Moffat Mission, outreach ministries

South Africa Special Project

The United Congregational Church of Southern Africa

The Moffat Mission was founded by the London Missionary Society in 1816 at Kuruman, and it moved to its present site in the early 1820’s with the arrival of Robert and Mary Moffat. As the first project, Robert Moffat led the building of a school room (the first in the interior of South Africa). The Mission became famous for its work among the Baswana, for its impressive stone and thatch church, for the translation of the Bible into Setswana and for the actual printing of the Bible and other educational material later. It also was here that David Livingstone proposed to the Moffat’s oldest daughter, Mary.

In the 1980’s, the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa, strong Global Ministries partner in many areas of ministry, approached the Anglican, Methodist, and Presbyterian Churches of South Africa to participate in an ecumenical venture, and the Kuruman Moffat Mission was born. The historical sites receive many visitors and the Mission also includes a theological seminary, leadership training courses, a library and resource center. It is a center of gathering and reflection for church and community, a space of dialogue during problemmatic times, a witness to ecumenical commitment work which now spans three centuries.

Needs of the Kuruman Moffat Mission, South Africa:

1. Area: Theological Education

Moffat Mission’s Kalahari Desert School of Theology works with pastors, ministerial candidates as well as lay leaders in both classroom settings and “by extension” in local communities.

2. Area: Leadership training

The Moffat Education and Leadership Insitute offer community leadership development courses. Leadership training is one of the most urgent needs in South Africa.

3. Area: Library resources

Moffat Mission has a substantial library. The library is in a continual search for funds for additional books and educational resources for the use of students and the community around the Moffat Mission.