Trunk or Treat and Chili Cookoff 2012

Trunk or Treat and the Chili Cookoff are two annual traditions at Messiah Lutheran Church. These events are a lot of fun for kids of all ages. Trunk or Treat offers a safe environment for the youth to dress up and poach a little candy. The Chili Cookoff offers a great opportunity for fellowship and eating some tasty food. And it also offers a chance to compete for the culinary top prize, "King of the Chili Pot".  Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make this year's event such a success.

Wheelchair Ramp Build, 20 Oct 2012

There are quite a few teams building wheelchair ramps for CASA of Madison County. Unfortunately, most of them seem to afraid to build ramps in Gurley, AL. The Messiah Carpentry Team however has no such fear. The last four ramps that the Messiah team has built have been in Gurley, AL including our latest ramp. On this build we had the added complexity of small children on the work site. Not to fear, Lauren Gray and the Messiah Youth came to the rescue to help entertain the children and help keep them safe during the build. The Messiah Carpentry Team builds a wheelchair ramp each month. If you would like to learn more about the wheelchair ramp ministry, please contact Owen Wasmoen or Joe Stuart.

Farewell, Germany

Standing under the Glockenspiel in Munich

Retired Bishop Hans from Germany is sharing a walking tour with us in Munich.
Note:  His daughter made him this Lutheran tie.

Betty takes a short break in Munich

Lois has a farewell to Germany moment

Inside the Hofbräuhaus in Munich

Farewell Germany Dinner at Ratskeller in Müchen
Note:  those pretzels are amazing!

A final note:  Inside our farewell dinner at Ratskeller a Nigerian man
asks for Pastor Scott to stand up and then finds out who is taller!

Thank you to Dale and Andrea Phillipson
Our wonderful tour guides who got us through many moments
and taught us much about Germany
Blessings and our best wishes to you and for your next adventure!

FAREWELL, GERMANY

Winging our way back home, I write these final reflections far above the Atlantic.

If you were hoping for a coherent blog that followed a logical progression, this obviously has not been it.  My entries have touched on the history of the Lutheran Reformation and I shared some reactions to what we experienced during our ten-day tour in Germany.  Here are some thoughts that occur to me as we are returning.

THE BEST THING ABOUT THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE for me was our group of people who traveled together.  They were patient, kind to all, positive, humorous, and accepting even when days got long and all did not go exactly as hoped.  I expected this would be a good group to travel with, but they were far beyond that.  They enjoyed learning, exploring, and having fun together.  I believe the faith we share enabled that.

HERE ARE SOME RANDOM REFLECTIONS on our time together, what we saw, and the state of Germany today.  Of course, this is simply my opinion and I would encourage you to talk to the others of our group to hear about their experiences.

THE PLACES we visited are set in a country blessed with ample natural beauty.  We saw some of God's finest creative work during our travels.  Bavaria was just stunning, but everywhere I have seen in Germany is very nice.

THE HISTORY of Germany is so often defined by wars, especially when one is learning it from tour guides in a short period of time.  World War II ended in 1945, yet it still dominates the thinking and life of the people.  For instance, every large shopping center I have entered has a major grocery store on its lowest level which is below ground.  My understanding is that design grows from the survival instincts of a people who have lots of experience with bombs falling on them from the sky.  Americans would think it quirky to have a grocery store in a basement.  Tours guides told us that Germans talk about the holocaust these days because they believe being open about what happened is the best way to prevent it from happening again.  Which leads to...

THE GERMAN PEOPLE: The evidence of their strong work ethic and corporate determination is everywhere.  Life is ordered.  When visitors unknowingly step outside of that order, that is not silently tolerated.  That said, nearly everyone I met in Germany was helpful and courteous.  A far lower percentage appeared happy.  In my work I am routinely together with people animated by an abiding joy that flows from their Christian faith.  (This joy is not to be confused with happiness for it goes much deeper and is not extinguished even in times of grief and tragedy.)  Sadly, I sensed precious little faith or joy in Germany.  The church buildings were grand. Yet, many function today primarily as museums and many are being converted into mosques for Islamic worship.  I wonder if the crimes of Germany in the last century have created a national sense of shame which has stolen the soul of this people.  To put this in theological terms: This is a people who have been slain by the Law, but not heard the Gospel/good news that brings forgiveness, new life, and the hope that will not disappoint.  Germany is a secular society.  Christianity is marginalized in Europe.  The U.S. seems bent on catching up as America gets more and more secularized.  Is that where we want to go?  I hope not.



