clergy wish you a very happy Christmas. May the Christ Child bring holiness and joy to you and yours.
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Advent IV The Dean writes:
December 19, 2010
REALITY CHECKIn the midst of our busyness in preparing for Christmas, and sometimes being enticed to indulge in irrelevancies of time and energy and money, it is good to have a reality check. Churchwardens and Layministers had just such a reality check on Tuesday evening witnessing rain pouring like a river into the Cathedral through defective roof tiles and gutters. We will have to come to the congregation early in the New Year requesting a special late Christmas present for the Cathedral to help fund the repairs. In the meantime we will take professional architectural advice so that any money we spend will be spent on the right corrective and preventative measures to ensure that the faulty part of the roof is repaired and becomes trouble-free for some considerable time. In the same vein, needing to resource our ongoing work week by week, we remind all who pledge to support the Cathedral financially to ensure that what they pledged for 2010 is completely up to date by the end of the year. See elsewhere in the pew leaflet for the banking details of the Cathedral. Khotso, Pula, Nala : Peace, Rain, Plenty
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