Biodynamic tree pasting workshop - 8 October 2021
On Friday 8 October 2021 the biodynamic students of Helen van Zyl (biodynamic trainer in the Western Cape) used the church Community Room to deliver presentation on their studies and to receive training from Helen. As part of the training and as a donation to the church the group of students and community members, who attended, learned the craft of biodynamic tree pasting.
Photos courtesy of Jason Higgins and Chandré Wertheim Aymes.
Photos courtesy of Jason Higgins and Chandré Wertheim Aymes.
Helen van Zyl explaining the principles and technique of preparing the biodynamic tree paste
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Applying the biodynamic tree paste
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Applying the biodynamic tree paste
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Building a biodynamic compost heap as a community event 2021 - 18 September 2021
The health and wellbeing of our properties will benefit from the Biodynamic Compost Heap building afternoon on 18 September. An enthusiastic group of people squeezed into a hidden area of our property where all the ingredients for the compost heap had been assembled over the past few months. What makes a biodynamic compost heap are the preparations that are added to the compost heap once it has been layered with correct proportions of dry and green vegetation, manure and soil. Chandré Wertheim Aymes led the process and educated everyone on the making and purpose of the preparations. These preparations help to connect the plant world to the soul realm of the animal world thereby adding something that is lacking in the plant world.
Once the compost heap was complete a bucket of biodynamic preparation 500 was mixed and stirred for an hour and then sprayed on all of our gardens for the growth of our plants in this next season.
A pleasant spread of food and tea and coffee sustained the efforts of all the helpers in this worthy endeavour.
Once the compost heap was complete a bucket of biodynamic preparation 500 was mixed and stirred for an hour and then sprayed on all of our gardens for the growth of our plants in this next season.
A pleasant spread of food and tea and coffee sustained the efforts of all the helpers in this worthy endeavour.
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The Children's Festivals on Ascension 16 May and Whitsun 23 May 2021
The children listened to a story told by Rev. Michaël Merle of a wallnut. He was the last wallnut to grow in the last season on an old wallnut tree. He was fearful and clung onto the tree until the tree shook the wallnut from its branch. The story continued in how the wallnut developed into a wallnut tree. The second part of the story was told at Whitsun. The wallnut tree wanted to know its purpose. First it made friends with birds, Then discovered many other creatures using its shade as shelter. Finally, it came into bloom and leaned about the two types of flowers it produced. It recognised the fruit the attractive type of flower became and it found its purpose in instilling courage into the wallnuts that formed on its branches.
The Ascension Festival
The Ascension Festival where the stars arose and shone in the heavens bringing golden light to the earth as golden flowers.
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The Whitsun Festival
The Whitsun story being told
The Whitsun story is followed by the children hanging doves on the wheel above the table
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Then the candles are lit
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Art Exhibition - sale of books - puppet show on Saturday 8 May 2021
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To see all the photos click here.
Easter Children's Festival and Easter Celebration - 4 April 2021
The Easter Story - a continuation of the Palm Sunday story
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The Easter tree and in front of it a Jerusalem fern
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For more photos and videos and an explanation of the Jesudalem fern click here.
Children's Summer Camp - 7th - 15th December 2020
The camp helpers before the the children arrived.
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Confirmation on 22nd April 2019 and the confirmation retreat at Moorfield Mountain Farm - April 2019
The Sacrament of Confirmation was received on Easter Monday, 22nd April by:
Ita-Marie Dambe Hansen
Orlan Cale Ranier Sanne
Raphael Hörtkorn
Christopher Stephen Mace
Ayanda Nomasomi Mzoneli
Ita-Marie Dambe Hansen
Orlan Cale Ranier Sanne
Raphael Hörtkorn
Christopher Stephen Mace
Ayanda Nomasomi Mzoneli
Ayanda, Ita-Marie, Christopher, Orlan, Raphael
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The confirmation retreat at Moorfield Mountain Farm
Sharing the evening meal
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A temporary chapel
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A leap into the swimming hole
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Befriending a chameleon
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Car Boot Sale held on 13th April 2019
The Car Boot Sale was a great success this year. The puppet show in the tent was a novel experience and Felicity Schenk with her pedicure ladies contributed to an event that was slightly off-beat: A fundraiser with a bit of medical pampering, good food and entertainment thrown in. It was also a great outreach project as some of our neighbours popped in to say hello.
