There are moments in the life of a church when we do more than mark the passing of time. We gather to remember the prayers that carried us, the sacrifices that sustained us and the faithfulness of those who built before us. Tonight is one of those moments.
This Jubilee is not merely an anniversary. It is a testimony. It is evidence that God has been present through every season, that this congregation has endured, served and grown, and that its ministry has touched lives across generations.
We are here to celebrate the years behind us but also to recognise the responsibility before us. The blessings we enjoy today were made possible by people who gave yesterday. Their time, their resources, their prayers and their love became the foundation on which we stand.
Now the question is: What will we build for tomorrow? That question brings us to the powerful theme of this evening: “The Power of a Cheerful Giver: Giving Today, Building Tomorrow.”
In 2 Corinthians 9:7, we are reminded: “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
These words speak not only about generosity but about the spirit in which we live. A cheerful giver does not give merely because there is a need. A cheerful giver gives because they understand that every blessing is also an opportunity to bless others.
Giving is not simply an act of transferring something from one hand to another. True giving comes from the heart. It is an expression of gratitude, faith, compassion and hope.
And giving is certainly not limited to money.
We give when we share our time.
We give when we offer our skills and knowledge.
We give when we encourage someone who has lost hope.
We give when we mentor a young person.
We give when we help educate a child.
We give when we care for the elderly, support the vulnerable, visit the sick, strengthen a family or simply stand beside someone during a difficult season.
Sometimes, the greatest gifts we give will never appear on a bank statement. They are found in the lives we touch. I have always believed that we have a responsibility to leave the world a little better than we found it. God blesses us in different ways. Some are blessed with resources. Others with knowledge. Others with influence, leadership, wisdom or the ability to inspire.
The power of giving
But whatever we have been given, we are called to use it responsibly. Our blessings are not meant to end with us. They are meant to flow through us. That is the true power of giving. When we give today, we are often planting a seed whose harvest we may never personally see.
A contribution towards a child’s education may one day produce a doctor, a teacher, an entrepreneur or a leader. A helping hand to a struggling family may restore dignity and hope. A church that invests in its young people today may be nurturing the pastors, community leaders and nation builders of tomorrow. A congregation that builds strong foundations today creates a spiritual home for generations still to come.
The legacy we leave
That is why the second part of tonight’s theme is so important: Building Tomorrow. We live in a world that often encourages us to think only about the present — what we need today, what we want today and what benefits us today.
But people of faith are called to think differently. We are called to think generationally. We must ask ourselves: What are we leaving behind? What kind of church are we leaving for our children and grandchildren? What kind of community are we building? What values are we passing on? What opportunities are we creating for those who will come after us?
Legacy is not simply about what people remember about us. Legacy is what continues because we were here. It is the tree whose shade we may never sit beneath. It is the school we help build for children we may never meet. It is the young person we encourage who later changes the lives of thousands. It is the church we strengthen today so that, many years from now, another family can walk through its doors and find faith, comfort, belonging and hope. That, to me, is the beauty of giving.
A cheerful giver understands that generosity is not a loss. It is an investment.
An investment in people.
An investment in dignity.
An investment in hope.
An investment in the future.
And very often, the giver receives something far greater in return — not necessarily materially but in the knowledge that their life has contributed to something greater than themselves.
My own journey has taught me that leadership and service cannot be separated.
Leadership is not about position. It is about responsibility. It is about asking: Who is better because I was here? Who received an opportunity? Who was encouraged? Who was lifted? Who was given a chance? Who discovered their own potential because somebody believed in them?
The same is true of the church. The strength of a church is not measured only by the beauty of its building or the size of its congregation. Its true strength can be seen in the lives it transforms. It can be seen in the young people it guides. In the families it supports. In the hungry it feeds. In the lonely it welcomes. In the broken it helps restore. And in the hope it carries beyond its walls and into the community.
As we celebrate this Jubilee, we should therefore also honour those who gave before us.
Responsibility passed to us
There were people who prayed when there was little. People who sacrificed when resources were scarce. People who gave their time, their talents and whatever they could afford because they believed in the future of this church.
Some of those people may no longer be with us. But we are sitting here tonight partly because of what they gave yesterday. Their giving became our inheritance. And now the responsibility passes to us.
What will we build for those who come after us? What will the next generation inherit from our faithfulness? The challenge before us is therefore not simply to celebrate the past, but to become faithful custodians of the future. Our country and our communities need people who understand the spirit of cheerful giving now more than ever. We face enormous challenges — poverty, unemployment, inequality, broken families, struggling schools and young people who sometimes cannot see a path towards a better future.
Ekurhuleni murders and our collective conscience
But there is another crisis that demands our collective conscience. As we celebrate this Jubilee, we must also remain conscious of the pain within our society. In recent weeks, our nation has again been confronted by the devastating reality of violence against women, with the bodies of nine women discovered across Ekurhuleni in just two months.
Behind every statistic is a daughter, a mother, a sister, a friend and a life of immeasurable value.
A church cannot remain silent when women are afraid to walk our streets or live freely in their own communities.
Our faith must compel us not only to pray but also to speak, to protect, to intervene and to build communities in which the dignity and safety of every woman and child are sacred. If we truly believe in giving today and building tomorrow, then part of what we must build is a society where our women and children can live without fear.
Government alone cannot solve every problem. Business alone cannot solve every problem. The church alone cannot solve every problem.
But when people of goodwill work together — churches, communities, families, businesses and individuals — extraordinary things become possible. Each of us can contribute something.
Cheerful generosity
We should never underestimate the difference that one act of generosity can make. Sometimes we wait until we think we have enough before we give. But generosity is not determined by abundance.
It is determined by the heart. The person who gives a little with love may give far more than someone who gives much without compassion.
