NG Kerk in Oos-Kaapland

(Vandeesweek se OosKaap eNuus kom uit die VSA, waar ek gelukkig genoeg is om ‘n goeie internetkonneksie by die Lutherane te kon verkry. Ons sal moet sien wat gebeur teen volgende week....)

NG Kerk doen Mediaverklaring oor die Dalai Lama

Dr Kobus Gerber, Algemene Sekretaris van die NG Kerk, het die volgende verklaring oor die weiering van ‘n visum aan die Dalai Lama uitgereik:

PRESS RELEASE: THE DALAI LAMA

The refusal of a visa to the Dalai Lama to attend a peace conference in Johannesburg is a disgrace. The reasons offered by the South African government, and the rhetoric they use to justify their actions, are totally unacceptable.

On the 18^th February 2009 the leadership of the Dutch Reformed Church met with a delegation from the ANC under the leadership of their Secretary General. We were assured that the ANC is totally committed to our Constitution and the Bill of Rights in it- also with regard to religious freedom and the rights of all beings. We call on the ANC to put their money where their mouths are and take a clear stance against the actions of their government regarding the Dalai Lama.

Our Constitution and all human rights are in grave danger. The legacy of people who fought for it and the labour of those who are fighting for it everyday in all facets of civil society are being threatened.

We support the voices against this discrimination towards the Dalai Lama. We call for a clear, unequivocal answer from government regarding human rights in South Africa and globally.

Inhoud

Media-vrystelling: Dank oor Werk van Biskop Paul Verryn (Central Methodist Church, Johannesburg)

Die Moderamen van die Algemene Sinode van die NG Kerk het by sy jongste vergadering van 17-18 Maart 2009 te Kempton Park die volgende besluit geneem na aanleiding van die gebeure in Johannesburg ten opsigte van die werk van die Central Methodist Church:

Die Moderamen van die Algemene Sinode van die NG Kerk het met groot waardering kennis geneem van die werk wat Biskop Paul Verryn in Johannesburg verrig. Die wyse waarop hy en sy gemeente sy kerkgebou in die middestad tot beskikking van noodlydendes en vreemdelinge stel, is vir ons ‘n voorbeeld en ‘n inspirasie. By die Central Methodist Church word die Evangelie van Jesus Christus op ‘n heel besondere manier gekonkretiseer. Ons wil Biskop Verryn van ons voortdurende steun en voorbidding verseker.

Retraite vir Predikantsvroue

Strauss de Jager van Albanie laat weet:

Dr Riaan van der Merwe van die Instituut vir Christelike Spiritualiteit bied 'n Predikantsvroue Retraite aan op uitnodiging van die Ring van Albanie Vrydag 29 - Sondag 31 Mei. Daar is beperkte plek beskikbaar vir predikantsvroue uit die res van ons sinodale gebied, en ons nooi enigeen hartlik uit om in te skryf.

Tema: " Word die mens wat jy werklik wil wees".

Plek en tyd: Assegaai Trails Konferensiesentrum (tussen Grahamstad en Boesmansriviermond), vanaf Vrydag 16:00 tot Sondag 15:00

Koste: R650 (en verskaf eie vervoer)

Bring saam: Bybel, skryfgoed, beddegoed, stapskoene, baaikostuum (daar is 'n swembad, as die weer dit toelaat!)

Navrae: Strauss de Jager, 046 6334598; 083 633 0881; strauss@imaginet.co.za

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Seisoen van Luister

Rethie van Niekerk, sinodale verteenwoordiger by die Seisoen van Luister, skryf:

Ons is besig om ‘n nuwe proses te ontwikkel waaroor ons baie opgewonde is: “Groei oor Grense”. Mense sal by die Padberade reeds ‘n voorsmakie hiervan kry. Intussen moedig ons almal aan om ‘n draai te gaan maak by die Seisoen van Luister se webtuiste en as ‘n gebruiker te registreer: www.seisoenvanluister.co.za.