Traders and patrons at the Car Boot Sale
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Trainee nurses giving medicinal pedicures to Sonnya and Reingard
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The puppet theatre inside a tent
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The Puppet Show - “ALYOSHA AND THE SNAKE KING”
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Children's Summer Camp 2018 - 9th - 17th December 2018
by Rev. Reingard Knausenberger
With 132 children, youth and leaders on board, our camp at the beautiful Goodlands Estate once again proved to create a time-out-of-time in paradise: no getting into a car, no traffic, no worries about what was happening on the other side of the hills. With a reliable daily rhythm from morning to night, good wholesome home-cooked meals, lots of singing, stories, riddles, playing, swimming and crafting the ten days seemed to fly by. Our theme this year took us through different cultures and countries of Africa and brought interesting stories and new songs. Even in our camp community we were a good representation of our multi-facetted South African society. What a rich tapestry of destiny threads woven together in memorable happy and meaningful experiences.
With 132 children, youth and leaders on board, our camp at the beautiful Goodlands Estate once again proved to create a time-out-of-time in paradise: no getting into a car, no traffic, no worries about what was happening on the other side of the hills. With a reliable daily rhythm from morning to night, good wholesome home-cooked meals, lots of singing, stories, riddles, playing, swimming and crafting the ten days seemed to fly by. Our theme this year took us through different cultures and countries of Africa and brought interesting stories and new songs. Even in our camp community we were a good representation of our multi-facetted South African society. What a rich tapestry of destiny threads woven together in memorable happy and meaningful experiences.
Camp photo
A camp fire. Leader group.
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Fun in the water
There is a lesson here
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The Advent Fair 2018 - Saturday, 10th November 2018
The Stalls
The Craft Stall
Hazel's Stall
Kerry's Stall
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Hazel's Stall
Kerry's Stall
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The Deli Stall
Soft toys
Jewelry
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Gluten-free
Plants
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The White Elephant Stall
Arts and crafts
Second-hand books
Crafts and Games
Beading
Dress-up medieval
Games
Dig into the witch's brew (Yuck) to find a luck marble that will give you either a trick or a treat.
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Advent Gardens
Medieval battling
Treasure Hunt - hunt for oranges to add to the witch's brew.
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Hansel and Gretel
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An attentive audience
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Food Court
Tea, coffee and cake
Curries
Egg and bacon rolls
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The tea and cake ladies
and sambals
Popcorn and gelato
Pancakes
Camp helpers choir
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SEEING - an exhibition - St John's 2018
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St John's tide is about changing. But in order to change you have to see. See what to change and how to change.
Seeing is a gift of looking with deep concentration and intensity. To see is a reward and a pre-condition for change. It is a blessing.
We acknowledge the animal, plant and mineral realms which are immediately apparent to us. Yet to what degree do we acknowledge the elemental realms which make up this world? How often do we awaken our wonder through imaginative or intuitive seeing to see the world through new eyes?
This exhibition was created by Adam Botha and Jackie White and will be up for the duration of St. John’s tide, until 20th July.
Seeing is a gift of looking with deep concentration and intensity. To see is a reward and a pre-condition for change. It is a blessing.
We acknowledge the animal, plant and mineral realms which are immediately apparent to us. Yet to what degree do we acknowledge the elemental realms which make up this world? How often do we awaken our wonder through imaginative or intuitive seeing to see the world through new eyes?
This exhibition was created by Adam Botha and Jackie White and will be up for the duration of St. John’s tide, until 20th July.
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The confirmands and Rev, Reingard Knausenberger (Lenker): from lt to rt Tayla Cox, Virginia-Rose Raulo, Aleksandra Spencer, Tamsin Schrimpton, Kiera Amerseder, Nicola Glaffig
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The confirmands: from lt to rt Aleksandra Spencer, Virginia-Rose Raulo, Tayla Cox, Tamsin Schrimpton, Kiera Amerseder, Nicola Glaffig
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Advent Fair 2017 - 18th November 2017
One aim of the Advent Fair is to create a special experience for children. A family who saw the banner and decided to stop were immensely impressed with the activities and crafting opportunities available for their children. They have been to many different fairs and our Advent Fair is unique for children.
