The weekend just gone - with pictures.

In the midst of the euphoria of getting the Confirmation complete, I forgot to mention that the Bishop was in the parish for the whole weekend. He visits every one of the 25 parishes once a year for a whole weekend, beginning on Friday and finishing on Sunday with Confirmations. In the far flung parts of the Diocese that entails being away from home, but Jouberton is just up the road from home.

 

So on Friday afternoon he visited five families in the parish, in different areas and in different styles of housing. The original plan was to take him only to better off families, but I insisted that it should be a mixture. He is Bishop to everyone, and spent a number of years as priest in a township, so knows all too well the conditions people live in. The Churchwarden accompanied him on those visits, as the elderly people speak only Setswana, and  don't know my way around a very complex area.

 

A blind lady arriving in her traditional
 Bedi costume, a short dress over a
long skirt

The stirring implement is a long spoon,
they also use a long fork -
it is hard work!

On Saturday, the elderly were brought to church for 'short' service and lunch. Not as many as we'd hoped for turned up, and one 95 year old was already there when I turned up at 10.15 for the 11.30 service. Lunch was already being cooked in the traditional way, and the ground raked to get rid of the rubbish and make the area tidy. The 'short' service lasted just over an hour and included a 10 minute sermon.

 

By 14.00 everyone had gone, but the Confirmation Candidates were due to be there for the final preparation session.  +Steve wanted to talk to them, and he kept going for over an hour while they turned up in dribs and drabs. After he'd gone we had our Penitential Service - in place of individual confessions - and just as we finished the last 5 arrived at 15.45. I let everyone else go and then told the 5 that they had missed the Bishop's talk, and the Service, and without being at the latter they could not be confirmed (a Diocesan requirement).  Having talked about responsibility and priorities, I did the Service again. I talked about forgiveness and putting things behind us  - and then told them they would be Confirmed. The smiles and look of relief on their faces was a joy!

 

Then of course it was Sunday and the Confirmation - see previous blog. I've been trying to post a video here of the collection being taken, so far with no success. I'll try to put it on the right hand side of the page near Clare doing her flying act! It's a bit hazy - but that is all the incense!