Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Winter Photo [28]


I took this shot of the interior of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC, or NGK) Aurora. The congregation was sparse, as (so they said) the minister and his wife were on leave. Before the service, there was complete, motionless silence among the people. Then a door burst open. The Church Council stormed in and stood in their places (I liked the thump of their feet on the wooden floor). A deaconess gave a rapid nod, and they all sat down. The message was classic Reformed theology: a Church service is a means of grace. In the service, God speaks, and God is “werksaam” (accomplishes a work). OBSERVATION: In fact, this is my own emphasis. With this in mind, I don't know how people dare skip a Sunday service.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Winter Photo [26]


Aurora is a small town off the beaten track, about 200km/125mi north of Cape Town. It surely has one of South Africa's more unusual Dutch Reformed Churches -- a Church that I attended yesterday. I took this photo close up, to avoid the Church's perimeter wall. The Church was completed in 1908. The architect was W.H. Ford. Coming soon: the interior.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Mennonites

We were privileged to have Mennonite (Anabaptist) missionaries Andrew and Karen Suderman in our Church this morning. They are based in Pietermaritzburg (the east of our country). After the service they briefly joined me and the elders for an "informative chat". Steve Hayes recently blogged about them at Tshwane Peace Network. They seem to have taken to their new mission field with enthusiasm. You may click on the photo to enlarge to VGA.

Winter Photo [21]


This is the Old Apostolic Church in Laaiplek, on a misty morning. I asked a member for a photo. He said: "I'll have to ask the elders." I have seldom come across a friendlier Church. Yet friendliness would appear to have "little to do with things" -- if one goes by the thriving VGK that I blogged about earlier this week. At that Church, there was little interest in me as a visitor.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Winter Photo [18]


I received an e-mail yesterday: "Your photos are great and always a pleasure to look at. How about some more church photos. I always enjoy looking at old buildings." The good news is, I have more photos of Churches. This is the Roman Catholic Church in Laaiplek, about 160km/100mi north of Cape Town. It is typical, in its modesty, of village Catholic Churches in South Africa. I especially like the little bell, and the skew cross above it. OBSERVATION: The Church was dedicated on the 4th of December 1954 “to the greater glory of God, and in honour of His holy martyr, St. Christopher”, by Geoffrey of Cape Town.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Laaiplek Old Apostolic


Here's a Church of a different kind. It's the Old Apostolic Church of Laaiplek. I received such a warm-hearted welcome here, just asking for a photo. But it seems that it's not the welcome that makes the difference. Only two people greeted me in the well-attended URC (see Sunday's post).

Winter Photo [16]


I took this photo of the interior of our local Methodist Church. The architecture is very similar to that of our own Church, which was built several years earlier. OBSERVATION: The Methodists would seem to recognise great architecture when they see it! Apart from this being smaller than our Church, the Methodist choir has greater prominence, and the altar less. The Methodists also used a sturdier structure for the roof (we won't venture into the possible symbolism of that)! There was a guest preacher on this day.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Church And Suburb


Here's a photo that I took of the exterior of the Laaiplek Uniting Reformed Church (on the left), on a misty morning. I included the house on the right, as it is typical of the township in which the Church is situated. For another view of this Church, see New: Local Churches.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Winter Photo [12]

.For the first time, in 3-D, here is the Laaiplek Dutch Reformed Church bell-tower from the inside. OBSERVATION: If one should wish to try 3D photos, four basic rules apply: 1. The two photos should be taken with the same camera settings. 2. The photos should have precisely the same orientation. 3. They should usually be taken 10cm/4” apart. And 4. one should crop them at the same points in the foreground. See Sea Point Suburb 3D if tips are required to view this. For a better 3D effect, click on the photo to enlarge to 370k.

Winter Photo [11]


This is the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC or NGK) in Laaiplek, about 160km/100mi north of Cape Town. I have no further information on this Church. The front is perfectly symmetrical, with a tall bell-tower off-set to the right. You may click on the photo to enlarge to 220k. Coming soon: a 3D shot of the bell-tower.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Winter Photo [10]

.This morning I attended the Uniting Reformed Church (URC or VGK) in Laaiplek, about 160km/100mi north of Cape Town (pictured). As with many of these Churches, it does not have its own minister. This, I think, tends to lead to a grass-roots theology: in the case of this particular Church, something that seems safely at home in the 19th Century (if not before)! Personally, I think that this is what should be happening in the Churches -- this kind of grass-roots dynamic. Theologians, though, might be rather dismayed.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

My Mind's A Blank


Recently I rejoiced over a deal I did. I swapped royalties (electronics) for copyrights -- a whole lot of them. However, my rejoicing soon turned to confusion. I must have hundreds of designs in print, subject to any number of copyright options: all rights, first serial rights, one use, and so on. I have also entered into Creative Commons agreements, exclusive rights, public domain, et cetera. I really can't remember how all my copyright deals tie together. I can't even remember which designs I have in print. My mind's a blank. OBSERVATION: My best idea is simply to say what I say here, when proposing future copyright deals.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

DRC Kleinmond


This would seem to be a fairly typical example of a modern, small-town Dutch Reformed Church (DRC or NGK). I took the photo in Kleinmond, just over 100km/60mi east of Cape Town. You may click on the photo to enlarge to VGA.