Urban Ministry Live And Unplugged

Hillsong Sound Level

2012-01-30T06:33:00.005+02:00

My new 2012 hobby is to discover the noisiest Church in town. So I kicked off with Hillsong last night. They are clearly in the championship league. The sound level frequently exceeded 110 decibels, and hit a top reading of 116.6 decibels. But I was seated in the back row -- so looking at the sound sources, and applying the inverse square law, it is safe to say that many congregants were exposed to well over 120 decibels. What does this mean? Firstly, the sound level is staggering. It is (at times) louder than a 747 passenger jet on take-off. Damage to one's hearing may occur within seconds. It is several hundred times the limit in draft provincial legislation PN14. OBSERVATION: My interest here is not a serious one -- it's just a passing interest, a fun new hobby. Let me not discourage anyone from attending Hillsong -- but please take ear-plugs to avoid near-certain damage to your ears. Incidentally I did an IEC 61672 Class 2 measurement with acoustic C-weighting. My calculated maximum sound level for Hillsong is 122.6 decibels.

Baptisms For The Elderly

2012-01-29T12:41:00.015+02:00

This morning I conducted several baptisms for the elderly -- a very special occasion (see photo). Where one is dealing with the elderly, one may not necessarily baptise by full submersion. Then a different mode of baptism is used -- still using water -- as was done today. OBSERVATION: One of the candidates said she would come even if she had to be carried to the front. Still she was too weak to make it.

Legalism vs. Piety

2012-01-29T06:34:00.004+02:00

I minister in a multi-cultural Church. With this in mind, I find that congregants of European origin have more of a tendency to legalism, while congregants of African origin have more of a tendency to piety. There is a difference, although I find it hard to put into words. I find also that piety is more often perceived as proof of salvation than legalism is.

African Millipede

2012-01-28T20:36:00.008+02:00

For good measure, here's another photo of a Giant African Millipede, again photographed in the Karoo semi-desert. They may grow to be more than a foot long -- and may be kept as pets, although they often excrete an irritant when handled. A common sight, they are fast-moving creatures. You may click on the photo for VGA.

Death And Resurrection

2012-01-28T12:53:00.002+02:00

I have wondered whether it needs to be regarded as a spiritual law that one's Church and ministry will be saved from certain death, several times, over the course of one's ministry. OBSERVATION: If this is this case, then one surely needs faith in a God of resurrection power. With anything less, all will seem lost -- if not be lost.

Counselling Sessions

2012-01-28T06:31:00.005+02:00

Some time ago I decided to explore what percentage of our congregation I had counselled. I was surprised to find that I had counselled about one-third. Also, the majority of these sessions dealt with life-changing moments. Some sessions were of course just "bouncing things off the minister". OBSERVATION: Therefore I consider that counselling is an important aspect of my ministry, and I give it priority. Perhaps I'll reflect in a future post on the relationship between my training and actually doing it.

Fruit Platter

2012-01-27T19:46:00.004+02:00

My friend E. made a marvellous fruit platter for son M.'s homecoming party tonight (he's back from postgraduate studies in England). Her fruit platter was a smash hit. The proof? It's in the photo.

India 1 | Japan 0

2012-01-27T11:01:00.023+02:00

I was driving my (Indian) three-wheeler on our Main Road this morning. Suddenly a (Japanese) taxi drove backwards -- to pick up a passenger. We collided. The taxi sustained some damage (see the photo), while my three-wheeler's nose section buckled then bounced back into shape. The taxi driver jumped out and shouted: "Why you no hoot?!" OBSERVATION: In fact I did hoot. Why he no turn his boom-boxes down?

Xhosa Booklet

2012-01-27T06:36:00.003+02:00

Our Church recently had an evangelistic booklet translated into Xhosa. Xhosa is an agglutinative language, therefore it tends to have some very long words: angasishukumisa, wawungabalaselanga, obungunaphakade, to give some examples. Not only does this require a lot of hyphenation in our booklet, but even with the hyphenation, justified margins are not practical. OBSERVATION: Personally, I think that when it is ready this will be the best evangelistic booklet available in Xhosa. Xhosa is one of Cape Town's three major languages.

Prince Alfred's Pass

2012-01-26T17:43:00.007+02:00

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This is the little known Prince Alfred's Pass -- a panoramic shot that I took between Avontuur and De Vlugt (or Die Vlug) looking south. I hadn't intended to put it on my blog until someone said how impressive it was -- and this isn't the impressive part. You can see somebody else's more hair-raising photo at TravelPod.

The Purpose Of This Blog

2012-01-26T12:36:00.006+02:00

I have noted on this blog that it is not intended as a Church blog, although I know that Church members do look in. One of its core purposes -- reflected in the left-hand margin -- is that it "may be an encouragement to other ministers". Feedback confirms that it is. This week I received a message from a minister: "I’m constantly amazed at how your daily posts resonate so soundly with me and the varied challenges I face." OBSERVATION: (And where the blog is not an encouragement, it might serve as a cautionary tale)!

Unspoken Fundamentals

2012-01-26T06:37:00.006+02:00

Many things may go unspoken in Churches -- one of them being a Church's fundamental approach to its finances. Most basically, there are two approaches. The first is to say: "This is how things should be financially," and to work the finances to the plan. The second is to say: "This is how things are financially," and to adapt the plan to the finances. The first is the mature approach. The second may represent an abdication of responsibility by the Church, and often goes along with comments e.g. "The minister should recruit more members" or "We just can't afford to pay him / her medical aid." OBSERVATION: Of course, there will be some overlap: to some extent, one needs to take account of how things are and of how they should be -- and then, faith will enter the picture, too. Last week I picked up this envelope (pictured) in a Baptist Church. This is obviously the first approach.

Latest Design

2012-01-25T06:42:00.011+02:00

Yesterday I received the latest (February) edition of EPE magazine. This contains my first electronic design in a long time -- a sensitive, stable, minimalist metal detector. It has a few twists in the tail, among them two unorthodox search oscillators, an uncommon method of heterodyning, and the use of mutual inductance for detection (the Beat Balance principle). OBSERVATION: For those in my home town, the magazine will soon be on sale at the Waterfront CNA. You'll find my name elsewhere in the magazine, too.

