Bedford Chapel marks 50 years of giving back to the community

The Bedford Chapel has been serving the community for 50 years and will be celebrating its jubilee on September 15.

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Margie Durrheim from the Bedford Chapel said the chapel has been a spiritual home to many people and has had an impact through various activities and initiatives which have taken place in the wider community.

“During this time Bedford Chapel has borne witness to many significant and poignant moments, such as weddings, funerals, memorial services, baby dedications and the celebration of various other milestones in people’s lives. So many memories echo through the halls of this small community church,” said Margie.

She said Bedford Chapel supports various community-centred initiatives, which include caring for the residents of the Arbor Village and the children and staff of Epworth Children’s Home.

“We also endeavour to care for some of the most vulnerable members of our community through the Lord’s Storehouse ministry, which distributes food parcels to at least 100 families each week,” said Margie.

Margie said the people who benefit from the food parcels come from the informal settlements in Germiston, Malvern, Cleveland and Denver.

She said for the past 19 years, the Bedford Chapel community has distributed more than R1.5-million worth of groceries.

“We also regularly collect and hand out clothing and shoes, and arrange seasonal drives for blankets, Easter eggs and Christmas hampers,” said Margie.

Margie said Bedford Chapel has become well known over the years in the community for its lively activities for children and youth.

“Many might recall with fondness their own time spent as part of these youth groups, or fetching and carrying children to and from Bedford Chapel on Friday nights, as many parents have done over the past 50 years,” said Margie.