Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Fazit III: Viele Fazits
Auf der offiziellen deutschen Seite zu Sibiu finden sich im Downloadbereich viele Berichte von Delegierten: www.oekumene3.eu/downloads.php (auf der Seite ganz nach unten scrollen)
Friday, September 14, 2007
Quotes of Sibiu
I collected some quotes of delegates - here they are:
* Catholic delegate in the age around 50 about the passive participation:
* Protestant who was already a delegate in Graz:
* Young delegate about EEA3:
* Methodist delegate about his experiences:
* Catholic delegate in the age around 50 about the passive participation:
„I’m back in school here“
* Protestant who was already a delegate in Graz:
„Nobody asked what happened to the commitments of Graz - not at any time in this week. Probably, nobody of the church leaders want to listen to, because then it’s obvious that they didn’t perform their homework“
* Young delegate about EEA3:
„If you did a conference similar to this in your own youth organisation, nobody would come a second time“
„What will you tell people, if you come home?“ Facial expression: Nothing.
* Methodist delegate about his experiences:
„I learned a lot here. Especially, how to make contributions in an undemocratic assembly.“
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Fazit II: Pressemitteilung von aej und BDKJ
Die aej und der BDKJ haben zusammen eine Pressemeldung zu Sibiu/Hermannstadt formuliert: Link
Travelling...
As most of the delegates and stewards have now returned home safely, I have heard more and more stories about people's journies. When at the Assembly, after a long and hard day, one of the floor management supervisors asked us to think about the question 'where did I meet God today?'. It was a question that I couldn't get out of my head, and many of you will have seen it written on my hand for the rest of the Assembly. Over the last couple of days it's become clear that many of us met God on our travels. I offer you my experience as an example:
The journey had been a major cause of concern for me in the run up to the Assembly. I had chosen a slightly complicated route through an area where I didn't speak the language, and I was so worried about getting lost or stranded.
I flew from London to Budapest and was getting the train from Budapest to Medias via Sibiu. Through church, I have friends in Eztergom (near Budapest), Medias and Sibiu. Not only did they help me to get from plane to train or from train to train, but they welcomed me into their homes overnight. I also met a fellow steward in Budapest meaning that I didn't have to get the train alone.
On the way home I was getting the train to Bucharest and flying back to London via Frankfurt. I was again, worried about travelling alone and about the transfers, especially because I was so tired. There turned out to be a group of 12 getting the same train to Bucharest and 3 of us got the bus together to the airport. The others had earlier flights than me and I thought that I would be waiting by myself. Only to find most of the CEC staff in the departure lounge, with the Geneva office staff on my flight to Frankfurt. I then found that the English Quaker delegation, one of whom I had met just before the Assembly, were on my flight all the way to London.
Where did I meet God on my travels? Through my friends who offered me hospitality, helped me buy tickets and put me on the right trains. Through my travelling companions who made each step of the journey more enjoyable (thanks guys). Through each kind, English-speaking stranger who helped me when I was lost. Through someone noticing I'd slept through my alarm on the last morning and waking me in time for my train. Through the beautiful scenery that passed by the train window. My list goes on and on...
The journey had been a major cause of concern for me in the run up to the Assembly. I had chosen a slightly complicated route through an area where I didn't speak the language, and I was so worried about getting lost or stranded.
I flew from London to Budapest and was getting the train from Budapest to Medias via Sibiu. Through church, I have friends in Eztergom (near Budapest), Medias and Sibiu. Not only did they help me to get from plane to train or from train to train, but they welcomed me into their homes overnight. I also met a fellow steward in Budapest meaning that I didn't have to get the train alone.
On the way home I was getting the train to Bucharest and flying back to London via Frankfurt. I was again, worried about travelling alone and about the transfers, especially because I was so tired. There turned out to be a group of 12 getting the same train to Bucharest and 3 of us got the bus together to the airport. The others had earlier flights than me and I thought that I would be waiting by myself. Only to find most of the CEC staff in the departure lounge, with the Geneva office staff on my flight to Frankfurt. I then found that the English Quaker delegation, one of whom I had met just before the Assembly, were on my flight all the way to London.
Where did I meet God on my travels? Through my friends who offered me hospitality, helped me buy tickets and put me on the right trains. Through my travelling companions who made each step of the journey more enjoyable (thanks guys). Through each kind, English-speaking stranger who helped me when I was lost. Through someone noticing I'd slept through my alarm on the last morning and waking me in time for my train. Through the beautiful scenery that passed by the train window. My list goes on and on...
Fazit
Was kam in Sibiu schlussendlich raus? Hat es sich gelohnt, für 10 Tage nach Rumänien zu fahren? Oder hätte man dieses Schaulaufen der Ökumene erst gar nicht stattfinden lassen sollen...?
1. Persönliches
Toll war auf jeden Fall, soviele interessante Menschen treffen zu können. Der Theologieprofessor aus Kalabrien, der Witze über die ’Ndrangheta macht, der Pater einer katholischen Ordensgemeinschaft, der viel offener ist, als man es sich von einem Orden vorstellt, oder orthodoxe Studierende, die der Ökumene total aufgeschlossen gegenüber stehen. Gerade die Diskussionen mit Menschen, die ganz andere Hintergründe haben als ich selbst, haben mich bereichert. So eine Diskussion über die Frage, wie wir als Christinnen und Christen von unserem Glauben sprechen und wie wir „Zeugnis“ ablegen von Christus (oder wie er es durch uns tut).
Ein anderer junger Delegierter hat für sich das Fazit gezogen: „Ich habe gelernt, wie man sich unter undemokratischen Verhältnissen trotzdem einbringen kann.“ Mir geht es ganz ähnlich. Obwohl man formal kaum mitreden kann, gibt es doch viele dieser Prozesse, die außerhalb der offiziellen Bühne ablaufen. Hier kommt es vor allem darauf an, so viele Infos wie möglich zu haben und zu wissen, wen man in welcher Form ansprechen sollte. Außerdem ist es wichtig, dass man nicht alleine ist, sondern sich mit anderen regelmäßig abspricht. Allerdings darf man auch nicht zuviel planen und absprechen, dann geht die Zeit und die Spontaneität verloren.
Gelernt habe ich auch, dass man nicht immer taktieren sollte. Eigentlich wollten wir Donnerstag vormittag einen Beitrag zum Thema Religionsfreiheit vor dem Plenum machen, er war schon fertig vorbereitet. Allerdings haben wir uns verkalkuliert, weil wir auf Nummer sicher gehen wollen und etwas die Spielregeln ändern wollten, damit dieser Beitrag in jedem Fall drankommt – das ging natürlich prompt schief. Das war echt schade; darbereitet, das kam nicht durch, weil wir zuviel taktiert hatten. Schade, damit hätten wir ein Thema angesprochen, das hier ziemlich tabuisiert wurde.
2. Die Beteiligung der jungen Delegierten
Wir jungen Leute (jung = junge Erwachsene unter 30) haben auf der Versammlung eine sehr gutes Bild abgegeben. Erstmal durch unsere gelben Mützen, durch die einfach erkennbar wurde, dass es uns gibt. Einige Leute wussten auch gleich, was Jeremia 1,7 bedeutet, andere schauten selbst nach.
Aber wir postulierten nicht nur, dass wir etwas zu sagen hätten, sondern wir sagten auch etwas:
- die Präsentation der Botschaft war genial – besser hätte es nicht laufen können. In dem Moment, wo die Stimmung ziemlich gedrückt war, präsentierten die jungen Leute mit dem St. Maurice Statement eine knappe, konkrete und nach vorne schauende Botschaft. Weil der anschließende erste Vorschlag der Abschlussbotschaft überhaupt nicht gut war, steigerte das noch die Wirkung.
- das alternative Forum, mit dem wir zum Ausdruck brachten, dass wir nicht zufrieden sind mit der zu geringen Beteiligungsmöglichkeit am Programm. Wir zeigten, dass wir spontan (am Abend zuvor) auch etwas auf die Beine stellen können.
- der Blog. Vielleicht war er an manchen Stellen zu kritisch, OK. Aber hier konnten wir unsere Kritik äußern, die woanders nicht möglich war. Und wir zeigten trotzdem, dass wir von der Ökumene an sich begeistert sind und das Voranschreiten auf dem gemeinsamen Weg uns ein großes Anliegen ist. Jetzt müssten wir nur noch wissen, wieviel Leute ihn gelesen haben. Viel Werbung haben wir dafür gemacht...
Ein paar Dinge liefen auch nicht so gut. So hatte ich den Eindruck, dass nicht alle jungen Delegierten an den gemeinsamen Aktionen teilnahmen, sondern eher passiv blieben. Auch waren die Beziehungen zwischen uns und den Stewards nicht so selbstverständlich, wie es sein könnte. Leider gab es nie ein gemeinsames Treffen, bei dem wir uns klar machen konnten, dass viele von uns ganz ähnliche Sachen wollen.
Was sollte man beim nächsten Mal also machen?
a) Unbedingt wieder einen Blog, vielleicht noch mit mehr Beteiligung und mehr Werbung im Vorfeld
b) ein Vortreffen, bei dem wir noch mehr Strategie und Abstimmungsfragen diskutieren (z.B.: Wer plant Aktionen? Wer schreibt Pressemitteilungen? Wer bereitet was für’s Plenum vor?)
c) Ein gemeinsames Treffen mit den Stewards – damit wir uns nicht als zwei Gruppen sehen, sondern als eine Gruppe junger Leute, die halt verschiedene Aufgaben hat.
d) Wieder einen Vortrupp hinschicken, die Dinge vorbereiten können.
3. Bewertung der Versammlung
Im Rückblick fällt mir etwas auf, dass mir im Vorhinein nicht so klar war. In Sibiu waren drei ganz unterschiedliche Gruppen von Personen, die alle denselben Status als Delegierte hatten: 1. kirchenpolitisch Aktive, 2. Menschen mit dem Ziel, ökumenische Fragen zu diskutieren, und 3. solche, denen vor allem die Begegnung mit Menschen anderer Konfessionen wichtig war.
Alle drei Gruppen mit einem Setting wie in Sibiu zu befriedigen war nicht möglich, weil alles drei miteinander vermischt wurde. Die Kirchenpolitiker mussten zuviel Reden anhören und widmeten sich kaum den brennenden theologischen und kirchenpolitischen Themen. Die „Ökumeniker“ bekamen viel Input, konnten selbst aber nur zuwenig diskutieren. Die Hearings waren viel zu sehr eingequetscht zwischen den großen Veranstaltungsblöcken. Die Begegnungsmenschen waren ebenfalls zu sehr zu Passivität verurteilt.
Eine Trennung der Gruppen – so wie in Basel und Graz praktiziert – wäre deutlich sinnvoller gewesen: Die Kirchenpolitiker hätten sich als Delegierte auf wesentliche politische Fragen konzentriert. Die Ökumeniker hätten als aktive Basis eine Menge von Veranstaltungen durchgeführt, so die Diskussion vorangetrieben und den Delegierten wertvolle Impulse geliefert. Die Begegnungsinteressierten wären beim Rahmenprogramm auf ihre Kosten gekommen.
Alle hätten auf ihre Art und Weise die Ökumene vorangetrieben, und sich gegenseitig befruchtet. So wie in Sibiu wurde jedoch keiner zufriedengestellt. Ich glaube auch, dass die Zahl der 2. und 3. Gruppe deutlich höher hätte ausfallen können. Beim Kirchentag klappt es schließlich auch, dass viele Menschen in Schulen übernachten, und ich glaube nicht, dass die Zahl der Privatunterkünfte in Sibiu ausgereizt war.
Insgesamt gab es so große Defizite:
- Im Plenum kam es meist nur zu Monologen, nicht jedoch zum Dialog. Wichtige Fragen wurden als wichtig angesprochen, aber nicht praktisch nicht diskutiert.
- Es gab Tabuthemen: die Frage der Menschenrechte, die Religionsfreiheit bzw. ihre Einschränkung innerhalb Europas wie z.B. in Belarus oder das gemeinsame Abendmahl. Auch die Genderfrage kam praktisch nicht vor. Ich hatte den Eindruck, dass niemand die Ruhe stören wollte. Dies wäre ein Risiko gewesen: Wenn man es anspricht, dann kommt es zum Konflikt, und dann weiß man nicht mehr, ob es vielleicht nicht wirklich mit Rom oder mit Moskau kracht. Ich glaube jedoch, wenn man die Ökumene voranbringen will, dann muss man auch das Risiko wagen. Metropolit Kirill von Smolensk und Kaliningrad betont schließlich auch, dass man nicht zu sehr um den heißen Brei herumreden und eine Art Kuschelökumene betreiben dürfe [Link folgt noch]. Angesichts dessen kann ich mir nicht vorstellen, dass „die Russen“ aus dem Ökumeneprozess an sich aussteigen.
- Besonders zu kurz kam mit das Thema der Einheit der Kirche(n). Symptomatisch war der Sonntag morgen. Zuerst konfessionell hübsch getrennte Gottesdienste (vom orthodoxen wurde mit sogar folgende Aussage in der Predigt berichtet: „Der Ökumene die Ökumene – aber von jetzt an sind wir wieder orthodox!“), danach eine lasche Abschlussfeier ohne auch nur ein wirkliches Symbol, dass wir zusammengehören. Das gemeinsame Vater Unser war das einzige, was hier alle auf dem Platz verband.
- Die Vorhersagen, dass es an Partizipation mangele, haben sich mehr oder weniger bewahrheitet. So gab es keine Abstimmung über die Schlussbotschaft. Man traute sich wohl nicht, die 1.542 Delegierten abstimmen zu lassen. Für mich ein eindeutiger Legitimationsverlust der Abschlussbotschaft.
Fazit: Beim nächsten Mal sollte man es wieder besser machen, ähnlich zu Basel und Graz. Dann werden alle Gruppen befriedigt, und vielleicht traut man sich dann wieder, die Delegierten abstimmen zu lassen.
Wem auf jeden Fall zuzustimmen ist, ist Bischöfin Margot Kässmann. Wer Ökumene will, der muss sich auf solche Versammlungen einlassen. Selbst wenn am Ende nicht so viel steht, dann haben sich doch viele Kirchen und Menschen dadurch verstärkt mit der Ökumene und den Zielen, die dahinterstecken, auseinandergesetzt. Auf lange Sicht kann das der Ökumene nur gut tun.
1. Persönliches
Toll war auf jeden Fall, soviele interessante Menschen treffen zu können. Der Theologieprofessor aus Kalabrien, der Witze über die ’Ndrangheta macht, der Pater einer katholischen Ordensgemeinschaft, der viel offener ist, als man es sich von einem Orden vorstellt, oder orthodoxe Studierende, die der Ökumene total aufgeschlossen gegenüber stehen. Gerade die Diskussionen mit Menschen, die ganz andere Hintergründe haben als ich selbst, haben mich bereichert. So eine Diskussion über die Frage, wie wir als Christinnen und Christen von unserem Glauben sprechen und wie wir „Zeugnis“ ablegen von Christus (oder wie er es durch uns tut).
Ein anderer junger Delegierter hat für sich das Fazit gezogen: „Ich habe gelernt, wie man sich unter undemokratischen Verhältnissen trotzdem einbringen kann.“ Mir geht es ganz ähnlich. Obwohl man formal kaum mitreden kann, gibt es doch viele dieser Prozesse, die außerhalb der offiziellen Bühne ablaufen. Hier kommt es vor allem darauf an, so viele Infos wie möglich zu haben und zu wissen, wen man in welcher Form ansprechen sollte. Außerdem ist es wichtig, dass man nicht alleine ist, sondern sich mit anderen regelmäßig abspricht. Allerdings darf man auch nicht zuviel planen und absprechen, dann geht die Zeit und die Spontaneität verloren.
Gelernt habe ich auch, dass man nicht immer taktieren sollte. Eigentlich wollten wir Donnerstag vormittag einen Beitrag zum Thema Religionsfreiheit vor dem Plenum machen, er war schon fertig vorbereitet. Allerdings haben wir uns verkalkuliert, weil wir auf Nummer sicher gehen wollen und etwas die Spielregeln ändern wollten, damit dieser Beitrag in jedem Fall drankommt – das ging natürlich prompt schief. Das war echt schade; darbereitet, das kam nicht durch, weil wir zuviel taktiert hatten. Schade, damit hätten wir ein Thema angesprochen, das hier ziemlich tabuisiert wurde.
