Pastor Gen - Thoughts from a Sabbatical #5

Dear Veradale Friends, Sunday, September 4, marks one week since arriving in Karlsruhe. It seems much longer. The days start at 8:15am with a press briefing, followed by morning prayer (I’m bringing home great music and prayer resources!), then there are business meetings or workshops or networking with a 1pm break for lunch (the food is a terrible disappointment) and a 8:45 pm supper. Reflections On September 28, 29, and 30, the Indigenous People from around the world gathered to create a statement to the World Council of Churches about the theme of reconciliation and unity. High on the list of concerns is the planet. Indigenous People of the Christian Faith need the World Council of Churches to lift up the indigenous insights and generations of connection with the Earth. Further, there is much to be done about telling the truth about the harm done by the church. “Telling the truth brings healing,” said one of the elders. The Green Industry has taken indigenous land without the permission. The production of “Green Economy” is not clean. As one of the Sapmi (pronounced Saw-Me) tribe of northern Norway put it, “We cannot save the planet and destroy the land.” Holding Green Corporations to standards of care for the land would be essential while also holding governments accountable for where they designate land for the production of the Green Economy. September 1 has been celebrated as the Day of Creation in the Orthodox Christian Calendar for hundreds of years. The season of creation is now a practice of the World Council of Churches and goes from September 1 through October 4. Other concerns that have received attention from those gathered include the war in Ukraine, the occupation of Palestine, the need to listen to the people in the places of distress, the concern for the climate refugees already fleeing parts of Africa because of famine, the rise in global hunger and the acknowledgment that this is only the beginning. As one of the delegates put it, the question now is how we will collaborate with the people in politics and in corporations because even if all the churches were of one voice, it would not be enough. One of the presenters on human rights violations against the women of Palestine said “We need people in power to be brought to their senses not brought to their knees,” I wonder, if powerful people do come to their senses they just might be moved to their knees in prayer. The situation is that desperate. There is so much more to tell you!

Until next time, Pastor Gen

Pastor Gen - Thoughts from a Sabbatical #4

Dear Veradale Friends,

Naomi, Wayne, and I touched base this week. I am grateful that you have been able to hear about this travel, have begun your journey with Pastor Roger - he is a gift-- and that I am in your prayers. Thank you! Naomi’s note came after I was particularly lifted up by those prayers--- My suitcase blew a tire on the way into Würzburg. I patch it together with dental floss and bandaids as that is what I had. Well, on the day that left Würzburg, that repair worked for half of the one mile walk back to the train station. Then another tire crumbled. My suitcase weights 50lbs. I could sort of roll the it on the two remaining wheels. As I prayed about this, I felt that the prayers from Veradale were with me and it would all be fine.I arrived in Nuremberg, got a taxi because there was no way I could drag that guy any further and there under the hotel was a suitcase shop with some of them marked down 20% or more. I kept thinking, “Thank you for the prayers Veradale and thank you, God for the love made real through those prayers! “ Of course, I had to shop around at other stores a little before I could buy what was at the first shop. It is very expensive to buy a suitcase here. In the end, I got my new, on sale suitcase. I also mentioned to Naomi how I see you folks everywhere. Below are a few examples. If there is not time to read these in worship, Naomi will have a way to share them.

Sending you all love and prayers,

Pastor Gen

All you folk out on the Palouse, especially Farmer Wayne.

Aden, Jerry and Charlie

Sam

All you folk in Idaho (Sally, Kathy, and Kaye). In 1894, a woman photographer left Iceland to photograph the indigenous people of Idaho!

Naomi, the woman with the long hair in the middle of the second image is the teacher of these outdoor dance classes.

Scotty and all you rose lovers, these smell wonderful.

Cherall Anne...

Don and Jan, this window has the beach in a city a long way from the ocean and Ron, the dance supplies are here with no blue suede shoes.

All those who keep this journey in prayer, the suitcase store below my hotel.

Teresa Johnson, Noah, Sky and Ashley, and all you cat lovers - I found your temple.

Michael...

All of you who have served in our military (Marilyn, John, and all you who have military family)

This jewelry store has accessories for your fur babies — Marvin.

Several of the cities have a section of shops to sell handmade items (Maureen, Stephany, Sue, Joyce, Lea, Karla, Wayne, Bonnie, and Julie)

Becky, Michael, and Book Club, look at these amazing public book closets.

For those who like things to be orderly and on time, the trains and the Glockenspiels may disappoint you (especially Diane and Joyce).

Marsilius, imagine sending the kids to this library! Charlie, the librarian here found the only two books about the Würzburg witch hunts of 1625-1631.

Gregg and Jeanne, I see you so often in the little gardens. The drought means that lawns are not watered and people still have these little beautiful places throughout the cities.

