What’s Happening HAPPE 1111 1 11 NING January 2020 The ...€¦ · Happening @ The Three Wise...
Transcript of What’s Happening HAPPE 1111 1 11 NING January 2020 The ...€¦ · Happening @ The Three Wise...
Volume 11, Issue 1 1111 1 11
January 2020
What’s HAPPENING
@ Happening
The Three Wise Women................
Not The Three Kings but The Three Wise Women of the Christ Church Constantia
parish office! Pictured at Jean Catchpole’s farewell tea party are, from right, former
parish secretary Cathy Cilliers, her successor Jean, and newly appointed Camilla Todd.
(Rob Smith took this “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” photo, prompted by Bishop
Christopher.) See “A fond farewell to Jean”, page 6; welcome to Camilla, page 7.
What’s Happening wishes you a Happy New Year!
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Joy to the world, the Lord has come!........................
The crib scene in the sanctuary at Christ Church Constantia on Christmas Day
Sleep in heavenly peace... baby Jamie Perkins
slumbers on mom Jennifer’s shoulder after the
7am service on Christmas Day.
A special moment for a little girl on Christmas
Eve; she is preoccupied with rearranging the
animals in the manger at the crib service.
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Crib Service
One-year-old Thomas Edwards couldn’t wait
for the service to begin. He crawled up to the
sanctuary ahead of proceedings.
Lay minister Lisle Adams with some of the
figures and animals which the children
would take to the crib during the service
Warm seasonal greetings and happiness shone
all around...
Bishop Christopher, who led the service on
Christmas Eve, heralds the arrival of
animals for the crib.
Parents and children come forward for a better
view of the crib.
Our indefatigable churchwarden, Saskia Emary,
was there to accompany the carols.
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O Come, O Come Emmanuel...
A near gale-force north-wester and the
threat of rain put paid to the candles but
didn’t deter the hardy Christ Church
Constantia faithful. They turned up in their
droves – and Santa bobble hats – for Carols
by Candlelight in the church grounds.
Parking was at a premium. Some had to
leave their vehicles way down Constantia
Main Road.
The caroller families were well wrapped up
and some had blankets on an evening of
chilly wind and warm hearts.
Under festive lights, Bishop Christopher and
Ruby Klazen narrated the Christmas Story
and Vocal Unity, led by Jeremy Quickfall,
entertained.
A festive crowd on the church lawns
“Bless all the dear children in thy tender
care...”
In harmony: Vocal Unity led the carol singing.
In high spirits were, from left: Doreen Farmer
(visiting from Springbok), Papillon Johnson,
Althea Farmer, Solara Louw, Hannah Williams
and Samuel Louw
Pictures by Lisle Adams, Helen Constantine,
Riekie Barrett and David Hill
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Narrators Bishop Christopher and Ruby Klazen
Sandy McWilliams calms noisy, excitable
children as the Christmas Story unfolds.
Riekie Barrett in Yuletide mood with adopted
grandchild Gemma
Tidings of comfort and joy!
Celebrating are, from left, Grant McWilliams,
Ruby Klazen, Michele Ross-Innes, Saskia
Emary, Cornelia Jaftha, Charleen van Rooyen,
Jon-Jon Emary, Robyn Lassen and (bending
down) Saskia’s husband Rob.
Cheers! George and Emma Fonzari
Exuberance on the roundabout
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Jean made headlines in October.
Jean certainly cut it as parish secretary – and
she got to cut her special chocolate cake at the
farewell party.
A fond farewell to Jean...............
The parish hall was packed on Thursday
December 12 for a farewell tea to mark Jean
Catchpole’s retirement as parish secretary.
The Rector, the Ven. Terry Lester, said it
was sad to see Jean go. “First it was shock as
news of her retirement was reflected in
What’s Happening but they say change is the
only constant.
“We want to say a huge thank-you to Jean
and to show our appreciation for all she has
done for us.”
Father Terry made the presentations.
Terry was in good form. “She served under
Keith [Griffiths] and then served under me,
which was when she started ageing!” he
quipped – to lots of laughter.
Jean was presented with two bouquets of
flowers, an “envelope” and was first to cut a
special chocolate cake inscribed with:
“Farewell Jean, we shall miss you”.
All the ministry team were there to pay
tribute to our very popular parish secretary.
