New ecumenical agency October 2008

There is one for each of the five regions: the Diakonia Council of Churches in Durban, Pacsa in Pietermaritzburg, the Thukela Amajuba Mzinyathi Christian Council (TAMCC) in Ladysmith, the new South Coast Regional Christian Council in Port Shepstone still coming into existence and now the KwaZulu Regional Christian Council (KRCC) in Eshowe. Such regional councils do not exist in any other part of South Africa. In September the KRCC became a fully fl edged independent ecumenical agency with the daunting task of serving the largest and one of the poorest regions of the province, stretching right up to the Mozambique border. The celebration of independence will mark the culmination of 11 years of the KRCC's existence and a careful process of preparing for independence carried out by the mother body, the KwaZulu Natal Christian Council (KZNCC), over the last four years. During these years the KZNCC has trained the KRCC in good governance and fundraising, and strengthened its programmes in democracy, HIV and AIDS, economic empowerment, gender justice, and healing and reconciliation. Independence means that the KRCC will develop its work according to local needs, raise its own funds, hire and supervise its own staff - and above all, be fully owned and directed by the local churches. This is a signifi cant exercise in decentralising and democratising control and decision making.

Other Stories in this edition:

Meeting of Bishops
A regular meeting of the Synod of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa in Gauteng reviewed the ongoing mission, ministry and witness of the Church and some of the challenges of the context in which we live.

"Friendly Critics"
Some points on the role of the Church from Archbishop Thabo's latest encyclical letter

Bishop Beetge R.I.P.
The Right Revd David Beetge, Bishop of the Highveld, has died at the age of 69 after a long battle with lymphoma for which he had been undergoing chemotherapy.

New Dean at St. Paul's Durban
Archdeacon Ndabazinhle Sibisi, the current Rector of St. Paul's Durban has been appointed to succeed the Very Reverend Fred Pitout as the new Dean of the Cathedral and senior priest of the Diocese Ordained in 1979 he has served in the parishes of Newcastle, Wentworth, Inanda, Umhlali and fi nally St Paul's, Durban which has many points of similarity with that of the Cathedral.

New ecumenical agency
KwaZulu Natal has more ecumenical/inter church agencies than any of South Africa's other eight provinces.

Biblical Garden at St John's School
Inspired by a visit to a churchyard in the Karoo, St John's matric student Sarah Horner has single-handedly created a similar 'Biblical Garden' in a patch of bare earth alongside the school chapel where she is this year's senior Sacristan.

The Diocesan Companion Link
Moses Thabethe Writes:As Link Officer, I was invited by the bishop of Southwell and Nottingham, George Cassidy, for a month long visit to the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham in the UK.

Letter to the Editor
Dextor Soni Writes

Underberg tragedy
Near the conclusion of the Sunday Eucharist in Himeville a clearly distraught parishioner hopped over the altar rail into the sanctuary and approached the priest (who is also a highlt trained paramedic) telling him of the collapse of a tent at the Underberg Farmers' show.

New area of pastoral ministry for Dean Fred Pitout
Dean Fred Pitout, who retires from the Cathedral at the end of the year, has decided after much prayer and consultation to move into a different area of ministry by taking up a post at Michaelhouse as Secretary to the Old Boys' Association and Community Partnerships Manager This will include, as a non-stipendiary priest, involvement in the school's programmes of social action for boys and staff such as AIDS Hospice in Lidgetton, Sunfi eld Home in Howick and Asithithuke School near Nottingham Road, as well as seeking and developing new partnerships and programmes in underprivileged and under-resourced communities.