In the heart of the one of the oldest ghettos in Harare, Highfield, St Paul’s Anglican church marked its 75th Anniversary in beauty and magnificent sense of love and joy. A day filled with roars of trumpets and good celebration from the Police Band and other known artists who performed at the church. St Paul’s Anglican church was established in 1950 as an out station of St Michael’s Mbare parish. The first St Paul’s stand pitched was allocated near Green Valley Flats near Machipisa in Highfield, and its first service was held under a Musasa tree before any structures had been constructed.
With young men and women who were in red and white cassocks leading the whole procession, a banner of the 75th anniversary was clearly seen from a distant. From the church to Stones Bar shops, and then to Mhofu Primary School where the once held their services during exile. The journey from the dusty and dim past flows into a glowing, colourful and promising future of the St Paul’s Anglican church, as it is said,” diamonds form under pressure.” From its Facebook page, the church posted the history of the church and the formation of each and every guild and other people who made the church what it is today, a remarkable feat of where the church is coming from.
With the main theme of honouring the past, the church welcomed and officially accepted Wabvuwi in 1969. The pioneering members played a significant role in the establishment, development and growth of the guild. The 75th theme of embracing the future, the church welcomed the first St Peters’ guild in 1990, with their commitment helped to lay the foundation for the guild’s growth in the parish. Followed, with two main groups, the Bernard Muzeki Guild [BMG] which was breathed into life in 1996 and the first female servers were also officially accepted in the same year.
In 2014, the church under the rector-ship of Cannon Missonier Noel Magaya, witnessed the first ever Men’s Fellowship. The fellowship guild set a stage that continues to bring men together in service, prayer and the strengthening of faith.
Six year later, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the church introducing the first ever media team under the leadership of Cannon Chris Mukwenha. Since then, the church has been broadcasting every Sunday live on their Facebook page. With many notable achievements, the church is still witnessing the grace and the hand of God in every aspect of life.
The current bishop of the Harare Diocesan, Bishop Doctor Farai Mutamiri congratulated the church and urged the parishioners to be a positive change in the community as the church exists for both the people and God.
“Continue to be a catalyst for positive change within the community. We do not exist for ourselves; we exist for the community. As such the church should continue to do that. Whatever we do is not for the Anglicans, it’s for God’s people created in the image of God,” he said.
Bishop Doctor Farai Mutamiri was once the rector of St Paul’s church Highfield Anglican church from 2003 up to 2005. St Paul’s church has been blessed with many vibrant and good leaders with Reverend Chitambo being the longest serving rector. He led the church for 11 years. Currently the church is under the stewardship of Cannon Chris Mukwenha and Reverend Wisedom Changoza.
The anniversary was graced by former and retired, Bishop Chad Gandiya who was also the celebrant and also the Minister of Women Affairs, Community Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Minister Mutsvangwa graced the event. The church laid a new stone in the name of “Samantha Jane Turner Plycentre,” who played a significant role in the formation of the church and her works which enabled the church to be where it is today.
