Social Outreach
Centre of Concern
Service to God and people is our Way of Life
Pillars of our ministry in COC
Centre of Concern has succeeded in building partnerships with other churches, organizations
and individuals over the last years and this has enabled us to broaden our sphere of ministry.
Partnerships have been built with:
- The McWilliams and Milde Trust for the Ruth Project.
- The Ministerpräsident of Lower Saxony and the Beck Brothers from Germany for the
Havens. - Holy Trinity Church in Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains in Australia for all our
Projects particularly feeding.
There are TEN different projects
1. Food Parcels
We are currently packing 170 food parcels monthly. These parcels are distributed to pensioners,
the unemployed, and HIV/AIDS sufferers, Jerusalem Ministries, members of our Ruth Project and
those in need. The average amount spent on each parcel is now around R50. We also have bigger
food parcels that amount to about R250 which are distributed to our AIDS orphans.
This ministry is under the guidance of Shirley and John Lumsden.
Parishioners busy packing food parcels.
2. Feeding
2.1. School Feeding:
Four schools in an around the Walmer and Kwazakhele areas are part of our School Feeding
Projects. About +500 children benefit from this project and they are given one cooked meal a
day. For many this is the only meal they will receive for the day.
We are also supporting schools in the rural areas of the Gamtoos Valley in Patensie and
surrounding areas through a missionary stationed in this area to minister to those living on
the different farms in the area.
This project has contributed to a significant drop in absenteeism, as well as ensuring that
effective learning and teaching can take place in these schools that are all situated in areas
stricken by extreme poverty and degradation.
This ministry is under the guidance of Rose Anderson.
Kids enjoying their meal.
2.2. Soup Kitchen
In this project a meal is provided on a daily basis to TB patients as well as to +-60 other
people. Our two cooks, Triphina Mxadi and Julia Zondani as well as Sister Andrea, a retired
nun from St. Dominic’s, cook the food for the Ruth Project as well as a meal for the most
needy and hungry that turn up daily at the soup kitchen. For most of the people this is also
their only meal on a day. This project assists the process of healing in TB patients because
the tablets have to be taken in conjunction with a meal. With the increase in poverty due
to the economic situation in our country the number of those needing a meal has increased
over the last months.
This ministry is under the guidance of Julie McDonald.
Salman in the vegetable garden at the Soup Kitchen
Sr. Andrea, Siphokazi and Lena working at Soup Kitchen
2.3. Hospice Support
We also provide meals for the patients of the Gqebera Hospice. Members of the
congregation prepare a meal at home that is passed onto the Hospice sisters
who then feed their clients who come from poor families to assist them in their
healing process.
This ministry is under the guidance of Felicity Kickhofel.
Hospice clients together with their care-giver
3. Khanyisa Support Group
HIV/AIDS is spoken at St. John’s.
We currently have a support group of about ten regular members. This group
meets on a Monday and Tuesday morning. On Tuesdays the time is spent
teaching much needed sewing, weaving, carpet-making and other skills to the
group. It also provides a place where members can share their fears, concerns
and joys as well as a place where both members and families are encouraged
and supported.
Much help is needed to provide a sustainable project that will empower
members to take charge of their lives as well as to be able to put food on the
table and to provide for their families.
Breaking the stigma around the illness and providing support for those
infected and affected are our main focuses.
This ministry is under the guidance of Jean Wright
Jean Wright and members of the Khanyisa Group with their handwork
4. Masiphakame Group: Ministry to the Blind
In March 2007 we started to minister to a group of partially sighted and blind
persons. The group meets at the Parish centre every Monday. As in the other
groups the blind are taught to make articles from waste materials and is
currently being taught to make baskets and to do beading. The group is eager
to learn skills. Two of our group members play Bowls and one represents the
Eastern Cape in Bowls.
This ministry is under the guidance of Yvonne Mackenzie, Elyse Cox and
Myrna Shaw.
Members of the Masiphakame Group with Elyse, Yvonne and Myrna
Members of Masiphakame at work
5. Orphans and Vulnerable Children
5.1. Orphans and Vulnerable Children: Sakikhaya Letemba and Abantwana
Abahle Homes
We currently have 13 children from the ages 16 months to 15 years old in the two Homes in Walmer
Township. St. John’s provide all the food for the children in the Homes on a two weekly basis and are
also responsible to pay for all school fees, buy school uniforms and clothes and provide for all the
needs of the children. St. John’s provides classes where members of the parish assist the children
with their homework from Monday to Thursday afternoons. The children also attend Scouts and are
given an opportunity to learn to swim. They are also encouraged to take part in sports and cultural
activities at school. We have 2 permanent Housemothers, One Assistant Housemother and a
domestic Helper to care for the children in the Homes.