The Mother Goose, Light Boats, and Puppet Shows were a perennial favorite with delighted and wide-eyed children exiting these activities. The table performance stories were a delightful return and the treasure hunt and children's games had their tribe of repeat customers. The candle dipping, candle decorating, cookie decorating, beading, Advent Gardens, fairy-wool angels and the new activity of chute-rope bracelet weaving had a steady stream of participants.
The quantity and quality of items for sale as gifts were large this year with our own craft stalls, crafts from Peru brought to us by our visiting priest, Paul Corman, craft curated from the Organic Market, four stallholders with their own crafted goods from decoupage containers to aprons.
The deli stall was well stocked by many different bakers and food makers and there were vegan and gluten-free products as well.
The White Elephant stall and second-hand books did a roaring trade and there were new books from Steiner bookshop on sale.
The Food Court was a major gathering place from the time the Advent Fair opened with breakfast rolls, barista coffee, tea and cakes, Frankfurter rolls and pancakes on sale. The lunch buffet received particularly favourable comments this year and a new addition was a buffet of food for little people.
The youth of the church were in full force this year and besides having made Advent Wreaths and hand-made soaps for the craft stall, they were responsible for forty litres of pancake batter being tuned into pancakes and sold, the candle dipping, fairy-wool angels, lucky dip and they sang for the diners and helped out wherever they were called upon.
A few musicians helped create a festive atmosphere for the diners throughout the day.
A team of helping hands was available at the information desk, directing parking, serving and clearing, relieving at stalls and clearing up everything at the end of the day.
The Mother Goose, Light Boats, and Puppet Shows were a perennial favorite with delighted and wide-eyed children exiting these activities. The table performance stories were a delightful return and the treasure hunt and children's games had their tribe of repeat customers. The candle dipping, candle decorating, cookie decorating, beading, Advent Gardens, fairy-wool angels and the new activity of chute-rope bracelet weaving had a steady stream of participants.
The quantity and quality of items for sale as gifts were large this year with our own craft stalls, crafts from Peru brought to us by our visiting priest, Paul Corman, craft curated from the Organic Market, four stallholders with their own crafted goods from decoupage containers to aprons.
The deli stall was well stocked by many different bakers and food makers and there were vegan and gluten-free products as well.
The White Elephant stall and second-hand books did a roaring trade and there were new books from Steiner bookshop on sale.
The Food Court was a major gathering place from the time the Advent Fair opened with breakfast rolls, barista coffee, tea and cakes, Frankfurter rolls and pancakes on sale. The lunch buffet received particularly favourable comments this year and a new addition was a buffet of food for little people.
The youth of the church were in full force this year and besides having made Advent Wreaths and hand-made soaps for the craft stall, they were responsible for forty litres of pancake batter being tuned into pancakes and sold, the candle dipping, fairy-wool angels, lucky dip and they sang for the diners and helped out wherever they were called upon.
A few musicians helped create a festive atmosphere for the diners throughout the day.
A team of helping hands was available at the information desk, directing parking, serving and clearing, relieving at stalls and clearing up everything at the end of the day.
Stalls
Click on photos to enlarge them
Crafting activities
Enter the magical world of Mother Goose
Removing trees of the East Manse property
Thomas Holtz, with the help of Bryan, Mavuto and Benoit were busy in October 2017 trimming some of the trees along the boundary of the East Manse, which have become to big. The four largest will need to be dealt with professionally. It is important that we try and do this sooner rather than later, as their roots are blocking the large drain pipes of the property.
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Farewell to Malcolm and Christine Allsop
The congregation held a special farewell event for Malcolm and Christine Allsop on Sunday, 17th September 2017. Many of the congregation did not fully realise that the ordination of Michaël Merle would be the last time we'd see Malcolm and Christine and that they would be leaving two days later. Here are some photos taken of them at the ordination events on 24th September 2017.
