St Patrick on the Hill Chapel- Hogsback

17/06/2026

" 🎶.. Because he first loved me 🎵"

Today, we read from Isaiah 6 for our :

The chorus of a well-known hymn repeats the celebratory message: "Because He first loved me."

"My song is love unknown
My Saviour's love to me
Love 💖 to the loveless shown
That they might be lovely
O, who am I
That's for my sake
My Lord should take
Frail flesh and die?"

This is the Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep;
The greater and stronger reach down to uplift and restore the weaker.

In Isaiah chapter 6, the prophet sees a vision of the Throne Room of God.
This great prophet of the Old Testament bemoans that he is "a man of unclean lips" and "my eyes have seen the King; the Lord Almighty" his lips are cleansed with a burning coal. He hears the Lord regretting that the people neither hear, nor see, and have calloused hearts, "Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn and be healed."

Oh, that we could open our hearts to the Great King and be healed.

The musician and singer, Fernando Ortega, expresses this so beautifully in his moving song "Lord of Eternity", concluding "Touch me and make me whole"

https://youtu.be/2lciqG0lSJk?si=hZ15Me_arsKgpzfw.

🎨journeytowardsthetruth.com

15/06/2026

The St Patrick-on-the-hill congregation invites you to join them at the Bold Point soccer field during the Hogsback Unity Group community day on 16 June 2026. St Patrick's will be informing the greater Hogsback community about its activities.

13/06/2026

With the Winter chill around us, we invite the greater Hogsback community to join our Sunday service on 14 June 2026 at 10:00. Rev Barry Wittstock will address the theme "It is what it is....Hoping against Hope when everything is Hopeless"

10/06/2026

In our , we look at choosing the high, or narrow, road.

Life's a journey...

Hebrews 11:1-2 declares that “Faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things unseen.” This faith is “what the Ancients were commended for.”

Verse 3 continues: “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command... what is seen was not made out of what was visible“.

Later, we read that Abraham, “when called to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed... though he did not know where he was going. By faith, he made his home in the promised land like a stranger...; in tents...For he was looking forward to the city, with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”

These heroes trusted the unseen Creator, leaving behind comfort and safety.

Jesus told doubting Thomas: “Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed” John 20:29

May we be strengthened to choose His high, or narrow road.

We invite our friends and the greater Hogsback community to read this fascinating chapter, and welcome your thoughts in the comments section about St. Augustine’s “City of God” or the concepts in verse 3 above.

06/06/2026

We invite the greater Hogsback community to our Afrikaans service on Sunday, 7 June 2026 ,at 10:00.
Rev. Hein Barnard and Rev. Barry Wittstock will conduct the service.

03/06/2026

Hogsback Hymn

HOW GREAT THOU ART!

The second verse of this well known hymn must surely ring within the heart of every Hogsback resident, as we sing:

“When thru’ the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees,
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God to Thee
How great Thou art.. How great Thou art....”

The writer continues to wonder “When I think that God, His Son not sparing, sent Him to die, I scare can take it in!”

In Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter 1 he finds men “without excuse,” “for since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen; being understood from what has been made“

May our greater Hogsback community acknowledge this Great God this week.





You can listen to the song here:

Carrie Underwood’s performance of “How Great Thou Art” as part of “My Savior: Live From The Ryman.” “How Great Thou Art” is featured on Carrie Underwood’s al...

30/05/2026

This Sunday, 31 May 2026, James Goddard will lead worship and preach for Trinity Sunday: 'The Way of the God who Welcomes Otherness.' Rev Barry Wittstock will lead in the Eucharist (Communion).

Trinity Sunday is celebrated exactly one week after Pentecost Sunday and marks the first Sunday of Ordinary Time in the Christian liturgical calendar.

It honours the foundational doctrine of the Holy Trinity: the belief in one God who exists as three distinct divine persons —the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit.

29/05/2026

Yesterday was a quiet and serene day on the mountain - without electricity and without MTN and Vodacom connectivity.

We at St Patrick-on-the-hill would like to invite you to visit our Prayer Walk, where you can also find peace.

If you so wish, in the foyer, we have a guide that can assist you in your prayers.

27/05/2026

Metamorphosis

In today's , we read from five scriptures:

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” 2 Corinthians 15.

Nicodemus was puzzled when Jesus told him “... Nobody can see The Kingdom unless they are born again... of water and the Spirit "John 3:1-7.

John the Baptist rebuked the Pharisees when they came to be baptised: “Bring forth fruit fit for repentance.” (Luke 3:8). Repentance triggers our change; our metamorphosis.

We are a work-in-progress until we hope to emerge from the chrysalis and say with Paul: (Timothy 4:7,8).

“I have fought the good fight
I have finished the race
Henceforth is laid up for me
The crown of righteousness
Which the Lord
The righteous Judge
Will award me
On that day...
Also to all
who have love His appearing.”

This week (and always), let us “press on toward ... the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14).

We at the St Patrick's wish you a lovely week.




🎨 Nano Banana

23/05/2026

Tomorrow, 24 May 2026, we commemorate Pentecost, 49 (50) days after Easter. Wr celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon His disciples.

We invite the greater Hogsback community to join our service at at 10:00.Rev Barry Wittstock will lead the service and read from Acts Chapter 2.