But Was It Work?

2012-01-25T06:36:00.003+02:00

It was my first day back at work yesterday, after my annual leave. I sifted through many hundreds of pages of paperwork -- much of it to do with people, tasks, or events which could require my attention. I also perused a good deal of spiritual material in order to gain a picture of how I would approach Sunday's service and sermon. But was it work? It seemed merely to be about work, rather than work itself. It surely was important.

Prayers Answered?

2012-01-24T13:18:00.006+02:00

Some years ago, one of our Church's youth leaders told our youth to pray that they would find a R10 note in the Church garden. Then she sent them into the garden to look. Their prayers were answered -- or so they saw it. OBSERVATION: Needless to say, this incident raises various questions -- one of them being whether God would even make Himself vulnerable to such a situation.

Flower Girl

2012-01-24T06:33:00.004+02:00

Facing the challenge of getting back to work this morning after my annual leave, here is a simple blog post. I snapped this mother preparing her daughter to be a flower girl for a wedding. At the very moment that I took the photo, her mother said: "Smile!" You may click on the photo to enlarge to VGA.

New Hobby

2012-01-23T19:25:00.005+02:00

I decided on a new hobby for 2012 -- to discover the noisiest Church in Cape Town. This will require a (pricy) digital sound level meter with capture and hold, which I obtained today. Any tips re Churches would be welcome. OBSERVATION: Last year, my new hobby was to determine once and for all which is the steepest street in Cape Town (see Steepest Street: Low-Down).

Off Air

2012-01-23T13:12:00.006+02:00

There was an attempt to take down my blog today -- and briefly it was "off air". But now, why not make friendly contact with the author? There's an e-mail address under my Profile. Or one may leave comments on the blog itself. In the past, I have tended to give readers' reservations the benefit of the doubt. Someone commented on this incident, with a smile: "Do they know what else is out there?"

Giving A Patient A Prognosis

2012-01-23T08:20:00.011+02:00

Doctors, these days, are very reluctant to give patients a prognosis -- far too reluctant, I would say. From one point of view, this is understandable, as the time of death is uncertain, and one can easily make a mistake. It is also an emotionally explosive issue. So people not seldom turn to the minister -- as a woman did last year. I said she really couldn't rely on anything I said, and I told her why, but "It could be six weeks, maybe three." She said: "That's a bit depressing." Then she told me that she was getting better. She died four weeks later. OBSERVATION: After the prognosis, I received a lovely welcome from her in hospital -- and while I can't be sure, my intuition is that she was deeply grateful for my prognosis. It can make a big difference in people's lives, for the good (see Predicting Death).

St. John Anglican

2012-01-22T12:17:00.011+02:00

I attended three Churches this morning -- one of them the Anglican Church of St. John in Central Cape Town (pictured). This was well attended. There was a warm spirit, and much fidgeting, whispering, and smiling in the pews. As with many predominantly (almost exclusively, in this case) Coloured congregations, this one had an extraordinary mix of ages.

Burnout And Faith

2012-01-22T06:31:00.003+02:00

In a recent post, I implied that regular rest was crucial for preventing burnout in ministry. In my experience, though, it would be wrong to suppose that this is the only solution, or even the first solution, as some would seem to think. I believe that faith is the first line of defence: faith that the Church is in God's power, and faith that its opponents are under His control. Take such faith away, and one soon discovers burdens one cannot bear.

Hiring A Wife

2012-01-21T22:18:00.008+02:00

In our area, one may hire a "wife". I first discovered this through counselling, when a hired wife left a man -- and left him impoverished and in emotional tatters. OBSERVATION: A fairly affordable full-time wife might cost R10,000 a month (plus upkeep). Paradoxically, a part-time wife -- say weekdays only, or weekends only -- might cost three times as much. This is because the "wife" then needs her own pad.

French Champagne

2012-01-21T06:38:00.005+02:00

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This week I received a bottle of French champagne from one of my publishers in Europe (see the image). It arrived with a letter signed personally by the publisher, several directors, and several unit heads. OBSERVATION: I'm suspecting that a recent design of mine revived their interest in me -- as well as that of another publisher who granted me Super User status in November. (However, as one says in Afrikaans: "Ek het die lus verloor.")

Transvestites

2012-01-21T06:31:00.007+02:00

I met two transvestites last night, separately. The first told me that an ambulance had picked up a friend of his in the street: "His CD count was too low. He was in hospital for two weeks, but he came out looking worse than when he went in." He wished me an enjoyable holiday / vacation. The second said: "You won't believe how many troubles I have, Father." I said: "Who made your troubles?" He said: "Father, please pray for my sex" (I don't know what he meant). Transvestites are a common sight in our area.

Jealous Wasp

2012-01-20T06:32:00.008+02:00

My friend was stung by a wasp yesterday, while we were on a hike together. It was an unusual situation. We encountered this wasp (pictured) -- which had either killed or anaesthetised the spider, and was dragging it on the path. My friend stepped nimbly around this pair, but as she did so, the wasp momentarily left its prey and stung her.

Leave: Exceptions

2012-01-20T06:30:00.007+02:00

I interrupted my annual leave three times yesterday. I weigh up such situations, and seldom interrupt my leave -- yet I gladly made these exceptions: 1. A congregant was dying (she beamed when she saw me, though she could no longer speak). 2. Two members lost their daughter (I found there was faith and peace in their home). And 3. our secretary e-mailed me that we are to have six baptisms of the elderly on my return (I felt that this was so special that I needed to highlight it).

Church "Clock"

2012-01-19T06:42:00.001+02:00

Here's a Church clock with a difference. In fact, it isn't a clock at all. It indicates a few minutes to midnight, and the words beneath it proclaim: "The Lord cometh" (Jude 1:14). The "clock" is to be found on the steeple of the Evangelical Lutheran Church Haarlem, about 500km / 300mi east of Cape Town.