The Ordination of Michaël Merle in Johannesburg on 24th September 2017
The priests present in the congregation for the Ordination: lt to rt Rev. Reingard Knausenberger (lenker for the Southern African Region), Rev. Vicke von Behr (Erzoberlenker, Berlin); Rev. Michaël Merle; Rev. Richard Goodall; Rev. Peter van Breda (Temple Lodge, London); Rev. Malcolm Allsop (moved to Vienna); Rev. Kine Voigts; Rev. Peter Holman; Rev. Selina Horn (Stroud, UK)
Three sets of photographs were taken during the weekend that may be accesses by clicking the picture-buttons below. Please be aware that these are all high resolution photos that will consume data which may be important to note when viewing these on a mobile devise using mobile data.
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East Manse boundary wall completed in June 2017
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Pyramus
“O grim-look’d night! O night with hue so black! O night, which ever art when day is not! O night, O night! alack, alack, alack, I fear my Thisbe’s promise is forgot! And thou, O wall, O sweet, O lovely wall, That stand’st between her father’s ground and mine! Thou wall, O wall, O sweet and lovely wall, Show me thy chink, to blink through with mine eyne! (Wall holds up his fingers.) Thanks, courteous wall: Jove shield thee well for this!.....” |
Excerpt from Shakespeare’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Act 5 scene 1)
Youth Whitsun Conference - Playing with Fire
by Rev. Reingard Knausenberger
We have a group of youth nursing the flame of the Playing with Fire Whitsun Youth Festival with enthusiasm, 5 from Gauteng and 2 from Cape Town together with two adults accompanying them.
Departing Johannesburg on 24th May, the route will first take us to Vienna, Austria where we meet up with a local youth group for four days. They will show us around, take us on a hike in a real European forest, and who knows what else there is to discover.
We have a group of youth nursing the flame of the Playing with Fire Whitsun Youth Festival with enthusiasm, 5 from Gauteng and 2 from Cape Town together with two adults accompanying them.
Departing Johannesburg on 24th May, the route will first take us to Vienna, Austria where we meet up with a local youth group for four days. They will show us around, take us on a hike in a real European forest, and who knows what else there is to discover.
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Some of these young people will be coming to visit South Africa in July, so there will be an opportunity for the community to meet them, too. They have been preparing for quite some time to come first to Johannesburg, where some of our youth will meet up with them and then join them in going to the Eastern Cape to work in a Crèche and Kindergarden, renovating, building a playground and interacting with children and teachers.
Then from Vienna our youth will travel on to Prague in the Czech Republic, again meeting people from the community. By the way, the Christian Communities will also be the place where we will roll out our sleeping bags on the floor and have our base each time. No youth hostels or restaurants for us, our kitty has to make sure we can travel by bus and train and arrive in Holland. From Prague we will carry our flaming torch straight to the conference. Apparently there are already people registered from every continent. It truly will be a world-wide meeting of kindred souls. |
Karlsteyn Castle, one of the sites that will be visited.
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So, while here in Johannesburg and in all the southern African communities the Whitsun flames arise, think of the fire spreading around the world and then to a special concentration in a small town in the south of Holland, where the Spirit of Christian community will surely inspire 'Playing with Fire’.
The youth from Johannesburg will be reporting back on this experience on Sunday, 25th June at 11h30.
The youth from Johannesburg will be reporting back on this experience on Sunday, 25th June at 11h30.
First stop: Vienna
Click on the photos and they will enlarge with their caption. Hover over with the mouse to read the captions.
Second stop: Prague
Click on the photos and they will enlarge with their caption. Hover over with the mouse to read the captions.
Third stop: an overnight stop in Berlin
Click on the photos and they will enlarge with their caption. Hover over with the mouse to read the captions.
Finally: 's-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands and the Whitsun Conference
Click on the photos and they will enlarge with their caption. Hover over with the mouse to read the captions.
These photos were presented as a slide show with the narration by the members of the Youth Group.
Confirmation 2017 - 23rd April 2017
The confirmands with the priests. Lt to rt: Rev. Malcolm Allsop who prepared the confirmands over the preceding year, Tian Bester, Julian Holtz, Jakob Hörtkorn, Hannah Jorgenson, Rev. Reingard Knausenberger (Lenker) who celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation
The confirmands with their fathers and Rev. Malcolm Allsop
The families
The Cape Town Confirmation - 14th May 2017
Shakira Kempken
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Shakira Kempken
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With family
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The Puppet Theatre performance of "The Little Donkey", a Brothers Grimm fairy tale - Sunday, 16th April 2017
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Children, young and old, gathered before the puppet theatre to witness the tale of "The Little Donkey".
