Dear congregation
In recent months, we have noticed an increasing number of attendees in our services and congregation activities who do not speak German. Many of these individuals are seeking a home in our congregation where they can worship God, grow in faith, and live in community with other believers. Most of our services are done only in German and so to ensure that everyone feels included, can fully participate in our services, and more importantly understand, we have made the decision to incorporate more English into our services, specifi- cally in Stellenbosch.
No matter how small or big, change can be challenging and often feel uncomfortable, and that is normal. In many ways, we are following in the footsteps of the disciples themselves. Although Aramaic was the common language among the Jews, the writers of the Gospels acknowledged that Greek being the imperial language would enable them to reach a larger and more diverse audience than would have been possible if they were written solely in Aramaic.
The aim of the first Christians, but also for our congregation, is that believers will bear witness to the message of salvation in Christ and the unconditional grace that is found in a life centred around Him and that nothing would take precedence above this.
It is this Message that we were baptised into, it is this Good News that guides our daily lives, and it is this Gospel that unites us and brings us together as a congregation. We are centred around Christ, and as Paul says in Galatians 3,28: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus”.
Our hope is that, together, we can embrace this opportunity to unite the different ages, languages, and cultures so that we can be not only a welcoming congregation, but also a united congregation.
For those who may find this transition difficult, I encourage you to reach out to contact me and the Church Committee. Feedback is welcome, and as the servants of this congregation, we want to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard. May God, Lord of love and peace, be with us as we embark on this journey together.
Pastor Ingrid van Sittert
