​OUR HISTORY

The Presbyterian family of churches, like all Christian churches, trace their roots back to the early church in Jerusalem, to Paul and the Church Fathers like Augustine. In 1517 Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to a church door in Wittenberg, Germany. This public challenge to the practices of the church of his time led to the formation of a new family of churches known as the Protestant Churches. The two main streams of Protestant churches are the Reformed Churches and the Lutheran Churches. The Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa belongs to the Reformed family.

Kabega Presbyterian was found in 1960 when St Columba’s church purchased a site in Kabega Park with a view to starting extension work in the fast-developing Western suburbs of Port Elizabeth.  It was not long before Mr Ronnie Milne on behalf of the Presbyterians residing west of Newton Park, approached Rev. Hartslief with a request to establish a Sunday school at Kabega Park. The earliest records go back to 19 March 1961 when twelve scholars attended Sunday school at the home of Mr and Mrs Louis van Vliet.  At a meeting of interested Presbyterians in the area on the 23rd March 1962, it was decided to ask Presbytery to open a Preaching Station.  This was agreed upon and the first service took pace in the Dutch Reformed Church on 13 May 1962.  The years soon passed and a joyous occasion was the groundbreaking ceremony which took place on the 8th June 1968 with the Rev. Tom Clarke (then Moderator of General Assembly) presiding.  The preaching station formerly functioning under a committee of the PE Presbytery was then placed under the Session of St. Columba’s.  Ministers from St Andrew’s and the Hill continued to help with services.  With the promise of help from St Andrew’s, St Columba’s and the Hill and a grant from the G.A. Extension and Aid Committee, Presbytery agreed to the Church being raised from a Preaching Station to a Church Extension Charge as from the 1st September 1971. The Rev. Joe Nel became the first minister in January 1972 and was introduced to the congregation on 7 February.