Underberg tragedyNear 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.Leaving the lay minister to take care of the remainder of the service, Fr Paul Mosdell sensed that people needed him there not so much for spiritual support, but in his capacity as an Advanced Life Support Paramedic when they were unable to raise a Doctor to assist, and with the ambulance crew on scene being insuffi ciently qualifi ed to do advanced interventions necessary for critical patients. Arriving at the scene, some 10 minutes later, he was confronted by chaos. The main show marquee had collapsed during the childrens' show, a time when children display their trained livestock in preparation for the Royal Agricultural show. There were several injured people on the scene, mainly children. One of the casualties was Dr. Les Pitt, a retired doctor who was still very involved in Clouds of Hope orphanage and in rolling out ARV's at the clinic. He was critically injured and although everything was done for him he died on the way down Town Hill in the ambulance.
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. 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. |
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