holiday quote

I have to move out of Ariel’s flat today. I hate seriously dislike moving. Anyways, I was going through my papers and found this quote that I got from a labyrinth gathering a earlier this year:

do not search for the gate of knowledge; only stop believing in walls and their security

yes. Think on that for a while! I’m off to Jozi tonight to hang out with my fandamily. Looking forward to it - I haven’t really spent time with them since I returned from Atlanta. It will be a pity to leave the beautiful beaches of CT though.

Hott in Denmark

Here’s the story:
When I arrived in CT I needed some cash. So, one seemingly simple way was to take advantage of the advertising and movie industry here. Armed with oodles of optimism I duly went searching for casting agencies and sent a copy of my voice to a voice-over artist company. The voice-over idea didn’t work (not enough variation) , but the casting peeps liked the look of me and asked me back to shoot a portfolio. That was about four months ago. Since then I’ve been an extra once for a Tiger Beer ad. Thankfully I found a real job (link) so I didn’t starve, but my hopes for fashion stardom were waning.

So why I’m blogging all this then? Well, on Saturday I was requested for a casting for a Danish company Intersport who are in town shooting their catalogue. Saturday morning, armed with a lot less optimism, I popped in to the studio, they took some pics, I spoke about Frisbee and then left.

And…on monday they called me back ! Hooray! I’ve just finished a two day shoot on Clifton beach, at the yacht club and a sports stadium sporting big name brands. Hanging out with four Danes, taking funny pictures, being in the sun and sushi for lunch all make for a great two days of ‘work’. And this is not to mention the handy pocket money that will go some way to buying a scooter. I’m still laughing at the thought that I will help pretty Scandinavian blondes in choosing their wardrobe for the summer! So, if you find yourself in Copenhagen needing a fashion make over, be sure to go to Intersport and grab a catalogue. I’ll even sign it if you want ;)

Good times, good times.

Hooray for denmark and their knowledge of B-B-Q!
NOTE: This is NOT an example from yesterdays shoot, but me wearing the only denmark shirt i possess. It has a picture of Africa with the words 'Denmark knows B-B-Q' on it. Random!

oh no x2!

actors shot dead on set by Angolan police.

oh no, oh no! I don’t know whether to cry, gasp, laugh or just stand here in disbelief. this is like something out of those sick horror comedy movies, but only in real life. I guess the positive is that Angola is ready for any terrorism activity, but still… is this story real?!? what a crazy colourful world we live in.

Oh no! Bad news bear.

No, I’m not talking about this bad news bear, but rather the bad news that Terry Pratchett has Alzheimers. I’m a huge fan of the Discworld series (trying to collect them all), and am actually currently reading Good Omens which he co-wrote with Neil Gaiman. Pratchett’s humour, satire and insights into the peculiarities of human nature always keep me entertained. This is terrible news, and I’m sure all the Discworld fans will be sad.

With his usual humour, Pratchett has said
“PS ... This should be interpreted as 'I am not dead'. I will, of course, be dead at some future point, as will everybody else.”

If you haven’t come across the series (shame on you!) you really should try find one at a bookstore and get hooked. The series starts with The Light Fantastic, and The Colour of Magic, but you can jump in anywhere in the 30+ books. For those of you with theological inclinations, Small Gods is fantastic and spot on in some senses. Unfortunately you won’t find many books at second hand stores as fans don’t seem to let the books go, so it will have to be a full price investment!

Here's a map of the disc if you want to see what it's all about:

leading thoughts

I’ve just found out that while blogging for me means sticking up photos of Frisbees and trying to be subversive, my housemate and friend Ariel got the idea in his head that he wanted to be a Thought Leader blogger. Thought Leader is the Mail&Gaurdian's blog and a recent addition to the SA blogosphere. Ariel emailed the folks there, sent a copy of his writing and now he has his own blurb and even his first post "Colouring outside the lines". Woohoo! Way to go buddy.

Inspired by his move, I think that Aiden (of the Narrative Pulse fame) should also sign up to be a contributor- many of his blog posts are very well researched and ‘leading thoughts’ in the area of narrative theory here in SA.

For international thought leaders and ideas worth spreading, be sure to subscribe to TED talks. They have the big guns of the world talking on interesting topics all the time.

(And, as always, for frisbee pictures and parliament/theology news, subscribe here!)

World Aids Day

get tested, originally uploaded by gareth beyers.

Yeah, it's two days late but here's a pic for World Aids Day from the student graffiti wall at the Uni of Pretoria.

Do you know your status? Have you been tested?

submergent blogging

Crap! Quick, Pomo-adam labeled me a "subversive blogger" yesterday. Better think of something subversive quick to put up to look the part ;) Maybe next week rather - this weekend i'm going to enjoy the summer weather and sleeping in after last weeks manic-ness. Thanks though buddy - i'm voting for you! Oh, and you got me right thinking i'm dissatisfied with the status quo. Most definitely.

PS - Do indifferent owls ever give a hoot?

Conference + finished!

Phew.

Time to catch up on sleep. spend time with Julie, call home and move out of my apartment. (Oh - almost forgot - and to write an autobiographical essay for CPE).

The SACC Child Rights Symposium is over. I can finally breathe, relax and enjoy my pay-check. Three weeks ago I wasn’t so sure it would be pulled off, but the good news is that it was. The only hiccup was two delegates stranded in Jo’burg with no accommodation and three people from Free State who didn’t get on their flight (still have no idea what happened there). I’ve been to the airport and back 11 times in three days, and now have to collect invoices and account for R200 000! Thankfully I have five years of theology degrees to equip me for all these tasks! Teehee.

