Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Maintenance Mode [Or Not]

A struggling Church approached me for advice on calling a new minister. Among other things, I said don't think in maintenance mode, unless maintenance is what the Spirit is saying for the moment. I said that with Churches, it's not "what you see is what you get", and I gave three examples of struggling Churches in our area whose anticipated future changed dramatically -- in two cases with a new minister, in one case with a so-called probationer or intern under external supervision. OBSERVATION: However, I don't here have in mind what I have come to know as the US practice of hiring for results. I don't (necessarily) have in mind bigger plans than may be sustained. Rather, that faith may be rewarded.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Design And Absolutes

I keep saying that my electronics "career" is on the wane, but my latest article is now on the shelves in WH Smith in the UK (Everyday Practical Electronics). With many of my designs, I have sought to unhinge the design from absolutes -- in this case, from absolute light level. It picks up fluctuations in light level -- but only rapid fluctuations -- and operates over the considerable range 200-10,000 lux. It combines simplicity and sensitivity. One of the things this circuit could do, as an example, is monitor an entire street for movement.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Church Bell


This is the bell of the Nieuwoudtville Dutch Reformed Church (DRC, or NGK) about 400km/250mi north of Cape Town. Being hung just above head-height, it seems a wonder that it hasn't been stolen (bell-stealing would seem to be a national pastime). For a very different Church bell, see Favourite Church Bell.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

New Apostolic Church


If our government were ever to ban awful architecture, the New Apostolic Church (NAC) might vanish overnight. However, this would seem unlikely, as our municipal buildings would need to vanish, too. This NAC mars Lambert's Bay, nearly 300km/200mi north of Cape Town. OBSERVATION: The NAC has an energetic building programme -- hence Churches like this. However, buildings apart, the NAC is dynamic both in its missionary and in its social work. It has about 440,000 members in South Africa.