The other day, in the middle of the Australian summer, I saw that small branches were trying to spring to life and I was wondering whether they would survive.  But even during the heat wave of the past few weeks over the summer holidays, they continue growing.

So I ponder if, and how, this little tree will survive — and what it is telling me!?

The order of entries reflects my preference. At the time of writing, all websites are free.  Please if links have changed or if you would have other suggestions. Thank you!

General Resources

in Germany (and in German)

• Die Predigtdatenbank (Sermon Database) <predigten.de>
  Since May 1998, the database collects sermons (currently about 10,000) by a wide variety of German speaking preachers.  “Nachgefragt” (inquired) offers a range of studies and documents on Christian Theology in Germany.
• Göttinger Predigten im Internet (international resource in five languages)
  <predigten.uni-goettingen.de>
  “Die Göttinger Online-Predigten werden aus über 120 Ländern der Erde abgerufen. … Sie bieten Predigten in fünf Sprachen  … Ausgewählte Autorinnen und Autoren verschiedener christlicher Konfessionen liefern dazu Beiträge. Die Perikopen richten sich im deutschen Teil nach den Vorgaben der Lutherischen Liturgischen Konferenz. Die vier Herausgeber gehören evangelisch-lutherischen Kirchen an.”
• Die Website fürs Bibelstudium
  <bibelwissenschaft.de >
  Based on the most recent scientific standards of theological research in Germany, the German Bible Society offers a range of Online Bibles (Hebrew, Greek, Latin and German), a Bible Lexicon, commentary, and media elements for preaching.

in Australia

• Lectionary Bible Studies and Sermons <lectionarystudies.com>
  by retired Rev. Bryan Findlayson, Comboyne, NSW, Australia is one of the best lectionary resources I have seen published in Australia.  The collection of features Sermon Notes and Technical Notes the latter of which are exegetical studies of the text. This website also contains a wealth of articles on “Fundamentals of the Christian Faith”, Doctrine, Ethics, Comparative Religions, Anglican Church, and Greek Syntax.
• Liturgies Online by Rev. Moira Laidlaw, Uniting Church South Australia <liturgiesonline.com.au>
  Complete liturgies (no sermons) according to RCL.  “These online liturgies grew out of my attaining my Doctor of Ministry degree through San Francisco Theological Seminary back in 1992. My dissertation/project concerned the use of art forms in the worship of the Uniting Church in Australia, concentrating on writing liturgies with Australian imagery wherever possible. ”
  
• Lectionary Resources by Rev. Bill Loader
  (Minister of the Uniting Church in Australia)
  “First Thoughts on Passages from the Gospels and the Epistles in the Lectionary to offer some initial reflections as an aid to preparing sermons. The comments are not meant to be exegetical commentaries, although they include exegetical observation. They also include reflections which point to contemporary issues. … They are offered as a stimulus only. I have written them with only the Greek text before me, so that occasionally your translations may have opted for alternative ways of reading the text.Worship and Preaching
• Worship and Preaching – Resources for preachers and worship leaders using the Revised Common Lectionary <http://www.beswick.info>
  by retired Uniting Church in Australia minister David Beswick:  Bible readings, suggested hymns, a sermon and an order of service are posted in advance for each  Sunday, using UCA Hymnbook. David’s website also contains a wealth of articles on UCA, politics, psychology and other issues.
• Worship Resources Pilgrim Uniting Church, Adelaide, SA
  <www.pilgrim.org.au>
  A valuable resource for the congregational worship planning group with prayers, creeds, ideals for special Sundays and a selection of texts for “Acknowledgement of Traditional Custodians of the Land”.
• Weekly Planning Resources for Pilgrims
  <pilgrimwr.unitingchurch.org.au>
  a Blog by Rev Sandy Boyce, Minister at Pilgrim UC, Adelaide with reflections on the Bible text.
• First Impressions of the Lectionary by UCA Rev. Andrew Prior
  <onemansweb.org/theology>
  “is a lectionary commentary based around the Revised Common Lectionary.  It is not an exhaustive commentary on the gospel passages but around my first meeting with the text set for reading in churches each week. Usually I am reading the text with one of the congregations for whom I preach in mind. Often I am also thinking about my own struggles in life. I try and relate the text today, especially today in Australia, where I live.”
• The Old Testament Lectionary
  <oldtestamentlectionary.unitingchurch.org.au/>
  Lectionary Readings, Commentary and other resources on the Old Testament by Revd Dr Anna Grant-Henderson (Uniting Church in Australia, Adelaide)
• Together to Celebrate — Contemporary Christian Music resources for Worship
  <togethertocelebrate.com.au>
  by David MacGregor, a Minister of the Word in the Uniting Church in Australia
  This Website offers a wide range of contemporary worship song titles, selected for the respective Sundays and Bible texts, e.g.  Chris Tomlin, Iona Community, Taize’, Shirley Murray, Hillsong, Graham Kendrick, Bernadette Farrell, Robin Mann … plus own songs as gift, usually with full piano score, lyric master and mp3 demo. This material may be used freely for non-profit Christian ministry purposes.

