A M E Church Namibia Annual Conference
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Brief History 1
Namibia, a former German protectorate since 1884 and South African colony (5th province) since 1918, was formerly known as Southwest Africa (SWA). The German colonisers christened the natives into the German-based Rhymish Missionary Society, a complete religious organ of German Imperialism. The Namibians faced a identical crisis to that of the slaves in the Methodist Church in the USA, that resulted in the formation of the AME Church by Bishop Richard Allen. Not only were Namibians viewed as inferior citizens in the their own country of birth, but the educational opportunities were limited and Missionary Schools would not allow Africans to school beyond Class 2. Africans would not be ordained pastors to advance beyond the position of Evangelist as the "white missionaries could not entrust sacraments in the black hands". It was in the beginning of 1946 that an article had appeared in the South Africa daily newspaper "Die Beeld" that the German Rhynish Missionary Society is to be sold to the all-white Dutch Reformed Church. Alarmed by these and many other reports a group from mostly southern Namibia had decided to break-away from the RMS. It was no easy decision as the missionaries had collaborated with the colonisers to suppress any opposition with severe violence and detentions. It was on July 3rd, 1946 that the fathers took the decision to finally severe ties when they led a group of about 5 000 Namibians to join the African Methodist Episcopal Church, with whom they had informal secret meetings. The fathers drafted the break-away letter and delegated the courageous late Revs. P A Schmidt, W M Jod, J Ludwig and M Kooper (latter still alive) to deliver it to the German missionaries, who felt "betrayed" that our fathers delegated young men to face them.
Brief History 2
The events of July 3rd, 1946 were a turning point in the organisation of the AME Church in Namibia. There were some individuals who had already came into contact with the AME Church in South Africa, and some AME worship meetings took place prior to this date in harbour places such as Luderitz and Walvisbay. It was, however, the group of 5 000 plus who really formally organised and laid the foundation of what is today known as the Namibia Annual Conference with about 35 churches, about 5 Presiding Elder districts, about 30 itinerant preachers and more than 50 000 members. We stand today and salute the legacy we inherited from the pioneers, all of them called to Higher Ministry in heaven: Revs. Petrus Andreas Jod, Petrus A Schmidt, Willem M Jod, Daniel Dausab, Dirk van Neel, Jonas Ludwig, Zacheus Thomas, Markus Witbooi, Jakobus Jod and many other unsung heroes of African Methodism in Namibia.
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