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Events 2016 to recent

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Use this table of contents to find the event you wish to see and click on the link. Not all the events are on this web page; scrolling down will only show you selected events.
  • • Confirmation 2025 - 25 May 2025
  • • Baptisms - Sunday 18 May 2025
  • • Easter Festival for Children 2025 - 20 April 2025
  • • Palm Sunday - the Induction of Rev. Bridgette Siepker and a craft table - 13 April 2025
  • • Children's Camp 8 - 16 December 2024
  • • Advent Fair 2024 - 30 November 2024
  • • Family Garden Tea - 7 September 2024
  • • Family Garden Tea - 6 July 2024
  • • A community photograph to send to Amsterdam
  • • St John's Festival for Children - 30 June 2024
  • • Our winter garden - July 2024
  • • Easter 2024 - 31 March and 7 April 2024
  • • Golden Anniversary of the Ordination of Rev. Reingard Knausenberger - 10 March 2024
  • • Family Garden Tea - 9 March 2024
  • • Regional Priest Synod - 4-8 March 2024
  • • Christmas 2023
  • • Children's Summer Camp 2023
  • • Advent Fair 2023 - 25 November 2023
  • • Ferndale Community Market - 28 October 2023
  • • Ferndale Community Market - 26 August 2023
  • • Windhoek Community Green Market - 15 July 2023
  • • Ferndale Community Market - 1 July 2023
  • • St John's Children's Festival - 25 June 2023
  • • Baptism of Malakai Årum Lourens - 25 June 2023
  • • Follow the development of an amazing flower - 6 June 2023
  • • Ferndale Community Market - 29 April 2023
  • • Ferndale Community Market - 4 March 2023
  • • Children's Summer Camp - December 2022
  • • Advent Fair - December 2022
  • • Music Concert - 27 November 2022
  • • In memory of Sophia Turner - November 2022
  • • It is Spring - October 2022
  • • Ferndale Community Market - 30 July 2022
  • • St John's festival for children - 26 June 2022
  • • Building a biodynamic compost heap - 16 June 2022
  • • Wake Room Garden - May 2022
  • • Confirmation - 24 April 2022
  • • Car Boot Sale - 23 April 2022
  • • Easter - 16 April 2022
  • • Palm Sunday - 10 April 2022
  • • The weekend of the ordination of Andreas van Breda in Cape Town - March 2022
  • • Family Garden Tea / Brunch - 6 November 2021
  • • Our toilets receive a tiny face lift - October 2021
  • • Biodynamic tree pasting workshop - October 2021
  • • Michaelmas 2021 Art Exhibition by Annelie Franken
  • • Fundraiser for the Memorial Garden watercourse 2021 - September
  • • Building a biodynamic compost heap as a community event 2021 - 18 September
  • • St John's Festival for children - 27 June 2021
  • • The Children's Festival at Ascension and Whitsun 2021 - 16 and 23 May
  • • Art Exhibition - books sale - puppet show on Saturday 8 May 2021
  • • Confirmation 2021 - Easter Monday 5 April
  • • The Easter Full Moon over Gordon's Bay
  • • Easter Children's Festival and Easter Celebration - 4 April 2021
  • • Palm Sunday Children's Festival - 28 March 2021
  • • Seeding the Future
  • • Artistic worskhops on Zoom - the attributed Coats of Arms for the twelve Apostels
  • • Christmas 2020
  • • Children's Summer Camp - 7th - 15th December 2020
  • • Family Bicycle Ride / Walk / Run - 5th December 2020
  • • Family Garden Tea / Brunch - 14th November 2020
  • • Boxing Day 2019 Bring and Share community lunch
  • • Christmas 2019
  • • The Oberufer Shepherds Play 2019 - 24th December 2019
  • • The Advent Fair 2019 - 2nd November 2019
  • • St John's Childrens Festival - 30th June 2019
  • • Confirmation of 22nd April 2019 and the confirmation retreat at Moorfield Mountain Farm - April 2019
  • • Car Boot Sale held - 13th April 2019
  • • An exhibition of watercolours by Jean McGillivray - February & March 2019
  • • "The Gift of the Kings", a musical play - 6th January 2019
  • • The Children's Summer Camp 2018 - December 2018
  • • The Advent Fair 2018 - November 2018
  • • Remembering Petra van Dijk - September 2018
  • • The Knausenberger family gathering in Italy for a milestone birthday of Walter Knausenberger - September 2018
  • • SEEING - an exhibition - St John's 2018
  • • St John's children's festival - 24th June 2018
  • • Remembering Eileen Tippett - May 2018
  • • Community images - April 2018
  • • Confirmation - April 2018
  • • Easter - April 2018
  • • Advent Fair 2017 - November 2017
  • • Removing trees on the East Manse property - October 2017
  • • Saying farewell to Malcolm and Christine Allsop
  • • The Ordination of Michaël Merle - September 2017
  • • East Manse boundary wall completed in June 2017
  • • Youth Whitsun conference - Playing with Fire
  • • Ascension Day outing to Klipriviersberg Reserve
  • • Car Boot Sale 2017 - 20th May 2017
  • • Confirmation 2017 - 23rd April 2017
  • • The Puppet Theatre performance of "The Little Donkey" - 16th April 2017
  • • Celebrating Reingard's 70th birthday on Easter Sunday 2017
  • • Palm Sunday 2017
  • • Making wine
  • • The Zodiac during the Holy Nights 2016/17
  • • The Christmas Experience 2016
  • • The Children's Summer Camp 9th -18th December 2016
  • • Advent Fair 2016
  • • Malcolm's suprise 60th birthday party - 20th October 2016
  • • Celebrating 25 years - Reingard has served the congregation in Johannesburg since 1991 - 2nd October 2016
  • • The splendour of the winter garden - August 2016
  • • Recital by Gwyneth Lloyd and Marti Bjorkmann - 26th June 2016
  • • Farewell to Colleen and Catherine Shine - 24th April 2016
  • • The Confirmands of 2016
  • • Magnus Skrede and 5 singers and musicians from Norway - 21st February 2016
  • • The Gillham family farewell tea - 7th Febuary 2016
  • • 'The Epiphany Witch' - a Three Kings Play 9th January 2016

