what’s happe happening 1111 1 11 ning september 2017 · pdf fileafter many tears, fears...

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Volume 8, Issue 9 1111 1 11 September 2017 What’s @ happening Our man in China.......................... Look who’s enjoying one of the seven wonders of the world. What’s Happening managed to shanghai our music maestro, Jeremy Quickfall, into sharing his (and partner Shaun’s) experiences on a recent trip to China. Over to the Orient with Jeremy... For those of you who do not know this, Shaun and I are both educators at the same school, Groote Schuur High. Shaun works in the languages department and I am part of the Arts and Culture team. Both of us were sent to China during the July holidays. I took seven learners to summer camp in Beijing, and Shaun went on a teacher

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Volume 8, Issue 9 1111 1 11

September 2017

What’s HAPPENING

@ happening

Our man in China..........................

Look who’s enjoying one of the seven wonders of the world. What’s Happening managed to shanghai our music maestro, Jeremy Quickfall, into sharing his (and partner Shaun’s) experiences on a recent trip to China. Over to the Orient with Jeremy...

For those of you who do not know this,

Shaun and I are both educators at the same

school, Groote Schuur High. Shaun works

in the languages department and I am part

of the Arts and Culture team. Both of us

were sent to China during the July holidays.

I took seven learners to summer camp in

Beijing, and Shaun went on a teacher

2 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G

exchange programme in Shanghai and

Quzhou. We did not see each other at all

while we were there.

Getting permission to go to China was quite

a task. None of the seven children who I

took had travelled before, so they all needed

to get passports and unabridged birth

certificates. Passports are easy, but

unabridged birth certificates….

To apply for your Chinese visa (as a minor)

you need an unabridged birth certificate (or

a letter in lieu), booked flights and an

itinerary, an invitation from a Chinese

person and proof of where you will be

staying.

The Home Affairs office at Wynberg flatly

refused to give us letters in lieu of the birth

certificates. Langa and Cape Town offices

were very accommodating, but not

Wynberg. After many tears, fears and

emotional mothers, we managed to get the

visas one day before we departed, and the

letters on the morning of our flight! Home

Affairs....

It is so much fun flying with seven children

who have never been on an international

flight before – four of them had never

flown. Loud comments like: “Yor, I got a

TV,” “Sir, why is this flight so long?”,

“What’s this?” (when they saw their food)

and “Yor, this food is junk!”

Seeing their fear when we took off and

landed, and their exclamations when we hit

some turbulence, made the flight quite an

enchanting experience (for myself and the

other passengers).

When we got to Beijing, we were exhausted.

We arrived two days earlier than we were

meant to, and we all slept for those two

days.

On the first morning of our camp, we were

given a schedule that said “Summer School”.

School? We signed up for camp!

Our days

started at 9am

with a 3-hour

practice

session

(unsupervised

but we had to

sign in and

out), lunch

was from 12

to 1. Between

1 and 5.30pm we had four lectures. From

5.30 to 6.30pm it was supper time, followed

by a 3-hour practical music lesson. The

reason we had six hours daily with our

instruments was because we were all

required to learn to play a traditional

Chinese instrument. I learned to play the

Chinese guitar (pictured).

After one week of an impossible

programme, I officially complained. I had

spoken to the other teachers about talking to

the hosts. Everybody agreed that we would

go together. When the time came to

complain, Mr Quickfall stood there

completely alone.

I told the lady in charge that my children

were desperately unhappy, and that they

wanted to go home. They told me that there

was nothing they could do, the programme

3 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G

could not be altered. I told the children, and

we had a little venting session together.

One day later they presented us with a new

programme – one with many more cultural

visits and “free time” (not a term you hear

often in China).

We saw some beautiful places, but the

highlight was most definitely the Great Wall

of China. If you have not been to the Great

Wall, be warned that it is not for the faint-

hearted. The steps are narrow, and they are

all different heights – not slightly different,

but hugely different.

