NEWSLETTER – JUNE 2022
1573 East 18th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C. V5N 2H4
P. Ingrid Doerschel (604-566-2102) – pastor.stmarkslutheran@shaw.ca
Sekretariat (604-876-43120) – stmarkslutheran@shaw.ca
June 2022
Liebe Mitglieder der Gemeinde, liebe Freunde!
Sprache ist wichtig. Das wissen wir. Unsere Muttersprache ist auch oft unsere religiöse Spracheoder anders gesagt: die Sprache unseres Herzens. Für viele Gläubige ist es daher besonders wichtig in welcher Sprache wir beten, singen, Gottesdienst halten.
Am kommenden Sonntag feiern wir Pfingsten. Im Mittelpunkt steht die Geschichte der Ausgiessung des Heiligen Geistes, so wie es in der Apostelgeschichte, im 2. Kapitel, erzählt wird: Die Jünger und Freunde Jesu waren in einem Haus versammelt, als der Geist Gottes wie ein heftiger Wind das Haus erfüllte, in dem sie saßen, und die Jünger anfingen, in vielen Sprachen die Botschaft von der Liebe Gottes zu verbreiten. Was wäre wohl passiert, hätten die Jünger die Botschaft Jesu in der Umgangssprache der damaligen Zeit, nämlich aramäisch, erzählt, und nicht in der jeweiligen Muttersprache der Menschen? Hätte die Botschaft auch so Erfolg gehabt?
Ich denke nicht – denn Sprache ist wichtig, und so verstanden die Menschen damals die frohe Botschaft in ihrer Muttersprache: persisch, phönizisch, medisch, assyrisch, babylonisch…und so begann die christliche Kirche damit, dass die Menschen das Evangelium in ihrer je eigenen Sprache hörten.
Am Pfingstfest, so könnten wir sagen, hörten die Freunde Jesu den klaren Auftrag, mehrsprachig zu werden und die christliche Botschaft in die Sprachen der Menschheit zu übersetzen. Viele sprechen von dem Pfingstfest als dem Geburtstag der christlichen Kirche. Darauf folgte ein schwieriger Weg in das Leben hinein. Die christliche Kirche ist nach allem, was wir aus der ersten Generation – vor allem vom Apostel Paulus – wissen, nicht mit einem Schlage entstanden, sondern mühsame Lernprozesse und schwierige Konflikte hatte sie zu bestehen. Das wird uns nicht verheimlicht. Denn der Evangelist Lukas will nicht von einem einmaligen Ereignis erzählen. Er will uns vielmehr vor
Augen führen, woran man das Wirken des Heiligen Geistes erkennt. Wie er in der Geschichte der Kirche und heute noch am Werk ist: Der Heilige Geist sorgt dafür, dass die Leute Jesu nicht unter sich bleiben. Sie sind auch nicht an ein Haus und nicht an eine Kirche gebunden. So verständlich es ist, dass wir uns in gewohnten Kreisen wohl fühlen und so gewiss wir Orte brauchen, an denen wir zu Hause sind; Lukas macht uns deutlich, dass der Heilige Geist kein Hausgott ist, kein Familiengeist und keine Heimatgottheit. Also bei allem Respekt vor dem was Menschen an einen
Ort und an eine Kirche und an bestimmte Traditionen bindet: Der Heilige Geist lässt sich dadurch nicht binden. Sein Erkennungsmerkmal ist nicht Stabilität, nicht das Pochen darauf, dass alles so bleibt, wie es ist. Sein Erkennungsmerkmal ist Mobilität, die Kraft, die uns dazu bringt, uns zu bewegen und zu verändern.
Doch was sagt der Heilige Geist – verständlich in jeder Sprache? Die Menschen, sagt Lukas, hören die Jünger von den großen Taten Gottes reden. Von dem Gott, der die Welt wunderschön geschaffen hat. Von dem Gott, die die Menschen als seine Ebenbilder erschaffen hat, und sie so liebt, dass er in seinem Sohn, Jesus Christus, unter uns lebte und liebte. Und starb. Durch die Dunkelheit des Todes ging und dann dem Licht entgegen und damit ein für einmal die Macht des Todes und der Gewalt
zerbrach.
