West View e-Letter
July 14, 2023
Greetings West View Family We have officially passed the halfway mark for 2023, as we look ahead with anticipation to what God’s Spirit has in store for us here at West View. Our prayer and expectation is that the warmth and width of God’s love expressed in Christ would keep and comfort you and your family during this winter season. For the upcoming month we have many opportunities for connection, community and commitment to Christ and the congregation; so may you prayerfully consider your own involvement. Here’s what’s happening and important at West View in the coming weeks
NEW SERMON SERIES: ‘BIBLE STORIES FOR GROWN – UPS’ Have you grown tired of childish and immature interpretations and understandings of the Bible? In our upcoming sermon series entitled ‘Bible Stories for Grown-Ups’, we would like to invite you to join us in looking at familiar Bible stories in the hopes that they would reveal new details and interpretations to and for an adult audience. In this challenging and potentially life – changing series, we will consider stories that many of us have read and were exposed to as children, including: Noah’s Ark, the binding of Isaac, Jonah and the big fish, Jesus and Zacchaeus, Jesus healing a blind man, and the parable of the talents.
Join us at West View, as we relook at these narratives that are well – known and well-loved, and how they might apply to us today in a contemporary context and culture. Our ‘Bible Stories for Grown – Ups’ sermon series starts on Sunday, the 16th of July. You don’t want to miss it and we hope to see you there.
AN UPDATE ON WEST VIEW’S FINANCES As we start the second half of 2023, our aim is always to be as authentic and transparent with our members about the finances that you have entrusted to God’s Kingdom work here at West View. As most of us know, May is historically and traditionally known as ‘Tithe and Stewardship Month’, whereby we challenge our congregation and community to give as generously and cheerfully as possible to the ministry and mission of Christ amongst us. We would like to sincerely thank each and every one of you for your financial contributions for May month, as we recognize that our economic and financial climate means that the margin for disposable income only seems to be getting smaller. Therefore, the total giving for May was R432 844.05, which still left us R47 155.96 under budget for the month.
This is where our finances currently stand: To date, we have received R2 409 087.79 in pledges, offerings and tithes. This leaves us with a current total shortfall of R470 912.21 for the year 2023. For the month of June our income through your generosity came to R388 681.45, which is R91 318.55 under budget for the month.
Obviously, these figures are quite concerning as we seek to keep our head above water. In light of this reality and difficulty, we continue to make the call to each and every person who is not tithing on a monthly basis, to please prayerfully consider doing so. And then for those of who do tithe regularly, to prayerfully consider giving more generously for the rest of the year. If you would like to make a monthly financial contribution to West View, please take a pledge form from the foyer area in the church entrance, or email lianda@westview.org.za for more details. Kindly update your pledge details with us, as this assists us to plan properly and budget accordingly.
CHURCH EXPRESS FOR JULY: ENCOUNTER WORSHIP EVENING We would like to remind the West View congregation and community that Church Express is back! Therefore, for the month of July, we will be having an Encounter Worship Evening whereby we seek to meet and interact with the living and loving Christ through praise and worship. The service will also include a moment and opportunity to receive Holy Communion. Even though this service is set up in such a way to be as relevant as possible for youth and young adults; the invitation is open and extended to anyone and everyone who would like to participate in an evening of encountering God through worship, which will be led by our exceptional young adults band. So, invite a family member, friend, acquaintance and even an enemy to join us on Sunday, the 16th of July 2023, at 18h00. Worship awaits!
WORSHIP WORKSHOP: AN INVITATION TO MUSICIANS, VOCALISTS AND SOUND TECHINICIANS We will be hosting a worship workshop at the West View campus on Saturday, the 5th of August 2023, from 09h00 until 12h00. We would therefore like to invite all aspiring and current musicians, vocalists and sound technicians to join us, as we seek to grow, challenge and equip our worship teams to lead the West View congregation in authentic and life – changing worship. We are excited about what the future of worship, praise and adoration looks like at our church; and we hope you are too. Should you be interested in attending this workshop, please RSVP to Nicola at services@westview.org.za.
