CAROL SERVICE THIS SUNDAY
I’m looking forward to seeing many of you at Sunday morning’s Carol Service. This will be our only onsite service on 6th December, although our online service will still premiere at 8h30. The Carol Service begins at 9am. I encourage you to be here by 8h30 to ensure adequate time to get signed in and settled in. Bring your umbrella for shade and your folding chair for comfort. As the service is outdoors, singing with a mask covering mouth and nose will be permitted. Food will be on sale or you can bring a picnic brunch. The service will be held in the parking area, so there’ll be plenty of room for physical distancing.
CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY WORSHIP
Onsite worship this Christmas includes a 6pm Crib Service on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day worship at 7h30 and 9h00. The online Christmas Service will premiere at 8h30. The offering at all four Christmas services will support Epworth Childrens Village (http://www.epworthvillage.org.za/)
GOING AWAY FOR CHRISTMAS?
Remember to send a photo or video of yourself on holiday to the West View WhatsApp number (072 537 2384) together with a written or video-ed Christmas greeting to the congregation. This will be shared with the online congregation on Christmas Day. The deadline for submission is 20 December.
FINANCIAL UPDATE
Tithes and offerings in November were R446 000, just R4 000 (0,9%) below budget. Thank you for your continued generosity and faithfulness to God’s work through West View. We enter the final month of 2020 with a year to date shortfall of R50 000.
NOMINATION OF SOCIETY STEWARDS
Shaun Smith has completed two terms as a Society Steward, and Bryan Frank is stepping down as a Society Steward to step into the role of Chairman of the West View College Board. We thank Shawn and Bryan for the role they have played on the West View Executive. All West View members are invited to nominate, after prayerful consideration, people to serve as Society Stewards. The nomination forms and guidelines for nomination can be found here: Society Steward Nomination Forms
The deadline for nominations is 15th December 2020.
THANK YOU to all who prayed for the Staff/Exec Strategic Planning morning. We are truly excited about what God has in store for West View in 2021, and grateful for the consensus and clarity that emerged out of our session.
COVID 19 UPDATE
We praise God for the good news about progress made towards a vaccine against COVID-19. One or two members have asked for my opinion about videos doing the rounds claiming that the vaccines are manufactured from aborted foetuses and other such anti-vaccine propaganda. I urge you to be cautious about the plethora of sensationalist and fear-mongering fake news that seem to so easily be forwarded on social media. I encourage you to use fact-checking websites to verify things before forwarding them on. We worship a God of Truth and so we need to play our part in preventing the spread of lies and fake news.
As fears about a second wave in South Africa grow, I encourage you all to remain vigilant in observing the Trinity: mask wearing; washing of hands and physical distancing. Whilst we may tire of the virus, the virus does not tire of spreading. Let’s each play our part in preventing the spread of the virus and the financial suffering which will result if we are forced into a higher level of lockdown.
SELF-CATERING ACCOMMODATION FUNDRAISER FOR KHULUMA
Alda VdGraaf (Van Dyk), a former Society Steward and Chairperson of our Fundraising Committee, is offering to donate 20% of each booking made for the self-catering cottages on her farm outside Bela-Bela to Khuluma Family Counselling. One chalet sleeps four, the other five. R749 and R799 per night. Visit Voorbegin Bosveldverblyf on Facebook. For more details or to make a reservation, contact Alda on 082 681 2522 or aldavandyk@gmail.com
OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE
Is God calling you to serve in one of the following volunteer roles:
- Sound or Multimedia Operator during Sunday onsite worship. Training and support offered. Commitment is once a month. If you can help, contact nicola@westview.org.za
- Receptionist: During fortnightly staff meetings and when our receptionist is on leave (on a rostered basis). If you can help, contact avril@westview.org.za
Grace and Peace
Ian