Powerful Realisations

2012-01-19T06:30:00.004+02:00

The death of my wife left me with a few realisations that deeply changed my view of marriage. 1. It is more of a privilege than one knows to love and serve another person, and to receive the same in return. 2. A marriage partner is not merely a second person in a partnership, but becomes a part of one's own being. And 3. there is much more to a marriage than the "surface" things like compatibility. It goes far deeper than that. OBSERVATION: A farmer said to me last year: "Even if you murder your wife, immediately you say, O gaats! What have I done?!" Maybe he knows -- anyway, this post might seem platitudinal, yet the above were great eye-openers for me, and very much stay with me as I find new love. I know now that my wife understood these things long before I did.

Armed Force

2012-01-18T11:24:00.002+02:00

I have long wanted to sneak a photo of a typical South African scene: heavy weapons in public, handled by edgy security guards. I snapped this one over my shoulder from a Wimpy restaurant table -- to which my lunch partner commented that it's for money or photos that one gets shot. This "gun", although he is doing this in a busy public place, is being relatively discreet, as things go -- but see Guns Drawn.

Leadership Is Influence Is Dropout

2012-01-18T06:30:00.010+02:00

Last night I completed a draft of an article for a US website, titled a little provocatively: Leadership is Influence is Dropout. "Leadership is influence" is the simplest summary of the USA's dominant Christian leadership paradigm. OBSERVATION: Is my writing too revolutionary for the USA? We shall see. But there seem to me to be some obvious facts which present themselves: there is massive dropout from ministry in the USA (95% is widely accepted), and there is a dominant leadership paradigm in the USA ("Leadership is influence"). This paradigm operates within the context of such dropout. The paradigm, therefore, has to be implicated in the dropout.

Old Hymn-Board

2012-01-17T11:43:00.005+02:00

Here's an image with a difference. It's a hymn-board of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Haarlem. It looked as though it was as old as the Church itself, which is 132 years. You may click on the image to enlarge to 100k. OBSERVATION: Churches older than about 120 years are relatively rare in South Africa.

The Purpose Of A Minister's Leave

2012-01-17T06:30:00.003+02:00

There is more than one purpose to a minister's leave. It is a time for spiritual refreshment. It is a time for recouping one's physical and mental energies. It is a time to obtain new perspective. It is a time to (idly) prepare for ministry that lies ahead. It usually is a time for study in one form or another. It is a time for renewing contacts which serve to support ministry. It may be a time for alternative forms of ministry. All these things -- and more -- are important. OBSERVATION: Some Churches fail to understand that ministry is energy-intensive -- to the extent that dropout from ministry is extremely high (see Calculating Ministry Dropout). For this reason alone, a minister's leave is crucial. I think, too, that one needs to keep account of ministers' individual temperaments. What is good for one may not be good for another.

St. George's Cathedral

2012-01-16T06:40:00.005+02:00

Last night I attended Cape Town's St. George's Cathedral (pictured). While this has a reputation for liberalism, the Revd. Michael Twum-Darko preached a message that was packed with Biblical content -- describing in both grand and personal terms the mightiness and faithfulness of God. I thanked him for "a powerful and moving sermon". See also Tumult at the Cathedral.

Invitation

2012-01-16T06:32:00.011+02:00

Recently I received an invitation from a major denomination to join them -- I took this to be an invitation to me personally, rather than our Church. Yet the man they appointed to approach me said: "They've asked the wrong man to invite you! I can't recommend them! But we'd love to have you!" OBSERVATION: (I keep the invitation in mind, and don't treat it lightly -- yet have not decided what to do with it. I would consult our Church leadership, if not our whole Church, before any decision).

In Loving Memory

2012-01-15T21:50:00.007+02:00

Although I was not in my own Church this morning (I am on leave), I sponsored flowers in loving memory of Mirjam -- recently it was the first anniversary of her death. I said that people should take the flowers after the service, and am pleased to hear that churchgoers eagerly helped themselves.

Lutheran Church Haarlem

2012-01-15T06:44:00.010+02:00

Of all the local Churches I have seen, this is a gem, outside and in. It is the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Haarlem village, not far from Uniondale. It was consecrated on the 14th of August 1880. An aged former caretaker still tends the garden. He said to me: "I have tended this garden for 37 years. How wonderfully God has blessed me." The image may be enlarged to 80k.

Sniffing Out Guilt

2012-01-15T06:36:00.005+02:00

This one's about something that I find is not uncommon in ministry: there are people who seek to sniff out guilt in a minister. If they find it, then they run with it. Here is, I think, an example. Someone said to me recently: "Someone told me they saw Reverend entering a bottle store [liquor store]!" -- and they gazed into my face. My answer was: "It's quite possible." The "sniffer" looked surprised -- then said: "Of course, Reverend! You may have needed some communion wine! You may have needed a little sherry for a trifle! You may have been buying a cool-drink!" OBSERVATION: Generally speaking, one would be able to find many imperfections in ministers -- or supposed imperfections. One way to deal with sniffers, I think, is to have a healthy sense that God graciously uses flawed people, and not to be hung up on perfection. One does one's best of course, as should every Christian -- nor does this preclude "admission of guilt" sometimes. On occasion, I have given sniffers "short" treatment.

Something Afoot

2012-01-14T19:07:00.006+02:00

I received an e-mail from our secretary today, with photos attached: "This is what can happen when the Minister is away!!" OBSERVATION: The photo shows the biggest of our three halls being painted. When I left, we were on austerity measures. This doesn't look like austerity measures, does it? I replied: "Something is afoot!"

Trendy Theology

2012-01-14T06:32:00.002+02:00

Last week I received a theological journal in the post. It contained a highly speculative piece, which had no identifiable fit with the journal as far as I could see, and the contributor didn't meet the basic requirements for submission (such as citations). But his name was Jürgen Moltmann. OBSERVATION: If, in my own role as Contributing Editor, I passed something like that to my editor, I'd fear for my job. But this is a trendy theologian. That's not to say that it's not a fascinating piece -- but the point here is to offer a glimpse into what tends to happen in academia today. (As a matter of interest, I have met Moltmann, briefly had his son-in-law as a supervisor, and last year had a Moltmann expert as a professor).