Archive

Events between 2012 and 2015

If you have any photos of community events, please share them here. Link a Dropbox with [email protected] or email them to the same address.
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Easter Festival for children - 20 April 2025

 
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A table was prepared where the children heard an Easter story.

Palm Sunday - the Induction of Rev. Bridgette Siepker and a craft table - 13 April 2025

 
A beautiful craft table was set up on Palm Sunday.
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Festive tables were prepared for the tea and food.

Community photograph - 30 June 2024

 
We received two visitor from the Netherlands on 9 June 2024 who were passing through Johannesburg at the end of an extended trip of East Africa. The brought with them a card from the Congregation in Amsterdam. We decided to return our greetings to Amsterdam with a photograph of the congregation and messages.
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Regional Priest Synod - 4-8 March 2024

 
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Richard Goodall, Kine Voigts, Andreas van Breda, Michaël Merle, Reingard Knausenberger and Oliver Steinrueck (Lenker)

Christmas 2023

 
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The garden at Christmas
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Music Concert - Advent Sunday

 
The first Sunday of Advent, 27 November, was well attended. A new tree stood proudly to the left of the altar. After the community tea an eager audience took their seats to listen to a concert in two parts. Abel Weinfass delivered two well-executed piano pieces that lifted the spirit. These were followed by an eclectic mix of songs sung by Christine Ludwig accompanied on the piano by Nola Muller.

Wake Room Garden

 
The Wake Room Garden is an initiative of the Community Conversation on 1 May 2022.
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Confirmation on 24 April 2022

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Left to right: Tom Price, Jasper Marais, Liam de Wet, Lihle Bardill-Kwebulana, Mila Benn, Luca Amerseder, Sabienne Smith, Stuart Audouin
The Sacrament of Confirmation was received on Sunday 24 April 2022 by
  • Edward Thomas PRICE
  • Sabienne D SMITH
  • Liam Angus DE WET
  • Lihle BARDILL-KWEBULANA
  • Mila Anna-Rose BENN
  • Luca AMERSEDER
  • Jasper Pepler MARAIS
  • Stuart Matthew AUDOUIN