I wish there were a website or something with all the info and papers presented, as there was very good stuff that was said, but there isn’t. Part of the budget is for a publication to follow the Symposium, so I’ll be doing that for December and maybe can make it electronic. (I’ve added the programme for the two days here if you want to see what we covered). What made it all worthwhile were the comments during the closing session. People had their thinking around corporal punishment, discipline, and parenting changed and were moved towards restorative justice and positive discipline alternatives. Hopefully they will take their gleanings back to their local constituencies, as well as interact on a political level to ensure that the Children’s Amendment Bill gets passed in its entirety.
My highlight was when a senior minister from a rural area actually said that he was going to go home, call his son and apologise for the times when he had beaten him, thinking then that that was the best form of discipline. Joan Van Niekerk, the head of Childline SA responded in tears saying one of the most healing times in her life was when her father apologised to her for the way he had disciplined her as a child.

So - don’t smack your kids, apologise if you did, and help us to end corporal punishment and promote positive discipline!

Umm.. yeah that’s about it. Not too much news else. This conference has been all consuming and I’ve neglected quite a few things that I’ll have to catch up on next week (in between the accounting). First though - time to sleep!

disc diving

Ariel and I had a bit of fun on Clifton beach on Sunday afternoon throwing our bodies after a piece of plastic:
Thanks to Whitney and Sarah of Team Afrika for the pics.
(click image to enlarge and experience full awesomeness of aerial manoeuvres by us)

I tried a similar stunt during our league game last night. The only difference was that this time i wasn't landing in soft beach sand. Needless to say, I now have a pretty roastie to show for my efforts.

growth expected next year

Yesterday I went to Groote Schuur hospital to ask about the CPE program that I hope to do next year April. The current students are almost finished a tough course, and I’m beginning to realise that this will be a very hard program for me. The chaplaincy visits to patients, being faced with death, abortions, violence will all take its toll. However, the main challenge is the internal growth that this program is really about. I am so good at deceiving myself, avoiding the questions, running around conflict, that 3 months of intense inner growth will be tough. But, it is something that needs to be done. The supervisor told me that we aren’t allowed to read any books during the course, the only book we are reading is ourselves - the ‘living human document’ as they call it. So, God willing, I will start level one CPE in March next year. Pray that a more self aware, gentle and humble Gareth will emerge after the 3 months. Until then I’m biding my time with the SACC and maybe a stint helping organise the Design Indaba. And, as ever, playing Ultimate and enjoying Cape Town in the summer!

In case of fire

You’ve got to love the optimists! (and I count myself amongst them) This is a recent Threadless Tee’s design. Visit their page for wonderfully clever and artistic tee designs:

In Case of Fire
by Bruno Acanfora

You do of course get the cynic designers - such as this shirt that’s been recently reprinted. I remember Asher wearing it to my farewell party last year, though I doubt he was alluding to me:

Emotional Trip

by Glenn Flanagan-Dutton

Do you have a question?

The devotions from inward/outward lately have been all about questions. I share a few below:

Afraid to Ask
Thomas Merton

• Anxiety is the mark of spiritual insecurity. It is the fruit of unanswered questions. But questions cannot go unanswered unless they first be asked. And there is a far worse anxiety, a far worse insecurity, which comes from being afraid to ask the right questions--because they might turn out to have no answer. One of the moral diseases we communicate to one another in society comes from huddling together in the pale light of an insufficient answer to a question we are afraid to ask.

Source: Prologue to No Man Is an Island

The Courage to Ask
Dawna Markova

• Questions can be dangerous. They can take us right to the edge of what is known and comfortable. They can require tremendous courage to ask, because we know that new questions can lead to new ways of perceiving, and new perceptions can lead to new explorations of our world. Pick any question you have been avoiding asking yourself and you'll see what I mean.... The asking of new questions often leads us to the perilous, growing edge of our minds. That’s because all new and original thought begins with a question, which leads to an exploration…. Can we embrace the unanswered? Can we live in the mystery?

The Question
Jesus of Nazareth

• What do you want me to do for you?

Source: Gospel of Mark

Hat tournament!

I am an unashamed Ultimate Frisbee addict. Yes, it gets a bit much at times, but I’m cool with that. It is a most healthy addiction that gets me out of my head, back into my body. I also get to hang out with cool people. Tonight is therefore only a mild evening out, listening to a friend’s guitar concert in Rondebosch, because tomorrow (at 8:30) I need to be on the field for my first Tournament since being back in SA. Can’t wait! Hooray for flying plastic discs.


UPDATE: read about the tourney and see cool pics on the new CT ultimate site here.

seattle evidence

Yes, we were there, albeit for only two weeks. Had a fantabulous time seeing the sights, visiting Mt Rainier, ferrying between the San Jaun islands, exploring the cool areas in the city, and catching up with friends. Here’s a pic or two:

the SACC Parliamentary Office: Mr Researcher

So, I finally have a job, as of last week Thursday. I’m quite enjoying the structure (or bondage) of office hours, and still enthralled by the trains and working in the city centre. My official title is something like researcher or intern at the SACC PO (South African Council of Churches Parliamentary Office) and it’s a two month position for now. I was hoping to do some research and follow some Bills in Parliament, but it looks like my job spec had changed to office administrator and conference planner. Hmm...

I’ve been rather stressed out because I (with all my realms of event co-ordinating expertise) have to plan a conference for a 100 people, accommodation, speakers, flights and a big budget IN 3 WEEKS TIME!!! Keith (the PO director, and as such my boss-type guy - who isn’t really around much) thinks it can be done. No, rather, says it MUST be done. So, it will happen, and hopefully I’m still sane when the date comes around!

If any of you happen to be in Cape Town, and interested in the current Children’s Amendment Bill concerning the banning of corporal punishment in homes, please do come along! Here’s our flyer that I’ve just emailed to the heads of 26 denominations in the country:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Symposium on Children’s Rights
28 & 29^th November 2007
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, SACC Parliamentary Office & Save the Children, Sweden

For more details or to reserve your seat, contact:
SACC Parliamentary Office – Gareth (021) 423 4261
SACC Head Office – Theresa (011)241 7813
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Teehhee - what a nice little rant from an office desk! I need to play Frisbee soon to clear my mind!

space watching

hooray! From Thursday i have job with office hours and an office. That also means internet connection, telephone and income! woohhoo. So, watch this space - now that i'm back online i hope to do some posting. Still have to tell about Seattle, and news here in CT>

For now i'm off on a Presby Clergy retreat in the mountains. Cheers!