Issues Surrounding Confidentiality

2012-01-12T10:44:00.001+02:00

This is the third in a series of posts on confidentiality in ministry. To give some idea of issues I have dealt with: My biggest quandary was when someone informed me he was hiring a hit-man. I did not reveal the information. (Years later, he told me that his time with me had changed his mind). My most awkward moment was when someone revealed to me who was involved in the ransacking of my vestry. I promised confidentiality, yet broke it -- a rare breach. My most disastrous moment was when someone revealed massive embezzlement in a para-statal organisation. I passed on the information, and opened a Pandora's Box of terrors. I consider that my best performance was when someone revealed half a million fraud in a public organisation. I gave them strong support, yet did not become entangled in the affair -- and this is my basic approach today. Examples of smaller things I have not revealed: The woman who assaulted her partner. The lesbian affair. Secret struggles with alcoholism. Expunging a criminal record. And so on. The list is a very long one.

Epic Journey

2012-01-12T06:22:00.002+02:00

Here it is, for all the naysayers out there: proof that I made it with my three-wheeler as far as the Cacadu District in the Eastern Cape. It took me twenty-one hours to my ultimate destination. OBSERVATION: Another three-wheeler passed me in the street today. It looked so frail. But it doesn't feel like that inside the cab.

Praying Mantis

2012-01-11T11:47:00.001+02:00

Spot the praying mantis. This one is Hoplocorypha macra. It is found in drier areas of Africa -- in fact I photographed this one in the Karoo semi-desert. It is an "ambush predator", and rocks from side to side, apparently to discriminate prey. OBSERVATION: In spite of its praying posture, it may not in fact be praying -- although this has never been proved. You may click on the image for 80k detail.

Congratulations Son

2012-01-11T06:44:00.002+02:00

Congratulations to son M. on graduating (later today) with a Master's degree in archaeology, with merit, from Durham University. He says he is "rather nervous". OBSERVATION: Not only did he obtain the degree, but he worked out a way to fund it -- all of it -- with nothing owing at his graduation. No that's not him in the photo, that's his professor -- standing in a neolithic tomb.

Hedgerow Of Roses

2012-01-10T10:08:00.001+02:00

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I have previously blogged on the magnificent hedgerows one may find in South Africa -- very creative sometimes, as traditional European hedgerows may not work. Here is one I found in Misgund, in the Langkloof -- a hedgerow of roses. This was more than two metres / yards high. You may click on the photo to enlarge to 200k.

Class Distinctions

2012-01-10T06:37:00.003+02:00

As a minister, I receive a wide variety of questions surrounding the Christian faith -- and I try to answer them all. Recently, an elderly member asked me why the following verse had been expunged from the hymn All Things Bright and Beautiful: "The rich man in his castle / The poor man at his gate / God made them, high and lowly / And ordered their estate." The reason is that this verse could be seen to endorse class distinctions. Whether it did or not is a matter for debate. OBSERVATION: But is it Biblical? How about this: "The Lord sends poverty and wealth. He humbles and He exalts" (1 Sam 2:7).

Kind And Gentle Guidance

2012-01-09T06:43:00.002+02:00

Something that stands out for me as having been special during the year that is past is the way that Church members gave me kind and gentle guidance. I think this is the first time in my ministry that I have experienced this -- or perhaps noticed it. There is the tendency in Churches to treat the minister as a kind of complaints office. I wish one always had the loving care I experienced during 2011 -- and I think that it was just as effective as any hard-nosed approach.

Hillsong Cape Town

2012-01-09T06:32:00.016+02:00

Last night, I attended Hillsong Cape Town (see photo). Here are some impressions. The Church was very well attended, and very well organised -- to the extent, though, of seeming staged. The message, while it was "lite", was spiritually encouraging, and focused on the Lord. There was a strong emphasis on weekday activities, and on generous giving. The congregation was mostly White yuppie, and the leaders (while I was there) all non-South African. The leaders often elicited responses from the congregation. Noise levels were extreme.

Super-Heated Posts

2012-01-08T20:10:00.007+02:00

Once in a while, one of my blog posts becomes "super-heated" -- drawing many times as much attention as my top-ranked posts. Two weeks ago (according to Blogger) it was A Wife's Post -- about a conservative wedding address. Two weeks before that it was Spiritual Assault -- about a young woman who experienced spiritual conflict. I hadn't predicted that these posts would receive the attention they did.

Ministers' Meetings

2012-01-08T06:39:00.007+02:00

There are some things I give high priority in ministry, above most other things. One of them is meeting other ministers. This has proved to be one of the greatest blessings of my ministry -- and, I think, one of the secrets of my unusually long tenures. Yesterday, in spite of being on leave, I attended a ministers' meeting. I spoke with various ministers -- about youth ministry, doctrinal toleration, errant deacons, membership standards, leadership paradigms, personal disappointments, and more.

Tomfoolery

2012-01-08T06:22:00.001+02:00

I was in a gathering recently where some men started fooling around with a gun. I saw the opportunity for a good photo, so pulled out my Leica. One of the men leaned back in a chair, gave me an idle look, and said: "My name is Robert Mugabe." I snapped him as he said it, finger on the trigger. This week I had some photos developed -- that one among them. They were interesting photos, so people gathered round a monitor in the shop. Then Mr. Mugabe came up. There was shocked silence. Yet after I had taken that photo, "Mr. Mugabe" squinted at the gun and said: "I don't understand how anyone can kill someone with one of these. Do you?" (It's not the kind of photo for a blog).

Giant Millipede

2012-01-07T06:30:00.000+02:00

At this time of year, thousands if not millions of these critters cross the roads in the Karoo semi-desert – all migrating in the same direction -- it's the Giant African Millipede. I took this photo at 100 ISO, 1/799 sec. A similar photo at 1/24 sec. was blurred, as these millipedes were moving so fast. The photo may be enlarged to 130k.