When I climbed up (it literally is a climb;

some people were going up on all fours)

there were children crying as they were

coming down. Their parents were soothing

them, but the little boys never stopped

crying. I did not understand why they were

crying, and why their parents were not

carrying their obviously distressed children.

When I descended, I understood why.

Coming down is very scary. The incline is so

steep that it feels at times that you will

stumble and end up rolling down the stairs. I

also realised that carrying a child down

would be impossible. The unpredictability of

the stairs and the steep incline would make it

too dangerous.

The weather was horrible.. Our coolest day

was 35°C, and Beijing is very humid. You

cannot see the sky on most days (because of

the pollution) and it rains at random.

Food was included in our package, so we

had local food at every meal. We went to the

hotel’s breakfast buffet every morning,

where they served blue boiled eggs,

dumplings, salad, noodles, rice, cake, soup

and watermelon.

No coffee! Coffee was quite difficult to find

and very expensive when we found it. At

lunch and dinner, we also had a buffet. The

protein was very interesting at times –

chicken feet, pig ears, “duck guts” (that was

what they called it), quail eggs….

Our training ended on a high, with a

concert. Seven hundred local people

attended. We all played our Chinese

instruments and I got to play some piano as

well.

Shaun wields chopsticks sharing local cuisine.

Shaun went on a very different trip. He was

not responsible for caring for any children.

They were taught basic Mandarin in a

Chinese cultural context.

Shaun only had a three-hour workday, and

the rest of the time they were taken on

excursions and cultural visits. They spent

their two weeks in different cities (where

coffee was freely available) and did activities

4 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G

like attending a traditional tea-making

ceremony, ceramic pottery class and

traditional fabric painting.

Shaun finds that public transport in China can

get a little crowded.

They also visited very interesting places like

a root-carving museum, the Ancient Water

Town, a Confucius museum and a number

of ancient Buddhist temples.

However, Shaun has not climbed the Great

Wall of China…..

On a completely unrelated note: the Wizard

Of Oz opens at Artscape this month. I have

been cast as The Cowardly Lion. If you

would like to see me strut my stuff on stage,

book at Computicket.

However, there are two casts. My performance dates are: September 17 at 2pm and 7pm; September 22, 27, 28, 30 at 7.30pm; October 3, 7pm; October 4, 7.30pm; October 7 and 8 at 2pm. We continue to hold loved ones

in our prayers.............................

From our Rector and Archdeacon of

Constantia, the Ven Terry Lester

Dear Christ Church Community,

We have been coming to terms with the

death of a number of our faithful regulars as

well as those who are now no longer able to

be in attendance as regularly as they used to

through illness or incapacitation.

We continue to hold loved ones in our love

and prayers through their many challenges.

On Monday September 25, a public holiday,

the Constantia Heritage and Education

Programme will hold another of their

Heritage Day events. We meet at Alphen

Common at 10am for a walk up

Brommersvlei Road into Southern Cross

Drive, stopping along the way and laying

flowers in the Parish Road cemetery.

The event will end with a family fun day at

Christ Church. I hope many from the

community will be able to attend.

I shall be away on leave from September 4

till the 17th, in Zimbabwe. It is 51 years

since I was last there visiting family in

5 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G

Mutare. My father’s eldest sister married a

Zimbabwean man and they lived in Elsies

River in a place called “Malawi Camp”.

In 1960 the Manangwa family were told they

had to move to Langa township. The family

decided instead to return to Uncle Ernest’s

home in Umtali. My grandmother is buried

there as she died while on a visit to Amy, her

daughter. I shall be visiting her grave for the

first time.

Starting on Wednesday September 20 at

7.30pm we shall be running a course on

“Aspects of being Anglican and faith in our

time”. The course will look at Celtic

spirituality, the role of the permanent

Diaconate as well as past and current voices,

like Dietrich Bonhoeffer and others, whose

lives witnessed to the Living God in times of

turmoil and challenge. More details will be

published soon.

