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DRC in South Africa Sunwardpark Congregation - Boksburg,Gauteng
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<TR><TD ALIGN=CENTER><H1>DRC Sunwardpark <BR>NGK Sunwardpark</H1>
</TD></TR></TABLE></CENTER><p ALIGN=CENTER> </p><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="4" cellpadding="4"><tr><td width="50%"><H1 ALIGN=CENTER><font size="5">Welcome</font></H1>
<H2 ALIGN=CENTER><font size="3">to the Dutch Reformed Church in <br>
<a href="http://www.southafrica.net" target="_blank" onmouseover="window.status='South Africa';return true">South Africa</a><br> Sunwardpark Congregation</font></H2><p> </td><td width="50%"><H1 ALIGN=CENTER><font size="5">Welkom</font> </H1>
<H2 ALIGN=CENTER><font size="3">by die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk in<br><a href="http://www.southafrica.net" target="_blank" onmouseover="window.status='South Africa';return true">Suid-Afrika</a><br>Sunwardpark</font> </H2><p></td></tr></table>
<CENTER><P><BR><A NAME="index"></A><I>...for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by NAME;
you are Mine. (<A HREF="http://www.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible?language=English&version=NIV&passage=Isaiah+43:1" onmouseover="window.status='Jesus Loves You';return true">
Isaiah 43:1</A> NIV.) <BR>
</P><P><IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><a HREF="#1" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='Who we are';return true"><font size="2"> Who We Are</font></a><IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><a HREF="#2" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='Our Belief';return true"><font size="2">What We Believe In</font></a>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><a HREF="#3" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='How we are organized';return true"><font size="2">Our Organization</font></a>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><a HREF="#4" target="_self"><font size="2">Our Mission Programme</font></a>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"></P>
<P><IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><a HREF="#5" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='Our History';return true"><font size="2">Our History</font></a>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><a HREF="#6" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='How we are trained';return true"><font size="2">Our Training</font></a>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><a HREF="#7" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='Documents of Faith';return true"><font size="2"> Documents of Faith</font></a>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"></P><P><IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="" ><a HREF="#7" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='Webmaster';return true"><font size="2">E-Mail to Rev Thabu Pienaar</font></a>
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<CENTER><HR><H2 ALIGN=CENTER><a name="A8"></a>Staff / Leaders</H2>
<TABLE WIDTH="80%" >
<TR>
<TD valign="top"><B>Rev</B></TD><TD valign="top"><B>L Sinclair</B>
</TD></TR><TR><TD valign="top"><B>Mrs</B></TD>
<TD valign="top"><B>Magda Stevens</B></TD>
<TD valign="top">Secretary</TD></TR><TR><TD valign="top"><B>Mrs</B></TD><TD valign="top"><B>Sanet Linde</B></TD>
<TD valign="top">Organist</TD></TR></TABLE><HR WIDTH="100%"></CENTER>
<H2 ALIGN=CENTER><a name="1"></a>Who We Are</H2>
<P>The Dutch Reformed Church in <a HREF="http://www.southafrica.net" target="_blank" onmouseover="window.status='South Africa';return true">South
Africa</a> (DRC) originated from the same protestant reformation which
swept across Europe in the 16th century under Martin Luther and John Calvin.
Calvin's reformation spread to the Netherlands amongst others, where it
was the forerunner of the Dutch Reformed Church.</P>
<P>The DRC in <a HREF="http://www.southafrica.net" target="_blank" onmouseover="window.status='South Africa';return true">South
Africa</a> was established on the arrival of <B>Jan Van Riebeeck</B> in
<A HREF="http://www.southafrica.net" target="_blank" onmouseover="window.status='South Africa';return true">South Africa</A> in 1652. The V.O.C.
(Dutch East India Company) sought to establish a refreshment station halfway
on the long trip to the East. The V.O.C. had a commercial set-up in mind;
however the settlers who were to establish the port, founded the church
at the same time. The first pastor to arrive in <A HREF="http://www.bumper.co.za/virtual/capetown.htm" target="_blank" onmouseover="window.status='Table Bay';return true">Tablebay
(Cape Town)</A> was Rev Joannes Van Arckel (1665). The Rev van Arckel began
to organise a congregation to represent the church in the Netherlands.