Hooray! SA are world champs!!!

Just so that all my CTS friends know the great news (in case it didn’t make breaking news on CNN):
South Africa are the rugby world champions!

Hooray! We won last night in France in a tough match against defending champions England. There were crazy celebrations all around the country, partying like it was 1995. (in 1995 we won the World Cup for the first time, here at home). I’m especially happy because our captain John Smit, was at high school with me! Hooray again!

Captain John Smit, left, and coach Jake White
with the Webb Ellis trophy [GALLO/GETTY]

Now for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
(PS - standing offer to all foreign friends - come to SA for the 2010 Soccer World Cup and you can stay with me and experience the whole thing!)

did you know?

Did you know that Seattle is the birthplace of Nordstroms, Eddie Bauer, REI, Starbucks and UPS? It is also the home of Amazon, Microsoft (and Bill Gates), Boeing and Cosco. Musically Jimi Hendrix, Pearl Jam, Nirvana and Death Cab all have their roots here. And... it's rather pretty too. Mountains, water, buildings, people etc.

These are a bunch of general knowledge things i've picked up here so far. Be sure to check back for some more useless tidbits soon! Tomorrow Julie and i are off to Mt Rainier National Park after a week of meetings and busrides.

S to the E to the ATTLE

Woohoo! Tonight at 11pm Julie and i fly off on our next adventure - 2.5 weeks in Seattle! We have some CPE and Radio snooping to do, as well as trips to the San Jaun islands, and Mt Rainier National Park.

Cheers!

Waving

Start. Stop. Wait. Wave. Start.

Life seems to go forward in starts and stops. Sometimes it even appears as if it is going backwards. But, as a recent labyrinth experience reminded me, life leads us to the centre in a roundabout way. And, most of life and growth actually happens in the turns, and the times when you are seemingly on the outside going backwards.

“We walk slowly, as if we will never arrive, for we come from a place far away."
My Oupa (granddad) died on Sunday.

He was 85 years old, and left us in dramatic circumstances. He was a wonderfully creative woodworker and I have great memories watching him sculpt beauty from a rejected wooden stump. He taught us manners and principles, and enthralled us with stories about ‘Dinky the dwarf’ and true stories of South African heroes. Predicting the future careers of his five grandchildren, he said that my sisters would be world famous actresses, and Matthew and I would be their bodyguards. Fortunately we would be towering hulks, whose shoulders filled doorways, and had to duck into rooms. He wasn’t far off - my sisters are beautiful, and Matt almost ducks through doorways. At 82 Oupa was beating me on the squash court. It might be more of a testimony to my lack of squash skills than Oupa’s agility, but anyone who can hit a squash ball at 82 has done well! He lived a full life as a farmer, teacher, musician, woodworker and story teller, and shall be missed. I often use examples from his life in my conversations, as testimony that anything is possible, and I shall continue to do so.

Fare well Oupa. I’m planning to make something out of wood as a cathartic goodbye ritual. Maybe I’ll make two - one for him and one for me, and then bury or burn the first one. Whenever I do woodwork I shall think of Jacobus Petrus Grove - my Oupa.

Stop. Wait. Wave.

I flew up to Joburg last night, and the funeral is in White River on Friday. I was hoping to get to see my family in the near future, but not under these circumstances. I’ll make the most of the time here, and enjoy the lack of rain. I fly back to Cape Town on Saturday, and then off with Julie to Seattle for two and a bit weeks of holiday and future snooping things. She won this incentive trip at work, so it’s even more enjoyable that it is free. Hopefully it will be a chance to reflect on those who've gone before me, and the path left for me to walk.

"Look ahead. You are not expected to complete the task. Neither are you permitted to lay it down." ~ The Talmud

Wanna ride?

I’m contemplating the financial and practical aspects of getting either a messenger's ‘fixie’ bicycle, a mountain bike, or a scooter to get me around Cape Town. Until that time, Doug Bax (retired minister and anti-apartheid activist) has lent me his bicycle. Check my wheels out now:


My favourite thing, apart from the dynamo that needs rewiring, the gears on the diagonal bar, and the yellow helmet, is the red reflecting place that swings out like a flag on an arm from the back of the bicycle to remind people not to get too close! Beware the cyclist in yellow.

update on life

So, how’s Cape Town? Without an office or internet connection this blog hasn’t really been the place to keep abreast of what’s been happening.
I’m working part time as a monitor with the Parliamentary Monitoring Group which brings in some income if I go regularly. You can see some of my reports online if you wish. It’s a great way to learn how legislature is made, and I even got to be on TV news on Friday! I’m still talking to Keith Vermeulen at the SACC Parliamentary Office about a researcher/admin post. He needs and wants the extra ‘personpower’, the problem is getting funds from the General Secretary in Jo’burg.
There has been another really interesting development - I met with Kevin Light a while back and had a great chat. He is a Methodist minister who is involved with ‘post-religious spirituality’, and doing really interesting work with his group called Labyrinth. Go have a read at their website. Labyrinth has three ‘rules’ which I really enjoy: no hierarchy, no orthodoxy and no jury. It is simply a place to come and explore spirituality. I may end up doing some work with them in the future. Coupled with this has been my similar experiences (through Julie) of Quaker worship. She attends the local Quaker meeting, and my experience of their worship and fellowship has been interesting and refreshing. They have no clergy, are silent worshippers and live out the belief of ‘that of God in everyone’. Both the Quakers and Labyrinth seem at first glance to be undermining the future occupation I’ve spent 5 years studying for, but, as an ecclesiologist (grin) these alternative faith expressions are helping to shape my own.
As to other life aspects, Julie and I are enjoying being in the same city; I’m playing for ‘the Remnants’ - a local Ultimate Frisbee team here; and my housemate took me surfing for the first time ever. It was humiliating. I’ve seen a sunrise from Simon’s Town beach; listened to Harris Tweed, and the Kolo Nova Movie Band in concerts; been loaned an awesome retro bicycle; and worked out how to catch the (free) University of Cape Town student shuttle into town.
For next year, I’m really excited about doing CPE (hospital chaplaincy) here at Groote Schuur in March, and then perhaps a year long internship in Seattle. That could mean Probation waits a bit. Or CPE counts towards probation. Something like that ;) I don’t want to be in too much of a rush to get ordained, yet I also don’t want to put off my calling. A chaplain of mine’s question of “why do you need to be ordained to minister?” helps to slow me down.

