Early Beginnings
The work of our Church at Newton Park commenced in the early
1930's. Encouraged by the Superintendent Minister, Rev. J.H. Roberts,
and with the active support of the Local Preachers, a monthly Sunday
afternoon service was held in the St. Hugh's Anglican Church Hall, from
4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Attendances were about ten to twelve people. Pastoral
oversight of the area at that time was the responsibility of the Superintendent
Minister.
Those days bring back memories of the families Norton, E. Pittaway,
G.M. Pittaway, Stanton, Sagar and Hudson.
Progress
December 14th, 1935, saw the Foundation Stone laying of
the first Methodist Church Hall at Newton Park. Stones were laid by
Rev. J.H. Roberts, Superintendent Minister, and Mr. Squire Dixon, whose
generous gift of four plots of land had made it possible to erect this
hall, and at the same time leave ample provision for future development.
This First hall cost £1000, towards which Mr. Squire Dixon made a contribution
of £500.
The Original Church 1936
The official opening was held on Wednesday,
26th February, 1936, at 8 p.m., at which the Preacher was Rev. G.H.P.
Jacques, Chairman of the District.
The first Divine Services were held on the 1st March, 1936, the morning
service being conducted by Rev. J.H. Roberts, and the evening service
by Rev. S.P. Rundle, Minister in charge. Amongst lay preachers associated
with the early work of the Newton Park Church were the late Mr. J.H.
Carter, Mr. A.W. Glover, Miss M. Powell, Mr. A.W. John, Mr. E.S. Trollip
and the late Mr. Tilbrook. For some weeks prior to the opening of the
Church Hall these lay preachers had gone around Newton Park, holding
open air services to announce the forthcoming opening, and to invite
people to worship.
Sunday School
The first activity commenced, apart from the Church Service,
was the Sunday School, which was opened on the 5th April, 1936, under
the Superintendency of Mr. A.W. John, when 13 girls and 12 boys were
enrolled. By 1944 we were reaching towards 150 scholars, and the need
was felt for increased accommodation. As a result, the Trust Committee
decided to erect a Primary Hall, now known as the J.H. Carter Hall.
The Foundation Stone was laid on the 21st July, 1945, by the youngest
child in the Sunday School, Clive Lindsay Stanton, aged 3 years 8 months.
The now Squire Dixon hall with the Lionel
Stanton Hall joining the J.H. Carter Hall
1962
At a ceremony held on the 15th September, 1945,
the official opening was performed by Mrs. L. van de Ruit, Primary Leader.
Membership of the school continued to increase, and by 1952 it had passed
the 300 mark. 1960 saw it reach 600, and by 1962 the enrolment had reached
700. In 1969 the enrolment figure is 710, and teachers and other workers
number 73, in six departments.
Women's Auxiliary
The inaugural meeting of the Women's Auxiliary was held on the 22nd
April, 1936, when it was decided that meetings would be held fortnightly.
Office bearers elected at this meeting were:- President - Mrs. K. Foster;
Vice-President - Mrs. S.A. Sagar; Secretary - Miss Edith Carter; Treasurer
- Mrs. A.W. John; Sick Visitor - Mrs. F. Ward.
The opening meeting, at which 17 members and some friends were present,
was held on the 14th May, 1936.
In the early days, the Trust Committee relied very much on the Women's
Auxiliary for financial help, as they were the pioneers in the raising
of money for Debt Reductions, Church Renovations, Missionary work, and
other Charities.
Subsequent developments in women's work came about in the Rev. Mr. Floweday's
time, with the "Wednesday Morning Ladies", a monthly meeting of Young
Mothers with small children. Later this grew into the EVENING WOMEN'S
AUXILIARY. The Inaugural Meeting of the Evening Women's Auxiliary was
held on 20th April, 1959, at which the following persons were elected
to office:- President: Mrs. May Hardy; Vice-President: Mrs. Hemmis;
Secretary: Mrs. Trixie Poulton; Treasurer: Mrs. Maureen Broli.
On 31st January, 1967, the MORNING WOMEN'S AUXILIARY was inaugurated
with the following office bearers:- President: Mrs. Mavis Reimers; Vice-Presidents:
Mrs. Muriel Nel and Mrs. Connie Pedersen; Secretary: Mrs. Helen Mummery;
and Treasurer: Mrs. Joyce Verster.
On 11th April, 1968, the MOTHERS' MORNING FELLOWSHIP was inaugurated,
for young mothers with small children. The following office bearers
were appointed:- President: Mrs. Mabel Barker; Vice-Presidents: Mrs.
Loma Clayton, Mrs. Merle Thorp, Mrs. Eileen Ward; Secretary: Mrs. Gwen
Baxter; Treasurer: Mrs. Sylvia Weiss.
Other Fellowships
The first TRUST PROPERTIES COMMITTEE met on 12th October, 1937,
and consisted of the following persons:- Rev. F.H. Kirkby (Chairman),
Mrs. Norton, Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Carter, Mrs. Stanton (Snr), Mr. and Mrs.
Ward, Mr. Waters and Mr. D.G. Russell (Secretary/Treasurer).
The LEADERS MEETING did not function before 1941. As a start the following
appointments were made on 15th February, 1940: Society Stewards: Mr.
Waters and Mr. Gush., Poor Fund Steward: Miss Louw. During the "How
Great a Flame" Campaign in the Grahamstown District in 1952/3, an Evangelistic
Mission was held here, led by the Rev. E.D. Storey. As a result, a MID-WEEK
FELLOWSHIP MEETING was started, which has run ever since.
