The History of CESA Waterfall{courtesy of CESA Waterfall Website}
During the latter half of 1985 it became apparent to the Council of Christ Church in Hillcrest that the numbers attending the services had grown to the extent that Church would not have accommodated everyone without major building alterations and additions. Read more?
Terry and Rosemary Streather volunteered their home in Yosemite Place for Sunday morning services. Ray Lombard, acting as the Peoples' Warden at that time, applied for permission to hold worship services at 7 Yosemite Place to the Secretary of the Development and Services Board of Natal (DSB) which was the local authority at that time. Due to the timely intervention and kind assistance of another Christian Brother, Mr George Taylor, the Deputy Secretary of the DSB, permission was granted for the holding of services under the leadership of the Rector Rev John Newby. Thus, a preaching platform was established in Waterfall. Some 22 adult adherents made up the nucleus of the flock that began to meet at the Streather's home on 19 January 1986. Worship and Communion Services were held in their lounge and diningroom, whilst Sunday School took place in the pre-school room that Terry and Rosemary had created through the conversion of their garage. A timeous conversion as matters evolved. We will never forget the patient forbearance exercised by that family when Sunday by Sunday their home was invaded and the furniture rearranged.
Although much of the preaching and Bible Study was managed by John Newby, we were also fortunate to have the benefit of solid evangelical teaching through the preaching ministries of Stanley Humpage and Noel Wright, also to a lesser, but nevertheless significant extent Dave Mitchell and Alan Rutherford. Stanley Humpage is now with the Lord Jesus but he would have rejoiced to see what God has done here! We praise God for Stanley's witness and faithfulness.
A few are left of the original number that came across from Hillcrest and these will recall the success despite a threatening thunderstorm and violent winds that threatened the first Christmas Carol Service that was held on the lawns outside the Community Hall – afterwards affectionately known as the Cardboard Cathedral. Nevetheless, Satan did not have his way and that event was enjoyed more than 200 people. Later services almost doubled that number despite the sometimes inclement weather. The Forest View School later allowed the use of their hall for this service which was to become a regular event in Waterfall's calendar!
Within a year a house at the bottom off Niagara Drive became available. Permission was granted for the holding of services by the DSB again with George Taylor's motivation. "The Church in the Wildwood" as Stanley Humpage had jokingly called the meeting place was a run-down establishment which was spruced up by a team led by Sid Derrick (the same man who completed the electrical work in this new building). Sunday School was held at the same premises. Some of us will never forget the difficulties that God overcame with the so-called "Milk Fund" Discotheque and the other goings-on next door! Some may also remember the aggressive ram that appointed himself cat guard and used to butt folk as they left their cars. No one tarried along the way at that time!
During that period a young curate by the name of Wayne Barkhuizen began preaching at morning services. He was serving under Rev Dr John Newby and first preached in Waterfall on 3 May 1987. Within a month he, and his lovely wife Anne and son Ryan, became much more heavily involved with this work. Wayne assumed the major responsibility for preaching and teaching. It became time to move again when the owners sold the premises. I'm sure that God orchestrated the move because he has already increased the regular attendance to around 50 on a Sunday morning and the "Church in the Wildwood" was becoming much too small.
The Church Council with the assistance of various members then searched with great application for a church site. Here, special mention needs to be made of Beryl Dickson who even offered a portion of a property to the Lord for a new home for this work. For various reasons we were unsuccessful but chiefly, I believe, God had other plans! Look where He eventually located us! How little we see and how much less we understand of His plans.
CCW obtained permission to use the Waterfall Community Hall from the Waterfall Town Board and started with morning services there on 4 October 1987. In the mean time, Wayne Barkhuizen and his family moved to Waterfall. The Preaching Platform became a Daughter Church of Christ Church in Hillcrest and the Church Council was formed of Rev Wayne Barkhuizen, Minister's Warden Craig Drury, Peoples' Warden Ray Lombard, Music Ministry Terry Streather, Noel Wright was loaned to CCW from Hillcrest as Treasurer and Sid Derrick served as member without portfolio. Noel Wright was for many years the facilitator and peace keeper at Christ Church in Waterfall (CCW). We thank God for Noel's love for this work and his patience with us all.
Wayne was ordained as a presbyter by Bishop Joe Bell on 14 August 1988. The Community Hall was filled to capacity with the 143 folk. The first evening service was held on 6 November 1988. During their stay here Wayne and Ann established a team ministry. This was later shown to be farsighted for, when Wayne and his family were transferred to Leondale, the work here did not falter! The property currently used by CCW came on to the market at this time and the Vestry Meeting under Wayne's Chairmanship unanimously voted in favour of buying the property knowing, at the time, that it did not have the funds to support such a decision, but God undertook!
