They were just starting to get into their rhythm as a church, and now it’s the end of the road for Innocent Sadiki’s Church At The Valley branch in Mooikloof, Pretoria.
On 25 February, the congregation held their last service in their building they have been occupying since 2023.
This after they were kicked out by their landlord.
The actress, influencer and YouTuber tells Drum their last service was more emotional that she had expected it to be.
“I didn't expect it to be emotional I had actually said I want to be there and celebrating. But it was so surprising that the minute I stepped in, it was just my emotions. My emotions were way above me. I remember telling my sister that sisi I am so emotional. She gave me a tissue and I could not contain it. I don’t know why. It was weird.
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“I did not plan to be that way, but I didn't realize that stepping into that place with the sound of worship and the sound of the congregants and just how tangible the presence was.”
She says she has since realized that it is not only their loss with her husband Phindulo, as the senior pastors, but everyone else too.
“It is a loss for each and every one of these people who have invested their time and who have grown spiritually, who have created community with us community created a family with us.
“We go to church with the intention to grow, to improve and to find strength when we are weak, and spiritual leadership. And now they have to go back to the drawing board to go and start again. Because committing to a church is not easy, committing to spiritual parents is also not easy.”
Innocent says being with the congregation for the last time in that branch felt like a break-up.
“It is a separation from something that you have allowed to connect to you.
“It was overwhelmingly emotional. It was like a break-up, I don't know how to put it. It was like a painful break-up. You know when you break up with someone, but you still love them. It was like a painful break-up.”
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On Friday, Innocent took to Instagram to share that because of issues with their landlord, they have had to shut down that branch, but members of the church are free to go worship at their Midrand branch if they are able to.
She explained that in August 2023, the church entered into a three-year contract with the landlord to use their unoccupied church.
“Around November 2023, several weeks after occupation, the landlord contacted the Church At The Valley leadership and requested a meeting whereby it was discussed that the church would be returning to ministry and intends to welcome its worshipers back to the premises,” her post reads in part.
The landlord then requested a follow up meeting for January 2024, she posts, but Church At The Valley leadership was not available in January and requested to meet in February rather.
“When the February meeting took place, the landlord decided to immediately, without further adieu (sic), terminate the lease, citing that their team feels undermined by Church at the Valley pastors.”
