Community....

I am moved by what Peter Hoover, a friend wrote about visiting a christian community:

Our trip to the Danthonia Community goes down as one of the best trips we have ever taken -- relaxing, thoroughly enjoyable, and the kind one can spend a long time thinking about and learning from.

The most valuable thing, for me, was to see how an entire community can function so well with so little preaching and so little emphasis on rules and order. Yet, through opening themselves to the Spirit's leading, and to one another, the brothers and sisters living there have to a very large degree attained exactly what all of us strive after and long for. They live one with another in peace. They enjoy one another's presence, and they have a large number of eager, spiritually-minded young people throwing themselves into the cause.

What it takes, the Danthonia believers told me, is for everyone to become inwardly silent to where we can hear God speaking to us. Too many times we meet, not to listen, but to tell one another everything we know. That way nobody learns anything and no one can hear the voice of God at all.

Once again Hafiz

Start seeing everything as God.
But keep it a secret.

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Wednesday, March 04, 2009 @ 14:53

Faith and lightness

One of my favorite poets, the Persian poet Hafiz, who lived approximately 1320 - 1389 and whose poetry has an enormously lightness, joy and a deep knowledge of God.


What is the difference
Between your experience of Existence
And that of a saint?

The saint knows
That the spiritual path
Is a sublime chess game with God.

And that the Beloved
Has just made such a Fantastic Move

That the saint is now continually
Tripping Over Joy
And Bursting out in Laughter
And saying, "I Surrender!"
Whereas, my dear,
I am afraid you still think
You have a thousand serious moves.

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Wednesday, March 04, 2009 @ 14:50

Hear words

This morning I once again listened to a recording of John's Gospel, with cool background music. I see that it affects me differently when I hear God's word, as if I read it. I will do it again.

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Wednesday, March 04, 2009 @ 08:31

Building parish halls

Yesterday I found an appointment slip of a Berlin Christian community on the subway. There stood among other things:
In future Michaela Meissner* offers on every 1st and 3 Saturday of the month, a child-care in the community, so the parents can help building. "
Practical and good hearted.

* Name changed

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Wednesday, March 04, 2009 @ 08:28

Questions

I like good questions. They often inspire much more than many and premature responses. For this reason I have three impulse booklets published: questions of faith, discovery questions and power questions.
Christians in Hamburg, started the "Hamburg is asking" portal on which smart questions are asked and answered. eg
- If the last shirt has pockets what would you take with you?
- Whose enemy are you?
- Could your recommend your current life partner?
- What exactly do you think when your favorite football team wins?
...
I think this is a good way to start talking with people.

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 @ 08:54

How do I meet God?

Just used my lunch break to test on the website of the natural community development "How do you meet God?", where you can find out which approaches to God are the best for yourself
For me, no big surprise: I experience God most when all five senses are addressed, also have a mystical streak, like liturgy, thinking happy to share and be happy with others. Less mentioned, I feel pure doctrine and asceticism and dry Bible study.
The test is still exciting ... even the questions are worth thinking.

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Monday, March 02, 2009 @ 14:33

The colorful parrot is afraid

After an intense conversation with a friend about leadership, I dreamed of a colorful parrot that had fear. Even if one is no depth psychologist, it is fairly easy to interpret. I often see myself as a colorful, exotic bird - and some forms of (Christian) leadership resolve in me the pretty deep fear not to be able to live my individuality and uniqueness.
That triggers in me the question whether a Christian at all may lead another (in the context of lived community, in organizations, it´s clear)? Because the question of practical, theological and personal thoughts and experiences mix, I just try to sort apart and write - even though it is Sunday - my thoughts down (when it's finished, I tell you). But this is better than to leave confused buzz around in your head - even if you feel as a colorful parrot.

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Sunday, February 15, 2009 @ 14:06

Life not death

Recently I read a nice book description about "Christianity Beyond Belief" which is specifically addressed to the American Christians, but the trend, to reduce the faith in a system of truths, only to be true, but not lived, are here also:

You've prayed the sinners prayer's. You know that if you died tonight, you'll go to heaven. But Todd hunter believes that Christianity is a life, not merely a secure death. Which means that eternal life ... begins on earth as soon as we become followers of Jesus.

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Thursday, February 12, 2009 @ 14:38

If God is silent

The decision, to read at least one old book for every new book that I buy is extremely good. I recently read "God on mute". Pete Greig, Head of 24-7 Prayer, an international prayer movement, which, as he says, has spread the earth faster than Pepsi, is enthusiastic about thousands of stories to tell us how he experienced God`s answers to his prayers and the prayers of others. But he also knows the painful side - to have to experience that God didn´t hear his deepest prayers and his cry for healing for his young wife suffering from cancer... I was very touched, much like The Shack, which deals with question of suffering in the form of a story. I read it in the train on the way home from Magdeburg where I had spoken in the Baptist Church of Saxony-Anhalt. It was very moving there. Christians from 18 denominations who live their faith in their world - completely different, but with love and sincerity. I spoke about SWING. balance in your life ... and I'm always happy myself when I feel or hear of people that some thoughts were helpful for them.