Joe, Larry, Gae Ann, Melodie, Debbie, Robyn, Al, Polly, Sandy, Serena, Elisa, Donita, Barbara, Linda, Lokotah, Katie, Pastor Roger, and all, below is an image of a painting in 1493/94 by Albrecht Dürer one of my favorite artists.

With love for all who gather at Veradale, Pastor Gen

Pastor Gen - Thoughts From A Sabbatical #3

From the experience of Goslar and Leipzig

Visiting Goslar I learned that nearly the entire town has been named a United Nations Historical site (UNESCO). I observed the difficulty that brings to telling the truth about the past. The story of the mine and the buildings are not just to be saved for the cultural benefit but also to bring in the people who might be interested in the amazing feel of the old, old town. That means little is said about the dark side of the mining past and it means that there is little for present day young people.

I talked with a guide at the mine. I told her we had a silver mine much like theirs and I wondered how they kept their water from being polluted as nothing I read spoke about heavy metal pollution. She said, to my great disappointment, that they didn’t keep it from being polluted. The mining began on the surface but soon moved underground and by the 900’s they had polluted their drinking water and people were getting sick. So, they created hollowed out logs and piped in clean water from the top of the Harz mountains — in the 900s -- into the homes of the rich and into a fountain in the center of town for the average and poor people. The polluted water of the Oker River is still being studied. The mine was worked for 1000 years. While it was greatly depleted by the time of the Nazis, the metal was needed so people were forced into hard labor in the mines. Thus, the mining had a 1000 year history.

The guide told me that there are plants being used at one of the waterfalls on the Oker River where the polluted water still runs. They have plants that identify the heavy metals in the water and plants that help remove the heavy metals. My eyes got big and I asked her to tell me more about these plants. She didn’t know the names but would look for me while I view the museum. After wandering the site, I returned to her and she said she was sorry that she had not found the names of the plants. More learning to be had here.

Goslar is celebrating 1100 years since it became a town. I learned from a guide at the town hall about the history as a market place, silver mine, and the strife over the question concerning to whom the good water out of the Harz mountains belong.

For all its restaurants, shops, and beauty, Goslar is heavily dependent on tourism. The mine no longer supplies metals, however, it is the draw for people to visit the town.

I was able to find four stumbling stone in Goslar. Sometimes it feels like a pilgrimage to find them. I read that there are 15 stumbling stones in Goslar. I was able to find a group of four from the Jacob family.

Leipzig, unlike Goslar, was a huge city. It seemed that there were more people than I had seen in Berlin. The odd thing was that the museums and historical churches were only open from 10am to 2pm. The bakeries, of which there was one below my apartment window, got noisy at 6:30 preparing to open at 7am. They also closed at 2. The restaurants stayed open late.

When I went looking for stumping stones at an address near where I was staying, I couldn’t find them. Later, when I was learning about the St. Nicolai Church and their amazing work for justice, I came upon a stumbling stone. As I was taking pictures of it, there was a woman in the door way of what have been Ernst Lewek’s home. She saw what I was doing and said that those were all around the city. She said , "We must never forget.” I agreed and she went into the building where there is now help offices for the current Jewish Leipzig residents as well as an office for Ukrainian refugees.

The most powerful memorial was of great synagogue otistroyed by the Nazis. The synagogue's entire foundation and its surrounding land has not been built on. Instead, chairs sit in rows facing east as if they are waiting for the congregation to return. So powerful! A picture cannot capture the experience. It was a, Wow!

During these days in Germany, I have reflected often on the words of Dorothee Sölle, a theologian from Germany. When asked how the mass murders could happen in Germany, she said that God works good through us but we must choose to work with God. More accurately, she said that God needs friends to get God’s work done. What startles me is that the brain washing of the nation began as early as 1925 with the Hitler propaganda. Towns turned against their neighbors. Doctors killed handicapped children in the hospital (I thought the people with handicaps had been sent to concentration camps. This was, if possible, even more horrifying). I kept saying, “O my God. Oh, my God.” I have seen several descriptions of how people didn’t speak up partly because they had come to believe the propaganda and when they realized they were wrong — it was too late. There always were resisters to the regime. One man is famous for being caught in a picture where everyone is giving the Hitler salute except him. His arms are crossed and his face determined. One woman who was quoted on a wall in the resistance museum in Berlin said that she recognized her prayers for the enemy of Germany to succeed were prayers of patriotism.

Actually, reading about the propaganda used in the early days feels very close the current days of our country. The worst thing that the average German did was that they kept silent in those early days.

So, now, I am in Würzburg. It is so alive here! More about that later.

With blessings,

Pastor Gen