2. Die Beteiligung der jungen Delegierten
Wir jungen Leute (jung = junge Erwachsene unter 30) haben auf der Versammlung eine sehr gutes Bild abgegeben. Erstmal durch unsere gelben Mützen, durch die einfach erkennbar wurde, dass es uns gibt. Einige Leute wussten auch gleich, was Jeremia 1,7 bedeutet, andere schauten selbst nach.
Aber wir postulierten nicht nur, dass wir etwas zu sagen hätten, sondern wir sagten auch etwas:
- die Präsentation der Botschaft war genial – besser hätte es nicht laufen können. In dem Moment, wo die Stimmung ziemlich gedrückt war, präsentierten die jungen Leute mit dem St. Maurice Statement eine knappe, konkrete und nach vorne schauende Botschaft. Weil der anschließende erste Vorschlag der Abschlussbotschaft überhaupt nicht gut war, steigerte das noch die Wirkung.
- das alternative Forum, mit dem wir zum Ausdruck brachten, dass wir nicht zufrieden sind mit der zu geringen Beteiligungsmöglichkeit am Programm. Wir zeigten, dass wir spontan (am Abend zuvor) auch etwas auf die Beine stellen können.
- der Blog. Vielleicht war er an manchen Stellen zu kritisch, OK. Aber hier konnten wir unsere Kritik äußern, die woanders nicht möglich war. Und wir zeigten trotzdem, dass wir von der Ökumene an sich begeistert sind und das Voranschreiten auf dem gemeinsamen Weg uns ein großes Anliegen ist. Jetzt müssten wir nur noch wissen, wieviel Leute ihn gelesen haben. Viel Werbung haben wir dafür gemacht...
Ein paar Dinge liefen auch nicht so gut. So hatte ich den Eindruck, dass nicht alle jungen Delegierten an den gemeinsamen Aktionen teilnahmen, sondern eher passiv blieben. Auch waren die Beziehungen zwischen uns und den Stewards nicht so selbstverständlich, wie es sein könnte. Leider gab es nie ein gemeinsames Treffen, bei dem wir uns klar machen konnten, dass viele von uns ganz ähnliche Sachen wollen.
Was sollte man beim nächsten Mal also machen?
a) Unbedingt wieder einen Blog, vielleicht noch mit mehr Beteiligung und mehr Werbung im Vorfeld
b) ein Vortreffen, bei dem wir noch mehr Strategie und Abstimmungsfragen diskutieren (z.B.: Wer plant Aktionen? Wer schreibt Pressemitteilungen? Wer bereitet was für’s Plenum vor?)
c) Ein gemeinsames Treffen mit den Stewards – damit wir uns nicht als zwei Gruppen sehen, sondern als eine Gruppe junger Leute, die halt verschiedene Aufgaben hat.
d) Wieder einen Vortrupp hinschicken, die Dinge vorbereiten können.
3. Bewertung der Versammlung
Im Rückblick fällt mir etwas auf, dass mir im Vorhinein nicht so klar war. In Sibiu waren drei ganz unterschiedliche Gruppen von Personen, die alle denselben Status als Delegierte hatten: 1. kirchenpolitisch Aktive, 2. Menschen mit dem Ziel, ökumenische Fragen zu diskutieren, und 3. solche, denen vor allem die Begegnung mit Menschen anderer Konfessionen wichtig war.
Alle drei Gruppen mit einem Setting wie in Sibiu zu befriedigen war nicht möglich, weil alles drei miteinander vermischt wurde. Die Kirchenpolitiker mussten zuviel Reden anhören und widmeten sich kaum den brennenden theologischen und kirchenpolitischen Themen. Die „Ökumeniker“ bekamen viel Input, konnten selbst aber nur zuwenig diskutieren. Die Hearings waren viel zu sehr eingequetscht zwischen den großen Veranstaltungsblöcken. Die Begegnungsmenschen waren ebenfalls zu sehr zu Passivität verurteilt.
Eine Trennung der Gruppen – so wie in Basel und Graz praktiziert – wäre deutlich sinnvoller gewesen: Die Kirchenpolitiker hätten sich als Delegierte auf wesentliche politische Fragen konzentriert. Die Ökumeniker hätten als aktive Basis eine Menge von Veranstaltungen durchgeführt, so die Diskussion vorangetrieben und den Delegierten wertvolle Impulse geliefert. Die Begegnungsinteressierten wären beim Rahmenprogramm auf ihre Kosten gekommen.
Alle hätten auf ihre Art und Weise die Ökumene vorangetrieben, und sich gegenseitig befruchtet. So wie in Sibiu wurde jedoch keiner zufriedengestellt. Ich glaube auch, dass die Zahl der 2. und 3. Gruppe deutlich höher hätte ausfallen können. Beim Kirchentag klappt es schließlich auch, dass viele Menschen in Schulen übernachten, und ich glaube nicht, dass die Zahl der Privatunterkünfte in Sibiu ausgereizt war.
Insgesamt gab es so große Defizite:
- Im Plenum kam es meist nur zu Monologen, nicht jedoch zum Dialog. Wichtige Fragen wurden als wichtig angesprochen, aber nicht praktisch nicht diskutiert.
- Es gab Tabuthemen: die Frage der Menschenrechte, die Religionsfreiheit bzw. ihre Einschränkung innerhalb Europas wie z.B. in Belarus oder das gemeinsame Abendmahl. Auch die Genderfrage kam praktisch nicht vor. Ich hatte den Eindruck, dass niemand die Ruhe stören wollte. Dies wäre ein Risiko gewesen: Wenn man es anspricht, dann kommt es zum Konflikt, und dann weiß man nicht mehr, ob es vielleicht nicht wirklich mit Rom oder mit Moskau kracht. Ich glaube jedoch, wenn man die Ökumene voranbringen will, dann muss man auch das Risiko wagen. Metropolit Kirill von Smolensk und Kaliningrad betont schließlich auch, dass man nicht zu sehr um den heißen Brei herumreden und eine Art Kuschelökumene betreiben dürfe [Link folgt noch]. Angesichts dessen kann ich mir nicht vorstellen, dass „die Russen“ aus dem Ökumeneprozess an sich aussteigen.
- Besonders zu kurz kam mit das Thema der Einheit der Kirche(n). Symptomatisch war der Sonntag morgen. Zuerst konfessionell hübsch getrennte Gottesdienste (vom orthodoxen wurde mit sogar folgende Aussage in der Predigt berichtet: „Der Ökumene die Ökumene – aber von jetzt an sind wir wieder orthodox!“), danach eine lasche Abschlussfeier ohne auch nur ein wirkliches Symbol, dass wir zusammengehören. Das gemeinsame Vater Unser war das einzige, was hier alle auf dem Platz verband.
- Die Vorhersagen, dass es an Partizipation mangele, haben sich mehr oder weniger bewahrheitet. So gab es keine Abstimmung über die Schlussbotschaft. Man traute sich wohl nicht, die 1.542 Delegierten abstimmen zu lassen. Für mich ein eindeutiger Legitimationsverlust der Abschlussbotschaft.
Fazit: Beim nächsten Mal sollte man es wieder besser machen, ähnlich zu Basel und Graz. Dann werden alle Gruppen befriedigt, und vielleicht traut man sich dann wieder, die Delegierten abstimmen zu lassen.
Wem auf jeden Fall zuzustimmen ist, ist Bischöfin Margot Kässmann. Wer Ökumene will, der muss sich auf solche Versammlungen einlassen. Selbst wenn am Ende nicht so viel steht, dann haben sich doch viele Kirchen und Menschen dadurch verstärkt mit der Ökumene und den Zielen, die dahinterstecken, auseinandergesetzt. Auf lange Sicht kann das der Ökumene nur gut tun.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Pictures from the Alternative Forum
Finally, I've found a scanner to publish the artistic outcome of the Ordained-women-Working Group of the Alternative Forum:
TV and photos
Dear all,
Martin asked me to post the following:
Tomorrow, Thursday, 13 September 2007, 13.35 (Frankfurt time) will be a TV programme on the EEA3 (produced originally by ORF) on 3Sat - those who receive German TV, zap in! Maybe we can find a new videostar?
You can find some pictures Martin from Austria made here: http://homepage.univie.ac.at/martin.siegrist/galerien/eev3_sibiu/index.htm
Greetings (as well from Martin),
p
Martin asked me to post the following:
Tomorrow, Thursday, 13 September 2007, 13.35 (Frankfurt time) will be a TV programme on the EEA3 (produced originally by ORF) on 3Sat - those who receive German TV, zap in! Maybe we can find a new videostar?
You can find some pictures Martin from Austria made here: http://homepage.univie.ac.at/martin.siegrist/galerien/eev3_sibiu/index.htm
Greetings (as well from Martin),
p
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Home
So having promised more news from the stewards before the delegates arrived, I'm only just finding time to post.
This morning I feel completely at a loss for what to do - there will not be 2000 delegates arriving at my house to say good morning to. Oh well, if I get really desperate, I'll make a 'SILENCE' sign and take it to the building site down the road.
I had a lot of experiences at the Assembly, some bad, some good but all valuable. I hope to post more about them in the next few weeks as I start to realise the impact that they've had on me.
Here, I'm not talking about the official speeches, the fora discussions, the final message. In that regard I am completely ignorant of the happenings of the Assembly. I was in the room, but with no time to listen. I did have a chance to interact with delegates, staff and stewards in a way that many of you 'in the room' did not, and it's these experiences I will offer.
For now, goodbye. And thank-you.
This morning I feel completely at a loss for what to do - there will not be 2000 delegates arriving at my house to say good morning to. Oh well, if I get really desperate, I'll make a 'SILENCE' sign and take it to the building site down the road.
I had a lot of experiences at the Assembly, some bad, some good but all valuable. I hope to post more about them in the next few weeks as I start to realise the impact that they've had on me.
Here, I'm not talking about the official speeches, the fora discussions, the final message. In that regard I am completely ignorant of the happenings of the Assembly. I was in the room, but with no time to listen. I did have a chance to interact with delegates, staff and stewards in a way that many of you 'in the room' did not, and it's these experiences I will offer.
For now, goodbye. And thank-you.
Bassa/Back and a very great ending!!
Wow, the end of my Sibiu-journey was very very special.
When I finally arrived on Schiphol Airport (Amsterdam) the only thing I had to do was to take a train to Utrecht, the city in the middle of the Netherlands, were I live. But, the trains were all delayed and even cancelled. I had to change my way of travelling and took a train to Amsterdam Central Station. Overthere, finally, after one hour I could continue and stepped into an overloaded train to Utrecht.
There someone began talking to me - It was Sharisa, one of the stewards, she came back on sunday already!! We thought this meeting was by change but.....
In the train we were talking about all the strange, nice, frustrating and beautiful things we experienced. Afterwards a boy came to us and said that he've heared us talking and he wanted to know more about Jesus. He was already searching to get to know more about the dead and resurrection of the Christ. But for him it was quit hard to believe it. He asked us about the Bible, he asked us why we would believe in Jesus and if the gospel of the crucifiction is really truth. He asked it !!!! So it was NOT BY CHANGE that Sharisa and I met on this train. He heared us, talking about different ways of believing in the same faith. We shared our faith, we were witnessing on that big and full station of Utrecht, in the midst of people who are not interested in God, secularised, sceptic about the churche....... We told him thatwe would pray for him. We talked almost 15 minutes and it was so, so.. good! Thanks be to God! A few minutes later, when I reached the bus that finally would took me home, I sat down and prayed. I'm really praying and hoping (and believing !!) that this young men would feel the love of Christ, the warmth of God to believe and to tell it to other people! This evening WE WERE THE LIGHT OF CHRIST! Even when an assembly like this is maybe not satisfying for ourselves, the talk about it gave us a change to be a wittness. I hope more people will ask us these questions! This young men was one, tomorrow there will be another in another city, and later one more, and more, and more... I hope this story will encourage you to stay firm and to let the light shine!
Lets pray and seek the ways of the Lord.
Have a good week - and look forward to tomorrow!
Marrit Bassa
When I finally arrived on Schiphol Airport (Amsterdam) the only thing I had to do was to take a train to Utrecht, the city in the middle of the Netherlands, were I live. But, the trains were all delayed and even cancelled. I had to change my way of travelling and took a train to Amsterdam Central Station. Overthere, finally, after one hour I could continue and stepped into an overloaded train to Utrecht.
There someone began talking to me - It was Sharisa, one of the stewards, she came back on sunday already!! We thought this meeting was by change but.....
In the train we were talking about all the strange, nice, frustrating and beautiful things we experienced. Afterwards a boy came to us and said that he've heared us talking and he wanted to know more about Jesus. He was already searching to get to know more about the dead and resurrection of the Christ. But for him it was quit hard to believe it. He asked us about the Bible, he asked us why we would believe in Jesus and if the gospel of the crucifiction is really truth. He asked it !!!! So it was NOT BY CHANGE that Sharisa and I met on this train. He heared us, talking about different ways of believing in the same faith. We shared our faith, we were witnessing on that big and full station of Utrecht, in the midst of people who are not interested in God, secularised, sceptic about the churche....... We told him thatwe would pray for him. We talked almost 15 minutes and it was so, so.. good! Thanks be to God! A few minutes later, when I reached the bus that finally would took me home, I sat down and prayed. I'm really praying and hoping (and believing !!) that this young men would feel the love of Christ, the warmth of God to believe and to tell it to other people! This evening WE WERE THE LIGHT OF CHRIST! Even when an assembly like this is maybe not satisfying for ourselves, the talk about it gave us a change to be a wittness. I hope more people will ask us these questions! This young men was one, tomorrow there will be another in another city, and later one more, and more, and more... I hope this story will encourage you to stay firm and to let the light shine!
Lets pray and seek the ways of the Lord.
Have a good week - and look forward to tomorrow!
Marrit Bassa
"technical reasons"
"for technical reasons" only St. Maurice Statement is available now.the last will be the first ;)
it was not attached to the final paper version that delegates received and now is only one that is available online ;)
Monday, September 10, 2007
snow and rain
Greetings from home. Luckily, the snow I only saw from above, but the rain is real and the cold is as the one in Sibiu: cold. But at least, I have more pullovers here and I don't live in a tent.
In my inbox there were some eea3-mails. Nothing is over.
Seehearread you soon.
p
In my inbox there were some eea3-mails. Nothing is over.
Seehearread you soon.
p
yellow caps
Hey all,well, this is my first post here, and EEA3 is already over. I am posting from my home in Warsaw, Poland where i came back a few hours ago.
Hope you all have also safe and good journey home, and to those that are still in their way or will be soon
i wish you that you have such.Well, a few complains about Sibiu, but now it's so calm here. I am looking at the photos and.. well, i decided to put some here.
We should thank to those that made our caps for us. They were really visible (if only you were wearing them). ;) just take a look on photos on left. :)
/Julia
Bassa/ Leaving...
I'm waiting.
I'm here, sitting in the lobby of our hotel in Ocna, 12 km from Sibiu.
I'm waiting for the cab to bring me to the airport.
While I'm waiting the sun is shining. I see the light.
But hopefully this light will guide me on my way back home. And I pray that this light will be there when I'm sharing my experiences and tell my stories.
Yesterday it was quit a special day. First of all it was the final day of the assemblee. With a good and warm morningservice in the Lutheran Church and the closing prayer on Piata Mare. But, it was my birthday as well. I celebrated it with the delegation of my church and some other Dutch churches and friends.
I will always remember the day of yesterday - to celebrate your birthday in the culutural capital city of Europe and during an ecumenical assembly - a good tradition...!!
Anyway, I hope everyone else will safely at home now. Or else, have a save trip. And as Catharina, Timi and I said to each other: we have to take our experiences home and tell our friends and everyone else...!!
I'm asked to start with writing a statement for my own church. I hope this will be an example for all the other young people who were here. We have to share this, (all the good things, but our frustrations as well !!!!) and let our churches know that ecumenism is more than just some elderly people listening to each other.
Well, thank you all here for sharing your thoughts! I really like to read all the blogs. maybe we can continue, to tell what we are doing at home?
Anyway, goodbye for now. Next time? In Jerusalem?
Marrit Bassa
I'm here, sitting in the lobby of our hotel in Ocna, 12 km from Sibiu.
I'm waiting for the cab to bring me to the airport.
While I'm waiting the sun is shining. I see the light.
But hopefully this light will guide me on my way back home. And I pray that this light will be there when I'm sharing my experiences and tell my stories.
