YOUTH MISSION 2009 – MASELSPOORT AND TWEESPRUIT

This  is our 2^nd year to do a Mission in Tweespruit,  St James Bloemfontein partnered with four other churches; Christ Church Blairgowrie (Gauteng), Queenswood Community Church,  Botshabelo  and Emmanuel Bloemanda (Free State). The group comprised of approximately 40 people.

The outreach period was 5 days, 2 of which were spent at Maselspoort  (our base where we had great accommodation and excellent food – thanks to Reg Krohn). Here we did our training for the mission as well as Bible Studies with the Youth. Then the following 3 days we travelled to Tweespruit in the mornings returning to Maselspoort in the afternoons. There were 3 outreach points – Maselspoort (Bloemfontein), Taba Pachwa  and Westminster both in Tweespruit.  What we did there: Kids and  a youth program ran simultaneously, sharing the Gospel  in different ways and playing sport with them.

God was good to us by giving us safe traveling everyday and supplying all our needs. There were great opportunities to tell many children and teens about Jesus’ life, death and resurrection and His free gift of eternal life if they would put their trust in Him. It was a huge success as we made many new friends  from different walks of life. We lived and shared the Gospel in harmony as we enjoyed each others company and socialized together. We give our Lord Jesus the glory for all that happened at the Mission.

Terence Cornelissen

St James BloemfonteinYouth Leader.

The youth mission, which was held in the September holidays, made a huge impact on my life.

As we headed out to Thaba Phatjwa every day, I prayed to God that He would lead me in teaching the children and that he would give me the wisdom and insight needed, which could only come from the Holy Spirit working in me. It was not through my own power that the message was carried across, but through God alone. Through prayer I asked for a clear perspective on what was to be done and how to glorify God.

I can truly, out of the depth of my heart, say that this mission was a blessing in my life.  Whenever I am struggling as a Christian in proclaiming the Gospel, I can look back and be encouraged by the work God has done at the Mission and the strength He gave me in proclaiming His Word to strangers, even under pressure. The more we did it, the easier it became.

I want to thank all my brothers and sisters in Christ, who helped me carry out my duty and thank God, who was my ultimate strength behind it all.

Thank you also to everyone who prayed, because prayer is very powerful, and even though we may not realize what is happening, God fulfills His plans, regardless of anyone who might have false motives.

I am absolutely overjoyed that God used me to help fulfill His wonderful plan.

Michelle van der Berg

St James, Bloemfontein

Emmanuel Church Starts Talking

“I am an Ambassador for Christ.”  This was very much the conclusion of 50 members of the congregation of Emmanuel Church (Port Elizabeth) when they signed up for the “Just Start Talking” course.   This personal witnessing course comes from Evangelism Ministries in Sydney and is designed to help believers share their faith in a natural way that suits the individual’s personality and reflects their genuine desire to share a Jesus they know personally.

As a result of what they learned many believers have been encouraged to prayerfully ‘plant a seed’ in conversations where they would normally remain silent.  There was a real ‘buzz’ each week as the groups shared about the outcomes of their witnessing opportunities.  Without a doubt this course has helped to raise the church’s vision for reaching the lost and to keep evangelism at the forefront of Emmanuel’s overall ministry training profile.

It is amazing what doors the Lord opens when His people are prayerfully willing to ‘just start talking’.

For more info on the course check out:  http://www.evangelismministries.org.au/resources/index.html

Written by Glenn Lyons

Free State Regional News

Since we became an independent Area Council at Synod 2008 we have met quarterly under the chairmanship of our Area Bishop or Bishop’s chaplain. A visit to the outlying churches revealed huge poverty and tremendous needs, both financially and in operational skills. With this realization we have spent a lot of time at our Area Council meetings, not only for business, but in training sessions. We have endeavored to give instruction on subjects such as Bible handling and preaching, Sunday school training, how to handle applications for membership, what is required of lay preachers, how a church council is elected and what the functions and duties of council members entail, and such like. Realizing the great need  amongst children, both for Sunday school training as well as youth work, we have been able to appoint a full time GWC-trained Sotho children’s worker for next year, Kelebogile (Florence) Taunyane, who will be visiting the various churches in our region to help with children’s work.

Another project we are excited about is an evangelism training project whereby people are being trained for two by two evangelism outreach. There has been great blessing as the Jesus-film is shown and then using the trained workers to share the Gospel and invite enquirers to receive Jesus as their Saviour. We praise God for many who have already been saved this way and also for the impact those converts are making on the community. What a joy to hear farmers ask “What happened to my workers at the Jesus film? They are all different”. Praise God for His saving grace.

