„In Christus liegen verborgen alle Schätze der Weisheit und der Erkenntnis.“

Kolosser 2,3 (Jahreslosung 2001)

Poking around into Zion’s many rooms and hidden closets is exciting. (You know I wanted to become an archeologist, when I was a boy?) Everywhere there are curious things which some former generation acquired. Then they fell out of taste at some point. But being of German heritage Zion’s people rather had those things stored in one of our many hidden rooms than throwing them away. My most recent discovery was the grand panoramic view of Jerusalem which once adorned the Sunday School room and then got stuck away on the Adlersaal backstage. It is dusty, the glass broken in parts, but is still a very impressive picture and a wonderful catechetical tool – even more so in our multimedia age! It is good to have a fresh look at these things and to re-evaluate them. Perhaps we find more meaning in them after not having seen them for a while.

It is the same way with people. I am aware of the wealth of committed people around at Zion, and at the beginning of a new year I want to thank the staff, the council members and all the volunteers for their commitment and the responsibilities they have taken on. It has made the transition working very well indeed. However, I have the feeling there must be many more talents and charismas around. One of the priorities of my first year at Zion will be to re-evaluate our membership situation. I want to make sure not to miss anyone who would like to get more involved. Therefore, I need your help in identifying the hidden talents in our congregation. We have many tasks ahead on our journey towards our jubilee year 2005, our 250^th anniversary, and we need your help in bringing Zion into shape for that big celebration.

But our scripture verse reminds us that wisdom and knowledge for a Christian congregation are not found in programs and visions and plans, but in Christ alone. It is in turning to him that we find what we need. It is my hope and my prayer that in turning to Christ and his gospel we will get what we at Zion need: direction, courage, affirmation and - reconciliation and healing.

In poking into the gospel we find treasures which me might have forgotten, but which are still here, ready to offer us new insights, rekindling our faith, restoring our hope, refreshing our love.

Happy New Year! / Ein Frohes Neues Jahr wünscht Ihnen

Yours in Christ

Pastor Dr Holger Roggelin

Note: The “Jahreslosung” is an offspring of the Moravian tradition of choosing Bible verses for each day of the year – the Losungen, which have become an important part of German Lutheran piety. The Moravian Daily Texts began on May 3, 1728 when Count Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf handed out a Losung, or "watchword," for the next day to each member of the Moravian congregation at Herrnhut. Thereafter one or more persons in the congregation went daily to each of the thirty-two houses in Herrnhut to bring them the watchword for the day. The first printed edition of the Losungen, or Daily Texts, was published in 1731. The cover page promised a daily message from God that would be "new every morning." Today's Daily Texts are published in forty-one languages. The actual texts are selected a year in advance in Herrnhut, Germany. The Jahreslosung is intended to accompany us throughout the year and is chosen by the Ecumenical Association for Bible reading in Germany.

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