Yesterday it was quit a special day. First of all it was the final day of the assemblee. With a good and warm morningservice in the Lutheran Church and the closing prayer on Piata Mare. But, it was my birthday as well. I celebrated it with the delegation of my church and some other Dutch churches and friends.
I will always remember the day of yesterday - to celebrate your birthday in the culutural capital city of Europe and during an ecumenical assembly - a good tradition...!!
Anyway, I hope everyone else will safely at home now. Or else, have a save trip. And as Catharina, Timi and I said to each other: we have to take our experiences home and tell our friends and everyone else...!!
I'm asked to start with writing a statement for my own church. I hope this will be an example for all the other young people who were here. We have to share this, (all the good things, but our frustrations as well !!!!) and let our churches know that ecumenism is more than just some elderly people listening to each other.
Well, thank you all here for sharing your thoughts! I really like to read all the blogs. maybe we can continue, to tell what we are doing at home?
Anyway, goodbye for now. Next time? In Jerusalem?
Marrit Bassa
Sunday, September 9, 2007
still in sibiu
Dear all who are travelling -
we wish you a safe journey back, would be good to hear about some implementations or follow-ups or reactions of / on the Assembly of different organisations and Churches.
We are still staying until this night when stepping on too the night train to Budapest. Looking forward to read you.
Who is the final Assembly video star?
p
we wish you a safe journey back, would be good to hear about some implementations or follow-ups or reactions of / on the Assembly of different organisations and Churches.
We are still staying until this night when stepping on too the night train to Budapest. Looking forward to read you.
Who is the final Assembly video star?
p
livingroom
Hey there -
over. The Assembly's over, the tensions are over, I'm over, over.
Strange, to still sit in the Youth Café, where we first sat Saturday one week ago. Intbeween a lot of things happened but still, I cannot recall a lot of them, just the flash of experiences. Of course, I remember fun (a lot) and quarrel (a lot as well and a lot was due to not talking not due to talking unfortunately), but at the moment - over.
But I feel that a lot of things are still working in my head, they will come in detail and will be part of my personal follow up. Evaluating the youth participation for example. Extending the Ecumenical Network. and and and
Catharina just mentioned, that after this week in Casa Teutsch she nearly feels at home and like in a living room. No more video, but stars of these days: the very nice people in the youth café who had a lot of work with us, but maybe as well had some fun. Thanks for giving us space for hearings and the alternative forum, wireless internet access, coffee and silence. A nice aspect to take home: the guarantee to have a living room in Sibiu.
p
over. The Assembly's over, the tensions are over, I'm over, over.
Strange, to still sit in the Youth Café, where we first sat Saturday one week ago. Intbeween a lot of things happened but still, I cannot recall a lot of them, just the flash of experiences. Of course, I remember fun (a lot) and quarrel (a lot as well and a lot was due to not talking not due to talking unfortunately), but at the moment - over.
But I feel that a lot of things are still working in my head, they will come in detail and will be part of my personal follow up. Evaluating the youth participation for example. Extending the Ecumenical Network. and and and
Catharina just mentioned, that after this week in Casa Teutsch she nearly feels at home and like in a living room. No more video, but stars of these days: the very nice people in the youth café who had a lot of work with us, but maybe as well had some fun. Thanks for giving us space for hearings and the alternative forum, wireless internet access, coffee and silence. A nice aspect to take home: the guarantee to have a living room in Sibiu.
p
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Appealing participation
Recommendation four of the final statement of the Sibiu Assembly says: "We recommend the full participation of the whole people of God and, at this Assembly at particular, note the appeal of young people, the elderly, ethnic minorities and disabled people."
Let's see: "the full participation of the whole people of God" is recommended. I hereby congratulate to this insight. Would have been better to include this already in the preparation of the Assembly. But at least, it can be kept in mind from tomorrow on. Let's be optimistic and stay critically appealing.
p
Let's see: "the full participation of the whole people of God" is recommended. I hereby congratulate to this insight. Would have been better to include this already in the preparation of the Assembly. But at least, it can be kept in mind from tomorrow on. Let's be optimistic and stay critically appealing.
p
Video*STAR*
...of today: Mary Judkins.
When reflecting the EEA3 she (whilst wearing a yellow cap - of course) asked the Assembly whether the delegates were ready to receive and welcome the precious gifts young adults are offering. She - for her point of view - strongly recommended this.
So - are the delegates ready?
But thank you very much, Mary.
p
When reflecting the EEA3 she (whilst wearing a yellow cap - of course) asked the Assembly whether the delegates were ready to receive and welcome the precious gifts young adults are offering. She - for her point of view - strongly recommended this.
So - are the delegates ready?
But thank you very much, Mary.
p
"Peace and reconciliation in South Caucasus" didn't happen
Petra remembered me to write something about the hearing on peace and reconciliation in South Caucasus organised by the Armenian church yesterday evening. It should take part in the Orthodox Faculty. The interested people already were in the room, when a steward came in: "Sorry for waiting, we still have to convince the Armenians to conduct the hearing." Already very strange: Why didn't they want to do it? Which doubts did they have? Which pressure was exerted on them?
5min later the steward returned: "Unfortunately, they won't do it." Very sad, because I was very interested in the theme.
What I heard afterwards: The Romanians (Orthodox Church) didn't want to allow the hearing, because they needed the room. I couldn't believe that this is the reason. Either that was not hospitable, or there were still some more reasons.
In either case, there are a lot of mysteries in the Assembly - a sign for the hidden political processes which exist not only in politics, but also within the churches.
5min later the steward returned: "Unfortunately, they won't do it." Very sad, because I was very interested in the theme.
What I heard afterwards: The Romanians (Orthodox Church) didn't want to allow the hearing, because they needed the room. I couldn't believe that this is the reason. Either that was not hospitable, or there were still some more reasons.
In either case, there are a lot of mysteries in the Assembly - a sign for the hidden political processes which exist not only in politics, but also within the churches.
Congratulations!
Greetings from the plenary hall, where the final message of the Assembly has just been presented. I'm happy to announce just briefly that the Youth message from St. Maurice is appended to the final message. This is a very good signal that the Ecumenical movement hasn't fallen to cynicism and still has courage to take a strong stand!
More reflections later, but for now CONGRATULATIONS EEA3!
:)
More reflections later, but for now CONGRATULATIONS EEA3!
:)
Success
Our St. Maurice Statement will be attached to the Assembly Message as an appendix. This was what the drafting committee said at the presentation of the Assembly Message.
I think, we can be a little bit proud of us. Because our work in St.Maurice was ennobled by this assembly. This shows that it is worth to work hard on such documents, argue about all small words and nuances.
But nevertheless, the Assembly Message wasn't developed in a democratic way. We couldn't vote on it; we couldn't decide anything, we had to accept the decisions of the drafting committee. This thing we shouldn't forget.
I think, we can be a little bit proud of us. Because our work in St.Maurice was ennobled by this assembly. This shows that it is worth to work hard on such documents, argue about all small words and nuances.
But nevertheless, the Assembly Message wasn't developed in a democratic way. We couldn't vote on it; we couldn't decide anything, we had to accept the decisions of the drafting committee. This thing we shouldn't forget.
Press release: St. Maurice Statement
Young delegates of the Third European Ecumenical Assembly
Sibiu/Romania, 4.-9.9.2007
Press release
Sibiu, 7th of September 2007
Youth Statement of St. Maurice presented during the EEA3
Today, 7th of September 2007, three young women, Julia Maria Koszewska (Roman-Catholic, Poland), Petra Schnabel (Lutheran, Germany) and Jooa Vuorinen (Orthodox, Finland), presented the Youth Statement of St. Maurice which was written by 40 young delegates and stewards on their EEA3 preparatory meeting in St. Maurice, Switzerland and approved during a hearing of the young delegates during the Assembly.
The young delegates stressed the importance the Statement should be given to in the Assembly Message. Different delegates of the Assembly supported during the reactions on the official first draft of the Assembly message. The statement of the young delegates should be taken as a ideal example for the Assembly message. One of the delegates even announced: „We should take the Youth Statement as the Assembly Message.“
The statement of the young delegates avoids having only superficial, but stresses on concrete commitments the European churches should engage in. So, the young Christians ask for an inter-religious dialogue process, which shall come to a similar result to the Charta Oecumenica, asking for the churches’ engagement for the establishing of an European Peace Agency and name the protection of Human Rights as one of the main tasks of churches. Particular importance is laid on the evaluation and further implementation of the results of the EEA2 in Graz 1997 and especially of the Charta Oecumenica.
For interviews and questions, please contact:
Christof Otto, +49 / 173 / 582 15 60
Tobias Traut, +49 / 163 / 820 86 00
Or just ask us. We are the people with the yellow caps :-)
Sibiu/Romania, 4.-9.9.2007
Press release
Sibiu, 7th of September 2007
Youth Statement of St. Maurice presented during the EEA3
Today, 7th of September 2007, three young women, Julia Maria Koszewska (Roman-Catholic, Poland), Petra Schnabel (Lutheran, Germany) and Jooa Vuorinen (Orthodox, Finland), presented the Youth Statement of St. Maurice which was written by 40 young delegates and stewards on their EEA3 preparatory meeting in St. Maurice, Switzerland and approved during a hearing of the young delegates during the Assembly.
The young delegates stressed the importance the Statement should be given to in the Assembly Message. Different delegates of the Assembly supported during the reactions on the official first draft of the Assembly message. The statement of the young delegates should be taken as a ideal example for the Assembly message. One of the delegates even announced: „We should take the Youth Statement as the Assembly Message.“
The statement of the young delegates avoids having only superficial, but stresses on concrete commitments the European churches should engage in. So, the young Christians ask for an inter-religious dialogue process, which shall come to a similar result to the Charta Oecumenica, asking for the churches’ engagement for the establishing of an European Peace Agency and name the protection of Human Rights as one of the main tasks of churches. Particular importance is laid on the evaluation and further implementation of the results of the EEA2 in Graz 1997 and especially of the Charta Oecumenica.
For interviews and questions, please contact:
Christof Otto, +49 / 173 / 582 15 60
Tobias Traut, +49 / 163 / 820 86 00
Or just ask us. We are the people with the yellow caps :-)
Press release: Alternative Forum
Young delegates of the Third European Ecumenical Assembly
Sibiu/Romania, 4.-9.9.2007
Press release
Sibiu, 8th of September 2007
Alternative Forum during the EEA3
An alternative forum took place in the afternoon, uniting around 100 delegates from all parts of Europe and media representaties who took the opportunity to discuss the first time openly with each other. The organisers promised that there won’t be „any lectures, no words of greetings, but real discussions“ only. The issues discussed covered also „taboo matters“ that had been categorically excluded by the organizers of the official Assembly, e.g the ministry of ordained women in the Church.
The focus of the working groups established was on the implementation of the results of the EEA2 in Graz 1997 and possibl improvements for a 4th Assembly in the future.
Different forms of presentation included also the joint search for an „Ecumenical Miracle“ and an artistic way of presenting the vision of a „dancing ecumenism“.
The participants asked to call for a Forth European Ecumenical Assembly, taking place within the next 10 years that must be based on the equal involvement of women and men and on the participation of grassroots movements in the preparation process and the design of the new assembly, as some participants felt like „delegates in a prison“. A further discussion and implementation of the Charta Oecumenica was demanded as well as the start of a new process of inter-religious dialogue that could lead to a similar document as the Charta Oecumenica signed in 2001.
The Alternative Forum proved the strength of the European ecumenical youth movement, involving young delegates from every denomination. However, especially Orthodox young delegates expressed their wish to be better informed by their Churches about ecumenical activities and up-coming events.
As a conclusion, a vision of the Ecumenical movement in 2020 was presented which included the expectation that „Churches live in a reconciled diversity“and recognise each other as churches.
For interviews and questions, please contact:
Christoph Otto, +49 / 173 / 582 15 60
Tobias Traut, +49 / 163 / 820 86 00
Or just ask us. We are the people with the yellow caps ;-)
----
Appendix – Results of the Alternative Forum
Working group: Comparing Basel, Graz and Sibiu
We ask churches to commit themselves to organise another European Ecumenical Assembly within 5 – 10 years. It should be organised in a more participative way, with a prepatory committee to ensure that grassroots Ecumenical groups are included. A consultation process should be carried out to produce topics for discussion throughout the EEA4 journey. This journey should comprise national Ecumenical assemblies, with themes of justice, peace and integrity of creation at their core. At EEA4 we would examine and discuss the past, present, and future of practical implications of the Chara Oecumenica’s commitments.
Working Group: Ecumenical Miracle?
Is there life after Sibiu? What is the ecumenical miracle we need in our ecumenical journey? Like Goethe was quoted previously in the assembly, we need big visions, which can make our heart move.
The „Miracle“ group was heading for a brighter future, a big vision we Christians share. What would be the state of churches in 2020 and what would be the way there?
Church 2020:
Churches live in a reconciled diversity. We tolerate different theological views between the churches and also among our own churches. The essential basis of faith is common for all of us.
Churches got one voice in a society in fighting agains injustice, for peace etc. Christianity shows itself strongly in our societies and the lives of individuals.
We live in Christian happiness, joy of faith, and love to our neighbours.
Lay people have a big role in a life of churches. People bare responsibility and every person is a full member and represents its church.
Churches shoгld tear down fences between different groups of people. There’s no need to separate people on basis of age, gender, etc.
While we recognise members in different churches to be full Christians, and therefore see the prospect of joining the same table in heaven, why not joining the same table in this life? This may not happen in this very moment, but theological discussions must be emphasized and slow movements towards common eucharist must be taken, implementing common eucharist occationally in ecumenical event, churchs days, etc. special days. The Christ is the one who is calling us to holy communion.
On a way to the miraculous vision we need etc.
- self-commitment in our churches to the aims
- theological agreement on etc. justification
- consiliar process
- common ecumenical events
- recognition of each others churches
Waiting for parusia and doing something already before that.
A small miracle for EEA3 would be, that the final message would be composed on the basis of the message from youth pre-meeting instead of the draft of the drafting committee.
Collected by Topi Haarlaa
Working Group: Youth
· The group agreed on the aim of improving the communication between young Christians interested in the Ecumenical movement through strengthening Ecumenical youth networks and Ecumenical youth organisations.
· The group developed the idea of an European Ecumenical youth meeting to get to deepen the knowledge of other denominations and to inspire young people’s enthusiasm on Ecumenism.
· Especially, the Orthodox members of the group wished to be better included on the European level. Also, they wished for more support by their home churches in their involvement in Ecumenism.
Working Group: Ministry of ordained women in Church
Drawing: „Without title“
Sibiu/Romania, 4.-9.9.2007
Press release
Sibiu, 8th of September 2007
Alternative Forum during the EEA3
An alternative forum took place in the afternoon, uniting around 100 delegates from all parts of Europe and media representaties who took the opportunity to discuss the first time openly with each other. The organisers promised that there won’t be „any lectures, no words of greetings, but real discussions“ only. The issues discussed covered also „taboo matters“ that had been categorically excluded by the organizers of the official Assembly, e.g the ministry of ordained women in the Church.
The focus of the working groups established was on the implementation of the results of the EEA2 in Graz 1997 and possibl improvements for a 4th Assembly in the future.
Different forms of presentation included also the joint search for an „Ecumenical Miracle“ and an artistic way of presenting the vision of a „dancing ecumenism“.
The participants asked to call for a Forth European Ecumenical Assembly, taking place within the next 10 years that must be based on the equal involvement of women and men and on the participation of grassroots movements in the preparation process and the design of the new assembly, as some participants felt like „delegates in a prison“. A further discussion and implementation of the Charta Oecumenica was demanded as well as the start of a new process of inter-religious dialogue that could lead to a similar document as the Charta Oecumenica signed in 2001.
The Alternative Forum proved the strength of the European ecumenical youth movement, involving young delegates from every denomination. However, especially Orthodox young delegates expressed their wish to be better informed by their Churches about ecumenical activities and up-coming events.
As a conclusion, a vision of the Ecumenical movement in 2020 was presented which included the expectation that „Churches live in a reconciled diversity“and recognise each other as churches.
