The Archdeaconry of Algoa   St Barnabas, Sidwell The foundation stone of St Barnabas' Church was laid on 13 May 1904 as a result of evangelists from St Paul's Church being sent into the northern areas, with the Dedication Service being conducted on 9 December 1904. The first service was held on 6 November 1904. The church of St Matthew's in Sidwell,which at one stage became a separate parish, and St Christopher's, a house church in Algoa Park, followed as a result of the growth in the Sydenham area, but in turn closed down. It was not until 1916 when the first vestry meeting was held at St Barnabas, that Chapelwardens/Churchwardens were elected. Up until that period St Paul's nominated an official to be responsible for the conduct of the affairs of St Barnabas' Church. In 1940 the Revd L M Morran became the first Rector at the new Parish of St Barnabas, having previously been Priest-in-Charge for approximately one year. The Hayman Hall was officially opened on 15 April 1926 by Archdeacon Flack. It was named after Capt William Hayman of the Church Army who worked in the Sydenham area and was partly responsible for the establishment of St Barnabas' Church. The foundation stone of the new Church was laid on 20 August 1960 by the Rt Rev Selby Taylor, Lord Bishop of Grahamstown. The 75th Anniversary of the Church was celebrated with a special service on 10 June 1979. The original Rectory was purchased in 1933, however, in 1962 the property at 7 Rhodes Street was purchased as the Rectory. There are approximately 150 families on the parish register at present and the parish has a vision of outreach into the area, in terms of evangelism. St Cuthbert, Westbourne Road St Cuthbert's Gray Memorial Church, which was consecrated in March 1884, commemorates two saintly men whose lives are separated in time by almost twelve centuries - St Cuthbert and Bishop Robert Gray. Called St Cuthbert's because of Bishop Gray's connection with the See of Durham. With the expan-sion of Port Elizabeth residential area to Westbourne Road and surrounds the need for another Anglican church was seen and in June 1882 the Town Council granted a piece of ground for the erection of a church in memory of Bishop Robert Gray. Due to lack of funds the first building was of wood-and-iron, designed by Mr WT Miles, the municipal architect, and his fine memorial altar, made in PE can still be admired in the present building. Services there were conducted by the clergy of St Mary's, however, towards the end of 1886 the Revd John Fitch Sinden was appointed Priest-in-Charge and was installed as Rector when St Cuthbert's finally became a separate Parish in August 1907. The new chancel was built in 1889 and the original rectory in 1910 but it was not until 1932 that the present nave and vestries were completed and consecrated. In 1947, as a war memorial, it was decided that a chapel be built and that the great west window, (of stained glass), be installed. St Cuthbert's is a vibrant parish, well set to take the Gospel of Jesus out to the needy in every form. This it intends to do in earnest in the years ahead. St Philip, The Hill St Philip's Mission Church began in about 1872 amongst families which had moved from the Western Cape to PE. They were Dutch speaking, and beginning in a wool store in Strand Street, and then at the Mechanic's Institute in Donkin Street, lack of space took them to St Paul's Boys' Schoolroom. They became the responsibility of the Rector of St Paul's, but the ministry prospered under a Mr PR Mollett, teacher and Catechist, (who later became St Philip's first Rector), and led to an application for land from the Municipal Council. This was granted under a special Deed of Transfer dated 1883, which vested the property in the congregation under three Trustees, one of whom was the Mayor of Port Elizabeth, for the time being, and the other two elected by the congregants. This Deed was instrumental in discouraging expropriation during the apartheid era. The foundation stone of the present church was laid in May 1883 and the church dedicated in 1884. The congregation has seen many ups and downs, losing numerous parishioners to other parishes with the Group Areas forced removal of families from Central and South End. A number, however, persisted in worshipping at St Philip's even though the Diocesan authorities expressed the view that its closing was inevitable and the last Rector appointed was in 1960. It does seem that God indeed had a purpose in forestalling the complete uprooting of this vine. It remains to be seen whether the present congregation can enter into the opportunities and fresh transforming vision the Lord has been setting before St Philip's. Many are praying that once again it will fulfil its calling to be a `missionary church'. St Stephen, New Brighton St Stephen's Mission was founded in 1870 to serve the congregation living in the four major town locations, and the first building was the old Powder Magazine on Richmond Hill. The whites began to feel threatened by a growing number of blacks who had settled and built huts in the centre of the town at places like Gubbs, Strangers and Coopers locations. Through their representatives they had influenced the government to introduce the Native Reserve Location Act which was passed in 1903. This act had effectively meant that blacks who lived among whites were to be moved to New Brighton location. There was strong resistance from some black and white residents against this Act, but when blacks were promised better housing, health services and education facilities as well a property rights, most of them agreed to move to this new township. The congregation of St. Stephen's now in New Brighton worshipped for a while in Block 59 Red location, before a new church was built. The Church was built in 1907 at Red location and was of wood and iron structure. There was another built at Mount Road also known as St. Stephen's Church which remained for sometime and ceased to be used in 1960. Canon Joseph Cowan planned the present church in Grattan Street. He was responsible for the initial fund to plan the project, but the building of the new church was the responsibility of his successor. The foundation stone was laid on 25 May 1941 by Mr JL Walton who, together with the PE Church Extension Board, provided the funds for the building, which was consecrated in July that same year. Holy Trinity, Central The Trinity congregation was founded in 1854 when a group of parishioners who, according to the Declaration of 1859, "voluntarily retired from St Mary's Church ... because of the introduction of novelties and the propagation of doctrines which seemed to us inconsistent with the plain truth of the Gospel, as contained in the Holy Scriptures and held by our venerated Church." The original church was built at the bottom of Military Road. However, with the need for ministry to the growing population on the Hill, the Bishop recommended that the congregation should rather move there. This church was opened for worship on 1 April 1866. There was seating for 160 people and in 1867 this was increased to 380. The hall was built in 1882, and in 1884 the Nave was extended so the church could seat 483 people. On 1 April 1897 a deranged woman set fire to the Church. The inside of the building and the roof were destroyed but all the walls as well as the tower remained intact. Services continued, being held in the school room and the hall of the Grey Institute. Less that six months after the fire the foundation stone of the re-built and larger Church was laid. Holy Trinity was only constituted as a parish in 1930 and over the years has had many ups and downs. Looking to the future, the Mission Statement is "Making friends, Becoming disciples, Serving Jesus."