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Spring 2018.Cdr Lux Mundi 37:1 spring 2018 Jesus said: “I am the light of the world.” John 8:12 In this Issue Devotional: Psalm 121 Jesus said “I am the Light of the World” News from Sudan, India, & North America The Reformational Study Centre in South Africa An opinion on the Presbyterian Church in America The European Conference of Reformed Churches this May Magazine published by the International Conference of Reformed Churches Devoonal PSALM 121 Rev. Dr. Victor (V.E.) d'Assonville is pastor in the GKSA (Reformed Churches in South Africa). He The LORD remains with us serves as principal and professor of Church History at the Reformed Theological Seminar (RTS) in Heidelberg, Germany. Mountains, even hills, unfailingly call to mind Psalm 121: night, also when we are not conscious of it. He is always “I lift up my eyes to the hills … My help comes from the with us: that's why Jesus Christ is called Immanuel, “God LORD.” with us”. And that is why the Christ gave His Spirit, His Comforter, to His church, to each believer, to comfort… In In this Psalm the poet emphasizes repeatedly how the Christ the comfort of Psalm 121 has also become our LORD protects us. He is the Creator of heaven and earth: comfort. He is almighty. He is the only true God. As Creator the LORD is able to help you; as covenant God, as faithful Do you see this well? Do you realize this? Psalm 121 draws Father in Christ, He is willing to help. the line from that one lonesome traveller to Christ, and further sll, to our eternal desnaon. We read in In contrast with us humans, our Keeper neither slumbers Revelaon 7:16 and 17 how the promise of Psalm 121 is nor sleeps: He is always alert. His love and help are so all fulfilled: The Lamb, Christ, shall lead God's children to encompassing, so enveloping that He would send His only “living springs of water”, they shall “hunger nor thirst Son, precisely because all help is from Him. anymore”. This is what is promised in Psalm 121 and is He remains with us. He is always with us, by day and by fulfilled in Christ. From this me forth … and forever more. From Dagstukkies, a devoonal published by the Reformed Church in South Africa on its website. Used with permission. The logo combines the ICRC logo with the Lux Mundi monogram, an early Christian symbol combining the initials of Jesus Christ (in Greek I and X), referring to Him as the Light of the World (Lux Mundi). Front cover picture: A mountain in Manning Park, British Columbia, Canada. Photo: K. Janssen. 2 Lux Mundi: Volume 37-01 – March 2018 CONTENTS CONTRIBUTORS 02 Devoonal – Psalm 121 Editors 04 Editorial Karlo Janssen (Canada) Theological Hans Maris (The Netherlands) 06 Devoonal on John 8:12 – I am the Light of the World Sjirk Bajema (New Zealand) News & Informaon Hiralal Solanki (India) 09 Sudan: Sudanese Reformed Churches – Silver Jubilee Glenda Mathes (USA) 2017 Ria Nederveen (The Netherlands) 12 South Africa: The RSC Lawr Khawbung (India) 15 India: Reformed Presbyterian Fellowship James Visscher (Canada) 16 Canada: Canadian Reformed Theological Seminary Conference 2018 Design & Print Opinion Minuteman Press Chilliwack, BC, Canada 19 North America: The new PCA Announcements Regional contacts 23 Europe: European Conference of Reformed Churches North America Glenda Mathes announcement South America Chris Boersema Europe Africa Paul Bukenya South Asia Lawr Khawbung East Asia – Pacific Sjirk Bajema ICRC liaisons Missions Commiee Diaconal Commiee Pieter Boon Theological Ed Commiee SUBSCRIPTION Regional Conferences The digital version is published free of charge to readers. To receive noce of a new edion posted to the ICRC website, CONTACT ADDRESS please register with [email protected], subject line Lux Mundi “Lux Mundi digital registraon”. One is free to print and/or 7949 202a Street, distribute the digital version. To receive a printed copy via Langley BC, V2Y 1W8, Canada mail, prinng and postal fees will be charged. To receive a Email: [email protected] printed edion, please register with Phone: +1-604-854-4011 [email protected], subject line “Lux Mundi postal www.icrconline.com 3 3 Editorial Rev. Dr. Karlo Janssen is a pastor within the Canadian Reformed Churches. He currently serves on an interchurch relaons INTRODUCTIONS commiee of the CanRC and on the ICRC Publicaons Commiee. ...one might even say that Lux Mundi has finally found its righul home. Introducons Reformed Churches, will serve as editor-in-chief. Vice The fact that our volume number reads “37” indicates that editor-in chief is the Rev. Dr. Hans Maris, rered professor the Lux Mundi before you is not enrely new. Lux Mundi of church history at the seminary of the Chrisan may have moved from the oversight of the Reformed Reformed Churches in The Netherlands. Also serving as Churches in The Netherlands (liberated) (RCN) to the editor is the Rev. Sjirk Bajema, about to