Meeting with Rev. Tim Attwell, Tuesday May 29

Rev. Tim Attwell was the Methodist minister whom I met when I arrived here and went to worship on Sunday May 13. He was quoted in the Cape Times as the spokeman for a group of 19 clergy who raised the issue among the Methodist clergy that pastors should be able to bless same sex unions. The pastors who raised this issue were dismissed temporarily from the conference until the church could determine what to do about this issue. They were promptly re-instated, but the action made the paper. And it seemed quite a coincidence to be there the Sunday after it happened and hear about it from him.

So, I asked if he would meet me to talk. He saw me today in his study at the parsonage of the Rosebank United Methodist Church in Rondebosch. It is an active church and while I waited to see him the church caretaker showed me the soup kitchen where they were preparing to serve 50 homeless people at noon, which they do every Tuesday. Other churches take other days. He arrives at 5:30 to prepare the soup in the morning.

Rev. Attwell met me in his study and we chatted for over an hour. I regret that it seemed rude to ask if I could take a picture for my blog so I cannot show you this pastor who has a great heart for people which has turned him into a prophetic voice.We sat on comfortable brown cordoroy couches surrounded by his theology books, and talked about the progress and challenge of the gospel in our time.

The Cape Times today was full of stories on this topic. 500 clergy and prominent leaders have signed a petition aimed at the South African Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church asking the synod to instate or re-instate gay clergy who have been dismissed because of their sexual orientation. The effort is led by a minister whose son was asked to leave the Dutch Reformed Church because he is openly gay. It looks like that Synod will have to deal with this.

The Progressive Reformed Jewish community in South Africa just decided to allow rabbis to bless same sex unions. So the topic is in the South African news.

Rev. Attwell said that the Methodist churches have not been united in a discussion about justice since the 1980's when concerns about apartheid rocked the church. It is very clear to me that the people who serve these churches have a keen sense of justice which was honed in those days, and which stays clear as they minister in this place.
Susan