Namibia participants from L to R: Evan Bailey, Diann Bezuidenhodt, Hartman Centre Hike

and Jerome Coetzee as they begin their journey from Namibia

Visit to Capitol Hill with Jimmy Heyman

United Congregational Church of Southern Africa

NEWSLETTER: JUNE 2013

Working for World Peace can be a daunting task. Planting seeds leading to

peace is, however, something all of us can do.

During June 6-20, 2013 youth participants from different parts of the

world came together to explore together the hope and meaning of

international peace in the Partners in Peace program. Partners in Peace

is a two week multicultural program for 18 youth ages 17-20 and their

adult advisors organized by the Penn Central Conference of the United

Church of Christ (UCC). UCC is one of UCCSA’s mission partners.

Three young people from Namibia accompanied by the Namibia Synod

Secretary Jimmy Heyman participated in the program along with youth

participants from churches of Penn Central Conference and Penn

Central’s other Partner Churches in Germany, the Cheyenne River

Reservation in South Dakota, and the Wisconsin Conference of the

United Church of Christ. They travelled to Hartman Center for a week-

long peace camp and visiting places like Gettysburg and Washington D.C.

before returning home on June 20th.

PAGE 2 UCCSA NEWSLETTER

This year the Pacaltsdorp Congregational Chuch in

Capetown marks 200 years! Pacaltsdorp was founded in

April 1813 and is named after its first minsiter Rev

Charles Pacalt. It was in 1813 that Chief Dikkop (Dikwe)

of Oteniqua of the Khoi tribe called Rev Pacalt of the

London Missionary Society to minister to his people.

On Saturday June 22, 2013 Rev Gerhard Human and

members of the church family unveiled a plaque to

honour Chief Dikwe for his role in establishing the

church. The unveiling was attended by General Secretary

Rev Prince Dibeela and Rev Cheryl Dibeela. Following

the unveiling Chiefs and descents of the Khoi people

performed a traditional ceremony to acknowledge the

recognition of Chief Dikwe.

This year the Pacaltsdorp Congregational Chuch in

Capetown marks 200 years! Pacaltsdorp was founded in

April 1813 and is named after its first minsiter Rev

Charles Pacalt. It was in 1813 that Chief Dikkop (Dikwe)

of Oteniqua of the Khoi tribe called Rev Pacalt of the

London Missionary Society to minister to his people.

On Saturday June 22, 2013 Rev Gerhard Human and

members of the church family unveiled a plaque to

honour Chief Dikwe for his role in establishing the

church. The unveiling was attended by General Secretary

Rev Prince Dibeela and Rev Cheryl Dibeela. Following

the unveiling Chiefs and descents of the Khoi people

performed a traditional ceremony to acknowledge the

recognition of Chief Dikwe.

Pacaltsdorp Congregational Church

Rev Gerhard Human unveiling the plaque in recognition of Chief Dikwe as part of the bicentarnary celebrations

Chief Margaret performing the traditional cermony at the unveiling

Pacaltsdorp Congregational Church honours Chief Dikwe

The Western Cape

PAGE 3 UCCSA NEWSLETTER

The General Secetary was the guest preacher for Sunday worship at Pacaltsdorp on June 23. During worship the

church offered an apology to Chiefs representing the Oteniqua people today for the instances of complicity and

silence in the face of the discrimination meted against the people in Oteniqua during the colonial era. Acknowledging

the LMS connection to the people of Oteniqua, the church also presented to the Chief of the Oteniqua tribe a token

of appreciation for the hospitality shown to the missionaries of the LMS.

Rev Cheryl Dibeela, CWM Africa Region, Regional Secretary presenting a token of appreciation to

Chief Oteniqua. Council for World Mission (CWM) is a descendant of the former LMS.

Rev Prince and Cheryl Dibeela and Chiefs of the Oteniqua

Pacaltsdorp Congregational Church cont’d

PAGE 4 UCCSA NEWSLETTER

Karoo Region dedicates new Regional Office The Karoo Regional Council of churches in the South Africa Synod June 22, 2013 2013 at Graaff Reinet

celebrated the opening and dedication of the Karoo Regional Council Office Building as a centre for mission.

