Southpoint Church » volunteers

A Note From John

admin — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 08:42:57 +0000

To all the VOLUNTEERS at Southpoint Church

I wish I could come to every single one of you who has volunteered in 2010, and give you a bear hug and a huge sloppy kiss. You make Southpoint happen! Everyone who walks into our environments, whether it be UpStreet, Waumba Land, Main Service or InsideOut is immediately impressed by what you have done. Your hard work in creating the environments sets them up to listen attentively to the message of the gospel of Jesus that is life changing! (I refer you to our previous blog to hear and see again some of the great things God has done in people’s lives).

I spoke to a lady who came for the first time two Sundays back and returned this last week and she said that she and her 20 year old son walked in to our Sunday morning environment for the first time and both began crying… there was just something about the environment that touched their hearts and gave them a sense of God and his love as soon as they walked in.

A long time before the band begins and a long long time before the sermon starts, new people have already had their hearts affected by what you do!! You may think you only do a little job, but it is huge and the end result is eternal! I especially want to commend the ROAD CREW for all the hard work and early Sunday mornings. You rock!!

I love you all. I hope you have great celebrations with your family over Christmas and New Year and I look forward to a rewarding 2011 with you all.

Love John

Metro Kids Africa Christmas 2010

admin — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 08:00:56 +0000

Southpoint Church recently had the privilege of being part of Metro Kids Africa Christmas 2010. Watch this short video to find out more about how this exciting project brightens the lives of thousands of children living in Cape Town’s townships.

Metro Kids Christmas: Thank You Video from Southpoint Church on Vimeo.

As a church, together we were able to sponsor over 1000 gifts and helped to pack 3000 gifts. Each child received some personal toiletries items, some school stationary items, some sweets and something to play with. Many also received Metro Kids tee shirts.

A Place for Everyone

admin — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 06:56:19 +0000

Our culture feels let down by parents, friends, leaders, religious authorities, church and even God Himself. Many have given up on the hope of true love, feel no sense of belonging and feel that the world holds no place for them.

On Sunday we launched a four part series in which we will explore how Southpoint Church exists to bring hope and purpose to people of all ages. This video highlights four people who have found renewed hope and relationship with God through Southpoint Church.

A Place For Everyone from Southpoint Church on Vimeo.

Intersect Highlight – The Warehouse

admin — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 15:06:51 +0000

At Southpoint Church we try to do one thing really well, which is to create environments where people can discover a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. We realize there are a lot of other good things happening in Cape Town which is why we partner with organizations that have a proven track record of meeting social needs.

We want to respond to the greater needs we see around us in Cape Town. Often we don’t know where to start. One way to respond is to participate in an Intersect Project with your Community Group or a group of friends. Our desire is to help your group have a positive experience in serving our community. To this end, we have developed relationships with four different NGOs where your group can serve. If you would like to find out more about joining a Community Group at Southpoint Church click here.

We love to get feedback from groups who have taken on the challenge of doing an Intersect Project. Many groups have already had a great experience at The Warehouse. We are highlighting the work of The Warehouse and how your group can get involved.

The Warehouse

The Warehouse, located at 12 Plantation Road, Wetton, is working in the areas of poverty and justice with the hope of seeing transformation of communities through local churches. The Warehouse supports local churches in underprivileged areas with training, food and clothing parcels, and orphan support, among other things. They seek to change the lives of the poor by restoring their dignity and building meaningful relationships with them.

Your group can get involved and learn more about The Warehouse by simply scheduling your weekly group meeting at The Warehouse. Carolyn Powell will show you a video of the work of The Warehouse and give your group some valuable insight into how to serve the needs of the poor in greater Cape Town. After the presentation Carolyn will guide your group in a project of some sort! They have mountains of donations to sort and organize into parcels that are given through churches in needy areas to families in need.

A visit to The Warehouse is also a great way to invest and invite. Many of your friends who don’t attend church are interested in responding to the needs of our city and will love the opportunity to join you in your project at The Warehouse.

Bring your snacks – The Warehouse will provide great coffee for you. Bring your clean, gently used clothing, shoes, and household items. To book your regular group night at The Warehouse contact:

Carolyn Powell
gleaning@warehouse.org.za
www.warehouse.org.za/gleaning
021 761 1168

INTERSECT Projects provides service opportunities for individuals and Community Groups. The partnerships we’ve formed focus on aiding low-income families or children-at-risk in the Cape Town area. If you would like to find out about our other partners, check out the Community Partners page. If you have questions or would like more information, please email intersect@southpointchurch.co.za.

Intersect Project Story – Family in Delft

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:17:00 +0000

We received this great story recently where one of our community groups decided to be the church and assist a family..

Our Community Group Intersect project…

I became aware of a very needy family over a year ago. There is a mum, dad and 5 kids. The oldest girl, Thandokazi, is a junior leader at Metro Kids Africa in KTC and is on the Metro Kids pen-pal program.

