— Midweek Meditations:
thoughts, inspiration and encouragement
from ACF community members —
Shortly after the events of 9-11 twenty-five years ago, my family moved to a small village in Lower Saxony. One of our first contacts with the locals was at a VFD Open House event only a few days later. I was asked whether i could see myself joining the local fire department.
Two things went through my head simultaneously. One: this was the entry ticket into the social fabric of the village. Two: 343 firefighters had been killed in the collapse of the WTC, and they are asking me, of all people? It felt like i was being asked to fill a gap, close the ranks. Jesaja 43 popped up before my inner eye: „Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.“
The search for something meaningful to do after 9-11 came to an end that day, though in an unexpected way. I had done human rights and environmental work before, as a student, but not recently. Firefighting seemed to be a more immediate way to be useful and serve the community, yes, but i was 42 years old, not exactly a handiman, and not the chummy type either. But here was the call, and i followed it, for once trusting God to lead the way. It was only later that i realized that the lines following Jesaja 43.1 were also addressed to me: „2. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.“
Looking back it was not an easy road. There were challenges. There were danger situations, including water and fire. There was very little that was heroic, and a lot that was cold, wet, dirty, and exhausting. I once fell asleep walking back to the engine. Regulations demand that we retire from the active force at age 65, and so i did, with the rank of engine lieutenant. I still work and serve in the field of fire safety education.
I guess the message from this personal story is to be ready for that call when it comes. And to have the faith to follow it, even if at first it sounds like it might be meant for somebody else.
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.
Freiburg Anglican Church 
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