Bella Vista congregation is situated in the town of Ceres which is often referred to as the Switzerland of South Africa.

Ceres is surrounded by mountains and during the winter months these mountains make a beautiful backdrop as they are covered in snow. When the snow falls in the Western Cape, all roads lead to Ceres.

On Wednesday 25 November 2009 the road that District Apostle Barnes, Apostles M Diedricks and W Diedericks, as well as Bishop A November took, lead to Ceres. The congregations of Bella Vista, Ceres and Prince Alfred’s Hamlet experienced a blissful hour that was the consequence of prepared hearts. Those present witnessed the ordination of a district elder, a shepherd and a community evangelist.

The visit of the District Apostle coincided with the 94th birthday of one of the deceased pioneers of the congregation who offered up her home as the first venue for divine services in the area many years ago. A photo moment with her descendants rounded off a blessed evening. This moment and the experiences during the divine service connected the past and the present on this very special evening for the congregation.