The following is my week in pictures. Enjoy!

5.4.07 - Here is the view out the back porch of our house in the morning - I love it in the spring when this tree is in bloom! By now, the pink blossoms are already replaced with vivid green leaves.There is a curious squirrel on the back porch. He was too cute for me to resist snapping a picture.It was also my last day of student teachers. We had a good day and I took pictures with some of my students. Here's one class - we are outside because right when we were taking the picture there was a fire drill!The other teachers I eat with at lunch threw a good-bye party for me. They even had sandwiches catered in! It was very thoughtful.5.7.07 The first thing I managed to do was bang my toe against the wall on Monday morning. It has been seriously bruised and I had to stay off of it most of this week. It is now okay to walk on, but it still looks funny!I had a ton of grading to do after I finished my student teaching - I had let it pile up a little so I paid for it with hours of work. I had three assignments and a test to grade for my 96 students. Unfortunately, I am a meticulous grader....My dear sister Joanna, however, knew how to cheer me up. Having finished her college semester, she was home and spent some time making a lovely and scrumptious lunch for us.I did dishes too. My sister Esther wanted to take a picture of me doing the dishes....5.11.07 Today was graduation day. Here I am by the landmark Arch at the Ramapo College of NJ.Dad and Mom both came, which was really nice. It was a long event, and we all got quite sunburnt.
Several of my siblings (L-R Peter, me, Joanna, Lydia) and Grandpa came too!
Even my good friend Jill managed to come! And then tonight, I sang with the Cheneniah Choir in their spring performance. I also played the flute with a little arrangement of Psalm 42 with my brothers Dan and Pete on piano and clarinet respectively, with our good friend Jeff on trumpet.That's about it. I'm exhausted, but it's been a good week. Hopefully, now that school's done I'll be posting more. Thanks to all of you who have been praying for me and Terry. It has been such a blessing. God be with you all!

The Office


Dear friends and family,

The following pictures are of my garage and office. The pictures are arranged in a before and answer sequence and they are ordered as if you walked in the back door of the garage from the barbecue (patio) in the back of our home. I neglected to take pictures of what the garage looked like before anything was done to it at all.

The garage originally was a two stall garage. The first thing that was done was the dividing of the two stalls and then putting in the bath room ("Toilet," as we say here in Oz) in the stall that will become my office.

This is the stall of the garage that will hold the car. The second stall, the office, is on the other side of the left wall. The far right wall (which is not pictured is all red brick).

Snazzy, eh? (for all the Canadians)


To get to the toilet you turn left from the back door of the garage.

After you turn left you can walk straight through the door in from of you and go into the toilet, or you can right and go through the door into my office.

The door is in the extreme left of this picture.

I also have a great window, which I hope to put my desk under.

The book shelves are absolutely marvelous.

I can actually have almost all my books with me in the same room!

You can see the garage door (the "Roller Door" as it is called here) through the sliding glass doors. Having both doors gives me the luxury of more or less light, privacy, fresh air, and double security. Plus if someone accidentally pulls too far into my drive way they bang my roller door and not my glass door.

Here is a very rough sketch of the layout of the office and the garage.

The back entrance to the garage, which I forgot to label, would be at the extreme left of the

page, in front of the car.

When I reflect on all the hard work many different people in my congregation have done I am humbled, encourage, and amazed at the faithfulness of the Lord their love and commitment to their Pastor.

Thank you all very much!

Trip into Manhattan

Here are some pictures of my and Martha's trip into Manhattan. I have wanted to go to Manhattan, and especially Central Park, with her for a while and it was a tremendous answer to prayer we had the opportunity.

Martha on the train into Grand Central Station.

After arriving at Grand Central Station we walked through Midtown to Central Park.

The Queen of Midtown in Central Park !

Martha on a bridge in Central Park.

Terry on a bridge in Central Park.

The engaged couple on a bridge together in Central Park!

Not only on the same continent!

Not only in the same time zone!

EVEN ON THE SAME BRIDGE!

Martha outside Columbus Circle, just outside Central Park, as we wait for her brother to get out of work.

After we met up with Martha's oldest brother Dan we all got the subway and went Down Town. From there we caught the Staten Island Ferry and got dinner in Staten Island, kind of...

We found a little Sicilian restaurant. We had a great time but it was hard to get our food.

First, Dan got served the wrong meal. Second, after half an hour they told us they did not have the Manicotti Martha and I ordered. So I ordered the Salmon (knowing it could not compare with fresh Tassie Salmon) and Martha ordered the Stuffed Egg Plant. After another 20 minutes or so a big plate of shrimp arrived at our table. I told the waiter it was not ours, but then I remembered Dan was supposed to get Zucchini and Shrimp with his Pasta (he did not actually receive the dinner he ordered). I waived the waiter back over to the table and asked him if it could be Dan's Shrimp. The waiter said no it was for a separate order. So I brought the Shrimp up to the counter and informed a waitress that this was not our order. She apologized and had it taken back.

Not long after that Martha's Stuffed Egg Plant arrived. Then our waitress came to our table and told me the Shrimp was for me because they ran out of Salmon. I said that was alright and that I did not want the Shrimp. The manager came over and offered me a Tuna Pasta dish they were working on. I told him that I was fine and did not want anything. He looked like someone had stolen his puppy.

He then offered us coffee. Dan and I both thought coffee sounded pretty good and he joyfully and promptly brought us coffee. He seemed excited the restaurant actually had something they could serve us. He returned with the coffee. He then wondered if we wanted some desert. I was planning on ordering desert, when Dan and Martha were done, so I ordered the Tiramisu. The manager seemed even happier that there was actually food on the menu we wanted and they actually had. If only it were true.

He came back to our table and apologized but there was no Tiranisu. He asked if he could give us a couple cookies ("biscuits" for our Ozzie friends) instead. One was a chocolate cookie and other was a Date cookie. The cookies were delicious, but they were not quite Tiramisu.

When our bill came they only charged us for our drinks. It was a little annoying but it was a great time too, and the people did there level best to help us. It was too bad they did not have the food on their menu.

Martha on the ferry from Manhattan to Staten Island.
The Statue of Liberty is just over her right shoulder.

By the time we finished waiting for our food not to come and Dan and Martha ate what they did not order, we went back to the Ferry. By the time we got back across to Manhattan it was around 10:30pm and we missed the train out of Manhattan. So we walked the streets of Manhattan until around midnight and took the Subway to the train out of Manhattan.

Martha riding the "Bull," symbolic of the U.S. economy (we hope), not far from Wall Street.

Martha and I with the Bull.