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Read the fairy tale to accompany the pictures or read a brief synopses in the captions to the photos. Click on the photos to see enlargements.
Celebrating Reingard's 70th birthday on Easter Sunday 2017 (16 April)
Click on the photos to enlarge.
A richly laden table of delicious eats
The congregation gather for the celebration
Palm Sunday 2017
Making wine
by Sonnya Holtz
We, in Johannesburg, are probably unique in the whole Christian Community world-wide: we make our own (unfermented) wine from our own grapes. We have vines growing on the East Manse property and on the Holtz's property in Midrand.
It only takes a few vines to provide our community with bottled sunshine, air, earth and water for the Act of Consecration of Man.
It may add a little more connection and depth to know that the substances we use during communion, the bread and wine, are invested in by the community throughout the year.
Without watering and careful pruning during winter months there won’t be the right conditions for grapes to grow in spring. The small bunches on the new shoots set, and then grow to full size and ripeness, turning deep purple with a frosty coating on them before they can be picked, usually in January. They are destalked by hand, and then brought to a boil in a huge pot. The pot is carefully tended until the grapes are soft and give all their juice, before it is strained and bottled.
The juice is different in amount and in flavour every year, according to the elements. Most years a bit of sugar is added before bottling.
The most work goes into the picking, destalking of grapes, as well as the cleaning and sterilizing of bottles.
The people who did most of the work for this task this year are called Daniel, Joyce, Mavuto and Lina. We owe them our thanks as a community for the large amount of work that goes into the little sip which has been transubstantiated from the earthly to the spiritual for us.
(Mouse over the photos or click on the photos to read the captions.)
We, in Johannesburg, are probably unique in the whole Christian Community world-wide: we make our own (unfermented) wine from our own grapes. We have vines growing on the East Manse property and on the Holtz's property in Midrand.
It only takes a few vines to provide our community with bottled sunshine, air, earth and water for the Act of Consecration of Man.
It may add a little more connection and depth to know that the substances we use during communion, the bread and wine, are invested in by the community throughout the year.
Without watering and careful pruning during winter months there won’t be the right conditions for grapes to grow in spring. The small bunches on the new shoots set, and then grow to full size and ripeness, turning deep purple with a frosty coating on them before they can be picked, usually in January. They are destalked by hand, and then brought to a boil in a huge pot. The pot is carefully tended until the grapes are soft and give all their juice, before it is strained and bottled.
The juice is different in amount and in flavour every year, according to the elements. Most years a bit of sugar is added before bottling.
The most work goes into the picking, destalking of grapes, as well as the cleaning and sterilizing of bottles.
The people who did most of the work for this task this year are called Daniel, Joyce, Mavuto and Lina. We owe them our thanks as a community for the large amount of work that goes into the little sip which has been transubstantiated from the earthly to the spiritual for us.
(Mouse over the photos or click on the photos to read the captions.)
The Zodiac during the Holy Nights of 2016 into 2017
During the Holy Nights the congregation experienced the Zodiac in Eurythmy. Each sign of the Zodiac has a colour, starting with peach blossom pink for Capricorn, deepening pink for Aquarius, almost a vermilion for Pisces and red for Aries; then moving through the seven colours of the rainbow to Libra as purple before moving back into the colours of the night with mauve for Scorpio and pale mauve for Sagittarius. Each colour has a gesture in Eurythmy.
Each sign of the Zodiac has a gesture in Eurythmy as well and each sign is accompanied by a consonant - the creative sound that emanated from that part of the starry heavens when the solar system was formed. These consonants also have a gesture in Eurythmy.
Each day of the Holy Nights we experienced one additional sign of the Zodiac until on the 12th Holy Night we could sound the complete Zodiac in form and consonant sound.
Accompanying the experience were the Twelve Cosmic Moods of Dr Rudolf Steiner.
Each sign of the Zodiac has a gesture in Eurythmy as well and each sign is accompanied by a consonant - the creative sound that emanated from that part of the starry heavens when the solar system was formed. These consonants also have a gesture in Eurythmy.
