Newsletter #20

Dear friends

I find myself utterly amazed at the Kingdom effect some of you are having on our city. Having just spent some time studying Isaiah 49 and working through God's reassignment of our desolate inheritances (Isaiah 49:8), I am more convinced than ever of our need to continue the work Jesus started when he came to usher in the Kingdom of Heaven.

We understand that our position as sons and daughters of our Father in heaven is due solely to the finished and complete work of Jesus Christ as he defeated the effects of sin in our lives on the cross, and through his resurrection, lives daily to intercede for us. But beyond that now exists the churches responsibility to make known the blessing of God through Jesus Christ to the nations, revealing his goodness, kindness, power, mercy and grace.

As I take this moment to stand back and look upon the influence Southcity is having on this city (remembering that Southcity is us, the people) I can only smile. I think about the Phakamisa project currently under way training and equipping men who would not have access to or the ability to run their own businesses, but now being skilled to do just that. I think about the work some of you are doing into KwaNzemakwe. I think about the work being done into the South Coast Recovery Centre with the past two weeks having seen incredible times of worship and preaching at a service with the residents. And I think about our expanding influence in education as we launch a pre-school in 2012.

These are just a few ordinary people doing extraordinary things as they allow the Spirit of God to lead them on their journey of faithfulness to the task God has assigned to them.

What a privilege to be a part of this community!

Be encouraged Southcity and may I urge you to give our incredible Father the time to speak with you and to reassign you in order that the inheritances which have been laid to waste due to our pasts without Christ, may be restored to the full and rich inheritances that our Father intends for us.

I pray for the blessings of our Father to be known by you, in order that you may be a blessing to this coast on which we live.

Much love

Rich

PS - I would appreciate your prayer this weekend as I have the privilege of speaking into a local church context in Durban, a church called COGS. And may I also remind you that as we desire to influence the people of this coast, we have built new and great facilities for moms with young babies as well as toddlers in order that they may be part of a worshipping community during a difficult season in their lives, and to that end, we will be taking up a special offering this Sunday in order to cover the costs of being a blessing to these new moms. Let's show our generosity and our willingness to bless others!

Newsletter #19

Dear Southcity

"Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed." Proverbs 11:11

What an incredible joy it is to be amongst this wonderful community of believers called Southcity. These past two weeks have seen two cities influenced by the blessing of the upright; firstly our own city, which we love so much, has seen a few men being trained and equipped to run their own businesses in the field of hairdressing. Thank you to Mark Russell, Fred Jacobs, Rob Hoatson and Nadia Engelbrecht for carrying the heart to see lives and circumstances changed and for blessing these men and our city through acting on what you believe.

Secondly, the city of Maseru, in Lesotho, was lifted up as a team of 10 men went to labour with a local church, both in physically building a meeting place, as well as in the gospel. So  thank you to the team that gave their time, money and skills toward the establishment of the gospel in Maseru (we will be sharing our trip with you this Sunday so you can share in our joy!).

It is a great privilege to live amongst men and women like these who gladly give of themselves for others.

This Sunday sees us starting a few weeks in Isaiah 49 as we look at the people we are because of God's kindness to us, and as a result, who we are to be to others. I am really looking forward to preaching this series as God has been building this up in me over the past few months, so come along and let's be encouraged and inspired by being together and allowing the Spirit of God to work in us as God's word is taught.

Much love to you friends.

Rich