Jean finished work at the end of December,
but will be on call during January and
February should her successor, Camilla
Todd, need her assistance.
The parish hall was packed for Jean’s farewell
party. (A big thank-you from Jean – page 18)
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Our new parish secretary, Camilla Todd
Camilla looking forward to
joining the team.....................
We welcome Jean’s successor, Camilla Todd,
as she moves into the frontline of church
administration as parish secretary. What’s
Happening asked her to pen something so
we know a little more about her:
“I am married to Donald [lay minister and
former churchwarden] and have three
children - Melissa, Christopher and Julia - all
of whom are pretty much off our hands.
“ Julia is doing her honours at Stellenbosch
next year, the older two live and work in
London.
“We live in Bergvliet and are regulars at the
7.30 service.
“I have worked for an accounting firm for
the past four years and previously for a very
big and busy *anaesthesthetists’ practice.
“We are crazy about ‘Guinness’ our young
black labrador and ‘Basil’, the newest
member of the family, a rescue kitty from
SPCA.
“I love my volunteer work at the SARDA
stables and when time allows with the
LifeMatters foundation.
“I have had a little bit of exposure in the
office, standing in for Jean in June, and
know what big shoes she is leaving to fill!
“I am really looking forward to joining the
Christ Church team in 2020.
“Regards,
Camilla”
*Thank you, Camilla. We hope you don’t
need too much anaesthetic in your new role.
Big shoes to fill? Jean takes size 5 so you’ll
be absolutely fine....
Our 7.30 belle.............................
Paddy McPherson is someone who likes to
tackle everything in life with gusto – whether
it’s sampling a good red on one of her wine
appreciation outings or doing duty as a
steward. What’s Happening caught her pulling
on the bell rope with tremendous enthusiasm
to wake the neighbours before the 7.30 service
on Sunday December 15.
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Wardens’ report
A very special thing happened at the 11am
service on December 8. Mikey Rich – all of
10 years old (grandson of John and Brenda
Rich and son of David and Amanda Rich)
offered to do the sermon. He really did a
most wonderful job and we are all extremely
proud of him.
Father Chesnay has now put out the
challenge to any other of our youth to do
the same!
We are ready to focus on the year ahead.
2019 has been a busy year and financially we
have had some challenges.
The Diocese has introduced a standardised
accounting template which we are required
to submit quarterly and we have been
restructuring our management accounts so
that both our reporting and the Diocese
requirements work hand in hand.
Treasurer Chris Sickle and Tricia
Garschagen have done a wonderful job
starting this process. However, due to the
workload at his new job Chris is unable to
devote sufficient time to complete the task.
We thank Chris for all the good work he has
done as treasurer.
The good news is that Creagh Sudding, one
of our parish councillors, has agreed to take
over as treasurer and is already hard at work
with us on the accounting changes and the
2020 parish budget.
The weather at the Carols by Candlelight
evening was not kind to us and resulted in
bringing forward the start of the event and
cancelling the lighting of the candles.
However, even with the inclement weather,
we were able to raise R1 727 which will be
donated to Cheshire Homes.
Thank you to everyone who braved the
weather and supported the evening.
May 2020 bring new happiness, new goals,
new achievements and lots of new
inspirations in your life.
- Grant, Saskia and Roger
Our music director, Jeremy Quickfall, posted
this festive card on Facebook, relaxing at home
with Shaun Klaasen and their cats: Einstein,
left, and Kitsy.
Who has not found the heaven below
Will fail of it above.
God’s residence is next to mine,
His furniture is love.
– Emily Dickinson, poet (1830-1886)
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Nine Lessons and Carols
Music director Jeremy Quickfall and the choir in good voice on Sunday December 22.
The choir enters, singing “Once In Royal
David’s City”, at the beginning of the service.
David Daniels read one of the lessons.
Shaun Klaasen sings a solo in “Child in the
Manger”, arranged by Jeremy.
Cornelia Jaftha also read a lesson.
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Personality of the Month
Bianca Mariani has a double calling: to be a
doctor and to share the Word of God with our
younger ones.
When not in scrubs she
nurtures our future leaders........
What’s Happening decided to break “the age
barrier” this month. We’ve interviewed
plenty of greyheads in the past. This time the
over 70s make way for someone in her 20s.
Her name rolls musically off the tongue...
