It has been a long time since the members of our welfare council have been introduced to the Church. As I looked at our last edition of the Dunamis I  saw the names of our committee and felt that it was only right that you as the reader should be introduced to the folks who are at the helm of this ministry. This has become more relevant in the light of  “(Mat 13:57) And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.”So many times we take people forgranted and I think that is not what the Bible teaches at all. Pastor C. Perumal as the chairperson has been responsible for the direction of the Council ever since he was elected as the Deputy Secretary General. Now as the Secretary General he continues to serve us in the continued capacity of chairperson.

Prior to his election as Deputy Secretary General he together with his assembly in Natal realized that welfare concerns of the community need to be addressed and initiated a children’s home project. Pastor G. Babu is the deputy chairperson and has been a past member of the Moderateur of the former Coloured Community, is currently a member of the Executive Council, and the Overseer of one of our Western Cape regions. He is a man who repeatedly states that the welfare of the people is close to his heart and that the Church has a role to minister to their material needs. Pastor T. Haripersadh is our treasurer and prior to his entering the ministry was the House of Delegates’ State Accountant in their Department of Social Welfare.

As a local pastor in the phoenix area north of Durban he and his assembly are providing food to a number of informal settlements. Sister E. Bowers is the wife of our first deputy Moderator but is also a Licensed Minister Female in her own right. She is a highly sought after speaker championing issues relating to the women in our country and it is not unusual for her to be a participant in international conferences and representing the issues of women in South Africa. Pastor M. Sephiri has spent many years as the pastor of our Mamelodi assembly east of Pretoria and together with his wife has operated an early childhood development centre for the children of the community. He has tried to do his best to help alleviate the poverty in his area and provides food hampers to the hungry on an ongoing basis. Pastor M. Barnard is a pastor who has had the concerns of the aged at heart and this has resulted in him initiating and developing the Avondsrus old age home in Pretoria North. At present he is planning to develop a frail care section for the old age home. Pastor E.J. Moodley also hails from Phoenix, north of Durban and is currently serving on the Executive Council of the Church and also as a Regional Overseer. At present he and his local assembly are planning a hospice for those affected by HIV/AIDS.

He also has teams of workers reaching out to the surrounding poverty stricken communities and providing them with food hampers.Pastor R. Sneddon is the pastor of our Pinetown, Abundant Life assembly. He initially assisted in a manufacturing jewelry project linked to a local assembly in the Durban area before he entered into theministry. Today he is involved with a community upliftment ministry, and as a result of his local radio ministry has been instrumental in providing people with spiritual and material support. These people need your prayer support as they seek the face of God regarding the future of our national health and welfare portfolio to the glory of God and the extension of the Kingdom of God here on Earth.