SO WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?  Christianity was brought to North America by Europeans.  As Lutherans we are indebted especially to Germans for our heritage that focuses on God's gracious grasp on us.  Much of the spread of Christianity in Africa during the last century and a half grew from the efforts of American missionaries.  I believe it is time to reverse the direction of that flow.  That is: I believe America needs missionaries from Africa today, and Europe needs missionaries from America.  My last day in Germany included visiting with a Pastor and parishioner from a Lutheran church in the Netherlands.  We are planning to begin building a relationship by regular communication.  As Christians in America we have much to learn about living faithfully in a society that is working to push us to the fringes.  And, I hope that we can share gifts God has entrusted to us to pass on this life-giving faith to a new generation of European Christians.

LAST THOUGHT: Travel is a great teacher.  Life is a journey.  Faith is a journey.  I expect you have heard those slogans before.  But, I commend them anew to you.  And, I encourage each of us to have the sense of adventure to go somewhere new in our journeys of faith.  That can be done whether we are at home or half way around the world because our Lord is everywhere.

NEXT YEAR JERUSALEM!  Shalom.

Music and More from Germany

Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Home in Berlin

Kay Puryear and Linda Kay Myers inside Bonhoeffer's home

Lee and Janet Smith are in front of Bach's statue in Leipzig

Coberg Castle where Luther stayed in 1530

Inside Coberg Castle viewing relics, paintings close to Luther's living area

Judy and Larry Johnston are on their way up to Neuschwanstein Castle in Fussen Germany

Betty Roenfeldt and Judy Johnston on outside of Neuschwanstein Castle

Luther's living area in Coberg Castle

Dinner this evening in Munich

Lois Graff and her sister Bonnie Mueller at evening dinner

Joining us this evening are Gerard DeJong's Mom, Toni and her Pastor Trinette with Pastor Scott

Outside of Neuschwanstein Castle enjoying the view

Neuschwanstein Castle

Hello from beautiful Bavaria!

Yesterday we woke up in Leipzig.  The evening before we visited Thomaskirche (St. Thomas Church) where J.S. Bach's tomb is in the floor of the chancel.  This is where Bach served as Cantor for nearly 30 years and wrote most of the music that still inspires people around the world.  Bach is not my favorite composer, but I believe he is the greatest composer and musician who ever lived.  Earlier that day (Tuesday) we visited the home of Georg Frederich Handel in Halle and touched the font where he was Baptized in 1685.  For me, nothing compares to Handel's 'Hallelujah Chorus' which is the pinnacle of his most famous oratio 'Messiah'.

What did Bach and Handel share besides being German?  Both were good Lutherans.  When you add two more German Lutherans to that list, Beethoven and Brahms, a strong case can be made that our Lutheran faith tradition has produced more great music than any other strand of Christianity.  (When it comes to great art, give me the Roman Catholics + Rembrandt.)

Yesterday we visited Veste Coburg (Coburg Castle).  Coberg was the southern-most city in Electoral Saxony in Luther's time.  So, Prince John the Steadfast made arrangements for Luther to stay in the safety of the castle there while Philipp Melanchthon and Justas Jonas led the theologians who would present the defense of Evangelical (Lutheran) doctrine at the Diet of Augsburg in the summer of 1530.  From this came the Augsburg Confession which is a statement of faith that is still subscribed to by hundreds of millions of Christians today.  Of course Lutherans are among those, but the Augsburg Confession has also been embraced by Methodists, Anglicans, Episcopalians, and Reformed churches.

It is exciting to see the places, walk in the footsteps, and touch the objects that surrounded these influential Christian witnesses who have gone before us.  What can we do to emulate their courage and determination?  How can we use the life-giving faith and share the abundant gifts that our Lord has entrusted to us in this tumultuous, hungry world these days?

Wittenberg early morning walk in the City Tour

Front of Luther House in Wittenberg

Corpus Christi Chapel where we celebrated the Lord's Supper

Luther's Tomb inside the Castle Church in Wittenberg

The first complete  edition of Luther's Bible translation in the high German language

Tomb of Katie von Bora in Torgau

Soviet constructed WWII Memorial on the Elbe River in Torgau

The Elbe in Torgau

Joe and Leigh Pittman in front of the Brandenberg Gate in Berlin

Group in front of Katie's Portal of the Luther House in Wittenberg

Tour Guide Deiter talks about Luther House

Ishtar Gate of Babylon inside Pergamon Museum in Berlin

Hallo, from Germany, again

Monday, October 14

Yesterday morning we departed from Wittenberg after breakfast.  Our first stop was Torgau.  Torgau is a lovely little city today that is off the beaten track for most tourists.  We went to Torgau to see four sites: 1.) the tomb of Katerina von Bora (Luther' wife), 2.) the only church designed by Martin Luther, 3.) the castle, and 4.) the place on the Elbe River where the U.S. army coming from the west, met their allies in the Soviet Red Army coming from the east in late April of 1945.

