Serving at St. Faith’s Anglican Church

Since the beginning of April, I have been serving as a deacon in the local Anglican parish of St. Faith’s. St. Faith’s is located in Plumstead, a southern suburb of Cape Town. They have two services on Sunday morning with about 60-80 people attending the first service and 150-200 attending the second service. They are a vibrant and charismatic community of authentic individuals seeking to live as followers of Christ.

Prior to my ordination to the deaconate I met with Bishop Garth Counsel, the bishop of Cape Town, to discuss a placement where I could serve as a deacon for the remainder of my time in Cape Town. After my ordination and my return to South Africa the bishop informed me that he was placing me at St. Faith’s.

Bp. Garth licenses me to serve as a deacon in the Diocese of Cape Town
at a Eucharist on April 20, 2011.

I heard it through the grapevine that St. Faith’s was “conservative” and “evangelical.” This description made me a little apprehensive because conservative and evangelical are not terms that I easily identify with. At the same time, I was intrigued at what I saw as an opportunity to engage with a community I may not typically have much exposure to.

My first day at St. Faith’s was Wednesday, April 6. I preached at the parish’s 7:30pm Lenten Eucharist. Before the service I ate dinner with Basil, St. Faith’s rector, and Linda his wife. They prepared an excellent meal and eased my apprehension with their hospitality. From that first service I knew that St. Faith’s was going to be a place of authenticity and warmth.

Welcome basket from the Women’s Guild given to me on April 10, my 1st Sunday.

Over the past 3 months, God has been softening my heart and opening my eyes to God’s presence in St. Faith’s. Through my participation in lively worship services and in forming relationships with parishioners, God has been blowing my preconceived notions of “conservative” and “evangelical” out of the water. I have been witnessing and participating in a way to do church that I would never have done in the US. I hear God’s voice in the energetic preaching radiating from the pulpit Sunday after Sunday, I feel God’s touch in the warm embrace of faithful parishioners, I see God’s face in the children gazing up at me at the communion rail as I place bread in their hands or touch their foreheads in blessing, and I feel God’s Spirit resonate within me as we sing praise and worship music. God continues to reveal God’s self in unexpected ways.

Fr. Basil Davids, Rector St. Faith’s and Mentor Extraordinaire

I am truly blessed to be serving at St. Faith’s and look forward to continuing my journey with them for the final two months of my stay in South Africa.