Worshipping the International Way

We have found a home church in Perth! It is in a part of Perth called Victoria Park, and attendance is about 60 people on Sunday mornings. It is called the Christian Reformed Church of Perth and is one of 5 of them here. Their doctrine lines up quite closely with ours, and the congregation is one of the friendliest I have ever come across. Yes, it sounds a lot like Spring Cypress Presyterian Church!

There are some interesting and fun differences. First, the majority of families are of Dutch descent, many of them first generation Australians. Second, many of the members are related to one another, either extended family or by marriage or both. The pastor, Rainier Noppers, jokes that the church directory comes in two volumes: A=Z with a second one just for V (van Der Noot, etc.). We have been made very welcome here. On our first Sunday, a husband and wife invited us to coffee at their home after the service. Last week, we had lunch at the home of our Pastor and his family. Which brings us to another interesting practice within this denomination. These 5 churches share their pastors by rotating them among each other. The "home pastor" of each church preaches one Sunday per month at a different church, and two Sundays per month at his home church, with one Sunday off per month. The idea behind this is to give the pastor more time to spend on pastoral care and less time preparing sermons (because he can give the same message twice - once at his church and once at any church he visits). A novel approach which has its merits. The congregation hears a variety of different messages and preaching styles, and people (we hope) come to church to hear the message, not just the speaker. Worship music? Each pastor brings his own music with him. Our pastor has musically talented teenage children, who play the piano and guitar during the service. There are several young families among the membership who enjoy the newer hymns, but the members who are a bit older have trouble keeping up with the tempo, resulting in praise songs sung at about 2/3 speed. The visiting pastor we heard recently brought pre-recorded instrumental versions of the hymns, which he controlled from the pulpit. Let's just say that we worship the Lord in song and voice, but in a less technologically advanced manner!

Many church members grew up in either Holland or South Africa and speak English as a second or third language. There are some Australian families who are members, and we are the only Americans worshiping at this church. I look forward to the day I can stop asking these lovely people to repeat things for me! Our accents may be different, but we share a love for God and his Word.

We are really enjoying this church, but we also miss our family at SCPC. We wish you all a most blessed Christmas and hope that some of you will email us photos of some from this year's holiday programs.

Lots of love and a blessed Christmas to all,
Anita & Vince

P.S. Today's temperature: 34 degrees (100F). How was the snow?