e-Letter

April 8, 2020

Dear West View Family

As we journey through the last few days of Lent, we are very conscious that this is not the Lent that we chose. This is the Lent that was given to us. Whilst connecting with congregation members on phone calls and WhatsApp, I have been encouraged by the variety of powerful ways in which God is working in people’s lives during this time. It seems that being forced to slow down, simplify, and become intentional about connecting with loved ones, God and those in need have become spiritual disciplines which are reaping rich rewards in people’s lives. And isn’t that what Lent is all about?

BE FREE Preaching Series: What does freedom in Christ look like in the middle of a pandemic? Can we speak of joy and hope while all around us there is uncertainty and fear? In this series, we’ll explore Paul’s letter to the Philippian Christ-followers. We’ll uncover what Paul, writing from his own lockdown called prison, discovered about what it looks like to be free in Christ. This series starts online on Sunday 19^th April @ 08h30. Devotions linked to each week’s theme will be posted daily on the WhatsApp channel.

COVID-19 Relief: We’re collecting food for the families of children in Ditshego’s pre-school and aftercare programmes. Many of these parents are casual labourers who have lost all sources of income and are in dire need of assistance. Items needed are cooking oil, soya, baked beans, pilchards, powdered milk, sugar, mielie meal, soap, sanitary pads. You can deliver donations to my home, 335 Henriette St, Wierda Park, en route home from the supermarket. A blue wheelie bin is positioned just inside the gate. Drop food items through the gate into the bin. Please do not purchase any glass or fragile foodstuffs, as these may break when dropped into the bin. Alternatively, you can do an eft (Reference: LOCKDOWN FOOD) into this account: Ditshego Pre School, FNB 6229 6868 634 Eldoraigne branch code 251-145.

GOOD FRIDAY REMEMBRANCE SERVICE: This service has been postponed to a date later in the year.

CHILDREN’S CHURCH STARTS THIS SUNDAY: Children’s Church Videos will be available starting Sunday. The link will be circulated on Saturday.

WHATSAPP: The new WhatsApp channel of communication has proven to be very effective in passing on important information to the congregation. If you have not joined the WhatsApp platform, visit our website and watch our instructional video https://www.westview.org.za/latest-news/. The first and vital step is that the West View number must be saved as a contact on your cellphone to receive our messages. This is a built-in feature of the WhatsApp platform which protects individuals from being spammed by companies using this facility to push their products to you. By saving the number on your phone, WhatsApp knows that it has permission from you to receive messages from this particular number. You can also email Nicola for assistance: nicola@westview.org.za

Thank you for all the encouraging WhatsApps and messages assuring us of your prayers for West View during this time. Let us continue to pray, not just for ourselves, but also for global leaders, scientists, and nations. Let us also pray for the Good News of Jesus to go out into people’s lives at a time when many are asking deep questions about God’s reality and presence in the midst of this turbulence.

Grace and Peace

Ian
Senior Minister