welcome to the warehouse!

The Warehouse was established in 2003 through local church partnerships, and exists to serve the South African church network in its response to poverty and injustice. We work with local churches in both rich and poor communities, helping them to implement sound, effective and practical acts and renewed attitudes, to see transformation in their communities.

• Walking Together With Dr Mamphela Ramphele

  

  I went to a breakfast talk by Dr Mamphela Ramphele on Friday morning.  I had heard her before at a function in Polokwane.  She made the same call for civil society and businesses to stand up and be counted when it comes to shaping South Africa’s future.  We don’t dare leave it up to government to drive the agenda as they would want us to.  We need to Walk Together, not Walk Behind.

  She also said the conversation about peace and reconciliation and healing needs to continue (it didn’t stop with the TRC) or else we just continue to speak and work from a place of woundedness.  We need to walk together.  We need to come together.

  People were given a a chance to respond at the end of her talk.  One young woman shared how the youth need to be heard and their hurt acknowledged – of dreams disappointed, of lost opportunities.  It struck me that she is right, yet this isn’t the same story about Apartheid, and struggle that the older generation of leaders are referring to and living in light of.  This is post 1994.  Her hurt can’t be so easily defined in terms of race and racism.  It’s another emerging narrative. But it is a story that will need to be heard in its own right or we risk diminishing the voice of her generation, while our elders still struggle to speak openly about the past.

  The other thing thing that struck me was how few social spaces seem to exist to bring people together.  Schools can do this, but depending on their location can be quite uniform racially.  Universities can do this, but the crunch comes when you look at residences.  Church can do this, but most often groups around language preferences (eg. An isiZulu-speaking church or an English-speaking church or an Afrikaans-speaking church.)  Clergy could do this when they gather at functions, but again tend to group in the comfort of language/culture.  (A comment was made after the talk about feeling ok eating with hands vs implements.)  It’s a natural thing.

  So the option Ramphele promotes of “Walking Together” is not an easy road.  It takes a conscious and concerted effort.  But if anyone can do it, it can be the Church who proclaims that we are all one in Christ.  We’re diverse peoples, but one.  United in our worship of the same Lord.  All nations bending the knee to one God.  Such was the radical nature and gospel of the early church as it crossed over well established divides.  Every tongue confessing… We’re talking more than tolerance.  We’re talking relationship.  Biblically we’re talking about a love that draws us together for the sake of Christ and because of Christ.

  Who am I going to have coffee with this week?  Ramphele has challenged me to build the future one cup of coffee at a time.  One conversation at a time!

  * Peter Houston is a friend of The Warehouse. To read his blog visit http://petersprogress.com

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• Winter is here

  

  Now that winter is very much with us, please take note of the following important information that will help us all as we serve those who are cold this winter ...

  -  Please only donate clothing and items that will be practical and useful for this cold weather. For example, sandals and light summers dresses cannot be distributed at this time of year. If you have done a clear-out at the end of summer, we respectfully ask that you store your very summery items until spring when we will again be able to distribute them.

  -  Please ensure that all shoes are good quality or well mended and not likely to let water in, during our wet weather

  -  If you would like to purchase blankets for distribution during the coldest months and times of flooding, please consider rather buying one good quality blanket than several of the poorer quality blankets. We do find that the grey and white blankets often shed quite badly and do not last past one winter.

  - As always, please ensure that the clothing and other items that you donate are clean, and in an excellent state, ready to distribute. We do find that clothing that is over-stuffed into black bin liners is very difficult to distribute without needing some attention- the better state the clothes you give are in when they get to us, the faster they will be able to be distributed. Please consider using good quality bags, or not over-filling bags, when you deliver your clothing to The Warehouse.

  - You may even want to spend some time with your family, sorting clothing into mens, womens, childrens and sizes and then label the bags accordingly- that would make distribution go even more smoothly!

  - Remember that you can give your time at The Warehouse. Come during the week and learn from our regular teams of dedicated time-givers how to pack a beautiful gift for someone in need, or a starter kit for a family who has lost everything in a fire. Bring your whole family to our all-age friendly first Saturdays of the month between 9 and 12.

