Preparations for the citywide ‘Choose-Zikhethele’ mission in Pietermaritzburg in August are gathering momentum as mission committees prepare the ground for the event which will mark 50 years of ministry by African Enterprise (AE) on the African continent.
With Pietermaritzburg being known as ‘The City of Choice’ the steering committee feels that the campaign name is apt, as they are presenting the people of the city with the opportunity to choose Christ and the resurrection life that He brings. The scripture for the mission is taken from Joshua 24:15, “… choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.” (Joshua 24: 15).
Latest updates from the mission committees, as recorded in an AE newsletter on February 28, are:
PRAYER COMMITTEE
At the latest Prayer Committee meeting at the Church of the Vow in Longmarket Street, the committee took time to submit themselves on their knees before God. They prayed specifically against the stronghold of colonialism in PMB. As someone of British descent, Mrs Orton stood vulnerable and broken before the committee to ask for forgiveness. She laid her fears bare in front of all and this opened people’s hearts to cry out to God. The Church of PMB needs to be one. Colonial attitudes need to be forgiven.
In response a young Xhosa lady prayed and encouraged people to also feel free to celebrate their heritage and different cultures, not to feel guilty for their diversity. “It is not sinful to be White, Xhosa, Afrikaans, or Zulu – pride is the sin,” she said.
At the meeting it was felt that there was a shift in the atmosphere, in the spiritual realm as they prayed — unity will now flow in PMB. It was felt that the tears shed during prayer were washing away the blood on which the church, and the nation of South Africa, had been built. The venue of the Church of the Vow being symbolic as it was built to commemorate a famous Boer victory of the Zulu.
The Prayer Committee brings people of different race groups and denominations together. These are people who share a passion for prayer, intercession and who love their city — Pietermaritzburg. This Committee is lead by Pastor Daya Chetty, Pastor Alan Bester, Mrs Buyisile Cele and Ronelle Muragan. They meet once a month and have many exciting prayer events planned for the year. For more information please email Ronelle on rmuragan@ae.org.za
The next City wide prayer event is planned for March 13 at 7 pm at a venue to be confirmed.
YOUTH COMMITTEE
The youth committee meet on the 18 February at God’s Family Life Centre in PMB. There was great excitement over the coverage of the Natal Witness of the youth prayer march they had organised at the end of January! Some of the main areas of focus going forward for the Youth Committee, are the use of the Forgood social media platform, planning events in their zones in which to engage youth in churches to get involved in the mission process, or to bring along non-believing friends, and the prayer rally on the March 13.
Forgood: The committee will be mobilising youth to use the Forgood social media platform (www.forgood.co.za) to connect with others in the city and to better learn the needs of the city. It is hoped that this media platform can be used to add momentum to a movement ‘for good’ across the city.
Prayer Rally: The next citywide prayer rally will be held on Tuesday March 13. This time the meeting will be organised and lead by the Youth Committee, in partnership with the Prayer Committee. We are expectant to see how their fresh approach will energise the prayer life of the city. One of the key areas of attention for this prayer rally is to insure that more cultures and churches are represented and catered for.
Future Meetings: If you would like to join the Youth Committee at any of their future meetings please make note of the following dates:
17th March — 7am – Breakthrough Church (43 Boom Street)
21st April — 7am — God’s Family Life Centre (271 Boshoff Street)
19th May — 7am – City Harvest Church — (160 Church Street)
SOCIAL DEEDS AND JUSTICE COMMITTEE
The Social Deeds and Justice committee also met on Saturday February 18. Pastor Vincent who is heading up this committee said that their main objective was to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and they hoped to do this by ‘showing’ the people the Good News through deeds. They seek to do this through addressing key areas such as:
HIV/AIDS: Partnering with existing organisations and initiatives, this sub-committee is hoping to organise HIV counselling and testing Events, monthly prayer meetings for those infected or affected, as well as drama workshops to facilitate expression and communication.
EDUCATION: Pastor Sinatra, an ex school principal shared his passion to see educational excellence in schools by motivating teachers and learners. As a pilot project, with the help of the Department of Education, they will identify the top 4 schools, visit them and find out what their best practices are. Then they will visit the worst schools and share this with them: seeking to affirm what is working and to build up and strengthen what is weak.
FOOD AND CLOTHING BANKS: Through synergising with others already hard at work in the city, this sub-committee hopes to see a central distribution centre set up where people can bring their contributions and from which they can be distributed to those in need.
JUSTICE: This sub-committee will focus on women and child abuse and hopes to provide counselling and a safe place for victims to speak out.
HEALTH: The focus of this sub-committee is on the whole person and their relationship within their communities, as well as to help churches minister to health related issues in their communities.
DISABILITY COMMITTEE: The Disability Committee also met on Saturday February 18 at St John’s Church. Barbara Watt from AE’s disAbility Connexion shared some background on the mission to PMB and discussed how the disabled of the city could be accommodated to serve in the mission and how those who are disabled who had not heard the Good News could be reached. Some ideas discussed were the use of websites such as ‘Ramp up’ and also providing ‘Testimony Training’ to Christian disabled people to prepare them for the mission. If you would like to be involved with this committee please email Barbara on bwatt@ae.org.za.
This is encouraging news! Joshua 24:15 is a powerful text for our “City of Choice” as Joshua tells the people that they cannot remain neutral! If they will not choose the True God then they must choose either the ancestral religions of the past, or the current new religions of secularism and new age etc. And he urges them to choose Yahweh (today, Jesus)setting his own family example in doing so! What could be more relevant! Let’s all PRAY many will choose Jesus!