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Oorweeg gerus om ‘n Zulu of Xhosa preekbundel te skenk

Amanda Carstens van die Christelike lektuurfonds bring die volgende onder ons aandag:

Christelike Lektuurfonds, (CLF) het nou twee preekbundels beskikbaar – in Zulu deur MS van Rooyen en in Xhosa – ‘n versameling van David Bosch se preke.

Usizo lwabathweswe umthwalo ukuphatha izinkonzo van MS van Rooyen is beskikbaar teen R39.50 en Vuthelani Ixilongo van David Bosch teen R69.50.

Gemeentes kan ook hierdie preekbundels vir sustergemeentes in hul areas aankoop en skenk aan kerkleiers.

Vir meer inligting of om hierdie bundels te bestel, stuur ‘n e-pos aan info@clf.co.za of skakel 021 873 6964

Christelike Lektuurfonds – die Boodskap van die Bybel aan almal deur gratis en bekostigbare lektuur in elkeen se taal

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Nuus van Ramah Rescue

Schalk en Bonnie van Niekerk is twee entrepreneurs van formaat. Saam het hulle Ramah Rescue op die been gebring wat vir talle ontwortelde en gemarginaliseerde mense hoop bring in Port Elizabeth se middestad. Hulle deel nuus mee:

Die jaar het met n spoed afgeskop en ons n bietjie opgefrommel agtergelaat, Tog prys ons die VADER vir vele genade en liefde wat HY deur julle almal aan ons bewys het,

Ons gesondheid is hewig aangeval en Bonnie se knie moes geopereer word. Ek self moes n noodoperasie en 2 opvolg laser behandelings ondergaan. Net hierna is ek van scooty afgery in n tref en trap ongeluk wat my met harsingskudding en sonder vele velle gelaat het. Dank aan GOD dat die skade nie groot is nie!!!

In ons vorige brief is die jaar beplanning aan almal voorgelê, en het ons met groot afwagting afgeskop net om in die werklikheid van die resessie vas te loop toe ons hoofborg moes briek aandraai as gevolg van die motor industrie se ineenstorting. Weereens het ons VADER tot ons redding gekom en presies op die regte tyd het 2 instansies sonder wete die regte bedrae geskenk en kon die beplande werke begin word !!!

Weereens het ons in verwondering gesien hoe presies GOD werk.

* 38 kinders kon vervoer word na ST Marks gemeente se raak plasie en het pastoor Kenneth en sy span jeugwerkers die jonges getrakteer en vertel van dwelms.

* Die dames bediening kon afskop deurdat die deposito vir n goedkoop woonstel langs ons betaal kon word en die meisies nou n tweede fase herstel woning het.

* Jasmyne en Liesel het terug gekeer van die plaas en die volgende gedeelte van hulle programme kan nou begin

* 5 bybel klasse is in Salamtu aangebied benewens die uitstappie en ons bars uit ons nate uit met tot 51 kinders wat nou opdaag op n Saterdag middag. Alle dank aan my getroue medewerkers Mimi Orchid, Thaban en Ernesto

Gebedsversoeke

* Bid asseblief vir standvastige fondse om die program vir die jaar te dek

* Bid vir Tanya en Hennie wat besig is met hulle rehabilitasie teen dwelms

* Bid dat die vaardigheids opleiding en Bybelskool programme n verskil sal maak in ons mensies

se lewens

* bid vir ons gesondheid en vir wysheid om die sending volgens GOD se wil en met sy liefde te bestuur

* Bid vir ons eie plekkie in Salamtu om die jeug aksie te huisves asook die nodige sport uitrusting

* Dank ons VADER saam met ons vir elkeen wat ons in die tyd liefde gegee het , vir ons gebid het,

ons gehelp het en wat tyd , geld en arbeid geskenk het

Nuusbrokkies

* Logan het met sy Bybelskool studies afgeskop en trek dorp toe om n deeltydse betrekking te begin

