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