Two e1ders were chosen and the minister and the elders signed the articles
of faith. These articles of faith were the <A HREF="http://www.crcna.org/creeds/crcHeidelbergCatechism.html" target="_blank" onmouseover="window.status='Heidelberg
Cathechism';return true">Heidelberg
Cathechism</A>, <A HREF="http://www.crcna.org/creeds/crcBelgicConfession.html" target="_blank" onmouseover="window.status='Confessio Belgica';return true">the
Dutch Confession of Faith (Confessio Belgica)</A> and the <A HREF="http://www.crcna.org/creeds/crcCanonsOfDort.html" target="_blank" onmouseover="window.status='Canons
of Dordt';return true">Canons
of Dordt</A> (1618-1619); and so the first congregation in <a HREF="http://www.southafrica.net">South
Africa</a> was established. Today, there are 1260 congregations of the
DRC in <a HREF="http://www.southafrica.net" onmouseover="window.status='South Africa';return true">South
Africa</a> cared for by 2021 pastors, comprising approximately 1,29 million
members who have been organized in 11 Synods. </P>
<CENTER><P><IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="" ><a HREF="#1" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='Who we are';return true"><font size="2">Who we are</a></font>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="" ><a HREF="#2" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='What we belief';return true"><font size="2">What We Believe In</font></a>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><a HREF="#3" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='Our organization';return true"><font size="2">Our Organization</font></a>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><a HREF="#4" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='Our mission';return true"><font size="2"> Our Mission Programme</font></a>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><br>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><a HREF="#6" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='Our Training';return true"><font size="2">Our Training</font></a>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="Cross"><a HREF="#7" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='Documents of faith';return true"><font size="2"> Documents of Faith</font></a>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><br>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><a HREF="#8" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='Webmaster';return true"><font size="2">E-Mail to Rev Thabu Pienaar</font></a>
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<A NAME="A2"></A>
<H2 ALIGN=CENTER><a name="2"></a>What We Believe</H2>
<P>We believe the Bible to be the Word of God and the final
authority for practising our faith. We believe in Jesus Christ as the Son
of God and the Savior of all persons who believe in Him. We believe in
the historic Christian faith as confessed in the <A HREF="http://www.crcna.org/creeds/index.html" onmouseover="window.status='Apostles Creed';return true">Apostles'
Creed</A>. We believe in the <A HREF="#A10">3 articles of faith</A> as
they have been given to us through the Apostolic Fathers. </P>
<P>Throughout our church, the <B>covenant</B> of God with Israel, and therefore
with us as the new Israel (children of Abraham through faith - <A HREF="http://www.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible?language=English&version=NIV&passage=Romans+9:7">Rom
9:7-8</A> ; <A HREF="http://www.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible?language=English&version=NIV&passage=Galatians+3:7" onmouseover="window.status='Gal 3:7';return true">Gal
3:7</A> NIV) plays an important role in our church practice. In accordance
with this, children are baptized because God takes first and foremost initiative
in the faith of people. It is through grace that we stand in a covenantal
relationship with God our Father. We are therefore privelaged that all
our children are members of our Cathecism on Sundays. </P>
<CENTER><P><IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="" ><a HREF="#1" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='Who we are';return true"><font size="2">Who we are</a></font>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="" ><a HREF="#2" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='What we belief';return true"><font size="2">What We Believe In</font></a>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><a HREF="#3" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='Our organization';return true"><font size="2">Our Organization</font></a>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><a HREF="#4" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='Our mission';return true"><font size="2"> Our Mission Programme</font></a>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><br>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><a HREF="#6" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='Our Training';return true"><font size="2">Our Training</font></a>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="Cross"><a HREF="#7" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='Documents of faith';return true"><font size="2"> Documents of Faith</font></a>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><br>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><a HREF="#8" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='Webmaster';return true"><font size="2">E-Mail to Rev Thabu Pienaar</font></a>
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<H2 ALIGN=CENTER><a name="3"></a>Our Organization</H2>
<P>We are organized in congregations, each with their own minister and
church board, consisting of elders and deacons. Each congregation are autonomous,
but each congregation is, by confession of faith, part of a bigger entity.
