The Van Dyk Park-based Enon Family Church celebrated its golden jubilee on September 29, following its official inauguration in 1974.
The church, a historical spiritual home within the community, was initially known as the Baptist Church before the Pinkster Protestante Kerk took over and renamed it to its current name.
Special guests, the church leaders and the congregation attended the celebration, held at the church.
Speaking during the ceremony, pastor doctor Sam de Lange, who presided over the service, said the day marks a great milestone in their evangelical work and community services.
“In the past 50 years, the Lord has blessed us. I think this year is a special year for us as we have made an impact in the communities. We have done magnificent work in teaching people about the trueness of the Word and engaged in community services.
“We focus on giving back to the community and strive to make a difference in people’s lives.
“It is a privilege to thank everyone who supported us through all the years, but the greatest glory goes to God because he has carried us through. If it was not for his grace, his favour and his love, we would not be here today.”
Celebration
As part of the celebration to mark the milestone, the church organised a special service where members reminisced about the good times, and highlighted visions and efforts towards improving the efficiency of the church’s missions.
“We have brought the congregation together to reflect over the past 50 years, what we have achieved and things that happened in various times with different former leaders of the church. Each one of them has a special place in the church and community.
De Lange said he and his wife, pastor Tercia, have over the past 16 years been with the wonderful leadership, brought a lot of effort to make a big difference.
“This is not just being a lighthouse in a dark world, but also a place where people can resort to in their times of difficulty and hardships. We are not just a church but we are a family where we celebrate together.”
Members later gathered in the church hall and enjoyed delicious finger snacks.
Community projects
Through its The Heroes Among Us Awards, the church presented certificates to members of the community patrolling initiative in recognition of their work in Van Dyk Park.
The church also previously hosted an outreach project in cooperation with members of the Tainted Soul, East Rand Chapter and Silver Wing motorcycle clubs, where they collected perishable food, blankets and toiletries, which were distributed to the needy.
This church also boasts a Sunday school facility transformed to accommodate a fully-fledged crèche.