Gottes Geist, so sagt Petrus in seiner Pfingstpredigt, ist ausgegossen über alles Leben. Dieser Geist ist in jedem von uns, Gott sei Dank. Komm, Gott, Schöpfer, Heiliger Geist!
Ihre Pastorin Ingrid Dörschel
Wir haben mehr für Sie:
Fitness und Prayer!
Haben Sie Freude an Bewegung mit Musik? Dann kommen sie zu Fitness und Prayer! Der Schwerpunkt liegt auf Übungen, die für Senioren geeignet sind: Dehnen, Muskelkraft, Haltung, Gleichgewicht und Koordination, Atem und Entspannungsübungen. Es ist nie zu spät etwas für die Beweglichkeit zu tun! 2 x monatlich am Mittwoch um 10:30 Uhr im Kirchenkeller; Beginn:
Mittwoch, 1. Juni mit Carola von Hahn. Jeder ist willkommen!
Kirchenchor
Jeden Mittwoch von 11:30 bis 13:00 Uhr, Singen macht Spass und stärkt das Immunsystem!
Einladung Transitional Committee
Herzliche Einladung zu unserem nächsten gemeinsamen Gottesdienst am Sonntag, dem 26. Juni. Die Uhrzeit wird noch bekannt gegeben. Nach dem Gottesdienst werden wir einen gemeinsamen Lunch geniessen und dann geht es weiter mit einem Treffen “zur Zukunft unsrer Kirche, Teil 2.” Mehr Information folgt – Wir freuen uns auf Sie und Euch und die Fortsetzung unseres Gespräches!
Für das “Transitional Committee” Ihre – Eure
Pastorin Ingrid Dörschel
Einladung zur Frauengruppe ” Freudenquell”
Wir freuen uns sehr auf unser nächstes Treffen – und letztes Treffen vor der Sommerpause – am Dienstag, dem 20. Juni von 14:00 bis 16:00 Uhr.
“Rund um die Erdbeere” ist unser Thema. Bitte verwöhnen Sie sich und uns alle mit frischen Erdbeeren, Erdbeertorte, Erdbeeren mit Schlagsahne oder was Sie auch gern mitbringen mögen. Erdbeertee und Kaffee
natürlich wird serviert. Wir werden Geschichten und Gedichte über die Erdbeere hören (vielleicht haben Sie auch Material?) und Sommerlieder singen. Ein vernüglicher Nachmittag wartet auf Sie und Euch! Ich freue
mich.
Ihre/Eure Pastorin Ingrid
Neues Gesicht im Büro
Mein Name ist Manuela Volkmer, bin 44 Jahre alt und Ende April mit meinem Mann, meiner 14jährigen Tochter und unserem kleinen Hund Benji von Hamburg /Deutschland ins wunderschöne Vancouver gezogen. Ich arbeite seit mehr als 20 Jahren im Bereich Büromanagement, Teamassistenz, Personalwesen und Buchhaltung. Als gelernte Floristin hängt mein Herz aber auch immer an der Natur, Kunst, wandern und den schönen Dingen im Leben. Ich freue mich sehr, viele von Ihnen persönlich oder telefonisch
kennenzulernen und mich mit Ihnen auszutauschen. Bitte zögern Sie nicht, mich anzurufen oder eine Email zu schreiben wenn ich Ihnen weiterhelfen kann.
President’s Corner
It’s been a busy month of May at St. Mark’s. Let me reflect first on Pastor Ingrid’s and her husband Kosmas’s COVID illness at the beginning of the month. Thankfully both have since made full recoveries also thanks to all your prayers and well wishes. After having suffered from the virus myself in April I was sorry to hear the Pastor Ingrid fell ill in early May. For a few days it looked like the May 8 service would have to be cancelled. Former Pastor Ermisch was in Calgary, former Pastor Breit at work, and so it was impossible to find a replacement to fill in for the May 8 German Service. Last minute calls went out to members to lead the service instead, and it was amazing to see how the congregation came together and celebrated the service even without a Pastor, special Thank You’s go out again to Monika&Juergen Schroth, Irmhild&Erika Plettner, Elke Swantje, and Hans-Christian Behm.
Pastor Matthew Senf was able to fill in for Pastor Ingrid on May 15 for our joint service and also stay for workshop the Transition Committee had organized afterwards. Even though the potluck had to be postponed
out of an abundance of caution, I think we can all agree it was a great event, and we are thankful for Pastor Matthew to spend a good 2.5hours with us that day.
