Meet the Team
Our Leadership
Churches have different leadership models. Some have a bounded set model, which is more authoritarian, has rigid boundaries (people are in or out) and often a strong parent – child relational dynamic. Other churches may have the opposite of this where everything goes and people get to do whatever they like, known as the fuzzy set model. The leadership model for a Vineyard church is what we would call a centred set approach. This model sees kingdom values modelled by a core group (leaders), which attracts others who see in them the kind of life they would like to live. This model is flexible, highly relational, value driven and encourages adult to adult behaviour.
There is also a National Leadership team that oversees the Vineyard Pastors of South Africa.
Lead Couple
Mark and Tarryn Wesson lead the team at Mercy Vineyard Church. They hail from Kwazulu Natal, with Mark growing up in a Baptist Missionary home in Margate and Tarryn in the beautiful farming region of Northern KZN. They married in 2015, and together have 4 boys.
2016 was a busy year for them: moving province, a new church and schools, having a baby and adjusting to the life and culture of Cape Town. Mark worked in missions (Eastern Cape & KZN) for 7 years and has pastored in a number of different church “streams”. He has found his “happy place” in the Vineyard, and more specifically at Mercy Vineyard. Tarryn is a qualified textile designer, who also has a passion for dance and writing! Together they have a heart to see Mercy like a family, experiencing the presence of their Father.
Leadership Team
We believe that men and woman qualify for leadership and so have a mixed team of dedicated men & woman with great unity and strength.
Administrator and Operations
Laura Maree has been a member of Mercy Vineyard since the beginning and started working for the church in 2017 Monday to Thursday mornings. Having obtained her degree in Jewellery Design and Metalwork from Stellenbosch, she left for the UK in 2001 to travel and work for 9 years in various industries from architecture and gemstones to the NHS and charity work. In 2010 she returned to SA, married Gideon and has 2 beautiful children. She loves her job and has a passion for people and hopes to be serving Mercy and it’s members for a very long time!
Children's Church Coordinator
Caren Fürst is a redeemed child of God, a wife to Mark and a mom to 3 children. She qualified as a teacher and taught junior primary ages for 10 years in JHB before moving down to Cape Town in 2008. Caren has had the privilege of travelling to several African nations on missions, working with students and children alike. Having a passion to bring Jesus to life for young children, she started Christian groups at the schools she worked at and lead on a number of Scripture Union camps over the years. Caren and her family joined Mercy Vineyard just after COVID and she quickly got involved in the Children Ministry. She also has a heart for prayer and delights in partnering with the Holy Spirit in powerfully touching lives. At the beginning of 2026, Caren took over the role of Children’s Church Coordinator. She is equal part stirred and humbled by the call of Jesus to the church to seek his face and surrender hearts in expectation of his coming.
Finance Team
We have a small team of men and women who meet regularly to discuss Mercy’s financial matters and annual budget.