Martha's oldest brother Dan whispering financial advice to the Bull.

We hope the Bull listens.

Martha by a sculpture of Alexander Calder in Manhattan.

Dear friends and family,

I had planned to add another post last night, with some of the wonderful pictures I have of Martha and I in Central Park, but have lost the cable I use to transfer data from my camera to my computer. I have hunted through all my things here twice over and it so where to be found. I assume it is likely somewhere in North America. The Lord willing I'll pick up another cable in the next few days, so pictures should not be too long in coming.

I feel like I am beginning to settle back into things in Launceston. I have had a few phone calls and visits from people in the church, which the Lord has used marvelously to reorient me to the work here. Though I am settling, I just do not think I will ever feel "settled" until Martha is here with me.

Everything seems strangely hollow without her presence. I cannot find the words to express it.

While time to continue on with the work here.

Love through Christ,
terry

Dear Friends,

Just wanted to quickly let you all know the Lord has given traveling mercies and I have made it back to Tas safe and sound.

Hope to post a little more later on tonight.

Terry

A Little More News

Dear friends and family,

Greetings from Grand Rapids Michigan, my old home town.

I left my dear Martha and New Jersey behind this passed Monday. My days in New Jersey with her and her family were all to brief. I would like to recount some of the happenings of the previous week (canceled flights, delayed flights, given up flights, first class upgrades, had a day in Central Park with the greatest woman in the world, attempting to eat dinner on Staten Island at a Sicilian restaurant with no food, planning our wedding, etc.) but it will have to wait for a later post.

Since I arrived in Grand Rapids I have been trying to spend as much time as possible with friends and immediate family. I have had a busy couple days and more are sure to follow.

The wedding I hope to perform is Friday, DV. I am greatly looking forward to it. I had dinner with the couple last night, as it is now very early morning Wednesday April 18. It was wonderful to spend some more time with them and thank them once again for flying me back for their wedding and providing a way for me to see my dear Martha again.

I have only had a brief time for reflection so far on this trip. It had been my hope and prayer to use this time away from the SPC Launceston to reflect and evaluate the Pastoral work I have done there thus far. Though I have not had much time there have been many things passing through my mind and heart of late:

1. Some thoughts on how to improve my sermons and preaching.

2. Some thoughts on what texts to consider together with the congregation.

3. A remembering and reevaluating of what I thought were the "big spiritual
picture" and "Kingdom needs" of northern Tasmania.

4. The Dutch have been way too Theologically prideful, especially in the past 200
years, and they need to revisit the Westminster Confession, Catechisms, and the
Sum of Saving Knowledge in depth.

5. Grand Rapids and Michigan is very familiar but it is not home anymore. I do not
belong here.

6. Tasmania may not be as familiar but is home. I belong in Launceston.

7. I miss the SPC Launceston.

I could get more specific but it would take a lot more time, the thoughts are under developed, and I am not sure the Blog is the best place for the details.

I hope to depart for Launceston on the coming Monday and then it will not be too long before I marry my marvelous Martha.

Love through Christ,

Terry

Dear friends and family,

Just a quick post to let you all know that I have arrived safely in New Jersey and am enjoying some blessed time with my wonderful wife to be, however much of my mind and heart is back in Tas with the Southern Presbyterian Church of Launceston.

I hope to be posting a little more later.

God bless.

Terry

Hello friends,

I'm sorry it's been so long since I wrote. I really appreciated the birthday cards that came my way a while back. It has been a busy time, but thankfully God continues to give grace for the day.

Terry is on his way to the States! I am so excited to see him, and in God's providence Terry was able to come to New Jersey the week of my spring break from school. It is wonderful to be on break and attend to some cleaning, planning, and quality time with my fiance!

It has been unusually cold for April here in the States. Last Thursday, Friday and Sunday it was flurrying tiny bits of snow during the day. Of course, we did have some really warm days before that....

Speaking (or blogging) of weather, I'd like to share a Google video that I saw recently and found intriguing. The title says it all: "The Global Warming Swindle." The Great Global Warming Swindle - Documentary Film It's long (1:15), but worth seeing. Over the course of the video, I found myself getting angry at the cruel effects of the dogmatism surrounding the issue. It also made me reflect on how little we think through issues, letting political authorities rather than true experts form our opinions on important non-political issues. Let me know what you think if you take the time to watch it.

The rest of the week will consist of (DV):
a double date with some friends who are also in a long-distance relationship
a little historic and scenic drive with my younger siblings
a few honors events at college
a midweek prayer service
a doctor's appointment
a meeting with our wedding coordinator
a day trip to NYC
lots of talking with Terry
grading and lesson planning for school

Well, I'd better get some cleaning done today before Terry comes. My desk is in an abysmal state and is not fit to be seen... or even worked on, really.

Until next time!

Pain


In seminary, they do their best to prepare you for the ministry. At PRTS (Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary) they did their best to prepare us for the different temptations, trials, struggles, and ups and downs of the ministry. We were often told of the struggles and dangers of pride, prayerlessness, depression, greed, sexual temptation, sadness, loneliness, and laziness that constantly crop up in the ministry. But even though PRTS focused on these trials and struggles more then most seminaries, the curriculum still missed something.

Martin Luther has a marvelous summary of what makes a minister and what his work is:

"Three things make a divine: meditation, prayer, and temptation. And three things must be done by the minister of the word: search the Bible, pray seriously, and always remain a learner."
Brother Luther is profound in his simplicity, and puts his finger on pulse of the person and work of the minister, but he missed something.

What both my seminary training and brother Luther missed the Lord taught me other ways. What was missing? Pain.

Pain is a part of our life here until glory, and pain is part of the ministry.

The Lord first taught me about pain, especially the emotional variety, as I was growing up. For reasons that are my own, I often had a lot of pain growing up, like most of us do. No matter what I tried, in whatever situation it would arise in, I could not avoid the pain. I learned that pain was something that could not always be avoided and that it would usually pass. Pain was simply a fact that had to be lived with and dealt with, and by God's grace it can be lived with and dealt with. In my late teens, I came up with a phrase that kind of encapsulated what I felt the Christian approach to emotional pain should be: "Don't play the pain game."

When I was somewhere around seventeen or eighteen, I noticed a tendency and desire I had to make choices in life out of the principle of avoiding emotional pain. When it came to a particular decision, one of the major factors that would aid me in making my choice was "Well, which one hurts less?" When I realized I was doing this, it seemed like I was playing a game with pain - some sort of emotional chase, tag, or hide-and-seek. I found myself choosing to avoid pain even though there were crystal-clear Biblical, rational, or practical reasons to choose something that would cause emotional pain. I also began to notice that many other people "played the pain game" in life.