Every blessing, Terry

“A Quiet Morning or Afternoon” will be

led by Penny Day on Saturday

November 11 (9.30am – noon or 2pm –

4.30pm) at Christ Church Constantia.

The theme: Why be quiet?

Full details will appear in the October

edition of What’s Happening.

Each parish councillor has a portfolio.

Riekie Barrett has responsibility for

fellowship. She also organises the

seniors’ tea group.

Lots of ideas for fun-filled

events………..............................

My mission is to build fellowship within our

parish and hopefully attract more people to

our church by introducing events with a fun

element.

Forthcoming events include:

Sunday September 17 – Concert by Country

& Western group “Fintry”, a unique sibling

band consisting of Caroline, Julie and Jonny

Blundell, with gifted violinist Rayelle

Goodman. They will perform acoustically

driven (mostly original) songs with folk,

blues, African, Celtic and country influences,

close harmonies and beautiful intricate

guitar-picking.

The Blundells grew up making music

together, led by their father Keith. They

6 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G

have performed widely at music festivals,

live venues, on TV and radio.

The concert starts at 3pm, at Christ Church

Constantia. Tickets R100, booking through

Quicket. Refreshments will be on sale.

Friday October 6 - Family Barn Dance with

a “caller” and lively music.

Friday November 10 – Poppy Day Sing-

Along Evening. Tickets will include dinner.

Music by Bob Mowday on sax and Alan van

der Merwe on piano. Profits to the SA

Legion Poppy Day Fund.

Sunday November 26 – Patronal Fest –

Breakfast and delicious treats served.

December – Carols by Candlelight picnic on

the lawn. Boerie rolls, mince pies, tea and

coffee on sale.

Ideas suggested so far for 2018 include:

games/quiz evenings; cocktail social

evenings; tea parties/lunches with guest

speakers ; family picnics/cycle rides;

mountain hikes; disco evenings; jazz concert;

variety concert, featuring our parishioners.

Further ideas will be welcome.

James 1:2-4

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet

trials of various kinds, for you know that the

testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

And let steadfastness have its full effect, that

you may be perfect and complete, lacking in

nothing.

Parish councillor Tracey Appollis has

special responsibility for the church’s

Outreach programme. She shares her

objectives:

Supporting the care of

vulnerable children……….........

The main objective of the Outreach Team is

to support the education and care of

children living in impoverished conditions

within our diocese. The team works in five

broad areas of support:

Church-based programmes – providing

pastoral care and support, and donations to

St Simon’s Anglican Hout Bay and Westlake

United Church Trust.

Community-based programmes –

educational support for libraries, ECD

centres, and primary school-based

organisations in Vrygrond, Retreat,

Steenberg, and Westlake.

Child caring centres – financial and pastoral

care and support for organisations that care

for OVCs (orphaned and vulnerable

7 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G

children) and children with special needs in

Elfindale, Crawford, and Lansdowne.

Feeding schemes – donations and spiritual

support to people in need. Donations of

food and clothing are distributed to various

regions of Cape Town through a number of

partner organisations.

Transforming lives – pastoral and spiritual

support and professional mentoring.

Additionally, we run seasonal appeals that

feed into the five broad areas of support:

Harvest Festival; Jersey & Blanket Sunday;

Christmas Hampers.

The Christ Church Constantia Outreach

team 2017/8 committee: Rob Smith, Jill

Buchanan, Dot Pink, Judith Smuts, Arthur

Clarke, Tracey Appollis and Roger Steward.

Shop helps to fund Outreach.....

Parish councillor (and warden) Grant

McWilliams has

responsibility for

the church shop

and books. He

writes:

The shop, which is

run by Bob and Rosemary Summers, really

feeds the Outreach programme.

The shop (books and bric-a-brac) is my

portfolio but there is really only one

objective: to achieve the budgeted income

which then drives many of the Outreach

initiatives.

As Tracey Appollis looks after the Outreach

portfolio, the objectives of Outreach are the

final objectives of the shop. Therefore

Tracey’s portfolio is really Outreach and the

shop with the shop being one of the

methods of raising income for her Outreach

programmes.