move from the Internaonal Conference of Reformed Churches (ICRC), it Presbyterian Church of Eastern Australia to a Reformed connues with the same goal of sharing news, content, Church in New Zealand. Our fourth editor is the Rev. and opinion globally. Hiralal Solanki, of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Indeed, one might even say that Lux Mundi has finally India and instructor at the Presbyterian Theological found its righul home. For the first edion of Lux Mundi Seminary in Dehra Dun. Advisory editors are sr. Ria appeared in 1982, the year of the Constuent Assembly of Nederveen, of the Reformed Churches in The the ICRC. The editors back then: the Rev. K. Deddens and Netherlands, sr. Glenda Mathes, of the United Reformed the Rev. G. VanRongen of the Netherlands and the Rev. H. Churches in North America, the Rev. Lawr Khawbung, of M. Ohmann of Canada.¹ the Reformed Presbyterian Church in North East India, and the ICRC Corresponding Secretary, the Rev. Dr. James Sll, the move does signal changes. Hence, introducons Visscher, of the Canadian Reformed Churches. are in order. Of these people, three have served as Lux Mundi editors Purpose in the recent past, and a fourth has served on its editorial Lux Mundi has become the magazine of the ICRC. The team. This should assure us of connuity. The plan is that ICRC has as purpose these editors will be assisted in their work by regional · to express and promote the unity of faith that the contacts and ICRC commiee liaisons. That happens to be member churches have in Christ; a network we are sll seng up, making grateful use of the work begun by the former editorial board. · to encourage the fullest ecclesiascal fellowship among the member churches; Content and Availability · to encourage cooperaon among the member Lux Mundi does not aim to publish new content. Rather, churches in the fulfillment of the missionary and arcles are gleaned from magazines published within ICRC other mandates; membership circles. Editors of such magazines are welcome to submit publicaons for consideraon for a · to study the common problems and issues that global audience. Please send such submissions to confront the member churches and to aim for [email protected]. recommendaons with respect to these maers; To keep costs minimal Lux Mundi will primarily be an · to present a Reformed tesmony to the world. online magazine. Issues will be published via the Lux The purpose of Lux Mundi is to serve the ICRC in achieving Mundi page on www.icrconline.com. Those who register its purposes. To that end the magazine will seek to (including all former subscribers) will receive a noce via acquaint the member churches with each other, provide a email each me this happens. Readers are free to print forum where common problems and issues can be their own hardcopy of the digital version, or have it studied, and serve as a Reformed tesmony to the world. Editors ¹For myself, that has a personal touch. Rev. G. VanRongen was a dear mentor and friend of mine, my love for interchurch relaons and church governance is The editors at the helm of Lux Mundi are the following. much due to him. I have further had the honour of being Dr. K. Deddens' pastor Undersigned, the Rev. Dr. Karlo Janssen of the Canadian in the evening of his life. 4 THE CHANGING FACE OF LUX MUNDI Lux Mundi 37:1 spring 2018 Jesus said: “I am the light of the world.” John 8:12 InthisIssue Devotional:Psalm121 Jesussaid“IamtheLightoftheWorld” Themeaningof“holy” NewsfromSudan,India,&NorthAmerica TheReformationalStudyCentreinSouthAfrica AnopiniononthePresbyterianChurchinAmerica TheEuropeanConferenceofReformedChurchesthisMay Magazinepublishedbythe InternationalConferenceof ReformedChurches printed more professionally at a print shop. Using a print that Lux Mundi is now not just a magazine “for the global shop will probably sll be cheaper than the combined cost church” but also, in a sense, “by the global church” is a of prinng and postage in North America. Those who opt clear indicaon that this work begun decades ago is to have a printed copy sent to them via snail mail will be worthwhile and fruiul for the furtherance of God's charged the associated costs. Kingdom. Connued Blessing Our prayer remains that the Lord will bless His church In the previous edion of Lux Mundi, the former editor-in- gathering work and connue to use Lux Mundi as an chief, the Rev. Piet Houtman, expressed the hope and instrument in that endeavour. To that end we present you prayer for connued blessing upon the work of Lux Mundi. with an issue that will certainly take you around our globe. On behalf of the current editors we express gratude to We've begun with our devoonal in Germany, and take him and the former editors, and all who have served you to Canada, to the two Sudans, to South Africa, to before them, for their service to Christ's church.
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