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Saturday, January 31, 2009 @ 19:27

Where will he blow?

A much-quoted biblical quote is "The Spirit blows where he wants!" (Jn 3, 8, slightly shorter quoted). Mostly it is used in the meaning that you anyway can not know what God wants to do, only the possibility to see what happens. Sometimes that is a deadly argument against planning and consideration.
I myself - as it was cited once again in a working meeting in this sense today - thought about if this is so. And quite cheeky thought about how it would be what you would say about me.
"Kerstin is where she wants!" People who know me, you can pretty well predict where I will act. I find myself in places that are beautiful, bright, open and inspirational. Musty, narrow, bland and cold places, however, repel me. Then I like to go to places where I am endowed - as that can be quite diverse. I am reluctant to where people keep to themselves and not look for others. Finally I'm happy for people who are open, searching, learning and encountering. I don´t like to be where the "tired" are, who already know everything and want to get bored.
Whether it is with God's spirit like this or not, perhaps similar to, that his friends are not necessarily able to predict where he will appear, but at least you can guess where he feel comfortable and happy?

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Wednesday, január 28, 2009 @ 20:35

Colorful Christians in Boston

Before my eyes fall down and I will (hopefully) have a good round of sleep, a few snapshots of the worship yesterday.
A for U.S. conditions small community (60 - 100 persons), which has been for 40 years (!) in a rented room in a former slum area of Boston which developed, like all slums in the city to a slightly better, although still relatively poor region. Throughout the city there is no real slums more - earlier, there were dozens. This has, among many other factors also with the Christians to do, which is actively committed to their neighborhood and the people involved and a lot of social programs launch or participate in existing programs.
What this is like, I could see on Sunday morning. Around 60 people came despite the snow storm to the "Church", whose windows were laminated with blue insulating film to keep the cold outside. "Nice, that the pastor has turned up the heating, which he does not always." told me a black American.
By drinking coffee and tea, which stood on a wobbly old desk and which was organized by Carmen, a Hispanic woman who no longer could see, but the better cook, we came into the conversation.
On that day these people were at the church:
- About 30 white, 10 Hispanics, 10 Asian and 10 African-American
- Of which about 10 homeless people or people who have just returned to the connection to the company found that several drug addicts (three told me directly and openly of their addiction problems, I suspect there were more), some employees, and also still about 10 teachers and Students at Harvard University.
All guests were greeted (there were about 5 new people), when the pastor asked, to tell what people had experienced with God a woman told that she finally found an apartment(and does not live any longer on the street), while another said, that it is just shitty, and that he no longer knows what to do next and then a man thanked a couple from the community, that they helped him as he had a relapse of the drug. And a man told how he called his dealer and had asked him to bring drugs but then didn´t take them.
After the sermon, there was still an issue that was discussed in small groups, and then we prayed together.
Lively, close, pretty realistic, I was very touched.
Doug told me, that out of this community have developed many other communities - in Boston and other places - where Christians with the same "genetics" of care, love, openness and honesty with each other lives and shape their environment. A team has looked at how many similar projects / communities have emerged through this community and its offshoots. There are about 400 subsidiaries and grandchildren and grandgrandchildren communities. This has touched me greatly.

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Monday, January 12, 2009 @ 19:50

Faith is ...

Yesterday I - incidentally, when I wrote an e-mail - found a wording that is what faith is for me:
Faith is to trust that God and I can form things hand in hand.

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Thursday, January 08, 2009 @ 15:35

Religion of the New Yorker

In Barnes + Noble, a large, four-floor bookstore on Union Square, there are stacks of Obama puzzles and also shelves full of books.
- 18 shelves on diets, etc. (+ 6 more on fitness)
- 4 shelves on the Christian Faith (+ 1-2 to Islam, Judaism and New Age). Probably not a bad image for what is important to the New Yorkers .

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Tuesday, January 06, 2009 @ 03:03

interwoven

The beginning of the Christmas story from Luke 2 "It came to pass, however, that a command by the Emperor Augustus points out that there should be a census ..." has made me aware of how much God's story is interwoven in our history. With the major world history - here the Roman Empire and its tax statistics and censuses, but also with a very personal story. Faith can only be practiced in a specific historical, cultural and personal context, does not exist somehow as "pure, detached something" like this. "Pure Faith" can not be defined, and even less lived. Always just "associated belief" that looks at us and our reality and connects to our lives and will shape and form.

