Spiritfest is the Grahamstown Churches’ initiative in the National Arts Festival.

Spiritfest exists to glorify God and to celebrate the Arts in the context of the Christian Faith.

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2022 PROGRAMME

• Music
• Weekday Worship Services
• Sunday Worship Services
• Winter Talks
• Meditation and Prayer
• Walk of Prayer and Witness
• Spiritfest Online
• Return to Spiritfest front page

 

MUSIC

Ingoma yoHadi (Song of the Harp) – Asakhe Cuntsulana

This 45 minute concert fuses the traditional folk South African music on the Adungu (Ugandan Harp) while evoking expressions that mirror the four phases of being, spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical. Ingoma yoHadi (Song of the Harp) offers an atmosphere for meditation, stillness and serenity in which music alone makes sense of unspoken words, thoughts, and life experiences. When all is lost music remains the only hope to restore and recover. Fri 24 June  13:00 (45 mins) The Cathedral  

Makhanda Kwantu Choir

Fri  24 June, Sat 25 June 11:00 (1hr) The Cathedral  A concert of some of the best choral works by composers spanning the landscape of the globe. The audience will be spoiled with rich choral treasures from Russia, Poland, England, America and some excellent choral works by South African composers, including some original arrangements by the choir of some of South Africa’s most popular music. There is something for all to enjoy in this diverse programme.

 

Grahamstown Circuit Choir

Members of the Grahamstown Circuit Choir are drawn from a number of Methodist church choirs in the area. Come and hear them sing rousing spiritual favourites from South Africa and beyond. Sat 25 June 15:30 (1hr) Commemoration Methodist Church, Church Square  

Piano Recital – Bayanda Mthetho

A youthful recital, by one of Makhanda’s young players. The concert will consist mainly of classical music, ranging from the well-known sacred composers Liszt and Bach, to modern secular works, including Ravel and Messiaen. The music chosen aims to invoke and question the sense of reality, allowing both the player and the listener to visit an other-worldly realm. Wed  29 June 12:00 (45 mins)  The Cathedral   Please note the organ recital on Thursday 30 June will take place at 13:00 or as soon as load-shedding ends!

Well-known Favourites on the King of Instruments – Peter Black

St Andrew’s College Chapel Organist, Peter Black, plays some of the great standards of the Organ repertoire, including J.S. Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, Rheinberger’s towering Introduction and Passacaglia from his 8^th Organ Sonata and the Toccata from Charles-Marie Widor’s Fifth Symphony for Organ. Thurs 30 June 13:00 (45 mins) The Cathedral

WEEKDAY WORSHIP SERVICES

Choral Evensong

A service beloved in English Cathedrals can be found right here in Makhanda. The Cathedral Choir which includes children from the Makana Choir School, and which is directed by Kutlwano Kepadisa, will lead the singing at a service of Choral Evensong. Fri 24 June 17:30 (1 hr) The Cathedral  

Weekday Mass – St Patrick’s Catholic Church, Hill Street             

Fri 24 June, Wed 29 June & Fri 1 July 13:15 (30 min)  

Taizé Service

The Taizé style of simple repetitive chant speaks to the heart and uplifts the soul. Come and join in 40 minutes of candlelit peaceful meditation and song. Wed  29 July 17:30 (40 mins) The Cathedral  

WALK OF PRAYER AND WITNESS

Join us for a walk of prayer and witness, along High Street from the Police Station in Raglan Road to the Commemoration Methodist Church at the end of Bathurst Street. At various significant points we will stop to offer prayers relating to what those points signify to our town. Thurs 30 June  14:15 (30 mins) Police Station, Raglan Rd to end of Bathurst St    

SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES

Festival Eucharist Services – Cathedral, Church Square

Come and participate in a magnificent Choral Eucharist. 26 June 09:30 (1hr30) Preacher: Dean Mzinzisi Dyantyi. The Cathedral Choir, directed by Kutlwano Kepadisa, will sing the Gospel Mass by Robert Ray. 3 July 09:30 (1hr30) Preacher: Sub-Dean Melany Adonis  