MORNING MARKET

The sun is rising on a golden

opportunity to help, enjoy and

have fun......................................

The Morning Market will take place in the

grounds of Christ Church Constantia on

Saturday October 28 from 8.30am to 1pm. How

can you help? Co-ordinator Axel Wallander sets

out his stall...

The end of October seems a long way off

but, to have a successful event, planning has

to start well in advance.

In fact it started months ago when the

Morning Market co-ordinator put together a

plan which includes many stalls and activities

ensuring that the morning will be filled with

many opportunities to spend your money

and to enjoy breakfast and fun for young

and old.

8 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G

It is a golden opportunity for worshippers

from all four services to meet and enjoy

traditional parish fellowship together.

Finding volunteers to convene stalls was

not difficult but assistance in manning the

stalls is still needed and if you would like to

help, please contact the stall-holder.

Paddy McPherson (021- 761 7515) and

Moses Jaftha (073 203 1912) will be running

the Garden Centre offering plants, seedlings,

bulbs, trees, shrubs, cut flowers and fresh

produce. Now is the time to start taking

cuttings or planting seeds, dividing shrubs

and bulbs. We also need empty plastic plant

pots of all sizes, which will be offered to

parishioners wishing to fill them.

Ruth Seipp (021-701 9100) is calling for

donations of cakes, cookies, biscuits, loaves;

also confectionery, jams and preserves. Cake

boxes will be provided nearer the time.

Bring the family and friends to enjoy

breakfast, which will include bacon and egg

rolls prepared by Grant and Sandy

McWilliams (021-794 2648) or hot dogs and

boerewors rolls, skilfully barbequed by

David Daniels.

The “elephant in the room”, Mike Barrett

(021-794 1136), has already been calling for

domestic items no longer being used, to

stock up the White Elephant stall. Items may

include electrical appliances, garden

equipment, camping and sport equipment,

small household furniture, toys and games,

musical instruments, artificial Christmas

trees and decorations.... Please ensure goods

are in working order and saleable condition.

Libby Nelson (021-705 3125) and her team

will welcome you to the Tea Garden for

beverages and a variety of small cakes,

cookies and scones. Plan to bake or make

them nearer the time. Enjoy under the

umbrellas in the grassed quadrangle or inside

the hall. Helpers are needed.

The Book Stall will be convened by Norma

Read (021-674 4326) and her team. Book

shelves bulging at home? Send them our

way. Books will be sold in the hall.

A huge treasure island is being organised by

Ruby Klazen. It is being prepared and will

be manned by the youth leaders, Kyle (061

743 8865) and Bianca and run by the youth.

Buy your ticket on the day, pin it on the

island where you think the treasure may be

hidden, and win one of many prizes, if you

are spot on or closest. To donate a prize of

any sort, please contact the convenor.

The cash office will be run by the parish

treasury (Saskia Emary 082 493 5445).

The gate, parking and security will be

organised by Gary and Jill Buchanan (021-

794 3637). Volunteers are required to assist

in one-hour shifts. Entrance will be by

voluntary donation. Lucky numbers will be

issued for a draw with prizes.

The shop will be open during the market.

Bob and Rosemary Summers (021-712 8560)

are calling for donations of unwanted items.

All Morning Market proceeds will be in

aid of parish projects.

We are calling for the support of all

parishioners, family and friends by starting

9 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G

to prepare and promote the Morning Market

to make it a bumper success.

(Axel can be contacted on 021-712 8423 or

[email protected])

Words of inspiration from Adin Harmer,

Princess Christian Home, Tokai: “They

who fall into the sea of God’s mercy will

never drown.”

Concerts x 2

Quarrymen here on Sunday.......

The 30-strong male voice choir, the

Quarrymen, are coming to perform at Christ

Church Constantia this Sunday (September

3). Their family-friendly variety show will

include barbershop singers, award-winning

young violinist Jordan Brooks, Irish harpist

Christy-Lyn Marais and the Dixie Singers.

