Sunday, August 26, 2012

Church

Today's journey will take me to the International Church in Amersfoort, about half an hours drive away from here.
Usually we attend an evangelical church here in Nunspeet, but lately I've been feeling a longing for some english speaking company and a different perspective. We'll see how that pans out!

Nunspeet is in the middle of the Bible Belt here in Holland. Sundays you will find many large families on their way to church. Dressed in the appropriate manner, girls with skirts or dresses only, often times with hats on and often in shades of grey and black. People will bike as much as possible and adhere to the sunday being a rest day and a day of worship. If you happen by one of their churches it's amazing to see the amount of bicycles parked in front of it!

There is actually a pretty big choice of churches for such a relatively small area. From very strictly traditional to your more evangelical type. No megachurches though. Have to travel a little bit further for those!
One small catholic church has managed to stay alive and we also harbor a small community of  Ahmadi muslims. 

It sounds eclectic, but in practice the older, more traditional churches are quite defining for the  "mood" of the town. Practically all businesses are closed, one does not work in the garden, or do odd jobs around the house that would be noisy for the neighbors. You don't wash your car out in the street and don't hang your laundry outside. Definately no loud parties or gettogethers. This is all out of respect for those who do want to keep sunday as a day of rest.

I've just been rebellious and  put in a second load of laundry (but won't hang it outside). I like the sense of peace that a sunday has here though. The world is a busy place enough without adding another day of business to it!

No comments:

Post a Comment

I thrive on comments, so thank you for taking the time to do so!