Ceremonial horn blown at thanksgiving for new chapel at OR Tambo Airport

Leading the ceremony was Rev Sean Wells, who introduced multiple speakers to welcome those in attendance in multiple languages.

July 23, 2019

Heleen Rossouw 2 minutes read

Col Ruth Modisha blows the ceremonial horn to celebrate the re-opening of Gateway Chapel at OR Tambo International Airport.

The FAJS Chaplaincy hosted a thanksgiving service on July 16 for the new Gateway Chapel at OR Tambo International Airport.

Leading the ceremony was Rev Sean Wells, who introduced multiple speakers to welcome all those in attendance in multiple languages.

Reaching out in Hebrew was Rabbi Eithan Ash, followed by Lay Chaplain Patricia Lovell who welcomed folks in English. Then followed Afrikaans, Zulu, Sotho and Mandarin.

A ceremonial horn was blown seven times by Col Ruth Modisha to symbolise this new chapter of this small airport chapel at Terminal A.

According to Nils Gregersen, the chapel’s mission is to provide fellowship in Jesus Christ for those engaged in work at the airport, those passing through and those engaged in ministry.

The group of religious figures, along with church attendees, at the re-opening of Gateway Chapel at OR Tambo International Airport.

The ministry wishes to establish cooperation with the International Airport Chaplaincies worldwide and to have a ministry of volunteers who engage in floor-walking, distributing literature and providing pastoral care, a prayer and a chat.

The Gateway Chapel hosts church services during the week and on Sundays, and also offers Bible teaching/study.

A special thank you was delivered by Lovell, in which she explained the history of the chapel and the long road they had to walk to finally settle at their new place of service to the Lord.

It was a journey that lasted nine years to get the chapel where it is today. “Although we have succeeded at long last to settle here, our work is not done yet. Our duty has now only begun,” she said.

In 1995 the Christian Ministry was established and funded by the Catholic Church at the then Johannesburg International Airport.

The ministry became interdenominational and was administered by a permanent Catholic priest and supported part time by an Anglican priest and NG Church reverend, said Father Peter Whitehead.

Mulitple religious figures blessed the thanksgiving ceremony of the re-opening of Gateway Chapel at OR Tambo International.

From 1997-2002 the ministry thrived and served the staff and passengers in qualified counselling, pastoral care, prayer support in the chapel, weddings, baptisms, confirmations, memorial services and much more.

From 2002-2018 the chapel was temporarily relocated to Terminal B when the airport underwent large scale reconstruction. From 2007 to 2010 they lost their full-time clergy. Luckily it had been revived with the 2010 Soccer World Cup when a group of volunteers restored the chapel during the six-week period of the World Cup together with Christians from 21 other churches from far and wide.

“Over this period, plans were drawn up, funds were raised and the chapel area was reconstructed. The new Gateway Chapel finally finished and opened in July, 2018,” Whitehead continued.

When discussing the history of the chapel, Whitehead explained: “Today is a celebration of God’s love and provision for all His people at this international gateway to Africa and the world. The challenge for the Body of Christ is to join together and support His interdenominational ministry, which seeks to serve 18 000 staff and roughly 20 million passengers per year.”