Their repertoire includes “Battle Hymn of

the Republic”, “Bring Him Home”,

“Bawo”, “I Believe”, “Kalinka” and “Do

You Hear the People Sing”.

The concert begins at 3pm. Tickets are

R100. Book through Anne Burrough on 082

218 0100 or by writing to

[email protected].

Payment can be made at the door (cash or

snapscan); no later than 2.45pm please.

The Hungarian Trio, from left, Gabor Jeney,

Nerina von Meyer and Donat Pellei.

Romantic rhapsody coming to

Christ Church............................

Benjamin Britten was introduced to two

teenage Hungarian brothers, Gabor and

Zoltan Jeney, in Budapest on a rare trip

behind the Iron Curtain in 1964. Both boys

were proficient on two instruments.

The composer wrote The Gemini Variations

for them, arranged that they travel to the

Aldeburgh Festival for its first performance,

and was instrumental in subsequently

helping them to emigrate to the West.

Gabor settled in South Africa and, after

playing in the CTSO for 16 years, started the

Hungarian Trio, now much in demand at

weddings and functions.

At 3pm on Sunday October 1, at Christ

Church Constantia, the Hungarian Trio will

present a programme of music from

Hungary, Old Vienna and Eastern Europe.

The trio, comprising flute (Nerina von

Meyer), violin (Gabor) and double-bass

(Donat Pellei), have played together since

1991, when all three were principals in the

Cape Town Symphony Orchestra. They

10 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G

bring a spontaneous joie de vivre and

romantic, beautiful sound.

The programme includes Liszt’s Hungarian

Rhapsody No.2, the romantic Dreams,

Dreams (Kalman), Rumanian Dances

(Bartol), Vienna City of My Dreams

(Szyieczynski), and Blue Danube Waltz

(Johann Strauss).

In the second half, the trio will be joined by

pianist Sue Paterson-Jones. They will play

Alfred Knumann’s magnificent and seldom-

heard salon orchestra arrangements of the

folk music of Hungary, Rumania and Russia.

Tickets are R100. Book through Anne

Burrough on 082 218 0100 or write to

[email protected]

Payment can be made at the door (cash or

snapscan);no later than 2.45pm please.

What’s Happening Postbox

The happiness we can give to others........................................ From Paddy McPherson:

Thought you might like this saying from the

book “Wine and War”:

“In my meditations I find that nothing in life

counts more than the happiness we can give

to others, the good we can do. This is what

we must teach our children – to think of

others more than they think of themselves,

for it is in this way that we will find the most

noble satisfaction of all” – Robert Drouhin,

French winemaker, while imprisoned by the

Gestapo.

A very satisfying concert............

From Matthew Reid, organiser of Christ Church Concerts:

The Virginia Davids Studio concert on

August 6 was highly successful; thank you

Axel, Saskia, Anne, Jean and David for your

efforts!

The preview article appeared happily in the

Constantia Bulletin, a respectable number of

people came, the singers did a great job, the

audience was happy, the presents and

programme were lovely, the piano and

church were organised efficiently by Rob

and Saskia and their team, everyone got their

drinks outside, we got a good number of

new folk joining the database...all in all a

very satisfying concert.

De-clutter for the shop.............. From Rosemary and Bob Summers:

We are always looking for donations for our

shop. Without our congregation’s support

we would be at a loss.

Books, every knick-knack, crockery, cutlery,

old pictures, ornaments, shoes, old bags and

toys - anything you would like to get rid of

and which is cluttering up your home. Please

think of the shop; all your excess clutter

could be income for community outreach.

11 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G

Surprise 90th celebration for

Daphne.......................................

Jessie Lund cuts the surprise 90th birthday cake

while Daphne Allsop stirs her cuppa.

Daphne Allsop had quite a surprise after

attending eucharist at Christ Church on

Wednesday morning August 2 – the day of

her 90th birthday.