I would come across children who were abused, homeless alcoholics, doctors, and established business men who all made important choices in life out of the desire to avoid pain. Race, gender, class, and ethnicity made no difference. People often did not make decisions based on what the Biblical, or rational, or practical thing to do was, but rather based their decisions on what would cause them the least amount of emotional pain.

From that point on, I resolved not to let pain be a factor in my decision making. I would do what was right according to the Bible, reasoned necessity, and what was practical; pain was not to be a factor in the decision.

The second place I learned about pain was from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Never was there a man who so unswervingly refused to play the pain game. He was faced with choice after choice in His life on earth that meant doing the right thing, the will of His Father, and the increase of His own pain and suffering for doing so. He did what was right and pleasing to His Father regardless of the pain, even though it meant the torment and humiliation of dying on a cross. Biblical support for this can be found in Isaiah 53, and I recommend James Durham's sermons if you would like an exhaustive treatment of the subject.

The Lord taught me a right approach to pain in my teens, and we see it portrayed par excellence in the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ, but I never self-consciously and specifically associated it with the work of the ministry. The Lord used the men of the Westminster Assembly to show that to me.

The men of the Westminster Assembly in 1648 - 1649 put together the Westminster Confession and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms (the Presbyterian Equivalent to the Dutch Reformed Belgic Confession, Heidelberg Catechism, and Canons of Dort). However, they also drew up a document called The Directory for the Public Worship of God. The Directory is a marvelous document (all the churches in the supposed "Presbyterian" and "Reformed" churches fighting amongst themselves and within themselves should consult it) that outlines the basics of Biblical public worship.

Part of public worship is the minister's work in preaching the Word. The Directory not only has guidance on the task of sermon preparation and preaching, but also how the minister is to "perform his whole ministry."

The first thing the directory states about the work of the ministry is that it is to be done: "Painfully, not doing the work of the negligent." What an amazing way to begin a job description: do this job so it hurts.

Why does doing the work of the ministry hurt?
Because the people do not understand? No.
Because the work is difficult? No.
Because the Lord does not grant strength? No.
The ministry hurts because doing the work of the ministry requires mortification of the flesh. It requires putting sin to death. It requires sacrificing even legitimate and lawful desires and maintaining a whole-hearted dedication to the work. As Thomas Boston put it in regards to his own struggles in the ministry, it means I must "put the knife to the throat of my own affections." It requires that we sacrifice, as our Lord did, everything to follow the will of our Heavenly Father.

It is true that such mortification and dedication is required of every Christian, but if the minister falls in these things, the people will also suffer. They will feel the effects of his backsliding, and he will be held doubly accountable for it before the Lord (Ezekiel 33:1-6). The pastor cannot feed the sheep if he is not feeding himself. He cannot comfort the people if he has not embraced the comfort of the Lord (2 Corinthians 1:3-6). He cannot minister the Word in public or in private if he has not felt its weight as of a hammer or been burned by it as by a fire (Jeremiah 23:29).

Pain is part of life and it is part of the ministry. By the grace of God, sin dies, pain tolerance increases, and there are times of rest in the battle - but the pain does not go away.

I am reminded of arm pounding in my old Karate class from many years ago (arm pounding is a blocking, coordinating, and conditioning exercise). When Sensei first taught us arm pounding, we objected and said, "Won't that hurt?" He responded simply, "That's the point." After our first round of arm pounding, Mr. Brian, one of the other instructors, asked what I thought of arm pounding. I told him it was fun but painful. He said, "Yeah, but it is a good pain."

The pain of mortification is a good pain. It is good for me, and I trust and pray it will be good for the souls the Lord Jesus has entrusted to my care. It is not easy, but it is a good pain.

Miscellaneous

Dear friends and family,

I am sorry I have not been more timely with my postings. I hope you enjoy some random pictures and experiences here in Tasmania since I last posted.

Martha's Birthday

Here I am at a birthday party some people from our church held for Martha, even though, sadly, she was not there. I would include some more pictures of the rest of the group, but I am not sure how they would like having pictures of themselves in party gear up on the Web.

I, as usual, have my eyes closed.

Here is the Cake!

This is an Australian White Chocolate Mud Cake. They are delicious and are not too expensive when you pick them up on discount at " Woolies" (otherwise known as Woolworth's, a major chain grocery store).

There was much good food there ranging from nuts and apples (which I brought!) to potato chips, cake, and various other sweets.

Australians appreciate chocolates, sweets, and lollies (candies) just as much as the Dutch, but theirs are made with no almond paste and are not so ritualistically a part of Sabbath worship.

Around My Yard (warning: spider ahead)

Here are a few pics of some things in and around our home.

I actually found this guy in our living room. He is one of the most interesting spiders I have come across here in Tassie and especially in our home. So far I have only found Daddy Long Legs (of various sizes) and smallish jumping spiders.

This guy was about 2 1/2" across or so, but most of that was legs, as you can see.

He was also one of the more intelligent spiders I have encountered. He was easily caught, but once caught he performed an almost systematic evaluation of his cage, tried various methods of escape, and keenly noticed any change at all in his situation. Plus, he just looked cool.

Our Lemon Tree!!!!!!!!!!

The lemon is my favorite plant growing in our yard. He is robust, tough, healthy, and produces one of the few fruits I enjoy year round.

From this picture you cannot see any of his lemons, but they are there. I have picked several since I have been here and I have given several away as well.

There is a second lemon tree in the yard to the right of this one (from the view shown here). It is quite a bit smaller, but he is growing and will soon an object of my delight like the tree pictured here.

Here is a genuine Australian mail box. They are slightly different from the ones in the States and Canada.

The top piece that is flipped up is half a tube with a bottom, where advertisements and fliers are inserted. The actual "box" part is quite well designed. There is a slot in the front of the box, not visible in the picture, where the mail is inserted. The bottom of the tube functions as the top/cover and keeps the mail dry in the rain. The mail is retrieved from the box by flipping up the top piece so the mail can be removed. There is even a little window on the back bottom of the box so one can see if there is any mail or not. There is no mail pick up from homes, however, and consequently all mail must be brought to a Post box, but one is never that far away.

Allow me to close this post with this picture of one of the many flowers from our garden. The natural beauty of this flower is found all throughout Tasmania. It is amazing how quickly you can become accustomed to the breath-taking.

Lord willing, there will be more posts coming soon, friends. Until then, the Lord bless you all.