​Confirmation: the reflection of the parent

I had the privilege of walking the road alongside my second child whose turn it was now to be confirmed at The Christian Community. And, as is quite common with these second children, my son demanded that I be far more conscious and certain and upright in my convictions with regards to following through with this ‘rites of passage’ and in deepening my understanding. The Easter contemplation evenings were soothing and meaningful as we came together with the parents and children. The evening talk by Reingard preceding the confirmation itself was deeply insightful. The day itself was so special and fulfilling on many levels. We rounded it off with a lunch in the gardens with the confirmands at their very own VIP table chattering away enthusiastically, as the parents and families surrounded them in a peaceful celebration. Thank you Michaël and dear Reingard for this opportunity. Deeds such as these feel less common these days yet most needed. Lian ​
The week leading towards the path of Confirmation for our children was one that became a serendipitous opportunity for us as parents, where we were present together listening to the happenings of Christ’s life and how the reflections of his wisdom relate in our lives now. These contemplations were like coming home to oneself. Through our children’s Confirmation process we, as adults, became aware of what that growth has been in our own lives.
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May the gift of Confirmation offered our young adults grow as spiritual awareness in them and may they always remember the importance of this day. Emely 
Having experienced The Christian Community confirmation this year, I thought the ceremony was very beautiful and personally aimed at the children as a good challenge for how they would like to be in this world going forward as a youth. As a parent I gained a deeper understanding of the process which will stand me in good stead for navigating the next phase of my child’s life.
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Many thanks for the depth of wisdom that you both (Reingard and Michaël – Ed.) bring to this celebration. Siobhan
 

The Car Boot Sale on Saturday 23 April 2022

The church is donated some incredible things that people in the community no longer need. Making these available for sale and attracting a buying public is a challenge. Our annual event (formerly the Advent Fair, in recent years the Family Garden Breakfast/Tea) has been one outlet. When the church still owned the Windmill Property the Car Boot Sales of 2017 and 2019 proved a successful second outlet.

On 23 April 2022 an third Car Boot Sale offered high quality, even collectible, items, more general White Elephant goods (many of which were exquisite) and second-hand books. The Car Boot Sale, as always was open to the general public to bring their goods, both old and new, to sell. The church ran a Tea Garden where hot dogs, coffee, tea and cake was on sale.

The ravages of the last two years have changed peoples behaviour and the turnout of both sellers and buyers demonstrated this. However, the day was a success for those who put in the effort to set up and sell for the church. The atmosphere was convivial and the hot dogs and cakes a right treat.
 

Easter 2022

 

Palm Sunday - 10 April 2022

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A very festive morning heralded the start of Holy Week not withstanding the snow in Lesotho and the rain and cold weather that brought to Johannesburg.

The children heard a story of Charlie a caterpillar who became Bob the butterfly after a period of rest in a cocoon. They planted wheat grass seeds that are laid into dark soil, just like Charlie, to germinate as something completely new after a period of rest.

A group of congregants prepared beautiful painted Easter eggs to sell and chocolate delights. There were also stone eggs on sale and the whole display enlivened the Community Room.

The parents of the children being confirmed on 24 April provided the cakes for the coffee and there was enough variety and abundance for everyone to have a feast.

Six of the eight confirmation children were present and were introduced to the community.

The morning ended with a talk that introduced the theme for Holy Week. We learned about initiative that is a human activity that motivates us into action our of freedom and brings about something new in the world. This is possible only through an I-constitution and therefore is a gift of Whitsun and possible only the deed of Christ.

Family Garden Tea / Brunch - 6 November 2021

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To see all the photos click here.
 

Our bathrooms receive a tiny face lift - October 2021

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Ladies
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Gents
 

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.
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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

Michael Art Exhibition by Annelie Franken - Michaelmas 2021

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To see the full exhibition, click here.
 

 Fundraiser for the Memorial Garden watercourse September 2021

​In support of the refurbishment of the watercourse from the Heidenreich Memorial to the fishpond, Robyn de Klerk is selling beautifully crafted mandalas that are on display in our Community Room. 
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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.
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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

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The Ascension Festival where the stars arose and shone in the heavens bringing golden light to the earth as golden flowers.

The Whitsun Festival

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The Whitsun story being told
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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
 

Art Exhibition - sale of books - puppet show on Saturday 8 May 2021

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To see all the photos click here.
 

Confirmation 2021 - Easter Monday 5 April

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Lt to rt: Rev. Reingard Knausenberger (Lenker); Liam Audouin; Kaden Olivier; Isis Gericke; Jensen Cox; Rev. Michaël Merle
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Confirmands with their respective mothers
 
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This photo of the full moon after the equinox was taken over Gordons Bay in the Cape and shared by Lola Kirigin.
 

Easter Children's Festival and Easter Celebration - 4 April 2021

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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
For more photos and videos and an explanation of the Jesudalem fern click here.
 

