+27 21 761 4030 info@moravianchurch.co.za

District: Border

Congregation: Zwelitsha Moravian Church

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ZWELITSHA MORAVIAN CHURCH

Prior to 1971 Moravian families who resided in Zwelitsha, a township near King William’s Town and were coming from other areas in which the Moravian Church had already been established, joined the Moravian sister church, the Lutheran Church which had already been in existence in Zwelitsha.

It was in 1971 that those families who were mainly coming from Shiloh a village which is about 4 km from Whittlesea and Goshen, a village near Cathcart, decided to establish the Moravian Church in Zwelitsha. One of them, Br. Nonwana, volunteered to have church services conducted in the house in which he was living. His house was situated in Zone 4 in Zwelitsha. This they did after having spent some time worshiping with the Lutherans in their Congregation in Zwelitsha.

After some time, br. Nonwana left Zwelitsha for East London as he secured employment there. Br. Mgqamqo who was also a member of the church, opened his house to be used for church services and other activities. Normal procedure in conducting a Sunday Service, as it takes place in any Moravian Church in Southern Africa, was followed. The Zwelitsha Church became an outstation of the Shiloh Moravian Mission and the Holy Communion services were conducted by the seating Minister. When the membership of the church grew, Br. Mgqamqo allowed the congregation to build a temporal structure at the back of his house.

In about 1980 the Zwelitsha Moravian Church became a fully-fledged congregation with all privileges and responsibilities like its other Moravian Church Main Congregations. From the time of its establishment the congregation was led by a member of the church in good standing whose responsibilities, among others were to lead the congregation spiritually as well as representing the congregation in activities that take place in our Border District, formally known as District Eleven.

Since the inception of the church, requests had been made with the local municipality with a view of securing a site in order to build a permanent structure. These attempts were without success.

With time the membership of the congregation grew larger, especially after the new government dispensation created Bhisho as the headquarters of the provincial government. This meant that many members of the Moravian churches in the entire South Africa and who secured employment in any of the provincial government provincial departments would join the Zwelitsha congregation.

The increasing membership of the congregation resulted in a need for a bigger piece of land to erect a bigger structure which was eventually obtained in Zone 9 in 2001. The local municipality had informed the congregation that although the piece of land was of a suitable size, the place in which it was situated would cost huge sums of monies to service it. Through desperation the congregation decided to take the piece of land and built a temporary shack structure.

In 2016 a site was obtained from the Department of Public Works in Phakamisa on leasing basis. This place is about 5 km from Zwelitsha. The condition under which the site is leased to the congregation is that the structure to be built should be of a temporary nature until it is sold to the church. The same arrangements apply to other church denominations in the same area. The structure that was built is of a Precast Wall structure.

CONTACT DETAILS

P.O. Box 15128,
Beacon Bay 5205

Minister: – Rev N. C. Tyokolwana
073 5299 616
sirtyoks@gmail.com

Evang. M. D. Kwaza
Cell: 083 710 3454
Private Bag X1011, Grahamstown 6140

CHURCH SERVICES

PLACES OF WORSHIP

Zwelitsha

TIMES OF SERVICE

Normal days and times of services)
Sunday Services 10H00

Women’s Manyano (MWASA) Prayers 15H00 (Thursdays)

ORGANISATIONS

CHURCH COUNCIL

Church council has committees that are responsible for the management and running of the congregation.

BROTHERS UNION
THE MOTHERS ASSOCIATION
THE UFAZANA
Sr. KK Mabutyana

082 8230 995
kkmabutyana@gmail.com

THE YOUTH
Sr. Pat Magwentshu

082 3152 872
apd.magwentshu@gmail.com

UPCOMING EVENTS