Saturday, July 30, 2011
Uniondale Congregational
Uniondale is a town just east of Oudtshoorn, off the beaten track. Strangely, there seems to be a buzz around its Congregational Church as there is around few others. The sanctuary is dominated by its magnificent wooden ceiling (pictured). You may click on the photo for VGA.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Hedgerow
The UK in particular is known for its hedgerows. According to Hooper's Hypothesis, the age of a hedgerow equals the number of woody species in a 30 metre / yard distance multiplied by 110 years. Here is a South African hedgerow. I was told only that this is "the thin aloe" (not the fat one). I took the photo near Montagu.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Union Congregational
I attended Union Congregational Church this morning -- sometimes known as Kloof Street Congregational Church -- the "Mother Church" of Congregationalism in Southern Africa. Rev. Craig Hounsom, a loquatious minister, evidenced deep faith. I left the Church feeling: "Yes I want that!" Rev. Hounsom is to be inducted into the ministry at Union on the 7th of August at 9:30 am. OBSERVATION: Lighting was very difficult here, so I applied a Retinex filter.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Electronics Q & A
It's been a long time since I did serious electronic design, yet I still receive mail almost weekly, asking me questions about old designs. I received one on this blog today. My answer briefly explains CMOS technology and supply decoupling in a metal detector design (see Recent Comments on the left). OBSERVATION: I try to reply where I can, but unfortunately don't always get to it.
Camps Bay United [2]
Here's another photo of Camps Bay United Church (or Christian Life Church), this time of its exterior. The Church originally had an old-fashioned sanctuary (on the right) and a manse or rectory (on the left). An executive gave the Church a R1 million tithe on a business deal, and they decided to build a modern sanctuary in the middle, and relegate the old sanctuary to a hall. In my view, it was an inspired decision. See also Camps Bay United.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Stained Glass
For good measure, here is the stained glass centrepiece (pictured) in St. Peter the Fisherman Anglican Church -- one of three Anglican Churches in the parish of Hout Bay, on the south side of Cape Town. St. Peter's is a small stone Church which seats about 80 people. It was consecrated in 1895. See also my recent post Hout Bay Anglican. OBSERVATION: When Jesus fed the multitude, it was two fishes. What therefore does this depict?
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Hout Bay Anglican
This morning I attended St. Peter the Fisherman Anglican Church in Hout Bay (pictured), some 16km / 10mi south of my own "parish". Rev. Godfrey Taft Walton preached a short message on the parable of the Sower. What impressed him, he said, was "the generosity of the Sower ... he was sowing all over!" Yet it is only in the good soil, he said, that love, goodness, and compassion grow.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Drawing The Line
I asked a retired farmer why there appeared to be complete separation between the VGK (URC) and the NGK (DRC) in his town, while these Churches are striving for unity. He explained it like this: "If a Black person walks into our Church, we will welcome them warmly. We will treat them with the utmost respect, and perfect courtesy. But membership -- that is where we draw the line." OBSERVATION: See also Apartheid in the Church -- and our own, contrasting picture: Miracle of Diversity.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Camps Bay United
I attended Camps Bay United Church (or Christian Life Church) this morning (pictured). On the whole, its profile might be described as "on the other side of yuppiedom" (the side at which one exits yuppiedom). The service was focused throughout on a living God. The minister scattered thoughts like confetti. OBSERVATION: This Church originally was an outreach of our own. In fact, we owned it.
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