9 December - Expanded Network & Future Planning

Office / Guest Room

Office / Guest Room

We have received delivery of our final pieces of furniture, a wardrobe, sleeper-sofa and book shelf unit for the office/guest room,  and are pretty well settled into our apartment.  We still have to get some stuff on the walls, but most things are in place.  We have really come to like living in the city in an apartment.  I sometimes think that it was good to make a drastic break from our lives in Wisconsin - from a 4 bedroom house on 5 acres in the country to a four-room apartment in the city.  The fact that it is so drastically different helps in some way.  We take long walks almost every day to some new or familiar part of the city.  We try to find spots where International people will congregate...like McDonald's or Starbucks.  We picked up an English Language newspaper recently, and we take it with us to the restaurant.  We will either read articles to each other, or to ourselves, or sometimes just leave the paper on the table in plain view so people can see that we are English speakers.  We listen for couples talking at the counter in English, or a parent talking to their child, and then engage them, or ask them to join us if they would like.  It is great fun.

Consulate Event

Consulate Event

We attended a couple of social events last week.  One was an American Citizen Information Night at the US Consulate in Frankfurt.  It was an interesting experience.  Held in a room that was about the size of a small school gymnasium, the room was lined with a double ring of tables which had various displays set up on them.  There were representatives from government agencies like Social Security and the IRS.  There were also booths to help with voting from overseas, passport issues, etc.  Then there were tables for English-speaking churches in the area.  We were able to put up a display, along with two other Frankfurt-area IBC churches.  We were next to an Anglican church table, and shared our table with a Lutheran church.  Other social groups had displays up as well - Ski clubs, bicycle groups, etc.

Kontakt Darmstadt Group

But then we found a group called "Kontakt Darmstadt" - it is a "German American Friendship Outreach."  We had never heard of this group, but you can imagine how our interest was raised!  We introduced ourselves and got information about joining them.  They meet twice a month at the McDonalds just a mile south of our apartment, and they have social events at least once a month - like a hike in the woods, or a visit to a castle in the area.  We are very excited to be part of the group!

InterNations Event

The second event, later that same night, was an "After 5" social hour at a local club in Frankfurt,  This event was organized and hosted by InterNations, a global, web-based social organization that gathers global travelers for support, community and education.  The event was expected to draw about 400 people from all over the globe to the club that evening.  In just a few minutes, Carol and I met people from Germany, England, Italy, Brasil, Argentina and the US.  And, of course, the language of the evening was English!  Carol spotted a gentleman who was standing off to one side alone, so we went over and introduced ourselevs.  He was also at his first InterNations event.  He introduced us to his girlfriend. a Brazilian woman, and she and Carol began talking about her trip to Brazil in 1978.  As I talked with Falk, he asked where we were from - turns out he had been an exchange student in Milwaukee back in the 90's.  When he asked me why we were in Germany, and I shared about our International English-language church planting work, he was very excited.  He told me about a time of Spiritual renewal that he was experiencing.  At one point, he said, "I feel that it was destined that we talk tonight!"  I share that feeling.

InterNations Event 

InterNations is a International Church Planter's dream!  What a target-rich environment!  Young (mostly in their 20s or 30s), expats and international business people looking for some way to develop friendships and support networks...HMMM - may be we should be part of that!!!

The work on the church here is going really well.  God has blessed us with a wonderful group of people who are excited to see a new church in Darmstadt.  Each week it seems a new face joins the group.  We spent last night in Bible study of the second half of the first chapter of Acts.  The early church was Constantly in Prayer (vs 14) and Humble before the Sovereign Lord (vs 24&25).  A great pattern for all of us.

Lilya (their daughter)

Eric & Natalka

We have laid out a plan for the New Year.  Of course, God is ultimately in control. Our plans are subject to His will and His timetable.  He may accelerate things, or slow things down based on what he knows is best for the growth of His body...after all It is He who is building His church...we are just along to walk the journey and witness His work unfold before us.  But we are also called to faithfully do our part.  "Who among you would build a tower without first considering the cost?"

Here's the outline for 2012 that we have placed before the Lord:

January

• Multiply current group into two groups, each meeting weekly in homes for Bible study.
• Invite people to Bible studies – believers and “pre-Christians” who are interested in studying the Bible.
• Initiate weekly or biweekly planning & prayer meetings separate from Bible studies for those from the group who are interested in being part of the church planting effort.  “Planning Team”

February – March

• Expand the small groups – at least double the number of people in each group, multiplying into 3^rd and 4^thgroups as able.
• Solidify and grow the “Planning Team” to 40 people.  This team will become the "Launch Team."
• Initiate “Preview Period.”  (Private worship events to begin monthly, then bi-weekly.)
• Set up systems (i.e., Assimilation, Small Groups, Children’s care & ministry, etc.)

