Special Hearings — Faith Community Hearings — 1997-11-17

CHAIRPERSON: Yes, I thank you very much. I don't know, maybe you should ...[indistinct]   we will go and sit over there and then more people will be able to see.

PASTOR BURGER: "...[inaudible] we can really be reconciled with each other.   What happens here today and that happened during this week in the Apostolic   Faith Mission, is a clear testimony that the vertical dimension of reconciliation   also spilt over in our hearts and therefore we are able. And I want to say this   today publicly, that the AFM has reached more than a structural unity, I believe   God has melted our hearts together and that we become one reconciled. 
In fact, being reconciled with God compels us to be reconciled with one another.   I have something on my heart that I want to do and that is not on the programme   and I say honestly I feel this is from God. I want to ask Father Frank Chikane   just to come and stand with me. 
Pastor Frank, - and I want to address especially my brothers and sisters from   the previous composite division of the Apostolic Faith Mission, I have never   before - as in the last week or two, really realised how much you've suffered   and how much pain and frustration and despair you experienced in decades of   separation. 
I've listened to you my brother Frank, the last week a number of times in discussions   not only about what you yourself have suffered, not only physically but spiritually   and emotionally because of the vision in our church. And I stand this morning   humbled before my brothers and sisters and I acknowledge today that the division   and separation in the Apostolic Faith Mission for decades - although it probably   was not an evil invention of some preacher, I acknowledge that we were children   and prisoners of our time. 
I acknowledge that we for years, did not question brothers and sisters being   separated because their skins were not white. I acknowledge it this morning   and this morning brother Frank - you were the previous leader of the composite   division, I was the leader of the White section and as the representative of   the composite division, I do confess this morning before you the unbearable   hardships that we caused our brothers and sisters. 
I confess that without us knowing that we actually sinned for many years, we   sinned against the body of Jesus Christ by separating you and often at times,   handled you with - conducted our work as if you were inferior mission objects. 
And I ask this morning Frank - on behalf of those gone before and even those   today and I know it has been done in isolated cases in the past, I do it publicly   today, I ask you to forgive us for all the pain that we caused you"

FRANK CHIKANE: "Well, I would like to take this opportunity of thanking   our brother, Pastor Burger - I would like to take this opportunity of saying   thank you to my brother, Pastor Burger for what he has done today. There are   many people who have been looking forward to this happening in our midst and   this shows that the unity we have come to is true unity. And I would like to   assure you this day, that we have forgiven one another, may God bless you and   be with you.
I must also say that the hurt that we have carried for many years - as I said   in the former Black church, has given us an occasion as well to sin in our anger   and I want to thank our brothers and sisters who have now come together with   us so that we do not ever sin against one another again. From now on we're going   to walk together and learn to do it together and be ambassadors of the Lord   in this world, may God bless you".

PASTOR BURGER: Thank you brother Chairperson.

CHAIRPERSON: I am not sure that we want to ask questions, we may be wanting   to ask questions but I sometimes think that - as has often happened or not often   but on a number of occasions has happened in our hearings, we realise that we   are in the presence of something that is special, where we really ought to be   taking off our shoes because we are walking or standing on holy ground.
God is good, God is good beyond our deserving and we give thanks for what we   have seen as having happened. We read about it but now we have participated   a little bit in it in a way that would not have come across in the reports that   we maybe read in newspapers or maybe saw a snippet on television. 
I don't know whether the others of you might just want to say something? I'm   maybe being hard on my colleagues - well, there are quite a number of chorus's.   I don't know whether you know

SINGING OF: "LORD, WE LOVE THEE"

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you, thank you   very much.
We now call Dominees Buys and Maphoto of the Uniting Reformed Church. We welcome   you. When I last saw you, you were in Addis Ababa just as Frank, Frank was preaching   - he preached a wonderful ceremony in our opening service but welcome dear brothers,   you will introduce each other and then Bongani Finca will administer the oath   or affirmation.

UNKNOWN: Sir, Commissioners, may I present to you Reverend Marcus Maphoto,   he is the Assessor of the General Synod of the United Reformed Church.

CHAIRPERSON: You do the honours for him on the other side.

REV MAPHOTO: I take this opportunity Mr Commissioner, to introduce to you my   Moderator of the General Synod, James Buys.

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you very much.

UNKNOWN: (sworn states)

CHAIRPERSON: Thank you very much, I don't know which one of you - the Moderator,   are you going to? I keep repeating my sermon, you have 30 minutes in which to   do your thing, 20 minutes perhaps of the submission and some time for interaction   with the panel, thank you very much.