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• Leadership Vacancies - vocational Opportunities

  

  
  
  

  1. OPERATIONS LEADER

  We seek a proven leader to lead the operations function of The Warehouse in support of the vision, policies, and goals established by the organisation. Responsibilities include directing, developing, and coordinating the human, physical, and fiscal resources to accomplish the plan in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders. The position provides leadership for building an organisational culture that is consistent with The Warehouse strategic plan.

  Job Requirements
  • Appropriate business or management degree
  • Proven experience in managing financial systems.
  • Appropriate knowledge of and ability to apply statutory HR requirements
  • General knowledge of IT systems, hardware and networks and the ability to coordinate IT
  efforts
  • Good general management skills in running a property and in ensuring its overall
  maintenance, development and security.
  • The ability to manage and motivate teams and individuals.
  • Sound judgement. Good analysing and decision making skills, particularly as these relate
  to processes and systems in the context of limited resources.
  • The ability to develop opportunities for sharing, and growing administrative effectiveness.
  • Experience in management within the non profit context an advantage. 
  Membership of a local church

  Applications to be sent via email to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) by no later than 5pm on Monday 30 April 2012.  Applications should include a letter of motivation and a full CV. 

  2. CHURCH ENGAGEMENT LEADER

  We seek to appoint a proven leader who is passionate about the church’s engagement in the issues of poverty, injustice and division.  This person will lead and develop the strategy for working with church leaders, will network with and mentor church leaders and will ensure that The Warehouse is engaging theologically in the pursuit of its strategic vision. 

  Job Requirements
  A theological qualification
  Proven experience in discipling and/or mentoring leaders.
  Local church membership
  Strategic leadership experience.
  Church leadership experience.
  Xhosa or Afrikaans in addition to English a necessity.
  Good written and spoken communication skills.
  Drivers license a necessity.
  5 years work experience in a non profit or church context preferable. 

  Applications to be sent via email to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) by no later than 5pm on Monday 30 April 2012.  Applications should include a letter of motivation and a full CV. 

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• Help would be greatly valued ...

  Things are going so well with the response to the Langa Fire Disaster. Churches from across the city have sent gifts for those who have lost everything and God is guiding our relief effort as only He can!
  

  We currently have huge amounts of items that need to be sorted and loaded onto the trucks. It’s a great opportunity for you to come with your friends and family - all help will be greatly valued!!!

  Come to The Warehouse, 12 Plantation Rd, 021 761 1168

  Friday (tomorrow) 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
  Sunday 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.

  Monday and Tuesday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 Many hands needed to load the trucks!

  Thank you to everyone who has already helped. Phone Caroline if you have any queries.

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• Worship Intercession for South Africa

  

  Come and pray at The Warehouse on Friday mornings—from 8:30 - 9:30. We pray for our city, our province and our nation on Fridays. All welcome. Email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) for more information.

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• Response to Langa Fire devastation

  

  The Warehouse will be open for packing and sorting and general help for the relief effort during the whole of next week.

  You are welcome to come between 9h30 and 16h00 Monday- Friday.

  We regret we will not be able to collect donations from you or your church- please ask people in your networks to volunteer to drive the donations to our premises, at 12 Plantation Road, Wetton.

  We would also like to be able to contact people to help with deliveries to the Anglican Church in Langa from Tuesday.
  Please contact Dot on 021 761 1168 if you are able to help pack or deliver next week.

  Many thanks,
  Dot and Caroline at The Warehouse

  
  List of useful things for collection

  Remember to stipulate smaller sizes in items e.g. 500gr omo - not 1kg

   
  BABY PRODUCTS
  Nappies
  Vaseline
  Face cloths
  Liquid purity foods & Dry purity foods
  Bottles / dummies
  
  OTHER
  Soap
  Towels
  Toothpaste /brush
  Ladies feminine items
  Clothing detergent
  Toilet paper
  
  HOUSEHOLD ITEMS
  Plastic basins / 5 liter buckets
  Pots
  Plates
  Cutlery (even if its plastic)
  Mugs
  

  FOOD ITEMS
  Canned Food
  Soya meat packets
  Sugar
  Tea / Coffee
  Maizemeal
  Salt
  Packets of brown onion soup (makes gravey with maize)

  Please contact us if you have any queries. And THANK YOU for serving the Church and the people of Cape Town in this way.
  

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