For interviews and questions, please contact:
Christoph Otto, +49 / 173 / 582 15 60
Tobias Traut, +49 / 163 / 820 86 00
Or just ask us. We are the people with the yellow caps ;-)
----
Appendix – Results of the Alternative Forum
Working group: Comparing Basel, Graz and Sibiu
We ask churches to commit themselves to organise another European Ecumenical Assembly within 5 – 10 years. It should be organised in a more participative way, with a prepatory committee to ensure that grassroots Ecumenical groups are included. A consultation process should be carried out to produce topics for discussion throughout the EEA4 journey. This journey should comprise national Ecumenical assemblies, with themes of justice, peace and integrity of creation at their core. At EEA4 we would examine and discuss the past, present, and future of practical implications of the Chara Oecumenica’s commitments.
Working Group: Ecumenical Miracle?
Is there life after Sibiu? What is the ecumenical miracle we need in our ecumenical journey? Like Goethe was quoted previously in the assembly, we need big visions, which can make our heart move.
The „Miracle“ group was heading for a brighter future, a big vision we Christians share. What would be the state of churches in 2020 and what would be the way there?
Church 2020:
Churches live in a reconciled diversity. We tolerate different theological views between the churches and also among our own churches. The essential basis of faith is common for all of us.
Churches got one voice in a society in fighting agains injustice, for peace etc. Christianity shows itself strongly in our societies and the lives of individuals.
We live in Christian happiness, joy of faith, and love to our neighbours.
Lay people have a big role in a life of churches. People bare responsibility and every person is a full member and represents its church.
Churches shoгld tear down fences between different groups of people. There’s no need to separate people on basis of age, gender, etc.
While we recognise members in different churches to be full Christians, and therefore see the prospect of joining the same table in heaven, why not joining the same table in this life? This may not happen in this very moment, but theological discussions must be emphasized and slow movements towards common eucharist must be taken, implementing common eucharist occationally in ecumenical event, churchs days, etc. special days. The Christ is the one who is calling us to holy communion.
On a way to the miraculous vision we need etc.
- self-commitment in our churches to the aims
- theological agreement on etc. justification
- consiliar process
- common ecumenical events
- recognition of each others churches
Waiting for parusia and doing something already before that.
A small miracle for EEA3 would be, that the final message would be composed on the basis of the message from youth pre-meeting instead of the draft of the drafting committee.
Collected by Topi Haarlaa
Working Group: Youth
· The group agreed on the aim of improving the communication between young Christians interested in the Ecumenical movement through strengthening Ecumenical youth networks and Ecumenical youth organisations.
· The group developed the idea of an European Ecumenical youth meeting to get to deepen the knowledge of other denominations and to inspire young people’s enthusiasm on Ecumenism.
· Especially, the Orthodox members of the group wished to be better included on the European level. Also, they wished for more support by their home churches in their involvement in Ecumenism.
Working Group: Ministry of ordained women in Church
Drawing: „Without title“
Videostar of the day
Hey there -
today it's quite difficult to announce a videostar. Besides the German Protestant "Archbishop" (there was a mistake and Mrs. Heider-Rottwilm got a new title according too the slide), there was not much on the screen. This is mainly, as the statements from delegates (yes, there were some allowed, concerning the final message) are to be brought from the floor and there is no camera. So, I don't announce a videostart today until now.
If there's none in the plenary for the final message this afternoon either, I will return to radio stars.
Enjoy. Rainy and tired and cold greetings,
p
today it's quite difficult to announce a videostar. Besides the German Protestant "Archbishop" (there was a mistake and Mrs. Heider-Rottwilm got a new title according too the slide), there was not much on the screen. This is mainly, as the statements from delegates (yes, there were some allowed, concerning the final message) are to be brought from the floor and there is no camera. So, I don't announce a videostart today until now.
If there's none in the plenary for the final message this afternoon either, I will return to radio stars.
Enjoy. Rainy and tired and cold greetings,
p
The stewards' 2nd blog
The stewards who work in the press office now write in the EEA3-blog of Jane Stranz.
Take a look: Grace, Rita, Andrea, Natalka, Christelle, Eva-Liisa, Monica
Take a look: Grace, Rita, Andrea, Natalka, Christelle, Eva-Liisa, Monica
Neulich beim Frühstück
Bei mir im Hotel sind auch einige deutsche Delegierte. Beim Frühstück hört man dann ja mal bei den Gesprächen an den Nachbartischen zu: "Die Jugenddelegierten sind auch nicht mehr das, was sie mal waren. Sie sind so professionell, gar nicht mehr wie richtige Jugendliche." Aha.
Also, was erwartet diese Person? Rastagelockte, palituchtragende junge Leute, die mit ihrer Gitarre schräge Musik machen? Angepasste Leute, die nur machen, was man ihnen sagt? Leute, die überhaupt nicht auffallen, schon garnicht durch ihre inhaltlichen Inputs? Auf jeden Fall hieße fehlende Professionalität, wir würden wahrscheinlich überhaupt nichts erreichen. Man freut sich über die "Jugendfolklore" und behauptet, die Jugend habe sich sehr gut beteiligt. Na prima, dazu sind wir jungen Leute (bzw. eigentlich jüngeren) echt nicht da, das wäre nur Verschwendung unserer Lebenszeit...und wir wollen im Alter unserer Tischnachbarn nicht genauso resigniert sein :-)
PS: Gruß an alle Landeskirchenräte...
Also, was erwartet diese Person? Rastagelockte, palituchtragende junge Leute, die mit ihrer Gitarre schräge Musik machen? Angepasste Leute, die nur machen, was man ihnen sagt? Leute, die überhaupt nicht auffallen, schon garnicht durch ihre inhaltlichen Inputs? Auf jeden Fall hieße fehlende Professionalität, wir würden wahrscheinlich überhaupt nichts erreichen. Man freut sich über die "Jugendfolklore" und behauptet, die Jugend habe sich sehr gut beteiligt. Na prima, dazu sind wir jungen Leute (bzw. eigentlich jüngeren) echt nicht da, das wäre nur Verschwendung unserer Lebenszeit...und wir wollen im Alter unserer Tischnachbarn nicht genauso resigniert sein :-)
PS: Gruß an alle Landeskirchenräte...
!!!Attention!!! Party venue changed!!!
Julia from Poland found another club which still better serves our needs. It is
"3 stejari", pub of the local brewery. You'll find it at the crossing Str. H.Oberth - Str. Serbota - Str. Balea.
How to get there?
You go the Bulevadul Corneliu Coposu (starting at the Ramada/Teatrul) along the city wall. After 5-10min, there will be a big roundabout, there you turn to the left into the Str.H.Oberth. At the next bigger crossing, there is the "3 stejari".
Please give this information also to the other young delegates who don't use the internet.
"3 stejari", pub of the local brewery. You'll find it at the crossing Str. H.Oberth - Str. Serbota - Str. Balea.
How to get there?
You go the Bulevadul Corneliu Coposu (starting at the Ramada/Teatrul) along the city wall. After 5-10min, there will be a big roundabout, there you turn to the left into the Str.H.Oberth. At the next bigger crossing, there is the "3 stejari".
Please give this information also to the other young delegates who don't use the internet.
Chill out, today evening (Deutsch)
Als „Party Community“ möchte ich alle Jugendlichen Delegierten herzlich einladen am Samstag die EEA3 mit Tanz, Spaß, Party, und Cocktails zu beenden.
Ich habe einen rumänischen Club gefunden, der normalerweise nur von Rumänischen jungen Erwachsenen besucht wird, (Begegnung ist auf jeden Fall möglich) er ist sehr urig, dunkel, man sitzt auf Kissen, in eingelassen Böden oder auf Sesseln…
Der Club fasst max. 40 Personen… das war der größte in Sibiu!! Ich habe erstmal die hälfte reserviert!
Mein Vorschlag:
Heute abend, ab 23 Uhr treffen wir uns im Club „Chill out“ schließen tut der Club wenn der letzte gegangen ist J
Wegbeschreibung:
Piata Mica, zu den BMW Autos gehen, die Häuserzeile dahinter abschreiten und dort das Schild „Chill out, Club“ suchen. Links daneben geht eine Treppe nach unten, dieser bis ganz nach unten folgen, dort ist der Eingang!
Sebastian Ulbrich (Delegierter der Deutschen Bischofskonferenz)
Ich habe einen rumänischen Club gefunden, der normalerweise nur von Rumänischen jungen Erwachsenen besucht wird, (Begegnung ist auf jeden Fall möglich) er ist sehr urig, dunkel, man sitzt auf Kissen, in eingelassen Böden oder auf Sesseln…
Der Club fasst max. 40 Personen… das war der größte in Sibiu!! Ich habe erstmal die hälfte reserviert!
Mein Vorschlag:
Heute abend, ab 23 Uhr treffen wir uns im Club „Chill out“ schließen tut der Club wenn der letzte gegangen ist J
Wegbeschreibung:
Piata Mica, zu den BMW Autos gehen, die Häuserzeile dahinter abschreiten und dort das Schild „Chill out, Club“ suchen. Links daneben geht eine Treppe nach unten, dieser bis ganz nach unten folgen, dort ist der Eingang!
Sebastian Ulbrich (Delegierter der Deutschen Bischofskonferenz)
Three steps away
One remark still from yesterdays presentation of the final message draft which took place in the end of the morning's plenary. First of all, the draft papers were not distributed before the draft was read, which made it a bit difficult to comment on the draft. The floor microfone was opened to short comments after the presentation. I rushed to comment the draft paper with two notions:
Now I'm writing this blog from the plenary tent and listening to the comments on the second draft. There are about 50 people in the queue to comment the draft paper. I have to say that the final message commitee improved a lot on this new version and has much more concrete things. Now also many people are for attaching the St.Maurice statement as an appendix to the final message. I hope we will see that happen!
- The Light of Christ is not a dim candle some where, it is a radical and revealing light that demands a transformation. Therefore the final message should have concrete proposals and bold recommendations for the churches.
- The language of the draft paper was very exclusive. It was written only to theologians and people deep in the Ecumenical slang. In order for the paper to change anything, it should be written in as "normal" and concrete language as possible.
Now I'm writing this blog from the plenary tent and listening to the comments on the second draft. There are about 50 people in the queue to comment the draft paper. I have to say that the final message commitee improved a lot on this new version and has much more concrete things. Now also many people are for attaching the St.Maurice statement as an appendix to the final message. I hope we will see that happen!
English/Bassa/ Report on alternative fora
I have to be short today.
Yesterday we had the alternative fora. I joined the group talking about what to do with the outcome of Graz, the organisation of Sibiu and better ideas to make this assemblee worth being there.
(Do accept my apologies when names/countries aren't right)
Mr. Fuchs from Germany was in Graz as well. He recalled the situation over there with the ecumenical village. There the people were not delegates but have had there imput to the official delegates. Finally here in Sibiu he is a delegate, but he does not feel himself one. He feels imprisoned. By the program, by the long speeches, by the fear the organization shows and more. He feels himself now to be a passive watcher to all what is happening. his proposal for a new assemblee is one like the Kirchentag in germany.
One of the youth delegates, or actually I have to say a young adult - Reb Redpadh - sais that he came to the assemblee to learn how to be in a relationship with other believers, with other christian forms of faith. But the only place where he learns that is during the meals. He wants to be involved so that he can learn how to be in contact with others.
Some of the participants of this group proposes for more committees or/and more activities during the preparation of an assemblee like this one. For example, from Graz one of the outcomes were reconciliation teams working all over europe nowadays. These teams and committees has to be more involved, or at least in a way known by memers of all participating churches.
Mr. Maurov from Italy said that Sibiu is not an assemblee but a conference. he wants to know how the commitments of the Charta are translated all over Europe and in all churches. That is what he wants to talk about here and now. Otherwise there is no step forwards to take at the end of this assemblee.
Mr. Kaspari from Germany was at the preperation meeting at Wittenberg. There the atmosphere was already like the one we all meet here in Sibiu. On the one hand it is good to be together, but more can be done, more can be discussed and have to be discussed. He talked about the problems of organise this assemblee, for example the infrastructural problems in Romania. In the end he said that meaybe not the assemblee itself, but the ongoing process of preparation and the way towards an assemblee like this one is the most important. More participants agreed on this. For lay people, the people from the grassroot so to say, such preparations are visible. If you can follow the preperation, on local, national and international level, everybody will have the feeling to be involved. And that will create more opportunities then listening to church-politic-speeches. Martin from Austria wants to talk about a proper continuation of the ecumenical process the participating churches are now involved in.
Stephen from Germany even asked himself if there has to be another assemblee. Because what are we doing here? Caryn from France is at the Sibiu assemblee, the first ecumenical meeting she is involved in. She was surprised about all the new things she saw here. Perhaps this assemblee doesn't show the unity we wanted it to see, but at least this is a way to see and to get to know each other. Therefore she was immpressed by the speech of mr. prof. Riccardi because he spoke about his personal faith. We all here in Sibiu are not that perfect, but we can accept this and try to share the good things with one another.
Durk from Germany is quit aware of the ecumenical developments everywere. Why is this assemblee only held once in 10 years. There is lot more happening in ecumenism than just this kind of meetings. And progression can only be evoced when there is a tension, when there are things to discuss, when there are visible quarrels and so on.
One of the proposals made was to overlook the perspectives on organizing an assemblee like this one. If people want to be more participating the perspective from wich discussions are started has to be one with the goal of progression. Timi from the UK states that here in Sibiu everyone is acting on an individual base. But not really together. To be in progression the Charta must be a guideline for the next assemblee. How is it implemented and how can we together advance this implementation?
Maybe we have to go along till the eschaton to reach some agreemant on sacramental issues for example, but at least the churches - all of them - have their responsibility in workig together and to let their light shine on this world. maybe now in Sibiu there is some fear on too much provocation, but why? Crestian from Estonai used the m etaphor of having a meal. To eat your dinner is to solve the problem of hunger. Maybe we can solve the problems between churches with talking with each other?
In short terms this was (for the biggest part) the outcome of our talking. To add something personal: I was not really satisfied on the fact that many of us just talked about what is 'wrong' here in Sibiu. Why not encouraging each other and to help each other seeing the good things? Still I think it is a kind of miracle that alle the people, all the degelates are here in Sibiu. To meet one another on the street, in the tent, in the churches and during the meals is kind of amazing me. And I realize, more can be done, but please, why can't we see the whole assemblee as something God arranged just to be there? This can be called Ecumenism in one of its purest forms, at least here in Europe. Many church political issues are discussed here, and sometimes it is quit boring and not that suprising, but again, this is a step. A step towards the Kingdom of God. I hope all the things that frustrated us can be put in our luggage as home work back in our own church. Make know the outcomes here, show the light of Christ and be a wittness of what you saw !
Only then something of what our Creator meant with his Creation can be seen.
yours in Christ,
Marrit Bassa - Still the youngest of the Dutch delegation ;)
Yesterday we had the alternative fora. I joined the group talking about what to do with the outcome of Graz, the organisation of Sibiu and better ideas to make this assemblee worth being there.
(Do accept my apologies when names/countries aren't right)
Mr. Fuchs from Germany was in Graz as well. He recalled the situation over there with the ecumenical village. There the people were not delegates but have had there imput to the official delegates. Finally here in Sibiu he is a delegate, but he does not feel himself one. He feels imprisoned. By the program, by the long speeches, by the fear the organization shows and more. He feels himself now to be a passive watcher to all what is happening. his proposal for a new assemblee is one like the Kirchentag in germany.
One of the youth delegates, or actually I have to say a young adult - Reb Redpadh - sais that he came to the assemblee to learn how to be in a relationship with other believers, with other christian forms of faith. But the only place where he learns that is during the meals. He wants to be involved so that he can learn how to be in contact with others.
Some of the participants of this group proposes for more committees or/and more activities during the preparation of an assemblee like this one. For example, from Graz one of the outcomes were reconciliation teams working all over europe nowadays. These teams and committees has to be more involved, or at least in a way known by memers of all participating churches.
Mr. Maurov from Italy said that Sibiu is not an assemblee but a conference. he wants to know how the commitments of the Charta are translated all over Europe and in all churches. That is what he wants to talk about here and now. Otherwise there is no step forwards to take at the end of this assemblee.
Mr. Kaspari from Germany was at the preperation meeting at Wittenberg. There the atmosphere was already like the one we all meet here in Sibiu. On the one hand it is good to be together, but more can be done, more can be discussed and have to be discussed. He talked about the problems of organise this assemblee, for example the infrastructural problems in Romania. In the end he said that meaybe not the assemblee itself, but the ongoing process of preparation and the way towards an assemblee like this one is the most important. More participants agreed on this. For lay people, the people from the grassroot so to say, such preparations are visible. If you can follow the preperation, on local, national and international level, everybody will have the feeling to be involved. And that will create more opportunities then listening to church-politic-speeches. Martin from Austria wants to talk about a proper continuation of the ecumenical process the participating churches are now involved in.
