Diakonia Council of Churches

Tag: South Africa

  • SOCIAL JUSTICE WORK CONTINUES AT DIAKONIA

    SOCIAL JUSTICE WORK CONTINUES AT DIAKONIA

    Diakonia Council of Churches, which for more than four decades has worked towards a just society, will continue their important programme work after the organisation emerged from a recent hard-hitting financial crisis.

    As a consequence of some of our key overseas funding sources changing their funding priorities, the organisation was at risk of closing its doors earlier this year. A heartfelt appeal to the public, Friends of Diakonia and our partners for much needed prayers and a financial injection resulted in a combination of funding from a few partners that has come through to keep our organisation’s doors open. The financial crisis has undeniably affected our staff and operations with a difficult restructuring process, and our social justice work in the future will be scaled down until we completely overcome the crisis.

    We acknowledge and truly are grateful to the public, member churches and our friends from all corners South Africa and the globe for your prayers and support in all forms to the Diakonia family.  While we have weathered this heavy storm, we are working on alternate means of earning income to sustain our much-needed social justice work. We are appreciative of the on going support from our friends who are integral to help us continue serving the eThekwini community. Diakonia doesn’t exist apart from you our broad Diakonia Family who share our ethos and we look forward to continue working together in pursuit of social justice for all.

    Contact Ms Nomabelu Mvambo-Dandala for further information to support the organisation in any way on 031 310 3500 or email: the.director@diakonia.org.za

     

    Ends

    Revd Musa Zondi

    Chairperson, Diakonia Council of Churches

    Ms Nomabelu Mvambo-Dandala

    Executive Director, Diakonia Council of Churches

    4 September 2018

     

  • Diakonia unites politicians and people of faith at Good Friday Service

    Diakonia Council of Churches once again celebrated the victory of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion on Calvary at their ecumenical Good Friday Service on Friday, 14 April.

    The annual service is an important day in the South African Christian calendar as well as a highlight event in the Durban Easter holiday cultural line up.

    This year, despite the tense political climate, politicians once again joined religious leaders from across denominations and thousands of congregants to put party politics aside as they participated in the service.

    Cardinal Wilfrid Napier OFM, of the Catholic Archdiocese of Durban preached around the theme for 2017: Whom shall I send? (Isaiah 6.8).

    Cardinal Napier said South Africa’s great challenges facing Christianity today as a faith and culture that comes from Jesus was rampant relativism and resurgent paganism.

    “Relativism is an ideology, which places the individual, his rights, his values, his needs and desires at the centre of and above everything else. The individual is the only reference point. There is no place for other people, their rights, their values, their needs and desires – least of all, the poor and marginalized.

    Indeed, rampant Relativism has no place for God, for Jesus Christ, for his Church, for the Community or for Creation. Its only focus is the EGO,” Cardinal Napier said.

    Speaking of the resurgence of paganism, he said, “For us this challenge comes mainly, but not solely, from Africa. It too is manifest in a similar rejection of Christianity, in favour of dubious traditional beliefs and practices at odds with Christianity,” he said.

    Speaking of South Africa post 31 March 2017, Cardinal Napier said, “As we reflect on and pray in commemoration of the Passion and Death of Jesus, who in a similar way broke the beliefs and traditions of the ideologies of his day, we must be prepared to “Stand for the Truth” as we did nearly a generation ago. Just as then so now must we be convinced that our Faith has the answers.

    MECs Sihle Zikalala, Weziwe Thusi and Ravi Pillay as well as Dr Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Mayor Zandile Gumede, Cllr Zwakele Mncwango also got into the reconciliatory spirit of Easter at the Good Friday Service, carrying the cross on its last leg of the procession to the City Hall where it was symbolically flowered concluding the service.

    Diakonia Council of Churches

    Tuesday, 18 April 2017

  • Good Friday Service 2017 theme: Whom shall I send?

    Good Friday Service 2017 theme: Whom shall I send?

    Diakonia Council of Churches, which recently celebrated 40 years of working towards  a just society, presents its annual ecumenical Good Friday service at dawn on Friday 14 April starting at the Durban Exhibition Centre (DEC) before processing – in silence – through the streets of the city, to the Durban City Hall.

    The well-established tradition of the ecumenical Good Friday Service has become not only the flagship of Diakonia but also a major event in the Durban calendar, attended by thousands of people who gather together at the most auspicious time for Christians, to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus and his death on Calvary.

    Each year, the service highlights a particular aspect of national suffering or injustice. The service this year will focus on the theme Whom Shall I Send? taken from Isaiah 6.8. The sermon will be delivered by Cardinal Wilfrid Napier OFM.

    Cardinal Napier represents the Catholic Archdiocese of Durban. He has a degree in Latin and English from the University of Galaway, as well as an MA in Philosophy and Theology from the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium where he was later bestowed an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws.

    Cardinal Napier (OFM) has had a close and long standing relationship with Diakonia and its affiliates. He and other church leaders were deeply involved in mediation and negotiation during the unrest leading up to the country’s first democratic elections.

    “In light of the theme this Good Friday, we will be reflecting on an internal journey to see if we are ready for God’s vision for us as individuals.

    “The world, and (at times) our country, may seem like it is in turmoil with rampant prejudice, corruption, crime and financial strife and while most of us feel we should rather look away and focus on ourselves, families and work stresses, we must ask ourselves if we are doing what God wants us to do in our land,” says Nomabelu Mvambo-Dandala: Executive Director of Diakonia Council of Churches.

    A time of meditative singing will start at 5.15am at the Durban Exhibition Centre (DEC), where after the first part of the service will take place at 6.00am.

    The congregation will proceed through the streets of Durban in silent public witness.

    The service will conclude at approximately 8.15am at the City Hall with the flowering of the Cross – as an act of commitment by all present to act for a just society and take up God’s call.

    Limited parking and street parking is available at the DEC with additional off street parking around the City Hall. Transport back to the DEC from the City Hall will be arranged for the elderly and the infirm.

    Entry to the Good Friday service is free, with a collection being taken up during the service to support the burgeoning costs of this event. All are welcome to participate in this significant, multi-lingual Christian Easter event.

    For more info, contact the Diakonia Council of Churches on 031 310 3500 or visit www.diakonia.org.za.