Written by Mario Marshall

50TH ANNIVERSARY: ST JOHN’S CHURCH, UMLAZI

St John’s Church is one of the older Churches in C.E.S.A. However for in the early 1900’s their building was taken from them and demolished and so for the next 50 years the congregation met under a tree and they were known throughout C.E.S.A. as “The Church under the tree”. Funds were raised in various congregations to assist them in rebuilding their premises. They remained faithful, in spite of all the difficulties they faced, to the doctrine and worship of their Church.

The faithfulness of the Church under the tree was rewarded when a building was erected in a new township not very far from “The Tree”. I This building was dedicated by the late Bishop Fred Morris on 22 November 1959. During that weekend a large number of people came to Christ.

The Rev. E.Z. Mkhize served as rector of the Church from 1960 to 1971 when he was succeeded by The Rev. Jeremiah Ngubane who was later to be consecrated Bishop. It was a great joy to have Jeremiah, now in retirement, and his wife Beatrice  (pictured below) present at the celebratory service, during which they were honoured for their faithful ministry.

The anniversary service was led by the present rector, the Rev. Njabulo Mazibuko (pictured below) and was characterized by joy and singing. Bps. Frank Retief, Warwick Cole-Edwardes, Desmond Inglesby and Jeremiah Ngubane, together with some 18 other clergy from around the country participated in the service. Bp. Cole-Edwardes confirmed a number of young people during the service and Bp. Retief preached the sermon. These two men were each honoured by the presentation of a shield and spear to thank them for the role they had played in defending the Church through difficult days in recent years.

The celebratory pamphlet summed it up “We thank God that today the light of the Gospel is still burning at St. John’s Church uMlazi and this is the work of God.”

Christmas in a Nutshell

What is Christmas really about?

Click through to the CESA Blog if you can’t see the video.

Reflecting on Christmas – Part 3

Advent is the period on the church calendar marking the 4 weeks before Christmas. It is a season of hope, expectation, looking back to the first Christmas and forward to Jesus’ coming again. (Click here for Part 1 or here for Part 2 of this series)

As a family, we’ve chosen 3 advent traditions to help us slow down and focus our attention on Jesus in the build up to Christmas.

Advent Wreath

On the first Sunday in advent we light the first candle on our wreath and gather round the table for a special breakfast and the first Bible reading of advent. All that week we light the same candle at meal times and read the day’s passage. On the 2^nd Sunday (and all that week) we light two candles. On the 3^rd we light 3. And so on. Our children love the candles and happily tell you that the wreath stands for Christ’s victory and the candles remind us that He is the light of the world. As our candles glow brighter and brighter each week, our hope and expectation build as we look forward to Christmas.

 

In the 3 years that we’ve been using an advent wreath, I have learnt to be realistic:

• The readings can be simplified for younger children who do not understand all the OT prophesy (instead of following a traditional list of readings, read mainly from the gospels)
• Be patient – we’re looking long term not short term here and our prayer is that after year upon year of repetition, our children will forget the failures and remember the overall theme and emphasis and look to Jesus at Christmas time and beyond.
• One challenge at this time of year is to even have regular family meal times. There are just so many things happening to interfere with this. So we try to make sure that the 4 Sundays definitely happen and then get as many of the other days in as possible. If you know you’re out for supper, try to read the Bible together another time that day.

Advent Calendars

Our younger two children are too small to understand much from the Jesse tree or even the readings we do around the wreath. So for them we’ve gone back to the old-faithful, the advent calendar, to re-enforce the story of Jesus’ birth. Advent calendars are great for younger children as they experience the count down to Jesus’ birthday!

This year I’ve seen beautiful Christian calendars at some Christian bookstores, for example Christian Book Discounters. We made our own simple one using clip-art.  It’s not smart, but the littlies are having lots of fun with it. Each day in December they take a picture from a calendar with pockets (you can make your own using sealed envelopes) and slowly build up the manger scene.

Each day we read the Christmas story from Luke 2 (slightly adapted) up to the point where that day’s picture is added, until on Christmas Day baby Jesus is finally added to the waiting manger. The children are enjoying re-arranging the scene on a daily basis – not great for the endurance of the pictures, but it’s good to see them interacting with the story and thinking about it as they play.

