Blog
In a recent interview, author and Anglican bishop Tom Wright commented that the church does a very good job of preparing for Easter through the season of Lent. We fast (or give things up), we focus on the journey to the cross and we hold special services leading up to Easter.
Can you believe it's been a year since Andile and Ndu started their little coffee shop in our Supper Room? It's been a gift to our community here and as the resident barista, Andile has become part of the WMC family.
As we prepare to keep company with Jesus in Gethsemane, on Calvary and at the empty tomb in the coming days, I want to share with you a prayer (written by Rev John van der Laar) that we will pray together at the start of our Good Friday service:...
Thank you so much to team who produced our palm crosses for this year's Palm Sunday service! There was lots of learning and laughing going on in the WMC lower hall on Friday morning as these works of art were being produced :)
This week we had a memorial service to celebrate the life of Doff Ponsie. Doff and her husband Rob worshipped and served in this church for many years. In the tributes that were shared, one of the things that was repeatedly said about Doff was that she made people feel welcomed and seen.
On Thursday this week it took me three hours to get to the office on my morning commute (there were accidents on the M13 and Field's Hill was closed for a few hours, while hundreds of us sat in Durban's biggest parking lot ... waiting).
It really shouldn't matter that much who wins a cricket game, but this week a whole nation felt the sadness of the Proteas' World Cup loss to New Zealand in Kolkata. Full credit to our captain and coach though for their mature responses - they acknowledged their disappointment, paid tribute to their opponents, and promised to learn what they could from the experience and move forward.
I've been reflecting on something that was a focus in last Sunday's sermon - the idea that the church (understandably) treats sin as something that we need to condemn, judge and distance ourselves from. Unfortunately, in the process, we often end up treating sinners as people to be judged and pushed away (which creates a serious inner contradiction, given that we too are sinners!) Jesus, by contrast, doesn't keep his distance or judge - he responds with compassion to sinful, broken people and looks to heal rather than condemn.
Many of us have been using the Lectio 365 devotional app this week to accompany us on our journey through Lent this year (if you haven't yet, it is well worth installing so that you can join us).
This week WMC hosted a three day meeting of the MCSA's Young Men's Guild and welcomed some 150 YMG leaders from around our Connexion into our space. If you visited us during this time, you may have seen our halls and sanctuary beautifully set up for the meetings, and you may have been treated to some singing that just about literally lifted the roof!