April – May

• Initiate “Private Worship” weekly – personal invitation only - no marketing.
• Establish ministry teams, train personnel, refine systems, work out the "kinks."

June – August Summer

• Continued "Private Worship" together weekly.
• Small groups multiplying
• Planning for Launch.
• Marketing
• Word of mouth

September - October

• PUBLIC LAUNCH
• Outreach to campuses, city center, focusing on international population centers through various media, 
• Assimilation of new people into Small Groups - continued multiplication of groups.

Please pray for us as we seek the Lord and trust Him with this plan, and with our efforts to connect and reach out to the community each day.

25 November - First Advent in Germany

Today was the first Sunday of our first Advent in Germany.  We had a great weekend, establishing some Christmas traditions while we are here.  On Saturday evening, we took in our first evening "Weihnachtsmarkt" experience.  We met our friends Eric, Natalka and Lilya Eagle (and met some new friends!) in the beautiful village of Michelstadt.  The village is situated in the Odenwald, a range of wooded mountains that run north and south just east of Darmstadt.

Michelstadt Weihnactsmarkt

The weather was very mild, and the town was decorated beautifully.  We had some of the local specialties - bratwurst (of course!), curry wurst, fresh crepes and "gluwein," a warm, spiced punch.  There were rides for the kids, all the shops were open, and were supplemented by dozens of temporary kiosks where artisans were selling all sorts of gifts and decorations for Christmas.  The highlight was a life-sized, hand-carved, wooden Nativity scene in the town center.

Nativity Scene in Michelstadt

Today we worshiped at Immanuel International Baptist Church in Wiesbaden, with several families from our Darmstadt church-plant group.  It was a great service, and set the tone for the entire Advent season - we not only look forward to Christmas, remembering Christ's first coming, but we look forward to His second coming - "with great power and glory."

St Ludwigs Church, Darmstadt

In the afternoon, we attended an Advent Concert at the St. Ludwig church in Darmstadt, which featured vocal choruses, pipe organ music, and readings by Alexander U. Martens, a local author and professor.  We met Stewart and Judith Lynn Maxwell there.  It was a well done and very enjoyable. A delightful weekend of worship and preparation for this great season.  Our prayer is that we can share the true significance of the holiday with people all around us in the weeks ahead.

24 November - "Thanks Living"

Today was Thanksgiving Day in the US, and our first major holiday overseas.  Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday, so in Germany it was another day of normal routine and activity.  But for us it was very special.  We had some business to take care of early in the day, so we walked down to the city center.  It was our first visit to the Weihnactsmarkt (Christmas Market).  All throughout the Marketplace in front of the Castle, artisans have set up booths where they sell leather and wood crafts, clothing, hats and scarves, food and drink.  There are rides for the kids, pine boughs and flowers, candles and toys.  It was great.  Of course, the best time to see the Markt is in the evening, when the lights are on, so we will need to make another trip - we will probably make many trips!

After walking around the Market, and visiting with some local farmers, artists and craftsmen, we went to visit our insurance salesman.  We have mentioned Herr Beck before.  He is a delightful man who had previously sold us our car insurance.  We wanted to get "renter's insurance" for the contents of our flat.  We went in for a brief meeting, and ended up spending about an hour and a half with him.  It was not because of any inefficiency - we were simply sharing and enjoying each other's company! 

We talked about so much.  Hans asked what the story was behind American Thanksgiving.  He was fascinated and surprised by both the spiritual overtones - being thankful to God, and the historoical context - the Native Americans and early settlers sharing a meal of thanks together.  We also discussed a wide range of topics - rural and urban living in the US and Germany, travel on Highways versus back roads, cars (he is restoring an old Mercedes Benz), business and lifestyles in the US and Germany.  We also got around to talking about spiritual matters...the difference between "religion" and "relationship," how we can make our spiritual lives, and our churches relevant and meaningful instead of inapplicable and insignificant.  We actually talked with him into his lunch hour, and when we apologized, he said, "No, please don't apologize, I enjoy our conversations!  I feel like I can talk freely with you!"  It was really nice.  He speaks great English to Carol, and helps me with my Germany by speaking, and requiring me to speak German. 

