woohoo - the album is out

Harris Tweed (a hot band from SA) have finally got their first album out - The Younger. I went to the local store here and they didn't have it. Cheri, can you fix that? They are in Decatur, Georgia, USA.

Go to the Harris Tweed website or their MySpace and you can listen to the music...

I'm loving the music - well done Cheri, Darryl and Bernard (i think that's the name of your fishy)

What i missed in London

I just so happened to fly out of London on Sat Aug 26, which just so happened to be a public holiday weekend, which just so happened to be the Notting Hill Carnival weekend as well as a huge Get Loaded in the Park party in the on Clapham Common on Saturday with big names like Carl Cox et al. Oh well you can't have it all, I had to cross the ocean to get to a baseball game.

2PhunkedUp is the name of Greg and Balt's dj label, and they are making a few waves in the UK house scene. I even have one of their pins! They throw neat parties and if you want go to their site you will find our buddy Charlie in most of the pictures of these gatherings.

MISSING

Marvin Barnard is missing... i thought he was in London, but i looked in every pub and club i could and didn't see him... does anyone out there know where he is or how to contact him?

Marv - where are you buddy, you missed my farewell! I'll be in London again next year, will you be there?

London town holiday

SAA don't fly direct to Atlanta anymore (though the inside info I have from Delta is that they are opening a JHB-ATL route in January), so this gave me a great excuse to fly via LONDON! Because it is the modern South African's Mecca, there are a lot of my friends over there, as well as my only Aunt.

I had a great time seeing all of them. I met up with old YWAM friends that I really hadn't seen in 5 years - Rachel, Leah and a surprised of Jurie too! I spoke to Lizzie and Emma and it was neat seeing where the 5 years had taken all of us. We met at Wetherspoons Pub in Sheperds Bush. It was off my Lonon map, so quite an adventure knowing when to get off the bus. As i said - good times!

Then, my 'sis' Bi and 'bruthu' Charles from the good old days of the Hampton Road Home Group. I had lunch, supper, chilled, visited them at work and saw the lights of London with them. Thanks for the Chinese Charlie, and the Pret-a-Manger Bianca. I also had a suprise visit from Nikki and Lezaan - friends from Tuks! yay.

I made the obligatory stop at GAP with my aunt, had great food and conversation with her and Roger, and ran around London on my own too. I didn't really do the sights, but did visit the Tate Modern, shop on Oxford and go to Camden town where i may have got a piercing. But then again i may not have...

5 days was too short, and I caught the tube way to early on Sat and flew out across the Atlantic, sure that i didn't have any liquids in my luggage.

a nice picture

This is Julie. How could i not put a pic of her here? She too was at my farewell, and then i went to visit her in Cape Town. As to 'us' now, there is an ocean in between. There are some drawbacks to being in America - being so far from family and friends. Ag nee man!

Once out at the lake, I am free. Native. Wind and waves are like African drums driving the rhythm home. I am spun, supported and possessed by the spirit magnet that will not let me go. Dogma doesn't hold me. Wildness does. A spiral of emotion. It is ecstasy without adrenaline. My hair is tossed, curls are blown across my face and eyes, much like the whitecaps cresting over waves.

Terry Tempest Williams

leaving on a jet plane

goodbye pics et al

the farewell...

This was the invite to say cheers:

Hey y’all,

Gareth is off to make his brain bigger and learn about himself and play Frisbee in the land of the Bush, so you won’t get to see him for a year. Maybe 2.

So, if he is your friend, please diarise SATURDAY 12 AUG as Gareth’s farewell braai picnic thingy.

It would be great if you could join him.

Venue: The Beyers’ home (61 Hampton Road, Midrand) email if you want a map
Time: Whenever – say from 11 onwards
Bring: Food, meat, drinks, picnic blankets, costumes, frisbees etc. You get the picture.

Let me know if you can make it. If not, tough!
(or call my secretary and maybe I can squeeze you in ;) )

Peace,
Gareth.


Needless to say, a great time was had by all! Special thanks to the Buddies from Boys' High for coming through, the Randpark crowd, some stray youth pastors, and the ever faithful Midranders. It was great to see everyone.

We chilled, spoke, braaied, played frisbee and soccer and had a grand ole time. Good times!


