Donations to support refugees and humanitarian aid in connection with the war can please be transferred to the account of the West German Region of the Christian Community with a corresponding reference in the purpose of use:
Bank account holder: Die Christengemeinschaft
IBAN: DE96 3702 0500 0008 2597 00; BIC: BFSWDE33XXX; BLZ: 37020500
Or:
Bank account holder: Die Christengemeinschaft in Deutschland (Foundation)
IBAN: DE16 8502 0500 0003 6204 00; BIC: BFSWDE33DER; BLZ: 85020500
https://www.thechristiancommunity.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/logoBLK-1.png00CCNAhttps://www.thechristiancommunity.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/logoBLK-1.pngCCNA2022-03-03 07:52:432022-03-22 11:07:02Ukraine: Additional Way to Donate
As we watch events unfold in Ukraine, the Act of Consecration is being celebrated daily in Kyiv by their priest, Tatjana Nechytailo, in the midst of the bombing and destruction. Updates will be posted here as they are received:
Our priest families are supported through the freely given donations of their congregational members that cover the basics of housing, food, utilities, transportation, health care, etc. One key expense that is not typically included in the priest support is the cost of educating their children. North American congregations have helped to raise money for the Priest Child Education Fund which is distributed to priest’s families to help with educational costs. No matter how large, or how small the gesture, it helps! Click here to read more about this fund and to donate.
A podcast with Oliver Steinrueck in which he speaks about the upcoming world conference to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the founding of The Christian Community. The conference is called LOGOS — Consecrating Humanity and will be in Dortmund, Germany on October 7-11 2022. This is the first podcast that was offered in English. Click here to listen.
Illness is everyone’s affair. This not only means that we will all fall ill some time or other, but that each human being carries a lifelong ailment with him or her. In the language of the Act of Consecration of Man this is called the sickness of sin.
A critical question applies to every form of healing, including the sickness of sin: “Have you the will to become whole?” Not only does this question sound in many different ways in the healings Christ performed during His life on earth; today also, this is the most important question that can make healing possible, yes or no. Of course, a physician can provide a remedy that takes the symptoms away. But that does not affect the cause, and sooner or later the illness will raise its head again in another form. Strangely enough, there are people who don’t even have the will to be healed anymore. The only thing they want is a miracle drug that does the work for them.
Such a one was the paralyzed man in Bethesda. He had almost given up the hope to be healed—even though he was still waiting for someone who would take him to the water at the last moment. He did not even answer the critical question: “Have you the will to become whole?” Instead there was his despondent message: No one helps me. Nothing helps me. I give up. But as long as there was a trace of life, Christ called in the depths of his despair: “Stand up!”
And we? When sooner or later we go through an illness, when we have direct experience of the sickness of sin and are close to despair—listen to the still, strong voice that calls: “Stand up!”
It is in our social environment not at all a matter of course to trust people. How often is our trust in others betrayed? But as foolhardy as it is to blindly trust people, so destructive can it be to face the whole world with distrust. And yet, these days this happens everywhere, people against people, party against party, all against all. Even in our own circles individuals are divided by distrust. And that does not go away by itself, even though in the Act of Consecration of Man we are reminded of Him “who makes hearts to be at peace, strengthens wills, unites mankind.” Why then do we not succeed in becoming one?
We can only connect with people who have different ideas when we really search for the essence. The essence—that is Christ in us. Easily said—hard to achieve. For how often is that essence hidden behind outer appearance? In our world, where everything is focused on tangible results, we are all in danger not only of losing our essence, but even of burying it. But if that ever happens—even what was buried can still be raised from death. Look at the world through the eyes of Christ. Most of all, look at your opponent through His eyes—and you will help him to come back to himself again. Have you prayed for your enemy? Have you forgiven him, because he has become a debtor just like you? Do you put your trust in the essence that will sooner or later come to light?
In the tragedy of life it can come to the point that a person loses himself and doesn’t even know that he can’t find himself. Even then, I can still find him: in my faith, in my hope, in my love. This most profound trust is what Christ asks of his followers.
When He was still living on the earth, people often listened to Him with the usual distrust and disbelief. That is how people are, even then. But when an individual recognized Him and believed, He could achieve miracles in the life of that individual. To such a person He could say: “According to your faith, so let it be.”
Now that He is come again and goes with us all our days, He asks of us: “Recognize Me—even though I am hidden in the least of your brothers and sisters.” And if we do recognize Him there, He can say to us also: “According to you faith, so let it be.”
https://www.thechristiancommunity.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/logoBLK-1.png00CCNAhttps://www.thechristiancommunity.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/logoBLK-1.pngCCNA2021-02-01 09:17:242021-02-01 09:17:24“According to Your Faith, So Let It Be” (Mt.8:13)
