DCC News - October 2009
Greetings to all of you who belong to Jesus and who are connected to DCC. This “DCC News” is my attempt to be intentional about clear communication so that you can be informed, hopefully encouraged, and challenged to pray specifically and engage in ministry with the rest of the church. Let me start by summarizing some of our recent news:
Staff Transitions
Sunday, 30 August was Shawn and Michelle’s last Sunday with us. He encouraged us to put our hope in the gospel – A good reminder! Please pray for them as they get settled in George and officially start their work at the beginning of October.
With Shawn leaving, the council has recommended that I remain as the sole rector of DCC, taking responsibility for all areas of ministry. I feel the weight of this task and know that I desperately need God’s help and the support of key people around me. The council has led strongly through this transition and spent many hours in discussion and prayer together and with the bishops to make sure that we do what’s best for DCC.
Colin Banfield joined us 3 years ago as our director of missions. He has helped us grow in our understanding about what it means to be the church on a mission. We have been taught to think outside ourselves and connect with the broken world around us. Through Colin’s leadership, many have been exposed to cross-cultural ministry and also been challenged to be gospel-minded in our daily living as we recognize our identity as being the church seven days a week. Colin’s ministry is expanding and the leadership of DCC has recognized that Colin’s gift and desire is to equip and train people who are learning on the mission. At the end of the year he will be leaving us as a staff member to start a new ministry which is being set up at this time. Please pray for Colin and his family as they will need financial support for this new venture. He will remain at DCC and we’ll keep you posted with more details about this exciting ministry.
Vaughn Brand is joining us full-time in January to be working with our teenagers. He brings a youthful enthusiasm to the team and I’m extremely encouraged by the way I’ve seen him interact with our young people. He loves Jesus and has a heart to see our teens discipled and flourishing in their faith. Please pray for him as he makes the adjustment from student life to full-time ministry and from being a bachelor to having a wife. He and Kathleen are getting married at the end of November and we consider them a great asset to the ministry at DCC.
Mitchell’s Plain
It was great to see several families and individuals from DCC join us on GO outreach in Mitchell’s Plain during the September holidays. Our desire was two-fold: Encourage Andrew Barnes and the Beacon Valley Church who relentlessly serve this difficult drug-infested, alcohol abused community and to give us some hands-on training with evangelism. Colin and Andrew did a super job in making this happen. It was great to join the church for a few days and get to know them better by serving alongside them. Our children were able to see how privileged it is to live in Durbanville and we were given the opportunity to tell people the real gospel of Jesus Christ. There were some who were converted and others who are connecting with Trinity Church who will continue to be exposed to the message of grace. Praise the Lord!
I want to highlight a few upcoming events and areas of focus:
Men’s Retreat
Join other men from CESA churches for a time of teaching, feasting, and whatever else the guys get up to in Hermanus – 16 & 17 October. Contact Steve Cole s.cole@corewealth.co.za for tickets.
Couple’s Breakfast
Come have breakfast with us and hear Flo Visser give us practical help with our relationships. Contact the office for bookings – La Romantica @ 8:30, Saturday, 31 October.
Community Groups
The Christian life is not to be lived alone. This is why we strongly encourage you to get connected to a community group that meets in your area. These groups meet so that we can be intentional about caring for one another, praying for each other, reminding one another how rich we are in Christ and working together to serve our neighbourhoods. It’s so easy to hear a sermon and forget about it. One of the things we do in our community groups is help each other live out the gospel by talking practically about the passage that has been recently preached. Many of you are not in groups. You used to be involved or maybe you have never joined one… Let’s change that! Don’t wait around passively, take the initiative and visit a group until you find one that fits. If you need help, call the office and we’ll make sure that you are engaged with others who want to follow Jesus.
Building
At this past Synod I met with Bishop Morrison who had some helpful insights about our building plans. The building committee will be looking at these suggested plans and then present some options and costings to the congregation for your interest and comment. I want to see this fast-tracked so that we can get going. There has been lots of debate over the past few years about whether to build or not. This has resulted in much confusion and frustration. Now is the time to move forward and use the resources that God has given us so that we can be most effective in proclaiming the gospel in Durbanville and beyond.
Membership
If you attend DCC regularly, I want to encourage you to become a member. This is your way of saying to everyone else that you are committed to the vision and leadership of DCC, that you are committing to serve in some capacity, to help finance the ministry, and become accountable to spiritual oversight. There are many who would rather be takers than givers, who want all the benefits without the commitment. I challenge you to be one of those who can be counted on, who will make DCC a more effective church. Many of you are already involved and committed. This excites me. Go all the way! Our next membership day is 10 October from 9:00 to 11:00. Register by calling the office @ (021) 975-2500.
A few closing comments:
I’m thrilled about being the rector of DCC. God has blessed us with great people, young families, more experienced and wiser families, and the love for God and his world. We have learned lots about what it means to be living for Christ 24/7 and how we are to be a blessing to those around us. We’ve been given much grace and we know our responsibility in sharing and letting the grace overflow. Now is the time for us to live it out completely. There is nothing that is standing in our way. Let us seize this moment and see the kingdom explode as we follow Christ with all our hearts, as we bring our friends under the influence of the gospel. Let me encourage you wherever you are in your spiritual walk, to get radical, don’t be complacent. Let me urge you to join us every Sunday as we gather to build one another up, as we motivate each other to live out our faith. Plan to bring your family so that it becomes a weekly experience. Let’s pray together for your friends and family and neighbours and see God save them. Let’s not be ashamed of the gospel, but bold and full of courage. May we see the power of God active in our lives as we pursue Jesus together.
