News from The College of the Transfiguration in Grahamstown 2014 at the College of the Transfiguration (COTT) in Grahamstown presents a new beginning for many students and a continuation to new heights for others. Amongst the continuing traditions of the college is a week set aside for Students Interest Matters (SIM-week). This is a week set aside for students to engage with issues that matter to them. This year’s committee sank their teeth into the task of coming up with a theme and also getting input from students. What emerged was a brilliant and stimulating week-long programme. The theme for this year was: Road Map to Ministry. The introductory prayer to morning and evening offices best captures how the whole of SIM week rolled out. “We have come together as the family of God in our Fathers presence to offer him praise and thanksgiving, to hear and receive his holy word, to bring before him the needs of the world, to ask his forgiveness of our sins, and to seek his grace, that through his Son Jesus Christ we may give ourselves to his service” (APB, 1989:42).This was further emphasised in Revd Frank England’s sermon at the opening Eucharistic service of the SIM week. “This theme envisages a journey. It will be an imaginative journey – an endeavour to generate the constituent factors and features that will equip you adequately for ministry.” He drew attention to the importance of the discipline of daily Morning and Evening Prayer as the territory in which our ministry begins and to which we return daily. What followed were workshops and addresses from different people who shared what they have experienced in ministry as giving. SIM week was opened by the rector Prof. Barney Pityana who made us aware that our SIM week theme could have been “A road map to ministry and beyond”. He also emphasised that if we treat human dignity as a signpost we are on the road to a quality ministry. There were sessions on time management and conflict resolution which were facilitated by Revd Margaret Fourie. She highlighted the importance of taking a day off as time to rest and indicated that this is also time to spend with family. She added that the love shared with spouses and children should be protected and displayed to the congregation. In dealing with conflict we learnt that it is important to listen to both sides of the story and to ensure that resolutions are reached after prayerful consideration. Part of this session included practical exercises on how to listen actively. Psychologist Phia van Tonder, addressed us highlighting the importance of taking care of oneself in ministry to avoid burnout. She also indicated the importance of self-evaluation and knowing yourself, both your strengths and weaknesses. Therefore visiting a psychologist could help one to get to know themselves better. Revd Duncan Mbonyane presented a session on leadership within ministry and indicated that people should never take for granted that God called each one of us, and that it is our task to nurture that call. Revd Duncan highlighted the importance of having confidence in ministry and not feeling intimidated by someone more skilled next to us. We visited the Grahamstown military base and this highlighted another aspect of ministry: chaplaincy in the military. Chaplain Ngesi spoke to us on team building. He used Jesus’ disciples as a model of a diverse team working together. They found their unity in Jesus who called each one by name, just as each one of us is called. The final day of SIM week included outreach initiative to different institutions that take care of orphans and vulnerable children around the Grahamstown area. The students donated generously towards a goody bag. The outreach to the children is ministry in action and it was a concerted effort of the whole student body of the COTT. It received a positive response from the institutions who would like to maintain their relationship with COTT. “Diakonia” in the New Testament is a central idea which is used to refer to the general duty to love and care for our neighbours, the ministry of care and support within the Church and also the apostolic work of leadership and nurture within the Church. As the roadmap to ministry has been laid out and sign posts and pitfalls identified, service will always be the thread that binds. Indeed for new beginnings and continuation to new heights we are all called to serve here at the College of the Transfiguration and beyond. Written by Lindiwe Mdhluli, Petronella Edwards and Rakgadi Khobo
Posted on: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 02:20:57 +0000
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