The children are being transported to school daily by our own bus.
This ministry is under the guidance of Jean Wright, Agnes Bean, Thella Chester and Coral MacKenna
St. John’s Haven Kids
5.2. AIDS Orphans
We currently have 2 AIDS orphans (twins) being cared for by the church. They attend the local high
school in the area of Walmer. St. John’s pay their school fees, buy school uniforms and provide a
monthly food parcel to the amount of R250 to the family that care for them.
This ministry is under the guidance of Rose Anderson.
The twins- Zuko and Zanele
6. The Ruth Project
6.1. Home Care
This project currently cares for 16 elderly folk who are housebound. Three care-givers, Nomfundo,
Siphokazi and Victoria, employed by the church, daily meet the needs of these clients. The clients
are washed, fed and cared for in their own homes and even assisted on the days they need to
attend clinic or hospital. We have succeeded in placing a number of elderly folk in old age homes.
Nomvuyo, Nicolette, Victoria of the Ruth Project.
6.2. Ruth Centre
The Ruth Centre functions out of the Church building at St Augustine's Church to minister to the elderly in the township. Nomvuyo, one of the care-givers runs daily programs for elderly ladies and gentlemen on Mondays,Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays respectively. Different skills and crafts programs are being offered. Literacy and numeracy classes are being offered by students from NMMU.
This ministry is under the guidance of Julie McDonald.
Elderly Women and Men from the Ruth Project being taught to read and write at the Ruth Centre.
7. Clothes and Household Goods
All second hand clothing, bedding, toys, etc are carefully sorted and packed to distribute to those in need.
Household goods are donated to families who have lost their belongings through fire and floods.
Baby packs are being distributed to hospitals in our area for newborns.
Packs with essential clothing and toiletries are packed to distribute to hospitals where care is given
to children who go through the trauma of rape. Blankets and jerseys are collected in autumn to
distribute at the beginning of winter to those in need of warm goods.
This ministry is under the guidance of Joy Gale.
Smiley Kids delivering second-hand clothes and goods
Toys handed over to the needy
8 . Training and Development
The aim in this project is to empower the women with a skill to enable them to eventually start their
own business in order to provide for their families. This is based on scripture given to us from
Exodus 35:31-35.
We have made good progress. The members of the group have made great strides in mastering
the skills that they are taught. Through marketing some of their finished articles we have been able
to share the income from the sales just before the end of every year. Many of these ladies are
working on their own at home on the sewing machines we donated to them.
This ministry is under the guidance of Gail Du Plessis.
Women being trained skills
9. The Play and Learn Centre
This Centre was built in 2006 through funds made available by the Savage Trust and officially
opened in February 2007 by Bishop Bethlehem. It is currently the daily home to 80 learners, 3
teachers and one cleaner. The teachers are assisted by two cooks who prepare the meals for the
children daily. They are often assisted by the volunteers from St. John’s.
The facility caters for children from low income families and a minimal fee of R135 is charged per
month. All the food, the training of the teachers and equipment needed for the day to day running
of the crèche are sponsored by the Centre of Concern.
This ministry is under the guidance of Rose Anderson.
Play and Learn teachers and children with members of Berning Cell Group for Christmas Party
Play and Learn kids in class on their new chairs
10. Recycling
An awareness of our environment and the preservation of it are emphasized in the work of the
Centre of Concern. We encourage our parishioners to recycle bottles, brown cardboard boxes,
clear plastic bottles, cans, egg boxes, toilet roll holders, polystyrene containers, glass jars and
plastic pill canisters.
An area on the church property has been allocated for the recycling of glass bottles and rooms
in the courtyard have been allocated to the recycling of cans, cardboard and plastic bottles. The
glass project has over the last year been handed over to a member of our Khanyisa support
group. This project has assisted in providing a steady income for the worker.
This ministry is under the guidance of Jean Wright and Rose Anderson.
If you would like to join one of our ministries or make any contribution contact
Nicolette or Rose on 041-5812162 or
email us on nicolette@stjohnswalmer.org.za or rose@stjohnswalmer.org.za