Newsletter to members and friends - Kirchenkreis Melle

FRIENDS
Newsletter to members and friends
Sanibonani abamngame,
Dear Friends of Partnership,
Liebe Mitglieder und Freunde sowie
Freundinnen von .
FRIENDS
This is our Newsletter No. 7, March 2012
greats you all in this lenten season
FRIENDS
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ
with his words:
The Son of man came not to be ministered unto,
but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for
many.
Der Menschensohn nicht gekommen ist, dass er
sich dienen lasse, sondern dass er diene und gebe
sein Leben zu einer Erlösung für viele.
INdodana yomuntu ingezelanga ukukhonzwa
kepha ukukhonza nokunikela ukuphila kwayo,
kube-yisihlengo sabaningi. (Kwamthewu 20;28)
“Week of the worldwide Church 2012”
About twenty arrangements were made in Melle
circuit from January, 8th to 15th for the “Week of
the worldwide Church” in cooperation with the
Hermannsburg Mission Board (ELM). A special
one was the rally for confirmands on January,
10th where 230 of them met in Melle-St Petri
coming from seven parishes. The rally under
Dean on the screen: Thulani
Nzama was present via Skype.
the motto “Our
partners in South
Africa” started
with music and
addresses by
Dean Loos,
Melle, and Dean
Nzama, Durban.
In eight works-
No 7
March 2012
News from Umngeni circuit:
Dean Nkosinathi Myaka, Umngeni circuit reports
that he is at this time the parish pastor of three
parishes in his circuit and this means he is very
busy, in Pietermaritzburg South, Mpumalanga and
eMtulwa.
In Pietermaritzburg South parish Rev. I. Ntuli retired.
The tent- making pastors like Mrs Nsibande
and Mrs Makhaye are helping.
Two congregations of eMtulwa parish joined Entembizweni
congregation, parish of Hermansburg
in Umvoti circuit. Tent making pastor Sbongile
Nxumalo is helping in eMtulwa parish.
Rev. Khawulani Ntuli, Mpumalanga, returned to
the University of KwaZulu- Natal.
Rev. Gumede, recent pastor of Nhlangakazi, was
transferred to Georgenau parish. A new pastor
arrived as well in Nhlangakazi parish.
hops the confirmands worked on different issues.
Some of them made some sort of bead work and
nail crosses, others were singing. They got information
about the bursary fund and on HIV/AIDS.
Moreover they could chat via skype with South
African youths.
Mellle-Petri-Church packed with confirmands

Privat Visitors to South Africa
Vice chair lady of , Mrs Monika
Schlonski accompanied by her hushand and
friends spent a short private stay as well in Mooi
River as in Pietermaritzburg to see some of the
partners. The small group went with Mrs Mzila as
well to the Bishopstowe grounds and took some
pictures.
Mr. Pius Mbuyisa, Pietermaritzburg North, reports:
“We had our Parish partnership meeting on the
29 th January 2012 to distribute the bursary to 17
students from different Grades. All together we
spent R17 000.00. R9000.00 plus R700.0.00 that
we got from the Parish fund. Baba Sabela went
to Bishopstowe two weeks back and discover that
the grass has grown very high because of summer
rains. We are already having the Elections, maybe
some positions will change.“
FRIENDS
FRIENDS
asks Melle youth to
take care of the
ground together with Pietermaritzburg
North youthy.
(Making the parish strong
parish council election)
Elections in the South and
the North
2012 is the year of elections in the
Churches in Lower Saxony including the
Church of Hannover and in ELCSA.
Congregants have to decide on their
representatives in councils and
committees. In the German
parishes they will vote the
parish councils on March, 18 th .
After the parish councils have
constituted in Melle circuit,
the will sent their representatives
to the new circuit synods
of Melle-Georgsmarienhütte
Berge
Bippen
Fürstenau
Menslage
Ueffeln
Partner circuits and
Partner parishes
Viljandi (Estonia)
Loxten
1 Bonnus
2 Markus
3 Matthäus
4 St. Marien
5 St. Katharinen
6 Luther
7 Lukas
8 Melanchton
9 Margareten
10 Paulus
11 Thomas
12 Timotheus
Durban (South Africa)
Parish partnerships to
Durban circuit parishes
Mfolozi (South Africa)
Umngeni (Umngeni)
Parish partnerships to
Umngeni circuit parishes
Umvoti (South Africa)
Parish partnerships to
Umvoti circuit parishes
and Bramsche (cf. map) In ELCSA elections on
congregational level are terminated, elections on
parish level will be finished until the end of April.
Thereafter elections on circuit level take place
until June and on diocesan level in July.
