by Bev Sanderson
Please allow me to introduce some of our programmes that run through the Centre of Concern.
I was appointed as the Co-ordinator of the outreach programmes in the Centre of Concern in October 2021 and started at St John’s during the height of Covid. We wore masks, had parishioners and friends making sandwiches for 100 people at our soup kitchen, and packed about 220 food parcels a month, which included 100 people queuing outside our back door/gate ministry on the first Monday of each month! During all of this, we were receiving donations of about R14 000 which helped with all these ministries.
Tim and Isobel Douglas-Jones led the Food Parcel Ministry for many years, and were instrumental in all this work that happened. After many years of dedicated service, they decided to step down from the food parcel ministry at the end of last year.
There have been many changes over the years, and during the changes and challenges we may not understand ‘Why?’ but know deep down that God does have a have a plan. I am constantly encouraged by the reading from Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”.
Fast forward to 2026: The donations coming in for parcels has really diminished and this forced us to sit up and look at all our projects and their needs.
We knew we couldn’t help everyone, so we have decided to concentrate on helping the “Youth and Elderly”. We are thrilled to announce that, thanks to a generous funder, we are able to launch a new project in collaboration with Walmer High School this year.
We had visited the school in December and were astounded at the work that is being done by the headmaster and teachers. Their Grade 12 students have a 96,6% pass rate and 100% for Maths. They achieve this by having weekend camp-outs throughout the year for the Matrics, with many hours of extra lessons to ensure they get through the syllabus. St John’s Centre of Concern will be contributing food towards these weekends, as well as packing 75 parcels for families, and buying school shoes for Matrics in need.
Arty Breakfast continues to run our Ruth Project for the elderly at Masifunde under the guidance of Pinkie Libala. This project runs from Tuesday to Thursday each week where the participants knit, sew, crochet and exercise. They are also provided with a meal.
They take part in the Winter and Summer Games each year and are trained by bio kineticists from NMU, who ensure they are ready to compete in the Games.
The group sew together the knitted squares to make blankets for our other projects, and they also knit and crochet other items.
They also receive a Christmas food parcel in December. We have 17 elderly who are housebound and receive cooked meals each day from the soup kitchen as well as food parcels each month.
Our Soup Kitchen has now reduced to 60 people per day Here we provide soup and bread from Monday to Friday each week. We now pack 102 food parcels each month and these are donated to Walmer High, The Ruth Project, the housebound, through the gate ministry and families in need.
We are extremely grateful to our funder for the new Walmer High School project, and are excited to be investing in the lives of their Matrics.
However, we still need assistance and are appealing to you to FILL A BAG and consider donating money towards a food parcel to support the funding for soup, bread and food parcels for those in need. Only R 160 will FILL A BAG for a monthly food parcel.
Blessings in Christ
Bev Sanderson
Centre of Concern Co-ordinator