Annual Report Of The Urcsa- Ivory Park Congregation For The Period: 1 April 2012 To 31 March 2013.                                                                

Introduction:

The congregation Ivory Park was established on the 27 October 1996. Postal address of the congregation is, P.O. BOX 5529 Midrand 1685 physical address is, 1605 Acasia Street Ebony Park ext.2 ( Just behind the Spar Supermarket).

This is how our church building looks like today. Glory be to God who helped us in all the past years.

                     

Church Service:

At all Sundays there was a preacher, who conducted church service. Members are now attending church in big numbers because of new church building. We have only one preaching point. The Assistant Minister Dr SD Maluleke is the main preacher on Sundays. We are having a programme for preaching in our congregation. All Ministries are given a chance to conduct the church service. We are following Christian Year Calendar. During the month December our sermons focus at the birth and childhood of Jesus Christ. During Easter we focus at the suffering and resurrection of Christ. After Easter we focus at the work of the Holy Spirit and the growth of the Christian church. There are times where we focus on general teachings and the doctrine of our church.

This photo below shows only one section of our youth church members.

                 

Holy Communion:

We are having Holy Communion four times a year. The Assistant Minister Dr SD Maluleke led all services of the Holy Communion. He conducted also preparation services to help members to understand the meaning of Holy Communion. At the Holy Communion Service, members came in big numbers.

Baptism and Confirmation of New Members:

We are conducting this service once a year. It takes place on the third Sunday of November every year. The Assistant Minister is performing Baptism and Confirmation of new members. The members are given membership certificates and membership cards. They are to sign a pledge form in which they are to state on how they are going to give their  offerings to God and His church.

Easter Service:

The congregation had prayer meetings in the church starting at 18h00 on Thursday till 22h00. The minister guided the Congregation on all what happened on the night before Jesus was arrested. He also explained what happened to Jesus Christ during his trial. From 8h00 the next Friday, the congregation met in the church. They shared the seven sayings of Jesus Christ while He was on the cross. These seven sayings of Jesus were divided among the CWM, CMM, CYM and Sunday School Children.    

The minister gave the meaning of each saying of Jesus Christ. This service took place from 8h00-17h00. The next morning the service started at 8h00. The whole day people were praising God with music, testimonies and prayers.

New members of CYM and CWM were inaugurated. The work was conducted by Mamoruti CS Maluleke the founding president of CWM of URCSA – Ivory Park congregation.

 

Children Games:

During school holidays we provided children games to the young people from the community. They were playing at our church yard. The aim was to keep the children and youth out of the streets. By these games they were learning to play with other children. They work together as a team. We stimulated the positive thinking and to focus in life.  

 

Church Building Project:

As Ivory Park Congregation, we want to share with you our joy. We are now worshiping God from a church building. For many years we were worshiping from a Tent. Many people left our congregation because of that Tent church service. Now Tent service is something of the past. Yes it is part of our history as URCSA Ivory Park congregation.

 

The walls of the church building are now complete; the floor is now tiled with Edgers Beige tiles. It is now filled with blue sofa chairs. The congregation members call it the Gautrain because of the colour and the comfort. As for now, we are receiving more new members.

 

We praise God for sending Dr. SD Maluleke to our congregation. He is working very hard. He is our motivator, preacher and our mentor. He is very skilful in fundraising. This is how our church building looks like because of the clear vision and commitment of Dr SD Maluleke. The ablution (block of toilets), is also completed and functioning. The walls of the kitchen are also completed but the roof, doors and window panes are still outstanding.   

  

We hope and trust that God will provide us some funds as He did in the past. We have not yet started with the church office building, vestry and office block for social workers, but we hope that it will be built before the end of 2014.

Church Choir:

We are motivating our members to participate in church music. Few members have started with choral music. They are meeting on Saturdays afternoon. This ministry needs some support and encouragements. In 2013 our choir participated in Tshwane presbytery music competitions. We got positions two and three. We as URCSA Ivory Park congregation hosted the presbytery choirs for the first time. We are happy that we could also be treated with dignity by other congregations of our Tshwane Presbytery.

 

Here above are some members of our choir and their two Trophies held by the minister.

Fundraising:

Sunday collection is received per ministry in our church, that is, CYM, CMM, CWM Sunday School and from Church Council members. Each member brings the offering to the table where members of the financial committee stand and receive the offerings. After collection, a prayer of thanks should be conducted by any church member who may be asked. Each ministry organises its fundraising dates. There is a fundraising day for CMM, CWM, and CYM. It is working very well for us.

 

This picture above shows how we bring to the table our Sunday offerings.

The Project for the Elderly People from the community:

This group of people are meeting in our church building every Wednesday. They are motivating each other to cope with old age problems and stress. These elderly people are members of the community. We allowed them to use our church building as their place of meeting and participate in their hand work projects because in this community there is no community Hall.

 

The Garden Project:

At our church yard we have vegetable garden. We are also allowing members of the community to participate in this project. We are using this project to motivate community people to start self-help projects. We are demonstrating the love of Christ through this garden project. We also provide fresh food to some local crèches. Remember that after the creation of the world, God made a garden to provide food for human beings. We as church we are to do the same to our local community.

 

The Arts Project:

Some young people who are unemployed are coming to our church yard to do Arts work. This project is helping many young people to do soothing positive and to discover their purpose in life. Some they discover their God given talents from this project.

Recommendation:

The Tshwane Presbytery accepts this report with appreciation.

With regards,

Mr Mike Makgata

(Secretary of the church)