After that meeting we walked back to our flat, where we continued to unpack boxes from our US shipment, which arrived on Wednesday.  (Which is why we did not post yesterday - we were exhausted!)  The delivery came on two pallets that had been well wrapped, and most everything arrived in great shape.  We had one small picture with broken glass, and one wall hanging with a damaged frame - but it was very minor.  Before the driver of the delivery truck had even gotten out of the cab, our friend, Orhan, from the restaurant on the ground floor, was at my side, saying, "Ich will sie helfen!"  His help was (perhaps literally) a life-saver!  Carrying the boxes, some weighing more than 60 pounds up two flights of stairs was a daunting task!  But it was complete in short order, and we began to unpack and place our clothes, wall hangings and kitchen items around the apartment. 

It was such an interesting experience to unload items from our home in the US that we had not seen since the end of July.  We were thrilled to open the box with our winter coats and sweaters!  We were not so thrilled with the boxes of dishes and flatware (our friends her had provided both for us when we arrived.)  The familiarity of blankets and pillows, pictures and wall-hangings - even favorite coffee mugs - make the place feel more like home.

At 5:00 our new friends Kristen and Steven came over, and we spent about an hour catching up with them before heading over to the Maxwell's for our Thanksgiving dinner.  Our regular Thursday night Bible study group gathered for a traditional meal.  A beautiful turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, cranberries, pecan pie and pumpkin roll, with a side of PACKER football, and great friends, made for a delightful evening.  There were about 20 people in attendance.  We had a chance to share the gospel very directly with a girl who was concerned about doing something bad and going to hell.  I explained that our eternal destiny in hell or heaven is not determined by our good or bad deeds - we can't be good enough!  Only by our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus - and the love of God who sent His only Son to pay the penalty for our sins can we be certain of our eternal home.  When we trust Him as our Lord, our focus changes - we don't worry about not doing the bad - but we focus on doing the right - pleasing our Father in heaven, and "living a life worthy of the calling we have received" as His children.  Pray for her.  That the Holy Spirit will be at work in her young heart.

As I reflect on it, what more is there to be thankful for on this day than the salvation we have in Christ?  Obviously, nothing else comes close. 

"Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky."

~Frederick Lehman

22 November - The Line, The Wrench & The Wardrobe

Today was a great, but exhausting day.  It started out with us finalizing the purchase of our car.  You might remember that a dear brother in Christ from the Frankfurt area, who had been transferred by his company to Singapore, sold us his Opel Meriva.  It is a great vehicle, and he was very good to us!  He inadvertently sent the registration papers to Singapore, however, so we had to wait for his boxes to arrive, the papers to be retrieved, and then sent back to Germany before we could complete the transaction.  Today was the day.

We went to the Department of Transportation center in Darmstadt, with all our official papers from the car and our residency in Germany.  The system was very efficient - there was actually no line!  We had the title transfered, selected our new license plate numbers, had the plates made while we waited, and installed the plates on the car in less than an hour.  We had hoped to continue with the same plate number as previous (PS 136) - but alas, in Darmstadt that number was already taken.  So we went with my Old Testament Life Verse PRoverbs 3:5-6.  Our new plate number is PR 356.

While driving back from the DOT, I received a text message from the furniture store that our Wardrobes were in!  So Carol and I headed off to the Moemax store to pick up two wardrobes - a large one for our bedroom, and a moderate sized one for the guest room/office.  We had also arranged to use a Moemax transport truck to bring them back to our apartment as they would not fit in our car.  The two wardrobes came in 12 shrink-wrapped packages of doors, mirrors, shelves, hardware, etc.  It took us about an hour and 15 minutes to get them to our apartment, unload them off the truck, carry them up two flights of stairs, and return the truck.

Then the fun begins!  Break out the wrench, the screwdrivers, the glue, and the step ladder, and start assembly!  We worked from about 4:00 until after 10:00 assembling the large unit for our bedroom.  We did take a short break for dinner at about 8:00. It went together pretty well, except for the missing hardware for two of the drawers...it has been re-ordered, and will be here in just two weeks!

The timing couldn't have been better - tomorrow we get our shipment from the US - our clothes finally arrive, and now we have something to put them in!  Of course that means A LOT of trips up and down the stairs - but it's a great cardio workout!

Along the way we had a chance to tell another salesman at the furniture store about the new church in Darmstadt.  He was genuinely interested, and we were able to leave a card with him.  We will be seeing him again on Thursday!  Pray for Mr. Saalan!

20 November - Small World

A few weeks ago, I received a message through our Facebook page from a woman whose husband had just been transferred to Darmstadt.  They were going to be looking for a church in the city, and had come across our Facebook page.  I shared with her that we were just getting started with a new church plant, and that we would love to meet with them and talk after they arrived.