1.) In 1552, Katie, the widowed wife of Martin Luther, and the Luther children fled from Wittenberg when the plague infested the city.  On the way to Katie's hometown of Torgau she was thrown from the wagon she was riding in and suffered a severe hip injury.  Within a few days she had paralysis and shortly thereafter died.  Her tomb is in the wall of the City Church (St. Mary's) in Torgau.  This was a church where her husband preached many times during the 40+ trips he made to Torgau in his life.

2.) When Elector John Frederick decided to build a new church in the castle complex in Torgau, Luther was asked to design the worship space.  The construction was completed and the castle church dedicated by Luther in 1544.  What is striking about this chapel is its beautiful simplicity.  Most of the older churches in Germany that are Lutheran (Evangelishe) were previously Roman Catholic.  To me, some of those are beautiful and others are cluttered, but all are quite elaborate.  The worship space Luther designed has just two striking features: an elegantly plain altar and an elevated pulpit in the middle of the room.  The message in the design is clear: This is the place where we gather to hear God's Word and receive the Lord's Supper.  (Also, it was nice to visit a church that is virtually unchanged since it was constructed in the 1500's.)

3.) Though things usually were more exciting in Wittenberg in the first half of the 16th century, the favorite residence of Luther's Princes was their castle in Torgau.  These Princes of Electoral Saxony were Frederick the Wise (1502-1525), succeeded by his brother John the Steadfast (1525-1532), and followed by his son John Frederick (1532-1547).  The castle (with mote occupied by brown bears) sits above the banks of the Elbe River right where....

4.) News spread around the world on April 25, 1945, that the U.S. and Soviet armies had met on the edge of Torgau.  This signaled the completion of long, grueling marches from Omaha Beach for U.S. soldiers and from the gates of Leningrad for the Soviets. Monuments mark the place these two armies celebrated this victory on land.

A THOUGHT: We are enjoying our journey through this beautiful country that is rich in history and occupied by hard working people.  Yet, I am saddened by a disregard for the Christian faith among the vast majority of the population.  I keep thinking about this and will probably write more about it in future blogs.  The words that come to mind for me were spoken by Jesus, "For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life?" (Matthew 16:26)

Germany Day 2: Erfurt and Eisleben

A panoramic view in Erfurt

Left:  The Dom Church where Martin Luther was ordained in Erfurt
Right:  St. Severus Church

Inside the Augustinian Monastery in Erfurt

Bonnie Jane and Pastor Scott standing beside Zacharius' tomb 

Entry to the University of Erfurt

St. Peter and Paul Lutheran Church where Martin Luther was baptized in Eisleben

Arrived tonight in Wittenberg;  group looking at the  Wittenberg Door

OCTOBER 12, 2012 - The Other Holy Land - Lutherans in Germany

REFLECTIONS ON YESTERDAY - Our first day in Germany to see the places where Martin Luther lived and worked.

The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.  --Matthew 13:45-46

Jesus told a parable of a merchant who upon finding a precious pearl sells everything he has to take hold of that treasure.  Yesterday we saw 'many pearls' in the form of places like the birth house of J.S. Bach, the house where young Luther stayed when a student at the Latin school in Eisenach, the historically rich Wartburg Castle, and the beauty of driving through the beautiful countryside of central Germany.  Yet, 'the precious pearl' to me was standing in the room where Luther translated the New Testament from the original Greek into the German of his people.

It is hard to overestimate the impact of that project which Luther completed in the remarkably brief period of 11 weeks.  Certainly it is significant that this translation is still widely used in Germany today.  Much more significant is the door opened by this act.  Putting God's Word into the hands of common people is revolutionary.  No longer the possession and privilege of a hierarchy and accessible only to the highly educated, the Bible is God's word to be heard and read by all people, everywhere.  Since Luther's time whenever missionaries have gone out to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28) one of their first priorities is to get the Bible translated into the language of the people they are serving.  The Bible is the treasure that holds the Christ child, the Word that became flesh (John 1:14).