The Power To Write

2012-01-07T06:25:00.001+02:00

At my peak, I was having one article published about every ten days. But 2011 was a wipe-out. I lost the "power" to write. I had two articles published during the year. In 2012, I hope to get back to writing. Or rather, I pray that I shall regain the "power" to write. At the moment, I am working on an article on semeiotics.

Personal News

2012-01-06T19:07:00.013+02:00

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It occurred to me that I haven't really revealed what I have been up to while on my current leave -- it has been an important part of my life. The year before last, before her death, and in keeping with an ancient (Mennonite) Church tradition, my wife gave me a name. The two of us were relative strangers, yet this has grown into a warm friendship -- not that it didn't require some determination. So I have spent much of my time in an isolated valley in the east, getting to know her clan and her way of life (I have made brief visits before) -- and she has got to know me better in that setting. Earlier this week, the two of us spoke with her parents -- sharing with them where we have come over the past year. At the time of writing, I am again in the city -- but I shall soon return to the valley. After that, it's back to work. My friend is one of the four lovelies in the photo. It shouldn't be hard to figure out which one (click on the photo to enlarge). See also Introductions.

Amalienstein Lutheran

2012-01-06T07:04:00.003+02:00

This is the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Amalienstein, which I visited earlier this week. Amalienstein is a small village to the east of Ladismith, in the Karoo semi-desert. The Church was completed in 1853. Restored fifteen years ago, it is again looking a little woebegone. You may click on the image to enlarge to 80k. (One won't find another shot like this on the Internet -- this is extremely wide angle, inside the perimeter wall).

Why Confidentiality

2012-01-06T06:24:00.012+02:00

Following on from yesterday's post, my personal approach to confidentiality grew through experience (it has changed over the years). One needs to bear in mind, I think, that confidentiality in urban ministry may include some serious situations -- some of which I hope to sketch soon. In most situations (see a recent post), I maintain total confidentiality -- even in fairly extreme situations. The reasons are: 1. Keeping a confidence supports continued ministry, and expands one's wider ministry. 2. Keeping a confidence may protect one from, possibly, huge and terrifying consequences. 3. Keeping a confidence enables one to focus on ministry, not to be sidetracked. 4. The whole world lies in wickedness (1 Jn 5:19), so revealing a confidence is unlikely to be of much value, in fact it may be counterproductive. And 5. Keeping a confidence may evidence faith that God will work a solution.

Hare For Lunch

2012-01-05T08:46:00.001+02:00

Here's another photo of Suuranys Pass -- about half way up. That's my vehicle on the road. At the other side of these mountains, my friend's father caught a wild hare for lunch. Her mother cooked it with the bones -- a tender stew. This comfortably fed four – together with sweet potatoes and rice.

Confidentiality In Ministry

2012-01-05T06:36:00.005+02:00

There are various approaches to confidentiality among Protestant ministers -- a highly controversial issue. In recent years, I have maintained total confidentiality -- even my (late) wife didn't receive confidential information -- in fact, sometimes people assumed that she knew things where she didn't. However, I would now change this. I would include my wife -- for the sake of personal intimacy. On the other hand, some ministers will reveal confidential information -- in particular where they feel that this is for the cleansing of the Church, or should be reported to the authorities. OBSERVATION: I do make some exceptions: 1. where something is beginning to affect the whole Church, 2. where one is dealing with what one might call gossip, and 3. where issues affect myself. Perhaps I shall blog further on the reasons for my approach sometime.

African Jumping Spider

2012-01-04T12:56:00.012+02:00

I photographed this cutesy thing in the Eastern Cape. It is an African Jumping Spider -- recently named one of the "Magnificent Eight Spiders of Africa". In its tiny little mind, it had an obvious fascination with my Leica (which is reflected in its eyes). Eventually it jumped my Leica -- but I jerked out of the way, and it missed. While African Jumping Spiders have a painful bite, they are (most of them) relatively harmless. You may click on the image for 100k detail.

Theologians And The Proletariat

2012-01-04T12:19:00.004+02:00

During the past few weeks, I have listened to about a dozen sermons -- all of them among "the proletariat". What has struck me again and again is the great distance there is between our "people's theology" and the theologians, generally speaking. In fact the proletarian sermons took a few obvious jabs at the theologians. And yet the theologians so often claim to represent or articulate the people's theology. There is something wrong here.

Dominoes

2012-01-04T06:26:00.003+02:00

The photo shows me playing a mean game of dominoes, somewhere in the South African countryside. This game is played with passion. One smashes one's dominoes onto the table, and frequently has heated exchanges with opponents. OBSERVATION: A seasoned player has an incredible ability to size up the whole "board" at a glance.

Suuranys Pass

2012-01-03T22:00:00.006+02:00

To the best of my knowledge, this is the first photo on the Internet of the Suuranys Pass -- a pass about 10km / 6mi long, which runs from Suuranys Farm (behind the camera) to Assegaaibos near Kareedouw, in the Eastern Cape -- described by travel writer Thomas Bulpin as "spectacular". That's my vehicle on the left. You may click on the image to enlarge to 300k.

Our Suburb

2012-01-02T08:27:00.003+02:00

It's been a while since I posted a photo of our suburb, Sea Point. This one is taken from the top of Signal Hill. Our Church is situated slightly to the left of centre here. You may click on the photo to enlarge to VGA.

Church Programme

2012-01-02T06:33:00.002+02:00

This one's "boring but important". Every year around this time we put together a Church Programme for the following year (you may click on the image to enlarge). Our programme is fairly light in comparison with some Churches -- yet ours is an urban Church, so one needs to cope with a kind of social disintegration. This year I put the programme together, then had it checked by a member who has a good eye for it. It will be a "work in progress" throughout 2012.

