Tour of Lekoa - Day 1

Dear Friends

I have started my tour of the Presbytery of Lekoa!

Yesterday morning I set out from my home in Edenvale westwards toward the great gold mining areas of the far west rand. In about an hour and fifteen minutes, I reached Carletonville (I have never been here before). My first impression was a little strained - on turning into the town, I saw a team of men putting up municipal elections posters for the Freedom Front and I thought what on earth are these people going to do with a "veraaier" like me!

I met the Moderator of the Presbytery and minister of St Matthew's, Carletonville, Hugh Grant at the church and he very kindly told me about the history of St Matthews and St Andrew's, Westonaria and about his life story over tea. I thought about how lovely it was to know a little more about my colleagues in Lekoa.  Readers will remember that the first part of my tour took place last October when I took the ministers of the Presbytery on retreat to the island in the middle of the Vaal dam.

Inside St Matthew's, Carletonville

After tea, we went out (accompanied by Alfred, an elder and lay preacher) by car, driving through Fochville, Kokosi, Wedella and Blyvooruitsig. These are areas in which either, outstations already exist (BM Molaba congregation has outstations in Kokosi and Wedella) or where the UPCSA is considering planting preaching stations.  We returned to the Manse for lunch and a discussion about new Khutsong (I hope my spelling is correct). This new area is being developed to replace Khutsong which is in danger of falling into a sink hole! Fourteen thousand dwellings have already been built and being a new area, there is no church there yet.

Afternoon tea was spent with the elders and members of St Andrew's Westonaria and a delicious supper (prepared by Denise Miles, my host, and the ladies of St Matthew's) was spent in the company of the elders of St Matthew's.

Trinity, Edenvale, the congregation I serve, has sent a beautiful blue pottery chalice and patten (with an inscription) to every congregation I visit. I was able to present this to St Matthew's. I stayed over with Derek and Denise Miles and today (Thursday), I set off for Klerksdorp.