Interpreting History. Unlocking Various Phases of History in the Story of the Upington Uniting Reformed Church over its first Hundred Years of Existence (1875–1975)

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The Upington congregation of the Uniting Reformed Church in South Africa (URCSA), established in 1875, is one of two URCSA congregations in Upington in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. The congregation has a long, interesting history entrenched in the sociopolitical realities of the “Coloured” people of the Orange River Valley in and around Upington. This article explores the history of this congregation, its origins as a mission station on the other side of the Orange River, and the complexities and perceived cultural boundaries linked to its establishment and development. Furthermore, there is the story behind the significant church schism of 1902. The article also focuses on the interesting, complex link between the former Dutch Reform Mission Church (DRMC) Upington congregation and the Dutch Reform Church (DRC) Upington over certain periods—a relationship of many phases. This is an attempt to discover new elements and perspectives on the history of the URCSA Upington, adding to current engagements and evaluations of congregational histories in eras before the so-called postcolonial era. Church and congregational records (including celebratory publications), theses linked to the establishment of churches in the 1800s in the Orange River Valley, and historical documents of the former DRMC form the basis of this study (source analysis).