Achmer
Vistors from South Africa
Some visitors will come this year from the South
to Melle circuit:
■ Melle circuit youth is on the jump to meet the
youth of the partner circuits (see next page)
■ The partner parishes Nhlangakazi and Neuenkirchen
are busy in preparing an exciting program
for the delegation of four friends from
the South in June and July this year.
■ Ncami Khumalo got an invitation from Diakonia
of Osnabrück town and county and Monika
Thölking for July.
■ Ingrid Thompson from PMB-South will drop in
for two days while visiting her sisters family in
Stade in May.
■ May be, Nolwazi Gcaba will
come for a short visit while
being on a business trip to
Europe.
We are very happy in looking
forward to all meetings
Quakenbrück-
Sylvester
Quakenbrück-
Petrus
Bersenbrück
Badbergen
Gehrde
Hesepe
witnessing the lively
relations on official
and privat
levels!
Bramsche
St. Johannis
Oesede
KwaDuduza
Bad Iburg
Glandorf- Bad Laer
Enhlanzeni
Report about Partnership work
in 2010 and 2011 published
Melle circuit partnership committee
ist happy to announ-
Vörden
Bramsche circuit
Engter
Kloster
Oesede
Emakhabeleni
Hilter
Hermanns-
burg
Bad
RothenfeldeGreytown
Venne
Appelsbosch
Dissen
Hunteburg
Nyuswa
10
7
Martin
9
Hasbergen
Jako-
Bramsche
St. Martin
Bohmte
Elim
ArenshorstBark-
Andreas Paul Vehrte
hauOster-
Ntuzuma
Gerhardt Uthukela
sencappeln
Rabber
Marburg-
Osnabrück
Chats-
St. Michaelis
Ghamalakhe
worth
BadEssen Lintorf
circuit
Belm
Christianenburg Pine-
11
Stepha- 3 12
2
Gretesch- Schledetownnus
4
Lüstringen hausenbusUntun-
Otimati
1
5 6 jambeli Wissingen
Thulini
Buer
8
Achelriede
Oldendorf Durban-
Sutt-
Mpumalanga Central
hausen
Hagen
GeorgsmarienhütteUmphumulo
Holte
Melle-Paulus
KwaMashu
Melle-Petri
Pietermaritzburg-South
Georgsmarienhütte
circuit
ce, that the new
report for the last two
years has been published
and can be
Neuenkirchen
Nhlangakhazi
Hoyel
Georgenau
handed out
as print edition
and as
pdf-file.
Please feel
free to
contact
Eckhard
Bennien
Oebisfelde
Eilers via
eedruck
@aol.com
Changes in
Pirna circuit ahead
Mrs Ina-Maria Vetter reports:
In our church there is a debate on structures
again. Until January, 1 st , 2014 Pirna circuit will
loose two pastors and the respective co-workers
(youth workers, chatechits, musicians). The circuit
synod has to decide which parishes will be affected.

“Contact with our friends in South Africa
is very important to us”
Fusion of Diakonia in town and county of Osnabrück
The consecration and blessing of of Hinrich Haake (left) and Heiko Grube (middle) as new managing
directors was celebrated by Dean Wolfgang Loos from Melle circuit in Osnabrueck St. Mary’s church on
17 th February 2012.
After years of preparations, it has been possible
to combine the Diakonias of the lutheran
circuits Georgsmarienhuette, Melle,
Osnabrück and Bramsche (without circuit
social work) to a a large common social welfare
organization in the region at 1 st of
January 2012. More than 300 full-time stiff
members, volunteers and freelancers are
working for Diakonia in the region now.
The main areas of work are the addiction assistance,
debt counseling, marriage and life counseling,
educational counseling, youth services, homeless
assistance, the telephone counseling, work with
children, pregnancy counseling and social counseling
for companies.
In a festive service in the Osnabrück St. Mary's
Church Hinrich Haake from Osnabrück and Heiko
Grube from Melle were introduced in their new
positions as managing directors at 17 th February
2012. In the stylish atmosphere of the service all
the Deans of the circuits in Osnabrück region took
part in.
Diakonia Melle has been involved into the partnership
work of the association “Friends of Partnership”
and the project “Bishopstowe” for many
years. “This will continue in the future. The contact
with our friends in South Africa is very important
to us,” says managing director Heiko Grube.
“A joint sisterly and brotherly learning, joint prayers
and actions and work for a world in justice
and peace – this a common concern for all of us in
the North and the South.”

Partnership services in Pirna circuit and
in Pietermaritzburg North and
eMtulwa parishes, February, 5 th , 2012
Prayer from Pirna circuit:
God, our father, we remind full of thank that we as
Christians are not alone on our way. In many countries
people entrust their lives to you. In quite different situations
of life they are guided by your word. Today we
think of our partner parishes in South Africa. We thank
you for our brothers and sisters and ask you to make
them messengers of your love in their country.
