With twirling ribbons and dances, with toe-tapping marimba beats and roof-raising song, the Anglican Diocese of Grahamstown welcomed nine new deacons last week.
The Cathedral of St Michael and St George was the setting for an ordination service on the morning of Saturday 22 May, at which the Bishop of Grahamstown, Ebenezer Ntlali, presided.
With twirling ribbons and dances, with toe-tapping marimba beats and roof-raising song, the Anglican Diocese of Grahamstown welcomed nine new deacons last week.
The Cathedral of St Michael and St George was the setting for an ordination service on the morning of Saturday 22 May, at which the Bishop of Grahamstown, Ebenezer Ntlali, presided.
The four men and five women ordained came from East London, Bedford, and the King William’s Town area as well as Grahamstown itself.
In his sermon Andrew Hunter, Dean of Grahamstown, reminded the deacons that, like Isaiah, they were called and, like Jesus, they were there not to be served, but to serve.
The Cathedral Choir was joined by members of the choir of St Augustine’s Grahamstown, the Cathedral marimba group played and for the first time at a diocesan occasion, the Cathedral dance group gave an offering of worship in dance.
The group of talented young girl dancers included several daughters of clergy and College of the Transfiguration (COTT) students, and was trained by Alzena Damoes, the wife of a COTT student.
Those ordained included three based in Grahamstown: Vic Graham, a member of staff at COTT, one of the COTT students Mzinzisi Dyantyi who was licensed to assist at the Cathedral, and Siphokazi Njokweni, who will also be on the Cathedral staff as a self-supporting assistant.
Nosisi Khotlo and Kazeka Somhlahlo come from Holy Cross Mdantsane and will serve there, Bukhosi Mabandla and Bubele Mfenyana from Zwelitsha, Patricia Wells from Bedford and Mary Botchway from St Mark’s East London.