The got here 5 days ago, and we emailed a few times about connecting this weekend.  This morning we met at a church in Darmstadt, then went out for lunch together at La Hacienda Mexican restaurant just a few doors from our apartment.  Steve and Kristen are a delightful young couple, and we had a great time getting to know them and talking about our journeys to this time and place.

Mathilden Hohe & Russian Orthodox Chapel

I mentioned to Kristen that I had noticed that on her Facebook page she has Follansbee, West Virginia as her home town.  Follansbee is a steel making city of less than 3,000.  You should have seen her face when I told her that I attended first and second grade in Follansbee!  And when I told her that my parents live in New Cumberland, just a few miles north of there, she said that her grandparents were from New Cumberland.  When I talked to my mom later tonight, I asked her about Kristen's grandma - they went to High School together back in 1957!!!

Weihnachtsmarkt Darmstadt

It was a really fun day showing Steve and Kristen around our new home town.  We walked from our apartment to the city center, around the "platz" where the Weinachtsmarkt (Christmas Market) opens tomorrow.  There were people doing the last minute set up in the kiosks, but it was generally quiet downtown (stores and shops are closed on Sunday in Germany).  We checked out the "schloss" (palace), and the St Ludwig's Cathedral.  Then we got in the car, and drove to a few other sites around the city.

Schloss Darmstadt (1715)

A great day, and a great start to our week.  This week looks to be an eventful one.  Monday a plumber comes to do some work in our bath, Tuesday we will finalize the purchase and registration of the car, Wednesday is the delivery of our US shipment, Thursday we will celebrate Thanksgiving with our church family, and Friday we have some winter service done on the car (snow tires, oil change, etc.).  All along the way, the chance to meet and engage new people and share the love of Christ!  Thanks for your prayers and love!

19 November - Out & About

It was a beautiful day in Darmstadt!  We woke up this morning to bright sunshine streaming in through the tiny gaps in the rolladen...

We took about a 4.5 - 5 mile around the perimeter of the old US Army facility just West of our home.  The base itself is fenced off and inaccessible, but further to the West is a large wooded area, where we had a delightful walk, enjoying the autumn sun, the rustling leaves and the crisp air.

We came home, had a nice breakfast, did some reading, then headed off to do some "sale-ing."  We  had been given a heads up about a family from Frankfurt who were returning to the US.

Carol drove up to Frankfurt!  It was her first experience of the Autobahn - she did fantastic - cruising along at 100 mph while I enjoyed the scenery.  (Which, for you airplane geeks, included the landing of an Airbus A380 - the largest passenger airliner in the world, just as we were going by the Frankfurt airport - very cool!)

The sale featured lots of great stuff.  We were able to get a washer and dryer for 50 Euros!  Used, but that's OK!  The washer is a little older, but the dryer is only 2 years old.  A great bargain, and it will be nice to do laundry at  home without carrying it 8 blocks to the nearest "Wasch-salon."

We heard, via the internet, from three Americans who live in Darmstadt, and are making plans to meet them.  One contact is actually a couple who are brand new arrivals in the area, the others are individuals who've been here a few months.  There are a couple of social events for Internationals coming up the last week of November.  One is through a group called InterNations - the other is at the US Consulate in Frankfurt.  We are planning to attend both, and are hopeful that we will make new connections there.

Tonight Carol made a very nice dinner, (Mexican pork steaks, Spanish rice, American green beans and Greek Yogurt for desert - even are meals are international!) and we are going to watch some college football on the TV before crashing.

As we walked today, Carol asked, "So is living in Germany everything you dreamed it would be?"  (I have felt that God was calling me to Germany since I was 14, so it's been a life-long desire.)  I replied, "Actually, yes, it is! It is wonderful!  I feel so at home and 'comfortable'."  God has been incredibly good to us, and we know that we are blessed far beyond what we deserve - it's all by His grace and mercy.  We also know that there will be challenges and disappointments in the future.  Jesus told His disciples, "In this world you will have trouble..."  But He also immediately said, "but take heart! I have overcome the world."  (John 16:33)  We thank Him for the good times, and pledge to be faithful  and praise-filled when the troubles come!

19 November - Out & About

It was a beautiful day in Darmstadt!  We woke up this morning to bright sunshine streaming in through the tiny gaps in the rolladen...

We took about a 4.5 - 5 mile around the perimeter of the old US Army facility just West of our home.  The base itself is fenced off and inaccessible, but further to the West is a large wooded area, where we had a delightful walk, enjoying the autumn sun, the rustling leaves and the crisp air.

We came home, had a nice breakfast, did some reading, then headed off to do some "sale-ing."  We  had been given a heads up about a family from Frankfurt who were returning to the US.