In 1945 a CHURCH CHOIR was formed under the leadership of Mrs. Rita
Callow. The JUNIOR CHOIR was started in about 1956 by Mrs. Rose Floweday.
After a break it was revived in about 1957 by Mrs. Doreen Smith.
The MEN'S LEAGUE came into being on the 4th May, 1953. The following
per- sons were elected to office:- Chairman: Rev. R.E. Floweday; Secretary:
Mr. V. Harvey; Treasurer: Mr. M. Calvert.
The establishment of two uniformed organisations
marked new ventures in youth work. The GIRLS' BRIGADE was officially
registered on 27th June, 1966, as the 21st Port Elizabeth Company with
Captain (Miss) Sheila Stroebel as Officer-in-Charge. The BOYS' BRIGADE
was registered on 23rd January, 1969, as the First Newton Park Company
Section. Officers were: Captain: Mr. D.L. Grassow, and Lieutenant: Mr.
Seiwyn Cowley.
The SENIOR GUILD was commenced during the ministry of Rev. Mr. Floweday.
The INTERMEDIATE GUILD commenced early in 1966 under Mr. E.T. Lowe.
Later in the same year Mr. U.Q. Els brought the JUNIOR GUILD into being.
The YOUNG ADULTS' CLUB, consisting initially of young working girls,
held its first meeting on the 10th February, 1969. The Leader is Mrs.
Connie Pedersen.
As a matter of interest, the first wedding to be conducted in the (now)
Squire Dixon Hall was that of Mr. and Mrs. D.G. Russell (nee Samuels)
on 3rd August, 1937.
The first wedding to be conducted in the present church was that of
Mrs. and Mrs. D. Reithmeier (nee Akers) on 7th May, 1955. On 31st March,
1969, the figure for the Full Membership of the Society stood at 1022.
An estimated further 700 persons are associated with the church as adherents.
New Buildings
As a Church, we have maintained steady progress right from our early
beginnings. Membership and Congregations have increased in numbers,
and there has been a deepening of our spiritual life. As we had felt
the need of a settled ministry, the decision was made in February, 1947,
to open a Manse Building Fund to enable us to provide a home and ask
for an ordained minister at the earliest possible moment.
In 1953 we were able to purchase as a Manse, No. 30 Third Avenue, Newton
Park. We should mention that plans had been drawn up to build a manse
on the site now being used for the new church building, but we decided
against the scheme when Newton Street was zoned for flats and shops.
The purchase of the manse was only made possible through the efforts
of Rev. J.L.B. Taylor in organising a Covenant which liquidated the
existing debt on the Primary Hall, and without which we could not have
embarked on this new scheme.
In 1954 we were able to finalise our plans to build a new Church Hall,
together with two vestries. The Foundation Stones were laid on the 29th
January, 1955, by Rev. A.E.F. Garrett, Superintendent Minister and Chairman
of the District, and by Mr. N.L. Stanton, Sunday School Superintendent.
The Opening and Dedication took place on Saturday, 2nd April, 1955,
at 3.00 p.m., and was conducted by Rev. A.E.F. Garrett.
The needs of an expanding youth work resulted in the consolidation of
the two vestries into one for use as a Junior Church Chapel, which was
opened on Sunday, 10th March, 1957, by Rev. R.E. Floweday, as General
Secretary of the Methodist Youth Department.
In 1962 the courtyard between the J.H. Carter Hall and the present church
was enclosed to form the Lionel Stanton Hall. The following year the
entrance porch to the church was enclosed to combat the wind problem.
In 1963 the two houses, Nos. 40 and 42, Third Avenue, came on the market
and were bought by the church with a view to later expansion. These
were let out to tenants until needed for church work.
On 1st September, 1966, No. 42 was taken over as extra Sunday School
accommodation and for other church purposes. In 1968 No. 30 Third Avenue
was sold and the house at No. 40 altered and enlarged. On 15th August,
1968, it was taken over as the new manse.
In 1966, with the Building Fund standing at about R6,000 an Architect
was com- missioned to submit sketch plans. Meanwhile fund raising went
on with vigour.
The First sods of earth towards the building of the new church were
turned on Saturday afternoon, 28th September, 1968, by twenty members
of the church represent- ing the various fellowships. On Sunday, 24th
November, 1968, the Foundation Stone was laid by the Resident Minister
and his wife. The sermon was preached by the Super- intendent Minister,
Rev. C. Edgar Wilkinson. Present were a large crowd of people, which
recalled memories of a similar event in 1935, when only about 12 people
attended.
Tribute
We thank God today for all who have laid such sure foundations,
for their loyalty and devotion to God and for their service and sacrifice.
We thank God for those who received from them the torch of Christian
witness and bore it so worthily. We thank Him for all who brought us
to where we are now.
They are many. It would be impossible to number them all, and invidious
to men-tion only a few. They are known to God. Their names are written
in the Lamb's Book of Life.
On a day of proud thanksgiving may our gratitude go God express itself
in the re-dedication of our lives to God by faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ. May our contribution to the work and worship, the witness and
welfare of the church today be worthy of the responsibility entrusted
to us. "Who is sufficient for these things?" asks Paul. He answers:
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
This, this is the God we adore,
Our faithful, unchangeable Friend;
Whose love is as great as His power,
And neither knows measure nor end.
'Tis Jesus, the first and the last,
Whose Spirit shall guide us safe home;
We'll praise Him for all that is past,
And trust Him for all that's to come.
