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More than 1,000 congregants gathered in Qonce on Sunday as the historic Brownlee Congregational Church launched celebrations marking 200 years in the community.
The event, hosted by Reverend Songezo Dala, was attended by land reform and rural development minister Mzwanele Nyhontso and served as the official launch of the church’s bicentenary celebrations, which will culminate in September.
Church elder Lunga Nqam, one of the organisers of the anniversary programme, described the launch as a fitting beginning to a year of reflection on the church’s long history.
“I have been with the church for almost 30 years,” he said.
“It has been a good, fulfilling spiritual experience. It spanned over years under different ministers.”
The day began with a tour of historic church sites in Qonce before congregants gathered in Bhisho for a church service.
The Brownlee Congregational Church, now officially the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa’s Brownlee Circuit, traces its roots to Scotland’s John Brownlee, one of the earliest missionaries to work among the amaXhosa in the Eastern Cape.
Brownlee arrived in SA with the London Missionary Society in 1817.
After spending time in the Cape Colony, he crossed the colonial frontier to minister among the amaXhosa under Chief Ngqika.
In 1825 he travelled to establish a mission station in what would later become King William’s Town, now Qonce, laying the foundations for a church that has endured for two centuries.
Mpumelelo Kumbaca said the church’s history remained a source of pride for congregants.
“I have always been a member of the church,” he said. “My parents were members of the church, so I also grew up in it.
“I was part of the youth, I became president of the youth and now I am in Soldiers of Christ and part of the deacons.
“Brownlee Congregational Church is also known as Rhabe.
“It was started by John Brownlee, a missionary from Scotland. He arrived at Buffalo River, Qonce, in 1826.
“He worked together with the chiefs of this land, Chief Tshatshu and Chief Ngqika and King Hintsa, and ministered to people.”
Church leaders say Brownlee’s work extended beyond religious ministry.
He became known for his efforts in education and community development, and for building relationships with local traditional leaders at a time of profound change and conflict in the region.
The Brownlee Congregational Church building in Qonce still stands today as a reminder of that legacy.
The site became one of the best-known mission stations in the Eastern Cape and for many years housed the South African Missionary Museum, preserving artefacts and records linked to the area’s rich religious history.
Over the decades, the church became closely woven into the social and spiritual life of communities across the region.
Generations of families worshipped within its congregations, while the church continued to expand its footprint.
According to Nqam, the church has established congregations in areas such as Dimbaza, Ginsberg and Phakamisa, and has remained active in community upliftment initiatives.
“Brownlee was a man known for humility,” Nqam said. “He was a man of strong faith, humility and was a community developer.
“We stand along those pillars. The church must always be seen as a community developer, touching the lives of those around them in the community, in and outside the church.”
Nqam said the church was also engaging with Nyhontso’s office on a land claim involving property lost through apartheid-era legislation.
“We have lost some land due to apartheid-era acts. We have made an appeal to his office to help us reclaim that land,” he said.
Kumbaca believes the church’s longevity is rooted in both faith and family tradition.
“I think the reason this church existed for so long is because of people’s faith and their love for the Brownlee church,” he said.
“The people are committed to this church and they love its history also.
“Like myself, some members of this church have parents who were also members of this church.
“Many generations have attended this one church.”
As the congregation prepares to celebrate its bicentenary in September, church leaders say the values that shaped its beginnings — faith, humility and service to the community — remain at the heart of its mission.
Two hundred years after its founding, Brownlee Congregational Church continues to serve both as a place of worship and a symbol of continuity for generations of families across the Eastern Cape.
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