Congregations are therefore organized in classes, classes into synods,
and the 11 synods make up the General Synod. Although the congregations
of the DRC confess the same faith, each congregation is unique, shaped
by the needs of its people and community. Services of worship range from
highly formal to informal. In almost all, however you will find good preachings
a strong program of Christian education, and sympathetic pastoral counseling
". </P>
<H2 ALIGN=CENTER><a name="4"></a>Our Mission Programme</H2>
<P>As we believe that the church's main purpose is to bring more and more
people to God <A HREF="http://www.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible?language=English&version=NIV&passage=Matthew+28:19" onmouseover="window.status='Matt 28:19';return true">Matt
28:19</A> NIV), we believe in a vibrant mission programme. The missionary
activities of the DRC extended throughout the whole of Southern Africa,
and under their initiative many churches in <A HREF="http://wn.apc.org/mediatech/VRZ1000.htm">Zimbabwe
</A>, <A HREF="http://www.sas.upenn.edu/African_Studies/Country_Specific/Botswana.html">Botswana</A>,
<A HREF="http://pubweb.acns.nwu.edu/~tbill/zambia.html">Zambia </A>, <A HREF="www.sas.upenn.edu/Africa_Studies/Country_Specific/Namibia.html">Namibia</A>,
<A HREF="http://www.sas.upenn.edu/Africa_Studies/Country_Specific/Mozambique.html">Mozambique</A>
etc were formed. These congregations form still part of the General Synod
to this day. The DRC helped to establish the Dutch Reformed Church in Africa
(DRCA - primarily for black people), the Dutch Reformed Mission Church
(DRMC - primarily for coloureds) and the Reformed Church in Africa (RCA
- primarily for Indians). This mission programme are still active. </P>
<P> </P>
<CENTER><P><IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="" ><a HREF="#1" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='Who we are';return true"><font size="2">Who we are</a></font>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="" ><a HREF="#2" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='What we belief';return true"><font size="2">What We Believe In</font></a>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><a HREF="#3" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='Our organization';return true"><font size="2">Our Organization</font></a>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><a HREF="#4" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='Our mission';return true"><font size="2"> Our Mission Programme</font></a>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><br>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><a HREF="#6" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='Our Training';return true"><font size="2">Our Training</font></a>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="Cross"><a HREF="#7" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='Documents of faith';return true"><font size="2"> Documents of Faith</font></a>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><br>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"><a HREF="#8" target="_self" onmouseover="window.status='Webmaster';return true"><font size="2">E-Mail to Rev Thabu Pienaar</font></a>
<IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif" ALT="cross"></CENTER>
<H2 ALIGN=CENTER><a name="5"></a>Our History</H2>
<P>Our congregation started in 1981 with one pastor and approximately 700
members. </P>
<H2 ALIGN=CENTER><a name="6"></a>Our Training</H2>
<P>Our minsters are trained at 3 Theological Seminaries, one at the <A HREF="http://www.up.ac.za" onmouseover="window.status='University of Pretoria';return true">University
of Pretoria</A>, one at the <A HREF="http://www.uovs.ac.za" onmouseover="window.status='University of Freestate';return true">University
of the Freestate</A>, and one at the <A HREF="http://www.sun.ac.za" onmouseover="window.status='University of Stellenbosch';return true">University
of Stellenbosch</A>. Our students acquire degrees in Theology and our Seminaries
are attended by many oversees students.</P>
<H2 ALIGN=CENTER><a name="7"></a>Our Confessional Documents</H2>
<TABLE>
</table>
<TABLE WIDTH="80%" >
<TR>
<TD valign="middle"><IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif"></TD>
<TD valign="middle">1.</TD>
<TD valign="middle"><A HREF="http://www.crcna.org/creeds/crcHeidelbergCatechism.html" onmouseover="window.status='Heidelberg Cathecism';return true">Heidelberg
Cathechism</A>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD><IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif"></TD>
<TD>2.</TD>
<TD><A HREF="http://www.crcna.org/creeds/crcCanonsOfDort.html" onmouseover="window.status='Canons of Dordt';return true">Canons of
Dordt</A> (1618-1619)
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD><IMG SRC="/art/cross/x.gif"></TD>
<TD>3.</TD>
<TD><A HREF="http://www.crcna.org/creeds/crcBelgicConfession.html" onmouseover="window.status='Confessio Belgica';return true">The
Dutch Confession of Faith (Confessio Belgica)</A>
</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<H2 ALIGN=CENTER><a name="8"></a>Comments, Suggestions or Just A Note </H2>
<P>Write to <a href="mailto:ixthus@bigfoot.com" onmouseover="window.status='Email webmaster';return true"> Rev Thabu Pienaar</a>, the
Webmaster of this page;<br>
or visit his <a HREF="http://www.geocities.com/Athens/4675/home.html" onmouseover="window.status='Homepage';return true"> homepage.</a>
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