First Week Summary

Outreach & Cultural Exchange Program
AMERICAN CHURCH in BERLIN
June 2010


June 11-13, 2010, Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Fifteen volunteers from Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Clifton Park, New York stepped off the U-Bahn, walked out from under the Bülowstrasse bridge and looked up to see the spire of the American Church in Berlin (ACB). It is an imposing structure, this late 1800’s, neo-gothic church near the heart of the city. Joined a day later by eleven more from St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in San Francisco, the group soon discovered that it is not just imposing but inspiring as well, and not only to the Americans who came to work, but to the neighborhood and larger community as well.
This is a church community whose mission is clear to everyone who worships and works within its reach…to be a presence, a real and positive presence on behalf of what is good in God’s world.
Fatigued from jet lag and lack of sleep, the Sunday morning service was at once embracing and energizing. The church’s Outreach and Cultural Exchange Program for 2010 (OCEP) mission had begun!


Monday, June 14, 2010, Monday

Nine OCEP volunteers arrived for the first day of their mission work at the INA Kindergarten a bit late after starting out with breakfast and devotions at the church. It was a sunny day and the pre-school aged children were outside playing in the yard. The energy there was free flowing, upbeat and noisy. The OCEP group that morning included one adult and five teenagers from St. Mark’s along with one worker from Prince of Peace. The volunteers were dispersed among the teachers and their classes, everyone a little hesitant and shy at first. The group leader from St. Mark’s jumped right in. He’d brought his guitar and broke the ice sitting on a ledge singing a children’s song, which absolutely invited interaction. The children, from a range of ethnic and religious backgrounds, responded with laughter and enthusiasm. For most of the children German is not their primary language and few among the staff spoke English. Not many in the OCEP group spoke German, but the day proved that even under these conditions communication can be and was established, a communication, which was to grow and build in remarkable ways over the week.
On site at ACB, the team assigned to paint the narthex and nursery decided instead to begin their mission cleaning up, pruning the trees and mowing the lawn around the church at Dennewitzplatz. This turned into an all-day job, since the grass had been left to grow quite tall and there was quite a lot of garbage to be picked up. Part of Dennewitzplatz is owned by the city, which had obviously succumbed to economic reality and not attended to it in quite some time. This detour of OCEP’s assigned tasks proved to be definitive. It announced the OCEP 2010 Team’s presence in a very real and tangible way. At the end of the day Dennewitzplatz was transformed. In a larger sense the clean up and mowing also served to transform those who came to work, strengthening their understanding of the mission: that to be a presence would model God’s love for his world and its people.
Meanwhile, students drifted into the church for its afternoon Learning Café, offered to adults who are improving their English language skills and to school-aged children who are just learning the language. Several OCEP volunteers joined the adult class; the non-English speakers benefited from hearing native speakers and were encouraged by being readily understood by the Americans. An ACB member noted that the presence of young people would serve to focus the younger students’ attention to the lessons. The teenaged volunteers seemed to be encouraged by the willingness of their young tutorees and ended the session with a puppet show for everyone present. Applause and smiles abounded. After feeding the mind, other mission workers fed the body with delicious, homemade soup. Even on the first day of the mission, the group was making a difference.


June 15, 2010, Tuesday

Five members of the OCEP Team worked at the PallasT, a facility that provides services to an immigrant, largely Turkish community a few blocks from the ACB. Team members’ assignment was to prep and paint two rooms on the second floor, which will be used as an office and small classroom.
The group had worked the day before and this morning was offered coffee as a gesture of friendship and perhaps in recognition of their good work the previous day.
While the group was working, two women approached and asked if the painters were available for private hire! Wonderful! This was a terrific opportunity for a conversation about why the OCEP volunteers were is this place. The women were taking a break from their German lesson being offered by PallasT. They interacted with the Americans on a variety of topics including the concept of doing for others, family and children, and even feminism, all the while practicing their German. Others arrived, including a man from Macedonia, a woman from Poland and the teacher of the class who specifically asked why the OCEP group was doing this work. And while they did not immediately recognize the name of the American Church in Berlin, they did know of Dennewitzplatz and the Lutherkirche; they had made the connection with the work already done to improve the area.
The painting continued. While to some, it may seem that painting a classroom is less significant mission work, it again became a visible sign of outreach to the community. One painter saw it as supporting the work of the center, which supports the surrounding community. Another noted that the group was “building bridges” between cultures just by their presence and work ethic. At this facility, work of this kind is not budgeted and is usually accomplished by the employees in their free time and without extra pay. One of the youth center’s employees was especially appreciative of the OCEP team’s efforts explaining that fresh paint sends a message of welcome that the space and those who use it are well cared for. ACB’s involvement as part of that process, widens the circle of caring.
Painting was this day the focus of work on site at the church as well. The lawn mowers had moved inside to the narthex, filled the rollers and climbed the scaffold. Curious passersby looked in to see what the activity was all about. ACB‘s presence continued this week albeit with more visibility than usual.