Replacing Leadership

2012-01-01T06:42:00.006+02:00

Recently I described among friends how I was determined, after a long ministry in my first Church, not to have the albatross of a spiritually moribund leadership over me again. I said off-handedly: "I replaced our leadership" (referring to our larger body of office-bearers in my present Church, about thirty people). Someone commented: "It wasn't that easy." This is true. And it wasn't that simple. Some office-bearers stayed on -- and they were good people. Many found in my arrival a natural opportunity to step out. And indeed, some I pressed out -- and this was, at times, a great struggle. But apart from people vacating positions, perhaps more importantly, I guided the Church to elect spiritually suitable people to fill the empty spaces. I have said again and again that this was one of the best things that I (in fact, we) did in this Church. It has been a blessing.

My "Conveyance" A Year On

2012-01-01T06:30:00.003+02:00

I have been driving a three-wheel single-cylinder diesel for a year now (pictured). Here's how it's been. I soon got used to the feeling of steering a barge. It has been absolutely reliable -- yet a little stubborn in colder weather, which is typical of primitive diesel engines. Typically for a Mahindra, it has picked up some rust. It saved me an estimated R13,000 ($1,600) in fuel over the year (compared with the average sedan). While it will not realistically go beyond 50km/h (30mph), this is seldom needed in the city. All in all, I have found the vehicle great fun to drive, not least useful, and on holiday / vacation I feel as though I have got far away, which is not a feeling that I have in a car / automobile. Also, I joke that I see caterpillars crossing the road. In the three-wheeler, one notices things one would never see in a car.

Smoking, Drinking ...

2011-12-31T11:35:00.007+02:00

A member and I were discussing Christian values. I said: "It's not just about smoking, drinking ..." She said: "You mean to add sex." The point was -- that smoking, drinking, and other "classics" are merely a small part of the big picture. Peace, trust, forgiveness, generosity, and so on tend to be overlooked, yet they are no less important. There are many evidences of a living relationship with God.

DRC Riviersonderend

2011-12-31T06:25:00.001+02:00

This is the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC or NGK) Riviersonderend ("River Without End"). It is built in the neo-Gothic style. The foundation stone was laid in 1937. For a small-town Church, it would seem to have an unusual emphasis on its spiritual and congregational life, with attendant de-emphasis of its building and history.

Beyond Reasonable

2011-12-30T06:31:00.003+02:00

Here is something that happened at a particular juncture in my ministry -- which I reveal in this post for the first time. There was a situation within the Church which I thought to be placing my ministry in jeopardy. I approached our Church leadership for help, and their response was indecisive. The situation dragged on. I didn't want my ministry to be needlessly endangered, so I approached the Department of Labour for advice -- just advice. But they pounced. Within 24 hours, the Provincial Executive Manager personally took charge of the case, and referred it to seven provincial and local executives for action. I had not anticipated the seriousness with which they would view this, and so I consulted colleagues. My colleagues thought as I did: reverse out of this -- and I did. OBSERVATION: But this raises the obvious question: why did the Department's view differ so from that of our Church leadership? In my experience, this is not uncommon in the Churches -- that ministers are expected to endure situations which seem beyond reasonable.

Unidentified Crop

2011-12-30T06:30:00.001+02:00

I photographed this unidentified crop near the village De Rust (that's De Rust in the distance on the right). De Rust was established in 1900. Before this, it served as a place to outspan before traversing the Swartberg mountains (off the right of the photo).

Burden Of Oversight

2011-12-29T07:12:00.004+02:00

Someone asked me whether I was looking forward to getting back to work in 2012. I said: "On the one hand, I look forward to being back to some kind of form next year. On the other hand, no, it all seems too much." The next question was whether I could delegate my duties. I said: "It's not about delegation -- I'm in charge of my time. It's the burden of responsibility -- administration, finances, properties, counselling, charity, services, subversion -- everything." OBSERVATION: (I say this every year. The answer to an undertaking which is too much is faith in God).

Shakespearean Remnant

2011-12-29T06:34:00.010+02:00

My friend speaks a very distinctive English. A special characteristic of her speech is her abundant use of the word "do", the so-called unstressed "do". She will say, for example, "I do go," rather than "I go." Her seminary criticised her for this. However, according to linguist Rajend Mesthrie in his book EISH but is it English? this survives in South Africa from missionaries of the early 1800's -- possibly from earlier English (the KJV holding many examples of the unstressed "do").

The Magic Of Electronics

2011-12-28T06:33:00.004+02:00

I have two electronic designs coming up for publication, early in the New Year. One of them is called an Earth Magnetometer. It epitomises, for me, the amazing state of electronics today. With standard components, and little ingenuity, my circuit amplifies voltages induced by the earth's magnetic field more than one-million times. That seems like magic. My first memory of electronics was magic, and this is what attracted me to electronics at the start. When our family left the mission, and first returned to "civilisation", my father and I approached a door -- which opened magically as we approached it. I said: "How did it do that, Daddy?" My father said: "Look, there is an eye in the wall."

Speedy Treasurer

2011-12-28T06:31:00.003+02:00

Our Church leadership was concerned that the launch of our new Planned Giving Scheme should be on time this coming January, and impressed upon our Church treasurer the need for a timely letter of appeal. While we were still discussing this, he said: "There, I've sent it." We said: "You've sent what?" He said: "The letter of appeal." He had prepared the letter and e-mailed it to us while we were still in discussion -- all suitably updated for 2012. OBSERVATION: Afterwards we studied it and tweaked it a little, but it was pretty sharp work.

"Military Operation"

2011-12-27T10:32:00.003+02:00

About this time, I will be travelling to the Eastern Cape in my three-wheeler. I have planned it like a military operation in twenty stages. It is a major undertaking -- driving my juddery little machine (a single-cylinder diesel) the equivalent of London to Geneva and back. OBSERVATION: I could take a car / automobile, but I don't want to. There is a great feeling of adventure taking the Thing places -- and it receives a far more favourable reaction in poorer areas. (I am taking a tow-rope in case any cars / automobiles on the road need help).

A Wife's Post

2011-12-27T06:33:00.005+02:00

At the wedding I recently attended, the preacher said to the bride: "Stand up, please!" (see the photo). Then he said, among other things: "You will wash the dishes. You will iron his clothes. You will not leave your post!" OBSERVATION: In my experience, this is fairly standard preaching on marriage in South Africa -- Pentecostal, Reformed, Evangelical, Apostolic (in this case Apostolic).