Internationally

• Revised Common Lectionary Year B 2011 – 2012 (USA)
  (pdf file), a one-page overview of the RCL cycle by wrootsontheweb.com  (rest of the website requires subscription).
• SERMONS & SERMON – LECTIONARY RESOURCES (Canada)
  <www.rockies.net/~spirit>
  Long standing website (since 1997) by ret. Rev. Richard J. Fairchild in Golden, British Columbia, Canada Rev. Brett Blair, with introductions, prayer and sermon  drafts for each Week of the Year and for special occasions.  A wealth of resources and ideas for the preacher
  
• “the text this week” — Lectionary, Scripture Study, Worship Links, and Resources by Jenee Woodar (USA)
  <textweek.com>
  “The purpose of this website is to provide links to resources for study, reflection and liturgy which correspond to the RCL readings you may be using for study, teaching & preaching. The lectionary tables on this site are the easiest way I could think of to provide easy, lectionary-relevant access to study and liturgy resources.”  Extremely resourceful website with denominational readings, images, special day resources, lectionary reflections and discussions, liturgy and prayer resources, multimedia, and resources for children’s addresses! The author is an amateur scholar of Church History and Biblical Studies an mother in Kansas, USA.
• <WorkingPreacher.org>
  from Luther Seminary St. Paul, Minn, USA:  “The web’s newest, most helpful, and downright coolest resource for preachers … offering timely, compelling, and trustworthy content for today’s working preachers … for free, as a ministry of the Center for Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary.” The website offers commentaries on all the RCL readings.
• Lectionary Worship Resources by John van de Laar, Methodist minister in Capetown, South Africa
  <sacredise.com>
  “I believe that what we do in Church on Sundays has the potential to change our lives, and through us, our world.  How we worship defines how we live!
  Because of this conviction SACREDISE was brought into being as a publishing, resourcing and training ministry. My quest is to help churches, and the people in them, to turn their worship into moments of deep, transforming encounter with God that lead us out into the world as true followers of Christ and agents of God’s love and justice.
  Through books, CDs, seminars, online resources and articles, Sacredise seeks to be a creative, challenging and helpful resource to the Church worldwide.”
  The respective Sunday worship resources feature the readings, reflections on the theme, connecting with life, global and local application, and suggestions for prayers, hymns, liturgy, media.
• Girardian Reflections on the Lectionary — Understanding the Bible Anew Through the Mimetic Theory of René Girard
  <http://girardianlectionary.net>
  “René Girard, now a professor Emeritus at Stanford University, has elaborated what he refers to as “mimetic theory,” but which is also becoming known as an “anthropology of the cross.” The hope with these lectionary reflections is to illustrate the significance of this anthropology as a new key to interpreting the Gospel. “
• Preaching Peace — Educating the Church in Jesus’ Vision of Peace <preachingpeace.org>
  is a sermon resource website applying the Philosophy of Mimetic and None-Violence by Rene Girard (Colloquium On Violence & Religion).  Sermon reflections are presented in sections as Anthropological Reading, Gospel Historical/Cultural Questions, and Gospel So What?
• Kairos CoMotion Lectionary Dialogue – Comments on the texts of the Revised Common Lectionary from a Progressive Christian perspective <kcmlection.blogspot.com/>
• Commentaries on the Revised Common Lectionary — Anglican Diocese of Montreal, Canada since 1996
  A ministry of the Serving the on-line community since 1996 with comments, exegetical notes (“Cclippings”) and introductions.
• Sermon Archive by Rev. Beth Quick, New York (USA)
• Sermons for Kids (US-English and Spanish)
  <sermons4kids.com>
  is to help those who are in children’s ministry or who may work with children in Christian schools or organizations. Sermon for kids are organized according to the RCL.

