Bay church rich in history shares 65th birthday with pastor

As the nation celebrates Heritage Day, the El-Bethel Full Gospel Church in Arcadia, rich with history, celebrates its 65th birthday.

The milestone calls back the memory of a church constituted on September 24 1956.

The church which late pastor Henry John Kayser started from a room in his home in Lawler Street, Schauderville, has grown through two generations.

After some time, he was given a plot of land in St Adams Drive, Gelvandale, where he erected the church.

Later, his eldest son, Apostle Derrick Kayser, moved away from the mother church and continued with an assembly in Roan Crescent in a temporary building.

Younger son, Pastor Michael Kayser, took over from Apostle Derrick in 1988 once he had completed his tertiary education at Chaldo Bible College in Cape Town.

The following year, he was once again joined by his brother at the El-Bethel Assembly in Oosthuizen Street, where it still stands today.

Both brothers along with their father then started ministering with other families, many of whom have since passed away.

Pastor Michael had the privilege to lead and shepherd the children, and also the grandchildren, of these families.

Pastor Michael and his wife, Doreen, have now been running the El-Bethel Assembly for the last 32 years and are affiliated to the Full Gospel Church overseen in the Eastern Cape by Pastor Cyril Craill (Algoa Park) and moderated by the national moderator, Dr Stafford Peterson (Pretoria).

Pastor Michael had worked at General Motors for 14 years before going into full-time ministry in 2005.

For the last 16 years, together with his congregation, he has completed two buildings, on the same land, with the final building being completed in 2004.

One building is for church services and the other for Sunday school and the youth.

Pastor Michael also served on the Full Gospel regional board as its general secretary and in his years of ministry oversaw and helped many congregations as far as Makhanda and Port Alfred.

Together with the church, he is also celebrating his 65th birthday today, but has no plans to retire anytime soon.