In the early 1960’s, Mr and Mrs Waller ran a holiday house in Betty’s Bay called Clareport, now known as Mooihawens. They arranged church services for their guests at Easter and Christmas and these were the beginnings of the St Francis Anglican community. These services were taken by the priest from Caledon and then later by the priest from the Strand.
Then in the 1980’s John and Avril Nunn and Roelf and Gillian Attwell offered their homes for services, with a priest from Gordon’s Bay coming out once a month. I do not wish to leave anyone out as many people were involved but it is primarily because of their faithfulness that the Anglican community is in Betty’s Bay today. Later it was decided to approach the Dean of Cape Town for more regular services, and it was arranged that Fr Hall, from Strand, would come out to Betty’s Bay twice a month to conduct worship services in people’s homes. As the congregation grew in numbers, the Anglicans were allowed to use the Chapel of Our Lady of Montserrat, when available. This was not always an easy arrangement as the services moved between homes and the Roman Catholic chapel. However, when Fr Dorian arrived at the chapel and heard about the difficulties, he arranged for the chapel to be available for the Anglican services on Sundays.
In 1995, the Betty’s Bay Anglican congregation was large enough to be amalgamated with St Philips, Gordon’s Bay, and became a Chapelry. The small congregation now had parish status within the Diocese of Cape Town and on Sunday 14 January 1996 the first service recorded in the Chapel service register was held.
The small Anglican community had a dream of one day having their own place for worship serving the wider Betty’s Bay community and so in 1998 a site was purchased in Ferraria Road. In 2003, a stand was donated by the Cleak family to be used, or sold, for the purpose of building a chapel. Services continued to be held in the Our Lady of Monserrat Chapel, and the congregation of St Francis of Assisi, Betty’s Bay, grew steadily. The building of their own chapel was still a long way off, but planning for this continued, and a good relationship grew with the Roman Catholic community.
In 2019, Betty’s Bay experienced a devastating fire and the Roman Catholic chapel was destroyed. Once again, Sunday worship took place in people’s homes until the new owners of Mooihawens, now Brigadoon Dementia Care Centre, offered the use of their Green Hall. The congregation was back where it had started, until the completion of the new Roman Catholic chapel in 2022. Sunday worship could take place in the chapel once again. At last, in 2023, the possibility of the St Francis congregation having their own place of worship became more real. Plans were drawn up for a chapel and, under the direction of Tom Jacobs, things started moving forward.
Monday 15 March 2024 saw the dream of a Chapel become a reality as the earth was turned on the site in Ferraria Road by Reverend Byron Samuels of St Philips, Gordon’s Bay, and George McMillan. Reverend Tim Attwell and Reverend Ivan Smith, both retired clergymen who share the preaching and care of the congregation, and Tom Jacobs, project managing the building, also celebrated this historic occasion along with other members of the congregation. The Chapel is now being built on generous bequests, donations and goodwill, and is expected to be completed by mid-August.
The faithful acts of Mr and Mrs Waller in organising services in their home at Easter and Christmas sowed the seed for the founding of St Francis of Assisi Chapel in order to worship God and share His love in this area. The persistent loyalty and commitment of the Anglican community over so many years is also a testimony to what God has been doing, and is doing in Betty’s Bay.
Sunday services will continue at 9.00 am at the Roman Catholic chapel in Twist Street, until the St Francis Chapel is ready. Contact Allison Vienings on 082 416 3916 for more information, and follow us on Facebook under The Anglican Chapel of St. Francis of Assisi, Betty’s Bay.
Rachel Norton
