Good to see that the Record will be looking at the decline in mainline denominations. Since our denomination has failed to communicate and connect with baby boomers, their children and grandchildren, a thorough examination of the issue is overdue.

I enjoyed reading January's Surfing Into The 21st Century. St. Paul's, Simcoe, Ont., has had a website since 2000 – www.stpaulssimcoe.com. It was started and is maintained by our webmaster Judy-Ann Macaulay. In setting up a local Church website it is not necessary to strike a large budget and seek requests for proposals. All you need is some enthusiastic volunteers who are willing to learn and pick the brains of those with the necessary experience. Judy-Ann's recipe for success is to keep it simple. Without a lot of computer experience she started with little more than a website development course from a local college. She says that it is not necessary to have a lot of fancy graphics and other features found in modern commercially designed sites. She finds that she can maintain the website with about one hour per week. From all the feedback received, it is clear that our website is an excellent and cost effective way for the congregation and other interested people to obtain information on what is happening in our local church.

It was exciting reading your special feature on church curriculum in January and hearing other voices sharing concerns that have been much on my heart and mind. As one who contributed to the Christian Faith and Life Curriculum, promoted its use, helped in workshops to assist in its use I share Bill Klempa's appreciation of its great value and contribution in its day. But as James Russell Lowell said in his day

In our home in The Netherlands, during the Second World War, when I was not yet 10-years-old, our living room was often filled with smoke and fiery debates about the Reformed Church, about sermons, about Christian schools and about Article 31 of the Canons of Dordt. On the bookshelves were several very big, almost threatening, dark leather bound books with the name Calvin printed in gold on the spine, clearly for serious grownups only. I did not like those books and the name Calvin because they seemed to cause these animated discussions, with fighting words, about a split in the Church causing a division between my mother's family, where we loved to go on holidays, and my father's side. At that young age in that living room, I had heard about eternal damnation, isolation, excommunication, predestination, wretchedness, and much more. The big leather books were often consulted. Outside that room was the war and German soldiers were a loud part of the streetscape. My dad had a hiding place in our house, he was active in the resistance. His youngest brother, my uncle of 19, was caught and executed. For light we often used lanterns and candles. Thick curtains were drawn very closed. These were dark, somber, dangerous days and I blamed the gold printed name of Calvin, reflected by flickering candlelight on dark brown leather spines for all of it.

Re. Letters, January

Thank you for your January article on chaplains. It is long overdue.