In his strength and for his glory,
Mark
Staff Transitions
Sunday, 30 August was Shawn and Michelle’s last Sunday with us. He encouraged us to put our hope in the gospel – A good reminder! Please pray for them as they get settled in George and officially start their work at the beginning of October.
With Shawn leaving, the council has recommended that I remain as the sole rector of DCC, taking responsibility for all areas of ministry. I feel the weight of this task and know that I desperately need God’s help and the support of key people around me. The council has led strongly through this transition and spent many hours in discussion and prayer together and with the bishops to make sure that we do what’s best for DCC.
Colin Banfield joined us 3 years ago as our director of missions. He has helped us grow in our understanding about what it means to be the church on a mission. We have been taught to think outside ourselves and connect with the broken world around us. Through Colin’s leadership, many have been exposed to cross-cultural ministry and also been challenged to be gospel-minded in our daily living as we recognize our identity as being the church seven days a week. Colin’s ministry is expanding and the leadership of DCC has recognized that Colin’s gift and desire is to equip and train people who are learning on the mission. At the end of the year he will be leaving us as a staff member to start a new ministry which is being set up at this time. Please pray for Colin and his family as they will need financial support for this new venture. He will remain at DCC and we’ll keep you posted with more details about this exciting ministry.
Vaughn Brand is joining us full-time in January to be working with our teenagers. He brings a youthful enthusiasm to the team and I’m extremely encouraged by the way I’ve seen him interact with our young people. He loves Jesus and has a heart to see our teens discipled and flourishing in their faith. Please pray for him as he makes the adjustment from student life to full-time ministry and from being a bachelor to having a wife. He and Kathleen are getting married at the end of November and we consider them a great asset to the ministry at DCC.
Mitchell’s Plain
It was great to see several families and individuals from DCC join us on GO outreach in Mitchell’s Plain during the September holidays. Our desire was two-fold: Encourage Andrew Barnes and the Beacon Valley Church who relentlessly serve this difficult drug-infested, alcohol abused community and to give us some hands-on training with evangelism. Colin and Andrew did a super job in making this happen. It was great to join the church for a few days and get to know them better by serving alongside them. Our children were able to see how privileged it is to live in Durbanville and we were given the opportunity to tell people the real gospel of Jesus Christ. There were some who were converted and others who are connecting with Trinity Church who will continue to be exposed to the message of grace. Praise the Lord!
I want to highlight a few upcoming events and areas of focus:
Men’s Retreat
Join other men from CESA churches for a time of teaching, feasting, and whatever else the guys get up to in Hermanus – 16 & 17 October. Contact Steve Cole s.cole@corewealth.co.za for tickets.
Couple’s Breakfast
Come have breakfast with us and hear Flo Visser give us practical help with our relationships. Contact the office for bookings – La Romantica @ 8:30, Saturday, 31 October.
Community Groups
The Christian life is not to be lived alone. This is why we strongly encourage you to get connected to a community group that meets in your area. These groups meet so that we can be intentional about caring for one another, praying for each other, reminding one another how rich we are in Christ and working together to serve our neighbourhoods. It’s so easy to hear a sermon and forget about it. One of the things we do in our community groups is help each other live out the gospel by talking practically about the passage that has been recently preached. Many of you are not in groups. You used to be involved or maybe you have never joined one… Let’s change that! Don’t wait around passively, take the initiative and visit a group until you find one that fits. If you need help, call the office and we’ll make sure that you are engaged with others who want to follow Jesus.
Building
At this past Synod I met with Bishop Morrison who had some helpful insights about our building plans. The building committee will be looking at these suggested plans and then present some options and costings to the congregation for your interest and comment. I want to see this fast-tracked so that we can get going. There has been lots of debate over the past few years about whether to build or not. This has resulted in much confusion and frustration. Now is the time to move forward and use the resources that God has given us so that we can be most effective in proclaiming the gospel in Durbanville and beyond.
Membership
If you attend DCC regularly, I want to encourage you to become a member. This is your way of saying to everyone else that you are committed to the vision and leadership of DCC, that you are committing to serve in some capacity, to help finance the ministry, and become accountable to spiritual oversight. There are many who would rather be takers than givers, who want all the benefits without the commitment. I challenge you to be one of those who can be counted on, who will make DCC a more effective church. Many of you are already involved and committed. This excites me. Go all the way! Our next membership day is 10 October from 9:00 to 11:00. Register by calling the office @ (021) 975-2500.
A few closing comments:
I’m thrilled about being the rector of DCC. God has blessed us with great people, young families, more experienced and wiser families, and the love for God and his world. We have learned lots about what it means to be living for Christ 24/7 and how we are to be a blessing to those around us. We’ve been given much grace and we know our responsibility in sharing and letting the grace overflow. Now is the time for us to live it out completely. There is nothing that is standing in our way. Let us seize this moment and see the kingdom explode as we follow Christ with all our hearts, as we bring our friends under the influence of the gospel. Let me encourage you wherever you are in your spiritual walk, to get radical, don’t be complacent. Let me urge you to join us every Sunday as we gather to build one another up, as we motivate each other to live out our faith. Plan to bring your family so that it becomes a weekly experience. Let’s pray together for your friends and family and neighbours and see God save them. Let’s not be ashamed of the gospel, but bold and full of courage. May we see the power of God active in our lives as we pursue Jesus together.
In his strength and for his glory,
Mark
Labels: 2009, DCC news, Mark Parris, October, Staff
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