being 'unemployed' at the moment allows me to fiddle around with photos and things. Great procrastination material! The job search is becoming a bit of a drain... hopefully the SACC thing closes soon, otherwise i am considering doing CPE here in Cape Town for the remainder of the year. It's cheaper to be an unemployed student here than it is in the US.

Jhb/Ct?

I love Jozi


But i love the Cape too!

A mystic, an evangelical and a fundamentalist die…

I found this wonderful anecdote in Pete Rollins’ How (not) to Speak of God today:

A mystic, an evangelical pastor and a fundamentalist preacher die on the same day and awake to find themselves by the pearly gates. Upon reaching the gates they are promptly greeted by Peter, who informs them that before entering heaven they must be interviewed by Jesus concerning the state of their doctrine. The first to be called forward is the mystic, who is quietly ushered into a room. Five hours later the mystic reappears with a smile, saying, “I thought I had got it all wrong.” Then Peter signals to the evangelical pastor, who stands up and enters the room. After a full day has passed the pastor reappears with a frown and says to himself, H“how could I have been so foolish!” Finally Peter asks the fundamentalist to follow him. The fundamentalist picks up his well-worn Bible and walks into the room. A few days pass with no sign of the preacher, then finally a door swings open and Jesus himself appears, exclaiming, “How could I have got it all wrong!”

Just a liitle jab! Teehee! :)

Need arms?

US and Israel agree $30bn arms deal

I read this article last week and was offended. For some reason I find this news horribly disturbing, biased and un-Christian. I’ve heard somewhere (and hope it isn’t correct) that HALF of the US’s foreign aid goes to Israel already. Now, here’s another 30 BILLION for arms, with a few more billions offered to Egypt and Saudi Arabia too. I laughed at the fine print that stipulated that 75% of it must be spent with American manufacturers.

Is it just me or is this kind of international ‘trade’ appalling on many levels?

• Military spending doesn’t make the world safer;
• the Christian Zionism that uncritically supports Israel is distorted;
• and the co-option of whole countries into the US Empire by lending them money is alarming.

This may be a direct move against Iran, but a bigger Israeli military means even more bad news for the displaced and oppressed Palestinians, and bigger guns watching the Wall.

Just thought I’d get that off my chest. It is a tad refreshing to be in a country that sees the plight of Palestine rather than thinking Israel needs a bigger military.

(oh, and as to me: I’m in Cape Town training as a monitor with PMG, and negotiating some work with the SACC Parliamentary Office. Went to the beach and swam and played Frisbee this weekend - I like this city already!)

life is full of starts and finishes

So, this week sees the start (and finish) of another chapter in life. I've finally moved my clothes and some books down to Cape Town. Today i'll be unpacking them into my new room in Mowbray with Guy Chennels. Looks like a great setup and i'm excited about the whole thing. Julie lives about a 10 minute drive away, and i'm right by the train station and taxi rank in Mowbray if i need to move around. (Footnote- last week i caught a notorious mini-bus taxi into the centre of Jo'burg and back, so after that i think i can handle the CT transport systems).

The few weeks at home were great (and too cold and short). Life seems to be going on merrily and humourously in the Beyer's household in Midrand. This friday my mom deserves a huge party in her honour: Vicki and Jane finish high school - for the last 17 years my mom has been taking children to school and back. Well done! Next year the twins (Vicki and Jane) may be coming to Cape Town for YWAM, so it will be neat to have them in town. Matt is finishing his film and media school and trying to travel, and Bron is enjoying her Montessori teaching. Aaah, how we grow and mature!

And me? Well, hopefully i'll settle in soon, find a good fresh produce store, join a frisbee team and get a job! Parliament is back in session so i'll start the monitoring work next week. I'm still waiting to hear from the SACC Parliamentary office. When i get a set office i should be able to post here some more. My dad is in town for the long weekend, and Julie and i will join him up the West Coast at a friends house. Hopefully the weather is nice - SA has been having some revolting cold snaps, winds and floods lately. Climate change is to blame again!

Well, that's me, over and out. Hopefully next time it will be from an office, with a set job!

Ultimate frisbee helps the fight against AIDS!

Those close to me often playfully ridicule my addiction to Ultimate Frisbee. As a youth pastor I often joked about being more excited telling people about Ultimate than Jesus. However, for two years it was, in a sense, my saving grace. Even today, a run around on the Frisbee field keeps me grounded and clears my head. Well, my faith in the sport seems to have been well founded. I’ve just found this article that shows how LoveLife (a major youth HIV/Aids organisation) wants to use Ultimate as their flagship sport development project:

Johannesburg – 9th July 07 -
Many regard a Frisbee as similar domain to 'beach bat and ball', or the mouth of a Golden retriever, but Lovelife are taking this mere piece of plastic a lot more seriously.
They are training over 6000 youth to play 'Ultimate Frisbee' in 2007 as part of their major sport campaign to combat HIV/AIDS.
Max Pichulik, Development Officer for Ultimate Frisbee in SA says, "This could be a major weapon in HIV/AIDS prevention and the promotion of health to youth in South Africa."