I first got involved with this family about 9 months ago when I noticed Thandokazi’s small brother, Sonwabile, at Sidewalk one week. Sidewalk is a program for underprivileged children that my husband and I spearhead in the townships. Sonwabile had a huge extended stomach. I followed him up and discovered the most awful living circumstances I have seen since being in South Africa. It was so bad that even Asanda, who has grown up in the townships, went home and wept at seeing people living like that.

They lived in a small shack with no water and no toilet near by. But it was the state of it that upset me. It was dirty and had clothes, bedding, pots and pans strewn all over the floor. The mom had no hope – she really was like a living dead person. She was quiet, withdrawn and uninterested in her family. They survive by collecting metal each day. One shopping trolley fetches R50 per day.

We took Sonwabile to Red Cross and that is another story. Briefly, he has AIDS and is now in a children’s home for the care of the chronically ill. I visit him regularly and have now got rights for taking him out for the day. He has really touched my heart and if ever I was close to bringing a child into our lives it’s this little boy. Anyway… This could be a book!!

The family were given a house in Delft by the government so when I visited them I wondered about how we could improve it for them as they had so little – not even a chair to sit on. Our Community Group was looking for an Intersect project so I asked if they would consider painting a house.

Everyone was keen. Ruth was telling a friend who worked at New Media, who had recently moved offices and were keen to donate some furniture. We collected that one morning. That was hard work lifting and loading the furniture. Then this Saturday we went from 10 till 3 and did our Delft makeover!! One member brought a friend who was keen to help even though he is not from our church. So an Intersect Project is a wonderful Invest and Invite opportunity!

Three of our teenagers joined in the project and were amazing. They painted a bedroom on their own. We also brought food and they noticed when we were sorting a cupboard out that this family had not one item of food in the house. Our Group is now talking of doing a monthly food hamper for the family.

This project was a real eye opener for us to see how others are living and made us all appreciate our homes and food when we came home.

Janet Senior

Matt and Rachel’s Great Date Experience

admin — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 13:55:42 +0000

Matt and Rachel recently tried out the the first Great Date Experience that we launched at MarriedLife Live in August. Here is how their date went…

Matt and I had a great time helping make MarriedLife Live possible. The experience grew and stretched us, both as a couple and as musicians. Sometimes, when we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of a big event, it’s easy to forget that the teaching applies to US as well! At the end of this past pay period, Matt and I looked at our finances and realised that we had stuck well within our budget, so it would be a perfect time to put into practice what we had learned at MarriedLife Live. We were going to have our first Great Date Experience.

One of the great aspects of MarriedLife Live was the “Great Date” take-home that we all received at the end of the program. Basically, the Great Date is a tool that couples can use to help facilitate quality time and connection. The Great Date sends couples on an adventure of a date, all while providing conversation starters and thought-provoking questions to keep the night interesting.

If it hadn’t been for the Great Date, our evening out would have had the potential to be a huge letdown. Since I had plenty of ideas on had of where we should eat, I decided to surprise Matt and choose the destination of our dinner. I decided that we should try the Fat Cactus, a Mexican restaurant. Granted, I knew it was not the most romantic place, but Matt and I love some good mexican food. What I didn’t know was that there happened to be a rugby game on at the exact same time we were going out to eat. What I also failed to realise was that this rugby game was South Africa versus New Zealand. Not being from around here, I didn’t fully comprehend the significance of this event, but I quickly began to understand after sitting down at our table for dinner.

If it hadn’t been for the questions and conversation starters with which the Great Date provided us, we would have probably resigned ourselves to the fact that conversation was nearly impossible amidst the cheers and yells in the bar area of the restaurant. It wasn’t until we had ordered that I completely understood that just about everyone in the restaurant except for ill-informed Matt and Rachel were there to watch rugby.

One of the most difficult realities with which we must all learn to grapple is the reality that we will all have unmet expectations. I was expecting a romantic evening surrounded by mexican food. Instead, I was surrounded by rugby, struggling to hear a word of what my husband was saying! So many other times, I would have just allowed my surroundings to ruin my evening, but the Great Date constantly reminded me of WHY I was on this date in the first place. This wasn’t about having my expectations met; it was about something so much bigger than that. It was about strengthening those 6 essentials we learned at MarriedLife Live: cultivate communication, celebrate differences, hurry home, nurture romance, finish together, and trust God. So while the main course wasn’t what I expected, it still ended up being a memorable experience that we both thoroughly enjoyed.

After our main course, we were able to escape the noise by retreating to Canal Walk for cinnamon buns at Cinn-ful. We wrapped up our date by finishing the questions that the booklet provided. I didn’t really learn anything new about Matt or myself as we answered those questions, but answering those questions reminded us why we were together in the first place. Answering these simple questions rekindled the art of conversation within our marriage.

This past week, I can think back on some really helpful, encouraging conversations that I’ve had with Matt. I do credit our renewed ability to be honest and frank with each other back to our Great Date a couple of weeks ago. I think, more than anything, our Great Date was an intentional experience that strengthened our ability to understand each other and communicate well.

I’m looking forward to our second Great Date in September! This time, though, I’ll make sure to schedule it on a day where there is no rugby!

MarriedLife would love to hear your story. Share it with them here.

