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The 2008/9 Annual Report is now available. This was tabled at a celebratory Annual Meeting held 23 June... read more
"Diakonia", a Greek word meaning “service”, is a shared ministry to serve God in suffering people, in the poorest, in those most in need.
 The Diakonia Council of Churches is called to this ministry in a specific way: to enable growth and to assist people in making choices that glorify God and assist others, by working through the local Church, the Body of Christ on earth, to facilitate, help support and equip key people in our member churches for their work of ‘diakonia’, as Jesus did his disciples.
As the Holy Spirit came in power to enliven, encourage and empower the disciples, so we are called to allow the same Spirit to work through us.
(From Thelogical Statement adopted by Council, February 2005)
Strategic focus
To ensure effective engagement of the churches in work for justice, we focus on mobilising and assisting the churches on four major issues, each of which has a programme:
Economic Justice |
Social Justice |
| Building the capacity to understand and claim socio-economic rights for the poor, promoting better social security systems and access to services, as well as raising awareness of global and macroeconomic links to our economy. |
Fostering peace, healing and reconciliation and increasing participation in democratic governance. |
Environmental Justice |
Ministries Support Programme |
| Promoting sustainable environment use, striving for food security, challenging approaches which may upset ecological balance, and protecting the integrity of all creation. |
Strengthening relations between the Diakonia Council of Churches
and the local leadership of its member churches, as well as promoting local ecumenism. |
CROSSCUTTING |
ISSUES |
HIV and AIDS |
Crime |
| The crucial issue of HIV and AIDS touches every sphere of life within our communities. All programmes therefore include relevant aspects of this in their work. |
As the effects of ongoing and escalating crime and violence are felt within our communities, we remain constantly aware of opportunties to address the hurt as well as the root causes of this social malady. |
Advocacy
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Children, youth and women
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| Advocacy is an important aspect of the work we do and is a vital component to each of the programmes. Advocacy efforts are aimed at promoting the prophetic voice of the church, especially in eThekwini. |
Human rights issues addressing the needs of children, youth and women are an intergral part of all our programmes. |
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