June 16, 2010, Wednesday

Every morning volunteers arrived at the church to a typical German breakfast of fresh broetchen, meats, cheese, jam, muesli, fresh fruit, juice and coffee. It was all prepared by members of the church and OCEP working together. Their preparations fed the group and devotions fed the soul as each went out for the day’s work.
At FIPP, a youth center of varied activity in the after school hours, there was more painting. With preparation work and primer coats of paint finished the reading/tutoring/crafts room and the stage area were ready for additional touches. Nine OCEP volunteers arrived to find the table already set with broetchen, cookies and drink. What a welcome! Some worked on second and third coats of wall paint. Some worked on the carpet tile design, which would be placed later in the day. Two worked on creating a painted-on-the-wall frame of an existing wall painting. A couple finished up the work in the girls’ bathroom, adding floral decoration.
The team leader reflected, when asked what gives meaning to his work, that the group was helping and doing things for people who did not have the resources, time or talents to do it. That was his reward. Another in the group hoped that others might follow the example set this week and mow, paint, clean up, maintain and care more about their world.
The director was amazed at the group’s work ethic and skill, telling Denise Banks-Grasedyck, OCEP founder and organizer that she appreciated our working with such “heart”.
Wednesday evening offered a mid-week chance for reflection and dinner. True to form, this church dinner featured home cooked pasta dishes, delicious and plentiful, with plenty of conversation and grateful appreciation for the opportunity to come together to do this work. What followed was a church service, which included various musical offerings by the ACB Praise Band, Prince of Peace Choir members with additional volunteers and piano pieces played by Martha Chin from St. Mark’s. Make a joyful noise!


June 17, 2010, Thursday

Devotions this day began with the question of what experience so far had brought joy to group members. As the day progressed and people began to see how well projects were moving toward completion, the morning’s question came to mind again.
At FIPP the last carpet tile was laid and the stage mural completed. At PallastT final paint was applied and plants were restored to their window shelf space. At ACB doors were given a second coat and the paint cans and brushes put away.
One result of the group’s coming and going was that people from the congregation, from the facilities and from the neighborhood grew more eager to interact with the volunteers. At FIPP the director even readied a presentation of thank you letters, balloons and cookies in gratitude. At PallasT those who only observed earlier in the week approached those working to look more closely, making comments (all in approval, I might add) and asking questions, one among them being “you came all the way from America to paint?” At ACB neighbors were noticing, coming in to observe and joining the conversation. A volunteer noted that “the paintbrush and the chisel were both effective in making a big difference.”
The kids will be “begeistet” one of the social workers at FIPP said. They were, but with no fanfare, not two minutes after the OCEP folks were finished, the children had retaken the newly renovated reading/tutoring/craft room. That simple act brought satisfaction to the hearts of those volunteers working there. Time to move on.


June 18, 2010, Friday

This last day of OCEP at the church saw the volunteers spread out to their worksites for any finishing work, including Pastor Charles Lindholm, the catalyst for the New York group who, with one volunteer assistant, has been laboring at library of the Evangelisches Zentral-Archiv in Berlin. Their mission was to research the history of the American Church in Berlin for a book Charles is co-authoring. With an assistant twice the number of ACB records that are in the library can be read, reviewed and copied.
The PallasT contact presented the Americans with a thank you gift as the volunteers returned for the last day of the week with American home-baked, chocolate chip cookies for the boys watching the U.S. play Slovenia in the first round of the World Cup Football championship.
A large number of the Americans joined congregation members in the late afternoon to assist with ACB’s Laib und Seele program, a once weekly food pantry offered to the community and generally supplying fresh food to about sixty local families in need. Some of those helping with distribution were once receivers of food and are giving back. One member of the congregation put it very well. “Practice what you preach. Feed the poor.” This is a most tangible way for this church community to follow God’s mandate.

