FROM NEW ZEALAND Dear Brother Peter:

Greetings from down under from the land of the Kiwis. It’s the middle of winter here but the temperatures during the day rise into the 50s and 60s. We do have frequent frosts but they are as the locals say “ground frosts,” the result is that almost everything remains green all the year around. The greenness of the vegetation around lends a beauty to the hills and valleys and mountain slopes that is indeed beautiful.

We have been in New Zealand nearly three months now. We are serving the little Reformed Church of Nelson. The Congregation is made up largely of Dutch immigrants that migrated to New Zealand in the early 1950’s. Some have come recently and more are expected in the next few months. There are also some Kiwis who have married into the church or have converted to the Reformed faith . The oldest members are in their 60‘s and of course the second generation of these people are rising to take their place in the church.

It is very refreshing to come so far and then find a congregation of people that are relatively isolated even as far as sister Reformed Churches is concerned and to find them so diligently striving to retain the purity of the faith. They are staunch defenders of what Peter Eldersveld used to call “the historic Christian faith.”

The Consistory (called Session here) insists on the preaching of the Word twice on the Lord’s Day. They have carried on nobly for nearly thirty years under the leadership of dedicated elders. They have known the leadership of a Pastor only spasmodically in those years. The Elders have faithfully taught the catechism to the children and youth of the congregation. The evidence of thorough work, is seen in the children and youth. The Psalter-Hymnal is used in the worship services with a strong leaning to the psalms rather than to the hymn section. The psalms are valued highly and sung heartily. The traditional liturgical forms are used with deep appreciation. Both worship services are well attended by both young and old. It’s interesting that all the churches including anglican have evening service. The Congregation and Session are keenly aware of the pressures of the main line liberal New Zealand Churches plus the pressures of fundamentalism with its grave weaknesses and the siren call to some of neo-pentecostalism. This all sounds rather familiar to us doesn’t it?

A sizable number ofthe members come together for Bible Study fortnightly. The schedule calls for the group to meet every other time on Saturday evening in order to accommodate those working nights. There are two youth groups that each meets separately, in addition to regularly attending the catechism classes. At the moment seven young people are attending a class preparatory to making profession of faith.

All this would hardly be remarkable except that the closest sister congregation of the Reformed Church of New Zealand is over 200 miles away by land. The Churches ofthe Wellington area are closer but Cook Strait with its 3 hour ferry trip lies between. Its a day’s trip by car each way and expensive.

The Congregation, true to its understanding of the Covenant, is keenly aware of the need of further Christian education. A Christian school society, has been organized and efforts to establish a Christian day school are constantly being studied.

Financially these folks have always had to struggle. First they had to establish themselves, and their families in a foreign land. Besides they had quickly shouldered the responsibilities connected with their spiritual survival in a new place sometimes the struggle for survival has brought them to the point of despair. Now they quickly acknowledge that their Covenant God has been faithful and good and kind.

As Ever,

Clarence and Thelma Werkema

FROM BELGIUM Church Again?

How often has that been expressed (or at least thought by the best ofus) on a Sunday afternoon? After all, you did get up early and get to church on time this morning. How much church do we need?

Do not take evening worship services for granted. For example, I a m currently stationed in Belgium, and the spiritual feeding from the church is minimal. I have one Sunday morning service. Period. There is no Sunday School. There is no catechetical instruction . There is no prayer meeting. There is no Cadets or Calvinettes. And of course, there is no evening service.

Psalm 42:4 says “These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with a multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng” (NIV).

This should be the way we go to church. Consider it a blessing if you have the opportunity to go . And then by all means go.

In Christ, Glenn P. Palmer

U.S. DAO Embassy APO N.Y. 09667