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Dear Church Family and Friends...

3 September 2009

Spring is here and there is the promise of a new season on the horizon so I find it quite fitting to be sharing the news of a new season in the life of our Church. It is with great joy and excitement I would like to share this news with you and hope and trust as you read how God is working you too will be encourage by the awesome work God is doing. With God all things are possible!

The past 7 years have been anything but dull and God has answered so many prayers and done so much it has been truly amazing and humbling. Our church has had our ups and downs but God has always been there and always been faithful. He has worked in us, through us and despite us! Yet I have spent the past while looking back and asking, “is this really all that God wanted from us?” Yes we have worked hard to be real, relational and relevant. Yes we have strived to stay true to our mission statement of “We introduce people into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and lovingly equip them to live a fulfilling life which glorifies God”. But what happened to our vision of a church that is more than just a Sunday morning? Our vision of a staff working as a team infecting our community with Gods love, changing lives and bringing God Glory. A church that is growing physically and spiritually. Not due to programs or personality’s but because God is there touching and changing people. Yes their have been elements of all these, but if we are honest we all know we want more. More of God, and to be even more effective in changing our community.

In light of this many of you will know how much the Christian Lifestyle Gardens leadership and I have been praying and seeking what it is that God wants from us and our church. I personally have had a strong sense for a long time now that God has been working on something but what, how and when has been very elusive. I must confess sensing immense frustration, especially during this past 12 months, we have prayed and fasted, we have tried new things and yet still things have stayed very much the same. In fact in some ways I have even felt we have been going backwards despite all our efforts. It has felt like we have been surviving rather then living and being effective for Him. We all know that 2009 has been a tough year globally and the church has not been uninfected either. Yet I must tell you that despite all this, our God has been 100% faithful. After a deficit last year, this year has never looked like we were going to make it yet each and every month God has come through and we have lacked nothing (except a little faith I think). What an awesome God we serve!

The truth is this has only added to my sense of frustration. God has clearly provided for us and in this and so many other ways confirmed this is where he wants me but then why have we not been seeing a breakthrough? I had just decided that maybe this is how God wants it. So I began to let go, saying God you decide what happens. I had just started feeling comfortable again, my faith growing as I sensed God telling me He has been here and working and to have more faith. I guess that is what God has been waiting for all along.

Gods timing is never wrong and the past month has seen God open some truly exciting doors. We have been having discussions with Simon and City Vineyard informally over the past 3 years about looking to work together as churches with the same vision and in the same area. Theresa and I brought this up again a year ago at the Vineyard leadership conference and not much happened until last month after Simon and His leadership felt God leading them to speak to us about it again. Shortly after we met Simon heard that due to another function, their current church venue was unavailable for 2 weeks so we invited them to come join us for those 2 Sundays.

Well God used that to confirm that this is indeed His plan. So as Pastors, leadership teams and church members we met and discussed and agreed that this is truly a God thing. So as of the first Sunday in September we will be having combined services at our venue - Christian Lifestyle Gardens.

We feel strongly that this not a temporary exercise and are intentionally planning and looking towards fusing into one church at some point in the future. This will take time and planning with lots of details to be sorted through in terms of leadership, structures, ministry’s and finances. God has showed us that we are very similar churches in terms of vision, values and ministry models and together we can combine our strengths and overcome weaknesses to compliment each other. We believe together we can achieve more and be effective in sharing and growing Gods Kingdom.

The road ahead is going to be an exciting one. Some things will change as we fuse together, remember that God loves as we are, but loves us too much to keep us that way. We are totally reliant on God during this time of fusion and as we pray and “do the stuff” I am convince we are going to experience God in a whole new way. We ask for your support and continued prayers as we work through the mundane admin and planning and fully expect to see the miraculous as God unites two churches into one. We hope this will be an example to others in church unity, we so often hear of church splits and division. When last did we hear of God bringing 2 churches and 3 Pastors together for His glory?

So please come join us this Sunday 9:30am and meet everyone as we welcome Simon Van Niekerk, Melt van de Spuy and City Vineyard to our family.

Anthony

 

Mission Statement

We introduce people into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and lovingly equip them to live a fullfilling life which glorifies God.