The American Church in Berlin’s congregation does practice what it preaches. With OCEP it has founded and fostered an outreach that extends beyond the neighborhood and city. Its seeds are also planted in the volunteers from the United States and may be replanted there blooming in any number of ways across the Atlantic. The Word goes forth.


Tina Nicolay Greenfield
American Church in Berlin
OCEP 2010 Mission
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
Clifton Park, New York, USA

Last Post

June 25 4 pm

On the bus between Wittenberg and Berlin. The trip is almost over. Tomorrow morning we will be winging our way back to New York and our daily realities. Highlights of the day included the Luther and Melanchthon houses, the Staadtkirche where Luther was the preacher and the Castle Church where he nailed the 95 Theses to the door on October 31, 1517 beginning the Reformation and all of the changes that this movement brought to our world. At the Castle Church once again Charles managed to get us permission for a special service. There we sang Lord Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word and Beautiful Savior and Charles led us in Holy Communion. Tonight I hope in devotions to revisit the text we started with – Jesus sending the 70 in mission and reflect on our going, our experience and our returning.

Jeff Silvernail

June 26 9:30

We are sitting in Heathrow Airport, London waiting for our next flight. No one left behind time time – hopefully! See you at Prince of Peace this Sunday.

Jeff Silvernail

June 24 6 pm

This morning we did Leipzig, primarily the Thomas and Nicholas churches. Johann Sebastian Bach was music director and is buried at the Thomaskirche but introduced most of his most famous work at the Nikolaikirche. I learned something new, that Felix Mendelson rediscover the work of J.S. Bach and without him it likely would have been forgotten forever. All very fascinating but what intrigued me the most was the recounting of the peace prayer service at the Nikolaikirche which grew to 70,000 on October 9, 1989. The police were supposed to crack down that Monday with guns to put an end to this movement, but as the protesters and prayers filled the Platz holding candles and sheilding the flames from the wind they gave no excuse for the police and troops to open fire. The DDR (East Germany) fell one month later in the peaceful revolution that resulted a year later in the reunification of Germany. It was special to be in the place where such a pivotal moment of history in my lifetime was made.

Tonight we are in Wittenberg.

Jeff Silvernail

June 23 4 pm

This morning we were in Eisenach to visit the Wartburg where Martin Luther was hidden away as Junker Jorge to save his life, and where he worked on the translation of the new Testament in German. The Wartburg was also the home of St. Elizabeth who laid down her crown in reverence to the King of kings, Jesus and devoted her life to serving the poor and sick. Looking at the amazing ancient mosaics of Elizabeth's life the words of Chris Tomlin's “We Fall Down” played through my.
“We fall down, we lay our crowns, at the feet of Jesus
The greatness of mercy and love, at the feet of Jesus.
And we cry 'Holy, holy, holy'
And we cry, Holy, holy, holy'
And we cry 'Holy, holy holy, is the Lamb.”

At the room where Martin Luther worked we paused, read Scripture and sang, “A Mighty Fortress” in 4 part harmony, giving the German school children on outings a free concert.

Before leaving Eisenach we visited the Bach House and the Luther house where teenage Martin stayed while going to Latin school and now we are on the bus heading to Leipzig.

Jeff Silvernail

June 22 2 pm

Back on the bus as we head from Erfurt to Eisenach. This morning we had a walking tour of the old city of Erfurt which is one of the best preserved in all of Germany with many medeval and renessaince buildings, and of course, many churches. We spent some time in the Mariondom cathedral. Then it was on to the Augustinian monastery where Luther was received as a monk, was ordained and celebrated his first mass. We had a very special moment as we gathered before the altar, sang, and shared in Holy Communion in the very place where Martin Luther so nervously for the first time said the mass. It was a holy moment.