It was great to see the turnout, the lively conversations both during the intermission, and during the group work. This gives me and the Transition Committee hope for the next sessions we will organize (next one is
tentatively set for June 26 tbc) in a similar format in preparation of the special meeting (tentatively set for October 16 tbc) to vote on the ELCIC membership. It was sad Pastor Ingrid could not be part of this
important day due to the illness. The condensed notes from the group activities are posted below. We will send an agenda prior to the next workshop focusing on some of the themes in more detail. No shortage of
topics, so my invitation goes out again for anyone to consider stepping up and lead or participate in one of the standing or ad hoc teams/committees, I really appreciate it.
Joining the conversations regarding ethical and theological questions related to today’s world was one of the things I had hoped for in my address at the February 27 AGM, and I am happy to report we have
accomplished that together…we are talking! We are on track for what a Transitional Ministry is all about, change to bring us forward.
We also heard some of your fears, in particular when it comes to the thought of blessing same sex marriages at St. Marks. Let me be very clear with my message here, and I say it with Shakespeare, our proposed vote
for ELCIC membership is about TO BE OR NOT TO BE, THIS IS HERE THE QUESTION! Of course, inclusion is an important topic we will continue discussing, and that is great, but it is not the number one question, we cannot let it become the number one question.
First things first, the very survival of St. Mark’s is at stake. Rejoice St. Mark’s, God opened a door for us with the offer of the Evangelische Kirche Deutschland’s (Protestant Church of Germany) to enter into a partnership with us provided we join the ELCIC. Pro Synod does not mean Pro Inclusion automatically. The ELCIC has liberal member churches, and conservative member churches, we…and ONLY WE get to decide within the Synod where we want to be on that scale, and we have all the time in the world to discuss this AFTER our October vote. Inclusion is a wonderful thing; it works both ways. We don’t have to split up over the blessing of same sex marriage discussion, instead can embrace the unknown and keep the conversation going, the ELCIC gives us that freedom, and more so it will stimulate that discussion, so we become relevant to the community we serve, sounds amazing? Because it is.
God bless.
Tobias Finke
St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
1573 East 18th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C. V5N 2H4
P. Ingrid Doerschel (604-566-2102) – pastor.stmarkslutheran@shaw.ca
Office (604-876-4312) – stmarkslutheran@shaw.ca
June 2022
Dear members of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, dear friends,
Language is important. That is one of the messages of Pentecost. Language matters.
This Sunday we are going to celebrate Pentecost again, grounded in the biblical narrative of Luke in Acts, chapter 2: The early followers of Jesus gathered in Jerusalem along with fellow Jews from around the
Mediterranean world. They are gathered together in one place when suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided
tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested[a] on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues and proclaimed the good news, and everyone hears the good
news proclaimed in their own language.
People were drawn to the story of Jesus, not simply for the story itself, but because they heard that story in their own native languages. If the apostles had been speaking Aramaic, the common language, some people would have listened. But this language wouldn’t have touched their hearts and opened their ears in the same way as the Parthenian and Medite, and Elemish, and Cappadocian, and Pamphylian and Arabic languages did.
Language is important. Even though the Christian movement, the church, was born out of this event of Pentecost, for centuries church has resisted efforts to translate scripture into native languages. It was the English Priest John Wycliffe in the fourteenth century who translated Church Latin into English and it was of course Martin Luther, who translated Hebrew and Greek into German, so that everybody, who was able to read, might read the Holy Scriptures on their own.
But – it began quite small, with a small crowd of disciples sitting together in a room. They were perhaps afraid of outsiders so they all stayed together. Had they actually known better – they would have been afraid of not dispersing because what was about to happen would have freaked out even the bravest amongst us. They were in danger but not from outsiders – the danger they were in, as they sat all together in one place, was from a God who is about to crash the party and bring in everyone they were trying to avoid.
New Testament scholar Margaret Aymer wrote that “on the day of Pentecost, Christianity became a movement with a divine sanction to multilingualism and to translation.”
