Ist Gott für mich, EG 351, 13 Römer 8, 31 – 39 Mit welchem Jubel kann Paul Gerhardt sein Lied beenden. Wer so singen kann braucht einen Perspektivwechsel. Wir schauen dann nicht auf das Elend, das uns täglich begegnen kann, sondern wir schauen dann auf das, „was im Himmel ist.“ Ach, wie gerne singe [...]
As chairperson of the Kreuzkirche church committee, I present a summary of our activities from May 2025 to April 2026. Our congregation is administrated through two ministries: Kreuz & Community and Kreuzkirche Housekeeping. We officially have 182 members across 85 households, though with approximately 20% we have limited contact. Despite this, we are grateful for [...]
A New Thing: Reflections on Isaiah 43: 19 and John 9 Look again at the cover of this newsletter. A man stands on the edge of a cliff. Behind him, darkness — thick, low clouds, almost black. In front of him, light breaking through in bright, glorious shafts. He is standing exactly where [...]
Dear sisters and brothers,I am grateful to be amongst you here in Belville. With the help of our pastor (intern) Wikus Opperman, I will be holding the office of ministry as pastor ofthe Kreuzkriche until the end of this year–and perhaps beyond. My full name is Hans-Christoph Thapelo Lange. I was baptised in the ELCSA [...]
A while ago, a friend invited me to go and watch Joseph and his Technicoloured Dreamcoat. It was at a small theatre in Camps Bay and I was quite excited, not really knowing what to expect. I had never seen it before, so I was unsure whether this would be a 'religious' piece or not. [...]
Most of us are familiar with the verb to indoctrinate or the phrase to be indoctrinated. The verb indoctrinate is derived from doctrine, which refers to a set of beliefs, principles, or ideologies. Indoctrination typically involves the teaching or promotion of these beliefs in a way that discourages independent thought or critical questioning. This process [...]
We live in a fractured and uncertain world, often marked by wars, anxiety, and hopelessness. In a society characterized by rising fuel and food prices, noisy shopping centres, and relentless negative news, many people who endure the pressures of a competitive, corporate urban lifestyle long for a safe, wholesome refuge - a place where [...]
Dear Kreuzkirche Members, My name is Wikus Opperman. Some of you may already know me, but for those who do not, I am truly looking forward to getting to know you personally in the time ahead. I, my wife Luria and our daughter Ezilé moved from Potchefstroom to Bellville Kreuzkirche in order for me to [...]
If you happen to visit Kreuzkirche on a Thursday morning or attended one of our fundraisers, you may have noticed a man quietly at work - tending the garden, sweeping the street in front of the church, or carefully stowing away tables and chairs and looking after the cars at the Bazaars . That man [...]
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, The Church Council of Kreuzkirche Bellville has recently taken an important step in the life of our congregation by deciding to formalise three distinct divine service settings: the Formal (Ancient) Setting, the Semi-Formal (Modern) Setting, and the Informal Setting. As a starting point, the focus will be on the [...]
Jesu letztes Wort am Kreuz: „Es ist vollbracht.“ (Joh. 19;30). Er sagt es auch dir und mir! Wir sagen es schnell: alles, was hier geschah, ist für uns geschehen. Diese Worte anzunehmen und in konkretes Handeln umzusetzen bleibt die tägliche Herausforderung. Wenn du Frieden suchst: hier ist er. Wenn du Vergebung suchst: hier kannst [...]
A congregant asked me a question before Easter about why the date of Easter moves every year, while Christmas is fixed. She mentioned she'd heard it had something to do with lunar movements. I didn't know the answer, I thought it was something about a fixed number of days after Christmas being Epiphany, and then [...]
The year 2026 marks our 40th year of ministry, and we step into it with deep gratitude to God and to the Body of Christ who have faithfully journeyed with us. In the closing months of 2025, many churches stood with us during one of the most challenging seasons in our organisation’s history. Because [...]
On Monday, 23rd of March, 2026, I set off on a five-day journey to the Cradle of Mankind with 45 fellow travellers from U3A branches across the Western Cape, led by our guides, Mike Rule and Holly Carr. A short two-hour flight brought us to Johannesburg, where we stepped out into steady rain and [...]
Firstly, we need to thank everyone sincerely for your contribution in the past year – might it be financial, contributing to the bazar, helping with odd maintenance jobs around the church or reading during services, playing music and any other contribution. It is greatly appreciated!!!! I t is too soon to report on the detailed [...]
On Sunday, November 30, 2025, the first Sunday of Advent this year, one of our sons, Gréston Nicolas Frans, was baptised at the Kreuzkirche Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche in Bellville. It was deeply moving to see him united with Christ through this holy sacrament. We are happy to know that God has begun His work in him [...]
The frequency of extreme climate events—such as flooding, droughts, and veld fires - is increasing, particularly in Africa. These occurrences are largely driven by climate change, and while their consequences are felt worldwide, they are felt most severe in developing countries where poverty, environmental mismanagement, and rapid population growth compound the challenges. Climate change is [...]
I want to share with you a strange testimony about how God led me to reflect on my view of the world and all that is happening in it. Before the birth of Schalkie, our firstborn son, in 2024, I found myself wondering whether it was a good time for anyone to have children. Not [...]
Dear Friends, As we stand at the beginning of 2026, I’ve found myself returning to the words of the apostle Peter. He calls us a “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation...” not as a badge of honour, but as a calling to be a reflection of the Good Shepherd for a world that [...]
On the second Advent, December 7th, we welcomed the Kraafontein congregation and other members of sister churches to our English/Afrikaans service. This is an annual exchange and it was our turn to welcome them, which we did very gladly. The liturgy was shared between Schalk and Ps van Wyk from Kraaifontein, who also gave the [...]