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Wednesday, December 24, 2008 @ 22:41

Starting small

Sometimes I'm impatient and would like, to see results quickly with what I am doing. That is precisely why I am very touched that Christmas reminds me that even God startet small and engaged himself on the process of growth and maturity.

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Saturday, December 20, 2008 @ 11:16

Adults Communications

Every Tuesday I meet with a small group of friends to share faith and life. At the last meeting, we talked a lot about communication. A woman said that she (and many other women) wish that men read wishes from the eyes and that they think this is an expression of true love.
Thought: Hmm. If this is the expression of true love, why does not even God do it - although he is probably the only person who will ever be in a position to be able to. But even he expected to request that we speak openly and clearly. "You have nothing, because you do not ask" James describes the results of not formulated and expressed ideas.
Perhaps, therefore, because formulating desires gives a lot of energy. Yesterday I spoke with a woman in terms of future prospects. She told me much about what she no longer wants. I asked her to formulate what she wants instead. Reaction: surprised silence - and then very powerful formulation with shining eyes: "I want that!"
Perhaps God therefore does not read our desires of the eyes, because it is an expression of his love, and to respect us as a comparison to be taken seriously.
I find it exciting. What do you think?

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Saturday, December 13, 2008 @ 09:14

Prayer

Prayer is to have secrets with God. Monika Deitenbeck-Goesberg

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Thursday, December 04, 2008 @ 14:24

Jewish humour: tears, laughter

Here is the extract of the article, which has inspired me [even the title is awesome].

You may suspect that it as an origin experience of the Jewish people: About someone to laugh, even if it is God, must not end in disaster. On the contrary: self-doubting laughter can mean self defense and can even turn in a laughter of joy.
And this story shows something else: laughter in Judaism may also be a manifestation of a ring with his Creator. The wrestling with God runs like a thread through the history of the Israelites [...] Israel is translated: "The quarrel with God." A struggle for the realization to the faith. A growing dispute culture for centuries, even carried out with humour, ultimately to get even deeper answers about God and his creation.

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Thursday, November 20, 2008 @ 13:36

God´s laughter

A crazy story. An old cattle raiser couple in the Middle East - she is already far beyond the menopause, he is also quite elderly - has visitors. God, sais that the old lady will become pregnant in a year. The idea of sex and pregnancy exhilarates her so much that she begins to laugh:

That's why she laughed at herself and said: Now I'm old, should I still maintain the love, and my Lord [= husband] is also old!


A beautiful description that they didn´t have much sex.
On her laughter God responds with a question to Abraham:

Why does Sara laugh and say: Do you think it is true that I will still give birth, but I'm old? should anything be impossible to the LORD? "


Sara feels obviously caught and reacts with Defense:

Since Sara denied and said: I have not laughed - because she was afraid. But he said: It is not like that, you laughed.

I read this story with my German cultural shaped glasses and imagined God critically with a lifted finger: You shouldn´t love about God! Actually I would have expected that God would let Sara wait again 90 years on a child because of their disbelief.
Perhaps the tone of the story was quite differently. Perhaps a warm, fatherly, divine word: "You can trust me - calm. I can do it. You've laughed, that's fine ... I don´t like your anxiousness and denial."
The God, the Jews knew, is not small-minded and primarily considered on "decent behavior". In some ways the Jews are much more emancipated with God than most good Christians. They dare to work with him and to argue openly and authentically in front of him. When God some years before told Abraham about his son he reacted the same way as Sara: "As Abraham fell on his face and laughed." On his face covered - Expressing deep adoration and awe of God - with almost disbelief laugh about what God has just said, is to combine an extremely risky combination, which only in a secure, trusted relationship is conceivable.
I wonder how Sarah has probably noticed that she actually is pregnant - because she haven´t had her period for decades had covered the absence of the period as a detection is no criteria. Maybe she noticed it in the breasts, which grew again ... or to the first kicks of her child who feels as if God was tickling from inside the belly.
The irony of history: God asks Abraham to announce the child "Issak" what means either "he laughs" or "God is laughing".
Whenever the Jews say the names of their fathers tribe (Abraham = father of a quantity), Isaac (God laughs / He laughs) and Jacob (who fights with God), sounded the entire spectrum of their experience of faith: Abraham is the father of a crowd, with God on the outrageously good, he unexpectedly gives laughs, but also serious and intractable wrestles with God when he does not understand his actions.
Laughing, fighting faith!
[Were Inspired thoughts partly by a very good article in the current issue of Psychology Today (12 / 2008): Jewish Humor: tears, laughter

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Thursday, November 20 @ 09:11

It's all a matter of perspective ....

God is nowhere?
God is now here.


Sometimes just a little space helps to see new things!