Stephen from Germany even asked himself if there has to be another assemblee. Because what are we doing here? Caryn from France is at the Sibiu assemblee, the first ecumenical meeting she is involved in. She was surprised about all the new things she saw here. Perhaps this assemblee doesn't show the unity we wanted it to see, but at least this is a way to see and to get to know each other. Therefore she was immpressed by the speech of mr. prof. Riccardi because he spoke about his personal faith. We all here in Sibiu are not that perfect, but we can accept this and try to share the good things with one another.
Durk from Germany is quit aware of the ecumenical developments everywere. Why is this assemblee only held once in 10 years. There is lot more happening in ecumenism than just this kind of meetings. And progression can only be evoced when there is a tension, when there are things to discuss, when there are visible quarrels and so on.
One of the proposals made was to overlook the perspectives on organizing an assemblee like this one. If people want to be more participating the perspective from wich discussions are started has to be one with the goal of progression. Timi from the UK states that here in Sibiu everyone is acting on an individual base. But not really together. To be in progression the Charta must be a guideline for the next assemblee. How is it implemented and how can we together advance this implementation?
Maybe we have to go along till the eschaton to reach some agreemant on sacramental issues for example, but at least the churches - all of them - have their responsibility in workig together and to let their light shine on this world. maybe now in Sibiu there is some fear on too much provocation, but why? Crestian from Estonai used the m etaphor of having a meal. To eat your dinner is to solve the problem of hunger. Maybe we can solve the problems between churches with talking with each other?
In short terms this was (for the biggest part) the outcome of our talking. To add something personal: I was not really satisfied on the fact that many of us just talked about what is 'wrong' here in Sibiu. Why not encouraging each other and to help each other seeing the good things? Still I think it is a kind of miracle that alle the people, all the degelates are here in Sibiu. To meet one another on the street, in the tent, in the churches and during the meals is kind of amazing me. And I realize, more can be done, but please, why can't we see the whole assemblee as something God arranged just to be there? This can be called Ecumenism in one of its purest forms, at least here in Europe. Many church political issues are discussed here, and sometimes it is quit boring and not that suprising, but again, this is a step. A step towards the Kingdom of God. I hope all the things that frustrated us can be put in our luggage as home work back in our own church. Make know the outcomes here, show the light of Christ and be a wittness of what you saw !
Only then something of what our Creator meant with his Creation can be seen.
yours in Christ,
Marrit Bassa - Still the youngest of the Dutch delegation ;)
Friday, September 7, 2007
Steward interview
I'm writing a story on the steward program to our Finnish youth media Fleim.fi. Today I had the honour of interviewing one of the stewards to our webpage. I thought why not share the clip also with you (don't mind the Finnish introduction, it only takes few seconds...):
English/Bassa/this morning....
Ok, honestly. This morning it was very, very warm in that tent.
But i liked it what happened. There was room for the younger delegations to say something. There were people who dislike the first draft version. There were people singing joyfully this morning during the service. There were people recognizing each others from the former days and meetings. In my opinion the real ecumenism has come to work by now at this assemblee. people finally fell themselves at home, talking to each other, greeting each other and have at least some fun.....
Perhaps that is one of the things I really miss here. Some humor, some fun. of course I can have a lot of fun by myself and with my delegation. In fact, we have a quit young delegation ( Who is joining this contest????? The YOUNGEST DELEGATION, defined by the everage of age of all the memebers ????????? Is it Norway? Is it Russia? Or is it Holland??) and we do have fun. Even with all the delegates from the Netherlands, from all churches.
But why is nobody making fun of this? Your religion is something that will influence your whole life. In fact, my faith is the foundation of my life. So, when I don't have something to laugh about in my faith, I will have a very very boring life as well.....
Please, make me laugh. And make me talk. That is how we can meet each other. there are so many ways of being in real contact ! One of them is talking and sharing your stories and experiences. Maybe we can try (all of us) to continue this as long as possible. For example by the facebook, mentioned before during one of the sessions with the young delegates. You can find my page on facebook.com/ utrecht.facebook.com or search for: marrit bassa.
Anyway, stay in contact. With each other and first of all with our creator.
Till next time!
But i liked it what happened. There was room for the younger delegations to say something. There were people who dislike the first draft version. There were people singing joyfully this morning during the service. There were people recognizing each others from the former days and meetings. In my opinion the real ecumenism has come to work by now at this assemblee. people finally fell themselves at home, talking to each other, greeting each other and have at least some fun.....
Perhaps that is one of the things I really miss here. Some humor, some fun. of course I can have a lot of fun by myself and with my delegation. In fact, we have a quit young delegation ( Who is joining this contest????? The YOUNGEST DELEGATION, defined by the everage of age of all the memebers ????????? Is it Norway? Is it Russia? Or is it Holland??) and we do have fun. Even with all the delegates from the Netherlands, from all churches.
But why is nobody making fun of this? Your religion is something that will influence your whole life. In fact, my faith is the foundation of my life. So, when I don't have something to laugh about in my faith, I will have a very very boring life as well.....
Please, make me laugh. And make me talk. That is how we can meet each other. there are so many ways of being in real contact ! One of them is talking and sharing your stories and experiences. Maybe we can try (all of us) to continue this as long as possible. For example by the facebook, mentioned before during one of the sessions with the young delegates. You can find my page on facebook.com/ utrecht.facebook.com or search for: marrit bassa.
Anyway, stay in contact. With each other and first of all with our creator.
Till next time!
Presentation of the St. Maurice Statement
Jooa from Finland, Julia from Poland and Petra from Germany were on the stage to present our Youth Statement from St.Maurice.
Great: 3 young women on the stage, with a very short presentation of a paper which has not only some general sentences, but also concrete proposals. It was very different to most of the appearances of the last days! Maybe that's why they got the longest applause of the whole assembly.
I think, they presented a very good picture of young people and of our work.
Great: 3 young women on the stage, with a very short presentation of a paper which has not only some general sentences, but also concrete proposals. It was very different to most of the appearances of the last days! Maybe that's why they got the longest applause of the whole assembly.
I think, they presented a very good picture of young people and of our work.
Aktuelles aus dem Plenarsaal
Ich sitze gerade im Zelt, es gibt eine Podiumsdiskussion zu den Themen des heutigen Tages (Gerechtigkeit, Frieden und Bewahrung der Schöpfung). Unter anderem sitzt der orthodoxe Metropolit Gennadios auf dem Podium.
Nun gab es eine Frage zu den Menschenrechten im Osten Europas. Er hat die Frage total abgebügelt: Dies sei eine Frage zum Thema Europa, und keine Frage zu den heutigen Themen. Deshalb werde er das nicht beantworten.
Dem stimme ich nicht zu. Die Wahrung und Stärkung der Menschenrechte ist eine ganz wesentliche Voraussetzung für Gerechtigkeit und Frieden. Ohne Menschenrechte wird keine Versöhnung möglich, ohne Menschenrechte profitieren nur wenige von den von Gott geschaffenen Reichtümern, die wir auf dieser Erde nutzen dürfen.
Gennadios hat nur eine Ausrede gesucht, um nicht antworten zu müssen. Sehr schade fand ich, dass viele Delegierte sogar geklatscht haben.
Positiv war jedoch die Diskussionsleitung durch Bischöfin Margot Kässmann (siehe auch ihr Interview auf SPIEGELonline. Sie betont, dass die Menschenrechte wichtig sind, und sie durchaus der Meinung sei, dass dies hierherpasse. Heute mittag werde es diskutiert werden müssen.
Leider konnte ich die Inputs zu G-F-BdS und die Diskussion nicht ganz verfolgen, weil wir unser Alternativforum vorbereitet haben. Eindrucksvoll war jedenfalls der Film, in dem Menschen in Afrika von ihrer schwierigen ökonomischen Situation berichtet haben.
In English:
I wrote on the plenary session today morning about justice, peace and creation. There was a panel discussion with Gennadios of Sassima who rejected a question on human rights - this would be a part of the Europe-topic, but not of justice/peace/creation.
I think, he is not right: The protection of human rights is a prerequisite for justice and peace!
Nun gab es eine Frage zu den Menschenrechten im Osten Europas. Er hat die Frage total abgebügelt: Dies sei eine Frage zum Thema Europa, und keine Frage zu den heutigen Themen. Deshalb werde er das nicht beantworten.
Dem stimme ich nicht zu. Die Wahrung und Stärkung der Menschenrechte ist eine ganz wesentliche Voraussetzung für Gerechtigkeit und Frieden. Ohne Menschenrechte wird keine Versöhnung möglich, ohne Menschenrechte profitieren nur wenige von den von Gott geschaffenen Reichtümern, die wir auf dieser Erde nutzen dürfen.
Gennadios hat nur eine Ausrede gesucht, um nicht antworten zu müssen. Sehr schade fand ich, dass viele Delegierte sogar geklatscht haben.
Positiv war jedoch die Diskussionsleitung durch Bischöfin Margot Kässmann (siehe auch ihr Interview auf SPIEGELonline. Sie betont, dass die Menschenrechte wichtig sind, und sie durchaus der Meinung sei, dass dies hierherpasse. Heute mittag werde es diskutiert werden müssen.
Leider konnte ich die Inputs zu G-F-BdS und die Diskussion nicht ganz verfolgen, weil wir unser Alternativforum vorbereitet haben. Eindrucksvoll war jedenfalls der Film, in dem Menschen in Afrika von ihrer schwierigen ökonomischen Situation berichtet haben.
In English:
I wrote on the plenary session today morning about justice, peace and creation. There was a panel discussion with Gennadios of Sassima who rejected a question on human rights - this would be a part of the Europe-topic, but not of justice/peace/creation.
I think, he is not right: The protection of human rights is a prerequisite for justice and peace!
Videostars of the day
Thanks to the following video stars.
1. Margot Käßmann. Moderating a real plenary asking real questions. Announcing the alternative forum. Thanks to her for taking delegates and the Assembly serious - I think, it might even have been the first time during these days.
2. The slide confusingly announcing the alternative forum. Thanks to whomever for putting and supporting.
Open question of the day: Will it be possible to give the Assembly a new drive for the remaining days?
p
1. Margot Käßmann. Moderating a real plenary asking real questions. Announcing the alternative forum. Thanks to her for taking delegates and the Assembly serious - I think, it might even have been the first time during these days.
2. The slide confusingly announcing the alternative forum. Thanks to whomever for putting and supporting.
Open question of the day: Will it be possible to give the Assembly a new drive for the remaining days?
p
Invitation to Alternative Forum
Alternative Forum this afternoon.
Questions and notes:
When? Toda, 15.30 - 18.00
Looking forward to meet you for DISCUSSION!
p
Questions and notes:
- What happened to Graz (EEA2)?
- Where are the recommendations for actions for Sibiu?
- Everbody welcome to share their experiences!
- No lectures, no words of greeting, but real discussions for everyone!
When? Toda, 15.30 - 18.00
Looking forward to meet you for DISCUSSION!
p
A new day
For some of us it is true that we can't attend everything. In fact nobody can attend everything because it's imposible. But we, as not beeing delegates, could still attend some of the plenaries and foras'. This remainds me of the new Steward Programme Promoting Campaign that is taking place right now in Sibiu having t-shirts printed out with slogans like: "Saint Benedict was a steward, than a whole order followed the Programme", "Peter was a Steward", "Marta was a Steward, Maria was a delegate" and so on. As far as can be easily seen, the Stewards are really doing a great job. I'm just wondering what would have happened without their preciuos help. I don't want to imagine. Already some of the press complaint in their way of the organization, but without theese 105 handy and helpful stewards it would have been much worse. I just want to thank you - beloved stewards - for the great job you are doing and assure you of my support to keep up the good work.
Coming back to this new day I started speaking about, it was more than regular, because now everybody knew what is supposed to do. The presence of the President of the European Commision, Mr. Jose Manuel Durao Barosso was not so liked by all the delegates because they were checked at the enterance in order not to enter with any things that can easily hurt anybody. In fact, I've seen in the Information Desk only four collected such things like a swiss knife, a spray, and so on.
A day passed, another is in front of us, we only have to pray to the Lord to help this Assembly and to illuminate the delegates to write a common final document that can really do something in the ecumenical world.
Iona Experience
Prayers are the salt of the meeting. Yesterday I attended evening prayer of the Taizé community and tonight was Iona community's turn. Both were held at the beautiful Lutheran cathedral of Sibiu and both were really nice.
Iona community is an ecumenical Christian community in Scotland. They had prepared an evening prayer on the topic of Israel-Palestine 'fence'. The people attending were divided into two groups, one in the choir (front) of the church and the other in the normal benches. The prayer had some songs from Israel and texts that went through the history of the Israel region, showing that there has always been someone putting up fences. During the readings people built a wall in between the two groups of people out of boxes. This was really efficient, because everybody would have wanted to see the other group which was on the other side of the wall. In the end of the prayer the wall was left there, because the 'fence' still exists between the Israelians and Palestinians.
This was a really concrete way of making people open their eyes on the issue and in a way that showed how sad the situation is for the people living on both sides, not just from the view of one side. Thank you Iona, I appreciate.
Iona community is an ecumenical Christian community in Scotland. They had prepared an evening prayer on the topic of Israel-Palestine 'fence'. The people attending were divided into two groups, one in the choir (front) of the church and the other in the normal benches. The prayer had some songs from Israel and texts that went through the history of the Israel region, showing that there has always been someone putting up fences. During the readings people built a wall in between the two groups of people out of boxes. This was really efficient, because everybody would have wanted to see the other group which was on the other side of the wall. In the end of the prayer the wall was left there, because the 'fence' still exists between the Israelians and Palestinians.
This was a really concrete way of making people open their eyes on the issue and in a way that showed how sad the situation is for the people living on both sides, not just from the view of one side. Thank you Iona, I appreciate.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
video killed the radiostar
Hello - just some insights of the achievements of eea3, day2:
Today, some young delegates had the opportunity to meet parts of the drafting committee for the final message of the Assembly and handed them the statement of the young delegates (born in St. Maurice). As it's shortly over one page and the final message should not have more than two pages, there are two possibilities: a) they take it, put some starting formula in the beginning and some ending formula in the end. Final message done. b) they squeeze it and then we can search in and inbetween the lines of the final message, what remained.
Scenario a) would make the work of the drafting committee easier - but it is not very likely to happen - unfortunately. Scenario b) is more likely, but luckily the committee got euqipped with a proposal how to shorten the long version: they got a short version. We will see. But still, having had the opportunity to meet the drafting committee is a step of success. And it shows, that the young delegates are well prepared and working hard. (We would work as hard as well, if we had a young member in the drafting committee, but it is not the case. But of course, we tried to convince them.)
Unfortunately, working hard has to take place in the breaks to a great extent. Working hard during the plenary mornings is difficult. The greatest opportunity to work hard in order to participate is to fill in forms. You can write what you think and hand it in, and if you're lucky, your message is picked. Yesterday, the picked messages were presented to the persons on the panel, but there was no time for any answers :-(
Today, six persons were selected to talk for two minutes each, but young delegates were not lucky in the selection process. Maybe tomorrow.
So, plenary is a little bit like radio, but luckily the people being allowed to speak can be seen on big screens. (This is a good change in the scenario, as the Assembly tent is held in dark blue. It's hard when you're tired.)
Videostar of the day: Thomas Wipf. Yesterday, he took part in the youth hearing and got to know the discussion about the statement. During his message in plenary this morning, he highlighted the achievement of the young delegates' statement and asked the facilitators to give some time to present it to the Assembly. Wow. We will see, if we are in the lucky position to grab two precious minutes of the Assembly plenary speaking time.
I'll let you know.
Who's your videostar?
p
Today, some young delegates had the opportunity to meet parts of the drafting committee for the final message of the Assembly and handed them the statement of the young delegates (born in St. Maurice). As it's shortly over one page and the final message should not have more than two pages, there are two possibilities: a) they take it, put some starting formula in the beginning and some ending formula in the end. Final message done. b) they squeeze it and then we can search in and inbetween the lines of the final message, what remained.