Jeff Silvernail

Today was just as awesome as the previous. While touring Erfurt, we had the opportunity to take communion at the church of the Augustinain monastery. What a wonderful and moving experience to share Holy Communion together in such a special place. After touring the Mariondom cathedral and the monastery, we enjoyed a wonderful relaxing time in the Domplatz having lunch. What a special day we have been blessed with.

Roger Behrens

June 20 and 21

June 20 3 pm on the bus

Hard to believe we have completed our week's work at the ACB and moved on to the educational portion of our trip. It is quiet on the bus, guess everyone is tired and resting up.
The concert last night was really spectacular. What could be better that hearing one of the great German composers, Brahms, played by the Berlin Symphony? We were again late in returning home, at lest by my standards, so it was another short night. The church service this AM was a very moving one with lots of great music. During communion, a small section of the congregation began singing “Just as I am” spontaneously in parts, The remainder joined in. What a spine tingling moment! Some of our choir members joined in singing with the ACB choir and others in a mass choir to sing a hymn as anthem. They have a great, enthusiastic choir director so it was not only fun, but a great sound. It was surprisingly easy to get attached to people in this short week. Nancy Kowalski was working with us and will beat us home. We will again see our friends from St. Mark's, San Francisco as they will take the same flight to Heathrow next week. More ways in which God intervenes to connect us as workers for Him. As Pastor Ben said this AM, we won't know the fruits from the seeds sown this week. It was a really good week, and many connections were made.

Nancy Hoelzer

This morning at church I got to practice greeting visitors. Not on purpose I was just there in time to greet Bob and Ann from Colorado who were on their way to the Oberammergau passion play. Then came Pamela from Australia who was looking for a place to get a cup of coffee before the service started. Here's something we can learn: both had seen the sign that invited them to the service while they were travelling by; and both were very willing to engage in conversation with a complete stranger – me. Pamela even sat with us in worship. What can we learn? Better more inviting signage is a great way to advertize and get people to walk through our doors and two, it really is not difficult to talk to people you don't know and make them feel at home.

The service was a farewell service for Pastor Ben and Margaret after 8 years at ACB. As you can imagine it was quite moving and brought memories of my own recent goodbyes. We were privileged to be invited to sing in the special choir but for me the most moving moment was when during communion the congregation spontaneously began singing Just As I Am. The Spirit was moving among us.

Many goodbyes and hugs for us too and now we are on the bus watching the countryside of the former East Germany rolling by on our way to Mansfeld and Eisleben.

Jeff Silvernail

June 21 5 pm

The tour has begun. Yesterday after a false start we found Luther's boyhood home and school in Mansfeld. Our stay was in the Kloster Hotel, part of a convent. Pastor Charles taught Baptism from the Small Catechism and we wrapped up the evening by singing Compline. In the morning we went into Eisleben for Luther's birth house and death house and all that is inbetween. At the church of his baptism we gathered in the chapel and had a brief service of Affirmation of Baptism. At St. Andreas where Luther preached his last sermon we gathered in the chancel and sang hymns from the Gasangbuch. Finally we made our way up to St. Anne's church the first church in the region to accept the Reformation. Our guide was Dorthea who is on the church council of St. Andreas who told us about long meeting mostly concerned with buildings and money. Sound familiar? Back on the bus where I taught on Holy Comunion and then on to the Lutherstein near Erfurt supposedly near the place where Marin cried out for St. Anne to save him during the thunderstorm, promising to become a monk if he was saved. Tonight we are in a modern hotel in Erfurt.

Jeff Silvernail

June 20, 8 am

Yesterday, Saturday, was a day on our own. Some went to Sans Souci. Nancy Kowalski took a small group of us to Sachsenhausen to join an English speaking Berlin historical club tour of the concentration camp there. A sobering experience. This was not an extermination camp, it was a labor camp, yet one fairly small slab of stone marked and covered the 16 tons of human ashes, with up to 60 tons believed to be at various sites around the camp. Though it was a labor camp it was also a training facility for the SS who would use what they learned elsewhere. With a ready supply of Russian POWs techniques were perfected to make sure that it took no more than one shot to kill an unsuspecting prisoner and clean up every 7 minutes. A shower room was used to find better gas mixtures. Not exactly a joy-filled outing, but something that should be seen at least once.