Post-Ordination Reflection

Dear friends & family,

Many different ministers have reported different experiences at their ordination. Some felt a strong sense of the Holy Spirit's presence. Some felt a great sense of strengthening and equipping. Others have felt a great sense of their high calling following the Lord Jesus who went before. Some felt the acknowledgment, encouragement, and support of their brethren and fellow office bearers. Some have felt nothing in particular. These experiences, feelings, and impressions are wonderful and each of them valid in its own way; the Holy Spirit does not mandate any particular working of feeling or experience for ordination (and for much of the Christian life, other then misery, deliverance, and gratitude). My experience was different from any of these, but it is indeed mine and I am thankful for it.

I did not want to pray for any specific feeling or experience that might come along with my ordination, but I certainly did make my ordination and all that it signifies a matter of prayer. Ordination is the public confirmation of the Church that a man has indeed been called by Christ to His ministry. It is not the Church that determines if a man is called, but the Church does recognize the work and voice of her Lord in the calling of a man. I wanted to keep this objective focus as much as possible because I found that it put the emphasis squarely on my relationship to my Lord, where it must be. My work in the ministry is ultimately about being faithful to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and only from there, in a derivative fashion, to the souls of the SPC Launceston and the souls of the people of Tasmania.

How I felt should not have been surprising to me, but it was. Rather then experiencing some of the things I mentioned above, I was struck by my own sinfulness and my inability to perform the very task I was being ordained to and confirmed in. It was if the Lord was saying in the ordination and installation that I was the man He had chosen to labor in this place, and at the same time reinforcing to me that I am not able to do this work. At first I found this disconcerting, but upon reflection it was truly a blessing from the Lord.

The blessed perspective that if I am to serve the Lord here in Tasmania it must be all of Him is the best and only way for me to proceed in the ministry. This is true for several reasons:

1. All flesh is as grass (Isa 40:6) and without Him we can do nothing (John 15:5).

2. This must be my constant perspective if I am to be kept from pride.

3. The fact that I cannot do it but the Lord can is truly my only sound source of strength. All of the work of the ministry, and every aspect of a believer's life, must be in Him (Gal 2:20).

4. My own ability and the sufficiency of the Lord is what gave me strength during my internship in Chilliwack and the months I spent in the Reformed Church of Yelville.

5. It is the right attitude for me to have in my marriage to my Lord and it will be my right attitude in my marriage to Martha in due time, DV.

6. The Lord has done me a tremendous favor in showing me my sinfulness so that I may mortify them now at the beginning of my ministry and marriage and not have to discover them later in the ministry and in my relationship with Martha. I must fearfully say that there is no way I will not ever sin and fail in my ministry or my marriage, but by the grace of God I will not sin and fail as much.

Reasons could be multiplied, but I trust the point is clear. I may not have had the "traditional" ordination experience, but it is mine and I know it has been given to me from my Lord.

I once again request you keep Martha and I in your prayers, especially that the Lord would make us both more and more in the image of His Son so we can serve the people of Tasmania, and one another, in a way that pleases Him.

Love through Christ,
terry

The most beautiful view in Tasmania. Returning in August, DV.

Ordination and Induction

Dear friends and family,

I am now officially writing to you as Rev. Terreth Jon Klaver, Pastor of the Southern Presbyterian Church of Launceston. I was ordained into the sacred ministry on the afternoon of February 17, 2007. The service was simple, Biblical, and edifying.


The service began with Rev. Raeburn Cameron-Smith (Pastor emeritus of the Southern Presbyterian Church of Launceston) welcomed the people to the service and opened in prayer. We then sang Psalm 124 and Elder John Coles, the Clerk of the Presbytery, gave a description of the call that was extended to me. Rev. Iain Smith, the Pastor of the Southern Presbyterian Church of Hobart, then gave a brief and compelling charge to the congregation from Hebrews 13. Rev. Cameron-Smith then gave a charge to me from I Timothy 6.


I was then asked the following questions:

1. Do you believe the Old and New Testaments to be the very Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice, which you will faithfully preach at all times?

2. Do you believe the doctrines and teaching of the Westminster Confession of Faith, and is this Confession a personal statement of your personal understanding of the teaching of the Word of God?

3. Do you believe and will you maintain the the System of Presbyterial Church government adopted by the Southern Presbyterian Church?

4. Do you agree with and will you conform to the Church Practice and form of public worship approved by the Southern Presbyterian Church?

5. Are your motives in accepting this call by this congregation that you love Christ and His people and desire to serve and glorify Him in the congregation?

6. Do you promise that with God's help and grace you will endeavor to be a faithful shepherd to this flock of God, praying for them, teaching them, leading and correcting them as God's Word requires of a true Pastor?


By the grace of God I answered affirmatively. The members of the Presbytery laid their hands on me and offered prayer. I then signed the formula of subscription and received the right hand of fellowship from the brothers of the Presbytery. We sang Psalm 80:14-19 and Rev. Cameron-Smith closed the service with the benediction.


After the service we had a nice time of food, fellowship, and prayer with the congregation and many visitors from other churches in Tasmania.


The time of my ordination and the following days are proving to be days of prayer and reflection. My ordination and induction are a confirmation of the desire the Lord has put in my heart to serve Him since I was in my mid teens. I am overwhelmed at the Lord's goodness to me and I ask that you would all continually remember me and Martha as we seek to serve the people of the Southern Presbyterian Church of Launceston and the cause of Christ's Kingdom in Australia.

Below are some pictures that were taken at the Ordination and Induction service. There are more coming, but I am still trying to figure out how to place and edit them. The first is of the questions being asked and the second is of me being extended the right hand of fellowship.

Just a quick note to let you know that Herb Krul arrived safely and the ordination is on track for today. Terreth Jon Klaver will be officially appointed minister of the gospel to the Southern Presbyterian Church of Launceston, Tasmania as of the presbytery meeting 2pm Saturday Aussie time, which is 10pm Friday Eastern US time. We are very thankful to God for this day, and appreciate the prayers and providences which have brought Terry to this place. Thanks to each of you who is thinking of and praying for him.

There will be recording of this event which may be available later on; we'll keep you updated.

In Christ,
Martha

A Coming Visitor and How Terry got to Tassie

Dear friends & family,

Due to an amazing and unexpected blessing from the Lord, I was reminded that many of you may not know how I came to be the pastor of the Southern Presbyterian Church of Launceston, Tasmania. In the light of my coming ordination, I thought that it might be nice to share this unexpected blessing with you as well as how the Lord brought me to Tassie.

The unexpected blessing was that last week I received word from my friend Herb Krul that he hopes to come to Launceston for my ordination. I was quite surprised but very thankful to the Lord that Herb could come.

