November 2011
1 post
September 2011
2 posts
Sibiu Update
September 16, 2011
Our friends in Sibiu have blessed us in so many ways during our three trips and nine months in their very interesting city and land of a rich history. We have so much to reflect on, given the stories of our friends and many unforgettable experiences and events at our host church, the Stadtpfarrkirche of Hermannstadt/Sibiu and the European Culture Capital that Sibiu is. We...
July 2011
1 post
Life and Ministry at the Lutheran Church in Sibiu
June 21, 2011
We are always impressed by the lively ministry of the congregation in Sibiu as it opens the doors to the tens of thousands of tourists from around the world who come every year and the range of outreach ministries to the community. The ministries include transitional housing for the homeless and shelters for at-risk children and handicapped. A couple weeks ago the church hosted a...
June 2011
4 posts
Report on 2011 Kirchentag in Dresden
My Heart Will Go On…
The Protestant Kirchentag in Dresden was a magnificent experience
It is hard to describe the feeling, being gathered on both shores of the river Elbe and singing together with over 100.000 Christians hymns of praise and praying together Our Father. Under a warm sun and the magenta heart-banners of the Kirchentag, friendly and open minded, without any scrambling, the...
WatchVisitors from China at the Stadtpfarrkirche (Lutheran Church) in Sibiu just before the processional on May 20, 2011, Confirmation Sunday.
Confirmation at the Lutheran Church in...
May 22 was Confirmation Sunday at our church. Joel was privileged to participate, providing a bit of a global context. See the video of a special moment when the pastors and confirmands were joined (just before entering the church for the processional) by a dozen gentle souls from China who captured the moment with their presence and cameras.
Visit from Wartburg College Professor-May 6-13,...
Many here enjoyed meeting Dr. Kit Kleinhans, Professor of Religion at Wartburg College in Iowa, who invested eight days, May 6-13, getting acquainted with the rich history of Transylvania and the Lutheran church here, along with the present and future of the people and this place.
May 2011
11 posts
Scott's poster of the 18th Annual Theatre Festival
Susan, Klaus, Ramona and Apple Pie
Concert of Irish/Romanian music
Serbian artists perform Renaissance music
May 30, 2011
This is a busy week for our friends in Sibiu/Hermannstadt, with the 18th Annual International Theatre Festival in full swing and the Lutheran “Kirchentag” (Church Gathering) in Dresden, Germany. Gerhild Rudolf, Editor of the National church newsletter writes:
Festival of Faith in Dresden/Germany
From 1 to 5 June 2011 Dresden hosts the 33rd German Protestant Kirchentag. This...
The Danube Peace Wave
“Let justice roll down like water … ” Amos 5:24
We participated in a very special worship service this morning. Our Hermannstadt church hosted the Romania stop of a tour down the Danube River celebrating a decade of the “Donau Friedenswelle” — “Danube Peace Wave”
The power of a mighty river and God’s call for peace and justice inspired the...
Cousins Ed & Carol Schlachtenhaufen visit
Joel’s cousins Ed and Carol Schlachtenhaufen from Florida spent a week with us after ending a two-week Danube cruise. We asked them to share some of their thoughts here.
My Comments are surprises or unexpected findings from our trip to the Balkan Countries, especially Romania: 1. I was surprised to find a sense of humor inspite of what Croatians and Serbians call their homeland...
Easter 2011
Holy Week and Easter in Hermannstadt/Sibiu blessed us with inspiring worship experiences. Two special memories for us will be 1) the Tuesday evening of sacred music played by a string quartet and
Pastor Kilian sharing Christ’s words on the Cross in Romanian and German and 2) the 5:00 a.m. Easter Sunrise Service in the darkness of the chapel with a bonfire outside and hand-held candles...
April 2011
4 posts
Family Visit
Brother Dan and Stephanee returned to Colorado last week after a one-week immersion in Transylvania. They met and befriended dozens of people, enjoyed an evening at the symphony orchestra concert, a night of sacred music at the church, two worship services, a play-off basketball game, three partial days helping with a parsonage renovation project, sampling numerous restaurants, strolling the...
A New Start in Sibiu/Hermannstadt
April 4, 2011
We’re back in Sibiu/Hermannstadt, Transylvania, Romania, picking up where our volunteer colleagues left off last November (Michael and Jeri Lou Maus, Gary and Mary Ann Anderson, Jon and Steffi Lee). It has been good to renew friendships with many fine people these past two weeks. We are looking forward to the unfolding events (Holy Week, the Huet Platz Fest, visiting by a...
May 2010
6 posts
May 26, 2010
The ten Wisconsinites, here from May 14-22, did a great piece of work, volunteering to scrape paint and loose plaster off the walls of a centuries-old building, the first step in the renovation of a parsonage slated to be a Center for Environmental Education and Youth Retreats. They left behind “Mt. Wisconsin”, which stands outside the Hammersdorf parsonage, and took home many...
