Welcome home

— Midweek Meditations:
thoughts, inspiration and encouragement
from ACF community members —

It has been a long journey, dusty roads, no real rest, the environment not familiar, not even inviting, but exhausting because too few moments of lighting up, of light-hearted joy and playfulness. Prognoses often were grim and if not you could never be sure how long the temporary all-clear would last. The new technologies allowed bridging some gaps but could in no way replace what has been before. These times were isolating and the cuddling effect of a central camp fire where we would gather around was lost.

Corona has taken a big toll, bigger than I thought, as it went on and on and is still not over. Looking back it feels like a long desert walk and when it seemed all better and we seemed to reach at least an oasis if not the end of the desert, another strain or now the cold season arrived, so we still need to wear masks to protect the vulnerable. Tensely, we are awaiting the next rules and actions of caution in the upcoming winter.

And as if this hasn’t been enough the war in Ukraine brutally reminded us of the fragility of the gift of peace, something most of us have almost taken for granted. Even so we are not directly involved in the battle fields, the dense clouds of smoke made it hard to breath, hard to see much brightness in tomorrow, hard to believe in the goodness of men.

And then I saw them all after 2 years of separation not only on small tiles on my Macbook but in real, I could touch them, hug, sit together with a coffee (or beer) in our hands and enjoy coming together again, gathering to pick up the latest news about immunodeficiency at the European conference. Friends and colleagues came from all of the world, one big family, ready to fight the adverse circumstances, our patients’ diseases with a new insight and drive, encouraged by each other and the moment of just having three days together at Sweden’s shores. It felt like home when being with friends and picking up where you had left three years ago.

Similarly, we as a small community here in Freiburg went through a long drought of restricted gatherings; so many faithful servants worked hard every Sunday and in between to keep the services going, to offer worship even into our homes through slightly rattling loudspeakers of our electronic devices and finally again in person. Just sitting in our church together with others and worship together in prayer, song and communion brings up memories of good old times. Church has become home for us and it is good to see the door open again. It still feels we need to slowly come from all directions back together, to be a community of worshippers, offering our time on Sunday morning to God and each other in His service. Yet, where have I been? I have become so busy with online life, traveling and extra activities that I missed many services, was not available.

Lord, help us to worship again together to make our church a true home for many, welcoming each us back into Your house. Help us to invite the tired and broken, the frustrated and hopeless to worship with us again in Your house. Help us to reach out to the ones who used to worship with us long time ago or last Sunday, help us to welcome the new person, the new family, bless our children’s ministry with increasing and excited attendance, let us return to Your house and fill it with life, gentle yet full of power.

Lord,
Lead me into your innermost room.
Draw me in the intimacy of awe
until I know you more
and all that I am is held in you.
Then will I sing for joy!
And I will know that I am not alone;
I am in the company of friends
in your house of love and praise,
covered with your favour,
shielded by your blessing.
I am coming home.

Psalm 5 paraphrased, Written by Silvia Purdie, www.conversations.net.nz

---

The ACF Midweek Meditations
are written by a diverse group of our church members with the intention to seek God’s fingerprints in our lives. They range from somber to humorous and are inspired by all facets of live and faith. Written by ordinary people from all walks of life, they reflect a wide range of Christian backgrounds and spiritualities.

Each week’s text portrays the individual viewpoint of its author. They might not always resonate with everyone, and are not meant to be understood as representing the Anglican Church Freiburg as a whole. Yet, as a church that is aiming to ‘Build a Community of Grace’ we seek to practice learning from and listening to one another.

We pray that these humble ponderings add a small spark of blessing to your week.

---