Consequences Of Suicide

2011-12-27T06:31:00.003+02:00

Last week I met a man whose wife I buried -- following a violent suicide. It is often said that suicide is selfish. It is selfish, in my experience, not least because it does not take into account the impact it will have on others. The impact is huge. It is better to die of AIDS or cancer. It is better to be tried and jailed. It is better to go blind. It is better to be heaped with shame. The consequences of suicide seem to me to be far worse.

Happy (Christmas)

2011-12-26T11:30:00.000+02:00

There's an obvious difference in how the different religions are treated in stores in South Africa. As an example, compare this representation of a Christian festival with that of an Islamic one at Islam's Profile. The question is: what does it mean? It could be interpreted positively: unstated reverence for a Christian festival precludes overt commercialisation. Negatively: "Oh How Yummy" empties the gospel of all content. Or neutrally: it's mere marketing, or the marketing is tied to the nature of religions in different ways.

Festive Crush

2011-12-26T11:21:00.005+02:00

Every year at this time, large crowds descend on our suburb's public swimming pool. I took this photo of the queue this morning, which ends in the distance in the middle of the photo. You may click on the image to enlarge to VGA.

Cost Of A Master's Degree

2011-12-26T06:36:00.008+02:00

I recently received a notice of next year's fees for a Master's degree at my alma mater in South Africa: $2,000 per annum. Supposing, realistically, that the degree would take two years, that's $4,000 (it's R20,000 in rands). Now compare this with fees for a Master's degree at my alma mater in the USA, as they stood earlier this year: $1,360 per course. With 18 courses, that's $24,480 (R200,000) -- and with bridging courses for a doctorate, that's $36,720 (R300,000). Thus the cost of an equivalent degree in the USA is fifteen times the cost of South Africa. OBSERVATION: I consider that the tuition in South Africa is better, without a doubt. However, we are way behind the times. Note that I'm just listing tuition -- not books, accommodation, travel, and so on.

Christmas Flowers

2011-12-25T11:07:00.009+02:00

These are our Church's Christmas flowers, which someone called "magnificent". OBSERVATION: We have a custom in our Church, to invite people to help themselves to our flowers after the service. Today, however (as our secretary put it), Nobody announced it. I write "Nobody" with a capital letter, as this is my name from time to time. Our Christmas service was "packed".

Nibbling Lettuce For Christmas

2011-12-25T06:30:00.005+02:00

This year, I have been invited for Christmas lunch to a vegetarian home. I joked that I would be nibbling lettuce for Christmas. In the meantime, however, my vegetarian friends inform me that they will be dishing up meat for me. I look forward to being there -- not only for the meat, but because they are such easy company.

Spending Christmas And New Year

2011-12-25T06:19:00.008+02:00

Our congregation is very diverse. A basic difference with regard to how members spend Christmas would seem to come down to whether they belong to a family or a clan. If it is a family, then the family tends to be nearby, and there is a modest gathering around the Christmas tree -- perhaps for an evening. If it is a clan, then the patriarchal / matriarchal home tends to be situated in towns or rural areas. Everyone descends on one home, perhaps for a fortnight, crowding it to the doors (see, as an example, Christmas Crowd).

Christmas Spirit (Not)

2011-12-24T11:44:00.010+02:00

The Christmas spirit suffered a bit of a dent this morning. I needed to calm a volatile situation at the Church involving a member of staff. I called three people into my vestry. The situation was complex -- however, there would not have been a problem if our member of staff had not (in his own telling of it) outsourced work. The outsourcing caused friction -- and tears. Our staff are not permitted to outsource work. OBSERVATION: My role here was merely to calm troubled waters. I handed the matter over to one of our leadership who is tasked with staff matters.

NGK Oudtshoorn

2011-12-24T06:32:00.004+02:00

This is the NGK Moedergemeente (DRC Mother Church) in Oudtshoorn, about 350km / 220mi east of Cape Town. The Church has an interesting history, as the cornerstone was laid in 1861, yet the work was only finished more than 18 years later. A drought brought financial troubles, then a huge mistake was made with the roof -- apparently because the plans were misread. The design of the Church is neo-Gothic. As I took this photo, a vagabond passed me in the street and said: "It's a castle!" You may click on the image to enlarge to 100k.

Code-Switching

2011-12-24T06:30:00.006+02:00

There is a thing called code-switching -- which means changing the variety of language one uses, like flicking a switch. In our congregation, there are those who switch from high English to an urban Black English at will. I can't imitate the urban Black English: "Hey wena ..." but it has a combative sound to it. There is code-switching among many of our Afrikaans-speaking members as well. They will switch from high Afrikaans to a colloquial kind of tumbling Afrikaans at will -- which may be hard to understand for those trained only in high Afrikaans. I myself switch from high English to a kind of basic colloquial English without difficulty -- and would think that this is fairly essential to urban ministry.

Wedding "Casualty"

2011-12-23T06:39:00.004+02:00

At the wedding I attended recently, this flower girl (pictured, bottom) was an early casualty. She began to topple, very slowly. Then she was out for the count. Here I caught the moment that the bridal retinue noticed that she had checked out. You may click on the photo to enlarge to VGA.

How It's Been For The Church

2011-12-23T06:38:00.010+02:00

This is an attempt to describe – looking back over this year – how the death of the minister's wife affected the Church. This is harder for me to assess than it is to speak about myself – but I shall try. Mirjam, as her health declined, put great effort into brief appearances in the Church – and so the Church did not see what I saw. Thus the Church, in a way, may have been more shocked than I was by her death. There was grief in the Church when Mirjam died, which would not go away – and little was said. One member said to me: “When Mirjam died, we all died.” But members were fantastic in the way that they reorganised the Church – and they in turn say that Mirjam herself did a lot to see to that. At first, there was great determination to carry on – then, after several months, I consider that disheartenment and negativity set in. But this was just a phase, which we exited with new vision -- not least, with the faith that God was with us. Amazingly, as I write, the Church has a budget surplus, which is also an indication of some health. What we are yet to regain at this point, I think, is what I might call momentum, or cohesion. We need that.

