Dear Church Members,
NEWS RELEASE FOR INSTITUTIONS, PASTORS AND CHURCH BOARDS
(Please share this fresh news in one of the following ways: 1. Place the newsletter on your church’s bulletin board. 2. You may also wish to read part of this news out to your local congregation this Sabbath. 3. Ideally, you can print the key information in your church bulletin).
CHANGE IN THE AIR AT UNION SESSION
At the quinquennial SA Union Session which ended on Nov 21, significant changes were voted, which should change the church landscape in South Africa. Virtually every conference will be affected.
The 264 delegates present (including 28 from the TC), approved the following:
Re-structuring
One of the key items accepted by the Session, was a recommendation from the SAU Restructuring Subcommittee and SAU Executive committee, to restructure the conferences in the Union.
Essentially, this document is a follow-up from the “Restructuring Document” voted by the previous SAU Session in November 2005.
The implication is that the TC and TOC will be formed into one conference, with the Swaziland conference also becoming part of this “northern” conference. Under this plan, Lesotho Conference would also become part of another large conference. The TOC churches presently in the Free State would now belong to the KNFC. The TOC churches in the Northern Cape would be belong to the Cape Conference.
In summary, the TC and TOC (and others) have been tasked with commencing the process of Restructuring vigorously, until the restructuring is completed before the end of 2012.
The full report is attached for further study by Church Leaders
Officers:
President – Pr Leonard Mbaza,
Secretary – Pr Trevor Kunene,
Treasurer – Elder Jannie Bekker (presently a Union Treasurer in the Far East)
Outgoing president, Pr Francois Louw has accepted appointment as CEO of Vista Clinic. Outgoing Treasurer, Elder Hennie van der Ness retired after 45 years denominational service, and was given a standing ovation for his service.
Departmental Directors (some are subject to confirmation)
Education Department: Dr Gerald du Preez
Health Ministries, Family Ministries, HIV/AIDS, ICPA : Dr Jun Negre:
Ministerial Department with Stewardship and PAKIA: Pr Eddie Baron:
Sr Elize Baron will coordinate Shepherdesses.
MOWCS (Meals on Wheels): Sr Drina Engelbrecht:
Pensions and Retirement: Ms. May Viljoen (appointment still to be made)
Personal Ministries with SS and Adventist Mission: Pr Gideon Reyneke:
Publishing Department with Spirit of Prophecy: Pr Gift Mweemba
SEDCOM and SEDMED and Trust Services: Andre Scholtz (appointment still to be made)
Women’s Ministries with Children’s ministries and Children’s SS: Sr Zodwa Kunene
Youth Ministries with Adventist Youth, Pathfinders, Adventurers and Chaplaincy: Pr Peter Malagudu: (previously in the TOC)
Communication Department, including Maranatha magazine, PARL, Signs of the Times, Creative and Media Evangelism, Translation : Mrs Sybil du Preez
Declaration of “State of Emergency” proposed. After receiving the report that the SA Union membership had grown by only 21% in 5 years, or about 4% p.a., a delegate suggested that we should call a "state of emergency" with such poor growth. He called South Africa a sort of "un-entered area." This is truly a wake-up call to every Conference and Field to focus on our priorities as a church. The total membership of the SAU is currently 122 231.
NUUS VRYSTELLING VIR INRIGTINGS, LERAARS EN KERKRADE
(Hierdie vars nuus kan op een van die volgende maniere gedeel word: 1. Plaas die nuusbrief op die kennisgewingbord in u kerk. 2. Moontlik wil u ʼn gedeelte van die nuus aflees in u plaaslike gemeente hierdie Sabbat. 3. Die beste sal wees as u die kern inligting in u kerk bulletin aanbring).
VERANDERING IN DIE LUG BY UNIE SAKESITTING
By die vyfjaarlikse SA Unie sakesitting wat op 21 November geëindig het, was beduidende veranderings ingestem. Hierdie veranderings gaan heel moontlik noemenswaardige verandering in die kerklandskap van Suid-Afrika bring. Byna elke konferensie sal aangeraak word.
