In this Issue...
1. AMAZWI ITHEMBA in Eldorado Park
The Amazwi Ithemba (Voices of Hope) Youth Group performed a drama skit in the church hall of the Bethel Lutheran Church in Eldorado Park, Ext 2 on the 12th September. The programme started with praise and worship songs, accompanied by the music band of Pastor Parker and his wife, Nellie. After the concert and a time of ministry to individuals from the audience, the congregation served tea, coffee and cake to all the guests.
Amazwi Ithemba thanks the Bethel congregation for a lovely lunch, and for the generous collection of over R 400, which covered the travelling expenses.
The next concerts will be in Ennerdale (19th September), Wattville (10th October), Eldorado Park, St Martin’s (24th October) and in Reiger Park (7th November). Please support the Amazwi Ithemba Youth Outreach Concerts and invite friends and family to come as well!
2. LHM-SA at Phoenix and Chatsworth
On the 29. August 2004 we were privileged to have Lutheran Hour Ministries in Durban. On this day Christel Scharlach focused a presentation about LHM to the congregations of the Lutheran Church who were mainly of Indian descent. The Indian people immigrated to South Africa in 1860 and have established two thriving satellites of Durban in Phoenix (to the North of Durban) and Chatsworth (to the South of Durban). Today there are more than one million people living in these communities. The Lutheran Churches in this area have been actively involved in the Mission among Indian people since 1953 and has since established 2 congregations, one in Chatsworth and one in Phoenix.
LHM-SA made presentations to both congregations consecutively on Sunday 29. August. In both congregations there was time for a general overview of LHM and also to explain the concept of a missions committee to the parishioners. As only about 14% of Indian people in Durban are Christian there was a vibrant interest in receiving more information and guidance to do mission work in general. In these congregations there was also time for informal discussion and the members showed a real interest in contacting LHM in the future and also to receive training and literature about various topics that affected them most. At the present time both missions committees are in contact with LHM in order to facilitate and plan the missions committee meetings and to draw up a priority list of all matters that could channel their efforts in a more positive and pro-active way. We were very pleased to have Christel as a representative of LHM here among us and hope to keep in contact with LHM on an ongoing basis.
By Pastor Hugo Gevers
3. Bringing a Friend to Church
When you hear the Gospel message, and believe that it is for you, then there is only one thing left to do, and that is to want everyone to know your Lord Jesus Christ personally. 1 Corinthians 9, 16
The concept "Bring-a-Friend to church" is rather unique. In the world today we meet so many people, at work, in the gym, even while buying milk, we are given so many opportunities to sow Jesus Christ and His Gospel into other lives. These are the people, these are the friends that we invite to church.
On the 14th Sunday after Trinity, the 12th of September, the church was full, fuller than it has been for many months. The Second Bring-a-Friend to church Sunday was a success, an even bigger success than the first one. So much so that we have decided to start a Bible Study to bring the Gospel to our new friends and to strengthen the faith of our church members.
God blessed the efforts of our Missions Committee with a beautiful worship service and with fellowship afterwards. Is it not amazing how God brings so many to His House? All we have to do is make them feel welcome and at the English Lutheran Fellowship Christ welcomes all.
Lutheran Hour Ministries is offering to come to your congregation, talk about their work in South Africa, and help you start an Outreach Team. With this team the members of the congregation are mobilized to become actively involved in outreach projects and even to bring their family and friends to church on Sunday.
By Pastor Josef Henning
4. First Impressions of Prison Ministry
After registering as a Religious Worker at the Johannesburg Correctional Services, a process that took months, I was finally allowed to minister to female inmates in Medium F, Section D.
The women in Section D are serving long term sentences (five years or more) and I did not know what to expect at all! When the female-warden locked the gate behind me, opened the door to the prison and escorted me in, she took me to the office and another warden showed me the way to the kitchen hall. The ladies had just received their breakfast (after 9am!) and were taking it to their cells instead of eating it in the kitchen hall. By the time we arrived at the hall, there were only three women left. They were reading letters they had just received. They all look neat and clean, wearing navy track suits But surprisingly they wear their own shoes!
After praying silently and waiting around, not knowing what I should do, I approached the three ladies and asked them about the letters. They were very friendly and we were soon sitting around one of the tables, singing "Jehova thela uMoya" (Jehova, fill up with Your Spirit). They listened to the Scripture reading I had prepared (Isaiah 37) and we discussed the implications of turning to God in our time of need. Their basic prayer request was for their families, especially their children "outside". After the time of prayer, we worked through the first two pages of the booklet by Dr H C Eggers, titled "Prayer". Two other ladies had joined us during the course of the morning and one of them, a member of the Lutheran church, thanked me for coming. She said that it was the first time in the two years she’s been in prison that anybody from the Lutheran church had come to minister – something she had prayed for fervently just the previous week.
I took a deep breath and stood still outside the prison, soaking in the sunshine and thanking God for His grace and mercy and for a blessed time of ministry. And I remembered one women telling me that they are allowed outside into the high-walled court-yard for only one hour each week. In a place without sunshine, the Lord had brought light and hope.
The harvest is great, but the workers are few (Luke 10:2). We pray for the inmates in prison, but we also pray for members of our Lutheran churches to step forward and join us in Prison Ministry. It was worth each minute. The need is great, but so is the reward in terms of smiles and appreciation.
By Christel Scharlach
5. ENGAGE-EQUIP-PROCLAIM
PROGRAMME for the ENGAGE-EQUIP-PROCLAIM (EEP) training workshop:
ENGAGE - Monday, 27th September
8h30 Registration and refreshments
9h00 Welcoming and Introduction to Finding our Identity in God
12h30
13h15 Overcoming the problems that keep us from being the best we can be to
17h00
EQUIP – Tuesday, 28th September
8h30 Arrival and refreshments
9h00 Introduction to What are the Gifts of the Spirit and what are not?
17h00 Which are the Gifts specifically mentioned or indicated in Bible?
Who gives the Gifts of the Spirit and how does He do that?
For what purpose are the Gifts given?
What is necessary for the deployment of the Gifts?
How does one discover and deploy ones own Gift?
How do the gifts develop and grow?
Blessings that can be experienced through the activation of the Gifts.
Danger and abuses in the discovery and identification of the Gifts.
Closing Comments
Personal Commitment
PROCLAIM – Wednesday, 29th September
8h30 Arrival and refreshments
9h00 Introduction
Outreach Opportunities (Hospital, Prison, Hospice, Telefriend, Youth etc.)
to Training
Resources and support
13h00 Conclusion
It is through generous donations that we can offer this workshop to you free of charge (meals and refreshments included, accommodation excluded). Call 011-791 1661 to register.
6. Ministry Statistics
Drama Ministry- 467 requests for booklets, prayer and counselling.
Radio Ministry – 311 booklets were sent out to "Spotlight" listeners and in response to the spot announcements on Radio Pulpit.
Newspaper Outreach – 305 readers of the "Daily Sun" newspaper registered for the "Real Life" Bible Correspondence Course.
Website Ministry – 36 responses
THANK YOU to the 17 VOLUNTEERS and 13 DONORS who donated more than R 4,000 this past month. Your prayers, your help and your financial support make a difference to hundreds of people each month and enable us to proclaim the Word of God to hurting and suffering people. Please consider a gift to Lutheran Hour Ministries so that we can continue to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people in South Africa.
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