Exegetic Resources

• Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages (USA)
  <Biblos.com>
  “A production of the Online Parallel Bible Project, this project is privately owned and supported for the express purpose of sharing Bible study tools online. Most of the work is done by volunteers. The Online Parallel Bible Project began in 2004 as Bible.cc, which provided a parallel, verse by verse view of 8 translations. Soon, many new tools were developed to support the parallel site. These began as separate sites, but our feedback led us to develop a single integrated platform. Thus, in 2007 several sites were integrated to form Biblos.com.”
  An amazing website with a wealth of resources for exegetical studies and worship preparation.

Prayers

• Worship Prayer page by the Canadian & Reformed Churches
  <www.canrc.org>
  with a collection of prayers for the various liturgical parts of a church service.

General Link Websites

Liz, my wife, has written a brief Christmas newsletter to her friends that I copy here:

Our dear Family and Friends near and far –

Christmas Eve and we wish you a very safe, happy and meaningful celebration and may 2012 bring good health, joy, peace and love.

Many thanks for all the greeting cards, letters, photos and emails sent and we echo all the sentiments that the Festive Season seems to come earlier each year!

Today is 33C and what a vast difference to last year’s ice and snow – we both have very fond memories of our lovely 2010 celebrations with family in Germany.  And so that’s where we commenced 2011, in Koln (Cologne) with dear friends, enjoying delicious hot food, central heating and I recall wearing layers of clothing!  Christmas Day 2011 will be celebrated at my sister’s place in Nuriootpa in the Barossa Valley – forecast 30C very pleasant.

This year I decided to take 2 weeks holidays – a week before Christmas has been just fabulous and we have enjoyed 4 days with our nieces staying – Rachel 16, Serena 9 and Zarlee 7 years.  It’s been hectic but we all had lots of fun together and I got to do things like building sandcastles with our hands at the beach, playing games and simply enjoying their company.  Today our home is very quiet & peaceful after the boisterous, healthy activities!!

Another busy year has passed …

After his extended research trip through Germany between in the second half of 2010, was very involved most of the year in organizing an Exchange Program to Germany in August.  He planned the itinerary and was their bus driver, interpreter and cultural coordinator.  The group consisted of three local Aboriginal people and a Linguist from Adel Uni.  By attending the 175-year anniversary of the foundation of the Leipzig Mission Society (August 1836), whose first four missionaries worked with Aboriginal people in South Australia, they reestablished a contact lost in 1850.  Our friend Katja from Koln was also involved in filming this significant and successful event.  Gerhard continues to be inspired doing research projects here and there around this story (Kaurna Language Reclamation Program).  The Adelaide Uni has adopted him as a Research Fellow, but he also looks for meaningful permanent employment – this has been a hard road with not many opportunities arising.

On the 21 April we celebrated a special Easter gift – BJ, Tim and Max (Godson) welcomed Quinlan (Quin) into their family.  It was beautiful to see Max’s excitement at the birth of his brother and Quin is a gorgeous, surprise addition to the family!

In September our German family in Munich – Angela and Stefan (G’s nephew) announced the safe arrival of their son, Vincent, and we have a beautiful photo of him with his big sister Nathalie.  That same month sister Judy and I had a brief visit to Horsham to see our dear Aunt and caught up with some of our cousins whom we haven’t seen for ages.  Lovely time but all too short!

In November we attended a wedding at Strathalbyn.  It was a lovely celebration despite the raindrops that commenced falling just as the ceremony in the park started.

My work at Helping Hand Aged Care continues at a steady pace with all the achievements and challenges.  My workplace wellness of working 9 full days and then having a day off every fortnight is a real blessing for me and keeps me sane!

We are thankful for our continued good health, although feel the pull of wanting to slow the pace becoming more important.   We have enjoyed some lovely social times went just the two of us go out for a leisurely, restful, nature day.  In November we went to dancing classes – me taking a very reluctant Gerhard, however, at the end of 2 months we had learnt some basic steps and were getting into the swing of things – I thoroughly enjoyed myself, with G agreeing begrudgingly!!!

We send our loving greetings and hope that in 2012 we can catch up with more of our interstate friends and relatives and, as always, look forward to the long trip and seeing family and friends overseas.

Happy Christmas and a Joyful, Peaceful and wonderful New Year to you and your families.

Much love and God bless – Liz and Gerhard xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

I won’t promise, but I hope I will restart writing publishing in this blog for all of.