Each day of the Holy Nights we experienced one additional sign of the Zodiac until on the 12th Holy Night we could sound the complete Zodiac in form and consonant sound.
Accompanying the experience were the Twelve Cosmic Moods of Dr Rudolf Steiner.
The Zodiac and how it influenced the Huamn Being
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On the left the gesture of each sign and on the right the colour gesture. (Click on the image to see an enlargement.)
The Zodiac as we depicted it. Taurus on the left (cut off) going around to Aquarius on the right. No Pisces or Aries in the picture.
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The circle of colours that grew day by day and on the 6th January the Sun, Moon and Planets were added from the centre to the circumference.
Saturn - blue Jupiter - orange Mars - red Sun - white Venus - green Mercury - yellow Moon - mauve The final Eurythmy experience on the 6th January included the reading of the SUN line and the Moon line from the Twelve Cosmic Moods as each sing of the Zodiac moved from its own gesture to the gesture of the consonant(s).
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The Christmas experience 2016
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The Children's Summer Camp 2016 from 9th to 18th December
The venue - Goodlands Estate
The whole group
Smaller groups (click on the photos to enlarge)
Meal times (click on the photos to enlarge)
A special occasion (click on the photos to enlarge)
Getting together daily (click on photos to enlarge)
Activities (click on photos to enlarge)
The bonfire (click on the photos to enlarge)
Advent Fair 2016 - 5th November
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Arriving
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Click on the photos to see them enlarge.
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Main hall of stalls
Children's crafts and activities
Magical life experiences for children
The Food Court
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A surprise 60th birthday party at Junipa's for Malcolm - 20th October 2016
The event celebrating Reingard's 25 years of service to the Johannesburg Congregation - 2nd October 2016
The celebration began with a concert in the church.
Karin von Schilling then gave a humorous overview of the past 25 years.
Tea and conversation followed in the Community Room.
More people shared memories of the past 25 years.
The day was concluded with lunch in the community garden.
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Reingard wished for these chairs:
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The Community Garden in splendid winter glory
George Nurse has ensured that there are splashes of colour to brighten the Community Garden this winter. (Click on the images to enlarge.)
Recital by Gwyneth Lloyd and Marti Bjorkmann on Sunday, 26th June
The programme
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Gwyneth Lloyd singing
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Gwyneth Lloyd and Marti Bjorkmann
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The community bids farewell to Colleen and Catherine Shine with music and song on Sunday, 24th April
Want to listen to the individual music pieces and songs ....
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The beautiful book Ana Lampen made as a gift for Colleen
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The Confirmation of 2016
The Sacrament of Confirmation was received on 28th March 2016 by these confirmands:
The confirmands of 2016: (back lt to rt) Lars Lampen, Jessica Coenen, Amelia Triaca, Saskia van Winkel (front lt to rt) Benoit Holtz, Beverley Mocke and Rev. Reingard Knausenberger (lenker for Southern Africa)
Magnus Skrede with musicians and singers from Norway
Magnus Skrede is a Waldorf teacher and musical director who pays South Africa fairly regular visits. This year he brought and mother and her two children and two more Class 11 pupils to South Africa to perform. After a concert at the Michael Mount Waldorf School we were fortunate to have them play and sing for us on Sunday, 21st February.
A short excerpt from "You raise me up", music written by Secret Garden's Rolf Løvland and the lyrics by Brendan Graham.
The Gillham family farewell tea - 7 February 2016
'The Epiphany Witch' - a Three Kings Play
This play was performed on Saturday, 9th January 2016.
In the cast: Angel Gabriel - Chandré Wertheim Aymes; Mary - Catherine Shine; Joseph (director) - Malcolm Allsop; Melchior - Patricia Kuhlmann; Balthazar - Evan McGillivray; Caspar - Lizzy Lorry-Corry; page - Rhyse Sothern; the Epiphany Witch - Susan Goslett
In the cast: Angel Gabriel - Chandré Wertheim Aymes; Mary - Catherine Shine; Joseph (director) - Malcolm Allsop; Melchior - Patricia Kuhlmann; Balthazar - Evan McGillivray; Caspar - Lizzy Lorry-Corry; page - Rhyse Sothern; the Epiphany Witch - Susan Goslett
