Team Diaconate is there to support churches in diaconal work. We do this by informing, equipping and giving advice. We love to tell stories about the diaconal projects and we are very keen to get churches more involved in the work in those projects.
Inspiring engagement
The initiators in a project are often people who have experienced deep need up close or have experienced it themselves and have discovered how the gospel liberates and transforms. We heard this, for example, from someone who set up a project for children in Africa: “When a country is ravaged by hunger, it is often the children who die. When a disease breaks out somewhere, the first to succumb are the children, and when there is a war somewhere, more children die than soldiers. I have experienced that at close quarters and I want to help children who suffer this fate and surround them with the love of Jesus Christ.”
It is inspiring to be involved with someone with a vocation that keeps faith and action very close together. Therefore, it is our deep desire that a close relationship is created between a project and a congregation.
This is how it works
We allow church members to see how God is working in all kinds of places around the world. Of all the projects supported by Diaconate, some have been adopted. New projects are regularly added and this is a natural moment for a congregation to enter into a relationship with a project. This can be supported by a diaconate, but also, for example, by a diaconal committee in the congregation. Such a relationship can also grow gradually, as in the congregation that adopted a children's project. They got to know the children and children in the congregation and children from the project now write to each other. Sometimes a trip to the project is also possible, or representatives from the project can be invited to visit the Netherlands.
Diaconate continues to do project coordination in all cases, which is our job.
New projects
Recently, deputies of diaconate have pledged support to a number of new projects. These projects are very suitable for adoption. Diaconal consultant Erjan van der Linde will be happy to tell you more about those projects and how adopting a project works. Feel free to call or email: 06-29363637 or e.vanderlinde@cgk.nl.
Pictured above: church members from Veenendaal Pniël and Pakistanis together help rebuild the house of a widow in Pakistan