My blessings and best wishes are with you all,
Gerhard

So, while I am dreaming about a “White Christmas” (for me the last one is three years ago), two poems dropped into my computer from two different sources — one from Canada, which in these days suffers the grip of a serious cold front all across the country of around the MINUS 30 degrees (oh, right now it’s a mild MINUS 24°C, and getting “warmer” according to “The Weathernetwork“), the other one from Rosemary Baldry somewhere here in Australia to her son in England.

I thought I would share both of them with you (permission requested):

The Yukon Poem

It’s winter in the Yukon
And the gentle breezes blow
Ninety miles an hour
At thirty-nine below.

Oh, how I love the Yukon
When the snow’s up to your butt
You take a breath of winter
And your nose gets frozen shut.

Yes, the weather here is wonderful
So I guess I’ll hang around
I could never leave the Yukon
‘Cause I’m frozen to the ground
year round !!

(The author was a First Nation student at Yukon College Community Support Worker Program, in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada.)

#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#+#

The Wrong Time of Year

‘Twas the heat before Christmas, the weather was wrong,
The flies were a-buzzing, cicadas in song,
The kids counting down, when my husband said, ‘Dear,
You celebrate Christmas the wrong time of year.

I’m used to hot puddings, cold weather, warm beer,
These things are conducive to great Christmas cheer.
Your salads, prawns, barbies are mighty fine food
But not right for Christmas – don’t mean to be rude.’

Since then every Christmas with laughter and fun,
Kids, family and friends, lazy days in the sun,
The trimmings we’ve hung on the gum tree with care
Brought memories of summer, sand and sea air.

Now the night before Christmas our son’s far away -
the phone brings him home; he rang us to say,
‘The winter’s upon us, I find it so queer
To celebrate Christmas this cold time of year.’

(Rosemary Baldry to her son in England.)

Thanks to both authors who captured the problem of cross-cultural life so well.

(Written in November 2007 for a TAFE ESL course)

Assisting at this conference during my work experience with Lutheran Community Care SA, I was very fortuned to have the chance listening into this workshop, as much as time permitted.
As I missed the introduction into this session, I do not know much about Ms Williams apart from what she told about herself.  But for me her presentation was a most touching experience, which may have changed some of my perspectives in terms of future employment or voluntary commitment in South Australia.

Sharron told us her life story as one of the “Stolen Generation”.  Born in the 1950s, she grew up as daughter of her Aboriginal mother and some older siblings in a remote community in Western Australia.  Her Asian father abandoned his family when Sharron was still very young.  Once her mother applied for financial assistance, social workers and policemen appeared at her home, taking away all children.  In very vivid terms, but outwardly very calm, she described how she spent her first few months in a foster care home with many other children like her.  As a three-year-old toddler she was kept apart from her older sisters and brothers, whom she had adored and always wanted to see, and therefore became known as a troublemaker, with all consequences attached.  Eventually, she was given away into a foster family, loosing any contact with her family, and never being told about – and later being interested in – her family background.  All through her life as a girl and a young woman she hated her mother for “letting all this happen to me”, but never wanted to get in touch with her again.
However, being a strong-willed girl, who rejected to being cut off from her brothers and sisters, she became unbearable for many of her foster parents, thus was passed on into new families many more time.  During this “journey”, Sharron emphasised, she met with all forms of abuse, verbally, physically and even sexually.  She attempted to abscond many times, but always being picked up again, she gave in until she could leave legally, once she was grown up.  Proudly Sharron told us, that as young women she went to work on farms in Central Australia, as a horse trainer, and eventually as a long distance truck driver, being married to a fellow trucker.
Triggered by some outward circumstances, only many years later Sharron suddenly longed to get back in touch with her older brothers, who had meant so much to her after being taken away into the foster home.  With many difficulties she managed to trace the address of one of her brothers, as last known by social services.
Sharron then told us:  “In a remote town, during one of my trucking trips, I got hold of an old telephone book, and started writing down all relevant names.  Then I called number after number, always unsuccessfully, until a woman answered, who hesitated for a few lengthy seconds when I asked for my brother.  Then I knew it was my mother on the other end.”
Once they met a few days later, Sharron said, she talked with her mother, whom she hadn’t seen since being abducted, for hours and hours, asking her over and over again “Why!?”.  It turned out, that her mother herself wasn’t told the whereabouts of her children for about 18 months, until she found out by chance.  Eventually, she was allowed to take back her children, but only under the condition of proving in advance a secure work position and sufficient income, which of course was impossible.
It was not only the story itself told by Sharron, it was much more the way she presented herself as a calm, but very committed lady.  Her emotional wounds could still be seen, and a number of workshop participants secretly wiped some tears away.  More important, though, was her approach to offer forgiveness to those who inflicted this fate upon her, but in the same instance asking for, or rather insisting upon, documenting the plight of all those people like her.
This workshop was moderated by one of the FACSIA managers, who had been involved with Aboriginal affairs for many years previously, and whom I got to know well during the lead-up to this conference.  I plan to meet with her again to find out about job opportunities in this field.