Herb is an elder in the Heritage Reformed Congregation (HRC) of Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada, and incidentally he was a Tasmanian before he moved to Canada. I got to know Herb and the men and women of the HRC in Chilliwack when I had the privilege of doing an internship in their midst. During that internship, and ever since, the Chilliwack HRC has had a special place in my heart and the people there are never far from my thoughts and prayers.

It was interesting to hear a bit about Tasmania from Herb and his family while I was doing the internship because I had never been there and knew little about it. All I really knew about Tasmania was where it was and a bit about the now supposedly extinct "Tasmanian Tiger" or Thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus) from a report I did in high school.

Another reason I was interested in Tasmania was that I knew I was going to visit Australia, thanks to the family of my friend and fellow seminarian Bert Pohl. I met Bert just before I started seminary. Bert is from Adelaide, South Australia, but had moved all the way to Grand Rapids, Michigan to attend Puritan Reformed Seminary. By the grace of the Lord, Bert and I met and we have been good friends to this day. While I was in Chilliwack, Bert told me that his family wanted to fly me to Australia for a month once studies were finished (Bert and I were in the same graduating class, but I was bumped back a year because I needed to complete my extended internship in Chilliwack to fulfill the requirements of the Seminary Education Committee of the HRC). So after I finished my internship in Chilliwack, I flew out to Australia to spend some time with Bert Pohl, his wife Kryna, and Bert's family.

While we were in Australia, we did some traveling. We spent two weeks in Adelaide, one week in Melbourne, and one week in Tassie. In Melbourne, I had the opportunity to meet and make good friends with the Rev. John Nelson of the Australian Free Church and his wife and family. The week in Tassie would turn out to be one of the most important in my life, though I did not know it at that time.

When Bert, Kryna, and I were in Tassie we stayed at the manse (minister's house) of Rev. Iain Smith who is the pastor of the Southern Presbyterian Church in Hobart. I remember standing on the porch of the manse in the midst of the cool late night air just thinking and praying about how familiar Tasmania seemed to feel though I could not place why. As I looked out over the small mountains and rolling hills, I wondered if it was because I was reminded of British Columbia. I was still missing Chilliwack greatly, so perhaps that was it; but somehow there was more to it that I could not quite place. Somehow this marvelous new place felt familiar in a way I could not explain and in a way that seemed to comfort me and unsettle me at the same time. This feeling only grew the whole time we were in Tasmania.

I did not know why we were in Tasmania. I initially thought it was just a little vacation travel trip, but there was more going on. We were in Tasmania because the Southern Presbyterian Church in Launceston was possibly interested in calling Bert Pohl to be their pastor. He asked if his American friend could come along and they thought it was an excellent idea. Bert, Kryna, and I must have visited almost all the office bearers in both the Hobart and Launceston churches. Bert and I preached one Sabbath in Launceston and on a week day I took a Bible study in Hobart. In the meantime, we saw as much of Tas as we could.

As we traveled and visited the office bearers, I found out a startling bit of history that I personally shared with the Southern Presbyterian Church: we had both been influenced by the small Dutch denomination called the Protestant Reformed Churches (PRC).

The PRC was a split from the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) over the doctrine of common grace. While I was doing my Bachelors degree at Reformed Bible College (now Kuyper College), I came across the writings of one of the founders of the PRC, Herman Hoeksema. Hoeksema was the theological sparring partner the Lord brought to me to help me iron out and define much of my own theological thinking. As I wrestled through Hoeksema's insights and formulations, I considered joining the PRC (this was before I had even heard of the HRC) but did not due to some of his errors concerning the relationship between the doctrine of the Trinity and covenant, and his view of marriage, divorce and remarriage.

The Evangelical Presbyterian Churches had received some theological help from the Protestant Reformed, but soon discovered some of the negative effects their distinct understanding of certain doctrines can have on how children are viewed and on evangelism. These difficulties led to a split and the formation of the Southern Presbyterian Churches. I was stunned to see that the Lord had led me personally in a way parallel to how He led the Southern Presbyterian Churches.

As we left Tasmania, I stored all these things in my heart. Why had Bert Pohl come from Adelaide to PRTS? Why had the Lord joined us in friendship? Why had the Lord inclined the heart of Bert's family to bring me to Australia? Why did I have to wrestle so much with the PRC if I was meant to stay in the HRC? Why did Tasmania seem so familiar? Was it just because it was like Chilliwack? How could it be that the Krul family was living in Chilliwack but was from Tasmania and even knew some members of the Southern Presbyterian Church of Launceston (but did not even know they were in that church)? I knew there may not have been answers to these questions, and even if there were they may not have been significant, but nonetheless I hid these things in my heart and prayed about them.

Upon returning from Australia to the U.S., I soon received a letter from the Southern Presbyterian Church of Launceston asking me to return to Tasmania and spend more time preaching and ministering in their midst as they considered whether they would like to extend me a call to be their pastor. I was amazed, stunned, thankful, overjoyed, hesitant, and afraid all at once. I immediately consulted with my two pastors (Dr. Beeke and Rev. Vander Zwaag) and my friend and mentor Rev. Ray Lanning. As correspondence with the Southern Presbyterian Church continued, I kept them informed.

After much prayer, thinking, counsel, and helping out at the HRC church plant in Yellville, Arkansas, I returned to Tasmania and ministered the Word in their midst for two and a half months. After that time, they extended me a call to be their pastor and the Lord gave me the freedom to accept with the blessing of HRC.

Here I sit today typing up this blog entry and I marvel to see how the Lord has pulled all the threads of my life together, especially the threads of my time studying the PRC, my time with the people in the Chilliwack HRC, and my friendship with Bert Pohl. I could explain how my coming here tied even more threads together but these will have to suffice for now.

I am also very thankful to the Lord that all these threads have been joined before the Lord joins me to my wonderful and precious Martha. I have been praying for her and waiting for her for years, and now, in the Lord's perfect timing, all these things come together.

Who would have ever thought that a man from Grand Rapids who almost joined the Protestant Reformed would meet an Australian in seminary, serve a church with some people from Tasmania in Canada, and eventually become a pastor in Launceston?

The Lord's ways are truly great, deep, and beyond our understanding.

Dear friends & family,

I am afraid I am going to be in the habit of apologizing on this blog. I am simply not posting enough. Posting does come to mind often, but I get discouraged because I do not have my camera software and I thus provide none of the all-important pictures that would help make this marvelous island I now call home come alive to all of you. So until my library arrives in a couple of months, the Lord willing, please bear with the pictureless accounts.