Carol drove up to Frankfurt!  It was her first experience of the Autobahn - she did fantastic - cruising along at 100 mph while I enjoyed the scenery.  (Which, for your airplane geeks, included the landing of an Airbus A380 - the largest passenger airliner in the world, just as we were going by the Frankfurt airport).

The sale featured lots of great stuff that they were selling.  We were able to get a washer and dryer for 50 Euros!  Used, but that's OK!  The washer is a little older, but the dryer is only 2 years old.  A great bargain, and it will be nice to do laundry at  home without carrying it 8 blocks to the nearest "Wasch-salon."

We heard from three Americans who live in Darmstadt via the internet, and are making plans to meet them.  One is a couple are brand new arrivals in the area, the others are individuals who've been here a few months.  There are a couple of social events for Internationals coming up the last week of November.  One is through a group called InterNations - the other is at the US Consulate in Frankfurt.  We are planning to attend both, and are hopeful that we will make new connections there.

Tonight Carol made a very nice dinner, (Mexican pork steaks, Spanish rice, American green beans and Greek Yogurt for desert - even are meals are international!) and we are going to watch some college football on the TV before crashing.

As we walked today, Carol asked, "So is living in Germany everything you dreamed it would be?"  (I have felt that God was calling me to Germany since I was 14, so it's been a life-long desire.)  I said, "Actually, yes. It is wonderful!  I feel so at home and 'comfortable'."  God has been incredibly good to us, and we know that we are blessed far beyond what we deserve - it's all by His grace and mercy.  We also know that there will be challenges and disappointments in the future.  Jesus told His disciples, "In this world you will have trouble..."  But He also immediately said, "but take heart! I have overcome the world."  (John 16:33)  We thank Him for the good times, and pledge to be faithful  and praise-filled when the troubles come!

18 November - Getting Stuff Done

Today was a day of clearing some hurdles.

We walked down to the Stadthaus, or city hall.  We have an appointment there on December 6 to continue work on our visa, but our tourist visa expires just a couple of days later, on December 9.  We were concerned that it might be too close for comfort.  So we went there to see if we could get an extension on the tourist visa.  We ended up waiting in a hall for over an hour with other people who had similar "auslander" (foreigner) issues.  One young woman who was there was Chinese, and did not speak any German, but spoke English pretty well.  Her husband is a student at the Technical University.  She asked what brought us to Germany, and when we told her, she seemed genuinely interested.  We gave her our business card, and she indicated that she would be getting in touch with us.

When we got to meet with a city official, we were told we could not get an extension on our tourist visa, but the woman gave us an application for the visa, and stamped it effective yesterday, which, she told us, will prevent any problems with the tourist visa expiring.  Praise the Lord!

After that meeting, we walked down to the local car insurance office that has been recommended to us.  We had previously met Herr Beck, a 30-something gentleman who is an agent there.  He is a great guy.  Speaks very good English to Carol, but because he knows I am trying to get better at my German, he speaks only German to me, and will only let me speak German to him.  He's been to the US a few times, most recently in San Francisco last month.  He also speaks French.  He lives in Wiesbaden, about 45 minutes from Darmstadt, but we have an IBC church there - so perhaps we can encourage him to attend one day. We had a very nice visit, and got the car insured, which now allows us to change over the registration at the city hall - another appointment there!

We continued our daily walk to the St Ludwig's church in Darmstadt, which we had not visited previously.  It was a familiar design as we walked in, and then Carol picked up an English brochure and read that the church is designed after the Pantheon in Rome - which was just around the corner from our flat there.  There are a couple of holiday concerts coming up at the church, and we may take advantage of those.

Upon our arrival back home, we checked our email, and found that our shipment from the US has cleared German Customs and will be delivered to our apartment in Darmstadt next Wednesday!  That is a huge blessing, as the weather is getting cooler each day, and our winter clothing is in those boxes.  We will be able to put our familiar wall hangings up, and make the apartment more like home in the weeks to come.  Carol and I have usually decorated for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving, which is next Friday, so some of those boxes will get immediate use!

We then printed up copies of a Family Advent Devotional that we can distribute that include information about the new church efforts in Darmstadt.  Later in the day we took another walk to the local Staples for supplies, and stopped at the Golden Arches Coffee Bistro for a Latte (well, Carol had a McFlurry, I had a Latte!)

In the evening we Skyped with Nicole and Asher - always a blessing.

Pray for Loo Nah - the Chinese woman we met today, and for Herr Beck - the car insurance agent.  We want to build friendships leading to evangelism with all the people God brings across our path.

Thanks for your prayers!

