The Diocese of Namibia in the Province of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa celebrated its 100th anniversary. The centenary celebrations included a parade, celebrations of Namibian heritage and culture and a commemorative service with an address from the Most Revd Dr Thabo Makgoba, Archbishop of Cape Town and Primate of Southern Africa and the Rt Revd Patrick Djuulume, Bishop of the Diocese of Namibia.
The theme of the centenary was described as “Commemorating achievements and visualising the future of the Anglican Diocese of Namibia.” The purpose of the Centenary was to commemorate the historic milestones of the Anglican Diocese of Namibia, document the journey and treasure the legacy of the past century, as well as identify strategies to address challenges and inspire the vision of the future for the diocese.
The celebrations culminated in an event at St Mary’s Odibo Mission during the week of 17-24 August 2025, in which the Most Revd Thabo Makgoba was the celebrant.
The Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, the Rt Revd Anthony Poggo, also sent a message of encouragement to the diocese in celebration of the event. In his written message, Bishop Anthony gave thanks for “this remarkable milestone of one hundred years of faithful witness, worship and service. This is a testimony to God’s grace as well as the steadfast commitment of generations of believers in this Diocese. As you gather to remember your history, honour those who have gone before you and celebrate the growth of the Church in Namibia, may this centenary be a time of deep gratitude, joyful fellowship and renewed vision for the future.”
The Most Revd Dr Thabo Makgoba, Archbishop of Cape Town and Primate of Southern Africa, who spoke at the centenary celebration on August 23rd, shared: “People of Namibia, take this assurance to heart, that each one of you, transformed by your faith, is loved by God as if you are the only being in existence. And of course, this does not apply only to each one of you. It applied to those who came before you, to those who laid a solid foundation for this Diocese, to those whose legacy as faithful servants of our Lord and Saviour we honour today. We also remember all the bishops, clergy, the church wardens, lay ministers and lay leaders down the years who paved the way for our worship today. They are our inspiration in leading the witness of Jesus through some of the most difficult times of our history.”
In closing, Archbishop Thabo stated, “I congratulate you all very warmly on your Centenary anniversary. God loves you, and so do I. Amen.”
The Rt Revd Patrick Djuulume, the Bishop of Namibia, told Anglican Communion News, “The Centenary Celebrations of the Anglican Diocese of Namibia provide a great opportunity for us, as members of our diocesan family, to give thanks to God, to reflect on what He has done, in which way we, His Church, could have done better, and open new chapters for that which lay ahead.”
Regarding the vision for the future of the diocese,The Rt Revd, Patrick Djuulume, the Bishop of Namibia stated that he envisioned Namibia as a “missional, just, learning, united, inclusive and sustainable church” and that the “focus in the coming years must therefore concentrate on mission-driven development, youth empowerment, theological education, social justice and church sustainability.”
Representatives from the Anglican charity HOPE Africa also joined the centenary celebrations as a partner of various missions and initiatives in Northern Namibia, including a convent, school and community garden. Part of the centenary celebrations involved the gift of uniforms and stationery to the school to show continued support for the role of education in the diocese.