That is why Scripture speaks of the cheerful giver. Giving should not be a burden. It should be a privilege. It is our opportunity to say: “Thank you, Lord, for what You have placed in my hands. Allow me now to use some of it to bless someone else.”
As we look to the future of this church, I would therefore encourage every person here tonight to consider three things. Give what you can. Give where you can. And give with joy.
Perhaps your gift is financial. Perhaps it is your professional expertise. Perhaps it is mentoring a young person. Perhaps it is supporting a family. Perhaps it is volunteering your time. Perhaps it is simply noticing someone who has been overlooked and reminding them that they matter.
Whatever your gift may be, do not underestimate its value. A strong future is rarely built by one extraordinary act. It is built through thousands of faithful acts performed by ordinary people who care.
Tonight, as we celebrate this Jubilee, let us make a renewed commitment. Let us honour those who built before us by building for those who will come after us. Let us continue to be a church whose doors are open, whose hands are generous and whose heart remains firmly rooted in service.
Let us teach our children that success is not measured only by what we accumulate but by what we contribute. Let us remind them that privilege carries responsibility. Let us show them that a meaningful life is not simply about doing well for ourselves, but about doing good for others. And let us remember that one of the greatest gifts we can give the next generation is not simply wealth but values.
Faith.
Integrity.
Compassion.
Discipline.
Education.
Service.
And the courage to care about people beyond ourselves.
Those are the foundations upon which strong families, strong communities and strong nations are built.
This evening we celebrate the past with gratitude. We embrace the present with joy. And we look towards the future with faith. May this Jubilee mark not only an anniversary but a new beginning.
May it inspire renewed generosity. May it strengthen the bonds within this congregation. May it remind each of us that we have something valuable to give.
And may the seeds we plant today grow into blessings that future generations will one day enjoy. Because ultimately, giving today is how we build tomorrow. May we give generously. May we give joyfully. May we give faithfully. And may we always remember that God loves a cheerful giver.
R200 000 pledge
Before I conclude, I would like to make a commitment to the future of this church. In the spirit of this Jubilee and in gratitude for the work God has allowed this congregation to do, I am pleased, on behalf of the Phosa Legacy Foundation, to pledge an amount of R200 000 towards the future needs and development of the church.
This pledge will be fulfilled in four instalments of R50 000 each, with the first instalment payable at the end of December 2026, followed by a further R50 000 at the end of January, February and March 2027.
I make this pledge not for recognition but as an expression of gratitude, faith and our commitment to the very theme we celebrate this evening: Giving Today, Building Tomorrow.
But giving should never rest on the shoulders of one person or one organisation. The strength of a church lies in its people, and when many hands come together, even the greatest vision can become achievable.
With that in mind, I would also like to leave the church leadership with an idea for consideration as you look towards future projects and development.
‘Buy a Brick’ initiative
I have seen churches, schools, sporting organisations and community institutions successfully raise funds through what is often known as a “Buy a Brick” initiative.
The concept is simple but powerful. For a particular church project, members of the congregation, families, friends, former members, businesses and supporters could be invited to symbolically purchase a brick at an agreed amount. Some may buy one brick. Others may buy ten. A family may purchase a brick in the name of their family, their children, their parents or grandparents. A business may wish to contribute several bricks. Others may choose to purchase one in memory of a loved one who worshipped in this church and helped build the congregation we celebrate today.
Where appropriate, those contributions could be recognised through a commemorative wall, plaque or display as part of the completed project. Imagine, years from now, children and grandchildren walking past that wall and seeing the names of the people who helped build the next chapter of this church. They would be reminded that what stands before them was not built by one person. It was built by a congregation. It was built by people who believed enough in the future to give something today.
And perhaps that is the greatest message of a Jubilee. We honour those who came before us but we also accept responsibility for those who will come after us. There is something particularly meaningful about the symbolism of a brick. One brick on its own may not appear to be much. But place one brick beside another and another beside that, and eventually you have built something strong enough to stand for generations. The same is true of giving.
Every bit counts
Not everyone can give the same amount, and nor should they be expected to. What matters is the spirit in which we give. As Scripture reminds us: “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
That is why every contribution matters. A large gift matters. A small gift matters. An hour of someone’s time matters. A skill offered freely matters. A prayer matters. A brick matters. Because when all those contributions are brought together with a common purpose, they become something far greater than any one person could achieve alone.
Tonight, through the pledge of the Phosa Legacy Foundation, we are placing our first bricks towards that future. And I hope that, in whatever form is appropriate, others will also be inspired to place theirs. Not because we seek recognition. Not because we are compelled to give. But because we believe in what this church represents, we are grateful for what God has given us, and we understand our responsibility to leave something meaningful for those who will follow. Giving today is how we build tomorrow.
May this Jubilee therefore not only be a celebration of the journey behind us but the beginning of an exciting new chapter ahead. May we continue to build. May we continue to serve. May we continue to give.
Dr Mathews Phosa delivered the speech at the Jubilee Dinner Celebration at the Entokozweni Lutheran Church in Nelspruit on September 19, 2026.
- Dr. Mathews Phosa delivered a speech at the Jubilee Dinner Celebration at Entokozweni Lutheran Church in Nelspruit on September 19, 2026.
- The Jubilee theme highlighted was “The Power of a Cheerful Giver: Giving Today, Building Tomorrow,” emphasizing generosity and lasting legacy.
- Dr. Phosa pledged R200,000 through the Phosa Legacy Foundation for the church’s future, payable in four instalments from December 2026 to March 2027.
- He proposed a “Buy a Brick” fundraising initiative to encourage congregation members and supporters to contribute symbolically to future church projects.
- The speech addressed societal issues including violence against women in Ekurhuleni and called for collective responsibility involving churches, communities, families, and businesses.