A part of the orchestra of a brigade of children ushering

the march to the building during the dedication ceremony

Rev Allister Arends, SA Synod Chairperson devoting the building

flanked by Regional Mr. Chester Matthews Chairperson and

Rev Dennis Jagers

The Preacher at the occasion the Reverend Rudie

Visagie delivering his final formal address in the Karoo

Region.

Regional Chairperson Mr Cherster Matthews receives

the key to the office from the Rev Arends

Some members of the Karoo Regional Council Executive:

from left to right: Andrew Elie (Secretary) Chester

Matthews (Chairperson) Lena Botha(Treasurer) and

Isaac Dokter (Mission Council Convener)

PAGE 5 UCCSA NEWSLETTER

REFLECTION- African Children as Agents of Change

I have over the last 8 years of my ministry travelled across Southern Africa. In these travels I have felt a

particular sadness for our communities particularly the effects experienced by all but more especially so by the

vulnerable and marginalised in our societies; the children and youth in Southern Africa. I would not trade my African

roots for anything else but it is the schizophrenia with which our children grow up that bothers me.

It is not a new schizophrenia, believe you me, because even I grew up and was exposed to the likelihood of

experiencing such a split personality. Let me clarify why I say this. I grew up in racially segregated townships which

seem to be typically known as northern suburbs in Port Elizabeth today. My recollection of history at school was

about the arrival of Jan van Riebeeck, a Dutch Settler to the Cape. It was not uncommon for us to recognise in the

names of towns and streets throughout South Africa and beyond the inherited English and Dutch past. A strong

personal childhood reminder of this mental imprisonment was also visible in how those family members who had a

lighter skin tone, with straighter and longer hair were always marveled at as the beauties in the family. This seemed to

be the ultimate image yearned for by all children. The closest many young girls could get to this image was having their

hair straightened or in having a little white doll so as to play with its hair.

Related to this already existent identity crisis in our societies is the continued economic exploitation exerted

on our families which encourages values of competition, materialism and individualism. This way of life further

exacerbates and threatens our valuable traditional African cultural practices of living in community. It is therefore not

uncommon to find young people taking part in alcohol or drug binges without feeling any responsibility or

accountability to respect the adults in their societies. This is just one example of feeling that ‘I am my own person, and

you are not my parents.’ So on the one hand we are drowning in beliefs by which we measure the value of life by what

you have, what you wear and the ‘important people’ you associate with; and that becomes the greatest measure of

success which becomes the dreams parents endeavour for their children and young people.

Southern Africa also has an opposite extreme born out of the economic and social conditions experienced by

young people which results in a culture of dependency. There is a loss of hope for many children and young people in

our different countries, especially stemming from extreme impoverishment and lack of opportunities for self-

development. So we are caught in a culture of begging. I have seen this in our interaction with international partners.

At the heart of both these cultures there seems to be a problem of a loss of identity; our dignity and our being as an

African people. This yearning to want to be that which we are not and have that which we do not need have amongst

many young people in our societies left the tendency for them to gravitate towards foreign values and to become

susceptible to social ills.

Our faith and spirituality have often not assisted us to find ourselves. In fact generally our understanding of

Christianity seemed to have most times contributed to upholding the racist, sexist, materialistic, individualistic lifestyles

that we live. So in the light of Deuteronomy 11:19 which reminds us to ‘Teach your children and speak to them as you

sit in your house, as you walk along the road, as you lie down, and as you get up’, the question then is what faith beliefs

do we uphold today?

As the Africa Region of CWM we have been determined to deliberately arrange our programmes to assist children and young people with skills to face the enormous challenges as they grow up within our societies. Due to the overwhelming negative influences many young people tend to become confused with the myriad of persuasions. The lack of these life skills often leads to or is a result of poor moral grounding. This has brought about a corrosion of Christian values and consequently, many youth are not equipped to deal with issues such as Stewardship, Self-esteem, Relationships, Leadership and other life matters in a principled way. We have therefore focused our energies towards a goal in which we want children and young people to become their own ‘Agents of Change.’ The intention of this goal to be ‘Agents of Change’ is to create opportunities, material and programmes that would help children and young peop le to critically engage with their faith so as to guide them to understand themselves, their communities and the world better.

