Latest News

Mzinzisi Dyantyi to be licensed as Dean of Grahamstown on 24 April

On Saturday 24 April at 10:00 in the Cathedral, the Bishop of Grahamstown, Ebenezer Ntlali, will license the Venerable Mzinzisi Dyantyi as Dean of Grahamstown and Rector of the Cathedral of St Michael and St George. At the same service he will license Canon Melany Adonis as Chancellor of the Cathedral, and install the Revd Cikizwe Kepe, Rector of St Augustine’s, as the new Archdeacon of Grahamstown.

According to the current Covid-19 regulations, the maximum number of persons allowed in the Cathedral for the service will be 250. If you are wish to attend in person, please contact the Parish Office, 046 622 2445, admin@grahamstowncathedral.org to book in, giving name and telephone contact details. Bookings for in-person attendance will close at noon on Wednesday 21 April.

For the benefit of those unable to be present in person, the service will also be live-streamed on our Facebook page.

 

Meet the new Dean of Grahamstown, Mzinzisi Dyantyi

Grahamstown Cathedral is delighted to announce that the Venerable Mzinzisi Dyantyi, currently Sub-Dean of Grahamstown, is to be our next Dean! His Institution will take place on 24 April. He is seen here with his wife Lilitha, son Samila (4) and daughter Sambesiwe (7).

Canon Melany Adonis is to be Sub-Dean and Chancellor of the Cathedral. May God bless Mzi, Melany, and their families in this new and exciting stage of their ministry!

 

 

Kutlwano Kepadisa appointed Cathedral Director of Music and Precentor

After the Parish Council had met on Wednesday evening, 27 January, for the last time in Andrew Hunter’s tenure as Dean, he announced the appointment of Kutlwano Kepadisa as Director of Music of the Cathedral. Kutlwano (Kepa) has been acting as Director of Music for some months, and was also in charge of the Cathedral music for two years from 2017-2019, after the departure of Dr Andrew-John Bethke. Trained initially by Dr Bethke as a Choir Intern, Kepa has worked tirelessly to develop his talents as a choir director. To judge by the outpouring of delighted congratulations on Facebook from parishioners and friends near and far, this appointment is extremely popular, and Kepa should be able to depend on support from the parish and beyond. At the live-streamed Eucharist service on Sunday 31 January, Dean Andrew announced that in addition to being Director of Music, he had appointed Kepa Cathedral Precentor. We congratulate him, and ask God’s blessing on him in this new field of work.

Kutlwano Kepadisa succeeds Cameron Luke, who joined us in April 2019. A brilliant organist, he brought many gifts and talents to the Cathedral and the choir. We thank him for all that he has contributed to the life of the Cathedral.

Cathedral choristers wanted!

The Imvumi (singers) section of the choir is looking for young singers to join our music ministry. Singers from Grade 5 to Grade 10 are encouraged to come try out for the choir. Interested singers/parents must contact Mr Kutlwano Kepadisa at 078 869 0880 (Whatsapp) to book their audition slot.

 

Cathedral open for Sunday morning worship

The Cathedral has been open again for worship since Sunday 14 February. There are two morning services each Sunday in the Cathedral, Holy Communion at 07:30 and Sung Eucharist at 09:30 a.m.

Under the current adjusted Level One regulations, no more than 250 persons will be allowed in the Cathedral at a time. All Covid-19 regulations to be observed. Communion will be in one kind (i.e. wafers only).

The 09:30 Eucharist services are also streamed live on our Facebook page.

For details of other live-streamed services, see our Worship page.

 

Farewell to Chris Mann, Artist-in-Residence

Chris Mann, poet and troubadour, one of the Cathedral’s Artists-in-Residence, died at home of cancer on 10 March.  Over the years we have valued his poems, his songs, and those amazing collaborative multi-media shows produced for successive Spiritfests with his wife and fellow Artist-in-Residence Julia Skeen. His faith breathed easily through his art, an unforced, natural witness. We give thanks for his incalculable contribution to this city and this worshipping fellowship, mourn his passing, and pray for Julia and the family.

Chris Mann’s funeral took take place in the Cathedral on Friday 19 March at 10:30. Due to Covid-19 regulations, numbers present were limited to 100, but the service was streamed live, and recorded. It is still available to be watched here.

