Allan Griffin Hall

It was a dark and stormy night … but even an extended power outage could not deter the Pringle Bay United Church from celebrating the opening of their new hall on Friday 7 July.

What started as a near impossible dream, became a reality when the hall was opened with a special dedication service, followed by a joyous social celebration in the new spacious structure.

Seeds for the possibility of expanding the church was first planted when the church council discussed their dream of extending the church’s space to accommodate future growth. This was during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, when church attendance was at an all-time low and no-one knew what the future would hold.

Yet the church leaders, under the spiritual leadership of Rev. Gavin Graham, took a leap of faith by engaging with a well-known local businessman to discuss the possibility of a contribution towards the church’s newly formed building fund.

And that is when the miracles started happening…

Mr Allan Griffin conferred with his business partner in Zambia, Mr Anil Mahavir, and soon thereafter the wonderful news was announced that they would pay for the entire project!

Even better, this generous sponsorship was not to be on a financial level only – Mr Griffin would also bring his wealth of business experience to the table by being actively involved in the building’s construction. From the first drafting of the plans until the final handover of the keys, his drive and dedication to the project was nothing short of astounding.

In a very short time, the church grounds became a hive of activity with a dedicated building team and some of the area’s top contractors vying for a spot to do their bit.

Not to be overlooked is the valuable role Mr Griffin’s wife, Natalie, played in handling the administration of the entire project.

The structure adjacent to the church grew on a daily basis and it soon became clear that the Pringle Bay United Church’s members had to do their bit as well, as the interior of the church needed an upgrade to match the new annex to the original building.

More miracles … sufficient funds were raised and then young and (mostly) old jumped in to sand, paint, clean and revamp the original building.

The labour of everyone’s hard work culminated in the opening of the new hall. The dedication service in the church was followed by the cutting of the ribbon by Mr Anil Mahavir, who had travelled from Zambia with his wife Kanta to attend the ceremony.

As the new hall filled with dignitaries (including Ms Theresa Els, the Overstrand Municipality’s Councillor for Ward 10) and various special guests and congregation members, the moment finally came … Mr Allan Griffin unveiled the plaque and it was revealed that the hall has been named the “Allan Griffin Hall”, in honour of Mr Griffin’s valued contribution towards the church and its members.

We as a church believe that this beautiful structure which was made possible by the generosity of two gentlemen, Mr Allan Griffin and Mr Anil Mahavir, will be well used as a lasting legacy of their goodwill and kindness towards the church and the people of Pringle Bay.

As Rev. Graham mentioned in his dedication sermon … nothing comes from nothing; everything that is created is the result of inspiration, dedication and hard work. But above all, the hall that has transformed the Pringle Bay United Church stands as a tangible sign of the incredible goodness of God and the way that He uses people in making the impossible possible.  

Elize Smit-Labuschagne