Centre for Contextual Ministry at the University of Pretoria QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER – AUTUMN 2014 We are Free when Others are Free We celebrate twenty years of democracy in South African this year with gratitude. As a nation we have been blessed with a relatively peaceful transition and many miracles along the way. Yet millions are still not free. Landlessness and homelessness, lack of decent education and access to basic health care, service delivery that does little justice to the hopes of extremely poor citizens, unbridled greed and corruption, all mark our nation as well. Poverty and wealth enslave us. Where are faith communities and their theology in all of this? How do we respond? How do we equip community and church leaders to engage neighbourhoods, social disparities, and mounting frustrations with a gospel of hope, peace and justice? How do we equip leaders who will incarnate good news in fresh, relevant ways? Farewell Suki! For years, Suki has served as the administrator for the Centre, executing her duties with competence and compassion. So it is with reluctance that the rest of the staff bid her goodbye this autumn season, trusting that her well earned retirement will be blessed by God. At the Centre for Contextual Ministry, we offer fifty courses to leaders seeking to facilitate healthy communities. We are currently in a process of revision to discern how well our courses actually do what we set out to do. In addition, three units were established in the past two years - the Village of Support is an incubator for training related to youth development in Phokeng; the Urban Studio uses the city as a classroom for reflection and dialogue; and the Unit for Social Cohesion is doing research on and creating spaces for conversations on the challenges of reconciliation in South African today. We are also engaged in a parallel process to create a coordinating platform for theological training institutions and a professional body for religious workers. Have a look at our calendar for this and other occasions or events to help discern our role as people of faith in mediating the freedom of Christ holistically and in every sphere of society. Stephan de Beer CCM DIRECTOR WE ENVISION HEALTHY COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE TRAINING OF CHURCH AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. WWW.UP.AC.ZA | 012 432 2500 | [email protected] SAVE THE DATE May 17 | CCM Annual Certificate Ceremony, We are Free when Others are Free 15 to 17 July | Tenth Biennial Consultation on Urban Ministry, (un)-shack-led 22 July | Ubuntu Research Project Conversation, Ubuntu and the Vulnerable City Feast@UP Enrol in a Course Today! ADVANCED LONG COURSES Faith Communities and Missional Leadership Location: Pretoria Start Date: 12 May 2014 Cost: R3 900 Because the inner city, with its incredible diversity and numerous challenges, offers such a rich space for learning and research, the Centre for Contextual Ministry has launched the Urban Studio through which students and researchers can engage with practical, hands-on projects. This programme was launched with Feast@UP, a collective of academics and students seeking to bridge the divide between the varsity campus and the city through engagement in an annual community festival known as the Feast of the Clowns. ADVANCED SHORT COURSES Church Based Counselling Location: Bryanston Counselling Centre, JHB Start Date: 13 May 2014 Cost: R1 450 Hosted by the Tshwane Leadership Foundation, this annual festival creates awareness for social justice concerns in the city and mobilizes its residents to action. Students and academics from various Faculties and Departments participate through connecting semester courses to the festival theme, offering creative social justice workshops, and then attending the main festival events themselves in August. Though sponsored by the Centre for Contextual Ministry, the Urban Studio does work in a trans-disciplinary manner and therefore chooses to strategically align itself to the Capital Cities project of the University of Pretoria. WE ENVISION HEALTHY COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE TRAINING OF CHURCH AND COMMUNITY LEADERS. WWW.UP.AC.ZA | 012 432 2500 | [email protected]