AngCath

Sunday was our new YASCer’s (Cortney) first Sunday at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. George and Sarah’s last. Suzanne, of course, put them both on the spot and made them stand up for the congregation. Fr. Eric Kelley was the guest preacher/celebrant. His sermon was bewildering to me, some would say terrible. I say “some” though because I found out later that although there were some harsh reviews by the young American segment of the cathedral, some of the older long-timers liked it and since...

AngCath

Sunday morning was a “low Sunday” of sorts after the festive, yet tiring festival. It was a simple service without many of the frills associated with the Sunday worship at the cathedral. After the service, I had a nice conversation with one of the local academics who had some questions about the differences I’ve noticed between the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, particularly as it concerns the education of the laity. Before I knew it, we were talking about the discovery...

AngCath

Week 5 has been totally defined by the National Arts Festival. Sunday morning was the big Festival Eucharist at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. George. It was a high mass with incense and sung mass settings accented by the inVerse Choir from Johannesburg. The sermon was by Andrew Hunter, the dean, and he captured the mixed feelings being experienced by South Africans right now as they go through the cultural high of the festival at the same time as a political low with threats of “blood in...

AngCath

As I mentioned at the end of last week's post, a bunch of people had arrived. Well, the lot of us (Kellens, Steve D., Therese, myself) joined up with Sarah Jackson (one of the missionaries) and Matt (another missionary) and we all went to the 9:30 service Sunday morning. It was a fine service and after church and lunch, I spent much of the afternoon with a terrible headache. Don't worry though, Therese and I went with Steve D. and Steve Kellen to choral evensong. It was very beautiful. It takes...

AngCath

Last Sunday was a very exciting day. That morning, Therese and I did not go to the cathedral for worship. Dean Andrew, acting Vicar General had to go out to Berlin (a small town about 2 hours away) to St. Katharine’s 85th anniversary as a parish. Originally a white parish in a German settlement, St. Katharine’s has recently been revitalized as an all Xhosa parish and the entire service was out of the Xhosa version of An Anglican Prayer Book as were all the songs out of the Xhosa hymnal. Therese...

AngCath