Mossel Bay

August 3, 2020 UPDATE: This Feast site will be held for local brethren only. The borders are closed and inter-provincial travel is currently prohibited, with church services limited to 50 people or less. We are going ahead with planning the Feast at Mossel Bay for members in South Africa, and will continue to adjust plans as the Feast gets closer. Depending on what restrictions look like by Feast time, we may be able to have an in-person meeting or may use technology such as Zoom to connect everyone to the same daily service.

Sabbath 3 October – Friday 9 October
Opening Evening – Friday 2 October
Eighth Day – Sabbath 10 October

2019 was the first experience of our exciting new Feast site on the Southern Coast of South Africa, in the historical town of Mossel Bay.
United Church of God has one Feast site in South Africa and last year’s local attendance was just over 140.

We had the privilege of 46 international visitors from the US, Australia, Holland, Switzerland and the UK, all of whom contributed tremendously to its success by serving in every aspect of the Feast – from setting up, speaking, special music, and of course fellowship.

We’re optimistically looking forward to building on the success of last year, and hoping for as many, if not more, international visitors!
We’re able to accommodate about 150 visitors.

The primary purpose of the Feast is to appear before God at this appointed time at the place where He has placed His name, and with everyone staying within walking distance of the central venue, the opportunities for fellowship and rejoice are tremendously enhanced.

Mossel Bay is the start on the Cape Town side of what’s known as the Garden Route – an area popular with both local and international tourists stretching for about 200km along the east coast to Storms River, and characterized by a beautiful variety of vegetation and scenery.
It also claims to have the second most moderate climate in the world after Hawaii, and boasts 320 sunny days a year.

 Accommodation

Central to the Feast venue is the Diaz Hotel and Resort conference facility, where most of our international visitors will be staying and where services will be held. It’s a large, modern facility with direct beach access and all rooms facing onto the Indian Ocean. Besides the single and double hotel suites, there are also hotel apartments available for small groups, families, or those wishing to do some of their own catering. With the proximity of shops and facilities, and the availability of very affordable taxi services, having your own transport is not a necessity.
Be aware that Uber does not operate in Mossel Bay, but Bolt is available.

Special rates have been negotiated with the hotel for both their rooms & suites, as well as their self-catering apartments.
The hotel rooms & suites rate includes a full buffet breakfast in their beautiful upstairs dining area overlooking the bay, however this breakfast is not included for the hotel apartment guests.
There will also be a breakfast special available to all members, whether staying in the hotel or not, in the beautiful downstairs Bahia Blue restaurant.

Accommodation costs and breakdown are explained more fully on the housing page, and we’d prefer all international guests to liaise and book via Isella Wallis (our office manager and treasurer).
Isella will be available via email to help you with accommodation selection and reservations, and any other bookings you might need, such as planned excursions (when they are announced) and shuttle information and bookings. Her email is unitedchurchofgod.sa@gmail.com
Please visit the Hotel website for a visual overview: https://www.diazbeach.co.za/

Getting to Mossel Bay

International visitors have three options for getting to the Feast:

1) Fly into Cape Town. Spend a few days sight-seeing. Take a connecting flight to the George domestic airport (less than an hour’s flight from Cape Town.) Transfer via taxi or shuttle directly to the Diaz Hotel (only 39km, or 24 miles, from the George airport.

2) Fly into Cape Town. Spend a few days sight-seeing. Take an enjoyable drive to Mossel Bay – a beautifully scenic drive of less than 400km (250 miles). Allow for about six hours, granting time for some lovely breakfast or lunch stops and photo opportunities along the way.
A number, if not all of the Cape Town brethren, will be driving this route, some leaving on the day the Feast starts and some a few days early. So driving in convoy with those who know the area is an option.

3) Fly into O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. Enjoy some sights and visitor attractions in the greater Johannesburg area. Take a connecting flight to the George domestic airport (just less than a two-hour flight from Johannesburg). Transfer via taxi or shuttle directly to the Diaz Hotel (only 39km, or 24 miles, from the George airport).

Things to see and do:

Free time during, before and after the Feast, can be spent relaxing or touring, with exceptional opportunities provided by attractions such as –

• The Diaz Waterpark, adjacent to the hotel - with special rates for Feast-goers
• Blue-flag and beautiful white-sand beaches
• Two nearby Game Farms offering four of the ‘Big Five’ wild animals
• Boat trips to Seal Island and for whale-watching
• Numerous restaurants offering local cuisine
• The Bartholomew Diaz Museum
• The Diaz rail express
• Wine and craft beer tasting
• Gin making
• Shark Cage diving for the more adventurous.
• The longest (apparently) ocean zip line in the world
• Steam train restoration

https://www.visitmosselbay.co.za/ gives you more information on some of these and we have a few church excursions already in the planning stages, but more on that later.

We sincerely hope you will consider joining us for the Feast of Tabernacles 2020!
Please contact us for any questions or concerns you may have, and we’ll do our best to facilitate your visit.
Also please visit (and like) our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MosselBayUCG/ for more of a photos, and to keep you up to date with our planning.

There is no registration fee for this Feast site, but a donation towards Feast assistance and administration would be greatly appreciated. This can be paid in cash at the Feast or via eft.

Regards,

Vivien Botha