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Weekly Greeting: Sunday 24 August - A letter from Schalk Pienaar
Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 2008-08-22 11:30
Dear Friends
You may remember that in February Marlene and I announced that we would be leaving Northfield in the next year or two, subject to finding a suitable post, and for some time our future has been unclear as to exactly when we should leave, and where we should move to. Northfield. I have heard some interesting rumours regarding my future such as that I was joining SASOL, going into business and so on. The truth is that I am a pastor and I am committed to the local church. I also feel a strong commitment towards South Africa.
After months of prayer and engagements with a number of local and international churches, Marlene and I have, after consultation with our Bishop, accepted a move to the Brooklyn Methodist Church, Pretoria, as from 1 January 2009. This may be sooner than expected, but we nonetheless trust that the congregation will graciously accept the timing. It so happens that I will be replacing Ross Olivier who had been there since the beginning of this year, but has felt an urgent call to the mission field. Ross felt that my availability was a further confirmation of his call, for he did not want to leave Brooklyn without a pastor at such short notice. (Many will remember Ross from his time on our staff).
I also need to share with you that at the beginning of this year I was invited by the CEO of SASOL to participate in their senior executive development programme (SEDP). The elders agreed to my participation, most of which I attended during my furlough. The course (4 weeks duration at roughly 1 week per quarter) is run at GIBS, University of Pretoria, and has included trips to Shanghai, Singapore and Mumbai and Doha. (The latter two I will visit in October). SASOL has been very gracious and has paid the bill in full. I am deeply grateful to them for their generosity and for the gift of excellent training and exposure.
Marlene and I are filled with so many conflicting emotions at this time, the primary one being that of gratitude. We will value an opportunity to express our appreciation to the people of God at Northfield.
I commend my successor, Brian Smith, to you and to your prayers.
Much love to you.
Schalk and Marlene Pienaar
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