Local historian launches his second book

Historian and dedicated member of the Heidelberg Heritage Association, Tony Burisch launched his second book,
Heidelberg Methodist Church 130 Year Anniversary 1895–2025.

Burisch launched his first book, Heidelberg SAR News 1895-1897 in October 2024.

He is also working on two additional books, which he hopes to release later this year.

“The research and information in the book was intensive and brought the church history back to life.
The book presents a wealth of information from the first steps to establishing an English church in Heidelberg, which was known as the “Heidelberg Wesleyan Methodist Church” and evolved into what it is today.

“There were 40 spiritual leaders in charge of the church since inception,” said Burisch.

The book has a chapter on all the ministers, up to the present minister Rev Khakelethu Mantini.

This book is about the ministers and the members of the Heidelberg Methodist Church over the years since the first minister in August 1890.

Various books were written on the Dutch and Afrikaans-speaking churches in the area, but nothing on the English-speaking churches.

History of Heidelberg Methodist Church

When Heidelberg was proclaimed a town in 1866, there were no English-speaking churches in the area. The children of the English-speaking residents had to be baptized by Rev van Warmelo of the Heidelberg Hervormde Kerk.

Rev George Weavind conducted the first services of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in 1875.

Weavind was the first Methodist Minister of Pretoria, where he started in about 1873 and included Heidelberg in his circuit in 1877.

When his ministry in Johannesburg was established, the Johannesburg minister visited Heidelberg until 1890, when a resident minister was stationed here.

Weavind built his first church in Pretoria and succeeded Rev Owen Watkins as chairperson of the Transvaal-Swaziland District (1892-1901).

It was through the efforts of Weavind as chairperson of the Transvaal-Swaziland District that they established a church in Heidelberg.

In 1873 Rev G Blencowe visited Heidelberg. He had a congregation of roughly 50 at his Sunday services, held in the Heidelberg Court. Blencowe promised to visit Heidelberg every month. When he visited in 1875, the church services were well attended and held every six weeks.

They travelled at night and by post cart. It is understood that Rev Nicolaas van Warmelo offered Weavind the use of his church for his services.

In 2000, the church’s safe was stolen. It included the history of the church and baptism records from 1958 to 1980.
The ministers who played a part of the Methodist Church of Heidelberg’s history include: Rev WB Milward (1890-1893), Rev JF Rumfitt (1893), Rev CF Woofenden (1894-1896), Rev R Applebe (1897-1899), Rev EH Morgan (1899-1902), Rev WC Burgess (1901), Rev E Titcomb (1902-1904), Rev E Dunstan (1904-1909), Rev P Spencer (1909-1913), Rev GH Eva (1913-1917), Rev RJ Good (1917-1923), Rev A Cowgill (1923-1924), Rev CD Choate (1925-1926), Rev G Moseley (1926), Rev MM Cobban (1926-1931), Rev JA Gurney (1932-1933), Rev RI Thompson (1933-1934), Rev RJ Moore (1934-1939), Rev Crabtree (1935), Rev LJ Ray (1939), Rev EH Proctor (1940-1942), Rev A Matthews (1943), Rev J Jackson-Smith (1944-1953), Rev JRM Gibson (1954-1958), Rev P Woolston (1959), Rev J Carruth (1960-1966), Rev B Bird (1967-1970), Rev I Lindsay (1971-1972), Rev G Taylor (1973-1976), Rev M Black (1977-1970), Rev RAJ Olivier (1981-1988), Rev A OB Sutton (1988-1994), Rev D Slabber (1994-1996), Rev A Clark (1997-1999), Rev D Williams (1999-2001), Rev D Moodie (2001-2005), Rev Ray Goddess (2006-2017), Rev Elize Goddess (2018-2020), Rev Michael Lambaatjeen (2022-2023) and Rev Khakalethu Mantini (2024 to current).

Mantini is a third-generation minister.

Anyone who wants a copy of the book contact Burisch on 072 460 9663.