Bianca Mariani . Sounds like a seafood
starter cooked in white wine at a pasta
restaurant. In fact, our Personality of the
Month does have an Italian heritage.
Bianca Mariani is best known to us as the
dedicated leader of our Junior Church but
she also happens to be an enthusiastic
deliverer of babies! More of that later....
Bianca’s granddad emigrated to SA from
Rome. Once here, he met and married her
grandmother who was from Sicily.
Meet the Mariani family: from left, dad Ray,
Bianca, brother Luigi, sister Micaela and mom
Arlene.
Bianca’s dad, Ray, grew up in Green Point
and went to Christian Brothers’ College. He
worked for Telkom as a technician for 42
years.
He met Bianca’s mother, Arlene, on a blind
date. They were married and Bianca arrived
in December 1993. A sister was born two
years later and her brother in 2000. The
children went to Edgemead High.
Bianca matriculated with a couple of
distinctions and was accepted to study
medicine at Stellenbosch. “I was blessed to
get in,” she says.
She has just passed her third-year exams.
Three more to go and then two years of
internship followed by two years of
community service!
Her third year, involving hands-on
experience at hospitals and clinics, has been
an eye-opener.
She worked at Khayelitsha Hospital,
sometimes on 24-hour shifts. Among other
duties, she delivered babies. “I absolutely
loved it. It was emotional. I learned to be
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more compassionate, focusing more on the
patient rather than just the procedure.
“It’s a new hospital, well resourced, well-
kept, with beautiful gardens.”
She also undertook family medicine in
Wellington and Delft. There she valued the
relationship with patients.
“As students, we were able to give patients
extra time, to get to know them. Often they
had been waiting for hours so they really
appreciated the extra attention. They often
had other issues. I could refer them to a
physio or psychologist.”
However, her time spent in the Emergency
Room at Tygerberg was often traumatic as
the many victims of road accidents and
violence were brought in.
“I’ve seen some horrible things. A patient in
a truck collision had both femurs broken.
“It’s wall-to-wall beds. Too many patients,
some sitting on chairs because there are not
enough beds.
“The doctors are fantastic; they do a really
good job.”
A week in the burns unit was quite an
overwhelming experience.
“Fortunately the patients are well sedated. I
had to keep reminding myself that the
patient is not in pain and I’m doing my best
to help them.”
She enjoyed working with children in
paediatrics at the Brooklyn TB clinic.
Bianca has shared all these experiences as
part of a group of eight students. “We work
Bianca scrubbed and ready for medical action with her clinical partner, Khanyisa.
together and have become lifelong friends.”
Haven’t the years of study, the long hospital
shifts and the demands of the job put her
off medicine?
Not a bit of it. Bianca is in for the long haul;
it’s a calling. “I get tired, burnt out and
exhausted but I don’t want to do anything
else.
“It’s tough but excellent training and
experience. South Africa turns out good
doctors. Many international doctors come
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here to gain experience they cannot get
elsewhere.”
So, after all that, what energy does she have
left for Junior Church on Sunday mornings?
“I get my energy from the children.
Whatever mood I’m in when I get up on
Sunday mornings, by the time I’ve left
Junior Church I’m uplifted.
“I see the children enjoying themselves.
They tell me what they’ve been doing during
the week. They’re chatty.”
Bianca enjoys planning lessons. She finds the
Internet a great resource and often shows
short animated videos of Bible stories.
The youngsters are encouraged to read the
Bible out loud, based on the same-day
readings we have in our services.
The renovation of the church complex,
which led to the creation of the Youth
Room, has been a tremendous boon. “It’s so
good to have our own space.”
Amy Lester joining the team has brought art,
creativity and colour into the Youth Room.
Ever-willing parish councillor Ruby Klazen
is also very supportive.
“The three of us have a wonderful working
relationship. Without it the whole thing
would fall apart,” says Bianca.
Socials for the youth are held monthly, if
Bianca can fit them into her busy schedule.
“The regulars bring along friends who often
become regulars too.”
How did she first come to Christ Church?
Wish you were here! Bianca and Mike Barrett
pose on the Christ Church Constantia trip to
the UK.
Sharon Davis, then our assistant priest, put
the word out at Scripture Union that she
needed leaders for a pirate-themed holiday
club at our church. A friend of a friend put
her in touch with Bianca and her pals and
they all helped out at the holiday club.