Justin must think the sun shines out of his (insert body part here), Julie took a great pic of him relaxing with a well placed sunbeam! What a great pic. Girls, feel free to use it as your wallpaper!

Symposium on Children’s Rights

28 & 29th November 2007

The Ritz Hotel, Cape Town, SA

An Inter-disciplinary Dialogue on Children’s Rights

to engage various perspectives on the abolition of corporal punishment

and for the promotion of positive discipline.

“Creating space for the important conversation between the fields of Law, International Human Rights, Child Work, Theology, Politics and Psychology concerning the current Children’s Amendment Bill, in the hope of harmonising international norms with current religious beliefs and traditional practices in South Africa.”

Hosted by the South African Council of Churches & Save the Children, Sweden

Programme

Day One (Wednesday 28th November 2007)
08:00 - REGISTRATION

09:00 - Welcome by Ms Thabisile Msezane (former SACC Senior Vice President)

09:15 - Welcome by Rev Vernon Rose (WCPCC) and Ms. Ulrika Soneson (Save the Children Sweden)

09:30 - Overviews of the Symposium by Rev Keith Vermeulen (SACC PO) & Ms Ulrika Soneson

SESSION 1

10:00 - Address by Ms Paula Proudlock (Program Manager: Children’s Institute):

“Developments in South African child care and protection legislation during 2007”
10:25 - Address by Dr Ann Skelton (Director: Child Law Centre, University of Pretoria): “How the common law defence of ‘reasonable chastisement’ denies children equal protection before the law”

10:45 - Plenary interaction: Questions of clarity
11:00 - TEA/COFFEE/JUICE break

SESSION 2

11:30 - An overview by Ms Carol Bower (Independent Child Rights consultant & former Director of RAPCAN): ”The reality: South African children’s experiences of corporal punishment”
11:50 - Rev Martin October (Moravian Church: Public Citizenship Office): “Theological deliberations on discipline, punishment and honouring the rights of the child to bodily integrity”

12:10 - Rev Dr Vuyani Vellem (General Secretary: Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa): “Ethical deliberations on discipline, punishment and honouring the rights of the child to bodily integrity”
12:30 - Plenary Discussion
13:00 - LUNCH

SESSION 3

14:00 - Roundtable Conversation: "Opportunities and constraints in striving for legislation that protects the rights of the child to bodily integrity" (Facilitator: Dr. Nonhlanhla Mkhize)
Panelists: Ms Daksha Kassan (Community Law centre, UWC)
The Hons. Advocate Mike Tshililo Masutha & Cheryllyn Dudley (PC Social Development)
The Revd. Siyabulela Gidi (Public Liaison for the Archbishop of Cape Town)
15:30 - TEA/COFFEE/JUICE break

SESSION 4

16:00 - Children’s Presentation by the Children’s Resource Centre (Mr Marcus Solomon)
16:30 - Conversation Groups (To be announced)

18:00 - DINNER - All participants invited

Day Two (Thursday 29th November 2007)

SESSION 5

09:00 - Presentation by Mr Marcus Solomon (Children’s Resource Centre) & Discussion
09:30 - Panel Discussion 1: Psycho-social reflections: “That ‘loving smack’ never really harmed anyone” (Facilitator: Rev. Alistair Arends)
Panelists: Associate Professor Pamela Naidoo (Dept of Psychology, University of Western Cape)
Ms Joan van Niekerk (Childline SA)
Ms Claire Collins (Gordon College, Global Education Programme Coordinator)
Ms Joyce Siwani (President: National Children’s Rights Committee)
Rev. Gift Moerane (Secretary: Gauteng Council of Churches)
10:30 - Open discussion
11:00 - TEA/COFFEE/JUICE break

SESSION 6

11:30 - Panel Discussion 2: “Religious, Social and Educational reflections on the end of corporal punishment and the promotion of positive discipline”

(Facilitator: Ms Sam Waterhouse, Advocacy Manager, RAPCAN)
Panelists: Ms Amy Rass (COSATU)
Ms. Avril Knott-Craig (Quaker Peace Centre: Schools Positive Discipline Programme)
Mr Kevin Roussel (Catholic Parliamentary Office)
Rev. Jenni Samdaan (IDASA, Community and Citizen Partnership)
Muslim Judicial Council representative

12:30 - Open discussion

13:00 - LUNCH
14:00 - Open discussion (continued)

SESSION 7

14:30 - Conversation Groups: How to further advance children's rights to dignity, respect and equity through positive discipline.

