PE celebrates consecration, installation of new Anglican bishop

The Church of Christ the King in Gelvandale, together with the inter-leading hall, were full to overflowing last Saturday as members and guests of the Anglican Diocese of Port Elizabeth gathered to celebrate the consecration and installation of their new Bishop, The Rt Revd Dr Edward Daniels.

The Archbishop of Cape Town and Metropolitan of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, The Most Revd Dr Thabo Makgoba, led the proceedings and with 16 of his ACSA brother bishops they laid hands on Eddie and prayed for him to receive the Holy Spirit gifting for the office and work of a bishop.

The Archbishop then prayed: “Remember to stir up the grace of God which is within you, for God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of sound mind.” After this Eddie was vested and the Archbishop anointed him with Chrism (Holy oil) saying: “May God, who anointed the Christ with the Holy Spirit at his baptism, anoint and empower you to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives, to set free those who are oppressed and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord..”

Then each of the symbols of his new office – Bible, pectoral cross, ring, mitre and staff – were given to Eddie by the Archbishop who prayed for the right biblical use of them. Bishop Eddie was then presented to the congregation who erupted in jubilation.

The Service was a wonderful time of celebration attended by many of the metro’s Christian leaders who came to support Bishop Eddie as he takes office. All the clergy of the Diocese, including retired clergy, many invited guests, together with family, friends and members of the diocese made up the just over 1 000 who were present.

The message was brought by Archdeacon Michelle Pilet of St Paul’s in Parkhurst, Johannesburg and based on the Old Testament reading Micah 6:6-8. She reminded the congregation that tempting as it may be to relegate these words to the past: “God is still ever-present and active and these words remain compellingly pertinent.”

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She went on to say the words were a clarion call for us to embody daily what it means to be faithful incarnations of prophetic faith, prophetic hope and prophetic challenge.

She then enlarged on each point, challenging everyone to change their hearts, minds, attitudes and behaviour to be in a living and active relationship with our God: “By acting justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with our God.”

She concluded by saying: “Then not only are we fulfilling our Lord’s mandate for ministry incarnating the Christ in the midst of all life, but we also become the living embodiments to ourselves and the entire world of God’s great gift of hope.”

On Sunday Bishop Eddie held his farewell Service at St Margaret’s in Summerstrand where he has been the rector, as he now becomes the rector of the Cathedral of St Mary the Virgin in Central.

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Bishop Edward Daniels is the fifth Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Port Elizabeth which stretches inland to Colesburg and the Gariep Dam and along the coast from Bluelillies Bush in Tsitsikamma to Kenton-on-Sea. The Diocese was formed when the Diocese of Grahamstown was multiplied into two separate dioceses in 1970.