A M E Church Namibia Keetmanshoop PE District
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Brief History
Keetmanshoop is one of the founding Presiding Elder Districts in Namibia. Its first presiding elder, the late Rev. Zacheus Thomas was very instrumental in the break-away from the German Rhynish Missionary Society on July 3rd, 1946. All preliminary discussions between the founding fathers and the AME Church leaders in South Africa were coordinated from Keetmanshoop, and it was here that the first signals were sounded that the break has occured, possibly already as early as April 1946. This district initially covered the whole of the current Karas Region and a portion of the Hardap Region, until the General Conference of 1980 has re-bordered and the Luderitz District was added. The ageing father Thomas reguested and Rev. N.C. Christians was transferred in 1958 to Namibia as pastor of Trinity A.M.E. Church and presiding elder of the Keetmanshoop District. He was instrumental in the building of three churches and has laid a solid financial foundation for the present-day Keetmanshoop District. He was tranferred in 1994 as presiding elder of the Luderitz District, and retired in 1997. The Rev. Albert E Koopman was transferred in 1994 from the Luderitz District. He was a young adult amongst the elders during the events of July 3rd, 1946. He was elected as the first President of the Namibia Conference Lay Organisation in 1966 and also as the first Lay Delegate to the 1968 General Conference. Together with his wife, Mother Sophie Koopman have laboured to consolidate both the WMS and YPD auxiliaries in Namibia. He is now retired but still active in the pastorate at the Berseba A.M.E. Church. He was succeeded in 1999 by the Rev. Andreas Biwa, on transfer from the Luderitz District.
Assignments 1999
* Z.T.Trinity AME Church, Keetmanshoop, Rev. H. /Gariseb * St. Nicholas AME Church, Kronlein, Rev C.P. Hill * Robinson AME Church, Tses, Licentiate Leukes * Ebenezer AME Church, Blaauw Wes, Rev. S.W.Apollus * E M Gordon AME Church, Vaalgras, Rev. A. Apollus * Thomas AME Church, Grunau, Rev. H. Thomas. There are about 12 000 members, served by 4 itinerant elders, 3 local deacons and a big number of lay preachers.
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