The North Coast is home to a great many places of worship, each offering its own form of guidance and community.
If you are new to the area, just visiting or simply looking to try a new option, it can be overwhelming to know where to look.
Over the next few months, the Courier will be featuring churches between Umhlali and Ballito, in no particular order, to give you a feel for what is on offer.
In September this year, the Umhlali Methodist Church will have served the North Coast for a century.
Originally built in 1924, the church is traditional in its design and includes some beautiful stained glass and a classic pew setup.
Situated in leafy Burnedale Road, it is no longer visible from Salt Rock Road but for long stood as a proud sentry before the trees had grown in.
“Some of our older parishioners tell stories of trying to sneak down from Umhlali town towards the beach and being caught by their parents watching from the church,” said church leader, Reverend Mark Wiemers.
“That’s the wonderful thing about a church like this. Many members of our congregation were baptised here and have been coming here for their entire lives.”
The church was an important part of the Umhlali community long before Ballito and Salt Rock had developed into anything larger than a smattering of beach houses and farmland.
Methodists have been in Umhlali since at least the 1870s and the first marriage records at ‘Umhlali Church’ show the union of Gemima Burne and Thomas Fayle in 1875.
It is believed Burne is a namesake of the nearby Burnedale farm.
At the neighbouring Umhlali cemetery, which used to be maintained by the church but is now looked after by the KwaDukuza municipality, you can find a neat roadmap back through the history of local prominent families.
The oldest tombstone dates back to 1859.
You can still find the original lychgate – a gate between the cemetery and churchyard which served a role during burial services – on the church grounds.
“I think the best kept secret of our church is that its position makes it feels like a country church,” said Wiemers.
He has been at the church for two years, having previously served in Richard’s Bay, Westville, Malvern, Claremont in Cape Town, Kempton Park in Johannesburg and as an army chaplain during his service.
He studied theology at the since closed divinity faculty at Rhodes University before becoming ordained in 1990.
Methodist ministers are typically invited to a church for five years, after which they will either be reassigned or reinvited.
“I have really enjoyed my time in Ballito so far. The congregation is so unique, welcoming and warm and has been so since my first day.”
The Umhlali Methodist Church has around 200 people registered, of whom between 120 and 150 attend the two Sunday services.
An 8.30am contemporary family service starts the day, after which a more traditional hymn service is held at 10am.
Services are livestreamed and recorded, visit umc.org.za to see the most recent service.
The church falls within the Lower Tugela circuit, which includes 15 churches and around 2 000 members from Westbrook to Darnall and inland.
The circuit is part of the Natal Coastal District, itself a chapter of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa which has some two million members between South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho and Eswatini.
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