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Monday, November 03, 2008 @ 08:20

Thanksgiving

This morning I celebrated Thanksgiving with a girlfriend from the USA who is on a visit here. After a good breakfast, we have written on cards and told each other what has grown this year. We wrote it on colorful notepads and I cut pictures out of magazines, which were symbolic of what I've appropriated and in the end we had a colorful box full of pictures.
It was very moving. Some change God has "simply" given as a gift, another was a hard piece of work. We were both surprised by the variety of changes. Next to the notepads of the internal changes and learning I have set up on a table all the impulse booklets, Quadros, materials, projects, which I produced or initiated in the past year. It is doing well, to see what one has created and like God in the Creation to say: "Yes, it is good!" (even though that does not fit with everything like God does). It is nice to celebrate Thanksgiving!

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Sunday, October 05, 2008 @ 19:43

Interculturally prayer for Germany

There are many Christians of non-German origin who live here and who care about our country. That is why we - Gemeinsam für Berlin(Together for Berlin) - organized an intercultural Prayer for our country on 3 October. About six hours of singing and praying with Christians from probably two dozen different nations. We prayed together for social, spiritual and social concerns that affect our country. A detailed report with pictures is on the Trans-Forum blog. My favorite: the small, Tamil worshipers in nappies on the arms of his father, giving everything!

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Sunday, October 05, 2008 @ 18:23

Church- the place of meeting

Recently I read a report about an American congregation which holds church services at the car park. The pastor stands at the entrance of the church, preaching into a microphone. The members of the congregation listen to the service in their cars in the car park via radio frequencies. After the church service, you briefly get out of the car and shake hands with the others. Only for receiving the Holy Communinon you actually have to go to church.
At first I thought: "How wacky!" and "typical American". Then I asked myself whether this really is so much different of our worship, as we sit together in chairs or benches. Often this is the case: Most sit side by side, but do not talk with each other, but listen to what is said from the front. During the worship takes place in most communities we rarely encounter each other, even if we are not separated by a tin wall, but "only" by silence. Meeting and communication is done mostly before or afterwards. If so, you can actually sit in the car, right?
The Vineyard communities are doing fairly well in Berlin. They go to the people, talk with them and offer them prayer and experience that people can encounter God. Current stories can be found on the Vineyard blog.


Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Thursday, August 28 2008 @ 10:39

Prayer

Inconceivably beautiful and true, but almost incomprehensible:

God does not want to hear something new when we pray to him, but he wants us to hear - over and over again. Eckstein, Hans-Joachim

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Thursday, 14th August @ 12:48

Freakstock Impressions

Who wants to see what Freakstock was like and who wants to hear Shane Claiborne, the author of "I must be crazy, to live like that" can do this by watching a video. It's on the page of the magazine THE RACE ... [Blog entry from 7.8.]

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Wednesday, 13th August 2008@ 18:42

What is exactly?

As I sat in the sun, I thought: God has given me - at least in some areas - exactly what I really wanted.. Therefore some

processes were needed, which I didn´t find very comfortable (eg . The long, arduous construction of the publishing house; with

it I can enrich people easier than before). But he has obviously seen my heart and my desires .... and given me that what I am

longing for ... I am alive and help others to live - even if it sometimes has cost more than I thought.

Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Wednesday, 6th August 2008 @ 8:00 a.m.

Being jealous of dead people and still enjoy being happy ?

Can I be jealous of dead people? I was today. Of King David, who writes in Psalm 21

You gave him exactly what he wanted;
You did not hold back. [Message Bible]


I cried when I read that, because I find that my life can not always say that my God has given exactly what I wanted. In some stages of life my prayers and that what God has (not) done, seem to be miles away from each other. I was / am jealous of David. Is he a favorite of God's children? Why is this not like that with myself?

As if God wanted to comfort me, I was overwhelmed with love and estimation today:
-- A client wrote me how much they appreciate that I am well organized, but still flexible
-- A friend wrote me that she has tears in her eyes when shes think of the days that she spent with me
-- A client called in just to tell me how much a book from my publishing house has helped hinm
-- Another friend wrote me a beautiful e-card to thank for our friendship
-- A priest used the holiday time, to write me how much he likes my books and magazines

Yes, that is exactly what I want: Endowing people (and even enjoy myself) ...
Yes, in some ways God gives me "exactly what I wanted" ... in some areas far more than I could think and expect to tears ... beautiful.

In other areas ... well, we still need to talk.

But for himself, David has brought together what he has experienced is also a mystery to me: contempt, violation, injustice, war, the rape of his daughter, death of several sons ... just some of the low lights in his life. How he came to the conclusion "God gave him exactly what he has requested" is a mystery to me. Maybe he did not write about themselves, but on the other King, Jesus


Originally written by Kerstin Hack on Wednesday, 6th August 2008 @ 15:39