Ascension : News from St Mary’s Church
Submitted by The Islander (Clive & Jenny Duncan) 30.08.2007 (Article Archived on 13.09.2007)
Letter from Bishop John Salt, Bishop of St Helena - My dear friends, I greet you in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ and wish you God’s richest blessings.
It is good to be back on Ascension Island again. I am certainly enjoying the warmth here after a cold and wet spell on St Helena.
On Sunday, 2nd September, in St Mary’s Church at 10.30.a.m., I will have the joy of administering the Sacrament of Baptism to a baby and also administering the Sacrament of Confirmation to three adults.
Both these occasions are very important in the life of the Church on Ascension. We live in an every increasing secular world, where the Church and Christianity itself are often marginalised and ignored and Ascension Island is no exception. This is not something new to the Church which throughout the ages at various times has suffered persecution, marginalisation and indifference. Baptism and Confirmation show that the Church is still alive. The child who is to be baptised will be set apart and marked as Christ’s own for ever. The three people who are to be Confirmed will be taking upon themselves the commitment to worship, witness and serve. They will be swimming against the current of the world’s standards and values. They will be placing God first in all they do; they will be making the worship of God an all important part of their lives. They will be witnessing to the standards and values of the Gospel in the community in which they live. They will become channels of God’s love in a ministry of service to others. They will see in others people created in the image of God – people who are worthy of reverence and respect. They will be fearless in their stand for justice and truth and the rights of all people. This will be their commitment as it is the commitment of the whole Church.
More than ever the Church needs to stand firm and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus in our community. I am very distressed at the way the people of Ascension have been treated so unjustly; how democracy has been cast aside in a shameless way. I sincerely hope that democracy and the rights of people will be restored without delay.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu in his fearless opposition to the evil regime of apartheid used to say that it was his spirituality which forced him to speak out. The Church needs to deepen its spirituality by worship, witness and service and to be just as fearless in speaking out.
With love and prayers,
Your servant,
+JOHN
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