Leading up to the establishment of the partnership
Several congregations in South Africa, especially after the disastrous Zimbabwe election in 2008 and the subsequent economic and human poverty, contributed to the Morgenster Relief Fund. Many congregations in this time went on outreach to Zimbabwe.
A number of congregations in the Southern Cape around George, Oudtshoorn and Ladismith have a long relationship with Morgenster and the RCZ (Reformed Church in Zimbabwe). Also around Pretoria members were moved by the crisis in Zimbabwe and a few congregations wanted to become directly involved by outreach visits and providing expertise.
The huge increase in interest, however, forced Henry Murray, the principal of the School of Theology at Morgenster at that time, to manage the coordination of outreaches more structured. To assist him in this, Floors Meyer of George and Nico Haarhoff of Pretoria took the initiative and after several months of planning the two-legged Morgenster Partnership was established.
The establishment of the partnership
On Wednesday, 24 March 2010, the northern leg of the Morgenster Partnership was launched in the hall of the DRC Rooihuiskraal, and in July 2010 the southern leg in George South was formed. Each leg has a management team with a coordinator – in the north it is Nico Haarhoff (nicohaarhoff@gmail.com) and in the south it is Louis Fourie (pnageorge@gmail.com).
The vision of the Morgenster Partnership is to build relations between South Africa and the church in Zimbabwe. They work together as partners in building up the congregations – the RCZ indicates priorities and works together in the management of the process. An interdependent relationship arises where one learns and benefits from one another.
Liaising with the theological school served as a first step of cooperation within the Morgenster Partnership. The long-term goal is to work broader together with the RCZ’s other ministries and congregations. Broader engagement is taking place already, like between the DRC Ladismith (Cape) and the RCZ Dzoro congregations.
Commission for Witness
The CFW of the DRC family in the Cape Region facilitates and supports the formation of partnerships. The Partnership Agreements with our sister churches in the RCZ in Zimbabwe, the CCAP in Malawi and the IRM in Mozambique was developed over many years, providing the broad framework within which partnership of congregations can become involved in a variety of ministries and relationships with local congregationa . Kobus Odendaal is responsible for the Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi and Nigeria regions within the CFW.
Contact
Dr Daniël de Wet
021 957 7204
missio@kaapkerk.co.za