Gelnhausen: Three celebrations in one

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Gelnhausen, Germany

Centennial Sunday morning was filled with celebrations in Gelnhausen, Germany. The congregation warmly and joyfully greeted each other as they arrived, anticipating a special time together. On the church web site, a ticker had accurately counted down the last minutes to the celebration service. At the zero moment, the service promptly began with a video - in German - introducing the Centennial.

Many facts and stories were told about the Church of the Nazarene's early formation, including the high priority missions has always had within the denomination since its early days. It was only fitting that Erntedank, or the annual German Thanksgiving, was also celebrated that morning. The calling and conviction to take the message of the gospel and holiness to the ends of the earth were once again tangibly demonstrated through the purpose of the Thanksgiving offering that was given.

From its beginnings, the Church of the Nazarene has been known for bringing the gospel and message of hope to the poor. The collection of nonperishable foods at the front of the sanctuary was a visible example of how the church sought to impact some of the immediate physical needs around them. The food was later delivered to a local food bank that ministers regularly to 1,000 people in their area.

There are roughly 18,000 people in the town of Gelnhausen, approximately the same number of Nazarene churches around the world who were also celebrating 100 years of holiness. The congregation was asked, "In 1908 with a small handful of congregations, would we have imagined what God would do in 100 years through the Church of the Nazarene?" As children, youth, and adults were invited to share Communion together, the same hope, grace, and love that existed then and before in the body and blood of Jesus Christ was once again remembered and celebrated.

Over the previous several months, the church newsletter had included brief stories on the history of the Church of the Nazarene in the local church in Germany, and worldwide.  This year also marks the 30th birthday of the Gelnhausen church and the 50th birthday of the Germany District. Centennial Sunday was not just a celebration of the past, but a celebration of God working in the present and what He will do in the years yet to come.
--Eurasia Regional Office (Slideshow available)

Note: For more Centennial stories, see the Centennial section of ncnnews.com.

 

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