Commemoration Methodist Church, Church Square

26 June 08:30 (1hr30) Preacher:  The Rev Andile Nokwindla 3 July 08:30 (1hr30) Preacher: The Rev Otto Nshanyana  

Every Nation Church, 10 Hill Street

26 June, 3 July 09:30 (1hr30)  

Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk, Hillstraat

26 Junie, 3 Julie 09:00 (1hr)  

River of Life Church, corner Hill & Huntley Streets

26 June, 3 July 08:30, 10:30 (1hr30)  

St Patrick’s Catholic Church, Hill Street – Sunday Mass

26 June, 3 July  08:00 (1hr)  

Trinity Presbyterian Church, Hill Street

26 June, 3 July 09:30, 18:30, (English), 15:00 (Vernacular) (1hr30)    

SPIRITFEST WINTER TALKS

Lectures with discussion

‘And yet we all die’ – The Revd Janet Trisk

Fear, fascination, forgetfulness. Most of us experience all these responses to death at various times in our lives. In this discussion I hope that we will ease the fear a little by considering “good death”; that we will temper the fascination with death with an equal passion for life and remind ourselves that to forget our mortality is part of the sickness of our times. Mon 27 June: 11:00 (1 hr) St Patrick’s Church Hall, Hill Street    

‘Good Grief’ – The Revd Linda Schwartz

Grief is a complex, compelling and profound life experience. How we grieve is informed by culture, religion, societal and religious expectations, all of which potentially complicate or ease the process. This talk will discuss how we can make meaning of grief and bereavement in ways that honour our emotions, take into account its effects on our lives, and how we tell and listen to stories of grief in ways that make us stronger. Mon 27 June: 15:00 (1 hr) St Patrick’s Church Hall, Hill Street            

‘God the Scientist’ – Prof Rui Krause

 Tue 28 June: 11:00 (1 hr) St Patrick’s Church Hall, Hill Street           As a young PhD student I was once challenged to explain how as a scientist I could believe in God.  It was a question that I couldn’t easily answer, and through the years this has wondered around my mind. Add to this, attacks like the Dawkins book The God Delusion and we have the makings of a troubled relationship between science and religion. However, far from disproving God, I believe science and the scientific method can be revealing, helping to uncover the beauty of creation. Through this talk I would like to show you how I see the compatibility of faith and science, and how a faith in God can in turn provide a ‘big picture’ of the world against which science perhaps makes more sense.                        

MEDITATION AND PRAYER

Christian Meditation

Explore the tradition that comes to us through the centuries from the Desert Fathers and Mothers, led by a visitor from the World Community for Christian Meditation and the Centre for Christian Spirituality. 27 June – 1 July 09:30 (1hr) St Patrick’s Church, Hill Street  

Guided Prayer

A week of Guided Prayer led by a group of prayer guides trained in Ignatian Spirituality. Guided prayer allows one’s prayer life to become enriched. Through experiencing different ways of praying you will become more aware of God’s presence in your daily life. The opening session will be online, via Zoom, on Sunday 26th June at 2.30 pm. Tel. 072 631 9048 or email srgeraldine54@gmail.com for log-in details. Two guides will be available in person. 27-29 June, 1 July 14:00 (2hrs) St Patrick’s Church, Hill Street You can also book an online prayer guide.    

SPIRITFEST ONLINE

The links below are all now live.

Songs and Poems of Fafa Hopkins

The beloved Makhanda poet and troubadour Chris Mann (stage name Fafa Hopkins) died in 2021, but has left a rich legacy of recordings. Spiritfest is proud to present online Fafa Hopkins performing three of his song-poems.

• Ms South Africa
• The Rainbow Hidden in the Storm
• Smiling through the Tears

  In addition, you can hear one poem by Chris Mann, read by Lindsay Reardon:

• Doubting Thomas

 

Green Anglicans

This environmental network aims to support churches to fulfil God’s call to be Earthkeepers and to care for creation. They are presenting two short videos on the Online Spiritfest:

• “We must save the Water’ sung by the Cape Town Opera Chorus, recorded at the Water Justice Conference at St George’s Cathedral Cape Town, during the Cape Town ‘Day Zero’ drought.
• ‘Will you rise up with this Generation‘? Listen to the prophetic voices of young climate change activists!

  If you have enjoyed one of our online programme items, and would like to make a contribution towards the expenses of Spiritfest, please send your gift by e.f.t. to Cathedral of St Michael & St George Current Account, First National Bank, Grahamstown, Account Number: 52320792164, clearly marked Spiritfest. 

 

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