For more about Artists-in-Residence, and poems by Chris, see Our Artists page.

 

 

Andrew Hunter’s last Sunday as Dean of Grahamstown

The Cathedral Parish said goodbye to the Hunter family on Sunday 31 January. Under the Level Three Lockdown regulations then in force, their final services had to be live-streamed only, so it was in the Cory Room that Andrew Hunter celebrated the Eucharist, and preached his last sermon as Dean. The Director of Music Kutlwano Kepadisa (Kepa) ensured that the Zoom/Facebook production was of the highest quality, with moving and memorable music. The marimba players appeared in a video, accompanying a setting of the Kyrie which their Director, Asakhe Cuntsulana, had written for the occasion. Kepa sent out an appeal to his chorister friends, and within less than a day had produced a “virtual choir” anthem, “May the road rise to meet you”.

At the end of the service voice-note tributes were played from a number of parish representatives: June Venn (Sacristans), Lunga Dongwana (clergy), Nomakwezi Gabavana (MU), Paul Walters, Tandiwe Gabavana (Youth), Kepa (Music), Theo Duxbury (Churchwardens) and Sub-Dean Mzinzisi Dyantyi.

Later that morning the four Hunters held court in the shade outside St George’s Chambers. Parishioners and friends drove down High Street and paused to come and say goodbye. Among the gifts that were brought along were some special ones from the whole parish: a locally-made yellowwood clock, a lovely photograph of the Cathedral by Roddy Fox printed on canvas, and a booklet which had been compiled of messages of thanks and good wishes sent in by parishioners and friends. For more pictures, see our Gallery.

The Hunters left Grahamstown/ Makhanda finally on Friday 5 February, for Cape Town, where Revd Claire was licensed as Rector of St Thomas’s Rondebosch in a quiet ceremony on Saturday 13 February. This service was live-streamed, and a number of Cathedral parishioners were able to witness it. Andrew is taking some well earned leave, and looking forward to seeing in what field the Lord will be using his talents next. We give thanks for all that the Hunters have meant to this parish, and pray God’s richest blessings on them.

 

 

Diocese of Grahamstown says goodbye to Dean Andrew and Revd Claire at online service

The Bishop of Grahamstown, Ebenezer Ntlali, was the celebrant and preacher at a special diocesan Eucharist service on Sunday 24 January to give thanks for the ministry in the Diocese of Dean Andrew Hunter and his wife the Revd Dr Claire Nye Hunter, and to bid them farewell. Due to the Level Three lockdown regulations, the service had to be streamed live via Facebook from the Cory Room. After the service the Bishop paid tribute to the Hunters, and voice notes of appreciation and good wishes were played from representatives of the Diocesan Youth Guild, St Mary Magdalene Guild, AWF, Bernard Mizeki Guild, MU, the Chapter and diocesan clergy.

 

Visitors welcome

The Cathedral is open for visitors and private prayer during the Verger’s working hours, i.e. 9-12 and 1-3 on weekdays, and 9-12 on Saturdays. Please wear masks.

The Cathedral Office is open from 8—4:30 (closed for lunch 1—2). All visitors to the office are asked to wear masks, complete a register and sanitise their hands on entry. Sanitiser is provided.

 

 

South African Council of Churches Guidelines on Funerals in a time of pandemic

The SACC has produced a useful summary of the Government regulations covering funerals during the coronavirus pandemic. It can be accessed in poster form here.

This is part of the website which the SACC developed, which contains a range of useful, and accurate content on the Coronavirus pandemic. These can be downloaded and shared in all 11 languages. It also includes links to other useful resources.

Beyond general information on the virus, the SACC will provide information on the particular challenges faced by churches at this time. New content will be added regularly. It is work in progress and will improve with time.

Requests for information to be added on the site can be sent to info@coronachurch.org.za

Please share this resource widely.

 

 

Anglican Consultative Council passes Environment resolution

The Anglican Consultative Council, meeting in Hong Kong in May, passed an important resolution on the environment. The resolution recognised that there is a global climate emergency and requested that churches develop action plans and resources for sustainable living. Read more…