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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 Kelvin Harris brings this Easter service, entitled “Is it you or is the world that needs to say, “I need peace in my life”?”. It is based on the following scripture readings:

Psalm 16: 1-11

John 20: 19-23

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 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.

I invited some of my listeners to share their lockdown stories. I write this as the President begins addressing the nation. Mindful of being grateful. Grateful to have a leader with such foresight. And confident in the knowledge that South Africa is truly blessed.

I have come to believe that poverty is a social construct. Poverty of the mind. The ultimate human endeavour, the great equaliser, is the fight for survival. And in the fight for survival, your efforts to stem poverty could be putting someone at risk of contracting covid-19. Some choose to live on the very edge of that struggle. What right do we have to judge their existence, deem it substandard and decide to help them to live exactly the way we do?

It’s empowering to realise that everything I do is a choice. I choose to be employed and have a bond. Every day I make the choice to maintain the lifestyle I am accustomed to. If everyday is a battle for survival, then why concern yourself about what your fellow man is doing or not doing to survive coronavirus?

Life on the edge, poverty of the mind I wonder what motivated a millionaire real estate developer to welcome a homeless couple into his California mansion…

There are those, like emergency service workers, who make it their life mission to help other people. Maybe, because their own basic needs are being met daily. And then there are caseworkers, nurses and doctors, who help those in distress. They help people in the daily fight for survival. It is a calling.

Rags to riches By giving the beggar a few randelas, all you are doing is appeasing your guilt. You feel guilt. You choose guilt. And simply because your life looks different (you imagine better) than the lowly beggar. But the beggar is highly successful at this thing called life. For them, everyday is a miracle. Begging is how they choose to engage with the world.

To demonstrate the power of the human spirit, lets take a look at Oprah’s story

This demonstrates that each one of us has the power to live a life of our choosing. We can similarly choose to be limited by constructs of race, birth or time and space. But it’s a choice nonetheless. What did you choose today?

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I have this amazing ability to surround myself with interesting human beings. Over this period of lockdown, something strange came over me. I quite enjoy having my husband at home. My moments with Mo. Our lazy days are spent pursuing whatever makes us happy. Because I found healing.

Judgment day has come and gone. I have been labelled bi-polar. When in reality I just struggled to cope with the world that I had created for myself. Child birth. The disciplinary hearing at work. My choice to remain in a toxic relationship.

And that’s okay. She’s okay. I’m okay. More than okay. Now that I figured out that the sky is not falling. That the world as I know it is not ending, everything is in equilibrium. I just had another epiphany while chatting to hubby. Moments with Mo is brought to you by Spudcaster!

Stephen McFarlane delivered this sermon for Saint Mark’s Methodist Church in Maraisburg. It is entitled “My peace I leave with you”. The Florida Methodist Church set up this podcast in response to the lockdown. So visit the Spudcaster page for more podcasts.

Reverend Nombulelo Mbewu recorded this Reflection at home. The reflection is entitled “Jesus appears to Thomas”. It also features last year’s Easter Cantata. It is based on the New Testament reading at John 20:26-29. 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.

Reverend Kelvin Harris brings this Easter service, entitled “Easter! Easter is still to come”. It is based on the following scripture readings:

Matthew 28:1-15

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.