Download the full article here, and keep those discs flying!!
PS. On that note - Jozi Ultimate has started a Sunday game that should be very competitive. Tomorrow at 3 at Sandton Sports Club. I'm looking forward playing with my old teammates.

a franciscan benediction

May God bless you with discomfort
At easy answers, half-truths and superficial relationships
So that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger
At injustice, oppression and exploitation of people,
So that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless you with tears
To shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger and war,
So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and
To turn their pain into joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness
To believe that you can make a difference in the world,
So that you can do what others claim cannot be done
To bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.

Amen.

Source: unknown

can we fix you?

Hmmm…
“attempts to fix gays are psychologically harmful”

The ‘homosexuality debate’ isn’t really one of the battles I’m called to fight just yet. Since getting all excited about it a few years ago, and estranging some friends with my views, I’ve let others pursue the inclusion fight. The fact that the Presbyterian Church in SA isn’t even talking about it allows for some relaxing too.
However, I do try keep abreast of theology, news and views. THIS NEWS from Adam is rather interesting. Be sure to follow the comments too - pomomusings is known to have some volatile dissenters (to whom Adam, to his credit, is graciously hospitable to). Very interesting.

the gospel according to Richard

After meeting Richard Rohr in New Mexico last year, I’ve subscribed to “Richard’s Daily Meditations” and been rather enjoying them. I normally don’t do the usual ‘inspirational’ devotional stuff that comes out en-masse from Christian publishers, but it is nice to have something decent to think about in my inbox now and then. Most of his are excerpts from his books, and they are all straight and frank. This week he is speaking about poverty. Here’s a ‘thought’ from last week seemed especially pertinent to me. As a bit of an ecclesiastical traditionalist, I don’t like the thought of loosing traditions and denominations, but it seems a new way is needed. Have a read. What you think? Are the issues of the Reformation non-issues today? If so, what does that mean for us today?

• Church Divisions

A lot of the pretenses of institutional religion I don’t take seriously. Sometimes the Roman Church takes for granted that it speaks for God without acknowledging that what it says is often politically motivated and culturally conditioned (for example, questions of expedience being preeminent to questions of truth). That’s dangerous. I think we are entering a post-denominational period. I know my mother Church is Catholic. I am grateful for the great riches of my Catholic Church. But tradition is a runway, a takeoff point, a clear direction. Catholicism has not been a prison for me but a home “with many rooms” (John 14:2), which Jesus called his “Father’s house”. Because of Tradition, I feel a natural communion with many non-Catholics who share our same gospel values in life-style, practicing the two great commandments and asking similar questions of life. The historical European problems that divided us are a bore, frankly. Why do we have to continue to carry the baggage of denominational issues we divided over? If I cannot trust and work together with other Christians, what hope is there for any ecumenism with Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism? What hope is there for the world? Especially when we can see the historical accidents, the cultural blindness, the self-interest on both sides of every schism and reform. Why should we need to defend that? I have to much baggage to carry already. Often I feel like a juggler in this Church, trying to hold many truths together. I can’t make the great issues of the Reformation key in my life. Especially when I see that so many of the questions were asked entirely by comfortable, white male clerics (on both sides) and, usually, were questions of power and righteousness! If we had to divide, why couldn’t we divide over who was doing a better job of feeding widows and orphans?

from The Other Side, “Poverty and Surrender”by Richard Rohr

still a new place

So, two weeks later and…

Gareth is still in Cape Town. With Julie. Looking for a job. Hooray!

Haha. There’s got to be a bit more to say than that. There have been some promising developments that I can fill you in (if there is anyone still visiting here). I have a casting agent, and am about to get a voice-over agent (going to record demos tomorrow). I’ve also signed up with some local tutoring organisations. The plan is to mix-and-match voice-overs, tutoring and also some stints with the Parliamentary Monitoring Group for the next few months. That should get me my bread, and give me space to get a feel for the local Presbyterian churches. I’ve met some of the ministers already, but need to let my face be shown a bit more, get involved somewhere, and then hope that a place will open up. There’s also a rather promising opportunity as a researcher/office assistant and the South African Council of Churches’ Parliamentary Office that I need to work on and explore funding opportunities.

Sometimes I’m anxious about the whole move, finding meaningful work and stuff, but most of the time I’m excited and ready for it. Who knows, I may even find myself ordained in a year? Still need to think and pray that one through though. Cape Town seems to be where it’s at for the next while. With the sea, the mountain, the best Ultimate Frisbee in the country, and a wonderful girlfriend, what more could I want ;)

Well, this update was long overdue. I’m off to fetch Julie from work and throw a Frisbee on the promenade, before we go home to eat and change for… a UB40 concert tonight. One of the perks of Jules’ radio job is tickets to all the concerts in town!

On Wed I’m back in Jo’burg for three weeks. Seeing my family, speaking at my old church., visiting my granddad etc. Gimme a shout if you are there. I don’t know when next I’ll be up in Gauteng.

new place

Gareth is in Cape Town. With Julie. Looking for a job. Hooray!
PS. If you are in CT, my old cell number works still.

still in transit + blog future

london
Yip, I'm still here, exploring the busses and trains and 'starbuckses' of London. I'm more here for the friends than the sights though, and have spent great times catching up with Bianca, Robin and Julie, Nikki and my aunt and uncle in Battersea. I had a most stimulating chat with Barry from high school, and am meeting another high school friend tonight for sushi. I'm staying with Charles until tomorrow when i fly HOME! It's been good to reconnect with the SA diaspora in London. It's been made even better by the fact that the sun has been shining.

blog
Now that the adventure is over, I'll keep this blog running. I'll have to change it a tad, maybe make it the State of G (G for god), and put some theology musings up. To imply that i know God's state may be a bit bold and arrogant though.
(Imagine it: "Today, God is feeling anxious about the wall in Palestine. God groans. Jesus lightens the mood with a joke about trees. The state of God will be back next week.")
We'll see. Now that i'm in SA, there are just as many peeps in the States that like updates too. So, it will go on, if a bit less frequent due to the lack of internet access at home.
Stay posted! Cheers... G

travelling

The last two weeks' whirlwind tour is almost over.

atlanta - huntsville - savannah - alanta - princeton - NYC - london - edinburgh - glasgow - iona - glasgow.

