Aranos Reformed Church

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The Aranos Reformed Church was a small congregation of the Reformed Churches in South Africa (GKSA) in Aranos, eastern Namibia. It started in 1930 and left GKSA in 2016.

At the end of 2014, the church had 16 confirmed and 5 baptized members; in 2015 it grew to 19 confirmed and 6 baptized. It was the second smallest GKSA church in Namibia, after Karasburg.

Background: For many years, only a few congregations existed in South West Africa. In 1930, three GKSA churches were formed quickly—Gobabis, Outjo, and Aranos—after 1,922 Afrikaners returned from Angola following the Dorsland Trek in 1929. Some Namibian members joined other denominations as well; Gobabis later saw NHK activity starting in 1937. The Aranos GKSA church is 22 years older than its Dutch Reformed Church (NGK) counterpart in Aranos.

The first services were held on June 20, 1930, at Kemel farm. On June 21, a service at Kema farm began the Gibeon Reformed Church. Services continued at Omrah farm until June 20, 1959, when the church building opened and the first Classis in South West Africa began.

From 1940 to 1959 the congregation was also known as the Omrah Reformed Church. In 1958, Dm. H.A. Louw served as pastor to 76 confirmed and 85 baptized members, which spurred plans to build a church there. The keystone was laid on February 11, 1959, by Louw. Builder Kiepie Erasmus helped complete the church, though the builders deviated from the architect’s plan in places, such as using cement bricks for the concrete tower. A rectory was later built, and Louw’s successor, Dm. M.A. Kruger, became the first pastor to live there.

Aranos grew quickly as a town. The name Aranos comes from a mix of Arahoab and the Nossob River, after the town’s original name Arahoab caused confusion with Aroab.

The church faced financial problems but continued to exist. By 1958 there were 76 confirmed and 85 baptized members; by 1997 the numbers were 84, and by 2014 they had declined to 16. In the broader church landscape, several congregations left GKSA in the 2000s and joined larger regional groupings. In 2016 Aranos, along with Outjo, Biermanskool, Namib-Kus, and Khomas-Hoogland, left GKSA and joined the Klassis Waterberg, while Otjiwarongo had joined Klassis Etosha earlier.