What Martin Luther did in that simple room in the isolation of his imprisonment in a lonely castle changed each of us because it changed civilization as we know it today.
We are not in Germany to worship Luther for certainly that would not honor him or his intentions for us.  We are here to contemplate and celebrate that God used Luther to renew God's one Church and bring it back to the faith that leads to eternal life.

TODAY we visited Erfurt and Eisleben before arriving in Wittenberg for supper this evening.  Here is some history on what we saw.

ERFURT was a thriving city of about 20,000 in the early 16th century.  It was called the 'Rome of Germany' because it had 21 parish churches, 4 collegiate churches, and 11 more monastic churches.

Martin Luther arrived in Erfurt in May 1501, to enter the university after completing his studies at the Latin school in Eisenach.  In little more than a year, September 1502, he passed the exam earning his Bachelor's degree two months before his 19th birthday.  He immediately pursued a Master of Arts degree which was achieved in the spring of 1505.  In keeping with his father's dreams for his eldest son, Martin began Law School in early summer of that year.  It was traveling back to law school after a visit home during a break that Luther was caught in a thunderstorm only a few kilometers from Erfurt.  Lightning struck so close to him that he was knocked to the ground.  In terror, this son of a miner, prayed for intercession to the matron saint of miners, "St. Anne help me!  I will become a monk!"  Despite urging from his friends who tried to dissuade him from letting himself be 'buried alive', Luther was determined to follow through on the promise he had made.  So...

On July 17, 1505, Martin knocked on the door for admittance to the Black Cloister of Augustinian Eremites in Erfurt.  He was accepted, served a probationary period, followed by a year of novitiate.  In 1506, Luther took his monastic vows lying facedown cruciform on top of the grave of Johannes Zacharias  It was Zacharias who worked zealously to get Bohemian reformer Jan Hus burned at the stake in Constance in 1415.  And, it was Hus who prophesied when the fires were lit, "You may cook this goose (Hus is Bohemian for 'goose'), but from my ashes a swan will arise."

On April 3, 1507, Luther was ordained a priest at the Dom (cathedral church) in Erfurt.  His father Hans attended Luther's First Celebration of the Mass on May 2, and made a significant offering, but communicated his skepticism that this was what God intended for his son.  His father's words troubled the 23 year old ordinand.

The Vicar General of the monastery, Johann von Staupitz, recognized the academic gifts of the young monk and channeled him into the study of theology to prepare him for a teaching office.  Already in 1508, Luther was sent to teach moral philosophy in Wittenberg.  The Leucorea was a new university started by the Elector Prince Frederick the Wise in 1502. Frederick dreamed of developing a university to rival the finest in all of Europe.  Luther continued his studies there and soon returned to Erfurt.  The third academic degree earned was his Master of Theology in October, 1510.  Now he was qualified to teach.  Staupitiz ordered Luther to apply for his Doctorate in order that Luther become a called teacher of the church.  Luther vehemently objected citing his inadequacy and poor health.  Yet, it would be a violation of his vow of obedience to reject this direction from Staupitz.  So, it came to pass that Luther became a called teacher of the church.  Spaupitz hinted to Prince Frederick that Luther might be professor of the Bible for life at the university in Wittenberg.  This may have been a factor in Frederick paying the fees for Luther's doctoral ceremonies, and for Frederick's ongoing interest in this monk professor at his university.  Luther moved to Wittenberg permanently in 1511, and was named Professor of Theology in 1512.

EISLEBEN
On November 10, 1483, Margareta Luder gave birth to her first born, a son.  The next morning the boy's father Hans carried him around the corner to Sts. Peter and Paul Church where his son was Baptized.  Since that day, Nov. 11 was the church feast day celebrating St. Martin, Bishop of Tours, Hans named his son Martin.  Hans and Margareta had only moved to Eisleben weeks earlier in hopes of getting established in the town that was the center of the copper ore mining industry.  Many were moving into Eisleben with the the same intentions, so the young family packed up again and moved to Mansfeld in the summer of 1484.  Though Luther spent little time in Eisleben in his career (a few stints to oversee developments in the churches there) he had an abiding love for the place of his birth.

The valuable mineral rights of the Eisleben area led to a long series of fights between the counts there on inheritances.  It was just such a dispute between two brothers that brought Luther to Eisleben on January 28, 1546.  Luther was already ill before he arrived on this distasteful task of mediating an inheritance dispute.  On February 16 Luther's efforts bore fruit: The brothers agreed on a settlement, and formally signed it the next day.  Luther's health complaints escalated with the onset of severe chest pains that evening.