Still to come: glasgow - london - jo'burg - cape town

Phew! Tonight I'm back in Glasgow after two glorious days near the isle of Iona on the far West coast of Scotland. I've been checking the Iona Community out a bit to see if i want to come and work here. Tomorrow i catch the train back to London and next week i fly back HOME!!! Hooray. It's freezing cold there, but i still can't wait. SA here i come!

farewell

Well its over... this journey across the ocean.
I leave the US today.
Goodbye and thank you, it has been a pleasure.
Until we meet again...

the evidence...

NYCPrinceton
Savannah

Garden State of G

2 weeks of silence must mean that something has been happening. Correct!
I've been graduating, travelling, saying goodbye and moving on slowly back home towards Afrique du Sud.

The long way home:
Today finds me enjoying the gracious hospitality of Pomo Adam and Serene Sarah in Princeton, New Jersey. Sometimes NJ is called the Garden State... other times it is called the Armpit State. Anyway, Princeton is pretty. Today I took a tour of the famous campus, saw some pop art, took some pics, cycled on a great pathway next to a river, and finished it off with a Guinness and a braai. I didn't meet anyone famous, but i did see the place where A Beautiful Mind was filmed (John Nash still lives in the town.)
Tomorrow I'm catching a train into NYC baby! I'm going to run around there for a bit, take a walking tour of Wall street, see the sights and meet a high school friend, Eben, for lunch. It seems like he has been making the most of our solid Boys' High education and causing a stir in the big apple. I'm intrigued as to what he's been up to.
Friday I fly to London, and Sunday I go up to Scotland to visit the Iona community for a few days to see if that is a place I could spend a year or two at. Then back to London town for a few days to see my aunt, Charles, Nikki, Bi and some school friends I've reunited with through facebook. Phew! Wed 13th i finally fly home to cold wintery South Africa!

Rock Star:
To tell you the truth, all this traveling, the big names and places, make me feel like a bit of a rock star. I need to get home somehow, so why not the glitzy way? Nah, in a sense it's actually bitter-sweet. I'm enjoying the sightseeing, and every new place means that I'm one step closer to home. But it also means that a season has ended. I had a great time studying at CTS and living in Atlanta. The year was restful, surprising and grounding, and it was really sad to say my goodbyes. I'll miss the student life, friends so close by, cycling through beautiful neighbourhoods, the AFDC Ultimate etc. Even the safety was great. I guess it can't carry on forever. I have a calling, family and girlfriend to get back to. So... here's to a great year that has been, two exciting weeks of travel to come, and happy reunions back home! Cheers!

Oh yes, that two week silence:
I managed to cram quite a bit of exciting adventures into my last few weeks in Georgia - hence the silence here. First of all I graduated on Saturday the 19th. The ceremony was rather neat - all the professors in their 'religious super-hero' capes and colours, the bus loads of family members, and, of course, getting a degree! I even had two of my own fans who came from Huntsville to be there for me. Warner and Linda - you are amazing! Thank you!
After graduation, and the necessary celebrations and formalities, I got a granny car (NOT the 2007 model though) from my host family to borrow and drove to Huntsville for two days to say goodbye and thanks to my friends there. It was a brief visit but needed to happen.
I couldn't leave the US without a last game of Ultimate. So, on Friday i woke up early and went with some friends to Savannah, GA for the SUDS Memorial Day hat tournament. The weekend was great! Camping near the beach, great weather, super frisbee and, to top it all off, a really fancy dinner at The Olde Pink House in Savannah. Saturday we played in town, and Sunday was Beach Ultimate on Tybee Island. It was great to spend the day at the ocean, getting a bit of a tan/sunburn before I return to my third winter in a row.

Monday was the last day left to pack, clean the house, pay an exorbitant amount to ship my books back home, and to say the last goodbyes. All which I did before jumping on a plane yesterday and flying to NYC. It was sad to see the city of Atlanta disappearing through the window. It did. Who knows when I'll be back there. And that all finds me back here in Princeton, which is where this tome started. So I'll stop! Good night.

signs of the times

moving out...

the pics say it all... people are moving out and away. It's rather sad to be in a house that is all boxes. Eliz and Sarah's rooms are almost all empty. Desks are gone, bookshelves empty and (worst of all) the contents of the fridge are downright depressing. I guess it is that time of year though... goodbyes and new beginnings. Although i wish i were home tomorrow, i also wish i weren't leaving. Get your head around that one. I'll miss the student life, the friends I've made, cycling through the leafy 'burbs, Ultimate... etc. I guess i just don't like transitional times and spaces.

that's just great!

New UN report: Africa hardest hit by climate change.

That's just great! (sarcastic tone)
Why does the continent with the richest resources and the least carbon emissions always have to get the worst deal?

"All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others."

FINITO!

Finito! Finished! Klaar! Kaput!

Yes, you heard it! I'm done! Final paper turned in, thesis printed and approved, house for rent, bills paid... now all that is left is graduation.

Finished!
I can't wait to be home, but i don't want to leave.
Bitter-sweet is life.

big names

One of the cool things about studying here is that Columbia has some rather big names. Today I got the chance to interact with two of the biggest - Brian Wren and Walter Brueggemann.

