Congregational Events
At the Church of the Cross/Kreuzkirche we have 3 Bazaars or Market days annually. They are an Easter Market, September Bazaar and Advent Market. All 3 events are a great way to socialise over a coffee or maybe even a beer, with old and new friends alike.
Our markets don’t only have eggs and wreaths, we always have excellent filter coffee, German meals and meats (both raw and prepared), cakes and desserts, plus general items, like books and plant.
Our September bazaar (every year on the first Saturday of September) we have a wide variety of goods on offer. From cakes, both whole and per slice, plants, flowers, pickles, preserves, pancakes, bratwurst and other lunch items. It is always a festive occasion.
EASTER MARKET
For our Easter Market we are well known for the beautifully handmade Easter eggs filled with sweets. As these take a great amount of time and effort to make, our congregants help us. They come a week or two before the market and help decorate and fill the eggs. Every year we’re surprised with how beautiful the eggs are!
CHRISTMAS MARKET
For our Advent market (the Saturday before the 1st Advent) wreaths and arrangements are prepared, a red candle or sometimes 4 are added to each of these. The candles can be lit on each week going forward, in anticipation of Christmas Eve. In addition, hundreds, if not thousands, of biscuits are baked and packaged and sold at the Advent market. Most of the recipes are made with real butter and all are made with great love.
Circuit Conference West (CCW) of the ELCSA – Cape Church
Church of the Cross/ Kreuzkirche form part of the Evangelical Lutheran Cape church, which consists of the CCW and CCE. These are the different congregations in the Western and Eastern Cape. On the Cape Church website you can see the different congregations falling under Western and Eastern circuits.
The CCW plays and important role in promoting inter congregational communication and teamwork. There are different events that happen throughout the year, which the CCW takes responsibility for. The yearly Church Day is a great example of this, which happens every year on the first Sunday of March.
The CCW also sets up pulpit exchanges, which take place on the months with 5 Sundays. On those Sunday pastors from the different congregations switch and they get to preach at a different congregation. These are good for the different congregations to get to know the different pastors of the CCW.
Lastly, the CCW also organises special days through the year. In 2022 for example, there were music days, where congregations come together to play music and sing together. It’s great to see how different each congregation’s form of worship is and how they have different talents to help in Sunday morning services. There were also Church in Motion days, where the congregations come together to discuss a specific topic and to share with each other where they are and how they try and live out their calling in their areas.
PENTECOST | 60TH CELEBRATION
Church of the Cross/ Kreuzkirche celebrated our 60th year anniversary in our church building in Bellville this year on Pentecost Sunday. Our congregation is older than 60 years, we’re almost 100! But 60 years ago, we moved into our current church building and made it our spiritual home.
On our 60th anniversary we had a special Pentecost service, with lovely music, some shared stories of our past and a great meal! We even had 3 congregants there who were at the opening of our building 60 years ago! Between all the tables one could hear laughter and the sharing of stories, together with excitement and some corners about the future. It’s always wonderful to see (and hear) how a meal can create a space wherein people feel safe and at home!
