I have been a member of this church since spring this year. It has become my spiritual home. I experience it as a congregation where many helping hands and initiatives contribute to keeping the church alive – be it the church newsletter, information about church services and events, readings from the Old and New Testaments during services, socialising afterwards over coffee and tea, organ music, the brass choir, Schütz’s St John Passion, music in general, breakfast meetings, monthly meals, the “Deutsche Stube”, the Christmas bazaar, the auction of pictures…
If I have overlooked anything, please forgive me, I am still ‘new’ here.
When Ingrid, our pastor, asked if I would be willing to take over the leadership of the visiting circle, I said yes without knowing exactly what that would entail or what might still be involved. No hand is too old, and no hand is too young; all hands are needed, every single one and from everyone.
I want the bells in this little snow-white church to still be ringing in 25-, 50- and 100-years’ time. That is my wish. I hope it is not just my wish, but the wish of many, and if possible, of everyone. But things don’t just happen by themselves. It’s not as if we can think that God will give it to us in our sleep. So let’s do something about it.
We are a Lutheran congregation. We have a great heritage that obliges us. Luther went to the Imperial Diet at Worms to defend his 95 theses. He said, I once burned the bull of Rome, and I would do it again. He had been promised safe conduct. But what did that mean? Jan Hus from Bohemia (one of the preReformers) had also been promised safe conduct for the Council of Constance. He was burned anyway. That’s how it is with the sacred oaths of the powerful. Luther could have suffered the same fate in Worms. Nevertheless, he had the courage to go there. He translated the Bible into German. Previously, church services had been held in Latin. From then on, everyone could hear and read what was written in the Bible. No one could hide behind the Latin text anymore.
The name Martin Luther King from the USA is widely known. He was not always called Martin Luther. His father was in Germany in 1934 and took part in an international Baptist congress. On this occasion, he also visited the places associated with Luther and the Reformation.
Martin Luther must have impressed him so much that he changed his own name and that of his son to Martin Luther King in the same year. Churches no longer have it as easy in this world as they used to and have to fight for their place, as if the message of the New Testament were not great enough on its own.
Martin Luther is the great reformer not only for Germans but for all people, whatever continent they live on, whatever their skin colour.
I wish us all Luther’s courage, determination and cheerfulness. I have a few ideas for the visiting circle. I don’t know if they are realistic, sensible, feasible or desirable.
We met on 25 September and discussed what is possible and sensible. People have very different expectations and ideas. This applies both to those who visit others and to those who are visited. This must be taken into account so that the visit is a pleasant and personal experience that is not a one-off. Incidentally, ‘visits’ are possible in any form and for anyone. A phone call to someone you haven’t seen in a long time. No visiting group is needed for this. Anyone in the community can do this and maintain contact with others. Always seek conversation with others. We welcome anyone who is also willing to visit others.
Every year we get a year older, whether we want to admit it or not. Even those who are still young today will be old one day. Loneliness is the companion of old age. Illness can also be a factor.
The care we give to others today will one day come back to us when we ourselves need it.
Only what we give remains with us. For me, this thought lies between the lines of the Sermon on the Mount. This little picture hangs in our church. I think a child made it.
This is how I imagine church: flying on the carousel of life, always ready to reach out to one another. This picture hangs in the church. I think a child made it. This is how I imagine church: flying on the carousel of this world, always ready to reach out to one another. You can reach me as follows: WhatsApp: 0049 176 63 34 69 15 Email: hmummenthey@hotmail.com Hinrich Mummenthey
