I attended the Moravian Church in Mamre this morning -- a village about 50km/30mi north of Cape Town. This fairly large Church was absolutely packed, up to the gallery (off the top of the left-hand photo). An elder gave up his seat for me. The Church was built in 1861, then disassembled and moved twice -- most recently in 1999. The sermon was based on the words of Jesus: "When I sent you without purse, bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?" The minister spoke repeatedly of "hard circumstances" ("swaar omstandighede"). He focused on the purse: "But have you lacked anything? He is Jehovah Jireh!" The bag: "What we need in our bag is love, joy, peace ... Some of us have so much baggage we can't go forward." And the shoes: "We need the readiness to be sent out without a crown on our head. Do I need money to magnify the name of the Lord?"
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Mamre Moravian Church
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I attended the Moravian Church in Mamre this morning -- a village about 50km/30mi north of Cape Town. This fairly large Church was absolutely packed, up to the gallery (off the top of the left-hand photo). An elder gave up his seat for me. The Church was built in 1861, then disassembled and moved twice -- most recently in 1999. The sermon was based on the words of Jesus: "When I sent you without purse, bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?" The minister spoke repeatedly of "hard circumstances" ("swaar omstandighede"). He focused on the purse: "But have you lacked anything? He is Jehovah Jireh!" The bag: "What we need in our bag is love, joy, peace ... Some of us have so much baggage we can't go forward." And the shoes: "We need the readiness to be sent out without a crown on our head. Do I need money to magnify the name of the Lord?"
I attended the Moravian Church in Mamre this morning -- a village about 50km/30mi north of Cape Town. This fairly large Church was absolutely packed, up to the gallery (off the top of the left-hand photo). An elder gave up his seat for me. The Church was built in 1861, then disassembled and moved twice -- most recently in 1999. The sermon was based on the words of Jesus: "When I sent you without purse, bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?" The minister spoke repeatedly of "hard circumstances" ("swaar omstandighede"). He focused on the purse: "But have you lacked anything? He is Jehovah Jireh!" The bag: "What we need in our bag is love, joy, peace ... Some of us have so much baggage we can't go forward." And the shoes: "We need the readiness to be sent out without a crown on our head. Do I need money to magnify the name of the Lord?"
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
DRC Wynberg
On Sunday I attended the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC, or NGK) Wynberg -- the third oldest congregation of the DRC in Cape Town. This Church was built in 1899 -- replacing a Church built in 1830. Ds. Danie Nel preached about Jesus' two commendations of "great faith". This is a faith, he said, which acknowledges one's complete unworthiness, and is connected with God's plan for one's life. It is a faith that is rewarded with a wonder at God's deeds. OBSERVATION: This minister had the whole service "computerised". I thought he'd have done better without it.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
† Mirjam Scarborough
It is with deep regret that I announce the death of my beloved wife Mirjam Rahel, this evening, of bone marrow cancer. She was a Swiss "farm girl", yet one of considerable sophistication and spiritual depth. At the time of her death, she was an ordained minister, a doctor of philosophy, a co-director of the World Evangelical Alliance's International Institute for Religious Freedom, and executive editor of the International Journal for Religious Freedom. She made an important contribution to Mennonite pastoral theology. She was treasured for her ministry in the local Church. We were married 28 years, and have a 24-year-old son, Matthew. We met in 1978, at theological seminary in Switzerland.
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