UCCSA

The United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA), founded in 1967, has a strong established partnership with Global Ministries. There are 272 congregations with 235,900 members in the South Africa Synod.

When South Africans elected Nelson Mandela, the first black resident of their country to serve as President, members of the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA) felt special satisfaction. With a membership representing all of South Africa's ethnic diversity, the UCCSA had long struggled for the end of apartheid. The UCCSA could now get on with the business of reconstructing and developing a new South Africa. One of the most hopeful developments in the church was the establishment of a Pastoral Plan for Transformation to take all the structures and ministries of the UCCSA from a maintenance mentality to mission-action. Participating in this process is St. Mungo's United Church in Bryanston.

Some time ago St. Mungo's United Church Bryanston recognized the need to develop a new church in Diepsloot. Diepsloot is 15 miles north of Johannesburg in Gauteng Province. The community began growing rapidly in the early 1990's as people sought work in the urban areas of Pretoria and Johannesburg. It soon became a relocation center taking on the over-flow population from Alexandra and Zevenfontein. Between 2001 and 2003 the population exploded from 55,000 to an estimated 150,000 people, with today's number likely exceeding 200,000.

Issues relating to the over-crowded conditions in Diepsloot are many. The incidence of HIV/AIDS is twice the national average. An already high crime rate is escalating exponentially, particularly domestic violence resulting in the abuse of women and children. Only 9 percent of those living in Diepsloot are employed. Female heads of household are the rule rather than the exception, and orphaned and abandoned children are to be found everywhere in the area.

Now a new church has come into being in Diepsloot that serves the large and newly established community in this corner of north Johannesburg. While the church currently meets in a tent, plans are well underway to erect a permanent multipurpose facility. The new structure will be of significant size and scope. It will not only serve as a place of worship but also as a community center. As part of the church's growth and development, plans call for the enhancement of Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, camps for Diepsloot children and orphans, and the continuance of a growing sewing group. Other programs include youth and fellowship/leadership training as well as learning projects centered on gardening, carpentry and catering.

The over-riding goal for the new church at Diepsloot is to create an infrastructure of multi-purpose buildings, field workers, support structures, and venture capital to establish successful micro-enterprises within the community. This is an "inside out process" according to Reverend Selaotswe Tsintsing who is Co-Pastor at Diepsloot, together with Global Ministries missionary Reverend William Kyle. "Making projects sustainable is the commitment of individuals to initiatives that are theirs in every way and which yield continuing profit. Our role is to help them shape their ideas, transfer relevant skills and disciplines, and provide seed funding," he said. St. Mungo's has a success rate in excess of 60 percent in working with other Christian organizations in such endeavors. St. Mungo's at Diepsloot is growing and has already become a substantive center for spiritual and community life. The realization and completion of the new church facility will allow St. Mungo's Diepsloot to more purposefully fulfill its mission of fostering self help, self reliance, and spiritual enrichment for the people of Diepsloot.

Donations

To make an online gift to this project click  here and select South Africa – St. Mungo United Church from the designation list. To make a gift by check to this project click  here.