The Eastern Cape is part of the large geographic area from which for instance the Ministry Groups for Witness (CFW) as well as Poverty & Care are put together and for which we are co-responsible. Our involvement here involves the URC Cape, DRC Western and Southern Cape, the RCA and the DRC Eastern Cape.
We focus on URCSA Cape Regional Synod’s 113 Xhosa- and Afrikaans-speaking congregations and presbyteries in the Eastern Cape which have to function without ministers.
The Minister in Synodal Service (MSS) of Congregational Witness, Rev. Stephen Pedro, offers support to these congregations through visits, discussions, training, and provision of material, such as CLF pamphlets, Bible study booklets, etc. He is assisted by a task team, administrative staff and a team of facilitators.
The visits, discussions and especially the training focus especially on the ministers and the leadership of the vacant congregations.
- Visits and discussions take place through information sessions and conferences and
- Training mainly takes place through workshops.
The focuses of the training workshops are:
- LEADERSHIP – empowering parish leaders to increase the capacity of leaders at local parish level.
- CONGREGATIONS – to support and guide especially ‘vacant’ congregations in the development of the missionary orientation.
- MINISTRIES – to empower congregational leaders and members to understand the integrated ministry model (IGM) of URCSA, especially the core ministries (Proclamation and Worship, Service Witness and Congregational Ministry) of the church and to understand their vocation and role within the ministry practice.
- COMMUNITIES – to help establish a culture of community orientation where the leadership and members of congregations understand that they are called to serve their community.
During workshops we use the following methods and courses:
- Contextual Bible Study – a method to empower leaders and help congregations and ministries with capacity building and community development.
- Mission Shape Ministry (MSM) – to start the missional conversation and establish a culture of being a missional church.
- Ethnographic studies to empower leaders and congregations to understand culture and align their congregational culture with God’s mission.
Our core partners in this regard are:
- the 10 local URCSA presbyteries
- Congregational Ministry and Diaconal Services
- Communitas
- Kerk in Actie (PKN) in the Netherlands and
- the Beyers Naude Center for Public Theology.
Contact
Rev. Stephen Pedro (Manager)
(+27) 21 957 7183
(+27) 67 770 5986
stephen@kaapkerk.co.za