Truth, Reconciliation, Mandela and Me

Join us for our special guest service as we welcome Rory Steyn, a former chief body guard to Nelson Mandela. In an extended interview, Rory will tell the story of how a white South-African cop under an apartheid government came to be trusted as Nelson Mandela’s chief bodyguard and how he stood alongside him through some of the country’s most iconic moments.

Rory will share his deep respect for Mandela and how that shaped him, but also how a new found faith in Jesus led him to explore truth and reconciliation not just within society, but with God.

Grace Church Beckenham – meet each Sunday afternoon at the Mansion at Beckenham Place Park. There’s always something for everyone – for the Christian, for the skeptic, from the youngest to the oldest. We’d love for you to come meet this Beckenham community.

Timings – Coffee will be available in the Mansion atrium from 3.30pm and after the 4-5.15pm service.

What to expect – This special guest service will last about an hour. The bulk of our time will be set aside for an extended interview, a chance to ask questions and a reflection on reconciliation from the bible. There’ll be some short other elements of a church service – a couple of songs and some prayers for our world, but there’s absolutely no pressure to participate in these if you’re just looking in at the Christian faith.

Kids – During this service there will be groups for kids aged 0-11 (run by friendly and experienced, DBS-checked, staff and volunteers). Every age will start in the main service and then head out to their groups 10 minutes or so into the service. If it’s your first time, why not come by 3.45pm, then you can show kids the rooms, meet the group leaders in advance and register them for their first time. FYI – Many parents of younger children plan to bring their kids a packed-tea to be eaten alongside other kids at the end of the service – feel free to join in with that!