The Barkhuizens left Christ Church in Waterfall on 17 December 1989. At this stage in the work's short history the numbers attending morning services averaged 80 people. Whilst Peter Bahrs was Sunday School Superintendent the remaining rooms in the Community Hall building were converted into a clinic and were no longer available to the Sunday School. The numbers in Sunday School had also grown to an average attendance of 50 children. The Sunday School moved to the Cumec Park Hall and continued to grow there. However, it was always difficult for those with children in Sunday School to manage the split operation. Thank God for the faith and resolution of our wives who mostly bore the brunt of the fetching and carrying the children at that time.
The Church Council continued to meet with Rev Clive O'Kill. Clive found that Christ Church Hillcrest absorbed most of his time and preaching duties were shouldered by the ever faithful Stanley Humpage, Noel Wright and Dave Mitchell. On 21 January 1990 a Holy Communion service was taken by, a newcomer to Waterfall with a distinctly vaalie accent, the Rev Mike Scully. We "borrowed" him from Warwick Cole-Edwardes at Holy Trinity in Pietermaritzburg. Ray Lombard also preached, for the first time at the evening service on 6 January 1991. Other evangelicals from outside this denomination also occasionally preached here. We are grateful to God for their ministries.
Later Rev Vernon Loker took over the Hillcrest work and another curate Mike Fairon soon joined him. Christ Church Waterfall saw much more of Mike Fairon at Bible Studies and Services. We really appreciated the special skills that God has given Mike and, at one time, we hoped that he might have been called to serve God here in Waterfall. But God had other ideas! Instead, our relationship with Rev Mike Scully and his family grew from strength to strength. Mike's work here started in earnest on 5 January 1992. So many factors came together to make his calling to this work possible – Rod and Julia Philips made their home available to the Scully Family, on a low rental when they departed to Botswana and God enabled the faithful to meet the increased financial commitment that Mike's calling entailed.
Under Mike's ministry in the Community Hall the regular adherents numbers grew to average 110 people. The Daughter Church fulfilled Constituent status and became a fully fledged Church recognised by the Church of England in South Africa. Progress was made with this building and the Carol Service on 12 December 1995 was the first service held in this new building.
The first regular service took place on 17 December 1995. On Christmas Day Christ Church Waterfall comfortably accommodated 396 people and regular adherents numbers had grown to average 140 at the morning services at that time.
God is great! Look at what He has done! What a long way He has carried us in the past ten years! How He has disturbed the comfort zone so many times! Even now He is calling us to greater commitment to this work.
Thanks be to God for His unfailing mercy.
{courtesy of CESA Waterfall Website}
During the latter half of 1985 it became apparent to the Council of Christ Church in Hillcrest that the numbers attending the services had grown to the extent that Church would not have accommodated everyone without major building alterations and additions. Read more?
Terry and Rosemary Streather volunteered their home in Yosemite Place for Sunday morning services. Ray Lombard, acting as the Peoples' Warden at that time, applied for permission to hold worship services at 7 Yosemite Place to the Secretary of the Development and Services Board of Natal (DSB) which was the local authority at that time. Due to the timely intervention and kind assistance of another Christian Brother, Mr George Taylor, the Deputy Secretary of the DSB, permission was granted for the holding of services under the leadership of the Rector Rev John Newby. Thus, a preaching platform was established in Waterfall. Some 22 adult adherents made up the nucleus of the flock that began to meet at the Streather's home on 19 January 1986. Worship and Communion Services were held in their lounge and diningroom, whilst Sunday School took place in the pre-school room that Terry and Rosemary had created through the conversion of their garage. A timeous conversion as matters evolved. We will never forget the patient forbearance exercised by that family when Sunday by Sunday their home was invaded and the furniture rearranged.
Although much of the preaching and Bible Study was managed by John Newby, we were also fortunate to have the benefit of solid evangelical teaching through the preaching ministries of Stanley Humpage and Noel Wright, also to a lesser, but nevertheless significant extent Dave Mitchell and Alan Rutherford. Stanley Humpage is now with the Lord Jesus but he would have rejoiced to see what God has done here! We praise God for Stanley's witness and faithfulness.
A few are left of the original number that came across from Hillcrest and these will recall the success despite a threatening thunderstorm and violent winds that threatened the first Christmas Carol Service that was held on the lawns outside the Community Hall – afterwards affectionately known as the Cardboard Cathedral. Nevetheless, Satan did not have his way and that event was enjoyed more than 200 people. Later services almost doubled that number despite the sometimes inclement weather. The Forest View School later allowed the use of their hall for this service which was to become a regular event in Waterfall's calendar!
Within a year a house at the bottom off Niagara Drive became available. Permission was granted for the holding of services by the DSB again with George Taylor's motivation. "The Church in the Wildwood" as Stanley Humpage had jokingly called the meeting place was a run-down establishment which was spruced up by a team led by Sid Derrick (the same man who completed the electrical work in this new building). Sunday School was held at the same premises. Some of us will never forget the difficulties that God overcame with the so-called "Milk Fund" Discotheque and the other goings-on next door! Some may also remember the aggressive ram that appointed himself cat guard and used to butt folk as they left their cars. No one tarried along the way at that time!