* ons internet bediening is op dreef en verskeie jong mense is al bedien met raad en ondersteuning

* Salamtu jeug het nou die 50 tal bereik

Ons deel graag n vers wat in hierdie tyd n nuwe betekenis vir ons gekry het. Toe die ongeluk gebeur het was ons net klaar met n vas en het n besonderse vrede ondervind in JESUS. Dit was dus moontlik deur die gees om tussen deur die vellose pyn vergifnis te skenk en DIE VADER te vra om die persoon terug na my te stuur om dit te ontvang—bid saam dat dit sal gebeur. O ja die vers

LUKAS 7:23 GESEEND IS HY WAT NIE WEGVAL AS GEVOLG VAN MY NIE

Mag ons nie faal wanneer ons VADER verheerlik moet word nie !!!

MAG GOD SE GENADE BY JULLE WEES ELKE DAG. WEES VERSEKER DAT JULLE IN ONS HARTE ENGEBEDE IS

Groete in CHRISTUS

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Publikasie: Fakulteit Teologie vier 150 jaar op Stellenbosch

Uit die pen van prof Pieter Coertzen (as eindredakteur) het ‘n besondere publikasie by Bybelmedia verskyn, met die titel: Teologie vir 150 jaar - die verhaal van teologiese opleiding op Stellenbosch. Bestel dit gerus direk van Bybel-Media (0860 26 33 42) of stuur vir Chantall by ons sinodale kantoor ‘n e-pos hieroor by db@nogkok.co.za.

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Wonderboek in Xhosa

‘n Opgewonde André Brink van die Child Evangelism Fellowship se bediening in Mthatha laat weet dat een van hul bedieningsinstrumente, die Wonderboek, nou in Xhosa vertaal is. Hy vertel: Ons is baie opgewonde dat hierdie boekie nou uiteindelik by die drukkers is en binne die volgende week of so beskikbaar sal wees. Ek het nooit besef dat vertaalwerk soveel werk is nie. Ons moes dit 'n hele paar maal proeflees om seker te maak alles is reg!

Ons het met twee nuwe Goeie Nuus Klubs begin. Die een klub is vir die Pre-primêre klas by Itipini waar Sanette ook op 'n Donderdagmiddag klub het. Ncediwe, die een helper is die onderwyseres van die klas. Sy is nou al opgelei en weet hoe om Bybellesse aan te bied. Ek help haar om die voorskoolse materiaal van CEF te gebruik om elke dag die kinders vir so 20 minute te bedien.

Die ander klub is by Sinethemba. Dit is 'n "Special Skill Centre for Mentally and Physically Challenged Children". Die groter kinders geniet die klub net so baie. Na die klub hou ek weeklikse opleiding vir drie van die volwassenes sodat hulle mettertyd self die klub kan aanbied en ook in hierdie kinders se geestelike behoeftes kan voorsien.

Mooi so, André en Sanette - altyd lekker om van julle te hoor.

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Paul Stoltz se werk by die BIEC (Bible Institute Eastern Cape)

Dr Paul Stoltz, ‘n lidmaat van ons kerk, vertel oor sy bediening rondom die opleiding van gemeenteleiers uit die Afrika-konteks in Port Elizabeth:

Ek is nou amptelik aangestel as die Adjunk-hoof van BIEC. Ofskoon dit net nog ’n titel is sonder vergoeding vind ek baie stimulasie uit die uitdaging. My hoof verantwoordelikhede lyk nou kortliks soos volg: Aanbied van 4 modules elke termyn; Direkteur van die Satellietprogram; Organisasie van die konferensies in Januarie; alle administratiewe werk rondom die skakeling met die Departement van Onderwys, SAQA, CHE en die NQF; skakeling met die Universiteit van Fort Hare; die bestuur van die Biblioteek; Voorsitter van die Fakulteitsvergaderings en Bestuurder van die onderhoude met voornemende studente. Dit gaan dus maar dol maar ek ervaar geweldige werksvreugde en vir die eerste maal in my lewe voel ek werklik “dis waar ek altyd wou wees”.