After the 10am service there was a special

celebration awaiting her in the parish hall,

complete with an impressive birthday cake.

“I had just arrived back from four days

holiday with my family in Franschhoek,

including grandchildren and great-

grandchildren,” she told What’s Happening.

“I was very surprised to see that cake; I

couldn’t believe it. It was so nice.”

So Daphne had tea and cake with her

Wednesday worship friends – and a bonus

was a warm hug from Father Terry who

popped in and enjoyed showing off his

pretty little granddaughter.

Daphne has been attending Christ Church

since the 1980s, a regular at the 7.30 service

in earlier years and now she’s at Anchusa

Court in Meadowridge she gets a lift to the

church on Wednesdays.

- David Hill

Father Terry was there with a happy hug for

Daphne. He also brought his granddaughter,

Frances, into the hall. The sweet little one was

rather pleased to sample a birthday biscuit.

12 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G

A lack of convenience on a visit

to the UK....................................

Our parish secretary, Jean Catchpole, has just

returned from a visit to the UK. She found some

places were less than flush with facilities...

This comment from the comedian Bob

Hope came to mind when I attended a

village church in Devon recently: “My

mother always taught me to go before I

went”.

That’s because there were no toilets attached

to the church. Thankfully I was staying in

the nearby rectory but the nearest facilities

were at the village hall about 100 yards away.

Cups used for tea after the service were

taken home to be washed! No wonder Jo

Burke enthused about the facilities here at

Christ Church.

A cathedral-like church I attended in a small

town had a mere two toilets squashed away

off the kitchen area, also a luxury in old

churches. The accompanying photo depicts

what’s available for children.

Last but not least was a visit to another

church in a modern building. As I closed the

toilet door behind me I stopped short on

reading the notice behind the door: “This

toilet is twinned with a latrine in Nepal”.

Living without a toilet is all too familiar in

Africa and not too far from home either.

Read all about this venture at

www.toilettwinning.org

Kneeling at the

communion rail one

has a close-up view

of the feet and

footwear of those

administering the

sacrament. These

range from open

shoes revealing

brightly painted red

toenails, to

comfortable tackies.

One couldn’t help noticing the shiny black

pointed shoes worn recently by our assistant

priest, the Rev Mkhuseli Lujabe. In my day

they were called “winkle-pickers”. I bought a

brown pair as a teenager in the ’60s with

money I earned from tips in my father’s

restaurant. I thought they were trendy but

my mother had other ideas. “You’re not

going out in those dreadful shoes,” she

decreed. “I’d like to burn them.” - Editor

Do you have news for What’s

Happening? Contact editor David Hill

on 021-7945387 or 060 783 1665 or email

[email protected]

13 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G

Now

Kirsten

wins

provincial

recognition

Kirsten

Roodman has

recently received

the following

email message:

“Congratulations

on being chosen

to represent

Western

Province Athletics at the SA Cross Country

Championships taking place in

Potchefstroom on Saturday September 9.”

So our teenage 9.15 server goes from

strength to strength...

Following her unexpected age category win

at this year’s Two Oceans Half Marathon

(21.1km) and the Don Locke Memorial Race

(8km), Kirsten has made it onto the Western

Province Athletics radar! They sponsored

her in the Total Sports 10km Women’s Day

Run for Life where she came second in her

category.

In between these road races, she has been

representing VOB Running Club in the

cross country league season (6km) claiming

five 2nd places and two firsts and ending

with the Western Province Cross Country

Champs where she gained a podium silver

medal. Now she will represent WP in the

nationals in Potch.

Kirsten will be up against the fastest runners

in the country and the high altitude but she

is training hard, hoping to peak at the right

time and get a top-20 position.

Meanwhile she’s not one to take anything

for granted. She also works at a restaurant at

weekends (Friday night until 4am (late shift)

and Saturday night until 2am (early shift!) to

earn money to pay for a gym membership.

Balancing her work, varsity, training, rest

and race schedule together with her church-

serving duties has become tricky.

