Highlights: Nina to join me, Gereja Blenduk, kota lama, Lawang Sewu, Sam Poo Kong, Kampung Laut, Simpang Lima & Lumpia, banjir, bus to Demak, Masjid Agung, bus to Blora, ride to Cepu.

Nina took a bus up to join me today, and we toured around Semarang and Demak together. This will probably be my last opportunity to visit her family in Cepu as well, so it was a worthwhile effort to get out there.

The Blenduk Church is a landmark for the Protestant Christian community there. Built in 1753 by the Dutch, it is still active. The people I spoke with there say 200 people regularly show up for Sunday services and Wednesday meetings. The church is part of the Western branch of Indonesian Protestant Churches, which has its headquarters in Jakarta.
The Church has a list of every preacher dating back to 1753 carved in marble and displayed on a wall. Preachers were all Dutch until 1954, when the first Indonesian was nominated to lead the church. Christianized names such as Augustinus, Willem and Theofilus continue to be used by the Indonesian preachers. The current preacher, Dra Nyonya M. Nanlehy, was appointed in 2004 and is the first woman preacher in the church’s history. She continues to be well received, into her third year of service.