(Written in October 2007 for a TAFE ESL course)

Both decisions refer to the common denominator of life not being worth to continue because of grave ailment or health issues.  Many times, a key argument in favour is the cost that causes a burden to society to maintain life artificially.
Writing from a German background, and as a Christian, there are a number of reasons to object this rational.
First, Nazi Germany, unfortunately, has had an infamous record of murdering thousands of people “not worth living”, in German so called “unwertes Leben”.  These criteria comprised citizens of all ages and races, but predominantly persons with physical or mental handicaps, or who were terminally ill.  Many children and aging people in foster homes were murdered indiscriminately under the pretence of “keeping the German race pure”.  However, looking back, more likely the reason may have been to prepare the German people for war and to spare the expense of the German health system.
For Christians, another significant aspect is the understanding that life is given by God and not to be taken by humans under any circumstances.  This is as valid against death sentences, as applied by US American courts, as it is for terminally ill people.  (A separate issue may be abortion, which cannot be discussed in this paper.)  The Lutheran Commission on Social and Bioethical Questions, for instance, states “The ‘right to die’ concept is completely foreign to sound biblical ethical principles” and recommends rather to “Care for the Dying”.
As recent court cases document, furthermore an issue against euthanasia – a euphemism for mercy killing – offers many opportunities to relatives or friends of “taking a chance” to terminate the life of people from whom they may inherit.  This may also be true for societies at large, or political power groups, as proven in the case of Nazi Germany.
In conclusion, this essay shows the right to die as a tremendously ambiguous problem for the fabric of a civilised society, since its limitations are difficult to control and it is open for easy exploitation, both individually as well as by politics.
However, there may be rare cases of definite consent by patients affected, that relatives and medicine may want to end life by mercy killing because of a prolonged, technical supported life, i.e. a “living vegetable”.  For this reason only, legislation should provide clear regulation under stringent restricted conditions.

(Written in September 2007 for a TAFE ESL course)

It portrays a young and enthusiastic teacher, a woman (Erin Gruwell), who had just finished her training.  Like me, her school authorities posted her as a relief teacher in one of the worst classes of a Californian public high school with kids from Long Beach suburbs Asian, Latin American, or African background, and just one “white” kid amongst them.  Many of them were active gang members, often involved in or affected by street gang fighting.  Of course, they wouldn’t accept her newbie teacher and stage trouble and fighting even in class.
The movie describes the true story how their teacher increasingly discovered, that for many of her fellow teachers this class was considered “hell”, the kids already given up by the school system with now chances for a future in professional life.  Only when she understood, that fighting and surviving was the key element for the lives of her students, she started to gain access to them first by physically comparing their injuries of each of them with each other in class and sharing their “street war” experiences.
On step on she invited them to read Anne Frank’s diary.  After an interview with a surviving relative of Anne’s host family in the Netherlands, whom she invited to visit her class, the students agreed to start writing their own life stories.  Since no one in her school supported her initiative, the teacher worked night shifts in hotels and stores to collect the money to be able to buy Anne Frank’s diary in stock, and by chance received public and private grants to sponsor the purchase of computers for the kids to write down their own stories and prepare them for publication.
Of course, after a year, this young teacher was supposed to be placed in another school, especially since many of her fellow teachers, her principal and even her partner disagreed with her commitment.  Only after a hearing by the regional school authorities was she allowed continuing to teach her class and prepare them for final exams and even studies at universities – for many of them they were the first in their families to reach that goal.
Having taught similar kids myself – even though not in such a rough social context – I was very impressed by this teaching concept starting from personal life experience and “going public”.  Our current Western school system, using methods of competition between students and “marking” them artificially by a numbering system, misses the very broad learning history of its students, thus loosing many of them right during teaching in class.
The “Freedom Writers”, as this class titled their publication in the mid-90s, later became a foundation that “promotes acceptance & innovative teaching methods in classrooms across the country” (freedomwritersfoundation.org).  Information about the movie can be found here: <freedomwriters.com>.

(Written in May 2007 for a TAFE ESL course)

(Written in March 2007 for a TAFE ESL course)

(Written for a TAFE ESL course in March 2007)