Around 3 a.m. on February 18, 1546, Martin Luther died peacefully.  He was surrounded by friend and co-worker Justas Jonas, Luther's sons, Count Albrecht, and the court pastor.  Before his death he clearly responded to questions affirming the faith that carried him in life and the course he had taken as a Reformer of the church.  This was documented thoroughly by the witnesses at his deathbed to counteract the possibility of false rumors developing that in the end Luther recanted of his teachings and actions.  A funeral was held in Eisleben before Luther's body was transported back to Wittenberg by order of Prince John Frederick.  Luther was buried in the Castle Church.  His tomb lies directly below the elevated pulpit only steps away from the door where he nailed the 95 Theses, on October 31, 1517.

Germany Day 1: Eisenach and Wartburg Castle

Ed and Mary Ann Stasiak with Barbara Bui in Detroit getting ready for long plane ride

Pastor Scott is preparing his CETA Tour notes

Wartburg Castle:  Inside the Chapel

Wartburg Castle:  Lois in front of the chapel organ

Luther as Knight George  by Lucas Cranach

The Bach House in Eisenach

Today we landed in Frankfurt and had a full day for tired pilgrims.  We all are fine, but need some sleep.  We visited Wartburg Castle and Eisenach.  Here is a brief history I wrote about the places we saw.
EISENACH
Martin Luther had two extended stays in Eisenach  First, he was a student at St. George's Latin School from 1497-1501 (age 14-18).  His father wanted him in this school because of its good academic reputation.  Originally it was hoped that young Martin could stay in the home of his Uncle, but either that was not feasible or his uncle simply refused.  So, Luther initially stayed in a dormitory operated by the St. George's Church.  His lovely singing voice enabled him to earn some money as a member of a choir that sang at funerals and special events.  Eventually he was welcomed into the home of Ursala Cotta, a widow who provided him with two rooms in her house.  He was allowed to eat supper in the home of Frau Cotta's son-in-law Heinrich Schalbe in exchange for Luther tutoring Heinrich's son with his school work.  By the time Luther completed his studies in Eisenach he had mastered the Latin language and was prepared to enter the university of Erfurt.

Twenty years later, on April 10, 1521, Luther was warmly welcomed into Eisenach on his way to his upcoming trial for heresy in Worms (the Diet of Worms).  He stayed the night and preached a sermon at St. George's Church before continuing his journey to Worms.  On May 1, Luther again stopped in Eisenach after the Diet.  Despite being ordered at the Diet not to preach anyplace.  Luther again preached at St. George Church before continuing his journey to Wittenberg.  His time away from Eisenach would not be long.

On May 4, arrangements made by Luther's Prince, Frederick the Wise, resulted in Luther being 'kidnapped' on the road and taken to Wartburg Castle which towers above Eisenach.  Here Luther would be kept in hiding which might be best described as protective custody for this 'enemy of the Holy Roman Empire and arch heretic'.  Luther grew a beard to disguise himself and took the name 'Junker Georg' (Knight George).  The name he chose is significant.  In mythology it was George who slew the dragon who was terrorizing the people.  Luther apparently viewed his own situation as a battle with a monster that resided in Rome.

So, from May 4, 1521, to March 1, 1522, (except for a few weeks in December when he snuck back to Wittenberg to calm a troubled community) Wartburg Castle was what he called in letters his 'Patmos' 'Kingdom of the Birds' and 'Island Home'.  It was a lonely place for a man who was suddenly plucked from the center of the world's stage.  Luther was also plagued by health problems during his time at the Wartburg.

Yet, it was in this solitude that Martin Luther undertook one of his most lasting contributions to the Church:  he translated the New Testament from Greek into German in a matter of 11 weeks.  Armed with Erasmus' recently released Greek text, but little else for reference other than his remarkable memory, Luther produced a masterpiece that was instrumental in standardizing the German language and still today is the most used German translation of the Bible.  He had an amazing gift for translation that evoked visual images for readers.  Upon returning to Wittenberg some editing was done and the month it went into  print helped name his 'September Testament'.  Now Germans could read the New Testament in their native language rather than the scholarly Latin which was inaccessible to most.  Luther worked on the Old Testament translation with his colleagues in Wittenberg, but that work took until 1534 to reach completion.