No matter what language we speak, the message we are called to share is the same:
That we are, after all, the Body of Christ, called and equipped to care for this world and the people God loves so much. And it is the Spirit who reminds us of this role and enables us to fulfill it. This may not always be
all that we want, but perhaps it is just what those around us need.
It is a call to move beyond individual concerns to be able to see ourselves as part of larger multilingual community. It is not about protecting what we have, nor simply actualizing my or your identity through , but rather we
and so many others are called together to be a community. We have an opportunity to model that kind of commitment and life in the Church, by simply leaning to respect and to understand the use of other
languages, different attitudes and life styles.
And sometimes we even need no language at all to be God’s love. Sometimes to be God’s love in action is all what counts.
We are also promised the gift of hearing the Good News in our own native tongues—our own heart languages. The Spirit speaks to us in ways that resonate deep within our souls. Through music, through literature, poetry, through science, in nature, through chance encounters with strangers and intimate conversations with friends; through food and rest and work and having fun.
We may experience the wonderful drama of tongues of fire and mighty winds a few times in our lives. But the most important miracle of Pentecost–speaking and hearing the Gospel in our own native language—this miracle is available to us each and every day. Come, Holy Spirit, come!
Yours Pastor Ingrid Doerschel
There is more
Are you interested in fitness and prayer? To move to music sessions focused on older adults/seniors? Join us for a time of fun and well-being by doing gentle exercises in strength, stretching, balance, and breathing.
It’s never too late to start working on yourself. We will meet twice a month from 10:30 am to 11:30 am in the church basement, starting on Wednesday, June 1st. with Carola von Hahn. Everyone ist welcome!
Invitation Transitional Committee
We are looking forward to welcoming you to our joint worship service on Sunday, June 16, time YTBD. After the service you are invited to enjoy lunch; please stay for our second meeting on “the Future of our
Church” after lunch. More information to follow, please keep posted.
Please join us (again) – your involvement is important.
On behalf of the transitional committee, Yours Pastor Ingrid Doerschel
Save the Date – Reunion
Dear members and friends, a group of very committed people is coming together regularly to set up a wonderful event called: Reunion. Yes, former Youth / confirmand students will gather at St. Mark’s Church to reconnect, to remember and to celebrate not only the good old times, but the
presence and future of St. Mark’s. This will happen on Saturday afternoon, October 1, and on Sunday morning in a joint worship service. As a “newcomer” to St. Mark’s, I am really looking forward to listening to a variety of stories talking about an important time of life.
Would you like to financially support the event or donate food, snacks, coffee/tea, cake, help with serving, set up, decorating, and so much more on Saturday or Sunday after the service. Please email
for more information: pastor.stmarkslutheran@shaw.ca
It’s quite simple: please write a check to St. Mark’s Lutheran – Church Reunion 2022 or just put some cash in an envelope. Thank you!
Yours Pastor Ingrid
New face in the office
My name is Manuela Volkmer, I am 44 years old and at the end of April I moved
with my husband, my 14 year old daughter and our little dog Benji from Hamburg / Germany to beautiful Vancouver.
I have been working in office management, team assistance, human resources and accounting for more than 20 years. As a trained florist, my heart is always attached to nature, art, hiking and the beautiful things in life.
I am very happy to get to know many of you in person or by phone and to
exchange ideas with you. Please do not hesitate to call me or write an email if I can help you.
Let’s celebrate 60 years of God’s blessings!!!
Were you part of St. Mark’s youth group or confirmed at St. Mark’s? If so, this event is for YOU!
When: Saturday Oct. 1st
Time: 2 – 5 pm for food, fellowship, fun and some program….however, doors will be open until 9 pm!
Where: Where else, but the St. Mark’s basement where youth group and confirmation classes were held!
Who: YOU (feel free to invite your significant other)
RSVP: Friday, September 16th
Email: stmarkschurchreunion@gmail.com
If you would like to help out with catering, set up, take down, help with program, send pictures (we will have a memory table and decade’s table that will represent each of the six decades), make a small tax-receiptable donation to offset costs of this event or in other way, please send us an email.
We have been planning for a year now and are excited about connecting again and most of all thanking the Lord for all He has done, is doing and will do at St. Mark’s. See attachment and spread the word!
The Reunion Committee: Kecia Boecking, P. Ingrid Doerschel, Karen (Ratsch) Russell, Ron Schmalz, Annette Weber