This is Kirsten’s last season as a junior

runner so she plans to move to under-23

triathlons – hence the need for the gym

membership.

(Paid Advertisement)

PHYSICAL SCIENCE TUTOR &

PSYCHOLOGY STATISTICS

Syllabus work & Exam Preparation

All Grades and Abilities - Located in Tokai

Tel David: 083 6921669 (after 3 p.m.)

e-mail: [email protected]

What’s Happening is now accepting paid-

for advertising (see above) as a service to

parishioners and their families. To

advertise in our monthly newsletter,

contact David Hill on [email protected]

14 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G

Pictures: Mkhuseli Lujabe

Terry welcomes the schoolchildren......

Passing the apple isn’t easy....

A chance to relax in the church grounds....

Primary party time was

just magic.........................

The church hall was alive to the sound of 40

Grade 4 learners from Constantia Primary

enjoying the 9th annual party organised by

the Fellowship Committee, on Friday

August 4.

After rector Terry Lester welcomed the

learners, assistant priest Mkhuseli Lujabe

played games, including Simon Says, Egg

and Spoon and a relay with an apple under

the chin – the transfer of which to the next

learner caused great hilarity.

Sheila Thompson played a couple more

games followed by a “say after me” action

song.

Party boxes were handed out and, as

happens every year, all the children eat a

small amount, write their names on the

boxes and take the rest home to share with

their siblings.

Regardt the magician entertained the

children with a wonderful show – oohs and

aahs from everyone – and even the adults

could not work out how the magic was

done!

At the end of the morning chocolates were

handed out as the learners walked back to

school after a morning which gives so much

pleasure to everyone involved. – Fellowship

Committee

15 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G

Morning has broken.....

Morning has broken, like the first morning

Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird

Praise for the singing, praise for the morning

Praise for the springing fresh from the word

Sweet the rain’s new fall, sunlit from heaven

Like the first dewfall, on the first grass

Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden

Sprung in completeness where his feet pass

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning

Born of the one light, Eden saw play

Praise with elation, praise every morning

God’s re-creation of the new day.

Giving thanks for each day........

A stunning photo and lovely words of

inspiration, although olive hrush – or even

hadedah – might be more appropriate than

blackbird, in our neck of the woods.

However, we can certainly relate to he

“praise for the sweetness of the wet garden”.

The hymn originally appeared in the second

edition of Songs of Praise (published in

1931). There was need for a hymn to give

thanks for each day so English poet and

children’s author Eleanor Farjeon was asked

to compose a poem to fit the lovely Scottish

tune “Bunessan”.

“Morning Has Broken” was a hit song in the

16 | P a g e W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G

1970s. It was sung by Cat Stevens who

copied the lyrics from a hymn book he

found in a London bookstore. He later

converted to Islam and adopted the name

Yusuf Islam. It was his second name change

because he was born Steven Demetre

Georgiou.

He has received two honorary doctorates

and awards for promoting peace.

Yusuf Islam,

pictured, will

appear at

Kirstenbsoch as

part of the

summer

concert series,

on November 11 and 12.

Both shows are sold out – at R850 a ticket!

It goes to show what good value our

monthly Christ Church concerts are at R100

a time.

Christ Church Constantia Telephone 021 794 50 51 [email protected]

www.christchurchconstantia.co.za

DIARY

Sunday 3 September 3pm

Concert – The Quarrymen

Monday 4 September 7pm

Healing service

Tuesday 5 September 8.30am

Clothes sorting

Wednesday 6 September 10.30am

Seniors’ Tea at 26 Alphenvale

Friday 15 September 5pm

Junior Youth Social

Saturday 16 September16 10am

Baptism preparation classes start

Sunday 17 September 3pm

Fintry Concert (not part of Christ

Church Concerts)

Wednesday 20 September 7.30pm

Start of 4 part Spirituality course

Monday 25 September

Heritage Day Walk in Constantia

Sunday 1 October 3pm

Concert – The Hungarian Trio