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The Saint Barnabas United Church set up this podcast as a learning platform for its 2020 confirmation class. For more podcasts from Saint Barnabas please visit the page. Candidates are asked to please watch the video, view the slideshow and submit the form. This is Lesson Three on The Trinity.

Reverend Kelvin Harris brings this service, entitled “Trust in God”. It is based on the following scripture readings:

1 Peter 3:13-22

John 14: 1-10

The podcast is produced as a service to the church community and friends. During this time of lockdown, sermons will be pre-recorded and then uploaded onto the podcast. So visit the Spudcaster page for more podcasts.

Reverend Heidi Petersen leads this Agapé Love Feast with the sermon entitled “Enough and to Spare”. It is based on the scripture reading at Luke 15 verses 11 – 32. Shevon Serfontein presented the opening prayer. Janella Salvador performed the opening hymn “Give Thanks“. And the Aeolians Oakwood University Alumni 2020 rendered the closing anthem “We Shall Overcome”. Special thanks to Roger Gauld, who recorded, edited and produced this video. This podcast was produced during the time of lockdown as a service to Saint Barnabas United Church. So visit the Spudcaster page for more podcasts.

I am your typical Clarke Kent. By day I save the world, delighting people with stories. And, by night, I work for the public broadcaster aka Awkward Park. This just happened at the end of my shift. Eskom announced a return to loadshedding during the lockdown. But, “No!”, says spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha, “this is not loadshedding!” It is, in actual fact, “electricity supply restrictions”

Eskom is walking a tightrope. Government has decreed that there shall be no loadshedding during the lockdown. But Eskom is pressed. As more businesses reopen, it’s placing a strain on the grid. And Eskom is battling to keep the lights on. Mantshantsha was eager to point out that the “electricity supply restriction” would only apply to Eskom’s direct customers (not municipalities).

But as my dad pointed out, put lipstick on a pig? It’s still a pig! Loadshedding has returned. This has got to be the worst PR disaster in the history of PR disaster. All those spin doctors spinning, waxing lyrical about “Electricity Supply Disruptions”, while the rest of us sit in the dark. Be sure to stock up on candles!

This podcast is dedicated to the memory of the late Johanna Fillis. It was submitted by her daughter, Euline Fillis. This is her story:

Funeral Service for the late Johanna Fillis Our mother Johanna Fillis passed away peacefully on Tuesday, 28 April 2020. Her passing was sudden but we are at peace. Her response if we had to question her would be; “It is well with my soul”.

We are blessed because we bore witness to her life’s journey. And the way she used her gifts to serve God, with such grace. She had a spirit of wisdom, a spirit of understanding. Mom was a storyteller, a mentor to both young and old, a protector. She spoke with conviction. And her smile would bring peace in the midst of the storm. Her teachings always made good on God’s promise. Our tree has fallen, our shield is gone. Her absence saddens us but we are content that she completed her race.

Reverend Alvin Minnaar, choose Psalm 23 for mom’s sermon. As the psalmist says, her cup runneth over.

Agape love, Fillis, Reid and Moodley family

Charmaine Rayment is a voluntary missionary at Jews for Jesus. She has a real passion for worship ministry. Sister Charmaine has agreed to become a contributor to a podcast series called “A Life of Worship”. This is the first part of a teaching series entitled “David: The Heart of a Worshipper”. Music is from Matt Redman. Below, you will find some notes from the episode. Follow our Spudcaster page for more podcasts.