Having solicited your patience for my picture-less post, I thought I would share a few experiences about being an American in my new home of Australia:

Whenever you speak to anyone you are immediately identified as an American and as a tourist. Whether you are at the bank, the grocery store, a restaurant, a wildlife park or reserve, or even just talking to someone at the cross walk, when they hear your voice their eyes widen a bit and you can see on their faces "You're an American!" It is a bit of a novel experience. All of a sudden you can see the questions race through their mind: "Why are you here?," "What do you think of Australia?," "How long are you staying?" and a bit of "What do you know... an American."

Surprisingly, one of the first questions people ask is "Are you from Canada?" I was surprised how often this happened, and it usually happened when I spoke with retail and customer service workers. This phenomenon seems to happen for two reasons:

Reason #1 Australian Safety
When people ask me if I am from Canada, I usually explain that I am not from Canada but from "the States." One of the last times this happened, I asked the person, "Do you meet a lot of Canadians here?" She responded, "No, not really." So I asked her, "Do I sound Canadian?" "No," she said. But then she added, "We always ask people we think could be from the U.S. or Canada if they're from Canada because if you accidentally ask a Canadian if they're from the U.S. they get mad." I had a chuckle to myself and asked, "Has somebody from the U.S. ever gotten upset about being asked if they're Canadian." She simply said, "Oh no, they never care." I thanked the woman and walked away smiling to myself thinking about some of my different discussions with Canadians about the relationship between the States and Canada.

Reason #2 Being a Yankee (U.S. definition i.e. a Northerner)
I have found out from another person that some people think I am Canadian because "You don't sound American." I asked the person who said this to describe what an American sounds like. He then tried to immitate a bit of a Southern U.S. accent. I asked him if he remembered where the Americans he has met were from in the States. The response is almost always some place south of the Mason/Dixon line. I try and explain that I am from the North and therefore may sound a little more like the Canadians.

I have recently obtained something that officially confirms my status as a male living in Australia; I have a Barbie! Now I hasten to add that a "Barbie" is not a doll, it is a Barbecue. The Aussie (pronounced Ozzie) Barbie is slightly different than the North American BBQ. The Aussie Barbie is by large majority gas powered and the flame heats either a flat metal plate or a bumpy or grooved metal plate, though some do have grill slots or slats that drip straight down. To someone from North America, this would be like outdoor frying. In North America even the gas powered grills usually have little lava rocks in them that are heated and the "grill" suspends the material to be cooked above the "brickets." One can obtain a charcoal grill here in Oz, but they do not seem to be popular. I do miss the "grilled taste" and the "charcoal flavor" of the North American BBQ, but the versatility and variety of use for the Aussie Barbie is amazing. The Aussie Barbie is also easier to clean and simpler to care for. I hope to begin a tradition of the annual Manse Barbecue in the near future.

I have also been alerted by a friend here in Taz that my car is not an "Executive" but a "Magna." Apparently the designation "Executive" speaks of the style or class of car, not the model of the car.

One last reflection is how an American can feel like a stranger in a strange land one moment and in some ways feel at home in the next. The plants, animals, driving, money, cars, houses, and accent (even though I am the one who has one now) are all different, but there are a lot of similarities. Coca-Cola and Pepsi are everywhere. As I drive around, I see Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, MacDonald's, and Domino's (sadly no Tim Horton's, the Ice Cap is truly the greatest coffee drink in the world). When I walk into stores or restaurants, they are usually playing American music from the 50's to contemporary Pop-Rock. American culture has been imported everywhere. The switch from Oz to U.S. can be a little disorienting at times.

However, in the midst of all these things the Lord grants strength and upholds. I may be in a new place, but the Lord is here and the Lord's people are here. Though I may be away from friends and family in North America, I have friends and family here that are praying for me and to whom I can always turn.

Until the next post then.

Love through Christ,
terry

P.S. The Lord willing, I hope to be ordained and installed on February 17. Please continue to remember the cause of Christ here in Tassie and especially the brothers and sisters in the Southern Presbyterian Church of Launceston.

Terry's coming back on April 9, DV - I'm so excited!! He'll be in NJ for a week and then he'll head over to MI for Rachel and Bret's wedding (the "real" reason he's returning).

Student teaching is good; the schedule's not easy to get used to, but I enjoy working with the students... most of the time. It's been a bit of an unusual time in the school, though, with an extended period of midterms, a death in the faculty, and a retiring faculty member. Tomorrow starts the new marking period.

I struggle to stay on top of work, but worse, I struggle to spend time regularly in reading of the Word and prayer. I know those things are essential for spiritual as well as overall mental/emotional health, especially amid all the stress; if it comes to mind, I'd appreciate your prayers. I miss those of you in Tasmania. It's hard when I talk on the phone with Terry and I hear about you from him. It's not the same as being able to speak with you, and I can't be there when I'm here (if you know what I'm getting at). And of course, most of all, I miss Terry.

God has been and is so good to us though, and I am looking forward to the visit in a couple of months. All the temporal fuss will pass away, but God's goodness will endure and envelope us eternally. What a joy to think of that!

Hello from the other side of the world! Well, the other side of the world from Terry... the same one as most of you who read this. I've been home since 12:37am Monday night / Tuesday morning. It's nice to see Orion right side up again; in Aussie he was upside down.

Wednesday I started my student teaching at a local high school. I work with my cooperating teacher in a Reading & Writing Improvement class and four classes of British Literature. So far, I'm just acting as a teacher aide, doing grading and whatnot, but I'll be planning a unit on Macbeth soon after the marking period ends and team teaching it with her. Eventually, I will be taking over her work completely.

It's hard to transition, but good to get into the work I need to finish before graduation. I like working with the students so far, but I'm still jittery about actually teaching them. One thing at a time, I suppose! It's not comforting that there is but little age difference between myself and the juniors in the classes. Thankfully, it also certain that God is with me and will supply every need according to His riches in Christ Jesus.

I have taken a good number of pictures while in Tas; so although I cannot publish the 128 pictures that I developed for my albums at home, I will put up a dozen so that you can get a feel for what it was like there.


Here we are driving on the wrong side of the road. Oh, excuse me, you say that's biased? Ah, yes, the left side. :)


A traditional Aussie pastime - the barbeque or "barbie" for short. This is a New Year's Day church barbie at the Trevallyn Dam. Note that barbeques ar on a metal surface with gas heat underneath, rather than a grill. This is typical in Tassie.


Terry and the Cataract Gorge just 10 minutes or so from our house. Carved out by the Tamar River flowing down from the north of the island, the Gorge is a great place to hike. There is a small dammed lake there with swimming. Wild peacocks roam the area too, which rather shocked me!


