St Johns’ Lenten Appeal – Haiti Orphans Support

19 February 2010

Dear Community of St. John’s

Warm greetings from Fr Ian Stevens and myself. I am yet to meet many of you, however I have certainly felt welcomed and challenged in my first half-term here at St John’s. The occasion for this letter from us, is that Wednesday this last week was ‘Ash Wednesday’ marking the beginning of the 40 days of Lent. Lent is a time in which we take stock of our spiritual journey and related disciplines, often choosing to do something that heightens our awareness and action in respect of how God sees us, how we relate to others and the manner in which we relate to the earth and creation as our home.

During our weekly Mass, ‘the offertory’ is the opportunity presented to us to give in a considered and prayerful way. We wish to enable those present at Mass to give with an awareness of the need, which their generosity will support. Generous financial giving is one way in which we express our love of God, our gratitude for the abundance which we have and our commitment to serve Christ in those who would benefit from these acts of love.

For the four weeks of Lent, until the end of this first term, Fr Ian and I have decided to support the following initiative, as proposed by the office of the Anglican Bishop of Johannesburg:

St. John the Divine Orphans and Outreach (a ministry of the Anglican Parish of St. John the Divine in Randfontein), in partnership with Instant Hot Meals (www.instanthotmeals.co.za) , is inviting you to participate in this prophetic project of sending 1,000,000 units of instant-hot meals to the orphans in Haiti by the 27th April, 2010. The SA Airforce is willing to help with the transport and the International Red Cross will be responsible for the distribution of these meals. (download detailed document attached).

The Parish of St John the Divine in Randfontein cares for 800 registered orphans. The above initiative was sparked by a letter to the Rector of the Parish, The Revd. Gwyhn Slade, from one of the orphaned children in Randfontein, asking what they could do to help the orphans in Haiti. Gwyhn has been invited to be the guest preacher at the College Mass on Wednesday 24th February.

A poster will be on display outside the Chapel to keep our attention focussed in this regard.

Your joyful and willing participation in this initiative will enable the community of St. John’s to be a significant partner with those spearheading this initiative as well as give the occasion of the ‘offertory’ during mass its rightful liturgical significance.

Yours in Christ

The Revd Jaques Pretorius
School Chaplain

 

The ongoing Challenge
The Chapel collection for the 1st Wednesday in Lent on 24 February was R1910.50. This translates into 63 nutritious hot meals for the orphans being supported in Haiti.  A huge thank you to staff , pupils and parents who have responded directly to St John the Divine by depositing money in the specified project account

It would be fantastic if each member of the St John’s community could set themselves the goal of giving one meal a week (R30.00 each week) for the next three weeks of Lent after half-term, especially if you are not engaged in a Lenten discipline of some kind. If this seems too challenging, then to set a goal of giving one meal by the end of the next three weeks (R10.00 per week).

May you all know God’s Blessing on your time together as family & friends over half term.

The Revd Jaques Pretorius
School Chaplain

 

Lenten UPDATE
20 April 2010
R16,171.00 was  collected during Lent in Chapel Services, for our Lenten appeal. This translates into 539 hot meals for Orphans in Haiti. This amounts excludes amounts donated by members of the St. John’s Community, directly into the Haiti Orphan’s Fund account.

The breakdown of the Chapel collections is as follows:

	COLLEGE	PREPARATORY	VIth FORM	TOTAL
1st week	1 910.50	5 195.00	1 095.00
2nd week	936.25	B/F	B/F
3rd and 4th weeks	2 844.95	3 278.55	911.45
	5 691.70	8 473.55	2 006.45	16 171.70	30	539.0567

Thank you for your support for this initiative.

 

 

 

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