Best viewed at minimum 600px screen width (Rotate your device to landscape orientation)
Featured Advertiser
Visit our
Christian Business Directory
Now is the time to revive that spirit of ubuntu in SA
Church in the Community - Media Release in the Herald: 18th November 2024
Source: TCN / Sharon Nell
Date Added: 2024-11-19
Category: General News, TCN News, Issues - General, Issues - Social upliftment,
Date Added: 2024-11-19
Category: General News, TCN News, Issues - General, Issues - Social upliftment,
As a child, and still into my adulthood, I love reading, especially stories which have a message or teaching to them. One such story I share with you:
A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said, “Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like".
The Lord led the holy man to two doors. He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table.
In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water.
The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished.
They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it impossible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful.
Because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.
The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.
The Lord said, "you have seen Hell."
They went to the next room and opened the door.
It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water.
The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking.
The holy man said, "I don't understand."
It is simple" said the Lord, "it requires but one skill. You see, they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves."
This story made me stop. Stop and think.
During Covid it seemed as if humanity had changed our behaviour, putting the needs of others before our own. But as normality returned, old habits also returned.
Me, myself and I are the most important people in my life and to hell with the rest of them!
This is not only true for individuals but appears to be the mantra of some of our politicians as well.
“As long as I am ok, then let the others starve or as Mary Antoinette put it, if there is no bread, let them eat cake!”
The problem is, there is no cake either!!
The recent electricity crisis, the crisis in our government hospitals, the crisis happening in our schools and in the suburbs where we live, point to the attitude of “I don’t care”.
The understanding of Ubuntu has been forgotten as each one looks after themselves only.
The Church and people of God are called to be different – to look after the widows and the poor, clothe the naked and feed the hungry.
It was during Covid that the need was again brought to the fore regarding those who are hungry and a soup kitchen which operates from St Saviour’s church in Walmer went into full production, cooking and feeding six days a week.
This soup kitchen continues to operate, however only twice a week now due to the cost associated with the purchase of ingredients.
Perhaps there are churches or businesses which would like to come on board and sponsor a pot of soup a month – please make contact with me.
The Beatitudes as found in Luke 6, is an encouragement to Christians, no I say to all people, whatever your creed and beliefs, to appreciate that at an individual, social, community and national level we are called to action for justice and condemnation of inaction in the face of injustice.
We live in a beautiful city, with so much to offer, yet it would appear that instead of moving forward and upward, the citizens are starving – yes, we have the pot of stew, we have the spoons, but we appear to be too selfish to share and help each other.
Now is the time for us to stand together, people of all creeds and cultures, to take each other’s hands and make a difference – make a difference by showing and caring for each other, now is the time to dip into that pot of stew and feed each other.
Let’s make Gqeberha strong again!!
The Very Revd Sharon Nell
Dean of the Diocese of Port Elizabeth and
Rector of St Saviour’s Walmer and Zwartkops River Valley
A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said, “Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like".
The Lord led the holy man to two doors. He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in. In the middle of the room was a large round table.
In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water.
The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished.
They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it impossible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful.
Because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.
The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.
The Lord said, "you have seen Hell."
They went to the next room and opened the door.
It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water.
The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking.
The holy man said, "I don't understand."
It is simple" said the Lord, "it requires but one skill. You see, they have learned to feed each other, while the greedy think only of themselves."
This story made me stop. Stop and think.
During Covid it seemed as if humanity had changed our behaviour, putting the needs of others before our own. But as normality returned, old habits also returned.
Me, myself and I are the most important people in my life and to hell with the rest of them!
This is not only true for individuals but appears to be the mantra of some of our politicians as well.
“As long as I am ok, then let the others starve or as Mary Antoinette put it, if there is no bread, let them eat cake!”
The problem is, there is no cake either!!
The recent electricity crisis, the crisis in our government hospitals, the crisis happening in our schools and in the suburbs where we live, point to the attitude of “I don’t care”.
The understanding of Ubuntu has been forgotten as each one looks after themselves only.
The Church and people of God are called to be different – to look after the widows and the poor, clothe the naked and feed the hungry.
It was during Covid that the need was again brought to the fore regarding those who are hungry and a soup kitchen which operates from St Saviour’s church in Walmer went into full production, cooking and feeding six days a week.
This soup kitchen continues to operate, however only twice a week now due to the cost associated with the purchase of ingredients.
Perhaps there are churches or businesses which would like to come on board and sponsor a pot of soup a month – please make contact with me.
The Beatitudes as found in Luke 6, is an encouragement to Christians, no I say to all people, whatever your creed and beliefs, to appreciate that at an individual, social, community and national level we are called to action for justice and condemnation of inaction in the face of injustice.
We live in a beautiful city, with so much to offer, yet it would appear that instead of moving forward and upward, the citizens are starving – yes, we have the pot of stew, we have the spoons, but we appear to be too selfish to share and help each other.
Now is the time for us to stand together, people of all creeds and cultures, to take each other’s hands and make a difference – make a difference by showing and caring for each other, now is the time to dip into that pot of stew and feed each other.
Let’s make Gqeberha strong again!!
The Very Revd Sharon Nell
Dean of the Diocese of Port Elizabeth and
Rector of St Saviour’s Walmer and Zwartkops River Valley
Source: TCN / Sharon Nell
Date Added: 2024-11-19
Category: General News, TCN News, Issues - General, Issues - Social upliftment,
Back to News IndexDate Added: 2024-11-19
Category: General News, TCN News, Issues - General, Issues - Social upliftment,
_______________________________________________
Please read our disclaimer
This section of our site aims to keep you informed about news in the local church, and worldwide.
Please email us any items of interest.
Please email us any items of interest.
 |
| Christian News to strengthen God's people at www.gatewaynews.co.za News that is fresh, relevant, edifying and which glorifies Jesus! |
Worthy News is a website with a good selection of news articles from around the world in a number of categories, both Christian and secular. They also offer a free subsciption service to deliver daily news headlines to your email box. Click here to pay them a visit.