 

Jesse tree (or Advent tree)

This is traditionally a barren branch symbolizing that Christ came from the root of Jesse, ie the line of David. This advent tradition reminds us that the story of Christmas actually began before the creation of the world. God knew from the very beginning that He would send His only Son into the world, to be born in Bethlehem and later to die for our sins. The Bible tells the wonderful story of how God prepared the way for the coming of the Christ-child and how the OT is filled with prophecy, promising the coming of the Messiah.

With the Jesse tree, each day  the children place on the tree a picture or ornament reminding us of one part of the story of the Bible, a prophecy about Jesus or something from the nativity. Then there’s a scripture passage and a memory verse to go with the ornament. (All this information is available online)

I find barren branches hard to find in December in  SA, so we simply use a small Christmas tree.  I guess the advantage of that is you get a Christmas tree decorated with meaningful Biblical ornaments. Not a bad thing!

A Jesse tree does not have to be complicated. You can download pictures form the internet, laminate them and hang one up a day (or simply stick them onto a hand-drawn branch). Some families get their children to draw or make the ornament for the day. I find the weeks before Christmas too busy for this! It’s easier for me to have it all prepared in advance.

The great strength of the Jesse tree is that is places the story of Christmas in the context of the story of the Bible and takes children all the way from creation, through the fall and many of the big OT stories, right to the manger in Bethlehem where God’s Son, our saviour, is born.

These, then, are three tools you can use at advent time to help you and your family focus on scripture and on the Christ of Christmas. Our personal hope is that by spending this time in preparation, even the busyness of Christmas Day itself will not be able to take away from us what we have gained as we meditate on Jesus. Certainly in these weeks leading up to Christmas, it’s a joy to see our children playing, crafting and talking about the Christmas story and not focusing on gifts or Father Christmas. May that continue to be true!

 

Recommended Reading

Treasuring God in Your Traditions (Noel Piper)

Disciplines of a Godly Family (Kent and Barbara Hughes)

 

Websites:

http://www.eriercd.org/jessetree.htm

http://www.shalfleet.net/advent/jesseetree.htm

 

Written by Sue Duke

Christmas Newsletter from the Presiding Bishop

Dear Friends,

You are probably already in the throes of Christmas programmes and some of you will soon be off on holiday. Here are a few items of interest.

1. George Whitefield College Children’s Course

David Seccombe has asked me to remind you of the Children’s Worker Course at George Whitefield College. There are not many applications for 2010. Would you kindly consider speaking to suitable people about this course? Churches continually ask me if I know of available Children’s workers. We all need them. It would also be good if men would consider this course. Furthermore, good children’s workers do not always need to be young; older and more mature people who have a gift with young children should also be encouraged

2. George Whitefield College 21st Birthday

Next year George Whitefield College celebrates its 21st Birthday. The Principal and his team are thinking about the best way to celebrate. Please continue to pray for and support George Whitefield College. You might consider inviting either the Principal or one of the faculty to do a weekend in your Church and put the focus on George Whitefield College next year.

3. Siegfried Ngubane

Siegfried has accepted the position of National Director of SIM. Siegfried is anxious that this move should not be misinterpreted. He continues to be a minister of CESA seconded to SIM. He will be based in Cape Town and so continue to play a role at GWC. He is also keen to be involved in CESA Churches although his duties will take him to all Churches and all parts of the country. It might be good to have him at your Church for a missions’ event. He and Maureen would value your prayers for them.

4. Raj Moodley

As you know Raj Moodley was made a Bishop on 21 November. It was a great time for all. Please support Raj and Evelyn with your prayers. It’s new territory for him and he and he and Warwick are planning a working programme. We are also praying and hoping for additional Bishops by next Synod. We pray that God will continue to raise up Godly leadership for us so that our denomination can move confidently into the future.

5. St John’s Church Umlazi

The 50th anniversary celebrations of St John’s Church on 22 November was a great occasion. Njabulo Mazibuko was in top form for the occasion. The Church was packed. There was much rejoicing, singing, dancing, laughter and God’s Word and the Gospel were affirmed. The greatness of this event can be understood only against the struggles they had in the past. Many years ago they had their buildings destroyed and for years met for worship under a tree. They were known as the Church under the Tree. Then more recently there were troubles that occasioned the Church being closed for 18 months. Happily these days are now over and a new era has dawned under the leadership of Njabulo. Please remember them when you pray for our CESA Churches.

