Church of St John the Evangelist

Did the year 1833 hold a secret? It did for the Church of St John the Evangelist. A secret wrapped in the legal language of Ordinance 6. This ordinance, known as the Wynberg English Church Ordinance, granted authority to build St John’s. The Church of St John the Evangelist stands before you now, a testament to the vision of those early evangelical Anglicans. They first gathered in a humble cottage on Waterloo Road in Wynberg in 1834. Soon, their numbers outgrew the cottage walls. The Church of St John the Evangelist was built and consecrated that same year, just outside the village and near the military encampment. This makes St John’s the oldest Anglican church in Cape Town. The church served the troops at Wynberg Military Base until the Garrison Church opened in 1905. The Church of St John the Evangelist also became the heart of a growing parish. This parish included St Luke’s in Diep River (1897), Christ Church in Kenilworth (1907), St Philip’s in Kenwyn (1921), Emmanuel Church in Wynberg (1928), and the Church of the Holy Spirit in Kirstenhof (1999). In 1891, the Cape parliament attempted to consolidate all individual Anglican church ordinances. St John’s, fearing for its evangelical identity, resisted. A separate act, the St John’s Act (Act 9 of 1891), was passed. This act, still in effect today, safeguards St John’s unique position. The church’s evangelical spirit has endured, shaping its relationship with the broader Anglican community. The buildings around the church, like Rosary House and St John’s Cottage, reflect its enduring presence. Across the road stands Springfield Convent School, established by Irish Dominican nuns in 1871. St John’s also established its own school, located on Ottery Road. The Church of St John the Evangelist is more than just stones and mortar. It represents a community’s unwavering commitment to faith. It stands as a legacy for almost two centuries.