Die 264 afgevaardigdes (insluitende 28 van die TK) het die volgende goedgekeur:
Herstrukturering
Een van die sleutelpunte was ʼn aanbeveling van die SA Unie Herstrukturerings subkomitee en SA Uitvoerende Komitee, was om die Konferensies in die Unie te herstruktureer.
In wese, is hierdie dokument ʼn opvolging van die “Herstruktureringsdokument” wat deur die vorige SAU sakesitting in November 2005 goedgekeur is.
Die implikasie hiervan is dat die Transvaal Konferensie (TK) en die Trans-Oranje Konferensie (TOK) in een konferensie gevorm word, met die Swaziland Konferensie ook geïnkorporeer om een “Noordelike Konferensie” te vorm. Hierdie plan maak voorsiening daarvoor dat die Lesotho Konferensie ook deel word van ʼn ander groter Konferensie.
Die huidige Trans-Oranje Konferensie gemeentes wat tans in die Vrystaat is, sal nou aan die KNFK behoort. Die TOK kerke (gemeentes) in die Noord-Kaap sal nou aan die Kaap Konferensie behoort.
Ter opsomming; die TK en TOK (en andere) is die taak opgelê om die proses ywerig aan die gang te sit sodat die herstrukturering voor die einde van 2012 voltooi kan word. Die volle verslag word aangeheg ten einde verdere studie deur kerkleiers moontlik te maak.
Ampsdraers:
President – Lr Leonard Mbaza,
Sekretaris – Lr Trevor Kunene,
Tesourier – Broer Jannie Bekker (tans Unie Tesourier in die Verre Ooste)
Uitgaande president, Lr Francois Louw het aanstelling as Uitvoerende Beampte van Vista Kliniek aanvaar. Uittredende Tesourier, Broer Hennie van der Ness, wat na 45 jaar kerkdiens nou wil aftree, was staande toegejuig.
Departementele Direkteure (sommige moet nog bevestig word)
Onderwys Departement: Dr Gerald du Preez
Gesondheidsbedieninge, Gesinsbedieninge, HIV/VIGS, ICPA : Dr Jun Negre:
Ministeriële Departement met Rentmeesterskap en PAKIA: Lr Eddie Baron:
Sr Elize Baron sal die Predikantsvroue koördineer.
“MOWCS” (Mobiele Etes Gemeenskapdienste): Sr Drina Engelbrecht:
Pensioene en Aftrede: Sr. May Viljoen (aanstelling moet nog gedoen word)
Persoonlike Bedieninge met SS en Adventistesending: Lr Gideon Reyneke:
Uitgewersdepartement met Gees van Profesie: Lr Gift Mweemba
SEDCOM en SEDMED met Trustdienste: Andre Scholtz (aanstelling moet nog gedoen word)
Vrouebedieninge met Kinderbedieninge en Kinder-Sabbatskool: Sr Zodwa Kunene
Jeugbedieninge met Adventiste Jeug, Baanbrekers & Voorslaggies en Kapelaandienste: Lr Peter Malagudu: (voorheen van die TOK)
Kommunikasie Departement, insluitend Maranatha tydskrif, PARL, Tekens van die Tye, Skeppende Media Evangelisasie, Vertaling: Mev. Sybil du Preez
Verklaring van “Noodtoestand ” voorgestel. Nadat verslag ontvang is dat die SA Unie ledetal met net 21% toegeneem het gedurende die afgelope 5 jaar (ongeveer 4% p.j.), het ‘n afgevaardigde voorgestel dat ʼn “noodtoestand” afgekondig word weens hierdie swak groeipatroon. Hy het SA as ʼn “Onbetrede Gebied” beskou. Hierdie is voorwaar ‘n noodoproep na elke Konferensie en Veld om op ons prioriteite as kerk te fokus. Die totale ledetal van die SA Unie is tans 122 231