6. Lily of the Valley and Makaphutu

Bishop Des Inglesby and I had the joy of visiting Lily and Makaphutu recently with Noel and Pat Wright. Once again the experience was overwhelming even though I have been there on several occasions. Each time I go new things are happening and it’s almost impossible to remember all the varied programmes and ministries in which they are engaged. If you get a chance to visit them, please go. If you can take a volunteer group, please do. But at least check out their website and pray regularly for them.

7. The Christian Care Centre Hillbrow

Although I have not visited there in a long time, Mike Sunker sends out a detailed newsletter. Here, too, is a most amazing ministry in the middle of Hillbrow where needy children are cared for and dedicated people work for the Lord.

It is quite trendy today for people to support charities. Pop stars, sports heroes, even Miss World, have to have some charity or charitable cause about which they are “passionate”. But for Christians it is a Gospel imperative as we have opportunities to do good to all people (Galatians 6:10). Our people are hands-on cleaning, working, playing with, speaking to, tending, nourishing and loving the needy as individuals. Praise God!

8. Personal

Since Synod in September I have had the privilege of speaking at many different Churches, including non-CESA. I have also attended several interdenominational events. It has been my special privilege since Synod to write nearly 300 letters to people to encourage them to follow Christ. Both Beulah and I consider reaching lost people to be the greatest privilege we can be given and hope to continue in this work, in one way or another, until the Lord takes us home. We will be away from 14 December to 14 January. After that I go to England for one weekend of convention meetings. Then the process begins of working toward next Synod and the handing over of leadership. Please pray for CESA and its leadership. Beloved colleagues, we must remember to be purposively evangelistic. Preach Christ. Live righteously. Love others. Invite people to come to Christ and pray that they Holy Spirit will enable them to do so. Next year soccer teams from around the world will compete for a trophy, for which they will need to compete for again in four years time. But our “trophy” is eternal. Paul puts it like this in 2 Timothy 4:8:

“Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

Wishing you every blessing in Christ this Christmas time.

Frank

CONSECRATION OF THE RT. REV. RAJ MOODLEY

Saturday 21 November 2009 was an historic day in the life of the Church of England in S.A. and especially in KwaZulu Natal. For the first time in the history of the church an Indian man was consecrated as a bishop of C.E.S.A. A graduate of the Bible Institute of S.A. in Kalk Bay Raj has in recent years been the Rector of Christ Church Newlands, north of Durban. In addition he has served as a Bishop’s Chaplain in KZN.

Raj has also run an A.I.D.S. clinic on the premises of the Church and his witness has been widely felt in Newlands. One of the highlights of the consecration service which was held at Christ Church, Pinetown, was the tributes paid to Raj by members of the ministers’ fraternal in the Newlands area. They spoke of his commitment to the Gospel and to the Word of God.

The service was conducted by the presiding Bishop of C.E.S.A, Bp. Frank Retief and he was assisted by Bps. Warwick Cole-Edwardes, Desmond Inglesby and Jeremiah Ngubane. In addition there were more than twenty presbyters present who participated in the service.

Reflecting on Christmas – Part 2

So how can we keep Christ central at Christmas time?  (Click here for part 1) We all know that Christmas is about Jesus, but by the end of Christmas Day the reality is that very little has been about Him. What the children and most adults will really remember is food, presents, family…or maybe for some, pain, loneliness, disappointment.

I am convinced that we need to think seriously about what it means to keep Christ central to Christmas and to PLAN carefully for that to happen. Without careful planning, without the deliberate creation of family traditions and practices, it will NOT happen. Even with planning it will be hard and things will not go perfectly. But without it, it is impossible.

So – how do we do it?

I’m hesitant to launch into a list of practical ways we can celebrate Christmas Christianly. Practical applications will differ from person to person. Our heart’s motivations are more important. So Noel Piper asks some searching questions which we should probably all think honestly through, before going any further. Meditate on these challenges as you prepare for Christmas:

• Am I focusing on God, on His word and on His gift, so that my appreciation for Him grows?
• Am I celebrating Christ?
• Am I my father’s child? Do I resemble Him in my generosity?
• Do others see why I am celebrating?

And then an all-encompassing challenge:

• Do our decorations, gifts and festivities block our view of Christ or point us towards Him?

I find this question hugely challenging! It forces me to think carefully about gifts, decorations, Father Christmas, activities on Christmas Day and make careful choices so that Christ is central and not side-lined.

These broad questions are the most important,  but for those looking for some practical ideas, gleaned from books and other Christian families, here are a few thoughts:

Focusing on Christ (and letting others seeing you celebrating Christ!!)