We pray: Kyrie eleison / Christ, have mercy
God, our father, our partners suffered from violence.
The disastrous law of apartheid had caused mach pain
and destruction. South Africans have, however, taken
the way of reconciliation. Let succeed this reconciliation.
Encourage and empower people all over the
world to commit themselves to peace and reconciliation.
We pray: Kyrie eleison
God, our father, the South African nation is threatened
by splitting because the wealth of the country is unfair
distributed. Rich people enjoy an affluent life whereas
poor people are absolutely needy. This not only occurs
in South Africa but as well in our country and all over
the world. Help us to work for justice.
We pray: Kyrie eleison
God, our father, many young people still die because
of HIV/AIDS. This pandemic destroys families and congregations.
The required medicine belongs to American
and European companies which make the prizes. We
ask you for all infected in South Africa and all over the
world that they still can live their confined lives and
are not excluded because of fear and ignorance. Help
to all can have access to the treatment.
We pray: Kyrie eleison
God, our father, South African Christians still suffer
from the division of their church. The black and the
white churches did not merge. Let the negotiations
succeed. We ask you the unite the church, as well in
our country. Let all people have a seat on your table.
Grant reconciliation.
We pray: Kyrie eleison
God, our father, we thank you for twenty years of the
education aid fund. Many children and youths got
access to education by this funds and a chance for
their future. Make us ready to continue to remind the
others and to support them whenever possible.
We pray: Kyrie eleison
Partnership service on February, 5th,
in Sobantu church, Pietermaritzburg
North parish, February, 5 th , 2012
Prayer from Pietermaritzburg North and eMtulwa
parishes:
Our heavenly father we thank you for the gift of our
lives which you have given to us which you have protected
in all these years until today, not because of our
good deeds but because of your never ending mercy
and love for us. We want to thank you for the partnership
which we have with parishes and circuits in
Germany. We ask you to empower this partnership by
your grace now and forever.
Lord, hear our prayer and protect us.
Dear Lord we thank you for the education aid fund
which our brothers and sisters give us to help orphans
and needy. We ask you to bless all who contribute by
your grace and help them in their daily life. Lord, hear
our prayer and protect us.
Lord, hear our prayer and protect us.
Our heavenly father we thank you that you to the
technicians their knowledge and that we can communicate
much easier. We ask you to assist them in their
useful work.
Lord, hear our prayer and protect us.
Father, we ask you fort he challenge by new forms of
believe by which our beloved in Christ are faced in our
country. We ask you for reconciliation prior to the
coming 500th anniversary of the reformation in 2017.
We ask you to give success to all the planning for the
festival and music. Make an end to the division between
the Roman Catholic and the Lutheran church in
order to enjoy commonly the gift of the ecumene.
Lord, hear our prayer and protect us.
Father we pray because of the debt crisis in the Euro
zone which caused maybe difficulties in the country of
our brothers in faith. Lord, give those who are in
power the chances to deal right with this situation. We
pray as well for more attendance in service which is
very low in Germany. May all people be touched in
their heart that the keep and hollow the Sabbath as
the third commandment says.
Lord, hear our prayer and protect us.
Father we thank you for your love, protect in us the
constant conviction which you have revealed to us by
the truth of your word.
Lord, hear our prayer and protect us.

Hanover Church Bishop talked with Osnabrück region’s Partnerships Committees
Talking with the bishop: (from left) ret. Pastor Heribert Duscha, Melle, Pastor Hanes Meyer-ten Thoren,
Osnabrück, Bishop Ralf Meister, Ursula Mally, Bramsche, Circuit youth worker Henning Enge, Melle,
Deacon Anke Meckfessel, Georgsmarienhütte, Susanne Storck, Melle, Dean Wolfgang Loos, Eckhard
Eilers, Melle, Pastor Reinhard Keding, Gergsmarienhütte and Mr Wilfried Friesel, Melle.
In line with his visits to the circuits in Osnabrück
Region, Bishop Ralf Meister met representatives
of all four partnership committees (Bramsche, Georgsmarienhütte,
Osnabrück and Melle) in Melle,
in order to learn about the presence and the future
of cooperation. In this one hour meeting with
the Bishop the representatives of the four circuits
presented their partly same, partly different concepts
and forms of partnership. The idea was as
well to discuss the concept of work including the
Partnership services in Pirna parishes,
PMB North and eMtulwa parishes,
February, 5 th , 2012
Mrs Ina-Maria Vetter, Bad Schandau, reports:
Some parishes in the circuit of Pirna celebrated on
February, 5 th partnership services which got good
appreciation. We exchanged prayers with our
South African partners (see page 4). As well we
from the committee had supplied the parishes
with photos of different visits within the last five
years.