On June 16 Africa marked International Day of the African Child. The Day has been marked

by member states of the African Union since 1991. The occasion is firstly a commemoration

to recall the 1976 Soweto uprising. The day also raises awareness of the continuing need for

improvement of the education provided to African children. In this piece Rev Dr. Cheryl

Dibeela, CWM African Region, Regional al Secretary, shares her reflections in

commemoration of the Day of the African Child.

PAGE 6 UCCSA NEWSLETTER

REFLECTION- Comrades Marathon by Rev Scott Couper

To be honest, I expected a personal best for the almost 90km race, the Comrades Ultra-Marathon. The

Comrades is an iconic race in South African and also the world! Runners’ World magazine declares it the unqualified

best ultra-marathon in the world. Up 20,000 participants run two full marathons back to back and some more

kilometres, just for good measure! And this year, over half the marathon was uphill. I hoped for a very realistic 9hrs45

or a fantastic 9hrs30. I have run the Comrades three times previously, and bettered my time on each occasion.

For the 2013 race, I trained much harder, by far. I also trained smarter. Everything demonstrated to me that the

'perfect' race was in store. No injuries. No sickness. Training went perfect. It was not to be. It proved to be a very,

very hard race, the hardest I had experienced. High winds and temperatures caused more than a quarter of the field

to drop out. Ambulances lined the route.

I did not achieve a personal best. In fact, not even close. I came in at 10hrs43, only five minutes faster than my first and

slowest Comrades race! I barely got the coveted Bronze medal for under 11 hours.

Yet, despite not achieving my goal, I felt more elation and more gratification at the finish than I had felt the three

previous times. You see, for my first three races, I finished comparatively comfortable. This race, I was shattered at the

finish. I was a physical and emotional wreck. Upon crossing the finish line, I quickly alternated between heaving and

crying.

My first three Comrades, because I did not comparably suffer, I did not ‘get’ Comrades. I did not understand the

nostalgia and gushing sentimentality that people have for the race. I did not understand why it was so mystical, so life

transforming. I did not really ‘get’ why people waxed so lyrically about its power.

For my first three Comrades, I was not particularly ‘needy’; I did not require the seconding and the support I

graciously received from my family. It was nice, but I could have relied on my own power. This time was different. I so

needed my wife and daughter to help me get to the finish (my son Micah was at boarding school). I vomited a lot at

Cato Ridge. I could not eat or drink; my stomach was trashed. It was hot; it was windy. However, my wife and

daughter were always ahead of me. They supported me and gave me encouragement when I most needed it. They gave

me precious fuel for the journey. Because I suffered so much, and I still finished, I do ‘get’ Comrades, finally.

So, for the first time, I "got" Comrades. Comrades is about 'solidarity'. I understood that sometimes in life you have to

depend on others to get you through. And it is not always about 'me'. I think my wife and daughter were as tired as I

was at the end. Traffic and stress, worrying and driving, queuing in lines and for well over 15 hours from the time we

left home to when we returned. It was exhausting for us all. My whole family got a Bronze medal.

And what about the ten year old kid on the side of the road who voluntarily rubbed ice into my calves to prevent

them from short circuiting (they were going bonkers due to a shortage of minerals, especially salt!)? If I did not have

the ice rubs, by calves would not have made it the last 5 kilometres. And what about all the people supplying me with

salt and potatoes? Water and Poweraide? What about the people who brought Vaseline for me to use, so I still had

some skin left at the finish? What about the marshals and the police, everyone who kept us safe and on route? What

about the stranger on the road with Band-aides for my blisters?

So, for the first time, I "got" Comrades. Comrades is about overcoming suffering with the help of others. Rarely is

something worth doing easy. If it is difficult, it is usually worth doing. That is what I learned. Comrades is not about

winning or losing or Silver or Bronze medals. It is about training for six months and collectively running a race that is

as difficult for the winner to win as it is for the slowest to cross the line in any time. Both suffered, and persevered.

And it was worth it.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (II Timothy 4:7).