Later we went the the Berlin Philharmonie for an outstanding evening at the symphony. Before the concert we stopped at the Lindenbrau in the Sony Center for dinner. As soon as we walked in our waitress from a week ago recognized us. That's not always a good thing when the wait staff remembers you! But in this case she made sure we sat in her section so I guess we were OK.

This morning is worship at the American Church then we get on the bus for Mansfeld-Eisleben to begin the Reformation Tour.

Jeff Silvernail

June 18 10 PM

In a conversation with a member of the American Church in Berlin (ACB) today I was reminded to “practice what we preach”. Or in other words, we are called to put our beliefs into practice.
The ACB Laib und Seele (Loaf and Soul) food pantry does exactly that, providing fresh food stuffs and other groceries to about sixty families on a weekly basis. Food is donated by cooperating groceries and distributed on site at ACB every Friday afternoon with help from church members and, this week, volunteer Americans.
If the Lord's directive is to feed the hungry, ACB does that in a most direct and tangible way, regularly and generously.
I am thinking that ABC does more than feeding the body. It also serves to feed the soul, and not only the souls of those who receive the food, but those who give out the food as well.

Tina Greenfield

Thursday June 17 4:30 pm

We arrived in Berlin on Friday and today is Thursday already. Where has the week gone. It has been filled with excitement, gladness, sadness and much joy all rolled into one. We have done lots of sightseeing, walking and riding the buses, and trains. I have been working at an after school center painting, laying carpet and general “making the place a little brighter and better. The kids are curious and some try to communicate and that has been an experience by itself. We will leave the center a better place than it was when we arrived. Knowing that is a very satisfying and fulfilling feeling. I'm very glad that God put me in the right place at the right time and with the right people to have made this all happen for us. Zoe and I both are having the time of our lives.

Richard Walker

I have worked most of my time while in Berlin helping in the kitchen to preparing meals for the mission workers. I have met many women from the American Church in Berlin who have worked along side with me. We have interacted in a very friendly and positive way. They are very nice. I have learned a lot on how the Germans use their kitchen in meal preperation. I'm so glad and excited to be part of this mission.

Zoe Walker

Thursday June 17 8 am

From yesterday:
Today when I was walking by a school I saw a group of Turkish kids emerge. I thought back to the 1960's when the few Turks in Germany were “Guest Workers” treated as second or even third class citizens. Today these kids will get a good education and have the advantage of two cultures – Turkish and German. They will truly be citizens of the world. This makes me smile.

Jim Greenfield

June 16 10 pm

Today was an explosion of interaction at the Youth Center (Pallast). With the first two days of uncertainty and wariness, today many people of all ages sought us out to communicate. It was difficult to get working! My very bad German and their limited English proved to be an added feature to questions and answers.
Why do you come all the way from New York to paint? Can we hire you?
Why do we do this thing? How long are we here?
The American Church is a good thing for the neighborhood.
Directions for good places to visit or to go to eat.
Comparing schools, lives and seeing the differences, but embracing the similarities.
Compliments on a job well done.
Five days seems much too short a time, but bridges are being built – it is a wonderful thing.

Vicki Behrens

June 16 5:30 pm

Since arrival in Berlin I have been struck by two things – the need here of mission work and the amazement of some of the people we are working with that we would make such an effort for them. To come to Germany to paint rooms and mow lawns! Why would we work hard in service to them? They approach us curious as to our motive. Once realizing it's just lovethey respond in kind. From a shy handshake to a little chocolate candy offered by a Turkish woman learning German at our work site. The wide smiles and giggles of the teenage girls at the center at my paint splotched glasses and hair. I'm sure they think we're a little crazy. The invisible walls between us being torn down just like the real physical wall that was torn down here. The paintbrush and the chisel, both effective in making a big difference. All we need is love.