Some UK youngsters had attended the club
and Bianca went on a reciprocal tour to the
UK with a group from Christ Church,
chaperoned by churchwardens Mike Barrett
and Saskia Emary.
(Editor’s query: who chaperoned Mike?)
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Sharon later asked Bianca to take over
leadership of the Junior Church and the
answer was “yes”.
“I loved Christ Church. People were so
friendly and inviting.”
Bianca likes to get involved in charitable
projects. She has a good relationship with
chorister Sarah Fenton, playing with the
children at Fikelela - the Aids project in
Khayelitsha -and also Sarah’s shoebox
project at the Educare in Hout Bay.
As if she doesn’t have enough to do, she
also serves on the house committee at her
varsity res.
Does she have any leisure time?
“I like to go to plays and the ballet at
Artscape.”
She fondly remembers seeing our music
director, Jeremy Quickfall, playing the Lion
in “The Wizard of Oz”.
And what of romance?
Bianca has a long-standing boyfriend,
Nicholas, whom she met at an emergency
medicine course at CPUT. He is a paramedic
and physiotherapist so they share an interest
in matters medical.
It’s clear that Bianca is a well-grounded
young person with the key Christian quality
of unselfishly expending her energy on
helping others.
We don’t need a crystal ball to tell us she will
make a mighty fine doctor. (She has not yet
decided which branch of medicine she will
pursue but does prefer personal interaction
with patients).
All smiles... with boyfriend, Nick, a paramedic
and physiotherapist
Meanwhile Bianca has taken on the added
responsibility of sharing the Word of God
with our vulnerable younger churchgoers,
nurturing and guiding potential future
leaders at Christ Church Constantia. It
seems this precious task is in very capable
hands. – David Hill
Where did you find your Christmas?
Option 1: Pick n Pay (or could be Checkers,
Spar, Food Lovers’ Market) or
Option 2: Christ Church Constantia
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Hampers packed with enthusiasm – and love......................................
We did it! Part of the happy Christmas hamper-packing team in the parish hall
The 2019 hamper programme ended on
Monday December 9 in the parish hall, with
willing volunteers going round and round to
pack 300 bags with the 13 items and a
Christmas card.
Roger Steward and Jill Buchanan had spent
much of November buying and organising
the items for the hampers. On the day, the
Outreach Team got there early to lay out the
items onto trestle tables in the hall. More
than 20 helpers arrived soon after 9am and
they enthusiastically packed the items into
bags for collection.
By 10am, all the packing was completed and
distribution began.
Happy Valley community arrived to take
their load back to their distribution centre,
closely followed by Westlake WUCT to
Preparation: Rob Smith checks the lighter
goods.
collect their share for handing out to the
Westlake needy.
The balance of the hampers was distributed
to St Simon’s in Hout Bay, the Vrygrond
libraries (where we support four groups),
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The production line in full swing
Sunrise Special Care Centre, and some were
kept for local distribution through the
Rector and the church office.
Your Outreach Team thanks all the
parishioners who supported them during the
year, ending with donations in cash and kind
and hard work to make all this possible.
May you all have a happy and blessed
Christmas. – Rob Smith
Please bear stationery gifts for
these children.............................
From Jill Buchanan of the Outreach Team:
On Epiphany Sunday (January 5) we reflect
on the Three Wise Men arriving at the stable
bearing gifts for baby Jesus. This for Mary
and Joseph was totally unexpected and
greatly appreciated.
At Nooitgedacht School in Bishop Lavis
hundreds of children will be starting the new
school year without basic stationery. Let us
at Christ Church Constantia surprise them
with a huge donation of gifts.
I appeal to all to keep the school in mind
when doing your grocery shopping and to
pop suitable stationery items into your
baskets. This is a primary school and the
learners will need pencils, crayons and pencil
crayons, scissors, exercise books, rulers,
erasers and glue sticks. In fact they will
welcome anything in the stationery line.
Stationery can be delivered to the office or
brought to church on Epiphany Sunday
(January 5). Donations can made directly to
the church via snapscan or EFT. Please use
the reference “Stationery”.
Should you require any further information,
kindly contact Jill Buchanan on 021-
7943637.
Every byear a generous soul, lay minister
Marvel Billett, makes up little gifts for those at
the Princess Christian Home in Tokai
attending the last Christ Church monthly
service there before Christmas.
