Princess Methodist Church

This year holds much excitement for the Princess Community. 
From April 2010, Stephen Rudling will be taking over as Pastor at Princess as Kym moves across to the Krugersdorp and Noordheuwel Societies.

Pictured here are Steve and his wife, Elize, at a Princess Church Putt  Putt Day

Also coming up soon are our Easter Services. 
Easter is always a very special time in the life of the church. 
We begin with a Palm Sunday Service on 28th March, and will be having Holy Week services at 7pm each evening during the following week. 
On Thursday night we will celebrate a Passover meal together, followed by a Tennebrae service. 
Friday is our Good Friday service and Sunday will be a Sunrise service at 6am and our usual morning worship at 9:30am. 
Please join us as we journey with Jesus from the cross to the empty tomb.

It is hard to believe the year is already drawing to a close!  The women’s fellowship celebrated with an end-of-year Christmas function.  The group shared Holy Communion together, heard an inspiring message from our guest speaker, Rhoda, exchanged gifts and were challenged with a ‘Christmas Carol Quizz’.  We also enjoyed tea and fellowship together and are really looking forward to the New Year.

Our soup kitchen also closes for December.  On the last day the Soup Kitchen team had put food parcels together for all those who come for soup to take home with them.  Thanks to the team for all their hard work through the year.

On the 1st November the 9:30 congregation held its Confirmation Service.  Four members of the youth were confirmed.  Nonnie, Gabofele, Khulekani and Loid had the opportunity to share something of their testimonies with us, as well as make a public profession of faith and commitment to God.  They encouraged the congregation through their enthusiasm and passion for God, and we hope they will continue to grow in faith here at PMC

On Sunday 18 October we had the opportunity to welcome some new members into the Princess Community.  Firstly, three beautiful baby boys were baptized – one of them even managed to sleep through the whole thing!

Then we welcomed some new adult members.  These members attended the membership orientation class which includes their being publicly welcomed and prayed for during the service.  Amongst these members were 3 adults who expressed a wish to be confirmed.  Two brave new members also shared their testimonies with the congregation, who were blessed through hearing their stories.

On the first Wednesday of each month, the women’s group meets at PMC.  This month Avril gave us a beading demonstration, and then put us to work, inviting us to try beading for ourselves.  Avril had made ‘packs’ for each person with all that was needed to make a beautiful bookmark.  There was much laughing as we set out to create our masterpieces, and a real sense of achievement when they were done.  Thanks Avril for a great morning!

Here are some ladies hard at work

And then enjoying tea once our work was finished!

Sunday 20th September was Leprosy Sunday. Stephen Rudling, a member at Princess as well as a local preacher, works for the Leprosy Mission and so he shared with us during the service something of what the Leprosy Mission is about.

Stephen shared with us some factual information about this disease, some of the struggles the Mission faces, as well as what we can do to help.  At the heart of his message was Jesus’ willingness to reach out and touch those that society had rejected.  Jesus was willing – are we?

Pictured here are Stephen and his wife Elize holding a beautiful, printed version of the Leprosy Mission’s prayer.

If you are interested in the Leprosy Mission and its work, please feel free to contact Steve through the church office.

Mr Alfred Khoza, who has been a member at PMC for many years, has offered himself as a preacher in the Methodist Church.  He met with the Superintendent, and then gave his testimony at the Circuit Local Preachers Meeting, where all those present welcomed him as a local preacher on trial.  Mr Khoza will now begin his studies as a preacher, as well as have trial services once a term for two years before he is accepted as a preacher on ‘full plan’.  We wish him well in this journey and look forward to seeing God at work in him and through him

Getting our Hands Dirty
On 22nd August we had a congregational breakfast - a chance for us as a church community to come together, enjoy some good food and enjoy each other's company.

However, this was a breakfast with a difference.  It was also the day we planted our very own organic vegetable garden.  The ground had been prepared, using mulch and home-made compost, and seeds and seedlings were ready and waiting to be planted.

At the breakfast, our speaker, Michael Bishop, reminded us that the church exists for the benefit of its non-members, and that as a church we need to be continually looking outwards.  The veggie garden is a first step in this direction.  The hope is that the garden will provide opportunities for the church to connect with members of the community as we seek to empower people to care for themselves and their neighbours.

After our breakfast, we all went outside and had the opportunity to plant seeds.  The joy of a permaculture garden is there does not have to be neat rows of veggies, but rather vegetables are 'companion planted' (that is, they are mixed within the bed) as they assist each other.  This suited us well as people got stuck in!  We were encouraged to remember what we had planted, to check on it each week and watch it grow!

It was a wonderful morning together.