First off, Brian Wren is retiring, and today he preached his last sermon in chapel. He had a stroke last year, and that has forced him to take things slowly. The sermon was pretty much on death, but said far more beautifully and eloquently than i will ever manage. For Brian, God has not chosen to give him the gift of certainty and full assurance about life (and death). Some people he knows are so certain of their faith. But, if God had gifted him in that way, then the only hymn he would ever be able to write is
"Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine;
Oh what a foretaste of glory divine."
before he would have to shut the book and put down his pen. However, without this faith, his gift is to question, and think, and search, and lament. He has this become one of the most published and prolific of modern hymn writers, with his work published in hymnals all over the world. It was a moving, honest and hopeful sermon, and i saw him at coffee hour and thanked him for it. He also made an interesting remark about resurrection. Whatever the next world is to be, it won't be full of 'individualistic North Americans walking in the heavenly mall looking for fashion accessories.' He is who he is because of so many people, and in the resurrected life people will be just as intertwined and connected as they are today. I like that!

Community Softball and picnic on the seminary fields

I saw Walter Brueggemann (or 'Wally' as some students affectionately call him) at the community softball game last week, and asked him if i could come by and chat. He agreed, and today i popped into his office armed with a bunch of questions. I can't remember all that i asked, or all that he answered. A lot of it was over my head, and with no shared stories it felt a bit like an interview. Anyway, I liked what i understood, and think it will be a good idea to read some of his 55 books (correction: the count is up to 80 books now!), especially considering he is widely regarded as the foremost Old Testament theologian in the world! His name is more widely known than Columbia TS itself.

So, what did he say?
I asked him about where he sees the church going, and, after saying it's direction has to change, he directed me to his latest book on the contemporary church. A burning question of mine was how (and why) he reads the Bible. Social-historical criticism reading of the Bible has made it very tasteless for me, to the point that i hardly read anymore. Walter rather uses rhetorical criticism, and situates the text in our experiences. The really neat switch is that he sees God as a developing character in the text. When i brought up the problem of violence in the Old Testament, his reply is that God is a 'recovering violent-person' (as in 'recovering alcoholic.') This means that God did sanction violence in the past, but is 'recovering' and becoming more fully God. The 'fully-God' characteristics are the words we often see in the Bible such as mercy, steadfast love, grace etc. Those then are the attributes we are to try live into too, as we (also characters in the story) become more fully human. As to why he reads the Bible? It is the only text of its kind that explicitly speaks of the Divine. And it is our text. Finally, to answer 'What is the point of this all?' he used a Jewish phrase and says we are to 'mend the world'. Hooray for old, clever professors!

tea time

Tomorrow there is a special "international students" coffee hour in the refectory at 10. They have asked us to address the student body and say how our year has been here, and what we find peculiar about US culture. Should be interesting! BUT, more importantly, they asked us (the internationals) to bring a dessert from our country. Yummy! There will be desserts from Korea, Mexico, England, Czech Republic, Kenya, Hungary and... yes! you guessed it - South Africa!

Koeksusters were just way out of my league, so... I got all patriotic (and Afrikaans) and, armed with a recipe from Allrecipes.com, I stayed up past midnight to create...
...two big, fat, tasty Melkterts! (That's 'Milktart' for all the English folks.) Aren't you proud of me? I have a headache from licking two bowls clean. Good night. (oh, and these are real live pictures from our kitchen an hour ago.)

people going places

Lately I've reconnected (via Facebook and other such procrastination tools) with people from long ago. From ambitious high-school friends to neighbours in Midrand, and even some primary school names I'd almost forgotten. It's great to see how they are making their way in life. From business people in NYC, band members in SA to way too many folks eeking out a living in grey London, life goes on for all of us.

Criss, one of my youth leaders in Jo'burg, is becoming quite a deviant photographer (with some deep poetry on the side). Michael, my best friend from high school is running around Japan doing the Jesus-thing. Our neighbours, Greg and Chris Carlin are being rather creative. Chris does some awesome graphic work, and Greg is releasing his first solo album as Zebra&Giraffe. He even won an award for "Single of the Year" in the experimental category at the 2006 Los Angeles Music Awards. Nice, guy! Listen here. As for bloggers, i found another student at CTS, Marissa, who seems to be getting the scribe thing down. Benji from Bedfordview is doing some midnight rantings too.
My how we have grown!

a lightbulb at the .bE alt worship experience, Grandma Luke's, Little 5.
I'm uploading some pics on Flikr here.

No. 3

Number 3.
It is coming ... soon!
I'm going to watch it tomorrow, at 23h59, at an IMAX theatre!
Sneak peek?

UPDATE:
Number 3.
It came.
Despite all the efforts of fandango.com and the cinema trying to stall the program, it happened.
'Twas fun (and long and large and loud and late).
Adam has a better story here.
Over and out.

Baseball Birthday

Today was Sarah's 26th birthday. We had a 'lekker bring&braai' (or as they say here - a cookout) for her on Sat, because she is an uber-cool housemate and other people like her too! But, what is a birthday without a Brave's Baseball game? So, today a few of us trekked off in Phil and Kara's very nice new Subaru Outback to Turner field. We learnt on the way there that the Grand Master of the KKKlan lives in Harrison - the town Sarah's dad works in. There was a very humorous conversation between her and her dad. We also learnt that Subarus were called "Lesbarus" in the NY Times. Apparently a certain orientation of people find them aesthetically pleasing. So did most of us in the car.
We parked at the Holiday Inn and walked to Turner Field. Sarah, as the ever prepared travel warrior princess had our tickets ready, so we went inside, climbed too many stairs and sat down to 9 innings of Braves vs the Phillies. And guess what? At the bottom of the ninth it was 2-2, Braves to bat. 1 out, 2 bases full. Andruw Jones steps up and hits a home-run! Game over, Braves win. Happy Birthday! Woohooo!
I sound like a local! Haha, good times. I even bought some boiled peanuts. Tasty. The seats were high up and the sunset was cool. All in all a good evening.

On a side note, i still think that cricket is cooler and more entertaining. I kept on feeling sorry for the batters who try so hard but hardly ever get a run. The excitement felt with the homerun is similar to when someone hits a six in cricket, except that in a good ODI game, there are plenty of sixes. Anyhow, i guess the sport you grow up with you tend to appreciate more. Phil does want me to explain cricket to him sometime. Will do!