Scenario a) would make the work of the drafting committee easier - but it is not very likely to happen - unfortunately. Scenario b) is more likely, but luckily the committee got euqipped with a proposal how to shorten the long version: they got a short version. We will see. But still, having had the opportunity to meet the drafting committee is a step of success. And it shows, that the young delegates are well prepared and working hard. (We would work as hard as well, if we had a young member in the drafting committee, but it is not the case. But of course, we tried to convince them.)
Unfortunately, working hard has to take place in the breaks to a great extent. Working hard during the plenary mornings is difficult. The greatest opportunity to work hard in order to participate is to fill in forms. You can write what you think and hand it in, and if you're lucky, your message is picked. Yesterday, the picked messages were presented to the persons on the panel, but there was no time for any answers :-(
Today, six persons were selected to talk for two minutes each, but young delegates were not lucky in the selection process. Maybe tomorrow.
So, plenary is a little bit like radio, but luckily the people being allowed to speak can be seen on big screens. (This is a good change in the scenario, as the Assembly tent is held in dark blue. It's hard when you're tired.)
Videostar of the day: Thomas Wipf. Yesterday, he took part in the youth hearing and got to know the discussion about the statement. During his message in plenary this morning, he highlighted the achievement of the young delegates' statement and asked the facilitators to give some time to present it to the Assembly. Wow. We will see, if we are in the lucky position to grab two precious minutes of the Assembly plenary speaking time.
I'll let you know.
Who's your videostar?
p
Concerns and pains
No, I will not write in Russian, noone reads in this case.
First, I want to agree with two inputs from my friends Benoit and Tobias. I wanted to write it myself but they were more rapid. One is about "checking" every morning - and it is visible that people are discriminated - for example I never seen any Orthodox priests being cheacked, but in the same time young lay people are checked really detailed.
Second is Greetings from Russia by Rabbi Zinoviy Kogan. It was something I couldn't really stand to hear. It was about Chechnya and its very good President Kadyrov and very new beautiful city of Grozny. It is new because it was ruined! I was really shocked! While question of human rights and religious freedom in Russia and Belarus are hidden in this Assembly, some "guests" are preaching such things! How is it possible? Do KEK and CCEE really concerned about human rights and religious freedom issues?
Sorry for a lot of emotions, people. But what can I say more? At the same moment while I spend very pleasent time at this safe and silent assembly my friends in Belarus are arrested, prosecuted by KGB, fined only for praying together, reading Bible together at their flats, my spiritual father is banned from serving because he raised his voice for religious freedom in Belarus. What can I say? Input from Rabbi Kogan sounds like a mockery.
Of course, Chechnya is not a problem any more. Of course, Belarus is not a problem.
You speak about Christian roots and European identity, but closing eyes while you brothers and sisters in the same continent suffer has nothing in common with Christian roots and European identity.
And I will return from this marvellous event and I can be checked at Belarusian customs much more detailed than it is here. Moreover, the laptop I write you from can be confiscated from me in the train at night 11.09. - it is very usual practice in the country. Here I presented myself as Syndesmos regional representative for Central Europe, but I can be arrested in Belarus because of that: acting on behalf of unregistered organization is an offence. When I want to share with my brothers and sisters in Belarus about the results of the Assembly and invite them at my place to drink some tea together, I can be fined for having unregistered religious event in private house. And then when I look from my window I will see "New Life" Full Gospel church building which is being withdrown from the community because it is former cattle-farm. You know, I can't sleep well at night, when view from my window shous me suffering of my brothers protestants. I am concerned. It is very near. I hear their voices.
European Christians, maybe you can look from your window and see your neighbour Belarus? Maybe you can tune your ears to hear voices of prosecuted Christians? Only then I will believe that Christ of light shines upon Europe and Christians Churches still are able to see this Light.
First, I want to agree with two inputs from my friends Benoit and Tobias. I wanted to write it myself but they were more rapid. One is about "checking" every morning - and it is visible that people are discriminated - for example I never seen any Orthodox priests being cheacked, but in the same time young lay people are checked really detailed.
Second is Greetings from Russia by Rabbi Zinoviy Kogan. It was something I couldn't really stand to hear. It was about Chechnya and its very good President Kadyrov and very new beautiful city of Grozny. It is new because it was ruined! I was really shocked! While question of human rights and religious freedom in Russia and Belarus are hidden in this Assembly, some "guests" are preaching such things! How is it possible? Do KEK and CCEE really concerned about human rights and religious freedom issues?
Sorry for a lot of emotions, people. But what can I say more? At the same moment while I spend very pleasent time at this safe and silent assembly my friends in Belarus are arrested, prosecuted by KGB, fined only for praying together, reading Bible together at their flats, my spiritual father is banned from serving because he raised his voice for religious freedom in Belarus. What can I say? Input from Rabbi Kogan sounds like a mockery.
Of course, Chechnya is not a problem any more. Of course, Belarus is not a problem.
You speak about Christian roots and European identity, but closing eyes while you brothers and sisters in the same continent suffer has nothing in common with Christian roots and European identity.
And I will return from this marvellous event and I can be checked at Belarusian customs much more detailed than it is here. Moreover, the laptop I write you from can be confiscated from me in the train at night 11.09. - it is very usual practice in the country. Here I presented myself as Syndesmos regional representative for Central Europe, but I can be arrested in Belarus because of that: acting on behalf of unregistered organization is an offence. When I want to share with my brothers and sisters in Belarus about the results of the Assembly and invite them at my place to drink some tea together, I can be fined for having unregistered religious event in private house. And then when I look from my window I will see "New Life" Full Gospel church building which is being withdrown from the community because it is former cattle-farm. You know, I can't sleep well at night, when view from my window shous me suffering of my brothers protestants. I am concerned. It is very near. I hear their voices.
European Christians, maybe you can look from your window and see your neighbour Belarus? Maybe you can tune your ears to hear voices of prosecuted Christians? Only then I will believe that Christ of light shines upon Europe and Christians Churches still are able to see this Light.
Some reactions about the hearing on youth yesterday evening
It's always nice and important to meet other young people coming from different backgrounds. I would like to thank the speakers and the organizers of the hearing for the wise way they decided to guide the discussion.
It's indeed not always the case that the assumption of the hearing on youth was not only a plan for the revolution in the assembly. Yesterday we had the opportunity to hear about the situation of the young people involved in the churches at the local or national level. It's now maybe the time to rise again an idea already present in the preparation of the assembly and earlier in the ecumenical pilgrimage. Young people are natural and living links between the churches. Who among us would be interested in developing ecumenical partnership between parishes and local communities? I think all young people could be living bridges between international assemblies like EEA3 and the local life of the churches. And this is one of the biggest challenges for the Church.
My second point is about the last discussion we had yesterday. There is a statement coming out from the young delegates meeting in St Maurice (Switzerland) (see www.cec-kek.org). We had to organize how this statement could come into the plenary to be read and distributed. But some of the young delegates shortened this statement in order to have something sharper. Doing that, they damaged – I think – the whole process and the necessary consensus, just for internal strategically reasons. Last but not least, they put as title to the St Maurice statement: “message from the young delegates and the stewards”. Even if you had the honor to welcome 3 or 5 stewards among us yesterday, this statement was never discussed among the stewards. It's not a steward’s statement. I hate this attitude which steels the opinion of others just because they are young... it's a kind of segregation and not a respect of the personal dignity. The stewards have their own program, there are working as a team, they are able to speak by their own, and they even have ideas! Doing such things, some young delegates increase the gap between good will and reality: it's not a way to help the dialogue and increase the communion. And I wonder if it's the right attitude for possible future church leaders...
It's indeed not always the case that the assumption of the hearing on youth was not only a plan for the revolution in the assembly. Yesterday we had the opportunity to hear about the situation of the young people involved in the churches at the local or national level. It's now maybe the time to rise again an idea already present in the preparation of the assembly and earlier in the ecumenical pilgrimage. Young people are natural and living links between the churches. Who among us would be interested in developing ecumenical partnership between parishes and local communities? I think all young people could be living bridges between international assemblies like EEA3 and the local life of the churches. And this is one of the biggest challenges for the Church.
My second point is about the last discussion we had yesterday. There is a statement coming out from the young delegates meeting in St Maurice (Switzerland) (see www.cec-kek.org). We had to organize how this statement could come into the plenary to be read and distributed. But some of the young delegates shortened this statement in order to have something sharper. Doing that, they damaged – I think – the whole process and the necessary consensus, just for internal strategically reasons. Last but not least, they put as title to the St Maurice statement: “message from the young delegates and the stewards”. Even if you had the honor to welcome 3 or 5 stewards among us yesterday, this statement was never discussed among the stewards. It's not a steward’s statement. I hate this attitude which steels the opinion of others just because they are young... it's a kind of segregation and not a respect of the personal dignity. The stewards have their own program, there are working as a team, they are able to speak by their own, and they even have ideas! Doing such things, some young delegates increase the gap between good will and reality: it's not a way to help the dialogue and increase the communion. And I wonder if it's the right attitude for possible future church leaders...
My third point is totally different. As a lay protestant delegate, I'm “checked” every morning at the entrance of the plenary tent (like at the airport). Today, I was not allowed to go in the tent because of my Swiss knife... For a Swiss delegate, it's not so pleasant... Be sure it was not my intention to make the revolution... except if we consider the prayer as the only real revolution.... and I do.
How many delegates are in Sibiu?
I just discovered an interesting information in a news release of the World Council of Churches dealing with yesterday's speech of Samuel Kobia: Kobia was addressing some 2500 delegates and other official participants from most European church traditions attending the opening session of the Third European Ecumenical Assembly, which he termed as the "single largest regular gathering of Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican and Protestant church leaders in the world".
You can read the whole news release here.
You can read the whole news release here.
Strange greetings from Russia
Today we had a strange greeting of Rabbi Zinoviy Kogan, chairman of the Russian Congress of Jewish Congregations and Organisation.
He lauded the situation in Chechnya, especially it's president Ramzan Kadyrov. I couldn't believe it. One of the most martial persons is mentioned on this Assembly as a good guy, although there are such a lot of valid accusations of human rights abuses made by Kadyrovs personal guard, the Kadyrovcy. Sorry, it was really awful to sit there.
I don't understand, why this person was invited. Still more, I was told that he always says the same stuff on Chechnya. Why they didn't invite a Romanian rabbi, as there was a Romanian mufti representing the Islam? A lot of things on this Assembly remain mysterious.
He lauded the situation in Chechnya, especially it's president Ramzan Kadyrov. I couldn't believe it. One of the most martial persons is mentioned on this Assembly as a good guy, although there are such a lot of valid accusations of human rights abuses made by Kadyrovs personal guard, the Kadyrovcy. Sorry, it was really awful to sit there.
I don't understand, why this person was invited. Still more, I was told that he always says the same stuff on Chechnya. Why they didn't invite a Romanian rabbi, as there was a Romanian mufti representing the Islam? A lot of things on this Assembly remain mysterious.
Endlich mal
Die meisten Beiträge der Delegierten hier sind ja relativ kritisch. Mir geht's ganz ähnlich. Aber manchmal gibt es dann doch noch schöne Erlebnisse. Gestern war ich im Forum "Witness" (Zeugnis). Die Foren sind dazu da, bestimmte Themen "zu vertiefen". Oft sind das auch nur Vorträge oder Podiumsdiskussionen, gähn.
Bei uns aber gab es Kleingruppen zur Diskussion. Endlich mal inhaltlich diskutieren und einen echten Dialog führen. Endlich mal nicht nur wohl abgewogene diplomatische Positionen von der Bühne hören, sondern auch mal "unfertige" Gedanken. Bei mir waren Menschen aus Schweden, England, den Niederlanden, Frankreich, Deutschland, Zypern und Ghana. Besonders beeindruckt hat mich, wie offen unsere Gruppe miteinander diskutieren konnten und wie wir versuchten, uns auf gemeinsame Formulierungen zu einigen. Das war:
"1. There are many forms of witness.
2. Witness is already in our being.
3. Witness is about asking appropriate questions at the right time, with god's help.
4. There is a witness which does the church do as an institution to society questions."
Was damit passiert? Keine Ahnung. Immerhin aber habe ich selbst auch mal etwas mitnehmen können.
Bei uns aber gab es Kleingruppen zur Diskussion. Endlich mal inhaltlich diskutieren und einen echten Dialog führen. Endlich mal nicht nur wohl abgewogene diplomatische Positionen von der Bühne hören, sondern auch mal "unfertige" Gedanken. Bei mir waren Menschen aus Schweden, England, den Niederlanden, Frankreich, Deutschland, Zypern und Ghana. Besonders beeindruckt hat mich, wie offen unsere Gruppe miteinander diskutieren konnten und wie wir versuchten, uns auf gemeinsame Formulierungen zu einigen. Das war:
"1. There are many forms of witness.
2. Witness is already in our being.
3. Witness is about asking appropriate questions at the right time, with god's help.
4. There is a witness which does the church do as an institution to society questions."
Was damit passiert? Keine Ahnung. Immerhin aber habe ich selbst auch mal etwas mitnehmen können.
Plenaries: second edition
What is your feeling when you enter the plenary and see the people on the stage? How do you feel when you see two female moderators at one table and venerable male elders on the other side? Doesn't it look like a gender segregation? Maybe it's just a morning impression...
And what does it say about ecumenism in Europe when you try to guess the age of people on the stage? Where is the youth? Do they have nothing to say? I don't think so. I don't think that there are young people good only for "Morning Prayers and Bible Meditations". I believe, there are also young individuals able to contribute to the main plenary discussions. So, where are they?
I still wonder: Why do we have numerous speakers who just read their well prepared speeches without any attempt to interact, to dispute or to dialogue among themselves? How are we to be light shining on the way of life in dialogue with each other if we are able just to use monologue to express our ideas?
Well, at least, delegates without privilege to speak to the plenary learn to listen...
I'm looking for Round Tables to change my a bit skeptical point of view ;-)
And what does it say about ecumenism in Europe when you try to guess the age of people on the stage? Where is the youth? Do they have nothing to say? I don't think so. I don't think that there are young people good only for "Morning Prayers and Bible Meditations". I believe, there are also young individuals able to contribute to the main plenary discussions. So, where are they?
I still wonder: Why do we have numerous speakers who just read their well prepared speeches without any attempt to interact, to dispute or to dialogue among themselves? How are we to be light shining on the way of life in dialogue with each other if we are able just to use monologue to express our ideas?
Well, at least, delegates without privilege to speak to the plenary learn to listen...
I'm looking for Round Tables to change my a bit skeptical point of view ;-)
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Bassa/English/After a long day
Here we are again.
If you as a reader are able to read the german messages, you know some youth-thoughts already. But maybe that's the point.....
I just arrived at the hotel in Ocna Sibiuliu. Together with two other Dutch delegates I was at the meeting of youth delegates and stewards at the Youth Cafe. Honestly, I was a bit tired, but I was there. It is nice to see each other, to get to know and to exchange your experiences.
I went to the meeting with the idea that I could meet other young people with a heart for what I call church. With a concern for what is going on, seriously. And of course, it was there. The people were there.
There were two young women from Norway who had an important message. They wanted to encourage everyone with the example of their home-church. In their church almost 20 % of all boards and delegations are people younger than 30 years. We call them ' youth'. But they said: we're not there just because we are youth but because we have to say something. And I really do think that that is important for us and for all the members of this assembly.
I know that 150 delegates out of 2200 who are younger than 30 is not that much. But I am asking myself: what do I have to tell the 'elder' people? I'd like to be involved in everything here, but just as a member and not as just youth.
I hope this message will be forwarded by everyone who was there tonight.
Further on this day was wet..... really wet...! Full of waiting, waiting for food, waiting for the busses, waiting for people giving the microphone to someone else.... ;)
But anyway, the stewards did a great job. I think that they are THE persons who show us what ecumenism/to be ecumenical really is: - To serve the world together, each one using his/her talents.
Because still, in my opinion, that is what the church has to do. Yesterday I saw all these people. Wearing their robes, their official clothes, their crosses and more - and they look like: I'm here, I'm important, everybody have to listen to me. And I thought: well, I do have the same nametag/badge as all of you so I am on your level now.
Today I found out that much of these people maybe look like that but not all are like that. And I was happy to see that. Anyway, I'm glad that my delegation is quit young ... But I'm also glad that some of the official adresses from especially the Evanglisch Lutheran church from germany and the Metroplite of the Moscow patriarchate were quit ' young' as well. They were really informed about what is going on in Europe, as well as on academic level as on the level of society.
