Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Red'huys Interior


This is the interior of the Dutch Reformed Church Redelinghuys, seen from the main entrance. The design of this Church is quite close to that of the DRC Aurora. But it lacks the elegance. Redelinghuys is a village about 200km/125mi north of Cape Town. You may click on the photo for VGA resolution.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

DRC Redelinghuys


Here's another local Church -- the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC, or NGK) Redelinghuys, about 200km/125mi north of Cape Town. On the 26th of December 1872, J.N.L. Redelinghuys donated 300 morgen (600 acres) of land for the building of this Church, and it was dedicated on the 5th of October 1918 by the "local preacher", D.J. de Villiers. OBSERVATION: From another angle, this Church is perfectly symmetrical. Photos are awkward, as the Church is surrounded by trees. Coming soon: the interior.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

DRC Vredenburg


Here's the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC, or NGK) in Vredenburg, just over 100km/60mi north of Cape Town. The Church was dedicated on the 10th October 1875 -- the town then being no more than a hamlet. The same year, the town was renamed Vredenburg (Peace Town) in place of Prosesfontein (Litigation Town). The spire was a fairly late addition to the building. You may click on the photo to enlarge to 270k.

Monday, July 12, 2010

VOX: Pros And Cons

Yesterday I attended VOX City Church, a Church plant in the city centre. The pros: The venue was nice (though unusually situated), the preparation was first class, the content was well balanced, the Lead Elder knew how to preach, the emphasis was on Christ, and personally, I think they are doing good work that will bear lasting fruit. Any cons should be seen in this context. The cons: There is an enormous investment of resources and energy in this Church, for which I did not find a more specific motivation (but the general motivation is there). Also, I find that such emerging Churches (not emergent -- a narrower term) tend to distance themselves from Church the way it's (sometimes) become, yet unwittingly tend towards similar characteristics. In this case, it was a "formal informality": on the surface of it informality, underneath formality -- in my view, because people may be trying too hard -- natural, perhaps, for new beginnings. OBSERVATION: Take a look, by way of contrast, at my Winter Photo 39, where one sees an "informal formality". It's a formal Anglican service, where the priest has a "couldn't care less" attitude (jumping off the altar without a second thought), while caring very much, if that makes sense.

Fashionably Late


Steve "Khanya" Hayes comments on the "fashionable lateness" I mention in my previous post. Here's what I photographed last month in a Uniting Reformed Church (URC, or VGK). At the top, they're singing one hymn, at the bottom, another -- and the congregation has grown by about a quarter. OBSERVATION: I find that foreign visitors are not seldom disturbed by this typically South African behaviour (which we hardly notice). It happens in our Church, too. See Sunday Traffic.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

VOX City Church


I attended VOX City Church tonight -- a Church plant in Cape Town's city centre. They meet in a small, attractive theatre in a loft. On a good day, they may have 30 in attendance. All young(ish) people tonight, the Church made a favourable first impression. Lead Elder J.D. Senkbile of the USA said to me: "People arrive on time, or fashionably late." Tonight, it was fashionably late, without exception. I took the photo at starting time. I shall share some further impressions in a future post.

Presbyterian Sermon


This morning I attended a nearby urban Church -- the Presbyterian Church. I attended the small, early Afrikaans service -- its character was "old Reformed" (a later service is in English). Rev. Natalie van Rooyen preached on the Good Samaritan. The story is about compassion, she said, but also illustrates how all of us (reflecting various characters in the story) are victims by nature, victims of sin, caught -- and we don't want to hear it. However, THE Good Samaritan the Lord, surprises us in Jesus Christ, "remains busy with us", and even grants us "excitement" about it. For a little more on this Church, see Presbyterian Church.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Winter Photo [41]


Of all the Churches I have visited, I would think the Dutch Reformed Church in Aurora (about 200km/125mi north of Cape Town) is hard to match for its elegance and craftsmanship. This is a photo of one of the upstairs galleries -- and shows my Leica camera at its best. I recently posted other photos of this Church.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Winter Photo [39]


This is the Anglican congregation at Steenberg's Cove (St. Helena Bay), here singing a hymn. See whether you can spot the priest. A clue: he's facing the back of the Church -- going walkabout in the middle of the service and saying things like: "How are the grandchildren?" You may enlarge the photo to VGA by clicking on it. OBSERVATION: This Church meets every Sunday, yet is served only every second Sunday by a priest.

Monday, July 5, 2010

Winter Photo [37]


Here's a Church photo that doesn't deserve to be on my blog -- the exterior design is awful. It's the Anglican Church at Steenberg's Cove, where I attended yesterday. For a start, the apexes of the windows are both pointed and curved and (off the photo) square. Not to mention the apex of the door, which doesn't match (off the photo) that of the other doors -- or of the windows. Then there's the degree of the roof vs. that of the windows and doors ... and that's just the start of my complaints. OBSERVATION: Anyway, I do like the Church bell. I think it has class. It's the old gas cylinder hanging from the dead tree. This Church was dedicated in July last year.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Winter Photo [35]


I was intrigued by what appeared to be bullet-marks in the front glass at the Laaiplek Dutch Reformed Church (DRC or NGK, see photo). Notice also the scatter-marks around that dent. It appeared to me to be bullet-proof glass.

Friday, July 2, 2010

Winter Photo [33]



A simple Church will have simple “facilities”. Just for interest, this is the Gents of the URC Redelinghuys. It contributes to the whole picture of the Church. I like the stylish little curve of the roof.

Winter Photo [32]


This is the interior of the URC in Redelinghuys. The pews are reminiscent of those in Elim and Baardskeerdersbos (B'Bos), elsewhere on this blog. The drape on the pulpit says (in Afrikaans): “Thus says the Lord.”

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Winter Photo [31]


I visited this Uniting Reformed Church (URC, or VGK) in Redelinghuys on Sunday, an isolated town some 200km/125mi north of Cape Town. I asked a Church elder if I could take photos. He said: “But Sir, this is a simple Church!” Then he added: “But Sir, that's all right, too.” The Church was built in 1936. It meets every Sunday, but is served by a minister only once a month. One sees the Church bell on the far right. Again, this is in VGA if you click on it. Coming soon: the interior.