This past Sunday we held our annual general meeting. One of the key discussions was capacity. We have been running out of seating space. Over the past three weeks our attendance has been 218, 215, and 250. The only way to fit everyone in has been to fetch plastic chairs from other rooms. That has meant a lot of carting around for staff and volunteers. And it is not sustainable in the long run.
The elders considered two options. Buy new chairs. Or go to a second service. We agreed on the principle that we will avoid a second service if at all possible.
So we made enquiries. The plastic chairs we currently use would cost R140 each. But they are no longer readily available in brown. We searched for alternatives. We found a banquet chair with a sturdy frame, a full back, and strengthened cushioning for R460 each. At the AGM the church accepted the proposal to replace all the plastic chairs in the main hall with these banquet chairs at a cost of around R50,000. The vote was unanimous.
So now we have space to continue growing.
And grow we are. I am encouraged by stories of members inviting their world to church. Clive and Carol invited friends, who returned this past Sunday. Sonja invited her circle. A couple with a teenage daughter I spoke to two weeks ago returned this week, bringing more family with them. Our people are excited about what God is doing at Benoni Baptist Church. He is moving. And so they are inviting their world to come and see. For His glory. For our joy.
One way you can get involved. Attached to this email is an image. Please share it on your WhatsApp status. It is an invite to our Sunday evening service, 28 September, 6:00pm. If a friend shows interest, come with them. Sit with them. Talk with them. Introduce them to others. Help them feel welcome. In this way you can join in what the Lord is doing to reach Benoni with the gospel, and equip all for life.