Terry in his temporary study, one of the two spare bedrooms. (Yes, there is room for you when you take a Tasmanian vacation / visit!) Later, there are plans to convert half of our spacious garage into a private study that will be more visitor-friendly for small meetings or counseling sessions. Hopefully, it will also be able to accomodate Terry's books, currently being shipped o'er the high seas.



Here's part of the back yard on one side, with a great view of our man ferns, jokingly called "person ferns" as a spoof of the politically correct types out there. We also have a peach tree, an apricot tree, two lemon trees, a laundry tree, rose bushes, and strawberry plants. I was amazed and delighted at the contents of our backyard. We have already been enjoying the fruits of it - at least I have been. Terry likes the lemons... but his inexplicable fruit freakishness means that the other fruits have no appeal to him. Poor man, he cannot appreciate what he misses!


Behold the creation of Mr. Alan Dinsmore which adorns the front wall of the house! From the first moment we laid eyes on our new house, it shouted "home" to us. We hope it will be a sign of welcome to many others, too.


We visited the Dawsons up in lovely Low Head at the northern end of the island. It was a lovely, windy day out, with a lighthouse in the vicinity that we visited as well. That day I also had my first experience with pumpkin soup, which is a wonderful dish created from the comparatively thick and meaty pumpkins grown over there.


On the other (southern) end of the island, Terry and I spent a few days with the pastor of the other Southern Presbyterian Church in Tasmania and his wife, along with two other couples from our churches. Terry and I serve in northern Launceston; they in southern Hobart. Here Terry has caught a lovely big golden trout which is supposedly difficult to catch; I have hooked a rainbow trout. They were a treat to eat! As you can see, hats are the order of the day in Tassie when you're outdoors; the sun is stronger there because of the hole in the ozone layer about Australia.


Here's the lot of us, each man with his wife in front of him. From left to right:
Back row: Rev. Iain Smith, Pat Connors, Terry Connors (Pat's brother), Terry
Front row: Mary Smith, Mavis Connors, Bev Connors.

I stayed at Pat & Mavis Connors' house; and in addition to putting up with me, they made sure I was schooled in Tasmanian humor (in which Pat is famed), culture, and news. But when the Connors brothers get together, it's a great sight to see. The witty remarks just fly. Rev. & Mrs. Smith were wonderful to meet too, with their lovely Scottish brogue and warm-hearted welcome.


Terry gazing on the historic Ross Bridge, built in the 1800's by convicts transported to what was then known as "Van Diemen's Land" (now Tasmania, of course). Its engineer was emancipated upon its completion. It has many carvings in the stone, one of them said to be the head of John Calvin. Who knows? Ross was a great place to stop for some historic sightseeing.


Plugs and electrical outlets are just the beginning of the many small differences that make you do a double-take and remember that this is definitely not the U.S. Sometimes they are really helpful innovations, other times just different from what we thought to be "the norm." Spellings, measurements, slang terms, household procedures, foods - all have a Tasmanian or wider Australian twist to them. Some things are rather English; but woe betide the one who betrays a resemblance to the despicable "pommies" or British.


Lorraine, definitely a close friend in the making, took me to the falls in Lilydale for a short Saturday "bushwalk" or hike there. It is so beautiful in Tassie with so many wonderful places to explore. Just down the street from our house in one direction is an open park that's great for jogging or bringing little children or picnicking. In the other direction is an awesome reserve with lots of trails through the bush. It covers a few blocks and is absolutely wonderful - the type of thing I might do when on vacation but now it's right down the street from my house!

Well, that's all for now. Hope you've enjoyed the mini-tour and be sure to ask me if you'd like to see more pics.

Dear family and friends,

The high-speed internet is up and running, praise the Lord! With some time, prayer, and the technical expertise of some people from the church, DSL Internet has been connected to the Manse. I apologize for the two-week news delay but (Lord willing) we'll have some more regular updates for you.

The latest bit of news to pass on is that Martha has gone back to New Jersey. She left on January 15 6:10am Taz time* and landed in New Jersey some time later that same day, even though she was in the air or on lay overs for likely 24 hours or more**. She has not been gone that long, but I miss her already. In fact, we were missing each other even before she left.

We were able to spend more time together than we ever had before and the Lord further showed His mercy and grace in calling us together. We got to sort things out at our new home together; we daydreamed about the future; and we saw more sin in one another, but more of the grace Christ in each other, too. I can hardly wait until she can return and we can serve the Lord together here as man and wife.

The first two weeks here have been a time of getting established. Trying to get used to the new home (which has been quite easy), get banking organized, the phone organized, and the Internet organized. Now I hope and pray I will be able to focus more fully on the work at hand here.

My elders have given me the wise counsel of "Go slow, mate." I am focusing on preparing sermons and getting to know the congregation. There is an amazing number of ministry opportunities here and a field that is ripe for harvest but I need to start at the beginning.

I hope to continue a series focusing on Christ and His church from Psalm 45 in the morning. The Lord has laid this Psalm on my heart for a while now (I began thinking and praying about it the last time I was in Taz), and there is no better place to start than in focusing on the work of our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. In the evening, I am preaching the texts the Lord lays on my heart during the week. Part of me would like to start another series, but the Lord will make all things clear in His own time.

I had hoped to put up some pictures of some of the things we have been doing over the past few weeks, but I packed my digital camera software with my books, which are currently at sea and should becoming in a few months - so sadly, I have no way to post pictures. I will try and get some up as soon as I can, but it may be a while.

In closing, let me say that I miss you all terribly but at the same time I know that Launceston is my home, and that Martha and I both know without a doubt that this is where the Lord would have us be.

Thank you all very much for your cards, gifts, and prayers. The Lord willing, I will be in better touch now that the high speed internet is working and once I purchase a calling card tomorrow.

Love through Christ,
terry (& Martha)

*Actually, I left about 9:50am or so. The plane I was supposed to go on was grounded because of a fuel blockage or something and there was a hectic mess at the little Launceston airport. Happily, I was able to catch my international connections in time anyway!

**It was a total of 39 hours and 37 minutes of travel time door to door. I left the Connors 5am Tassie time and got home a little after midnight Eastern U.S. time. It was - needless to say - the longest day of my life!!

We have begun the New Year together in Tasmania, by God's good providence. A blessed New Year to you all - I believe you've made it into 2007 by now, though you are 16 hours behind us. :) Of course, my siblings in Mexico will have to wait a few hours yet...