During that period a young curate by the name of Wayne Barkhuizen began preaching at morning services. He was serving under Rev Dr John Newby and first preached in Waterfall on 3 May 1987. Within a month he, and his lovely wife Anne and son Ryan, became much more heavily involved with this work. Wayne assumed the major responsibility for preaching and teaching. It became time to move again when the owners sold the premises. I'm sure that God orchestrated the move because he has already increased the regular attendance to around 50 on a Sunday morning and the "Church in the Wildwood" was becoming much too small.
The Church Council with the assistance of various members then searched with great application for a church site. Here, special mention needs to be made of Beryl Dickson who even offered a portion of a property to the Lord for a new home for this work. For various reasons we were unsuccessful but chiefly, I believe, God had other plans! Look where He eventually located us! How little we see and how much less we understand of His plans.
CCW obtained permission to use the Waterfall Community Hall from the Waterfall Town Board and started with morning services there on 4 October 1987. In the mean time, Wayne Barkhuizen and his family moved to Waterfall. The Preaching Platform became a Daughter Church of Christ Church in Hillcrest and the Church Council was formed of Rev Wayne Barkhuizen, Minister's Warden Craig Drury, Peoples' Warden Ray Lombard, Music Ministry Terry Streather, Noel Wright was loaned to CCW from Hillcrest as Treasurer and Sid Derrick served as member without portfolio. Noel Wright was for many years the facilitator and peace keeper at Christ Church in Waterfall (CCW). We thank God for Noel's love for this work and his patience with us all.
Wayne was ordained as a presbyter by Bishop Joe Bell on 14 August 1988. The Community Hall was filled to capacity with the 143 folk. The first evening service was held on 6 November 1988. During their stay here Wayne and Ann established a team ministry. This was later shown to be farsighted for, when Wayne and his family were transferred to Leondale, the work here did not falter! The property currently used by CCW came on to the market at this time and the Vestry Meeting under Wayne's Chairmanship unanimously voted in favour of buying the property knowing, at the time, that it did not have the funds to support such a decision, but God undertook!
The Barkhuizens left Christ Church in Waterfall on 17 December 1989. At this stage in the work's short history the numbers attending morning services averaged 80 people. Whilst Peter Bahrs was Sunday School Superintendent the remaining rooms in the Community Hall building were converted into a clinic and were no longer available to the Sunday School. The numbers in Sunday School had also grown to an average attendance of 50 children. The Sunday School moved to the Cumec Park Hall and continued to grow there. However, it was always difficult for those with children in Sunday School to manage the split operation. Thank God for the faith and resolution of our wives who mostly bore the brunt of the fetching and carrying the children at that time.
The Church Council continued to meet with Rev Clive O'Kill. Clive found that Christ Church Hillcrest absorbed most of his time and preaching duties were shouldered by the ever faithful Stanley Humpage, Noel Wright and Dave Mitchell. On 21 January 1990 a Holy Communion service was taken by, a newcomer to Waterfall with a distinctly vaalie accent, the Rev Mike Scully. We "borrowed" him from Warwick Cole-Edwardes at Holy Trinity in Pietermaritzburg. Ray Lombard also preached, for the first time at the evening service on 6 January 1991. Other evangelicals from outside this denomination also occasionally preached here. We are grateful to God for their ministries.
Later Rev Vernon Loker took over the Hillcrest work and another curate Mike Fairon soon joined him. Christ Church Waterfall saw much more of Mike Fairon at Bible Studies and Services. We really appreciated the special skills that God has given Mike and, at one time, we hoped that he might have been called to serve God here in Waterfall. But God had other ideas! Instead, our relationship with Rev Mike Scully and his family grew from strength to strength. Mike's work here started in earnest on 5 January 1992. So many factors came together to make his calling to this work possible – Rod and Julia Philips made their home available to the Scully Family, on a low rental when they departed to Botswana and God enabled the faithful to meet the increased financial commitment that Mike's calling entailed.
Under Mike's ministry in the Community Hall the regular adherents numbers grew to average 110 people. The Daughter Church fulfilled Constituent status and became a fully fledged Church recognised by the Church of England in South Africa. Progress was made with this building and the Carol Service on 12 December 1995 was the first service held in this new building.
The first regular service took place on 17 December 1995. On Christmas Day Christ Church Waterfall comfortably accommodated 396 people and regular adherents numbers had grown to average 140 at the morning services at that time.
God is great! Look at what He has done! What a long way He has carried us in the past ten years! How He has disturbed the comfort zone so many times! Even now He is calling us to greater commitment to this work.
Thanks be to God for His unfailing mercy.
{courtesy of CESA Waterfall Website}