Allan Boesak and Africa - part 2

In reflecting more on my notes during lunch with Cliff Kirkpatrick and Allan Boesak, a few more things come to mind to write...

The Uniting Reformed Church in South Africa (a continuing effort to unite the former Dutch Reformed Church in Africa and the Dutch Reformed Mission Church) struggles, as does the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), with how best to provide ministers to serve small, especially rural, congregations. Allan said that fully one-half of the rural URCSA congregations have no pastors, and, in some presbyteries, they only have TWO installed pastors in the entire Presbytery! So, they still are looking for different ways to provide pastoral leadership.

I mentioned in an earlier blog that Cliff had suggested I get in touch with Jon Chapman (I spelled his first name incorrectly earlier). Jon now is our Church's Coordinator for Europe/Central Asia and Ecumenical Councils within the General Assembly Mission Council. I was going to get in touch with Jon after I returned from this part of my sabbatical. However, God had another plan... as God so often does, it seems! The day after lunch with Allan and Cliff, I was sitting in the seminary Chapel with my dear friends, Rick and Amy McClain, waiting for the worship service to begin. Amy leaned over to say "hi" to a person in front of us. They chatted for a moment, and then Amy turned to me and said, "Steve, I'd like you to meet Jon Chapman." I love how God makes "coincidences" happen like that! Jon and I chatted for just a minute, and I told him that Cliff suggested that I contact him about the Church in Kenya and their pattern of encouraging elders in their ministries in and with congregations. Jon said, "Give me your email address, and I'll put you in touch with the Moderator and the Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa. I know them, and they'll be glad to help you however they can." Wow!

So... clearly... more to follow.