Kaiserswerth General Conference - Berlin

The Secretary General of the Kaiserswerther Verband, of the Kaiserswerther Generalkonferenz (Kaiserswerth General Conference), Dr Christine-Ruth Müller, has retired. She formally concluded her role on 1st September 2017, after 11 years in the role.

Dr Christine-Ruth Müller in 2009

Dr. Christine-Ruth Müller joined the Kaiserswerther Verband (Kaiserswerth Association) as Secretary General at the beginning of 2007, and her successes have included the restructuring of the association and the development of Kaiserswerther Verband as a nationwide representation of Diaconia in the form of Diaconal Community.

The Kaiserswerther Verband represents diaconal work in the evangelical church, bringing together more than 100 deaconess motherhouses, diaconal communities and organisations in Germany. It is part of the international Kaiserswerth General Conference.

Dr. Christine-Ruth Müller will be succeeded by long-time rector of the Diakoniewerk Gallneukirchen, Christa Schrauf. Pastor Christa Schrauf was the Rector and Chief Executive Officer of the Evangelical Diakoniewerk Gallneukirchen from 2008 to 2016, the largest diaconal employer in Austria with more than 3500 employees. Since 2013, she has also been President of Kaiserswerth General Conference, and since 2014 has been a member of the German Network “Women in Leadership in Church and Diakonia”.

Pastor Christa Schrauf, new Secretary General

On September 27th at 2 pm, Kaiserswerth General Conference celebrates the work of Dr Christine-Ruth Müller, as part of a feast day service in the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin. President of Diakonie Deutschland Ulrich Lilie will conduct a handover ceremony during the service to wish farewell to Christine-Ruth Müller and to welcome the incoming Secretary General Christa Schrauf into her new role.

Rev Marianne Uri Øverland from Norway, Regional President of the DIAKONIA-DRAE Region, will bring greetings on behalf of DIAKONIA World. Deaconesses Ulrike Kellner and Traude Leitenberger will also be in attendance.

DIAKONIA Prayer Letter - Litany of Reconciliation

The DIAKONIA Prayer letter for March was written by Diakonisse Ulrike Kellner, Editor, DIAKONIA News. 

Ulrike writes:
I recently rediscovered a prayer from Coventry Cathedral in England. Even though it was written in 1959, I find that this prayer speaks to the challenges of our current situation. I invite you to join with DIAKONIA on March 26 and pray together this prayer:

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
The hatred which divides nation from nation, race from race, class from class, Father Forgive.
The covetous desires of people and nations to possess what is not their own, Father Forgive.
The greed which exploits the work of human hands and lays waste the earth, Father Forgive. 
Our envy of the welfare and happiness of others, Father Forgive.
Our indifference to the plight of the imprisoned, the homeless, the refugee, Father Forgive.
The lust which dishonours the bodies of men, women and children, Father Forgive.
The pride which leads us to trust in ourselves and not in God, Father Forgive.
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

In the name of Christ, our Lord. 

These words are used as the response in the Coventry Litany of Reconciliation, which is prayed in the new Cathedral every weekday at noon (in the Ruins on Fridays), and is used throughout the world by the Community of the Cross of Nails. The prayer is a magnificent statement pointing to the way of Christ - of forgiveness, even in the midst of devastation.  

Today the medieval ruins of Coventry Cathedral continue to remind us of our human capacity both to destroy and to reach out to our enemies in friendship and reconciliation. In 2011, the ruins were designated as a memorial to all civilians killed, injured or traumatised by war and violent conflict world-wide. In order to commemorate these civilians, the Cathedral chose six themes to guide its focus: aerial bombing, refugees, sexual violence as a result of war, landmines, child soldiers, and the environmental impact of war. 

Canon David W Porter - Canon Director for Reconciliation Ministry at Canterbury Cathedral writes: “How we live with our deepest differences both within the Church and our increasingly fractured world, is one of the major challenges to the credibility of Christianity as good news.”

Some more about this Litany of Reconciliation:
Following the bombing of the medieval Cathedral on 14th November, 1940, Provost Richard Howard made a commitment not to revenge, but to forgiveness and reconciliation with those responsible. Using a national radio broadcast from the cathedral ruins on Christmas Day 1940 he declared that when the war was over he would work with those who had been enemies 'to build a kinder, more Christ-child-like world.' He had the words 'Father Forgive' inscribed on the wall behind the Altar of the ruined building. 

It was this moral and prophetic vision which led to Coventry Cathedral's development as a world Centre for Reconciliation, which over the years has provided inspiration and support to many Christians addressing ongoing conflict in contemporary society.

 

DIAKONIA News - 100th edition!

 I have just spent a very enjoyable time this morning reading the 100th edition of the DIAKONIA News.

This edition features reports from the DIAKONIA President, and the Regional Presidents, which gives an overview about what is happening in our DIAKONIA Regions.
 
There is a summary about the Executive Committee meeting in July in Kaiserswerth, Germany. One of the important decisions made was to make arrangements for the next DIAKONIA World Assembly to be held in Chicago, USA, after the planning team in the Philippines withdrew from hosting for reasons beyond their control. The Executive has committed to giving leadership to the planning and is developing the program around the theme, Shaken by the Wind.

There's a very positive report of the 2013 Assembly in Berlin. One of the graphs indicates a huge number of first time attendees. We do hope that many of these 'first timers' plan to attend the next Assembly, in Chicago, along with many more 'first timers' who will attend an Assembly for the first time.

There are dates provided for the DOTAC and DRAE Regional gatherings in 2015, which I plan to attend.

The Treasurer has outlined the financial decisions taken at the Executive Committee meeting, and an overview of finances.

As well, there is also news on the visits I have made this past year to South India and South Korea to visit diaconal associations. These visits have been wonderful - informative and inspiring.

And so much more........! What a feast of information and news! Many thanks to the English editor Laura Lazar and the German editor Ulrike Kellner. What a great team!

This 100th edition is also the last one to be distributed in paper form. Almost everyone on the mailing list now has a email address to which DIAKONIA News can be sent, saving considerable expense and time spent on preparing the mailing, and DIAKONIA News can be available in electronic form in libraries.

(We would love to hear from your association, to feature news in either/or the DIAKONIA News, the Regional Presidents reports, and this blogsite)

As you read this edition of DIAKONIA News, take a few moments to pray along the way for people and places and situations. Within these stories, may we discern God's Spirit weaving and dancing, and give thanks for God's blessings.