As ek nou terugkyk na die afgelope twintig jaar: na al die beloftes in die Here se Woord dat Hy my tot seën vir die nasies sal maak, dat Hy nie my stem stil sal maak nie ; deur tye van twyfel en amperse moed opgee; tye van geestelike groei en opbou; die 12 jaar in Botswana en alles wat daarmee gepaard gegaan het ; die wonderlike wyse waarop die Here my na BIEC gelei het: dan weet ek verseker in my wese dat Hy in beheer is. En daarvoor loof ek die Almagtige Koning!!

Lana (Paul se vrou) en ek voel albei sterk daaroor dat sy weer voltyds by haar roeping as jeug-bedienaar betrokke moet raak. Daar is soveel behoefte in ons omgewing vir die opleiding van jeug-leiers, veral ook by gemeentes en BIEC.

Lana beplan nou om haar finale afrondingskursus by Petra- kollege te voltooi en dan voltyds as opleidingsbeampte van jeugleiers te funksioneer. Dit sal derhalwe beteken dat sy haar werk moet bedank en intussen vir borge vir haar bediening moet vertrou. Lana benodig borge vir R3000-00 per maand. Bid asseblief saam met ons dat die Here ook aan hierdie behoefte sal voorsien.

Bid ook saam vir al die voorbereiding en die vir die finansiële voorsiening vir die betaling van die afrondingskursusse.

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Taste Africa - ‘n eendagseminaar oor kruiskulturele werk in Afrika

Jean Greyling laat weet dat Africa Inland Mission aan die einde van Mei ‘n eendag-seminaar in Port Elizabeth aanbied. Dit handel oor kruiskulturele werk in Afrika en behandel interessante onderwerpe. Volledige besondere is net ‘n muisklik ver.

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Vakature Gemeenteleraarspos : NG Kerk Okahandja

GEMEENTEPROFIEL:

Die NG Gemeente Okahandja is 'n plattelandse gemeente (70km noord van Windhoek) bestaande uit +/- 500 doop-en belydende lidmate (dorp en 3 plaaswyke). Dit is 'n gemeente met 'n groot persentasie senior burgers en 'n jeugbediening.

LERAARSPROFIEL:

'n Leraar wat gelei word deur die Heilige Gees, verkieslik getroud wat ouer lidmate, sowel as entoesiastiese jongmense en kleingroepe doeltreffend kan bedien.

VERGOEDING:

Vergoeding en voordele volgens sinodale riglyne sal tydens onderhoud bespreek word. Ruim pastorie word voorsien.

AANSOEKE:

Persone wat hulleself beskikbaar stel vir hierdie pos, moet 'n volledige CV met verwysings stuur aan:

Die skriba, Posbus 292, Okahandja, Namibië, E-POS: ngkokh@iafrica.com.na

SLUITINGSDATUM:

5 April 2009. Slegs kandidate op kortlys sal genooi word vir 'n onderhoud.

NAVRAE:

Skriba Tel: 00264-62-50-1231; Faks: 00264-62-50-0527; E-pos: ngkokh@iafrica.com.na

Hardus Maritz: Tel: 00264-62-50-1450; Sel: +264-81-1290577

Hannes Kellerman: Tel: 00264-62-50-1964; Sel: +264-81-2775419

Ds. Andre Theron: (Konsulent) Sel: +264-81-2317053

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“Moenie die ketting breek nie” - hoekom hierdie soort snert jou benadeel

Riaan Steyn bring die volgende onder ons aandag:

E-MAIL TRACKING

Here is something everyone should read and take the advice. If you don't, you’re hurting yourself and your email buddies.