17 November - Praying & Planning

Tonight we had a great meeting of our Darmstadt planning team.  We had several new people join the group this week, and it was a fun time!  Kevin and Nicole are brother and sister who live in, and are from the Darmstadt area.  Nicole has lived in Madrid for a couple of years, and has recently moved back home to Darmstadt.  Kevin is 18 and is in an apprenticeship in business management in the city.  We met them at church in Oberursel this past week, and they were excited to hear about a new International Church in their city!

Mark also joined us this week.  He works at the US Military post in Darmstadt, and is the third person we have welcomed to the team from Dagger.  Mark is a great guy (from West Virginia!!!), and it is a blessing to have him join us for Bible study, prayer, and  planning.

Nicole, Kevin and Mark joined the rest of the group tonight in doing a bit of strategic planning.  We were all given post it notes, and asked to think through what the first worship service of the new church will look like when it takes place in the future sometime.  We were encouraged to write down each element of the experience as we envisioned it - for example, "someone greeted me at the door with a smile,"  "there were clear directions to the rest rooms," "the lyrics for the songs were easily available and read," "the nursery was clean and safe..."

Then the post it notes from each person were put on a large piece of paper that had been unrolled on the wall, and they were separated into categories ("spiritual," "physical," technical," "relational," etc.) and duplicates combined.  We discussed them as we reviewed each major item.

In future weeks, we will begin to look at how we begin to pray, work and prepare in order to get from where we are TODAY, in order to arrive at THAT DAY with all the essential ingredients in place.

It was a fun activity, and a very important step in the process of planting the church.

On a personal level, we are still waiting to hear about our shipment from the US.  Our boxes have arrived in Germany, and are in Hamburg, awaiting Customs clearance.  We have sent off the paperwork, and paid the fees.  Now we wait for the government officials to release the shipment for the final delivery by truck to our door.  Pray that there are no setbacks or delays.  We would love to have access to our winter clothing and coats as the temperatures drop below freezing.

We are also finalizing the purchase of the car this week.  The paperwork from the owner in Singapore has made it back to Germany, and we are getting our insurance in place so that we can register and license the car in our name.  Just another of the steps to officially being settled in Germany.

God is so good.  Thank you for your prayerful support of us and the work God  has called us to.  God bless you.

1 November - Home Again

Hi everyone!

It has been a very busy couple of weeks.  We have been spending more and more time at our apartment, which did not have internet until yesterday, so there has been less opportunity for Skype, Blog, phone and email.  We also had an incident with the laptop computer - the screen somehow got cracked - we were using it in the morning at our apartment, then packed it up to take it to the Maxwell's and when we got there, it was cracked.  The Maxwells generously loaned us an external monitor, which we are able to use with the laptop.  Praise the Lord, it is under warranty and will be repaired at no charge.

Last week we were in Rome for a week of meetings.  We had a New Pastor's Orientation with the International Baptist Convention, followed by two days for the Convention's annual business meeting, followed by a meeting of LEAD Teams, where we do strategic planning for new churches around the world.  It was an amazing time of learning, fellowship and forward-looking with a wonderful group of Christ-followers.

This week we have our kitchen installation on Thursday, a visit from a couple of friends from the States, and a meeting of our Darmstadt Church Plant Team.  We have heard from some more interested people, including university students from Korea, and new arrivals from the US.  Pray for us as we prepare to go to Madrid, where we will be speaking at the IBC Single's Retreat.  We will update more when we catch our breath!

Pictures from our Roman Adventure can be found at:  https://picasaweb.google.com/111647787508890220265/IBCMeetingRome

17 October - Settling In

Wow!  I can't believe that two weeks have passed since our last post to the Blog!  Sorry!  A big part of the reason is that we are spending more time at our apartment, getting it ready for move-in, and we don't have internet access there yet.

"Thank the Lord & Ikea!"

We have been very busy.  We have purchased some furniture, and received the supplies that were donated by Frontline Community in Ramstein.  Thanks to the Lord and Ikea, we have a bed in our apartment!  We really felt blessed by the whole process.  We had a hard time finding what we wanted, but when we did find the right one, it was at a really low price.  When we went to purchase the springs/mattresses, they were half-price!  We have actually spent one night at the place - and it was great!  The sounds of the traffic outside were very minimal, and did not wake us at all.  Almost all German homes have "rolladen" on the exterior of the windows.  These are wooden or aluminum "blinds" that are raised or lowered from inside...they work great at night for blocking out light, sound, weather, and for added security.

