Christmass Letter 2012

Christmass Letter 2012

Another year of retirement is over and I continue to enjoy it. I’ve continued to audit various parishes around the diocese, including our own, and have been used more at St Margaret’s since our Rector was elected to be our new bishop. He’s only to be consecrated and enthroned in March next year, but is already very busy with all sorts of things which take him out of the parish. I was invited to Ficksburg to do their All Saints Patronal Festival and thoroughly enjoyed that – especially the party after the service. It was good to see so many old friends again and to share a good deal of beer with them. It was very affirming to be asked to go back there some time next year on a semi-permanent basis – but I don’t know if I shall. I also helped in Heidedal while their priest was in the Congo ministering to our soldiers there.

I had a holiday in England & Scotland with my friend Michael for a month and that was truly awesome. There’s a full account of it on my Facebook page and on my website: www.vicspencer.blogspot.com if you have access to the internet. I did have time to visit my family in Notts but couldn’t visit all my friends, particularly those from our time together in Zululand. I’m sorry about that and will make a plan some other time. If you can’t get at the internet but would like to read my story, let me know and I’ll email or snail post it.

My own internet access has improved by becoming a Wi Fi Hotspot when my old 3G contract expired this month. (It’s also cheaper). It would be tedious to try to explain exactly what this is (especially since I’m a bit vague about it myself) but just ask the nearest schoolchild.

Our diocese is bankrupt and can no longer afford to pay priests to replace those who leave or retire. So, since I’m cheap as a self-sufficient pensioner, I may find myself less retired in 2013. It’s a blessing to be able to be useful. I continue to minister to the Sisters of the Society of the Precious Blood in Lesotho but they are also becoming bankrupt in terms of health & strength as well as financially. They will probably have to close and disperse.

My birthday this year was an exceptionally good one. My friend Michael was in Hospital here most of November and when discharged he elected to stay over for my birthday on the 29th and brought me breakfast in bed. (First time in my life that happened). This was also the day that my internet contract was expiring and I replaced my old 3G dongle with a WiFi Hotspot. Also on that day, I was told that my flat’s rent may be reduced next year. I should have birthdays more often!

My diabetes and heart is still under control and give me no trouble at all. The tinnitus continues to be an extremely annoying noise in the head and medical science continues to be clueless about it.

I wish you all a very blessed Christmass season and a peaceful new year in 2013. Again, and as I said last year, it won’t be prosperous because the financial turmoil around the world is, if anything, worse. South Africa escaped the worst of the financial meltdown a few years ago but is now rapidly going downhill financially and politically. Keep doing the football pools and buying lottery tickets and hope for the best – that’s what I do).

Love & Blessings to all..