Notes from this episode

DAVID – THE HEART OF A WORSHIPER PODCAST 1 Creation – perfect worship on earth existed. After the fall – different attitude in man’s worship of God as demonstrated with Cain and Abel (Gen. 4:3-7), and Aarons two sons Nadab & Abihu (Lev. 10:1-3). Worship always has been and always will be manifest in our lifestyle as a result of our relationship with God. Know God personally – (Spiritual re-birth vs dead religion). Worship is a response to God’s revelation about Himself. DAVID One of the characters in the Bible through whom we can learn so much about worship is David – The sweet singer of Israel (2 Sam. 23:1). A man after God’s own heart (1 Sam. 13:14 & Acts 13:22). DAVID’S CONTRIBUTION TO WORSHIP Established the Tabernacle of David whereby he appointed some of the Levites to minister in music before the Ark of the Lord (1 Chron. 16). Wrote Psalms (73 of the 150 Psalms in the Bible are attributed to him) and made musical instruments for the musicians to use in their worship (1 Chron. 23:5; 2 Chron. 7:6; 2 Chron. 29:26). Was given the blueprint for the building of the Temple of Solomon (1 Chron. 22) and set apart those whom would minister in music during the worship in the Temple. SHEPHERD – HUMBLE BEGINNINGS What was it that God saw in David? We are not told what David’s relationship with God was like during this period but it was during this season that he was anointed by Samuel as the future king (1 Sam. 16). The fact that God tells Samuel that He had chosen the future king amongst Jesse’s sons, tells us that God saw something in David. In 1 Sam.13:14 Samuel already tells Saul that God has sought out a man after his own heart. SEASON OF FAVOR King Saul – season of favor (harpist and armor-bearer). SEASON OF HARDSHIP King Saul becomes jealous of David and his success and plots to kill him. In the process Saul enlists 3000 men to chase, capture and murder him. David now has to flee for his life and for the next 7-8 years with the 400 men that have joined him, lives in hiding as he flees from Saul and his men. Read Psalms 18; 34; 52; 54; 56; 57; and 59 which were written during this time. SEASON OF FAVOR Anointed as King of Juda and reigns over Judah for 7 ½ years. Anointed king of Israel and reigned over all Judah and Israel for 33 years. David commits murder and adultery thus breaking 2 of the 10 commandments (2 Sam. 11). David repents when rebuked by the prophet Nathan (2 Sam. 12). Psalm 51 reflects David’s penitent heart. David’s son Absalom conspired against him in order to take over the kingdom (2 Sam. 15-18) and again David has to flee. Psalm 3 reflects once again David’s faith in God to deliver him from his enemies. In having looked at the life of David, we can see that no matter what the circumstances were, David always placed his trust in God and as he experienced God in his life, he responded in worship. PODCAST 2 WORSHIP WITH A HEART LIKE DAVID. David earnestly sought to know God and as a result, he knew the God whom he worshiped. David fully engaged his heart in worship to God and was fully surrendered in His worship to God. David learned to worship God in any situation and expected his perspective to be changed during worship. David didn’t take approaching God’s throne lightly. David embraced the sacrifice of worship. David’s honesty with God drew him into worship. This is obviously not an exhaustive list of things we could learn from David’s worship. But I hope it’s enough to encourage us to worship with a heart like his that says, “My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises!” (Psalm 57:7). In having looked at the life of David, we can see that no matter what the circumstances were, David always placed his trust in God. David didn’t just know about God (He also would have had access to the books of Moses and would have known about the numerous times that God guided, protected and provided for his people), but he knew God as he had personally experienced God in his life. The question is, do we have that kind of relationship with God?

David S. Cunningham of the Moravian Church delivered this family worship service. The Moravian Church in Bellville, Cape Town, set up this podcast in response to the lockdown. So drop us an email if you would like to subscribe. And visit the Spudcaster page for more podcasts.

Reverend Nombulelo Mbewu recorded this Reflection, entitled “Going Fishing” at home. It is based on the New Testament reading at John 21:1-14. The Florida Methodist Church set up this podcast in response to the lockdown. So drop us an email if you would like to subscribe. And visit the Spudcaster page for more podcasts.

When I was in high school, our principal – a certain Mr Domingo – would repeat the following ad nauseam “The business of school is school”. He had a moustache, which he would fiddle with most archiacally. And he would stand in front of the assembled school in the hall. His words thundered, his spit abounded, The business of school is school.

Honestly, I could have survived without ever hearing that. I was lucky to go to school at a time when there wasn’t a deadly virus, a silent assassin, trying to get up my nose. We know that the virus can spread via coughs and sneezes. But now, scientists have discovered a third method: talking. The louder one talks, the better

The business of school People are up in arms about what their fearless leaders might say about the lockdown. Rumours abound about a phased lifting of the lockdown to allow certain categories of learners to attend school. Opinions abound. Our basic education minister, Angie Motshekga has this to say

https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/reopening-of-schools-proposed-for-6-may-for-matrics-and-grade-7s-20200429

Trust yourself to do the right thing I just don’t see it. It is a fact that the only thing anyone has control over is themselves. I believe that it is individual parents that will make the decision of whether or not to send their children to school. In other words, teachers can choose to return to school on whichever date. And children can choose to stay at home. It’s really as simple as that.

Threatened with a virus that will end your life, or dramatically alter the state of your existence (with shocking disabilities and after effects), it simply makes more sense to stay at home. Until you are one hundred and fifty percent sure that it’s safe to allow other people to spit on your offspring. Until then, its homeschooling all the way.

The business of school may well be school. But the business of life is survival. What, after all, is the point of a highly educated corpse? My husband and I have taken the decision not to return our three year old to playschool. This has freed up some much needed finances on the home front. We have the luxury to afford such an endeavour. Both of us are in a position to work from home as much as possible. What are you planning to do with your children?

Reverend Nombulelo Mbewu recorded this Reflection at home. It is based on the New Testament reading at Luke 24: 25-35. The Florida Methodist Church set up this podcast in response to the lockdown. So drop us an email if you would like to subscribe. And visit the Spudcaster page for more podcasts.