"Rolladen"

We installed ceiling light fixtures in all the rooms but the living room, and are working on our bathroom medicine cabinet and shower curtain at the moment.  Today an electrician came and hooked up the water heater (somehow that had been missed in the remodel work).  Carol spent a lot of time today working on the door latches in the apartment - they had been painted as part of the renovation, and some of them were not working properly - but she did a great job of getting them ready for action.  When you come to visit us, and are able to close and lock your door - be sure to thank Carol!  We also recorded a brief video update for our friends back at Gateway Community Church in Mayville.

Living/Dining Room

Last week Pastor Darryl came from Ramstein with a truck full of the furniture that was donated by the folks there.  He also brought a strong young airman from the base named Ken to help carry everything up two flights of stairs!  We also had help from Dennis, a new friend from the Darmstadt area.  It was so exciting!  Like Christmas morning in October!

We got sofa and chairs, coffee table and end tables, lamps, dining room furniture, and tons of small wares - 8 fans, 2 room air conditioners, 3 irons, 3 toasters, 2 televisions, lots of Rubbermaid and Pampered Chef items, two sets of dishes, flatware, glasses, blankets, towels, curtains, more than a dozen European extension/power cords!

Living/Dining Room

The last major hurdle is the kitchen.  We have decided on the kitchen, had a technician come and double check our measurements, (always a good idea when Bob is working in metric...well, any time Bob is measuring!) and tomorrow we go to the store to place the final order.  Hopefully it will be in place in two weeks...we'll see.

Our boxes from the US will arrive in mid-November, with our "touches of home."  It will be great to put a few things on the wall and around the place that have that familiar feel and look.

Carol & Melanie (two pastors' wives) at ICF, Oberursel

We've had a couple of great weekends - Bob was asked to preach at the Wiesbaden church two weeks ago when the pastor there had to make an emergency trip to the States.  It was especially fun because he got to play drums with the worship team - which is led by Stewart and Judith Lynn Maxwell, our hosts during these first months.  Last week we worshiped and shared at International Christian Fellowship in Oberursel, which is a suburb north of Frankfurt.  We met lots of people there who are very interested in our work in Darmstadt.  Some live close by, others work in Darmstadt.  It was very encouraging to worship with both of these great churches that are so supportive of our work.

ICF Worship Center

Our vision/mission team has met each week, praying, sharing and having fun together.  We are anticipating some new faces in the weeks to come - pray for us as we sharpen our focus and keep our eyes and ears open for new members of the team.  Pray for the people that each of us has in our circle of friends who are not yet followers of Christ.  Pray that we will have boldness and sensitivity - clarity and simplicity - grace and love as we build relationship with those around us so that the Holy Spirit might use us to accomplish His work of drawing people to God.

Lunch with some friends!

Pray for us as we prepare to leave this Sunday for Rome.  We will be attending the International Baptist Convention annual meeting, followed by a LEAD Team meeting, and will return on Sunday, 30 October.  Pray also as we prepare to speak at the IBC Singles Retreat in Madrid the following weekend, 4-6 November.  Pray for safety in travel, and wisdom in sharing from the Word of God.

Italian Pizza, German Restaurant,
Bulgarian Soda!  Gotta love it!

We would love to hear from you!  Drop us a note on facebook, Twitter, email, or snail-mail...all the information is below:

We love you all!  Thanks for your prayers and support!

Pastor Bob & Carol Marsh

Eschollbrücker Straße 3

64285 Darmstadt

Germany

email: bobthepastor@gmail.com / carolmarsh72657@gmail.com

facebook: bobthepastor  / carolmarsh72657
SKYPE: pastorbobmarsh / carollynnmarsh

Twitter: @pastorbobmarsh

3 October - Tag Der Einheit

Today was a national holiday in Germany.  October 3 is celebrated each year as "Tag Der Deutche Einheit" - The Day of Germany Unity.  It was on that date in 1990 that Germany was officially reunited after 40+ years of separation of East and West.  For all those years, Germany served as the visible symbol of a divided world.  But there was much more than a political and philosophical division.  A people were torn assunder - friends and families suffered and grieved over the loss of intimacy and fellowship for a generation

I thought of the significance of the day several times over the weekend.  On Saturday we travelled to Bielefeld, Germany to speak at the International Baptist Church located there.  As we drove there and back, the Autobahn was filled with families travelling to get in one more weekend of great summer-like weather before fall and winter arrive.  And it was a beautiful weekend!  But I wonder how many people really thought about the significance of their holiday weekend.  Has it become like so many of the National holidays in the US and other countries, where we make the most of our opportunity to enjoy a day off work, and indulge in play, food and fun, with little regard to the original meaning of the day?  I suspect that as the years pass (it is alreay 21 years since Germany was re-united), that the significance of the event will be lost...