Mr Pius Mbuyisa sent a picture of the partnership
service on February, 5 th , in Sobantu church,
Pietermaritzburg North parish.
A pdf-file of the intercession prayers in the
services will is available on the homepage of
Melle circuit: www.kirchenkreis-melle.de
-> Angebote -> Partnerschaftsarbeit
basic standards after a almost two-year project
collaboration to future network in partnership,
development aid, mission and “Bread for the
World.”
Bishop Meister was impressed by long-time and
firmly rooted international cooperation with the
partner churches in South Africa and Estonia and
wished endurance and a fraternal togetherness in
the continuation of this work in the new structures.
Youth on the jump
Ev. Jugend
Kirchenkreis
Melle
(from left) Ramona Wittbecker (Melle-Paulus),
Henning Enge, Simone Schneider (Hunteburg),
Tanja Bextermöller (Oldendorf), Juliane Sellenriek
(Buer), Johanna Lemme (Melle-Petri), Luisa Koopmann
(Bohmte), Aurica Hartwig (Bohmte), Lisa
Vahle (Melle-Petri), Corinna Franz (Bohmte)
Melle circuit youth under youth worker Henning
Enge starts on March, 23rd , 2012, arrives on 24th in
Durban and will be received by coordinating committee
in St Michaels-Durban. Thereafter the
youth will meet the youth of Durban and Umngeni
circuits, will join different meetings and services
in both circuits, especially during Easter. Prior to a
visit to Hluhluwe Game Reserve they will meet
with Umfolozi Circuit Youth League and have a
stay at Bishopstowe near Pietermaritzburg. The
Durban and Umngeni circuit youth will provide
together with the coordinating committee an
amazing programme. The Melle youth will leave
their partners on April, 13th , 2012.

FRIENDS
will meet for its
annual general
assembly on May, 9 th , at 6 p.m.
in Melle- St Petri to decide on
its future ways (elections, programme).
greets all mem-
FRIENDS
bers and friends
with best wishes for a Happy
Easter: Christ is risen! UJesu
wavuka! Christ ist erstanden.
May God bless all of us.
iNkosi busisa sonke!
Maybe...
...some body wants to join our
association “Friends of partnership”
These are our objectives:
The development association
“Friends of partnership“ works
an the conviction that partnership
between people of different
culture should be encouraged
in order to achieve justice
and peace in this world. So our
association supports partnership
on circuit level as well as on
congregational level in the circuits
of Melle, Durban, Pirna und
Umngeni. Our association backs
and develops constituent projects,
does promotion of publicity,
fund raising, and other measures
on this concern.
To apply for membership please
print and fill in the application
form, and send it to our treasurer,
Mrs Elke Eilers, Sonnenweg
3, D-49152 Bad Essen, Germany.
You may as well simply send a
mail encluding your details to
elke4eedruck@aol.com.
Annual subscription in Germany
is at least Euro 12.00. For rates
in South Africa, please, ask Elke.
Co-operate!
Don’t hesitate to pass over a comment about this newsletter, news
to be published or e-mail addresses of other interested persons to
h.duscha@gmx.de
Association „Friends of Partnership“ e.V.
Membership application
Hereby I apply for a membership in „Friends of Partnership“
beginning with ____________. I agree with the aims of the
association as mentioned.
Annual subscription (1,00 Euro/month = 12 Euro/year)
(10,00 Rand/month = 120 Rand/year)
other subscription amount
_____ Euro/month = _______ Euro/year
name. family name ______________________________________
________________________________________________________
pysical address __________________________________________
________________________________________________________
postal address __________________________________________
________________________________________________________
email __________________________________________________
for German only:
Account Nr.: ____________________________________________
Bank and Bank Code: ____________________________________
________________________________________________________
I will set up a standing order to the account of "Friends of
Partnership”
place, date ______________________________________________
signature ________________________________________________
Eingetragener Verein zur Förderung der Partnerschaft der Ev.-luth. Kirchenkreise
FRIENDS
Durban, Melle, Pirna und Umngeni / Registered Association for the Promotion of
Partnership by the Evangelical Lutheran Circuits Durban, Melle, Pirna and Umngeni
Vorsitzender/ Chairman:
Heribert Duscha, Parkstr. 5 31707 Bad Eilsen, Tel.:(0949/ 0) 5722/892469, E-Mail: h.duscha@gmx.de
Bankverbindung: Konto-Nr. 101 493 Kreissparkasse Melle (BLZ 265 522 86)