There are two things that I remember here tonight, said by them:
* Please, think about a common statement on accepting all churches baptism
* A scientist has to defend his truth, found by his theory or observation. The church has to defend its truth, because it holds One, and is obliged to share it!
I hope tomorrow will bring more..... !
If you as a reader are able to read the german messages, you know some youth-thoughts already. But maybe that's the point.....
I just arrived at the hotel in Ocna Sibiuliu. Together with two other Dutch delegates I was at the meeting of youth delegates and stewards at the Youth Cafe. Honestly, I was a bit tired, but I was there. It is nice to see each other, to get to know and to exchange your experiences.
I went to the meeting with the idea that I could meet other young people with a heart for what I call church. With a concern for what is going on, seriously. And of course, it was there. The people were there.
There were two young women from Norway who had an important message. They wanted to encourage everyone with the example of their home-church. In their church almost 20 % of all boards and delegations are people younger than 30 years. We call them ' youth'. But they said: we're not there just because we are youth but because we have to say something. And I really do think that that is important for us and for all the members of this assembly.
I know that 150 delegates out of 2200 who are younger than 30 is not that much. But I am asking myself: what do I have to tell the 'elder' people? I'd like to be involved in everything here, but just as a member and not as just youth.
I hope this message will be forwarded by everyone who was there tonight.
Further on this day was wet..... really wet...! Full of waiting, waiting for food, waiting for the busses, waiting for people giving the microphone to someone else.... ;)
But anyway, the stewards did a great job. I think that they are THE persons who show us what ecumenism/to be ecumenical really is: - To serve the world together, each one using his/her talents.
Because still, in my opinion, that is what the church has to do. Yesterday I saw all these people. Wearing their robes, their official clothes, their crosses and more - and they look like: I'm here, I'm important, everybody have to listen to me. And I thought: well, I do have the same nametag/badge as all of you so I am on your level now.
Today I found out that much of these people maybe look like that but not all are like that. And I was happy to see that. Anyway, I'm glad that my delegation is quit young ... But I'm also glad that some of the official adresses from especially the Evanglisch Lutheran church from germany and the Metroplite of the Moscow patriarchate were quit ' young' as well. They were really informed about what is going on in Europe, as well as on academic level as on the level of society.
There are two things that I remember here tonight, said by them:
* Please, think about a common statement on accepting all churches baptism
* A scientist has to defend his truth, found by his theory or observation. The church has to defend its truth, because it holds One, and is obliged to share it!
I hope tomorrow will bring more..... !
“Wehe wenn sie losgelassen”
Der erste Vormittag war sehr spannend: Nach dem Gottesdienst gab es Reden, Grußworte und sonstige Auftritte von Personen. Alle mussten ihre Zeit kräftig überziehen, weil es soviel zu sagen gab (Kommentar einer jungen Delegierten: “Wehe, wenn sie losgelassen.”) – die Plenumsdiskussion fiel dafür ins Wasser. Keiner konnte etwas beitragen. Dabei hatten wir jungen Leute extra einen etwas provokativen Beitrag vorbereitet.
Neues lieferten die Beiträge eigentlich nicht, hatten wir alles schonmal gehört. Es kam nichts groß heraus. Dafür hat aber die Presse wieder was zu schreiben: Kardinal Kasper hat wieder die katholische Position betont, dass man ein eigenes Kirchenverständnis habe, aber trotzdem an der Ökumene interessiert sei, Metropolit Kirill (Internet spinnt, Link folgt) betonte die (russisch-)orthodoxe Kritik an der Postmoderne und dem in vielen Ländern vorherrschenden “Säkularismus”, dem man die aus der Wahrheit entspringenden christlichen Werte entgegensetzen müsse, und der deutsche Bischof Wolfgang Huber betonte das evangelische Interesse an der Ökumene und vergaß auch nicht zu erwähnen, dass bald 500 Jahre Reformation gefeiert werden.
Die Befürchtung, dass es nur wenig Partizipation geben würde, hat sich voll bestätigt. Wichtig Kirchenleute reden, die Delegierten sollen halt zuhören. Man kam sich eher als Dekoration vor.
Man hat den Eindruck: Hier gibt es nur Monologe, nicht jedoch einen Dialog oder Auseinandersetzungen um heiße Themen
Wenigstens eine kleine Sache haben wir erreicht: Wir (das heißt, ein paar junge Delegierte) treffen uns morgen mit dem Komitee, das die Abschlussbotschaft ausarbeitet. Ihnen wollen wir ein paar unserer Vorstellungen mitgeben. Dazu treffen wir uns gleich zur Vorbereitung. Mal sehn, wie’s wird. Bis dann.
Neues lieferten die Beiträge eigentlich nicht, hatten wir alles schonmal gehört. Es kam nichts groß heraus. Dafür hat aber die Presse wieder was zu schreiben: Kardinal Kasper hat wieder die katholische Position betont, dass man ein eigenes Kirchenverständnis habe, aber trotzdem an der Ökumene interessiert sei, Metropolit Kirill (Internet spinnt, Link folgt) betonte die (russisch-)orthodoxe Kritik an der Postmoderne und dem in vielen Ländern vorherrschenden “Säkularismus”, dem man die aus der Wahrheit entspringenden christlichen Werte entgegensetzen müsse, und der deutsche Bischof Wolfgang Huber betonte das evangelische Interesse an der Ökumene und vergaß auch nicht zu erwähnen, dass bald 500 Jahre Reformation gefeiert werden.
Die Befürchtung, dass es nur wenig Partizipation geben würde, hat sich voll bestätigt. Wichtig Kirchenleute reden, die Delegierten sollen halt zuhören. Man kam sich eher als Dekoration vor.
Man hat den Eindruck: Hier gibt es nur Monologe, nicht jedoch einen Dialog oder Auseinandersetzungen um heiße Themen
Wenigstens eine kleine Sache haben wir erreicht: Wir (das heißt, ein paar junge Delegierte) treffen uns morgen mit dem Komitee, das die Abschlussbotschaft ausarbeitet. Ihnen wollen wir ein paar unserer Vorstellungen mitgeben. Dazu treffen wir uns gleich zur Vorbereitung. Mal sehn, wie’s wird. Bis dann.
Some more reflections on the Opening Plenary
I share Antti's disappointment with not having anyone of underrepresented youth delegates in the Drafting Committee. And I would add my disappointment with the process of presenting the whole Committee at the very end of the plenary when not so many delegates were there, nobody wanted to react and comment on the proposals. And judging the reaction of the delegates present, I would say that there was not anything like a consensus on the proposed candidates...
I understand that the Opening Plenary was too packed for caring about such issues, but dealing with them in such a rushy way doesn't make delegates feel respected. To the feeling that there are not so many people caring about what the delegates think contributed also the way of addressing the questions written on the papers during the speeches of the three venerable speakers: everyone could write whatever she/he wanted but there was no time and no speaker to be addressed with the question. Thus, it was quite hard not to have a feeling of not being heard...
And I would add one more thought about the content, not just the form, of the Opening Plenary. The majority of speakers mentioned current European problems and challenges we have been facing. I guess, vast majority of us can agree on them. However, when it came to proposing some ways of solving them, silence... Oh, that would be unfair: better to say - vague phrases about light of Christ shining upon all of us...
Anyway, after some criticism, I still feel optimistic about future continuation of the assembly and finding some concrete solutions for the problems and actions to take after our returns to local realities ;-)
I understand that the Opening Plenary was too packed for caring about such issues, but dealing with them in such a rushy way doesn't make delegates feel respected. To the feeling that there are not so many people caring about what the delegates think contributed also the way of addressing the questions written on the papers during the speeches of the three venerable speakers: everyone could write whatever she/he wanted but there was no time and no speaker to be addressed with the question. Thus, it was quite hard not to have a feeling of not being heard...
And I would add one more thought about the content, not just the form, of the Opening Plenary. The majority of speakers mentioned current European problems and challenges we have been facing. I guess, vast majority of us can agree on them. However, when it came to proposing some ways of solving them, silence... Oh, that would be unfair: better to say - vague phrases about light of Christ shining upon all of us...
Anyway, after some criticism, I still feel optimistic about future continuation of the assembly and finding some concrete solutions for the problems and actions to take after our returns to local realities ;-)
Assembly message?
The opening plenary is now over and all the delegates are recovering from a heavy Romanian three-course lunch. We heard interesting opening speeches from church leaders and many important aspects on the assembly themes. One of the most interesting imho was Cardinal Walter Kaspers' speech in which he dealt with the issue of the recent statement of the Roman Catholic Church:
(a brief quote, see eea3-assembly page for the full version)
In a recent document from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith my Church, the Catholic Church, set out differences that unfortunately exist and, in doing so, reminded us of the task that lies before us. I know that many, especially many of my evangelical brothers and sisters, felt hurt by this. I am not unaffected by it, either; I, too, had problems with it. For the hurt and pain of my friends is my hurt and pain as well. It was not our intention to hurt or belittle anyone. We wanted to bear witness to the truth, just as we expect other churches to, and just as other churches already do. The declarations other churches make are not all to our liking, and nor does what they sometimes say about us. But what are we to expect? Cosy ecumenism and fake ecumenism, which are all about being nice to each other, do not get us very far; the only way forward is dialogue in truth and clarity.
So, we are not dealing with easy issues here. But hope and unity were called for in almost every speech held.
At the end of the plenary the Assembly final message draft group was introduced. Supposedly the final message has already been sketched to some extent forehand, but this group has a great influence on it trying to extract the important matters discussed in the fora. Anyway, for the big disappointment, none of the appointed members were of the youth delegates. Though the moderator told that youth delegates should contact these people for their message to be heard, I think a far more better solution would have been to select at least one young member on board. After all, this is supposed to be an "youth assembly" and we lack 350 youth delegates of the quota of 500 that was called for from the member churches.
Now back to the rainy Sibiu and the assembly tent where the Forum on Unity is just starting.
(a brief quote, see eea3-assembly page for the full version)
In a recent document from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith my Church, the Catholic Church, set out differences that unfortunately exist and, in doing so, reminded us of the task that lies before us. I know that many, especially many of my evangelical brothers and sisters, felt hurt by this. I am not unaffected by it, either; I, too, had problems with it. For the hurt and pain of my friends is my hurt and pain as well. It was not our intention to hurt or belittle anyone. We wanted to bear witness to the truth, just as we expect other churches to, and just as other churches already do. The declarations other churches make are not all to our liking, and nor does what they sometimes say about us. But what are we to expect? Cosy ecumenism and fake ecumenism, which are all about being nice to each other, do not get us very far; the only way forward is dialogue in truth and clarity.
So, we are not dealing with easy issues here. But hope and unity were called for in almost every speech held.
At the end of the plenary the Assembly final message draft group was introduced. Supposedly the final message has already been sketched to some extent forehand, but this group has a great influence on it trying to extract the important matters discussed in the fora. Anyway, for the big disappointment, none of the appointed members were of the youth delegates. Though the moderator told that youth delegates should contact these people for their message to be heard, I think a far more better solution would have been to select at least one young member on board. After all, this is supposed to be an "youth assembly" and we lack 350 youth delegates of the quota of 500 that was called for from the member churches.
Now back to the rainy Sibiu and the assembly tent where the Forum on Unity is just starting.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
The endless road to Sibiu
The EEA3 is not just a 6-day meeting in the beautifull city of Sibiu but it has been anticipated and prepared carefully for several years. The road to Sibiu has thus been very long. For me, a Finnish lutheran delegate, the length of the road became concrete only today, sitting in our bus from Bucharest to Sibiu. We left for the 280 km trip from the capital city at half past ten - and arrived at Sibiu half past seven. 9 hours sitting in a bus! (ok, we ate a delicious meal in a nice small monastery halfway, but still)
The road was long and sitting in the small bus not so comfortable all the time. But the closer we got to our goal city, the nicer became the scenerys. And when we arrived at Sibiu in the soft evening sunlight, it felt that the trip was totally worth doing. I hope that the collective experience of these days will be similar: all the work and preparatory actions were really worth this.
The road was long and sitting in the small bus not so comfortable all the time. But the closer we got to our goal city, the nicer became the scenerys. And when we arrived at Sibiu in the soft evening sunlight, it felt that the trip was totally worth doing. I hope that the collective experience of these days will be similar: all the work and preparatory actions were really worth this.
Точка кипения
Множество всего происходило в дни, которые можно было бы обозначить тэгом "pre-Sibiu", но интернета не было и не было возможности ничего написать тогда, а теперь началось уже "Sibiu", и в этом "Sibiu" моим местом будет Press-Office, здесь циркулирует информация и документы, здесь в воздухе беспроводной интернет и слухи.
Сегодня я буду участвовать в Торжественном открытие Ассамблеи, наверное, мне надо будет пройти со свечкой из одного конца сцены в другую. А дело было так: в какой-то момент мне пришло письмо, в котором меня благодарили за согласие учавствовать в молитвенной жизни Ассамблеи и пригласили явиться в определённое место в Палатку. Вечером оказалось, что этим письмом все адресаты, которые его получили включаются в работу Богослужебного Комитета. Это было неожиданной и не очень приятной новостью - ведь получалось, что в Комитет меня включали насильно. Про это писал Тоби раньше. Но в конце концов, оказалось, что эти письма касались исключительно Торжественного Открытия.
К сожалению, работа в Пресс-Офисе не позволила мне участвовать в регистрации делегатов, а это значит - видеть их списки. Но как оказалось, на регистрации полные списки нигде не присутствуют, они разбиты на части в соответсвии с тем, куда прибывают делегаты. Странно, почему списки участников такая тайна...
English: Tobi already wrote about forcing stewards to be in Prayer Committee. But in the end it was misunderstanding - some stewards were allowed to choose another job.
I work in Press-Office and will be able to update my blog regularly.
I am wondering - someone saw any list of the Assembly participants???
Сегодня я буду участвовать в Торжественном открытие Ассамблеи, наверное, мне надо будет пройти со свечкой из одного конца сцены в другую. А дело было так: в какой-то момент мне пришло письмо, в котором меня благодарили за согласие учавствовать в молитвенной жизни Ассамблеи и пригласили явиться в определённое место в Палатку. Вечером оказалось, что этим письмом все адресаты, которые его получили включаются в работу Богослужебного Комитета. Это было неожиданной и не очень приятной новостью - ведь получалось, что в Комитет меня включали насильно. Про это писал Тоби раньше. Но в конце концов, оказалось, что эти письма касались исключительно Торжественного Открытия.
К сожалению, работа в Пресс-Офисе не позволила мне участвовать в регистрации делегатов, а это значит - видеть их списки. Но как оказалось, на регистрации полные списки нигде не присутствуют, они разбиты на части в соответсвии с тем, куда прибывают делегаты. Странно, почему списки участников такая тайна...
English: Tobi already wrote about forcing stewards to be in Prayer Committee. But in the end it was misunderstanding - some stewards were allowed to choose another job.
I work in Press-Office and will be able to update my blog regularly.
I am wondering - someone saw any list of the Assembly participants???
Is participation something active or something passive?
Looking into the detailed programme of the Assembly, written in the delegates’ handbook, you can find that at the end of the week there shall be an Assembly message with the general outcomes, with objectives the European churches want to achieve in the next years and with plans for some concrete action. Naturally, such a message should be developed in a democratic way. According to Colin Williams, the General Secretary of CEC, this will happen: The process leading to the message will be “as democratic as possible”.
The handbook where all necessary information is written down (unfortunately not available on the internet) gives another picture:
1. The Assembly has no rules of procedure. Written rules are already common in commissions with 10 members to guarantee an outcome. But how to manage an Assembly with more than 2.000 members? How is it possible to agree on a Assembly message, if nobody knows, in which way? It’s a mystery. OK, it’s not that easy. It’s impossible that every delegate can express his position on the stage. It’s impossible to satisfy every delegate and to consider every individual argument. But: If there is the aim to incorporate delegates contributions, we should know, in which way.
2. The only thing we know is that there will be a message committee. That’s all. All other important information are unknown: Who are the members of the committee? Are there some delegates within? May we elect the members, or may we at least elect some additional members? If we had this information, we could prepare some committee candidates, or we could address to the members some contributions. But we cannot.
My conclusion: The whole process is behind a veil of ignorance. Intransparency rules, and not transparency as one of the main conditions for participation.
