Our first LCMS Eurasia FORO Mission summit in Germany took place in late September. We give thanks for all the wonderful memories that we made in Hamburg, Berlin, and Wittenberg, the incredible mission work we witnessed, and the amazing fellowship in Christ we experienced. Praise to Him from whom all blessings flow! Ten guests, six of them pastors, from the South Wisconsin District and Michigan, led by District Vice President Rev. Eric Scovgaard joined us to experience and witness the mission projects going on in Germany. On some days, we counted more than 45 interested people. First, we heard from Pastor Bernhard Schütze about the Persian ministry at our partner church in Germany, Zion Lutheran Church in Hamburg (SELK), which has been going on for over ten years. LCMS Regional Director Rev. Dr. David Preus gave an overview of LCMS mission activities in Eurasia, which are built on the pillars “Spread the Gospel, Plant Lutheran Churches, Show Mercy.” As religious affiliation continues to decline in Germany and other European countries, our mission focuses on planting Lutheran churches where the Gospel is proclaimed in people’s native languages, the Sacraments are faithfully administered, and mercy is actively demonstrated. We met some Persian Brothers and Sisters, who have been baptized here or in other congregations in Hannover and Braunschweig, and who shared their path to Christianity with us. Their pastor, Pfarrvikar Michael Wenz, and Deacon Detlef Löhde explained to us the way they teach, train, and raise up new leaders. We met two young men who desire to become Farsi-speaking pastors and attend Riga Luther Academy. Rev. Edmund Hohls introduced the Lutherischen Kirchenmission of the SELK (LKM) and the work with Persians in Leipzig by Missionary Hugo Gevers and Deaconess Kim Bueltmann. The local Persian ladies prepared a delightful Iranian lunch for us, and in the evening, we took a stroll along Steindamm, a main boulevard of the ‘new Germany’ in Hamburg, that is home to many Middle Eastern shops and restaurants, mosques, barbers, and other interesting establishments. Rev. Nathaniel Jensen gave the most interesting presentation about the historical connections between our church bodies (LCMS and SELK) and how caring for the souls of expats keeps them connected to the faith and inspires some to become church workers. Rev. Gleisson Schmidt explained the work going on in Paris and the French Lutheran Church and Rev. Pasi Palmu, a missionary from Finland (LEAF), shared his work. Rev. Craig Mueller highlighted his work with LCMS chaplains in the military.
The visit at Dreieinigkeitskirche SELK in Berlin, Steglitz, with Rev. Dr. Martens was definitely a highlight. It was such a joy to experience the reverence and adoration of these new Christians in two filled-to-the-max Divine Services, complete with confession and absolution. We were served lunch by refugees in his church asylum and learned all about the challenges of this ministry from Pastor Martens, who has taught and baptized over 1500-2000 people. Then we traveled on to Wittenberg, where we enjoyed staying at the Old Latin School, the Eurasia Center for Spreading the Gospel. It is amazing to learn about Rev. Honcharuk’s work with the local congregation of Ukrainian refugees in Wittenberg. Regional Director Rev. Dr. David Preus then shared plans for the Old Latin School, and we went on a delightful tour of Wittenberg, led by Rev. Wilhelm Weber. Another highlight was Evening Prayer in Luther’s church: St. Marien, conducted by Rev. Aaron Koch as liturgist and Rev. Dr. Preus as preacher. We had a fruitful discussion about mission strategy and budget with our new partners, saw many beautiful local sights, ate great food, had deep conversations, and made wonderful new Christian friends. We even sang the Doxology to our bus driver Norbert as we were his last group to drive before his retirement.
Yes, “Praise Him from Whom All Blessings Flow!”
The Tiews in Germany 