Palm Sunday Children's Festival - 28 Marrch 2021

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Listening to the first part of a story; to be completed on Easter Sunday
 

Artistic activity on Zoom - the attributed Coats of Arms of the Twelve Apostles of the New Jerusalem

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Rev. Michaël Merle instructing the artistic activity on Zoom
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The resultant attributed Coats of Arms of the Twelve Apostles of the New Jerusalem
 

Christmas 2020

Children's Summer Camp - 7th - 15th December 2020

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The camp helpers before the the children arrived.
Click here to see more photos (additional photos will be uploaded in due course).

Family Bicycle Ride / Walk / Run - 5th December 2020

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Click here to see more photos of the day.

Family Garden Tea / Brunch - 14th November 2020

Click here to see all the photos.

Boxing Day 2019 Bring and Share community lunch

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To read the story and see all the photos click here.

Christmas 2019

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Click here for more photos.

The Oberufer Shepherds Play 2019

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Click here for photos of the play and cast.

The Advent Fair 2019 - Saturday, 2nd November 2019

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To see all the photos click here.
 

St. John's Childrens Festival - 30th June 2019

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And then it was time for hot chocolate.
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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
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Ayanda, Ita-Marie, Christopher, Orlan, Raphael

​The confirmation retreat at Moorfield Mountain Farm

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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
 

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.
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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”
 

"The Gift of the Kings" - a musical play performed on 6th January 2019

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The cast of the play
 

Children's Summer Camp 2018 - 9th - 17th December 2018

by Rev. Reingard Knausenberger
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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. 
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Camp photo
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A camp fire. Leader group.
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Fun in the water
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There is a lesson here
 

The Advent Fair 2018 - Saturday, 10th November 2018

The Stalls

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The Craft Stall
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Hazel's Stall
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Kerry's Stall
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Hazel's Stall
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Kerry's Stall
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The Deli Stall
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Soft toys
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Jewelry
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Gluten-free
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Plants
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The White Elephant Stall
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Arts and crafts
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Second-hand books

Crafts and Games

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Beading
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Dress-up medieval
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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
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Medieval battling
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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

Food Court

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Tea, coffee and cake
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Curries
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Egg and bacon rolls
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The tea and cake ladies
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and sambals
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Popcorn and gelato
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Pancakes
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Camp helpers choir
 

Remembering Petra van Dijk - September 2018

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T​he Knausenberger family gathering in Italy for a milestone birthday of
​Walter Knausenberger - September 2018

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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.
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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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St John's children's festival before the services on St John's Day - 24th June 2018

 
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A collage of Eileen Tippett's life
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Community Images - April 2018

 
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This hibiscus comes from the cottage of Hans and Petra van Dijk who have recently moved from their cottage at the old-age home to frail-care.
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A rose that has been greeting everyone coming to the church (21st April 2018)

Confirmation - 2nd April 2018

 
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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

Easter morning - 1st April 2018

 
On Easter morning we were greeted with a festive table and a display made by the confirmands of 2018.
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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.
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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

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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. 
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.
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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.
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Karlsteyn Castle, one of the sites that will be visited.
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.

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

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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.
 

The Ascension Day outing 27th May 2017 to Klipriviersberg Reserve

 

The Car Boot Sale of 2017 - 20th May

The setting up almost completed. Before the hoards arrive.
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People buying
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Confirmation 2017 - 23rd April 2017

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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
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The confirmands with their fathers and Rev. Malcolm Allsop

The families

The Cape Town Confirmation - 14th May 2017

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Shakira Kempken
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Shakira Kempken
With family
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The Puppet Theatre performance of "The Little Donkey", a Brothers Grimm fairy tale - Sunday, 16th April 2017

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

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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.

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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.
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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.)
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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
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The whole group
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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)
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Advent Fair 2016 - 5th November

Arriving
Click on the photos to see them enlarge.
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.
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The day was concluded with lunch in the community garden.
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

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The programme
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Gwyneth Lloyd singing
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Gwyneth Lloyd and Marti Bjorkmann

 

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

 

The Confirmation of 2016

​The Sacrament of Confirmation was received on 28th March 2016 by these confirmands:
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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.
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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


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​Address
46 Dover Street corner Pine Avenue
Ferndale
Randburg

GPS:S26.0887400, E27.9962600
​Telephone & Email
Telephone             +27 11 789 3083
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