Christmas Message by MEC Singh

MESSAGE FROM MR NAREND SINGH, KWAZULU-NATAL MINISTER OF ARTS, CULTURE AND TOURISM, AT THE PERFORMANCE OF HANDEL’S MESSIAH AT KWASIZABANTU MISSION, ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2005

Salutations,

It is my very pleasant duty today to convey a Christmas message from myself and my Department – not just to yourselves who are gathered here today but to the many thousands in this district who were not able to make it to this performance of Handel’s Messiah but will be listening on Radio Khwezi.

My message is this: Christmas is a specially sacred and blessed time of year. It is a season of love and goodwill toward all; a time for reunion of families and close friends; for reflection on the year past and the year that lies ahead; a time when we reflect on what we could have done better and what we intend to do better in the year ahead. It is a time when we have to ask ourselves whether we could have perhaps done more to please God by serving the needs of a our fellow human beings, and when we resolve to make up those shortcomings in the year ahead. It is a time of joy and contentedness and I ask for God’s richest blessings on all of you during this season of Christmas and in the year ahead.

I would also like to take this opportunity to say a few words about Kwasizabantu. This is a mission that has truly reached out to people; not just those who live in this district but to South Africa as a whole and the world beyond our borders. What has been achieved here alongside Christian action is truly astonishing – education, teacher training, food production, printing and radio broadcasting. All of it is underpinned by fund generation and financial management of a quality that makes Kwasizabantu a byword for sustainable development, as well as for faith in action. Your mission station has made an international name for itself as a shining light of Christianity, seeing to people’s spiritual welfare and at the same time meeting their material needs. I myself have always believed this is the essence of any true religion. The kernel of faith and truth needs to be accompanied by practical action to serve humankind. When that happens, I believe, we truly serve the purposes of our Creator.

My brothers and sisters, there are few pieces of music that capture the spirit of Christmas as melodically, emotionally, dramatically and powerfully as Handel’s Messiah. Last night it was performed in the Pietermaritzburg city hall, in our provincial capital. Today it is performed at a remote mission station. I find something wonderful and symbolic in that. All are equal in the sight of God. The people of Maphumulo matter just as much as the people of the capital. They too hear this powerful rendering of the Christian message.

It coincides with the general policy of my Department, which goes out of its way to reach the people of the deep rural districts. We seek to develop the Arts and Culture among rural communities; to present them with opportunities in entertainment, arts and crafts and the fine arts; and to present them with opportunities in the development of Tourism. To combine this conveying of art with a conveying of the Christian message on this occasion is particularly pleasing.

I take this opportunity of thanking the KwaZulu-Natal Bach Choir and the Pietermaritzburg Amateur Music Society for all the hard work that went into last night’s performance, and I congratulate them on its wonderful quality. I thank them for walking that extra mile to be here at Kwasizabantu today as well. I similarly thank ABSA Bank for its support on both occasions. My Department is absolutely delighted to be involved as a partner.

My brothers and sisters, let us now get the Christmas season off to a wonderful start by listening to the stirring music that is in store. I thank you for your attention.

back to Handel's Messiah 2005