The Archdeaconry of Cradock   Church of the Ascension In the African township of Cradock, recently resited and named Lingelihle, there stood a wood and iron building known as St Peter's Church, (where the present incumbent of the Church of the Ascension was baptised)! The priest-in-Charge was the Revd John Zolilo. In 1928 the Revd James Calata took over. He was a powerful evangelising force, both among the Black and Coloured members of the community who worshipped together in those days, and it soon became necessary to build a new church. Because there was already a thriving St Peter's Church in Cradock the name was changed to St James and the church was consecrated on 23 October, 1931. With the inexorable passage of the apartheid years, the Coloured community of Lingelihle was moved to a new township known as Michausdal on the opposite side of the National Road and a buffer zone was created between the boundary of Cradock and Ligelihle. St James Church fell within the buffer zone and was later demolished, without compensation being paid. A new church needed to be built in the township and Bishop Robert Selby Taylor came to inspect the site. As he and the group walked up the slight incline towards the site he exclaimed "Ah! We will call it the Church of the Ascension!" The foundation stone was laid by Archdeacon JG Heath on 1 December 1963 and Canon Calata became the first Rector and served the parish for 42 years. With the move of the coloured community to Michausdal it became evident that a new church had to be built as the people were having to cross the National Road to worship at St James. The new church was dedicated on Ascension Day, 8 May 1975. One of the priests to serve there was the Revd Lawrie Wilmot for whom special permission had to be obtained for him to reside in the Priest's house in Michausdal because of the provisions of the Group Areas Act. After his departure ministering to the church and people became the responsibility of the successive rectors of St Peter's Church, Cradock. Parish of the Great Fish River St Peter, Cradock When Bishop Robert Gray visited Cradock in 1848, he found sixty families who called themselves `English Church People', but no church. A meeting was called and the only remaining church erf was secured. Ten years later St Peter's church was consecrated by Bishop Cotterill, the sanctuary and chancel being built of local stone given by the people. A Rectory was purchased in 1860, and a room in the rectory was made available for a library, used by local inhabitants including the well known author Olive Schreiner. The Parish Hall was built in 1893; the Lych Gate and stone wall were erected in 1949, in memory of parishioners who fell during World War II; and a new rectory was built in 1962. In 1974 the property suffered sadly when the Great Fish River came down in flood, and floodwaters two metres deep caused great devastation to the whole property. During the past two decades the Parish has suffered the same fate as many other rural parishes, with a loss of members mainly due to the drift of people from the rural areas to the more prosperous urban areas. On top of this almost a decade of crippling drought conditions which has seen many traditional farmers dispossessed of their land due to financial pressures. St James, Michausdal (See Church of the Ascension) The Parish of the Karoo St Barnabas', Middelburg One hundred years ago a gift from one church to another enabled St Barnabas to be built, thanks to the generosity of the local N G Kerk community, who donated the ground. At the same time services were started in the Schoombee area - perhaps this could be claimed as the oldest, continuing and thriving House Church in the country? St Lawrence, Tafelberg, was consecrated by Bishop Allan B Webb in February 1894. St Anne's, Hanover, was consecrated in March 1896. St Thomas', Midros, has been a thriving House Church for many years and is looking forward to receiving the Jubilee Thank-offering from the Diocese so that it can start building the planned multi-purpose church complex. Christ Church, Colesberg - In 1820, after the British settlers landed in Algoa Bay, a number of them trekked as far north as the Colesberg district where they settled. Numerically small, most of them attended the Methodist Church whilst some attended the Dutch Reformed Church where services in English were regularly held at the time. In 1848 the church officials in Cape Town decided to appoint a Rector of Colesberg and Dr CEH Orpen arrived. At first services were held in the Court House or the London Mission Chapel, which was later known as St Stephen's Church. In 1854 the present church, designed by Sophy Grey, was completed, except for the Chancel and porch, which were added in 1880. Twelve Rectors ministered in the parish until 1940 when it was felt that it should be served from Middelburg. Holy Cross Steynsburg - In 1885 the first Priest-in-Charge arrived in Steynburg to minister to the people of the area. The use of a house and store were obtained in 1890 and the latter converted into a Chapel, all of which became lovingly known as the Old Rectory. The present Church was built in 1902 and consecrated by Bishop Cornish in March 1904. In 1989 Holy Cross became a Chapelry of St Barnabas, Middelburg. St Anne, Hanover Present Trinity Parish St Boniface, Kwanomzame - The Title Deeds to the original Mission House are dated 1903. This house was sold in 1947 and the "new" Mission House built in 1949. With the Government's Separate Development policy St Boniface was forcibly removed to the new township of Kwanonzame in 1989. Churches included in this parish are: St Agnes, Noupoort; St Francis, Colesberg; St Martin, Hanover and St Andrew, Steynsburg. St Ninian, Somerset East The original church was established more than 100 years ago as a chapelry of All Saints, Somerset East. A new site was procured in 1977, and in 1980 Mr C van Steijn of Cradock built the present church and rectory. The church was dedicated on 1 March 1981 by the Rt Revd Bruce Evans.