“Your vision must be stronger than your memory”

/ edwinarrison / Leave a comment

This expression, according to Dr Nick Binedell, the founder of GIBS in Johannesburg, is a mantra that will lead any individual, organization, institution or country to a better future.

It resonates well with the Biblical expression: “Where there is no vision, the people perish (or parish!)”. (Proverbs 29:18)

But how does it resonate with the expression from Archbishop Tutu: “We learn from history that we do not learn from history”? We should desire to learn from history so that we do not repeat the mistakes of our individual and collective histories.

It is clear that history cannot simply be forgotten. Amnesia is not an option. But in faithfully learning about history from many different perspectives, how does one ensure that it does not consume you, imprison you or make you bitter and cynical? Can a knowledge of history liberate us?

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My hands, our hands, God’s hands

/ edwinarrison / Leave a comment

A story is told about a young boy who wanted to test a sage. He held a small little bird in his two cusped hands and said to the sage: “Is this little bird dead or alive?” In his mind he thought: If the sage says “dead” then he will simply open his hand and allow the bird to fly away. If the sage says “alive”, he will crush the little bird. The sage listened to his question and contemplated for a while. Then she answered: “Son, whether the bird is alive or dead, is in your hands”.

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Covid: we need to change course

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Before we end the year, it will be useful to look back on 2020 and reflect on what has happened and how VYLTP has been affected by it – and perhaps even begin to chart a way forward. Our mission at VYLTP is to “gather young leaders to form a safe space of learning, through courageous conversations, to foster wise leadership that empowers them to facilitate transformative justice in church and society”.

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New VYLTP online course: “Beloved Community”

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Covid-19 has taken its toll on our leadership programmes offered each year at Volmoed. Our programmes were built along the five themes of: Community; Healing and wholeness;, Creation and creativity; Reconciliation; and Peace and justice. We are hoping to revive these programmes when the virus has been slain.

Our current challenges have also forced us to think out of the box, and the outcome is a brand new online course kicking off in 2021, entitled ‘Beloved Community”.

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Compassion

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August is known as the month of compassion but it’s an essential way of life and being for each day of our lives as we follow Jesus the Christ, who responded with loving compassion to all whom he met. This month also marks particular anniversaries – the first atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan,  and South African National Women’s Day to commemorate the march in 1956 of 20,000 women, to protest the pass laws. The Southern African Anglican church’s decision in 1992 to ordain women as priests also took place in August.

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Gender based violence: Women, patriarchy, and the church

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National Women’s Day in South Africa on 9 August commemorates a powerful moment in our history. In 1956, 20,000 women  marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria, to protest against the carrying of pass books and legislation aimed at tightening the apartheid government’s control over the movement of black women in urban areas.

This month also marks the 28th anniversary of the Anglican Church’s decision to ordain women as priests. It’s a good moment to reflect on women and the church, whatever your denomination or faith community.

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