Church of the Redeemer, Jamaica
# Church of the Redeemer, Jamaica

The Church of the Redeemer is the oldest Moravian Church building in Kingston, Jamaica, and houses a congregation of the Jamaican province of the Moravian Church. It was opened in 1918. The name, which is unusual for a Moravian church, was bestowed by its builder Jonathan Reinke "because he did not want people to speak of Reinke's church".

## History

### First building

Kingston's first Moravian Church (at 23 Hanover Street) was a large house which was adapted for the purpose and consecrated on 1893-04-14. This building and the Mission House next door (at 25 Hanover Street) were destroyed in 1907 by an earthquake. Two shed's were erected to replace them while a new Church building was constructed.

### Present building

The building at the corner of North Street and Duke Street was consecrated by Bishop Westphal on 1918-05-08. The total cost of the building, site and out buildings was £3,124.

### Manse

A new manse, on the north side of North Street a block to the east, was completed in 1927 at a cost of £921. The manse site was sold to the Gleaner Company for £4,000 in 1949 and a new manse purchased in Antrim Road, Vineyard Town.

### Hall

A church hall was opened on 1930-12-30 by Lady Stubbs, wife of the Governor. This was destroyed by the hurricane of 1951. A replacement hall was opened in 1962-02-28 at a cost of £16,000.

### Organ

A pipe organ was installed in 1932, reconstructed in 1945 and destroyed during the 1951 hurricane. A replacement was installed in 1953 at a cost of over £3,000.

## Clergy

| 1893-1894 | Bishop Hannah |
| - | - |
| 1894-1896 | G H Lopp |
| 1896-1928 | Jonathan Reinke |
| 1929-1932 | John Kneale |
| 1932-1939 | W M O'Meally |
| 1939-1944 | W A Kaltreider |
| 1944-1946 | John Kneale |
| 1946-1947 | J P Davidson |
| 1947-1951 | H T Cuthbert |
| 1951-1957 | S U Hastings |
| 1957-1959 | Ben Muncaster |
| 1959-1977 | Neville S Neil |