And i applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. i perceived also that this was chasing after the wind. For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow. - Ecclesiastes 1: 17 - 18

pictures

The 'shiny ball' in Chicago's Millenium park

Loyal to the Truth

I sat down to read a bit of Thomas Merton last night - after a wonderful evening of helping Adam and Jake with their .bE alt.worship installation thing. It so often surprises me how postmodern and contextual Merton is in his thinking. Even from his hermitage in Kentucky he was speaking of a hermeneutic of suspicion, a non-rule based ethic, and favoured right action over right words. Most of what he said echoed the thoughts Jake and Adam used in the worship experience last night - those of Meister Eckhart, Derrida, Ricouer, Rilke etc.

The Truth is a Way and a Person - and a Way and a Person have to be found and followed. Truth is to be lived. There are, in fact, no simple formulas that will suffice once for all. True, there are principles. But a principle is worthless if it is usually known and not applied. And if we apply it, we have to have regard for circumstances that make the principle true in a unique way in this unique case - or that perhaps calls into action some entirely different principle that gives the lie to the first.
How hard it is to be loyal to the Truth when most of the time you do not see any of it! Thus loyalty demands constant criticism, constant rejection of empty formulas, of words use to evade the struggle and to allay anguish, rather than to find Truth or express it. And can we use words simply to find Truth? Is this not an illusion?

The Journals of Thomas Merton, III. 192. April 20, 1958.

Hmmm... what does this have to say about Preaching and its use of 'words'. What empty formulas do I have to reject? Could it be that our Christian principles are contingent and only 'work' in certain circumstances? Uneasy questions! Good old Merton. Just when i thought i was coming back to some absolutes I'm told not settle for easy words or answers that evade the struggle. Truth is expression, not opinion.

sad day

Don't mention the cricket. Just don't. Thanks!

You're invited!

This time it is for real! I handed in the FINAL DRAFT of my thesis on Friday! There were times when i didn't think it was possible, but, 70 pages later, it's done. Woohoo! If all else goes according to plan (i.e. it passes), I should be out of here with a Masters in a month's time. It feels strange to be leaving so soon, and i'm really not looking forward to the goodbyes. For now i still have two classes to do some work for, but most things are beginning to wind down as the academic year comes to an end and everyone disappears for the summer. Unless of course you are me, and happen to be disappearing for another winter! that is three winters in a row. Somebody please get me some sunshine here! ;)
So... I have 15 invites, and no-one to give them to! Anyone happen to be flying through Atl you are welcome to join the seminary party ;) (Justin is the only SA friend nearby and his employers won't let him off work)

work work work

The weekend excitement is over, and it's back to work. Thesis is due (final draft - this is for real now) on Friday, so I expect I'll be rather scarce here for a while. Have a great week, and wish me luck as I do this student thing!
(Oh, and support South Africa in our crucial World Cup match against England on Tuesday)

update x2

Sunday 11pm: Well, we're back after a wonderful weekend. The Chick-Fil-A Championship match ended up being the best game of the tournament, and maybe even the best game ever since Union started hosting the tournament. The brave men and woman of Columbia almost made seminary ultimate history by upstaging another Princeton team in the final. In the end we just lost 6-5. It was a wonderful game and a memorable weekend. Adam has a game report, and a picture or two. I hope to find one of the valiant 9 soon and post it here. Anyway, good times had by all (apart from the 9 hour drive each way).
Saturday 4pm: Hey... I'm sneaking a bit of internet in the beautiful Union PCSE library. CTS won our three pool games, and we are playing Princeton in the championship match at 5! Woohoo!
On a sadder note though, SA doesn't seem to be doing too well in the cricket against New Zealand. It's at times like these that I always say, "Pants!".
Time to warm up.

Richmond VA

This weekend is the long awaited 'inter-seminary ultimate frisbee tournament'. At times it has also been known by the title 'The Calvin Bowl'. There will be four or five Presby seminaries meeting at Union PCSE in Richmond for this monumental encounter. CTS hopes to overthrow Princeton Seminary, the current champions. Maybe my loosing streak (0 and 12 last time i checked) will stop, and we will be victorious. Update to follow on Sunday!

Here's a great apt quote that i quite enjoy:

"We used to say that Frisbee is really a religion-'Frisbeeterians,' we'd call ourselves. When we die, we don't go to purgatory, we just land up on the roof and lie there."

Ed Headrick, inventor of the Frisbee

back to the grind

Happy Easter to you all. To be honest, i hardly had time to get into the easter mood this year. I tried a lent thing (succeeded probably 30 of the 40 days) and went to a Jazz Vespers and Communion evening service at Fourth Presbyterian, Chicago on Easter Sunday. In between it has been thesis manic-ness and a little visit to Chicago. The trip was fun, even if it was below freezing and snowing. The architect in me was like a spoilt child when i saw all the big shiny buildings in the city. I have plenty of photos of them, and may even post some up here in the not too distant future. I'll have to expand on the trip too, but for now, I have work to do for class. Seems like i didn't really stop over spring break, and there are a few more deadlines looming. Being a grad student takes a bit of work! ;)

(oh - SA LOST to Bangladesh, but beat the West Indies convincingly today after posting a score of 356. Woohoo SA cricket!)

On the road again

After 5 days of manic typing, lots of Starbucks coffee and at least one all-nighter, i handed in the second draft of my thesis. Aaaah! Now I can relax for a bit and really enjoy the one-week Spring Break we have. I'm relaxing so much that i'm actually going on a little adventure with Sarah (my uber-cool housemate) up North for 5 days to...

CHICAGO! Hooray! I will wave at Oprah, go on the Skywalk, watch Kate in the Second City show and.. umm.. what else do you do there?

The only bummer is that it is expected to be really cold. I though spring had sprung ;( So, look out for pictures of me all bundled up. I'll give a debrief when I get back. Elizabeth (my other cool housemate) is in sunny California doing the wine route. Enjoy the sunshine EG!

PS. happy Easter all.