"Mohikaner spenden für Sachsen"
A connection between Wilderness Lutheran of the Stockbridge Mohican community in Wisconsin and the Lutheran Church in Hermannstadt/Sibiu was featured in the April 30, 2010, Hermannstädter Zeitung. ”The last of the Mohicans supporting “the last of the Siebenbürger Sachsens” (German-Transylvanians) was the intriguing point registered. Mohican people provided funds for some apple...
May 9, 2010
It has been so good to come here and begin to learn from and about our friends in Transylvania and Romania. Honestly said, for much of our lives, Transylvania was a movie locale and Romania was a mysterious part of the Soviet bloc. It is important to fill our information voids and to seek to displace sterotypes and misinformation accumulated over the years.
We are reminded here of how...
April 2010
7 posts
WatchOn Earth Day young people in Sibiu organized an action to draw attention to discarded trash, specifically plastic bottles. Here is Nick to explain:
Earth Day in Romania 2010
Today, April 22, 2010, is EARTH DAY in the U.S. We are so pleased to be connected with the Lutheran Church in Sibiu which models environmental stewardship. The congregation has programs of awareness-raising, reforestation, composting, recycling, solar energy, rain water collection, and energy efficient window installation. A church compound on the outskirts of the city is envisioned to also be...
First Week of Easter
Easter Sunday was a joy, with a full church in the morning and a lively English-speaking group in the afternoon celebrating Christ’s resurrection and enjoying all the signs of new life — colored eggs, pussy willows, flowers, bread and wine and a festive Easter Dinner. We’ve seen more signs of life all week long. In addition to all the normal gifts of Spring, we briefly (like 8...
Spring & the Schlachtenhaufens return to Sibiu
April 5, 2010
We’re back in Sibiu, Romania, and seem to have timed our return very well … Spring arriving at the same time. Chris and Cheryl Quello were here in January and February and we are picking up where they left off. It’s been good to renew friendships these past days and to experience Holy Week here. We enjoyed Bach’s ”Johannes Passion ” delivered...
December 2009
2 posts
We say good-bye -- for now.
Thirty-five gathered for the December 13, 2009, Service of Lessons & Carols at the Evangelische Stadtpfarrkirche Hermanstadt (the Lutheran Church of Sibiu). Here is our note in the worship folder of the “International Ecumenical Worship Community of Sibiu”:
How good it has been for us to be here these past three months. We have been welcomed by the people of this beautiful land...
November 2009
10 posts
WatchWe invited 50 some people to celebrate Thanksgiving with us in the Parish hall of the Lutheran Church. EVERYONE came whom we invited — Americans, Romanians, Germans, Austrians. It was great fun!
Turkey Adventures
Joel is shown here assessing the skating rink-to-be on the Big Square. Many of you know all about Joel and Susan’s Olympic-level ICE DANCING DREAM. Unfortunately, Joel suffered a leg injury chasing the taxi with our Thanksgiving turkeys in the trunk. He is determined, however, to be “on the ice” inspired by our Sibiu friends who face and meet much greater challenges every day....
Our friend Camille's story
In April 2003 I began a love affair with a country and people that has only become stronger. It was during my first trip to Romania, as a volunteer for the Heart of Hope Ministries International, that I began to learn about a group of people who had taken the orphans of Romania into their hearts and homes. My colleagues and I did the first ever training for Foster Care parents in Sibiu county....
November 23, 2009
We are two-thirds along on our three-month stay, and, of course, just scratching the surface of what is to be learned and experienced here. Views change … just like the city square — which has been a car lot, political rally site, open space and now the Christmas market-to-be. Check it out on the Sibiu website. Google “Sibiu Romania”, click “multimedia” and...
Some Days in Germany
It has been some time since we last posted anything so we need to back up and fill you in. The first week in November we spent in Germany for a little rest and relaxation with our good friends, Bärbel and Erich Winner. We spent some lovely fall days in München and Landshut, many hours visiting and eating … well, I’ll let the pictures tell the story. Here I will simply comment that it...
Sunday in Sibiu
It’s a beautiful Sunday in Sibiu. We attended the joint Reformation Service this morning at the Hungarian Reformed Church. 150+ gathered to worship in Romanian, Hungarian and German. ”Jesus Loves Me” was the postlude. This afternoon at the English Service we will remember and give thanks to God for loved ones who have shown us the way to live. For those families familiar with...
October 2009
9 posts
Thanksgiving
A grand Sunday was enjoyed here. The morning Gottesdienst (worship service) was a lively Thanksgiving Service with children processing with tree branches held high and led by Pastor Dörr. The 30+ children sang all through the service in a beautifully decorated chancel. God’s use of trees to give air and shelter and our calling as stewards of creation was a point of emphasis. The afternoon...