We have been having a lovely time here. The jetlag has been pretty tough, but the people have been so warm and welcoming here we are getting to feel at home quite quickly. The manse is just gorgeous; they have stocked it with some dishes, food, and furniture until we get our own. There is even a lemon tree, an apricot tree, and a peach tree in the back yard - not to mention strawberries and roses. We had our first guests the other day, when we brought in the New Year with the Kingstons at the manse. We're actually at Mrs. Julie Kingston's brother's house right now to use the net here. Hopefully we'll get ours set up soon, but of course all the shops are closed for the holiday today. Terry's only mode of communication with the locals right now is a cell phone.

I am staying at Pat and Mavis Connors, a wonderful couple in the Launceston church. We all went to a church barbeque up at the Travellyn Dam today; it's one of the power stations here in Tassie supplying their hydro power. The water's pretty low right now, though, because the island is in the middle of a very bad drought. We had a wonderful time there, though. I'll have to post pictures once I have the equipment to get them on the computer.

I'm picking up on the "Strine" accent a bit; we'll see how much I'll have acquired by the time I come home. It's hard to believe that I've only been here for two days; it's so nice to be here. Terry's doing pretty well driving. We have a white Mitsibishu Executive car from the church. The people keep reminding him to "stay left, look right." The roundabouts are a little confusing too, but not bad once you get used to them. They do help keep traffic moving (as opposed to traffic lights).

Well, I'd better be off. Again, a blessed new year to you all from the land down under.

Dear Family & Friends,

Many things have happened since we shared with you that all the paper work for Tasmania was received. My Passport was sent off to the Australian embassy so it could be officially evidenced that I am a permanent immigrant of Australia. Our plane tickets were purchased. Our boxes, mostly of books, were picked up by my movers and should be currently truck bound to California and then to Taz via sea freighter.

The Lord Jesus Christ has once again proved that He is Sovereign over all and that all things in heaven and earth must work together for the expansion of His Kingdom and the benefit of His people. Martha and I are thankful to see the hand of the Lord moving so powerfully in our lives and we await to see what other blessings He has in store for us.

The Lord willing, Martha and I will be flying out for Taz on December 28. We hope to meet in California and then fly to Taz together arriving December 30. We are both eager to go and I am very thankful the Lord has allowed us to come to Taz together. It is important to me to share this with her, to give her this opportunity to meet our new church family, get a feel for Taz, and see our wonderful new home (the Montifiore Manse) before we are married July 21, 2007 at 10am, DV.

Thanks be to our Lord who does great things and who will never leave us nor forsake us!

Love through Christ,
terry

Hi, everyone; Martha here. Yesterday I actually (amazingly) finished my last exam for the semester. I am very thankful to be done; this last week was pretty crazy. To give you a glimpse:

Thursday 12/14
- "Hispanic Women's Voices and Images" class portfolio
- grammar paper (8 pages) re. the origins and characteristics of Australian English (This involved an all-nighter.)
Friday 12/15
- teaching philosophy paper (2 pages)
Monday 12/18
- "Reading and Writing in the Content Areas" class portfolio
- iMovie for "Technology in the Classroom" almost finished after 4 hours, but the computer ate it
Tuesday 12/19
- "Technology in the Classroom" class portfolio
- Webquest (a project created for students accessible on the web)
Wednesday 12/20
-iMovie for "Technology in the Classroom" redo
Thursday 12/21
- "Grammar: Theory and Pedagogy" exam
- grammar paper (2 pages) re. my independent readings this semester

Through all of this, God has kept me relatively healthy and cheerful. It was definitely only through His grace that I was able to do the work; it seemed so overwhelming at times.

On a lighter note, I appear to have lost some memory. Over the last few days, I have lost my toothbrush, a book (which was buried on my desk after all), my keys (left at the Office of Student Activities when I returned my locker key), and my wallet (left at the cafe last night). As of now, all but the toothbrush have been recovered. :)

Hoping you all are well and wishing you all a blessed winter - or summer - season!

Dear family & friends,

THE PAPER WORK HAS CLEARED THE AUSSIE GOV'T!!!!!!!!!

Praise the Lord and rejoice with us!

Thank you again for all your prayers.

Now begins the contacting of movers, the purchasing of tickets, and passport modification.

More updates coming as things continue to develop, DV.

Love through Christ,
Terry & Martha

Rejoice with us! Today my FBI criminal background check came back. The fingerprint card had this anticlimactic message stapled onto it: "Please note the stamp on the back of the enclosed fingerprint card indicating the results of the search of the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services Division's files. " The stamp says simply, "NO ARREST RECORD." It was processed November 29, 2006.

Thanks for your prayers and thanks be to God for making the paperwork go smoothly so far. Now more definite plans can be made for Terry's departure. As I write this, Terry doesn't know yet that the FBI check has arrived; he went to New York City today with my brother Dan who works there, while I went to school. I look forward to seeing his smile at the news; he is yearning so to go to his people in Tassie.

Well, I'd better be off and get some more schoolwork done. There are a slew of papers and portfolios to complete in these last three weeks. But after that comes Christmas break in which (Lord willing) I'll visit my future home in Tasmania with Terry for a couple weeks! I'm definitely looking forward to it.

Dear family and friends,

By the grace of our Lord I can once again say, “Greetings from New Jersey!”

The Lord gave another opportunity to visit my wonderful fiancée and her family. I arrived in late November in time to go to their extended family’s Thanksgiving Day celebration. There, 68 of Martha’s aunts, uncles, and cousins all came together to share food, fellowship, and fun. It was likely the only time I would have an opportunity to meet most of Martha’s family before our wedding (July 21, 2007 10am, DV) and I enjoyed it greatly.

Things continue to progress little step by little step towards my departure for Launceston, Tasmania. I recently requested and received my membership papers from the Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregation of Grand Rapids, the denomination that has been my home for almost 10 years.

To receive my papers was an odd feeling. It was a mix of the sorrow of an ending and the joy of a new beginning at the same time; the Lord’s ways are truly beyond our understanding. The joy continued to grow as I sent my papers to the Clerk of the Presbytery of the Southern Presbyterian Churches of Tasmania. I am not officially a member until my papers are formally accepted, but it is only a formality; I already feel the warmth, care, and love of my new church family on the other side of the globe.

The Lord willing, the needed paperwork for immigration will come in two and half weeks at the most. When it arrives, my movers will need a week’s notice and then I’m off to my new home in Tasmania. Hopefully Martha will be flying there with me for a short visit over her winter break from college.

Well, that is a bit of the latest news.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

Love,
Terry

P.S. Martha here – just want to let you all know the wedding dress was ordered recently, an important and exhilarating step in the planning process.