Karen Stenzel

Guz gave me a book to read on this trip called, “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan. In preparing a devotion for this morning I used some of his thoughts on God's diversity and creativity. It is certainly prevalent on this journey. We've seen glorious peachy pink oriental poppies in the yards of the garden houses. There's a bird I've seen that looks like a crow, (only smaller) walks like a crow, sounds like a crow, but has a black head, beak, tail and wing tips but the rest is a smokey gray. The American Church of Berlin congregation includes members who represent over 25 different countries. The children in the kindergarten counted for me yesterday in English, Spanish, German, Turkish and Greek. Karen and I ate in a Latin based restaurant where the staff speak Spanish. Why did I think the US was the only melting pot? We are all diverse and creative in our approaches to our work here. Most are engaged in tasks for removed from our daily jobs. (Although I hear one of our painting crews was offered a contract by a passerby.) The ACB serves a wide range of needs for its community. Berlin is a cosmopolitan bustling city that is similar and dissimilar to others in the western world. God has brought us here to learn, love and work in diverse and creative ways. To paraphrase the Bible, “Rejoice in the Lord always again I say, 'Rejoice.'”

Nancy Hoelzer

Tuesday June 15

June 15, 8 pm

From yesterday:
I just completed my first work day! What fun! I am lucky enough to have been assigned to work with the kindergarten. It is a pre-school for children up to 6 years old when they begin regular school. I worked with 3-6 year olds from Turkey, Afghanistan, Albania, Africa and Arabia that I know of. They all speak German, I do not, but we had a great time. They chattered and I attempted to respond with appropriate words and nods. We counted to 20 in English. By the end of the day, two of them were vying for my attention with picture books. I attempted to read one or two in German – no one walked away so it must have been OK. I pointed to some pictures and said, “Was ist das?” So I learned some German words from them. Who knows what I will learn by the time we leave! God has planted me here to grow.

Nancy Hoelzer

From today:
Today we got a good start on painting the entry way of the church. Rich Keil on the ladder, me on the scaffold and Linda on the floor. After a good day of work we are about 70% done and the narthex looks great. Just before Mittagessen (lunch), a man wandered into the church. Turns out he is from New Zealand. He saw the church from the U-Bahn and wanted to check it out. Peter stayed for lunch and we had great conversation. He is a train enthusiast at was trying to check out all the trains and streetcars in Berlin – a big job. He is also a passionate Christian and member of the Vineyard Church in NZ. Later a cashier in the neighborhood supermarket wanted to know what we are doing so we had the chance to witness a bit. Most of the group is off tonight to the Reichstag but Linda and I decided to have a quiet evening – dinner at the local Turkish restaurant and then relaxation.

Jeff Silvernail

Clearing and Cleaning the Park

Pastor Ben told us the story of American Church moving to the Martin Luther Church Demmelwitzplatz 5 years ago. The area was known as Neddleplatz for it was home of drug users and prostitutes. The Sunday morning clean-up crew would clear away the syringes and condoms before worship. As the church has become established and accepted in this culturally diverse neighborhood by helping and being open the the neighbors, the neighbors in turn have helped reclaim Neddleplatz and the church property. The little park at Demelwitzplatz is still unkept and overgrown. Certainly it was nothing that would bring pride to the residents. I asked this morning, could we mow it and clean it up. The initial answer was “No, it belongs to the city and they don't want any one else to take care of it.”

But then the wheels were turning. Pastor Ben smiled and said “Let's do it.” So our first day of Berlin we broke the law!

The mowers came out and Rich Keil and I moved while several others cut and hauled brush and picked up litter. By the end of the day it looked good – our gift to the neighborhood.

Jeff Silvernail

[Note: we have no where to leave the computer at church during the day so it is hard for others to write at the current time.]

Sunday June 13th 9 pm

Today was church at the American Church of Berlin then some more sightseeing. We went to two very old churches from the 13th century, Marionkirche and Nicholaskirche. From there we found our way to Check Point Charlie. It is part of our heritage since we are children of the Cold War, but it seems odd that so many are making money from the memory of such a troubled and tortured time. The day concluded with dinner at the Lindenbrau in the Sony Center.

Let me go back to church this morning. We met with Dr. Helmut Zeddies who was General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation in the former East Germany. One thing sticks out as he spoke of the fall of the DDR. Government officials of the Communist government said “We were prepared for everything except for people with candles and prayers.” The DDR fell without a single shot being fired.

