Welcome to Ekklesia
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中国体育彩票 Ekklesia
Who are we/What is Ekklesia?
Ekklesia is an ecumenical centre focusng on practical ministry of the Faculty of Theology of Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票. The word “ekklesia” means “chu?rch” or “congregation” and sometimes “community”. Accordingly we want to serve congregations, ministers/pastors/priests and other congregation leaders, and through them the wider community.
Where does Ekklesia come from?
Ekklesia
takes the place of BUVTON (Bureau for Continued Theological Education
and Research) which was founded as a service bureau of the faculty to
offer short refresher courses for pastors.
Ekklesia
also focusses on supporting pastors and congregations, but serves a
wider spectrum of churches. This affirms the faculty’s commitment to the
ecumenical church, congregations and ministers.
How does Ekklesia work?
Ekklesia
is not a solo effort, but a network centre where the faculty, churches
and other ecclesial institutions come together in a “network pool” to
offer coordinated services to congregations and pastors. It is a service
space where the faculty, churches and other role players help each
other and serve congregations and the community together.
What does Ekklesia offer?
- Ekklesia presents a wide range of short courses on important
theological, ministerial and pastoral themes every year. These courses are open
to all pastors and congregational leaders.
- In collaboration with the Department of Practical Theology at the Faculty of Theology, Ekklesia offers an MTh programme that focuses on missional congregations and transformative leadership. The course combines rigorous academic work with a strong focus on pastoral practice.
- The Word and Worship and Woord en Fees publications assist ministers with their preparation for weekly worship and preaching. The project follows the texts of the widely used Revised Common Lectionary (RCL).
- The Faculty of Theology, in cooperation with Ekklesia, the Beyers Naudé Centre for Public Theology and Communitas, arranges an annual Winter School, usually in the first week of June. Wide-ranging themes and issues affecting church and society are addressed in plenary sessions and in smaller workshops.
- This unit focuses on smaller and more elaborate research projects as required and requested by congregations and denominations.
- This unit offers congregations and communities guidance on moral issues and how to create moral orientation.
- The SAPMC assists congregations that want to move from a maintenance model to a missional ministry. The work is done in clusters and in partnerships with other congregations.
Participating churches
- African Methodist Episcopal Church
- Anglican Church of SA
- Apostolic Faith Mission
- Assemblies of God
- Calvin Protestant Church
- Christian Reformed Church in SA
- Community of Faith Church
- Dutch Reformed Church in SA
- Great Commission Ministers Network
- Lutheran Church
- Methodist Church of SA
- Moravian Church
- Rhenish Church
- Roman Catholic Church
- United Congregational Church in SA
- United Presbyterian Church in SA
- Uniting Reformed Church in SA
- Vineyard Church
- Volkskerk van Afrika
Ms Divine Robertson (Project Coordinator), tel 021 808 2827, e-mail dr@sun.ac.za
Dr Peter Langerman (Director), tel 021 808 282727, e-mail plangerman@sun.ac.za
