As a Church, we are about Jesus and people. Our focus is to bring those who are not part of St Martin’s closer to Jesus.
“The Church is the only institution that exists primarily for the benefit of those who are not its members.”
St Martin’s is an Anglican Church of the Diocese of Johannesburg. We are one Church that is part of a much larger body of Churches To find out more about the Diocese and it’s vision, please visit this website.
You might be asking some questions…
Who is St Martin? - He was the Bishop of Tours (West-Central France); made Bishop in AD 371. Our Church is named after him. To find out what made him so famous, check out this article!
What is “Anglican”? - It simply refers to a Church or group of people who are connected in some way to the Church of England.
What are the doctrinal statements of Anglicans? - Members of the Anglican Church subscribe to what is known as the 39 Articles and the Book of Common Prayer. For a breakdown of the Articles, please, click here.
What kind of leadership structure does your Church use? - St Martin’s has three interconnected levels of leadership: 1. The Council (everyday members of the Church, elected by the members for the members), 2. The Executive Committee (made up of the wardens, the treasurer, & the rector), 3. The rector (senior leader). The council is the highest authority for making decisions in the Church. The rector and the Executive Committee all sit on the Council.
Whats up with the strange dress-code of the clergy (pastors) and why the lengthy liturgy (order of service)? - Basically, Anglicans, like most people, appreciate symbolism. However, It’s not about the symbols themselves but what they remind us of. If you’ve got an hour to spare, check out this video that will give you some background information on our liturgy.
How long has St Martin’s been around and why on earth is there “in-the-Veld” in your name? - Since 1912! Here is a picture of the original building waaaay back! Just by looking at the picture, you’ll understand the “Veld” part. Our current building is not the same as the original but we are still located on the same site. We also have preserved in our current building the cornerstone of the first structure!
The first St Matin’s in-th-Veld , 1912.
St Martin’s exists to build God’s Kingdom by living and spreading the Gospel
Our church exists to enable the family of God to experience and respond to the love of Jesus. Because of this love, we seek to become closer followers of our Lord and through our spiritual growth we will, by his grace, become vital and vibrant members of the body of Christ.
Over the many years that St Martin's has been in Dunkeld we have seen massive changes in the area. From the days when we really were “in the veld” to today where we are situated in the burgeoning metropolis of Rosebank. As the nature of our city changes, so our church has altered to meet those needs. The old theatre clubs and musical evenings have given way to Alpha and music group practices, and part of our worship has become more informal as befits our new millennium world. In addition, we are convicted of the need to reach out and positively impact the lives of the wealthy and poverty-stricken urban population surrounding us.
“The Church is the only institution that exists primarily for the benefit of those who are not its members.”