• Get thoroughly involved in your church’s Christmas life. Celebrate as a body the coming of Christ.
• Use the advent season to make sure that scripture becomes a focus of Christmas . I only discovered a few years ago that there’s a whole tradition of liturgy and bible reading associated with advent and there are a number of wonderful ways in which families can orient themselves around God’s word in the weeks leading up to Christmas. It basically involves daily scripture readings but you can use advent wreaths, advent calendars and Jesse trees to help you focus on the Word. I was very excited by the idea of celebrating advent. I figured if we as a family spend a month focusing on Christ and His word leading up to Christmas , then even the crazy busyness of the day itself can’t take away what we’ve gained in the build up! We’ll look at advent in more detail in part 3.

Other ideas – big and small

• Some families read the Christmas story (Luke 2)together before their big meal or first thing on Christmas Day
• You can do an impromptu nativity play with your children and guests
• Small children can help make a Birthday cake for Jesus’s birthday
• A nativity scene can take central position in your house, maybe even more NB than the Christmas tree
• Learn a memory verse or meaningful song/hymn to say or sing together on Christmas Day
• Deliberately use the more secular symbols of Christmas in a Christian way. Find ways in which you can use these symbols to point to Christ. Lights are the easiest examples. There are so many verses pointing to Jesus being the light of the world. Read these through together and then remind yourselves every time you see Christmas lights or candles, that these point us to Jesus, the true light of the world!
• Re-assess the role of Father Christmas. At the very least make sure that he isn’t usurping the role of Jesus!

Imitating God’s generosity

Remember we focus on giving at Christmas not because this is the true meaning of Christmas, but because out of gratitude to God for all He is and all He has done, we want to be like Him in every way we can. So

• Find ways of giving to those who need it most (Christmas boxes for needy children are a wonderful way of doing this)
• Let your children see you and become involved in your giving
• Show hospitality and include the lonely in your celebrations
• Re-assess your spending and your giving. Some people choose to make their gifts rather than buy them. Others have scrapped gifts altogether and rejoice in the freedom this brings!

Let’s look for ways to orientate ourselves, our families and our celebrations around Christ this Christmas time.

Reflecting on Christmas – Part 1

It’s 3 ½ weeks till Christmas. You’ve started (or finished) your gift shopping, invited your guests, planned your menu. Children have made their wish lists. Holidays are organised. A lot of planning has already happened. But how much time have you spent planning how to focus on Jesus this Christmas time?

Today is the first Sunday of advent (the 4 weeks preceding Christmas), which makes it a great day to reflect on the meaning of Christmas and think carefully how about we can celebrate Christ this season.

I am no expert in this, only a fellow traveller. I long for our family to be firmly focused on Jesus at Christmas time, but I am sucked in to the materialism and busyness of the season as quickly as anyone else. My only qualification is that I’ve read some good books and I long to do better each year! Let me recommend

• My Soul Magnifies the Lord (Martin Lloyd Jones)
• Treasuring God in your traditions (Noel Piper)
• Disciplines of a Godly Family (Kent and Barbara Hughes)

So, what is Christmas really about?

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those who live in the land of darkness, a light has dawned (Isaiah 9:2)

For me, this verse sums it all up. God has not left us in darkness: doomed by our sin and under judgement. But Jesus, the long-promised Messiah has come…

And in him was life and that life was the light of men …the true light which enlightens everyone was coming into the world (John 1:4,9)

Jesus has come bringing salvation, peace with God, the fulfillment of every promise made by God and the assurance that all future promises will be faithfully kept as well. The babe in the manger is God with us, God come down to be with us, Immanuel.

Because of Christmas we are no longer living in darkness. We can celebrate the light and life He has given us. We need to reflect that light so that those still living in darkness can see it.

Christmas is totally about what God has done for us. It is not at all about what we must do. It is not about us spreading peace or joy or showing goodwill and generosity to other people. It is all about what God has done for us in Christ Jesus. If you think about the Christmas narrative, all the action was on God’s part. The angels proclaimed the good news and announced God’s salvation plan.  Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, Zechariah  and the shepherds weren’t  asked to do anything. Their only response? To worship!

This is primarily what we need to do at Christmas time: to focus on Jesus, to meditate on what God has done through Him from birth, to death and resurrection and to worship. To rejoice with our families in God’s goodness to us and to bow down in gratitude saying

Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift (2 Cor 9:15)

Written by Sue Duke