PAGE 7 UCCSA NEWSLETTER

I suspect that the winner who finished at 5hrs32, my colleagues at Inanda Seminary- Robyn who finished at 9hrs07

and Clinton who finished at 12hrs plus and I felt more or less the same ecstatic joy

upon completing this Comrades. Not because we won or didn't win. Not because we were fast or not fast. Not

because we achieved a PB or did not achieve a PB. And not because we finished in under 12 or did not finish in under

12 hours. I suspect we felt the same because we suffered, mightily, and still persevered, and did the absolute best that

was possible, at that particular time.

I suspect the feeling of elation, pride and relief was the same for the winner, as was for me, as was for Robyn, as was

for Clinton - though we were all at different places and at different times. We persevered and accomplished beyond

what we thought possible while we were enduring.

If any of you consider doing Comrades in the future, my advice to you is, "get" Comrades your first time - don't wait

until the fourth time to understand its power!

But, some of us are just as slow runners as we are slow learners! Love always in Christ, Scott

Prayer:Gracious God: Thank you for your Spirit and Power within us. Most of all, thank you for the Spirit

and Power you give others to pass on to us when we have not enough. Amen

The 37th Assembly of UCCSA will be held 18-24 September, 2013 at St Joseph’s Pastoral

Centre in Mmbatho, South Africa. The Assembly will be hosted by the Northwest Region

and the South Africa Synod. Registration fee is R500.00. This biennial Assembly will bring

together delegates from Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. It is a

special time of celebration and worship for the whole church.

The UCCSA President, Rev Basil Manning, will preside over the Assembly. President-Elect,

Rev Phillip Strydom of Namibia, who was elected in 2011 will be inducted as President of the

UCCSA. This year we also host a special celebration farewell dinner for the General

Secretary Rev Dr. Prince Moisraele Dibeela who is completing 8 years of distinguished

service to the UCCSA.

Among the persons who will feature on the Assembly programme is Dr. Mamphela Aletta

Ramphele who will deliver the Joe Wing Lecture at the Assembly. The Joe Wing Lecture is

named and given in honour of Rev Joe Wing, former UCCSA General Secretary. Dr.

Ramphele is a respected South African activist, academic and business woman.

The Assembly Planning Committee continues the preparations for this year’s Assembly and

continues to request your prayers. Pray and plan with them by honouring special prayer

Sundays for the Assembly on July 7 and August 4, 2013.

PAGE 8 UCCSA NEWSLETTER

CONTACT US

Please send all Contributions to:

UCCSA

P. O. Box 96014,

Brixton, 2019,

Johannesburg,

South Africa.

Telephone: 011 837 9997

Fax Numbers: 011 837 2570

E-mail: tellus.uccsa@gmail.com

Media Contacts:

Rev Dr. M. Dibeela

The General Secretary:

prince@uccsa.co.za

Rev Alistair Arends

Mission Secretary

revarends@gmail.com

Miss Ayana McCalman

Communications & Justice Advocacy

Officer:

ayana_gy@yahoo.com

Website: www.uccsa.co.za

Facebook: “Congregationalist”

www.facebook.com/Congregationalists

EVENTS To Remember and Pray For:

4-6 July South Africa Synodical Meeting

6 July SA Synod Secretary Induction

Ceremony, Inanda Seminary (Durban)

12-14 Mozambique Synodical Meeting

17-18 Social Justice Team

24-25 Theological Commission

25-27 Secretariat Meeting (Mafikeng)

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IN LOVING MEMORY OF SOLWIN ELEPHANT

The whole UCCSA was saddened to receive the news of the

death of Mr. Solwin Elephant, who passed away on June 3.

Solwyn was an example of servant leadership. He served the

UCCSA, always far beyond the call of duty, as Chairman of the

Investments Committee before becoming the Treasurer until

the last Assembly in Mozambique. The General Secretary and

Staff of UCCSA paid their last respects to Solwin at a moving

service at the Rogers Memorial Church on June 12.

We offer our continued prayers to his wife, Rachel, children

and grand-children as well as the extended family. Our prayer is

that the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, will minister to them in a

special way as they remember the life of Solwin. We thank God

for Solwyn’s life of self-less service, dedication and commitment

to church and community. May God bless and rest his soul in

eternal peace.

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