With God all things are possible! Keep praying!

Tomorrow we begin our work.

Jeff Silvernail

June 12, 2010, 10 PM

The internet issue has been taken care of as our landlady is allowing us to use her LAN. More sightseeing in Berlin today including the Jewish Memorial, the Brandenburg Gate, and the Berliner Dome cathedral.

A few thoughts on the Jewish Holocaust memorial. It is made up of 100's of concrete rectangles of various heights and angles set up on grids of walk-ways over a site of several acres. There are no inscriptions on the blocks. Pastor Charles asked us what we thought the significance was.

I walked in and spent some time by myself wandering among the stones. They start small. Soon though as you walk you find yourself surrounded by stones that tower over you. As the ground dips down you lose contact with the streets and the buildings.

The stones now loom over with their massive grayness. What does it represent? Perhaps the “little” antisemitism that was tolerated until the true evil of it dominated both the oppressors and the victims. How often do we tolerate a little evil and risk it coming to dominate us?

In the afternoon we were invited to a garden party in the outer reaches of Berlin. Lots of good food and drink and conversation. Now back watching the World Cup. USA! USA!

Gute Nacht,

Jeff Silvernail

Saturday June 12, 2010

We are all finally in Berlin safely. Our flight from London was a bit late arriving, our next flight was in a different terminal building and we had to go through security again! With all that, Judy and Karen did not make the flight to Berlin. Of course with British Airways crews on strike there was not another flight they could get on until the evening. But finally all are here and settled in.

One note to blog readers, we do not have internet access in our apartments or at the church so posting of the blog will be sporadic at best.

Anyway yesterday, all but Judy and Karen, were met at the airport by Pastor Charles, Kumar, Denise and Nancy Kowalski from Prince of Peace who guided us through the public transportation system to get us to the church and then off to find our apartments.

Exhaustion is the operative word for yesterday. Those who were fortunate slept maybe 2 hours total. Most of us were not so lucky. So arriving at the church we are informed that we will leave post haste for a museum and city tour leading to dinner until 10 pm.

Rebellion rose among the ranks. A one hour reprieve was negotiated, off to shower and nap.

Slightly refreshed our gracious hosts Michel and Gabbi led us to the Story of Berlin museum, on the 100 bus through the heart of Berlin and to a restaurant in the old East Berlin where the featured dish was Spargel (white asparagus) which was included in all the entrees.

Back on the U and S Bahn and finally a good full night's sleep.

Mission one in the morning find coffee – success, pay the landlord and then off to the church and later to a garden party with the Greenfield's friends Ingeborg and Mannfred.

Jeff Silvernail

The Rhythm of Mission

“The Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way...'

“The seventy returned with joy, saying, 'Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!'” Luke 10:1-3a, 17.

Go and return with joy! That's the rhythm of mission. It seems especially poignant right now. I'm writing the day before we board the bus to begin the journey that will take us to serve our neighbors in Berlin, Germany.

I wish I could say that I was ready to go, but, alas, a night and a morning of organizing and packing remains. Details, details...

But I am ready to serve! I love to serve. I'm not quite sure but I think this is the 14th mission trip I have been on. It is the 3rd one to a foreign country. Though the total numbers are a little fuzzy, with everyone of those trips I have returned with joy.

There has been joy over work accomplished, but far more joy over seeing Jesus in the face of others and in some way being Jesus to others. These are times of intentionally incarnating the love of Jesus. It is so fulfilling and uplifting. In fact one of the most common expressions of those I have known on mission trips is, “I received far more than I gave.”

It feels that good to serve in Jesus' name!

But we need not limit that experience to mission trips. Every day is a day in which you are in mission for Jesus. Every day is a day in which you can share the love and acceptance of Jesus. Every day is a day in which you can see the face of Jesus in your neighbor. Every day is a day in which you can practice loving the Lord you God with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul and all your strength; and love your neighbor as yourself.

Every day! Even today! Even tomorrow!

You've been called to be children of God and ambassadors for the gospel. You've been sent! Now go, then return to share your joy!

In Christ's Amazing Grace,

Jeff Silvernail