WEST VIEW TURNS 50: BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION West view will be celebrating 50 years this year. there will be a mini celebration at church on the 6th of august at 12pm at church. There will be entertainment for the kids. we will be having a spit braai. Tickets are R220pp and R110 for kids under 10. Please RSVP to comms@westview.org.za
Payments can be made to the church bank account.
FNB Acc: 620 3430 7670
Branch; 250-655 Eldoraigne
Please reference “50th Your name”
YOUNG ADULTS: UPCOMING EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE We have a couple of great opportunities for Young Adults at West View to connect and make a difference in our broader community in July. With Mandela Day fast approaching, we will be partnering with Ditshego: House of Laughter, which is a mission of West View that serves, educates, houses and provides for underprivileged children from the Mooiplaas informal settlement. An invitation is extended to our young adults to join us as we SERVE those who are most in need. In addition to this, we will also be having a SOCIAL on Saturday, the 29th of July 2023. We will be going to Brainwaves Escape Rooms in Centurion, and the cost per person will be R295. Further details and dates will be communicated in due course once all arrangements have been made. Should you be interested in attending either of these events, please respond to Elvis (061 953 3212 or Youthpastor@westview.org.za).
ROOTED YOUTH: MOVING TO A NEW VENUE
With the new school term fast approaching, this means that Rooted Youth will be back to gathering together on Sundays at 10h00. We would also like to make youth, parents and the broader West View congregation aware that our Rooted Youth ministry will be moving to the Mark Hall as their permanent place of meeting. This provides an opportunity to turn the Mark Hall into a youth space, with games and décor reflecting the liveliness and energy of our Rooted Youth members. If there are any teenagers who are unsure about what Rooted Youth is, but who would like to connect with other teenagers and grow in their relationship with God, feel free to contact our youth pastor Elvis (061 953 3212 or Youthpastor@westview.org.za).
WINTER HOLIDAY CLUB: THANK YOU
We would also like to take this opportunity to thank every volunteer who was involved in contributing to our Winter Holiday Club, which meant so much to the children who attended and participated in the activities. Therefore, if you contributed in any capacity (from leadership to logistics, from providing food to providing fun), please know that we sincerely appreciate your sacrifice as well as your passion for wanting to make a difference in the lives of the children that God has entrusted to our care. We look forward to working together with you in making our future Holiday Clubs just as successful as this one was.
HOME AND BIBLE STUDY GROUPS
Our motto at West View is that this is a community and congregation ‘Where life change happens’. And yet, we know that this life change only takes place through relationships that facilitate a loving accountability, responsibility and a call to grow in ways that are both comfortable and uncomfortable. Staying true to our Methodist ethos and tradition, we believe that small groups (otherwise known as home or Bible study groups) are the perfect environment for transformation to take place. We would like to make the call to as many people as possible to get plugged into a group where you are challenged to study Scripture, pray for others and be prayed for, and exercise mutual care. Therefore, should you be interested in joining a Bible study group, please contact Nicola at services@westview.org.za
FEEDBACK FROM OUR ONLINE CHURCH RE – IMAGINATION MEETING
Lastly, we would also like to provide brief feedback with regards to the online worship re – imagination meeting that was held on Saturday, the 1st of July. Even though the attendance wasn’t good, we had a fruitful brainstorming session wherein we decided on shared values and strategies that will be used to shape and grow our online presence. Feedback will be given to the West View Executive for discussion and clarification, before phase one of our strategy will be implemented and experimented. It’s important to note that this will be a phased approach, and that a fully realized and operational online community will be initiated and started at the beginning of 2024.
IMPORTANT DATES
Seedlings Gathering: Saturday, the 15th of July 2023
Start of new sermon series (‘Bible Stories for Grown – Ups’): Sunday, the 16th of July 2023
Church Express: Sunday, the 16th of July 2023, at 18h00 (Luke Hall)
Restart of Rooted Youth and Children’s Church: Sunday, the 23rd of July 2023
Youth and Young Adults Social (Brainwaves Escape Rooms): Saturday, the 29th of July 2023
Baptism Preparation Course: Saturday, the 29th of July 2023
Worship Workshop: Saturday, the 5th of August 2023
West View 50th birthday celebration Sunday, the 6th of August 2023
Community Worship Service: Sunday 13th of August 2023
Your Servant for Christ’s sake,
Siphiwe