Fear: A Cartoon

This cartoon is a collaborative effort between a Roman Catholic priest and me. Feel free to use it -- yet keep the acknowledgement in the frame. It illustrates something common to human nature. The things we fear are frequently the shadows, where the reality is just a harmless puppy. You may click on the image to enlarge, then right-click on it to save.

DRC Hopefield

This is the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC or NGK) Hopefield, about 130km / 80mi north of Cape Town. The Church was founded in 1844, and the sanctuary built in 1851. The Church called its first minister, J.H. Neethling, in 1853. Its organ turned 100 this year. While it may not be evident from the photo, this Church was in need of some renovation. So was the whole town.

South African Church Attendance

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Westerners are not seldom astonished by Church attendance in South Africa. The collage above shows photos I took (from top left, clockwise) in Anglican, Dutch Reformed, Moravian, Emergent, United, and New Apostolic Churches. OBSERVATION: Not every Church looks like this of course, yet I didn't find it hard to find full Churches for these photos -- and there are more on this blog. See also Visitors in Church.

DRC Koringberg [2]

This is the exterior of the DRC / NGK Koringberg -- I previously showed the interior. In fact this is a composite of four wide-angle shots -- I stitched them together with the program Hugin. One wouldn't think, by its relatively modern appearance, that this Church was built nearly 90 years ago. You may click on the photo to enlarge to 60k.

DRC Koringberg [1]

This is the interior of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC / NGK) Koringberg. Koringberg is a small town off the beaten track -- several kilometres west of the N7 between Moorreesburg and Piketberg. Thus it seems surprising to find a fairly large and apparently thriving Church here. The Church was built in 1924. Tinted windows give it its yellow glow.

A Unique Church

In my Minister's Message this month, I highlight ways in which our Church is unique, in good kinds of ways. It is multi-generational, it is multi-cultural, it is a direct democracy, it practices ministry by members, it governs its own finances, it is evangelical -- among other things. I ask members to think of the last three Churches they attended. Which of them exhibited these features? Of the last three that I attended -- judging superficially by what I saw -- none were multi-generational, just one was multi-cultural, just one was a direct democracy, none had ministry by members.