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Our man in Kenya......................
Father Terry represents South Africa at a
workshop on conflict transformation in Africa.
The Ven. Terry Lester at the All African
Conference of Churches in Nairobi, with other
delegates from across the continent
Remarkably resilient people in
the face of some dire challenges
I was the representative for the Anglican
Church of Southern Africa at a conference
in Nairobi, Kenya, whose title is a bit of a
mouthful!
“The Continental Workshop for Concerted
Local Approaches in Peace Building and
Conflict Transformation” took place from
November 25-30 at the Desmond Tutu
Conference Centre of the All Africa
Conference of Churches.
Part of the conference was listening to
presentations by academics on how peace is
built and how to leverage the parties in
conflict to a place with reduced conflict and
where peace can have a chance.
But what we also heard, and these were the
more meaningful contributions in my view,
were stories of those on the ground in the
real situations where conflict has ravaged
lives and communities.
We heard of parts of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo where the situation is
dire.
Coltan is a mineral mined there and tantalite
is extracted from it. This is what the
batteries in cell phones are made of; they
retain power and have low heat and there is
a mad scramble for it.
Not only are people using picks and shovels
and scraping with their bare hands for this
sought-after commodity, armed gangs
control informal and often illegal mining
efforts.
We were also told by representatives from
the Plateau state of Jos in Nigeria of women
and girls who have escaped their Boko
Haram abductors, who are needing to be re-
integrated into communities who have been
traumatised by raids and where these women
return with children who were conceived
from the militant Islamists.
What is clear is that whether pre- or during
or post-conflictual situations, the healing
and restoration needed in communities is a
long and slow journey requiring huge
amounts of compassion, dedication and
patience.
Our continent and her people are
remarkably resilient and our work as people
of faith is never done. – Terry Lester
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Reign of Christ
The church was packed for the Reign of
Christ service, followed by the Feast of Title
breakfast in the parish hall on Sunday
November 24.
A marimba band from Lavender Hill
accompanied the Gloria and some of the
hymns, bringing a vibrant, upbeat
atmosphere.
Lukhanyo Calata preached the sermon. His
father, Fort, was one of the Cradock Four,
activists in the Eastern Cape who were
abducted by security police, stabbed to death
and their bodies burnt, in the 1980s.
Father Terry welcomed Lukhanyo and said
he had bought a copy of his book (co-
written with wife Abigail) “My Father Died
For This” at Exclusive Books.
Lukhanyo gave a deeply moving account of
his father’s cruel death and said it was
particularly hard for his family that “no-one
has been brought to justice”.
He said that the equal opportunity South
Africa his father had died for had not
materialised. The country was as divided as
ever and the gap between rich and poor had
widened. He asserted: “Nothing will be
achieved without sacrifice.”
The marimba band from Lavender Hill
Lukhanyo Calata said whites were privileged
under apartheid and there must be reparation.
Lukhanyo concluded his sermon with a
reading of the “Love your neighbour”
passage from the book of Romans.
Music director Jeremy Quickfall was ill so
churchwarden Saskia Emary accompanied
the service on the piano. Thanking her,
Terry said: “We are blessed to have a
churchwarden who can do everything under
the sun.”
Terry also announced that it was the 65th
birthday of Jean Catchpole, who is retiring
as parish secretary. The congregation
applauded.
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Lukhanya and Abigail Calata’s book
’Tis the season to be postman...
Last month What’s Happening recorded the
tale of the “postman” who arrived at our
house 45 days before Christmas Day asking
for his seasonal tip.
Since then, in mid-December, another
postman arrived asking for his Christmas
box. This chap seemed to be genuine as he
was bearing letters for us. Obviously we had
been duped by the previous claimant.
However, the real “Mr Postman” handed us
a sheet of pencilled-in names of those
purported to have already given. Topping
the list was one “R Ackerman ... R500”.
Was it really Raymond, we wondered, or was
our postie taking a bit of a chance? You be
the judge... – David Hill
I was overwhelmed;
a big thank-you to all.................
From Jean Catchpole:
I want to say a big thank you to all of you
who had anything to do with my farewell
party - those who planned it, those who
attended and even those who missed being
there! A special thank you to the wine
group who cancelled their outing that day,
giving up their wine in exchange for a cup of
tea! That makes me feel special.
