{"id":50562,"date":"2021-12-02T12:30:31","date_gmt":"2021-12-02T10:30:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/mthathaexpress\/special-service-held-church-comforts-victims-of-covid-19-20211130\/"},"modified":"2025-03-20T20:47:01","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T18:47:01","slug":"special-service-held-church-comforts-victims-of-covid-19-20211130","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/mthathaexpress\/special-service-held-church-comforts-victims-of-covid-19-20211130\/","title":{"rendered":"Special service held: Church comforts victims of COVID-19"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The members of the Twelfth Apostles Church Assembles International (TACAI), in Mthatha, hosted a special service, with the aim of commemorating and comforting different families who have lost loved ones to COVID-19. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This seminar was held at Bongweni Community Hall in Mthatha, last week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the overseer of TACAI, Apostle Moses Nelani, they held a memorial service for all church members who had fallen due to COVID-19. Nelani confirmed that they lost 18 members. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe wanted to give the families relief and to ensure them that we support them,\u201d said Nelani. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div contenteditable=\"false\" data-embed24=\"Images\" data-pos=\"middle\" id=\"embed_100445c6\">\n<div class=\"slide\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" data-smallsrc=\"https:\/\/cdn.24.co.za\/files\/Cms\/General\/d\/647\/55de2db3f3a5489ab8b0d7e3f1115e89.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/mthathaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/a32984694c284f49a12ea738df9f7a7d.jpg\" title=\"The family of Londiwe Ben carry her picture at the memorial service held by the members of Twelfth Apostles Church Assemblies (TACAI). \"><p><\/p>\n<div class=\"caption\">The family of Londiwe Ben carry her picture at the memorial service held by the members of Twelfth Apostles Church Assemblies (TACAI). <\/div>\n<div class=\"img_accreditation\"><span class=\"source\" style=\"display:none;\"><\/span><span class=\"photographer\" style=\"display:none;\"><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>He added that they decided to host this service because they never had a chance to bury their family members, due to the restrictions of COVID-19. He said, as the church, they took a decision to host this service and framed the photos of those members who departed due to pandemic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the family members, priest Thulani Ben, said he lost his sister, Londiwe Ben (30), due to this pandemic. He said this service left them relieved because it was not nice to bury their loved ones alone. Ben said they felt that they buried them with dignity now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis service gave us closure because our hearts had still been bleeding. But our church members gave us the full support that we needed. We are very happy,\u201d said Ben.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The members of the Twelfth Apostles Church Assembles International (TACAI), in Mthatha, hosted a special service, with the aim of commemorating and comforting different families who have lost loved ones to 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