3. On Saturday evening one part of the programme (approximately 15 minutes) will be the “Presentation of the Assembly Message”. No decision, no voting, no affirmation. In combination with missing rules of procedure, there is only one possible conclusion. The delegates will not be asked about the final version of the message. This prognosis is even strengthened by the information, we got at the Assembly office: “There’s no voting, because there will be no decision.” But if we cannot vote – who are the decision makers? A small circle of people will decide on the contents of the message. Nevertheless, the message will be presented as a position of the whole assembly.
What is then participation? Is it about sitting there and listening speeches, lectures, greetings, addresses, and in the end they present you the result? Or is it far more? That was my main question when I saw the detailed programme.
In the foreword of the Assembly’s handbook, Metropolitan Gennadios of Sassima and Bishop Vincenzo Paglia describe participation as “sharing, experiencing and enjoying the Assembly ecumenically”. Contributions of delegates or open discussions don’t find their place in this definition. Is the EEA3 then only a show which was already scripted before?
No, it won't, because this depends on the efforts of the delegates with an interest in higher partipation. I think that there are a couple of possibilities:
- Asking for more time of open discussion
- Asking for an election of the members of the message committee
- Asking for a voting on the Assembly message
- If there is no way to express the position within the programme, finding other places for opinion making and discussion (as for example this blog)
- Not waiting, but starting now to act
- ...
I’m sure, this will be a very interesting and spirited assembly.
The handbook where all necessary information is written down (unfortunately not available on the internet) gives another picture:
1. The Assembly has no rules of procedure. Written rules are already common in commissions with 10 members to guarantee an outcome. But how to manage an Assembly with more than 2.000 members? How is it possible to agree on a Assembly message, if nobody knows, in which way? It’s a mystery. OK, it’s not that easy. It’s impossible that every delegate can express his position on the stage. It’s impossible to satisfy every delegate and to consider every individual argument. But: If there is the aim to incorporate delegates contributions, we should know, in which way.
2. The only thing we know is that there will be a message committee. That’s all. All other important information are unknown: Who are the members of the committee? Are there some delegates within? May we elect the members, or may we at least elect some additional members? If we had this information, we could prepare some committee candidates, or we could address to the members some contributions. But we cannot.
My conclusion: The whole process is behind a veil of ignorance. Intransparency rules, and not transparency as one of the main conditions for participation.
3. On Saturday evening one part of the programme (approximately 15 minutes) will be the “Presentation of the Assembly Message”. No decision, no voting, no affirmation. In combination with missing rules of procedure, there is only one possible conclusion. The delegates will not be asked about the final version of the message. This prognosis is even strengthened by the information, we got at the Assembly office: “There’s no voting, because there will be no decision.” But if we cannot vote – who are the decision makers? A small circle of people will decide on the contents of the message. Nevertheless, the message will be presented as a position of the whole assembly.
What is then participation? Is it about sitting there and listening speeches, lectures, greetings, addresses, and in the end they present you the result? Or is it far more? That was my main question when I saw the detailed programme.
In the foreword of the Assembly’s handbook, Metropolitan Gennadios of Sassima and Bishop Vincenzo Paglia describe participation as “sharing, experiencing and enjoying the Assembly ecumenically”. Contributions of delegates or open discussions don’t find their place in this definition. Is the EEA3 then only a show which was already scripted before?
No, it won't, because this depends on the efforts of the delegates with an interest in higher partipation. I think that there are a couple of possibilities:
- Asking for more time of open discussion
- Asking for an election of the members of the message committee
- Asking for a voting on the Assembly message
- If there is no way to express the position within the programme, finding other places for opinion making and discussion (as for example this blog)
- Not waiting, but starting now to act
- ...
I’m sure, this will be a very interesting and spirited assembly.
The yellow caps
The yellow caps are the distinctive mark of the young delegates. At our preliminary meeting in St.Maurice (Switzerland) we thought that it would be very useful to have something common. Voilà, here they are:
The verse from the Holy Scripture in Jer. 1,7 is God’s request to us young people to take active part in the world and also within the church:
“But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.”
So we shouldn’t be modest in terms of staying quiet and leaving all of the discussions to the church leaders and the well-experienced Ecumenists, but raise our voice, if we have some new aspects, if we wand to direct the attention to other main focuses or if we think, some critical statements are needed to give the Ecumenical discussion a boost.
Young people often have a little bit different view on things as others have, just because we have less experience and still more vision, where the way of “ouikoumene” could go. But every movement, not only the Ecumenical, needs some refreshment not to go out of date: That’s why we have to raise new questions and new fruitful ideas for the Ecumenical movement.
The yellow colour very good represents that task. It’s similar to lemons, which are very fruitful and at the same time with a sour taste. But it’s the lemon, which gives a lot of dishes (as fish or Schnitzel) the special taste and which is needed, if you want to enjoy your meal.
So: If you are in Sibiu and see people, walking around with yellow caps – they are young delegates or show their support to the work of the young people at the EEA3.
Let’s have a delicious successful sweet-and-sour Ecumenical Assembly!
The verse from the Holy Scripture in Jer. 1,7 is God’s request to us young people to take active part in the world and also within the church:“But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.”
So we shouldn’t be modest in terms of staying quiet and leaving all of the discussions to the church leaders and the well-experienced Ecumenists, but raise our voice, if we have some new aspects, if we wand to direct the attention to other main focuses or if we think, some critical statements are needed to give the Ecumenical discussion a boost.
Young people often have a little bit different view on things as others have, just because we have less experience and still more vision, where the way of “ouikoumene” could go. But every movement, not only the Ecumenical, needs some refreshment not to go out of date: That’s why we have to raise new questions and new fruitful ideas for the Ecumenical movement.
The yellow colour very good represents that task. It’s similar to lemons, which are very fruitful and at the same time with a sour taste. But it’s the lemon, which gives a lot of dishes (as fish or Schnitzel) the special taste and which is needed, if you want to enjoy your meal.
So: If you are in Sibiu and see people, walking around with yellow caps – they are young delegates or show their support to the work of the young people at the EEA3.
Let’s have a delicious successful sweet-and-sour Ecumenical Assembly!
Sibiu, the Assembly & the Stewards
I must say hello to all of our readers from the small, but full of significance city of Sibiu, Romania. I am here for some days, but the schedule is so full that we don’t have time to do many things in the same time, thus there is no time to blog as much as wanted.
The city received us very well, as well as the other staff members which were already here before us. I manage to come in August 30th, as we had to finalize the preparations for the Stewards Programme.
Speaking about the Stewards Programme, I must confess that I am impressed and not being the only one impressed here, I must tell the whole world my best thoughts about this stewards and the work they are doing.
How can’t you be impressed seeing the stewards singing in different languages and also playing the guitar at 11 p.m. in a dirty place next to the garbage bags? They had only the reaction on the community they were building and the joy of being together and sharing the same ideals, building the ecumenism.
Although the conditions here in Romania are not at the most high western standard and some of the reconstruction works were not yet finalised, I couldn’t hear a steward complaining about anything. They were just a great team, working according to the schedule by their own. They not just worked in the requested groups, but also requested by themselves more groups in order to protect the environment and recycle used things.
Did you know that important persons like His Eminence Metropolitan Ghenadius of Sasimma started as being a steward? And quoting him, I can add that we can know for sure that in some years (probably many) some of the today’s stewards will be the church’s representatives and/or leaders.
After the Orientation Programme of the Stewards, it now starts the real work timetable and I am certain that all of them will just be better than expected.
This is a vision of an inside person and I must add that seen from outside, the great job that steward do even organizing themselves can be easily misunderstood. Hope to see many of us, stewards in the next editions of such historical meetings.
The city received us very well, as well as the other staff members which were already here before us. I manage to come in August 30th, as we had to finalize the preparations for the Stewards Programme.
Speaking about the Stewards Programme, I must confess that I am impressed and not being the only one impressed here, I must tell the whole world my best thoughts about this stewards and the work they are doing.
How can’t you be impressed seeing the stewards singing in different languages and also playing the guitar at 11 p.m. in a dirty place next to the garbage bags? They had only the reaction on the community they were building and the joy of being together and sharing the same ideals, building the ecumenism.
Although the conditions here in Romania are not at the most high western standard and some of the reconstruction works were not yet finalised, I couldn’t hear a steward complaining about anything. They were just a great team, working according to the schedule by their own. They not just worked in the requested groups, but also requested by themselves more groups in order to protect the environment and recycle used things.
Did you know that important persons like His Eminence Metropolitan Ghenadius of Sasimma started as being a steward? And quoting him, I can add that we can know for sure that in some years (probably many) some of the today’s stewards will be the church’s representatives and/or leaders.
After the Orientation Programme of the Stewards, it now starts the real work timetable and I am certain that all of them will just be better than expected.
This is a vision of an inside person and I must add that seen from outside, the great job that steward do even organizing themselves can be easily misunderstood. Hope to see many of us, stewards in the next editions of such historical meetings.
Monday, September 3, 2007
Sibiu: we'll meet for the future
Hello,
I am very happy to see that blog. It helps me to see that we are some young people who will participate. I have never been in such a meeting, but I hope we will meet and that friendships will grow amoung some of us.
And I believe it will help us in the future to improve in the way of unity of christians.
I am sure that God sees all of this and that he already rejoices himself.
so, see you tomorrow,
Pierre
I am very happy to see that blog. It helps me to see that we are some young people who will participate. I have never been in such a meeting, but I hope we will meet and that friendships will grow amoung some of us.
And I believe it will help us in the future to improve in the way of unity of christians.
I am sure that God sees all of this and that he already rejoices himself.
so, see you tomorrow,
Pierre
The stewards' tasks
Yesterday evening our small delegates group met the stewards at their Romanian evening. It seemed to us that there is a good atmosphere within the stewards group, as the laughed a lot. We heard a lot of information about religion, culture and food (inclusive drinks!) in Romania and could get a very spirited impression of the country. Definitely they’ll make a good job and will contribute their attitudes and their enthusiasm to the Assembly.
One thing was a little bit irritating: They started to assign the different tasks since there are a lot of different jobs the stewards are responsible for. Yesterday some people already were chosen to be the “worship stewards” – unfortunately some of them didn’t remember that they had declared to do this tasks - some “misunderstanding”? Maybe.
Today the rest of the stewards will get to know what will be their main function during the Assembly – dependent on the different gifts and interests they have.
Best wishes to them and their work!
One thing was a little bit irritating: They started to assign the different tasks since there are a lot of different jobs the stewards are responsible for. Yesterday some people already were chosen to be the “worship stewards” – unfortunately some of them didn’t remember that they had declared to do this tasks - some “misunderstanding”? Maybe.
Today the rest of the stewards will get to know what will be their main function during the Assembly – dependent on the different gifts and interests they have.
Best wishes to them and their work!
On the way
It is now two hours till the plane from Helsinki to Bucharest takes off. All things packed (hopefully) and printed. Little bit of excitement sneaking in also... The Finnish delegation will be spending one night in the capital of Romania and tomorrow we'll take a bus to Sibiu.
I'm really looking forward to meeting all the youth delegates & stewards and seeing how the preparations for the youth actions have gone. Hopefully we'll meet at the opening ceremony tomorrow and in the youth cafe afterwards.
Have a safe journey everyone, Godspeed!
I'm really looking forward to meeting all the youth delegates & stewards and seeing how the preparations for the youth actions have gone. Hopefully we'll meet at the opening ceremony tomorrow and in the youth cafe afterwards.
Have a safe journey everyone, Godspeed!
Germania – România by Bus
Die erste Vorhut der Delegierten ist gestern in Hermannstadt angekommen. Einige sind geflogen, ich bin mit dem Bus gekommen. Stuttgart – Hermannstadt in 25h. Hat viel Spaß gemacht – nach mehreren Stunden kommt man mit Leuten ins Gespräch, hat es sich gemütlich gemacht, schaut Filme auf Rumänisch (trotzdem versteht man alles wichtige, irgendwie). Ein ganz bunter Haufen von Leuten fährt mit: Die rumänische Studentin, die völlig begeistert ist von moderner deutscher Literatur, die gebürtige Rumänin, die jeden Sommerurlaub in ihre Heimatstadt in Siebenbürgen zurückkehrt, der deutsche Bergsteiger (wer gerne wandert oder klettert, scheint in den Karpaten echt richtig zu sein), der Busfahrer mit ziemlich unheimlichen Storys von Neppern/Schleppern/Bauernfängern.
Ob man kaputt ist nach der Fahrt? Nee, ich war ziemlich fit nach der Fahrt: gemütliche Sessel, genug Pausen zum Beine vertreten. Die Landschaft in Ungarn und Rumänien macht es auch kurzweilig: Puszta, kleine Dörfer und Städtchen. Manchmal aber auch Adrenalinschübe: Wenn der Bus vor unübersichtlichen Kurven überholt. Jedenfalls kommt man richtig in Stimmung und hat einen ganzen Tag Vorfreude – anders als mit einem Flug, wo man einfach einsteigt und aussteigt und nichts von der Distanz mitbekommt.
Jetzt sind wir zu viert in einem kleinen süßen Hotel am Stadtrand und bereiten die Tagung vor – Dienstag abend geht’s los. Bis dann...
In English: Going by bus to Sibiu – much more great than the short flight by plane.
Ob man kaputt ist nach der Fahrt? Nee, ich war ziemlich fit nach der Fahrt: gemütliche Sessel, genug Pausen zum Beine vertreten. Die Landschaft in Ungarn und Rumänien macht es auch kurzweilig: Puszta, kleine Dörfer und Städtchen. Manchmal aber auch Adrenalinschübe: Wenn der Bus vor unübersichtlichen Kurven überholt. Jedenfalls kommt man richtig in Stimmung und hat einen ganzen Tag Vorfreude – anders als mit einem Flug, wo man einfach einsteigt und aussteigt und nichts von der Distanz mitbekommt.
Jetzt sind wir zu viert in einem kleinen süßen Hotel am Stadtrand und bereiten die Tagung vor – Dienstag abend geht’s los. Bis dann...
In English: Going by bus to Sibiu – much more great than the short flight by plane.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Greetings from Sibiu!
Not much time to post now, but the stewards' programme is well-and-truly underway. We've had a busy, interesting and fun time so far and we look forward to welcoming the delegates in a few days time. I'm sure one of us will post in more detail when we have some more free time!
Friday, August 31, 2007
English - pre-Sibiu thoughts from Holland
Well, let me introduce myself.
It's midnight at this time and I can't sleep.
There are a few things to think of and one of them is Sibiu.
Well, not Sibiu itself, but what will happen there.
Me? My name is Marrit Bassa. I am living in the beautiful city of Utrecht, in the middle of The Netherlands. So, hopefully you can see it, I am Dutch.By the way, friends prefere to call me 'Bassa', cause that's easier I think.
And I will participate in the EEA3 conference at Sibiu as a youth delegate of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands. As far as I know, and as far as it is fair to tell this, that is the biggest Protestant Church in Holland.
I'm glad I can join this assemblee. I'm really looking forward to it. Why?
Well, I am a seminary student. This year I will graduate. Then I will have my masters degree on Theology at the Utrecht University and I can become a minister in my church.
Anyway, at this time I'm far too young to do at ;) !!
So, I'm just looking around for some place to work or to use my talents. I'd really want to work in the Church. And this is also why I'm looking forward to Sibiu.
There I hope to meet much more youthmembers whom all 'have something up' with that what we're supposed to call 'Church'.
Maybe in this time, this age and this society, it's not that usual anymore to believe you can commit to something like that. And sometimes I really think its quit useless or even unbelievable that I do this. But somehow there are more people like me. People who are raised as christians in all kind of denominations or churches. People who are converted by something that you might see as 'a calling'. A calling from the one triune God who made our history. Or people who might be interested. People searching there way in or out in this life or the world beyond.
Honestly, I'm honored to participate in this large movement. To participate in a conference as the EEA3 where I will meet with many (young!! and old as well... ) people from all countries in Europe. To talk, to chat, to laugh, to think, to dance, to sing, to rejoice, to drink and to have fun together.
But for now, I have to go to bed again. It is almost 4 a clock in the morning and I'm still awake. Three days ago I returned from a stay of 6 weeks in the USA, and I'm still waiting for my luggage to come.... The luggage I have to use in Sibiu as well... Anyway, I hope that will reach me on time so that I can welcome all the others in Sibiu well prepared !!
Kind regards,
and good night!
Marrit
Bassa
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