Hedgerow

2011-12-22T06:40:00.001+02:00

One finds some creative hedgerows in South Africa -- planted to suit the local soil and climate. Some farmers get it right -- others struggle to find a hedgerow that works. I snapped this one near Montagu. I don't know what the plant is called, but it is a common one. For an aloe hedgerow, see Hedgerow.

Judicial Outcome

2011-12-22T06:34:00.005+02:00

One of our congregation committed a crime which, according to the magistrate, "called for a life sentence". However, in view of "compelling and substantial circumstances", the sentence was reduced to five years. This week, our congregant won an appeal against this sentence, so that he will spend a brief time in jail, then be placed under house arrest. I was closely involved in the saga, from a pastoral point of view. I predicted this judicial outcome.

A Little Way Off World Domination

2011-12-21T21:20:00.006+02:00

As a Religion blog, this blog is at the moment ranked no. 8 in South Africa, according to amatomu.com, and no. 2453 in the world, according to technorati.com. While this does not yet speak of world domination, it would not seem too bad as things go. It is much higher as an Urban Ministry blog (no. 3 in the world, last time I checked). According to Google, my top three posts are last week's baptismal Action Shot, a photo of the bridge from Moravia to Môrester, and a recent photo of our Church's Worship Team.

Kruisfontein Congregational

2011-12-21T06:40:00.002+02:00

.This is Kruisfontein United Congregational Church in Humansdorp (west of Port Elizabeth) – a historic Congregational Church built in 1839. While the two facades face the camera here, in actual fact they stand at 90º to one another – this is a panoramic shot. You may click on the image to enlarge to 260k.

Travels

2011-12-21T06:30:00.004+02:00

I asked permission to travel to the Eastern Cape this last Friday and Saturday, to attend a wedding. Our Church leadership asked me how I would accomplish that (about the distance of London to Geneva and back). I said: "Zoom there, zoom back." They seemed aghast, and ordered me to take more time off. E. commented that this was "big" of them -- it was E.'s sister's wedding. So E. and I criss-crossed the townships of the Eastern Cape, attended the wedding and reception, and traversed the hair-raising Suuranys Pass to visit her childhood home. As hectic as it was, it was good that I had this time.

Remote Church

2011-12-20T09:09:00.009+02:00

This Church is an extraordinary sight. Not seldom, the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC or NGK) built Churches in communities where the Church was obviously too large for the community. However, in time, the communities grew. Here is an exception. They built this imposing Church in De Hoop (Hope), in 1909. Today it stands in the midst of empty streets, west of Outdshoorn. Satellite photos reveal desolation. OBSERVATION: The locals have unofficially renamed the location Hoopvol (Hopeful).

Broadband Gobbled

2011-12-20T08:47:00.010+02:00

I visited the Eastern Cape this weekend -- but before I left, I set my router's security to High, and disconnected my Ethernet, through my OS. In spite of this, an international connection gobbled up all my broadband (I bought a booster this morning). It was massive usage in a short time. So who chewed up my broadband, and how? I don't know. OBSERVATION: A simple way to know whether a problem lies inside one's office or outside is to physically switch off one's router. From now on, I'll do that anyway. It is not comforting that there is still a high priority criminal investigation open into attacks on my connection (my connection came under massive attack from a private Internet last year).

Christmas Gift

2011-12-19T06:33:00.002+02:00

I was looking for a Christmas present for a farm labourer who has a special place in my life. I decided on an inexpensive plastic Fresnel lens, about the size of an A4 / Letter sheet. Among other things, this would be useful for lighting a fire, by focusing the rays of the sun. I tried it out today. It didn't merely make smoke -- it lit a fire with an explosive "BOOF!" I was impressed. Thanks to the US Lighthouse Society for the photo of a Fresnel lens.

Church To Hospital

2011-12-18T12:59:00.001+02:00

A few days ago, I posted on Public Liability. Related to this, at least three people have been taken from my services straight to hospital. One case was tragic. A young(ish) woman complained at the end of a service that she couldn't see. Later she died in hospital of meningitis. Another churchgoer passed out with low blood pressure -- but was discharged from hospital in fine fettle. Another's eyes were rolling at the end of a service, and she was diagnosed with heart failure -- yet remarkably, is still going fairly strong some five years later.

The "Holy Grail"

2011-12-18T06:36:00.001+02:00

We have been re-assessing our Church's various insurances. I shot an e-mail to our accounts clerk: had we considered the baptismal font? (pictured). She asked: what is is worth? I e-mailed her: "[An expert] told me that there is replacement value, and there is antiquity value. One needs to take both into account. I would have no idea what the font is worth, but as the 'Holy Grail' of missions (the great Livingstone baptised from it), goodness knows."

Passport Photos

2011-12-17T10:39:00.002+02:00

This is what urban ministry did to me. The passport photo on the left was taken the year that I started here (1994), the passport photo on the right a year ago. The differences include broken bones and stitches (visible in the photo on the right). See, similarly, 10 Years' Difference.

Irascible ?

2011-12-17T06:38:00.001+02:00

Don't ask me why. Photographers keep catching me in, apparently, irascible poses. The top photo was taken earlier this week, the bottom photo in April. The top was a baptism, the bottom a wedding rehearsal. I can't remember in either case what I was saying -- but anyway, in both cases the women seem pleased.

Tearing Out Pews

2011-12-16T10:59:00.001+02:00

This week I went to visit an elderly member. Reminiscing on my ministry here, she said to me: "I'm so glad you didn't tear out the pews or replace the organ with a band." I said: "It is my deliberate policy not to drive the Church. I wait for decisions to emerge from the congregation, as the Spirit leads." OBSERVATION: However, I think our member may not be seeing the extent of the changes under my ministry. We did tear out pews (equivalent to about fifty seats), and we introduced a worship team -- among other things.