I was overwhelmed with the outpouring of
love and appreciation for me as a person and
the work I have done here at Christ Church
Constantia. Thank you for your gifts as well.
Thank you for all our encounters over the
years, for your trusting me with your stories
and for the laughter we have shared. They
go to make up so many memories.
So many of you have asked what I am going
to do in retirement. There are two questions
to answer that:
1 Have you got a job for me?
2 Do I have to actually do anything?
Others have suggested I write a book. Well,
I have in fact written it already. It's
dedicated to Camilla and is a tell-all book on
how to run the office!
We’ll all be adjusting to change in the new
year. May we embrace whatever God has in
store for us.
With love and blessings....
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Clothes sorting
The team of volunteers for the last clothes sorting of the year in the parish hall on Tuesday December 3
are: from left, back row: Jessie Lund, Arthur G Clarke, Debbie McGavin and Dino (a visitor who
popped in and asked to help); front row, from left, Judy (Dino’s wife), Jill Buchanan, Lynne Hill and
Roger Steward. After sorting, the clothes were taken to Victoria Hospital. The Outreach team wishes to
thank all those who donated clothes during the year.
Matthew 25:35-45
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I
was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a
stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked
and you clothed me, I was sick and you
visited me, I was in prison and you came to
me.”
Then the righteous will answer him, saying,
“Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed
you, or thirsty and give you drink? And
when did we see you a stranger and welcome
you, or naked and clothe you? And when did
we see you sick or in prison and visit you?”
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Last concert of the year
A packed Christ Church Constantia witnessed a rousing last concert of the year as the international
prize-winning Cape Town Youth Choir entertained on Sunday December 1. Above: members of the
audience were invited to sing with the choir towards the end of the concert. This photo is a perfect
illustration of what a magnificent backdrop our church provides for such events.
Saskia Emary, left, and Anne Burrough on
ticket duty before the concert
The queue at the church door
A young concertgoer finds a distraction.
A standing ovation
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February concert
A Russian revelation..................
There will be no concert at Christ Church
Constantia in January. The first of the New
Year takes place at 3pm on Sunday February
2 and will feature Russian violinist Alissa
Margulis (pictured).
The Guardian describes her playing as
exceptional, Ivry Gitlis praises it as “a
revelation” and Martha Agerich calls her a
“strong musical personality”.
Appreciated for her expressive and very
emotional performances, Alissa regular plays
in renowned concert halls such as the Palais
des Beaux Arts in Brussels, the Cologne
Philharmony, the Vienna Musikverein, the
Tonhalle Düsseldorf and Zurich, the St
Petersburg Philharmonic Hall,
Beethovenhalle Bonn or the Schönberg Hall
in Los Angeles.
She is a title holder of many international
competitions (Wieniawski, Vercelli among
others) and wards, such as “Pro Europa”
from the European Cultural Foundation,
which was presented by Daniel Barenboim.
Tickets at R130 are available from Anne
Burrough on 082 218 0100, by writing to
[email protected] or via the parish
website www.christchurchconstantia.co.za
They will also be available at the door – cash
or Snapscan.
Lyn Regan, left, and seniors’ Christmas lunch
host, Sheila Glyn-Owen
Lovely lunch but (oops!)
someone left a ‘plate’ behind.....
From Riekie Barrett:
The seniors recently had a great time at their
annual Christmas lunch - so much so that
one of the seniors left their dentures there!
The lunch was hosted by Sheila Glyn-Owen
who usually has it at her Imhoff’s Gift home
but, in view of the roadworks, she arranged
to have it at her daughter and son-in-law’s
home in Bergvliet.
Later, when they were cleaning up, they
came across a set of upper dentures!
Fortunately we managed to track down the
owner of the dentures who gratefully re-
claimed them. It’s the first time that has
happened at any of the teas.
22 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G
Editor’s note: What’s Happening is pleased
the false teeth are back in their rightful place.
Meanwhile we will not reveal the identity of
the unfortunate senior involved but will
keep a stiff upper lip....
Also, we understand that rock buns will no
longer be served at the seniors’ teas....
McKyle Marco has his trade certificates; now
he’s keen to gain workplace experience.
McKyle ready to power up his
wiring career..............................
Servers at Christ Church Constantia have to
be quick learners and to keep up their
concentration. They are under the watchful
eye of dedicated head server Helen
Constantine who teaches newcomers the
“ropes” and insists on things being done
properly.
