Stolen antique jug returned to church
Rescued from a pile of metal about to be crushed in a scrap yard, a 75-year-old copper jug with significant history has been returned to its grateful owners ‒ a church.
The antique jug, presented to the church 75 years ago by the Sunday school children at The Church of the Holy Spirit in Kloof, better known as St Agnes Anglican Church, was discovered last year in a Pinetown scrap yard.
The jug, inscribed with “Given by the Sunday School Children of the Church of the Holy Spirit, Kloof 1926-1939. Christmas 1949”, had disappeared under mysterious circumstances, reportedly sold for scrap metal, leaving its rich heritage in limbo until late last year.
Assistant Priest Gill Padoa recounted the serendipitous moment the church received the remarkable gift.
“It was a month ago that the St Agnes doorbell rang and a lady who does not belong to our church was standing there with an old jug,” she said.
The woman, Lynn Barnard, had kept the jug safe for nearly a year after rescuing it. Regularly visiting scrap metal yards, Barnard spotted the jug just as it was about to be destroyed and felt an instinctive urge to save it.
Despite the old inscription referencing the church’s previous name, the congregation of St Agnes embraces this relic as a symbol of God’s faithfulness.
“Even though the inscription uses the church’s old name, St Agnes’s original name is one that we continue to honour and aspire to,” Padoa explained.
The return of the jug is viewed by church members as a powerful representation of their faith and legacy.
The joy of the congregation was palpable, with Rector Reverend Sizwe Ngcobo displaying the jug at each service, receiving a warm and enthusiastic response from parishioners.
“We are overjoyed to have the jug back,” saidd Padoa. “Our Rector exhibited it prominently and the response from our congregation was filled with gratitude. We are immensely thankful for Lynn’s gracious heart and her willingness to go the extra mile to return this significant symbol to our community.”
Ngcobo emphasised the deeper significance of the antique jug, which had been a part of the church’s history for more than seven decades.
“This treasured item stands testament to the enduring legacy of our congregation’s youth and their dedication to our church community,” said Ngcobo. “The jug not only represents a physical gift but also embodies the spirit of giving and the continuity of faith across generations.”
The jug is not just a decorative artefact; it served practical purposes in church rituals, including filling the font for baptisms and potentially for foot washing on Maundy Thursday.
Ngcobo said: “We are delighted to have it back. Its symbolic value has grown immensely, having been lost and now found.”