Worship at International Baptist
Church, Bielefeld

As we worshipped on Sunday morning with our brothers and sisters at Bielefeld, I was struck by the fact that every day is reunification day for the follower of Jesus Christ!  And we have much more to celebrate than any nation or people have.  In Ephesians 2:13 Paul wrote, "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ." He further wrote in Colossians 1:21 "But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation--" Inspired by those words, Daniel Webster Whittle wrote the words to a hymn in 1891:

Once far from God and dead in sin,

No light my heart could see;

But in God's Word the light I found,

Now Christ liveth in me.

Christ liveth in me,
Christ liveth in me;
Oh! what a salvation this,
That Christ liveth in me.

If you have discovered reunification with God through the blood of Christ, then you have reason to worship every day - not just on Sunday - and certainly not just on some holiday on a calendar.  If you have not experienced the amazing salvation, it is available to you by God's grace.  You can recieve the gift of reconciliation - and celebrate your own Tag der Einheit!

I am aware that a week has passed since we last posted a blog.  It has been quite a week!  We spent Wednesday taking posession of our apartment.  That turned out to be a longer event than we planned!  We walked through the apartment, noting any problems, taking pictures, writing down meter readings for water, electricity and heat.  Those all got entered onto a contract.  Then we had to pay the deposit.  In Germany, the security deposit is held in a joint savings account in the name of the renter and the owner.  Opening that account took some time at a local bank.  Then we went back to the apartment and began to do some cleaning while the realtor went to the owner to have him sign the contracts.  We went to the Pizza/Gyros/Kabob stand that is just below our apartment, and got two sandwiches for our first meal in our new home.  The owner was there, Orlan, a very nice young man from Turkey.  The sandwich was great!  I told him he would be seeing a lot of us! (If I keep eating those sandwiches, he will be seeing more and more of me!)

First meal in our new place!

Thursday and Friday were spent purchasing basic cleaning supplies for the house, washing windows, floors and shelves; sweeping the balconies, and taking measurements for the kitchen.  We have done some shopping for the kitchen, but have not done enough work on it to make a decision yet.  We have done some shopping for bedroom furniture, too.  We got our electricity account opened, learned how to do electronic banking in Germany, and even paid our first month's rent.  We also contacted our shippers, and gave them our new address so that our winter clothes can be shipped ASAP!  By the way, our new mailing address in Germany is:

Bob & Carol Marsh
Escholbrücker Str. 3
64285 Darmstadt
Germany

Wisconsin???

Due to some scheduling conflicts, we moved our "Mission, Vision & Prayer" meeting to Friday night.  It was a wonderful time!  We spent the great majority of it praying for the people of Darmstadt who do not know Jesus.  We prayed specifically for the individuals in our own little circles of friends who do not yet know Him, and we prayed that we might live Christ-like before them, and share Christ with them.  It was so great to hear the heart of each person there for their friends, family and co-workers who have not been "re-united" with God.

Our weekend of ministry in Bielefeld was a great time!  We had a beautiful drive through central Germany.  The Autobahn was very crowded, and on several occasions, our GPS would direct us to back roads to avoid a "stau," the infamous German traffic jam.  We loved it!  Though the speeds are greatly reduced, we loved driving on more country roads, through small towns and villages.  It was simply beautiful, and remided us of our homes in Wisconsin, Minnesota and West Virginia (except for the castles, of course)!

Oh, maybe not!!!

 
This week includes more settling in the apartment - we hope to find and settle on a kitchen, bedroom and other furnishings.  We would love to get the stuff that was collected for us in Ramstein and bring it to Darmstadt, now that we have a place for it to land!  We will be setting up our telephone/intenet/television plan and installing light fixtures.  We are also on the "cleaning crew" for the apartment building this week - so we need to learn our responsibility and take care of it (it's a rotation of tenants cleaning stairways, etc., and we are on this week).

All along the way, we meet people.  People like Orlan, at the restaurant; our realtor, Kolja, who has promised to come to the church when we open; Peter, our building manager, who is about our age and lives above us with his wife and daughter; and Jennifer, the kitchen sales associate we met at the local "Home Depot"-style store. 

That is the work of church planting.  Actually, it's the call each of us has as followers of Jesus - to live life in the midst of people who are blinded to the truth of the gospel, and bring the light of the love of Christ to them where they are, as they are, no matter who they are.  That's our life's calling - to bring the good news of reunification between God and humanity to those who are still, in Paul's words "far away."  Pray for us as we live out that call - and be the heralds of the good news in your circle, too!