One of her charges is Mckyle Marco, a
member of the extensive Marco family
(father Phillip is a steward) who populate a
pew at 9.15 services.
McKyle is a tall young man who is often the
crucifier – the carrier of the church’s
processional cross – at services.
When not in his server’s robes McKyle has
devoted himself to his electrical engineering
studies at the Westlake campus of False Bay
College. He has completed CBMT level 1
and 2 and N1 – N3 in Electrical
Engineering.
“My passion for electrical engineering came
about in Grade 10 when I took Engineering
Graphics and Design as a subject,” says
McKyle.
“It taught us about wiring, installations of
household appliances as well as teaching
how to read floor plans and this sparked my
interest for the trade.”
Now he needs work experience and he is
seeking an electrical engineering internship.
If someone can give McKyle this career
opportunity they can contact him on
083 789 9371.
23 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G
A basket case.............................
The Checkers at the new Constantia
Emporium, on the corner of Ladies Mile
and Spaanschemat River Road, is a splendid
store but there is at least one drawback: it
does not have shopping baskets, only
trolleys.
So if you’re popping in for only one or two
items, you have to push a large trolley
around.
The alternative is to hold prospective
purchases in your hands/arms, which could
draw the attention of store security.
It doesn’t make sense, so What’s Happening
asked the store manager about it. They don’t
have baskets, he said, because many get
stolen and they cost R250 each.
Apparently some shoppers were in the habit
of putting a basket in the trolley, making
their purchases, heading out of the store
with trolley and basket – and the latter was
never seen again!
A sad reflection of our times....
Note: our church shop has no such
difficulty. No trolleys, no baskets; only
bargains and warm chat. – David Hill
(The shop reopens on Sunday January 12.)
From black to purple.................
Bishop Christopher Gregorowski told the
congregation at the First Sunday of Advent
service on December 1:
“I’m sure like me you’re glad that Black
Friday is done and dusted. Now we welcome
Purple Month.”
(Purple is normally Advent’s liturgical
colour, associated both with the sovereignty
of Christ and with penitence.)
Bishop Christopher’s sermon focused on
serving God or mammon (wealth/money).
You can’t serve both....
Matthew 6:24: “No one can serve two
masters, for either he will hate the one and
love the other, or he will be devoted to the
one and despise the other. You cannot serve
God and money.”
‘Duracell’
Saskia.....
At the same
9.15 service,
churchwarden
Saskia Emary
played the
piano (organist Jeremy Quickfall was ill),
read a lesson and announced the notices. “I
feel like a jack of all trades,” she told the
congregation.
Saskia also played the piano at the 11am
family service. In the afternoon, our all-
action warden was seated at a trestle table
outside the church selling tickets to
hundreds of concertgoers. Duracell indeed!
24 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G
The memorial bench is inscribed with: “Jack
Ince who loved mankind”.
A reminder of foul play
in Constantia..............................
There’s a sad but interesting story behind
the bench, pictured above, which you will
find in the church quadrangle, between the
kitchen door and the Youth Room.
Long-serving lay minister David Giles has
tried to piece together the tale for What’s
Happening.
Apparently, in the 1970s, Jack Ince and his
wife returned to their Rust en Vrede
Avenue, Constantia home in the evening
after playing bridge. At their gate they saw a
couple of men. The Inces went into the
house and then Jack walked down the
driveway to find out what the men wanted.
They killed him....
David cannot recall how Jack was murdered
but says Mrs Ince was also injured.
According to him, no-one was arrested and
the motive was unknown. Details are
sketchy. Perhaps other members of the
Christ Church community have more
information.
Jack Ince was the father of six children,
including twins.
DIARY
No healing service on Monday 6 January
Sunday 12 January The church shop re-opens
Sunday 2 February
Next concert: Alissa Margulis (violin) and Luis Magalhaes (piano)
BAPTISMS
Ava August, Ruby August, Jude Hangone,
Jemima Loubser, Amelia Louw, James
Louw, Annabelle Meier, Sienna Meier,
Miekela Moore, Olive Talbot
FUNERALS
Gill Durrant, Dr P J L Botha, Anthony
Malan, Robbi Scott, Stephen Helm
Christ Church Constantia Telephone 021-7945051
[email protected] www.christchurchconstantia.co.za