By now, I suspect everyone is familiar with www.snopes.com <http://www.snopes.com> and/or www.truthorfiction.com <http://www.truthorfiction.com> for determining whether information received via email is just that: true/false or fact/fiction. Both are excellent sites.

Advice from Snopes.com Very important!

1) Any time you see an E-Mail that says forward this on to '10' (or however many) of your friends, sign this petition, or you'll get bad luck, good luck, you'll see something funny on your screen after you send it, or whatever, it almost always has an E-Mail tracker program attached that tracks the cookies and E-Mails of those folks you forward to.

The host sender is getting a copy each time it gets forwarded and then is able to get lists of 'active' E-Mail addresses to use in SPAM E-Mails, or sell to other spammers. Even when you get emails that demand you send the email on if you're not ashamed of God/Jesus ....that’s E-mail tracking and they're playing on your conscience. These people don't care how they get your email addresses - just as long as they get them. Also, emails that talk about a missing child or a child with an incurable disease - “how would you feel if that was your child"....E-mail Tracking!!!

Ignore them and don’t participate!

2) Almost all E-Mails that ask you to add your name and forward on to others are similar to that mass letter years ago that asked people to send business cards to the little kid in Florida who wanted to break the Guinness Book of Records for the most cards. All it was, and all any of this type of E-Mail is, is a way to get names and 'cookie' tracking information for telemarketers and spammers - - to validate active E-Mail accounts for their own profitable purposes.

You can do your friends and family members a GREAT favour by sending this information to them; you will be providing a service to your friends, and will be rewarded by not getting thousands of spam E-Mails in the future!

If you have been sending out (FORWARDING) the above kinds of E-Mail, now you know why you get so much SPAM!

Do yourself a favour and STOP adding your name(s) to those types of listings regardless how inviting they might sound!...or make you feel guilty if you don't!...it's all about getting email addresses - nothing more!

You may think you are supporting a GREAT cause, but you are NOT! Instead, you will be getting tons of junk mail later and very possibly a virus attached! Plus, you are helping the spammers get rich! Let's stop making it easy for them!

Also: E-Mail petitions are NOT acceptable to Government, or any other organization - i.e. social security, etc. To be acceptable, petitions must have a signed signature and full address of the person signing the petition, so this is a waste of time and you’re just helping the Email trackers.

Please read the full story here:

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/petition/internet.asp

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HIV – A Call to Action (World Evangelical Alliance)

Interessant dat spesifek Evangelicals onderstaande verklaring uitreik - wat deur Nelis du Toit onder ons aandag gebring word:

While we have not always acknowledged it, we recognise today that the Body of Christ, His Church, is living with HIV. With brokenness we admit that as Evangelical Christians we have allowed stigmatisation and discrimination to characterise our relationships with people living with HIV. We repent of these sinful attitudes and commit to ensuring that they are changed. We will follow Jesus’ example and identify with those who are affected (Matthew 9:12-13) as we intercede fervently for one another (Romans 8:26).

We recognize that as the current generation of young people in our churches enters adulthood and becomes sexually active we have not always provided a clear, biblical framework of human sexuality and life skills for their guidance and nurture. We are cognizant that we have been insensitive to the inability of women, children and

the most marginalised to exercise real choices and that in many areas of the world marriage and gender-based violence are risk factors for HIV transmission. We apologise for this failure and resolve to model and teach the essential value of human sexuality within the bounds of God-honouring lifestyles. We also commit ourselves to listen with understanding to our children, youth, women, and the most marginalised – especially people living with HIV – so that we can work together for a healthy and safe future which will enable all people to live in the abundant life Jesus promised (John 10:10).

The HIV pandemic has reminded us that the health of all communities is connected to the health of the most vulnerable and marginalised in our societies. We commit as leaders to equip ourselves and our congregations to follow the footsteps of Jesus. Since ours is the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-19) we will seek to live out incarnational faith working in partnership with the most marginalised and vulnerable to HIV infection.

