Dutch Reformed Church, Worcester

The Dutch Reformed Church in Worcester is the 14th oldest Dutch Reformed Church and the 12th oldest in the Synod of the Western Cape. Three directions in particular have determined the history of the approximately 200-year-old Worcester congregation, namely the spiritual revival with its beneficial consequences in the social and educational fields, the interest of the congregation in the missionary cause and in the middle of the 20th century the new struggle that the church began with the problems of industrialization and steady urbanization. The congregation was founded on 25 January 1821, three years after the town was founded on the farms Langerug and Roode Draai. The congregation went through its formative years under the leadership of Rev. Henry Sutherland, who served the congregation for 36 years. Then the church building (consecrated on 3 February 1832) and parsonage were erected and the beautiful pulpit, carved by two De Vos brothers, was donated to the congregation. Although not an outstanding scholar, Rev. Sutherland excelled in the prayer life, piety and gentleness, which were the hallmark of the Scottish ministers. The arrival of Rev. Andrew Murray preceded the revival, but only after his departure, in the days of his brother William, was the lasting fruit seen. In 1875 the Worcester Seminary for young girls was opened, which developed into the Girls' School with ni

Church data from Wikidata (CC0). Summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).