15:15 - TEA/COFFEE/JUICE break
15:30 - Conversation Group Report backs
16:00 - Thanks, concluding reflections and closure

the full thesis proposal

ThM Thesis Proposal

Otto Gareth Beyers

Thesis Title

Toward a new South African ecclesiology: conversations with Moltmann and Berger.

Thesis Statement

In the changing and increasingly secular South African society, historically white mainline churches need to ask the question “how can we ‘be’ church in the new South Africa?” Within the wider mainline theological tradition, Jurgen Moltmann’s challenging rethinking of ecclesiology and Peter Berger’s secularisation thesis provide interesting conversation partners for sketching this new contextual ecclesiology.

Thesis Description

Since the end of institutional apartheid in 1994, the mainline church in South Africa has been struggling to work out its calling and role within the life of the new nation. South Africa is a converging point of many traditions, worldviews and struggles: first world technology amidst third world problems; Western history and African roots; the continent’s biggest economy alongside a crippling unemployment rate. Added to this social atmosphere are two religious contradictions: a gradual secularisation of society and decline of the mainline church, similar to that experience in Western Europe within the last half-century; yet a recent growth in independent charismatic churches, with strong links to North American evangelicalism.

For the historically white mainline churches to play a meaningful role within this new South African society, foundational questions about the nature of church and society need to be asked. For the contours of this new contextual ecclesiology, instead of consulting evangelical American mega-church pastors, thinkers from within the wider mainline theological tradition should be studied. Two interesting conversation partners that merit exploration are the theologian Jurgen Moltmann, and the sociologist Peter Berger. For his secularisation thesis, critique of civil religion and societal insights, Peter Berger’s work is especially pertinent to the now-secular South Africa. Jurgen Moltmann’s Church in the Power of the Spirit has been described as the most important ecclesiological work of the last half century. His diverse influences (including Eastern Orthodoxy, third world work, Liberation theology, free churches and Catholic monastic communities) and desire to think contextually make him relevant in the globalised, multi-cultural South African context. These important scholars may be a valuable influence to the mainline church in South Africa, and to me as a future ordained Presbyterian minister, in sketching new ecclesiological guidelines.

Otto Gareth Beyers

no, it's not blue steel.

Hello all.
I am Gareth,
A 27 year old, Ultimate-playing, self-discovering, wishful thinking South African currently getting a feel for the capital city of Canberra, Australia-land.

According to Myers Briggs, I am an ENTP. Two years ago I was an INTP.
According to people close to me, I am personable, optimistic, confident and ‘deep’.
Though I enjoy intellectual pursuits, I am action biased and chose orthopraxy over orthodoxy. I relish diversity, avoid conflict and appreciate creative thinking. Journaling and poetry help me in my self awareness, and sport (especially Ultimate Frisbee) keeps me grounded and healthy. I have a creative side that appreciate art, words and aesthetics.

Is that enough info for you?

Some of my random interests include: Ultimate frisbee; art films; theology&philosophy; rethinking church; interesting people; outdoors; live music; dancing; chats at coffee houses; strongbad emails; terry pratchett's humour; good food& wine; bloglines …

And finally, a line that I try to live by is:
“Your greatest difference from me is your greatest gift to me”

Intro

this is the intro.

welcome.
enjoy.
tadaa!

Hehe...

Well, this blog was started in 2006 to reassure mom (and others) that i was okay during my ThM adventures at Columbia Theological Seminary in 06/07. It was a great year, with quite a lot of travelling, Ultimate frisbee, parties and friends. I'm not sure if my mom actually checked it that often, but it was handy to stay in touch with other members of the South African diaspora. Oh, and it allowed for plenty of procrastination, and a hands on introduction to HTML etc.

As to life now, I'm still okay, still far from the parentals (but at least in the same country) and the blog is still here, morphing into a more general take on the state of gareth and life.

So, stop by, roam around and feel free to chat.
Thanks for visiting.

G