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Archiver > Dutch-Colonies > 2004-04 > 1082420476


From: "Ed/Linda Roorda" <>
Subject: Re: [D-Col] Reformed Church question
Date: Mon, 19 Apr 2004 20:21:16 -0400
References: <025b01c425c0$df71c420$28a24b0c@ddg> <003c01c42641$5c5635e0$baf896d1@clarityconnect.com> <4084455C.6090805@surfglobal.net>


Thanks for the explanation of voorleser! Much appreciated!
Ok, an error - I meant late 1800s/early to mid 1900s books in Dutch, not
18th or 19th century books. Sorry about that.
And...now that I dug the books out of storage, they're not actual church
worship books like I thought, but church and Reformation history, three
separate books of the Bible, Dutch history books from about 900s forward,
and other school books - all in Dutch, some with drawings. I wish I could
scan a few pages for you all, but I haven't a scanner. They appear to be a
treasure trove of Dutch history but I can't read them!
Maybe I could translate a little of the Dutch history book with my
dictionary and post it if there's an interest? Let me know.
Iris asked about the church services - the next best thing is I've
written my father who grew up in an actual Dutch Reformed Church in America
to find out how the services were conducted. According to him, the services
and sermons were long, and halfway through they sang a hymn to get everyone
awake again :) They were more "gloom and doom" so to speak, less joy he
thought, and were stricter than the American branch, the Christian Reformed
Church. Hymns were sung directly from the Psalms, with "modern" songs.
Prayers were long. Sermons followed the Reformed Heidelberg Catechism
format - in other words, Sunday morning sermon dealt with one of the
catechism doctrinal points; there were two worship services, morning and
evening. Kids sat through these services, quietly - no children's church
available.
Holy Communion followed a set format - one Sunday a prelude to help one
focus on the meaning was read, and the following Sunday of Communion a
longer form describing the full meaning was read.
And yes, Howard was right - Reformed Calvinist baptism is an outward
sign and seal of the Covenant God makes with His people. Linda


----- Original Message -----
From: "Iris" <>
To: <>
Sent: Monday, April 19, 2004 5:32 PM
Subject: Re: [D-Col] Reformed Church question


> Linda wrote about Regina's query, in re the church service.
> Although we need someone fluent in Dutch and knowledgeable about customs
> of the Dutch church, let me try it:
>
> > Showing a limitation to my Dutch/English dictionary, what is a
> > voorleser? I find voorlezen means "read to"; voor is for or before,
> > lezen is read, gather or glean; les refers to lessons as in giving or
> > teaching. So, would a voorleser be a lay preacher, say an elder of
> > the church who could instruct but was not an ordained minister?
>
> My dictionary also does not specify "Voorleser." However, It may be an
> elder or an esteemed member of the congregation who is called to read
> the Scripture for the day. That would be read to the congregation,
> before the service continues with a few more responses and then with the
> sermon
> --the sermon being the "lesson" taken ("gleaned") from the Scripture
> reading .
>
> It would be interesting to have a look at Linda's Dutch church book, to
> see how the services were run.
>
> Best wishes from Liz
>
>
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