MarriedLife Live Review

sp_becky — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 12:03:51 +0000

I have never been so proud of being associated with Southpoint Church as I was this past weekend. The way you guys served and performed was just exemplary and worthy of following. I have heard numerous stories of people whose lives have been affected already. Even a bachelor told me it was very instructive and helpful for him. As I thought about what the North Point team had done for us, what stood out for me was that they inspired us to take it to the next level. Yes, there was John and Debbie’s very insightful communication, Jana’s commanding management of production, and Steve and Rod’s support in many ways which brought our production up a notch or two, but you were the teams they were leading and inspiring! As I watched the parking dudes, the Guest services volunteers, the Connections and Involved desks, the sound video and lighting teams, the trio of engaging hosts, the magnificent band, children’s volunteers putting on double duty – everything was up a notch or two. And it’s not about the performance – it’s about the commitment and passion of a bunch of people who believe so strongly in the message they are bringing that they are willing to sacrifice and push themselves to the next level so the message can be clearer, so people are more engaged, so Jesus is lifted up for all to see without the distraction of a poor performance.

Way to go Southpoint, you ROCK!

John

Significance of Prayer

sp_becky — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 08:46:07 +0000

A few years ago a young man, after having a restless night through which he sought the heart of God, stood up in a church meeting and said to the Pastor that he felt that God was telling him that the church they were part of needed to be a “house of prayer”. The battle that the church was fighting in order to forge it in the direction of reaching outsiders, was a battle that would only be won through prayer. It was a battle that would cost a lot of money and would only work if God changed people’s hearts.

This week I was reminded of that when a group of people from North Point Community Church sacrificed hugely to come to Southpoint church simply to pray/connect for one week. This they did.

On Sunday following the week of prayer someone commented that there was an “anointing” about the service — which simply means there was something special happening between the communicator and the listeners — God’s message was hitting home in unusual ways! It was true! The response and show of hands at the end of the sermon indicated that a battle was won in the hearts of men and women. We had prayed with the North Point group for this to happen and it did!

Another thing we prayed for was for the GIVING in the church to be increased. He did that as well! The last week of March was a huge week financially.

They also prayed for Metro Kids (MK) and Camp Sonshine. This week MK had a bumper crowd (1200 kids) and God supplied Camp Sonshine, through North Point and Southpoint, a much needed Wendy House for the kids before winter.

To the North Point Global X team…thank you. Thank you to Traci, Brian, Bri, Scott, Darryl, Brad, Mary, Mara, Dana, Emily and Shawnie for praying and connecting with us, as well as honouring the volunteers.

To Southpoint people – thank you for joining in! God is answering our prayers. God is winning the battle of Southpoint, God is winning the battle of the church as He wins the battle for the souls of men and women! Who would imagine that a group of people would sacrifice their vacation, their money, and their comforts to travel 10,000 miles to another part of the world, just to PRAY? Seems ludicrous! Except if you know that our Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers and through this brings about what we cannot do. Let North Point people travel here again to PRAY, let Southpoint always be a “House of Prayer”. Why? That pastor I previously mentioned was me, and that young restless man was Nathanael, my son!

John Hastings

Mixing, switching, pressing, zooming, sliding, plugging

Ron — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 11:33:39 +0000

Because I used to run a team of tech guys and girls at a relatively small church in Pinelands. I am always appreciative of all the hard work that goes into designing, setting up, mixing, switching, pressing, zooming, sliding, plugging etc that goes into tech side of the service on a Sunday. And in saying that I don’t want to sideline all the other amazing people who get involved in all aspects of a Sunday service, you just guys contribute in amazing ways that I don’t even begin to understand.

I just read an article on a blog written by one of the Media guys at a fairly large US Church in which he celebrates the work of the guys just like ours who do so much weak in and week out. I thought I would share it with you here.

If you are a volunteer (tech or otherwise) in any of our environments , go and check out the article here, he is talking about YOU.

God bless and thanks for being involved.

Volunteer Appreciation 2009

Charmiane — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 04:44:54 +0000

FUN was had by all!!!

Thank you to ALL the organizers of the Western Volunteer Appreciation evening!!! It was a blast, as the photo’s will show.

Everyone got in with the spirit of the evening, dressing up to compliment the décor.

Each year one area of help is highlighted, this year it was the Road Crew that were honoured. They all received awesome T-Shirts to help them stand out and be noticed. Well done guys on all the work that you do early on Sunday mornings while most of us still sleep.

Two other couples were also honoured for there commitment and enthusiasm first were Gary and Robyn Coleman, who from the start of the church moving to Old Mutual have been there every Sunday morning, helping iron out all the kinks to get it into the smooth running machine it is now. Special mention went to their kids, who would tag along in the early hours of the morning, who were made honorary Road Crew members.

Another couple, Morgan and Kelly, were especially thanked as they were a crucial element in the design and creation of InsideOut, our teen environment at The Attic (old church building).

Unfortunately, not everyone can be singled out, but everyone is appreciated for all you do.

Thank you for all your dedication and help throughout the year.