In the following lines I will give a very limited account on the above mentioned local church found in the busiest city called Manzini in Swaziland. Swaziland is land locked and bounded by the Republic of South Africa on the North, South and West. On the east it bounded by Mozambique.

Birth of the Church

It was a cold overcast Sunday morning on the 27th of March 1999, when about one hundred people physically gave birth to the independent autonomous local church legally registered as Manzini Fellowship Church. Since we had failed to find an appropriate worship place we were compelled to worship in four different homes as satellite church cells. Each of the cells had its own teachers for the two adult services and one teacher for the children every Sunday.

We used to come together once every two months and worship in one of the homes whose accommodation was spacious enough to take us all. At that time the church had acquired the services of Dr Charles E. Mahlangu as our full time pastor.

Other elders in the pastorate were five men, namely, Messrs O. B. Macwele, O. M. Dlamini, H. G. Shongwe, G. R. Bhembe (unfortunately a picture will be published at a later occasion only) and Andy E. F. Simelane. Alongside were the deacons namely Messrs P. J. Shongwe and S. S. Simelane. Assisting the pastor was Mr Andy E. F. Simelane whose main service was to occasionally visit all the churches to maintain unity and cooperation, hence, he was designated "a roving elder." 

We maintained our unity very successfully. In the meantime we were busy praying and looking for a small plot on which to build our church.

Change of accommodation

The hunger and thirst to worship together continued to pressurize us to meet together. So in 2000 we acquired a lease of two classrooms from the University of Swaziland. We were charged E/R 75.00 per Sunday for three and a half years.

In the meantime by God's grace we obtained a farm inside the city measuring eleven thousand square metres costing E/R 250,000.00. We started to pay instalments towards this property.

In 2002 four major issues took place. First, our pastor Dr. Charles E Mahlangu left the church for an offer of heading the Bible Seminary known as ESSA in the Pietemaritzburg, Natal (South Africa). Second, Mr Andy E. F. Simelane became the pastor. Third, we ordered a steel structure worth E/R 40,000.00 from Pretoria for the construction of the church. Forth, we started supporting mission work through the World Mission Centre.

Church on huge stand (July 06 picture)

Two young men were financially supported in church planting in Sangashe and Natempo eight hundred kilometres north of Beria in Mozambique. There will be more information on this project later.

Worshipping in our Church

The steel structure was constructed at the beginning of 2003, and another contractor took over in making it habitable. It cost us E/R 200.000.00. It was another cold overcast Sunday morning when we first occupied our church building on the 8th of June 2003. There were no window panes and no glasses on the doors. We were visibly shivering but emotionally warm and exhilarated.Since we were in a hurry to occupy the building we had decided to limit the main sitting area to one hundred to 150 seats. This extension was completed in March 2008 at a cost of E/R 240,000.00.

Contacts with saints of same conviction

Since this local church was established we had always felt the need to have contacts and fellowship with other reformed churches of our Biblical conviction. By the grace of God we were introduced to Dr. Martin Holdt who is pastoring the Constantia Park Baptist Church (in Pretoria, South Africa).

He accepted our invitation and visited us for a weekend at the end of February, 2006. He was very interested in introducing us to the following fellowships: the annual Evangelical & Reformed Conference held in Port Shepstone (Skogheim), the Shepherds' Conference (both in May and January every year), the Grace School of Ministry, and the Sola 5 Association.Since May, 2006, we have not missed these fellowships because they are all spiritually enriching.

Our Sola 5 Association Membership

In short this is how we have become part of Sola 5 Association:

• In July 2006, Mr Hein Strauss the Sola 5 Coordinator visited us at our request to explain all about Sola 5.

• In September, 2006, three local church leaders, Messrs M. I. N Hlophe, P J Dlamini and Andy E.F. Simelane, attended the Second Annual Conference in Windhoek, Namibia.

• In that same conference we were afforded the privilege to become associate members.

• In September, 2007, Messrs O.B. Macwele and Andy E.F. Simelane attended the Third Annual Conference in Lusaka where the local church became a member after handing in our constitution.

What the Church is doing

Our Local Church mission is to fulfil the Great Commission in terms of Matthew 28:16-20, hence our motto and slogan "Making Christ's disciples of all nations."

In order to achieve this goal, first we have adopted and consolidated the teaching manpower. Secondly, 18 months ago we formalized church activities into 22 ministries.

All the five elders and seven deacons are involved in the teaching ministry. In the two main Sunday services the word is taught by the elders whilst the three midweek classes are taught by both elders and deacons.

We also have ministries, each headed by a deacon.

Each of the church adults is either in one or two of the ministries. Each ministry leadership has an average of four members including the deacons. Let me give a list of these ministries and briefly describe their main ministry:

• Catering ministry is responsible for catering at the church functions, conventions, weddings, etc.

• Choir ministry serves by teaching new hymns to the congregation well as presenting choir music.

• Christian School ministry is planning to establish a church school. The feasibility studies are underway.

• Counselling ministry whose responsibilities shall be to coordinate all the counselling activities and training.

• Editorial ministry whose duty is to proofread, organize and edit all the local church written materials.

• Health ministry provides appropriate medical care, attention and education to a limited scale to the church members. God has blessed us with about eight qualified nurses.

• "Jerusalem" ministry is responsible for planning, evangelizing the suburbs of the city. We decided to call it the Jerusalem in the light of Acts 1:8, the first place of witness.

• Ladies ministry is responsible for making sure the women's activities and fellowships are administered accordingly.

• Literature and library ministry's assignment is to collect and buy books and materials for the library. Since May 2006, it has acquired about 500 books at a cost of about E 35000.00. The ministry accepts books that are doctrinally sound from any donor.

• Maintenance ministry is mainly for building, maintenance and infrastructural changes.

• Men's ministry runs weekly couples, classes and other activities.

• Missions ministry generate financial assistance for the two missions we are supporting. One is the Thembisa church planting which is supported monthly since 2003. The other is 800 km north of Beira in Mozambique; it is also supported monthly since 2003. This mission started with two local churches with 10 members. This has grown to 9 local assemblies with a membership of more than 80.

• Relief ministry's duty is to provide material assistance to the needy local church members first, as well as non church members.

• Sunday School ministry specializes in administering the children's classes, providing its teachers with materials and workshops.

• Support staff ministry is responsible for the welfare of all the employees of the church, namely the pastor, typist, security guard and cleaners. They negotiate their wages, contracts and other issues.

• Worship ministry's work is to see to it that all that pertains to Sunday worship is up to date, namely, master of ceremony, congregational singing leader, Holy Communion, ushers, etc. etc.

• Youth fellowship ministry's work is to help the youth in organizing their fellowship activities, e.g. classes, camping, speakers.

Our dreams

• To establish a theological learning centre

• To establish a quality library

• To build a dining room and kitchen

– O.B. (Bheki) Macwele