Mission Chapel Congregational Church celebrates 200 years this month A proud symbol of African history

Aug 04, 2019 News

The Mission Chapel Congregational Church, situated at Main and Chapel Streets, New Amsterdam, is one of Guyana’s oldest churches, which is situated at Chapel Street, New Amsterdam Berbice, the Church is celebrating its 200th anniversary this month.

The Mission Chapel Congregational Church in New Amsterdam

A special week of activities from Sunday August 11 in observance of the historic occasion has been organised. A special service has been planned for Sunday and President David Granger has been invited.
The story of Mission Chapel ties in with the significance of Guyana Emancipation celebration by African Slaves.
The man credited with the founding of the church, is English Missionary, Reverend John Wray. Reverend Wray whose arrival to Guyana marked the beginning of Congregationalism, landed in Demerara on Saturday, February 6, 1808. He first established Bethel Chapel on Post’s Estate and started a successful mission among the slaves.
In those days, the planters were reluctant to let the slaves receive religious education, because they feared that the slaves would become wise and rebel. Towards the end of 1812, in the then separate Colony of Berbice, a number of estates belonging to the English Crown the slaves on these estates were known as “Crown Slaves”. Their conditions were horrible with no clothing and the most miserable huts to dwell in.
In 1813, Rev Wray established the Orange Chapel Church at Sandvoort. Wray continued his work among the enslaved population and began holding services in temporary buildings. He made several attempts to secure permanent accommodation, but his efforts were thwarted by the owners.
In 1818, he purchased Lot 12 of the first empolder of the town of New Amsterdam and commenced holding services under a tamarind tree. The purchase transaction was completed on December 31, 1818 and work on a permanent building started. The first Mission Chapel was completed and consecrated in February 1819.
During 1822, the Mission Chapel Congregational School was built and the church was enlarged. In August 1823, both Church and School were destroyed as a result of arson.
A second Mission Chapel building was completed and re-dedicated on June 12, 1825. The building eventually became too small.
The foundation of the third and present Mission Chapel was laid in 1841 during the ministry of the Rev Ebenezer Davies, the son-in-law of Rev Wray. The church was designated a monument in 1966.
The church comes alive during August when its anniversary is usually celebrated. The pastor is Rev Tyrone Sulker with assistance from Reverend Winifred Haywood, the current Mayor of New Amsterdam.
The church has several ministries including a Diaconate, a Sunday school, Women’s Union, Prayer Group, Youth Fellowship, etc.
The members are on a mission to preserve the church and ensure the survival of the physical structure.
The Mission Chapel Church, a church rich in its history, was a place of refuge and worship for the African ancestors during a time of oppression. (Samuel Whyte)