Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Oct 1/62

Contributor - John Moerman

Title - How is Life In The West?

Topic - Church In Canada

Once again here is "the west" oil the line. This time it is a voice from the "oil capital of Alberta", Edmonton. Edmonton is a city were the population in 1940 was 91,723; today however this number has swollen to over the 320,000 mark.

There were several people who just recently while we were vacationing in Ontario have asked me about the differences in church work West as over against church work East. This of course is a perfectly understandable and legitimate question. When we arrived here in the West people asked me this same kind of question about the East!

It is true there. are dangers when a person, who has not too long been in the West, tries to point out certain differences and, or similarities. However, it is also true that a most correct observation can be made by someone who, "Still more or less "new" on the field. It often happens that the one who has really "settled" no longer sees these possible differences. He has now grown up with them. Well ' before I have "grown UP " with the West and have become an old timer here, here now follow a few of my observations.

Similarities

The constituency of our churches here varies just as much as in every other place in the East. The saying, "birds of one feather flock together" is only true as far as the country of destination is concerned, but it certainly does not hold true province wise ! This however, with the exception of the two congregations, Monarch and Cochrane, which have been here for over 50 years already! Many of their members are predominantly from one or two provinces in Holland.

Then, here too there are scores of families and individuals with no church home and thus no church life, whatsoever. The new Canadian (Dutch immigrant family) population within the city of Edmonton ranges somewhere around the 4,000 figure. It happens over and over again that while calling one meets none church (Dutch) immigrant families. "Outreach" and "Evangelism" are therefore meaningful terms within our city church-life.

Arid this brings me to another similarity. Poor Sunday Evening and summer Church Attendance. The city and/or country wide everybody's family - visitation habit has cut deep into the number of those who attend evening service, regularly. It is very clear here in the West too, that the real problem is not English or Dutch, Afternoon or Evening Services, American or Dutch minister, a young preacher or an older one, church centrally located or out-of-the-way, or whatever other excuse may be given. The real problem lies right at the doorstep of each individual's heart, viz. the sinfulness of lukewarmness!

Now the summer Worship Services, here parks, lakes, and beaches often appear to be mighty successful competitors. The attendance out there in the open wins it by far from the attendance within the House of God. No difference here! Sorry! Too bad!

And so I could go on with a few similarities, such as organizations, sacrificial giving by all, new immigrants, house visitation, etc. However, we here call it quit and go to a few points of differences.

Differences

One of the first differences to be noticed is that of distance. Most of our Western churches serve a much wider area than this generally is the case with the churches in Ontario. And this holds true in relation to our work in the large cities too. Cities such as Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton. and Vancouver are enormously large, certainly in area. And as generally is the case with all newer cities, the roads and streets are wide (when still using my Volkswagen I very seldom used the reverse!), with roomy park grounds within city limits.

It is not strange when a family living 56 or 1.00 miles away seeks by letter counsel or contact. At one time or another the family has met a representative of the R.C.A., but as they went on to another place there never was established an active participation in the church life there. Then when mounting problems made life difficult all around, the church in the city far away at last is asked to help and solve the problem(s). There are also some others far out of the city but these maintain a rather regular contact with the church, and of course the church with them. Here in Edmonton we have one family that lives c. 75 miles away, yet they endeavour to attend church about once a month.

The next difference has also something to do with distance. In the large cities a number of church families make regular use of bus lines, both for attending Sunday Services as well as weekly meetings. When a church building was to be purchased even as recently as last year yet one of the first questions to be answered was: How is the bus connection ? Is it on one of the main lines ? Waiting for a bus during the wintertime, even as few as 5 or 10 minutes, is no fun. And some of the ladies and catechism boys and girls know this much better than I do

Then too, all our Western churches (with the exception of Winnipeg) have always been in one and the same Classis, Cascades This of course, up till this Fall with the Organization of the new Classis of Ontario, has never been the case in the East. In the Fall the churches on the West side of the Rockies, from both sides of the border, come to attend Classis on the East side of the Mountains. And in the Spring this is just the other way around. There is an almost equal number of American and Canadian churches in this Classis. Our Canadian churches are sharing in quite a financial classical responsibility. We have sub-committees for Church Extension, Pastoral Relations, Examination and for Ordination - Installation, on either side of the Mountains.

And this brings me to another difference to which I want to ea your attention: the pastors on the East side of the Rockies, including Rev. Klein of Winnipeg, do not have half as much opportunity to meet their colleagues as those who live in Ontario, or for that matter in B.C. As far as I am concerned, the lack of this kind of contact does not bother me; to me it can well be remedied and supplemented by regular contact with those who serve almost identical congregations, Chr. Ref. brethren; and above all by regular fellowship within one's own congregation.

And now, under the heading "differences", an observation with in a lighter vein, one for the bachelor boys in Ontario. Hang on your hats ! Here it is: You do not find many girls here with beautiful curly hair. The low relative humidity and dry air has taken care of that ! (I do not say they are not pretty, nice, and friendly. They are ! Of course ! - I wrote this last sentence with the whole-hearted approval of my dear wife

In closing, there are a few more observations which I would like to just mention. Purposively I have not mentioned them neither under the heading "similarities" nor under the heading "differences". There are those who feel they belong under the latter category. My observations are: the following points are identical as to the problems, work, and attitude in the East. I'll now briefly describe them:

a. The social element within our Western churches is different. I find this to be on the same level as in Ontario.

b. The Western churches are more ready for integration in the Presbyterian Church in Canada. I have not found this to be the case. According to my dealings and observation, this is definitely not so.

c. We here are farther on the way to all English speaking congregations. In Edmonton we serve a fair number of people who cannot understand one word of Dutch. We even are blessed to have an all Canadian elder. Yet, we are not all English speaking. We are still struggling with the problem and endeavouring to solve it in the overall interest of the congregation.

There would be much more to write. However, I trust from my brief observations all readers are able to draw the conclusion that the similarities still are greater, than the differences.

And now, as a last salute, greetings from the West! And rich blessings on your work in the East

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