New pastors' alliance aims to uplift Vryheid's church leaders
The group was officially introduced during a launch event at Wes Church, led by chairperson Pastor M Derby and other committee members. The event was aimed to bring together key community stakeholders, including the Community Policing Forum, delegates from other churches, and representatives from the municipality.
Bishop ZP Nkosi explained the motivation behind the initiative, as follows:
'We, the pastors and ministers of the gospel in Vryheid – recognising the need for unity, fellowship and mutual support among church leaders – have established the Vryheid Christian Pastors One Accord. This organisation seeks to promote spiritual growth, collaboration and social impact in our community, while upholding Christian values and principles.'
He added that pastors, like parents, cannot take care of others if they themselves are struggling.
The Mission of VCPOA:
VCPOA's mission is to strengthen the body of Christ by fostering unity among church leaders, encouraging spiritual and leadership development, and engaging in meaningful outreach.
The key objectives include:
* Promoting unity, love and co-operation among pastors in the Vryheid area;
* Providing mutual support for personal, spiritual and professional growth;
* Advocating for the overall well-being of pastors;
* Facilitating joint ministry efforts and community outreach;
* Encouraging ethical leadership and sound Biblical teaching;
* Creating opportunities for prayer, worship and fellowship; and
* Supporting family-centreed ministries.
The launch was marked by a strong sense of fellowship, a shared purpose and a catered lunch that brought the local religious community together to begin this new chapter together.
ALSO READ: Local church celebrates dads, raises brain tumour awareness
The news provided to you in this link comes to you from the editorial staff of the Vryheid Herald, a sold newspaper distributed in the Vryheid area.
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The Citizen
5 days ago
- The Citizen
New pastors' alliance aims to uplift Vryheid's church leaders
A group of 11 pastors in Vryheid have come together to form the Vryheid Christian Pastors One Accord (VCPOA), an organisation focused on the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of local church leaders. The group was officially introduced during a launch event at Wes Church, led by chairperson Pastor M Derby and other committee members. The event was aimed to bring together key community stakeholders, including the Community Policing Forum, delegates from other churches, and representatives from the municipality. Bishop ZP Nkosi explained the motivation behind the initiative, as follows: 'We, the pastors and ministers of the gospel in Vryheid – recognising the need for unity, fellowship and mutual support among church leaders – have established the Vryheid Christian Pastors One Accord. This organisation seeks to promote spiritual growth, collaboration and social impact in our community, while upholding Christian values and principles.' He added that pastors, like parents, cannot take care of others if they themselves are struggling. The Mission of VCPOA: VCPOA's mission is to strengthen the body of Christ by fostering unity among church leaders, encouraging spiritual and leadership development, and engaging in meaningful outreach. The key objectives include: * Promoting unity, love and co-operation among pastors in the Vryheid area; * Providing mutual support for personal, spiritual and professional growth; * Advocating for the overall well-being of pastors; * Facilitating joint ministry efforts and community outreach; * Encouraging ethical leadership and sound Biblical teaching; * Creating opportunities for prayer, worship and fellowship; and * Supporting family-centreed ministries. The launch was marked by a strong sense of fellowship, a shared purpose and a catered lunch that brought the local religious community together to begin this new chapter together. ALSO READ: Local church celebrates dads, raises brain tumour awareness The news provided to you in this link comes to you from the editorial staff of the Vryheid Herald, a sold newspaper distributed in the Vryheid area.
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De Beer de Beer-Procter explains: 'Our identities are scrutinised. Our access to care is debated. Our presence in schools, hospitals and public life is treated as controversial. In this context, so-called neutrality doesn't create balance – it reinforces stigma. And it sets back the hard-fought progress we've made in securing gender-affirming care, legal recognition and the basic right to exist without being treated as a problem to solve. What's more, the 'concern' being expressed is rarely based on accurate information. Gender-affirming care is routinely misrepresented as rushed, reckless or automatic – as though thousands of children are being hurried into life-altering decisions. 'But this is simply not true. In South Africa, access to gender-affirming care is already extremely limited. Public provision exists in only a handful of clinics, often with yearslong waiting lists. Only one public clinic in the entire country offers support to trans youth. In the private sector, trained endocrinologists, social workers and mental health professionals are few and far between – and the costs place them far out of reach for most families,' says De Beer-Procter. 'Feminists' to the rescue? Some so-called feminists are also claiming that their rights are in danger. Describing themselves as 'gender critical feminists', they don't support the rights of transgender people. Most notable is JK Rowling, with Helen Zille recently echoing similar talking points in a social media post. 'I don't call them feminists because there is nothing feminist about their views. By upholding deeply misogynistic beliefs, they become complicit in their own oppression,' says Lynch. 'They can't see how something like bathroom bans against trans women is going to hurt all women. Do we really want cisgender women to have to prove that they are 'feminine' enough to be recognised as women? Are we okay with the fact that these gender-critical groups want us to police all women, including cisgender women? They are not feminists, they are not recognising that this absolute attack on transgender women is enforcing patriarchal oppression.' Lynch stresses that protecting rights is not a competition. 'We can and should all fight for cisgender women's rights – in the workplace, in reproductive justice and to ensure safety.' She points out that globally the leading cause of physical and psychological harm to women is violence within their intimate partnerships. 'But this particular flavour of so-called feminism is rooted in whiteness, it is not intersectional. It overlooks the experiences of women facing multiple and overlapping forms of oppression, including those often marginalised within feminist spaces. They cannot see beyond their own privilege. If they could, they would look at the data and fight for the urgent issues affecting all women.' The evidence is there The claim that there's a 'lack of evidence' is one of the most common, and most misleading, arguments used to question gender-affirming care. De Beer-Procter explains: 'We have longitudinal studies, clinical audits, qualitative research and systematic reviews that all point to the same thing: gender-affirming care improves mental health outcomes, reduces distress and increases wellbeing – especially when it's timely, respectful and affirming. 'But no amount of evidence will ever feel like 'enough' to people who aren't actually looking for evidence. For many of the most vocal critics, the real issue isn't about data; it's about belief – that everyone is either male or female, that this is fixed at birth, and that it reflects some 'biological truth'. 'But that belief doesn't hold up to scrutiny. It's not supported by science, and it's certainly not reflective of lived reality. 'We've known for decades that sex and gender are far more complex than two boxes on a form. Intersex people exist. Trans and non-binary people exist. Cultures all over the world have recognised more than two genders for centuries, says De Beer-Procter. So, when anti-trans groups demand 'proof', what they're often doing is moving the goalposts. They dismiss rigorous studies for not being perfect. They discredit researchers for being too close to the communities they study. And they ignore the overwhelming consensus from major medical bodies around the world. Because what's actually being defended isn't science, it's a worldview. A belief that gender diversity is a deviation rather than a natural part of human variation, and one that fuels disinformation and fear across borders. DM