As a community of Evangelical Christians we believe that all people regardless of belief, identity, gender, ethnicity or health are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). Hence it is an essential element of our identity that we bear witness to the love of God for all people in word and deed, in private and in public. We therefore resolve to strengthen our theological reflection and practical action in our advocacy, respect for life and justice with dignity for all people. We realize that this resolution will profoundly challenge us as we deeply long to be a holy people who please God (1 Peter 1:15-16; Matthew 5:8). We reaffirm that we all live in and by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 5:1-2) and agapé love (1 Corinthians 13:1-8).

We commit to working in HIV prevention in partnership with others to halt and reverse the spread of HIV. In so doing we understand that there are many social drivers that contribute to HIV transmission and that no one group or organisation can do everything. We will therefore work alongside other sectors of society so that all people will know how to protect themselves from infection and have access to the services needed to do so.

We commit to playing our part in caring relationships – individually and corporately – working to mitigate the impact of HIV on individuals, families and communities and advocating for comprehensive HIV services in prevention, treatment, care and support. We will work towards universal access for these services for people living with HIV so that they become less vulnerable and are enabled to be meaningful contributors within the Church and society.

We commit to develop a comprehensive HIV strategy in collaboration with our member-networks, people living with HIV and other partners.

As a community of Evangelical Christians expressed globally, nationally and locally we will foster connections between parts of the Body of Christ. We will strive for practical solidarity and sacrificial giving among Christians – person-to-person, congregation-to-congregation, denomination-to-denomination, and country-to-country – in order that Jesus may be lifted up, the Father glorified and men and women brought into His saving grace through the life revolutionising power of the Gospel we preach (Romans 3:23-24; 6:23; Ephesians 5:8; Colossians 1:13).

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Nuwe Vorm A beskikbaar

Die Sinodale Kommissie het besluit om Vorm A (die vorm vir kerklike ondersoek deur gemeente, ring en sinode) te hersien en te vereenvoudig. Die nuwe Vorm A is voltooi en op ons webblad beskikbaar - www.ngkok.co.za/admin. Gebruik dit asb alreeds vir die 2008-9 verslagjaar.

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Children Are Quick

TEACHER: Maria, go to the map and find North America
MARIA: Here it is.
TEACHER: Correct. Now class, who discovered America ?
CLASS: Maria.

TEACHER: John, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor?
JOHN: You told me to do it without using tables.

TEACHER: Glenn, how do you spell 'crocodile?'
GLENN: K-R-O-K-O-D-I-A-L'
TEACHER: No, that's wrong
GLENN: Maybe it is wrong, but you asked me how I spell it.

TEACHER: Donald, what is the chemical formula for water?
DONALD: H I J K L M N O.
TEACHER: What are you talking about?
DONALD: Yesterday you said it's H to O.

TEACHER: Winnie, name one important thing we have today that we didn't have ten years ago.
WINNIE: Me!

TEACHER: Glen, why do you always get so dirty?
GLEN: Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are.

TEACHER: Millie, give me a sentence starting with 'I.'
MILLIE: I is . . .
TEACHER: No, Millie . . .. Always say, 'I am.'
MILLIE: All right . . . 'I am the ninth letter of the alphabet.'

TEACHER: George Washington not only chopped down his father's cherry tree, but also admitted it. Now, Louie, do you know why his father didn't punish him?
LOUIS: Because George still had the axe in his hand.

TEACHER: Now, Simon, tell me honestly, do you say prayers before eating?
SIMON: No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook.

TEACHER: Clyde, your composition on 'My Dog' is exactly the same as your brother's. Did you copy his?
CLYDE: No, sir. It's the same dog.

TEACHER: Harold, what do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested?
HAROLD: A teacher
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Groete tot ons weer gesels,

Danie Mouton

Sinodale Kommunikasie

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