The Diocese of St. Mark the Evangelist Green Anglicans team went an extra mile, to kick-start one of their programs titled Plant a Confirmation tree! Where the bishop visits a particular parish for confirmations, the confirmation candidates of that parish together with the congregants get to encounter this lifetime moment of planting a tree. The tree signifies the start of a new Christian journey of the candidates and also for them to take a stand against environmental corrosion. Therefore, this program also educates the young and the old about alleviating environmental deterioration and the importance of planting trees.
On the 8th October 2017, when Bishop Martin visited Tlhatlaganya Parish for confirmations, the diocesan team also went to Tlhatlaganya parish to kick-start with the programme. The confirmations took place at St. Thomas chapelry, in a mountainous village called Spitzkop GaMamabolo (20km east of the University of Limpopo).
The team presented the tree to Bishop Martin, and the team gave further information about we should take a stand as Tlhatlaganya Parish and as the church of God against sudden change of climate and environmental deterioration. In the Bishop’s words of acknowledgement to the team he said “May this tree may not bear fruits not only to the congregants of St. Thomas, but may it bear fruits for the community of Spitzkop!” The tree was named by the team as Saint Thomas of Tlhatlaganya, and it was followed by sounds of joy and happiness.
After the service, the confirmation candidates together with the bishop and clergy went to the place where the tree was planted. The rector of the parish (Revd. Lutz Ackermann) blessed the ground, after the sanctification the 15 confirmants planted the tree (Saint Thomas). Saint Thomas of Tlhatlaganya is one of the first trees to be planted within the chapelry’s yard!
– Makwetša Ramusi and Kenneth Lamola
