I just returned from Germany - a 12 day pilgrimage to visit sites that play an important role in Western Christianity. I with 28 others visited Wittenburg where Martin Luther, the founder of Lutheranism, nailed the 95 Thesis on the door of the University Church in 1517. We also visited other places along the way - I will write about those places and my thoughts in future blogs.

Modern Germany is a very secular state- less than 20% of the population attends church on Sunday mornings. Yet there are witnesses to faith all over the country. Certainly the beautiful countryside is a witness to the creative beauty of a Creator. While there is a large unemployment rate is some parts of the country (up to 20%), prosperity is quite evident in the luxury cars on the streets, the well-maintained homes, the pricey items in the shops. (The greatest distraction is the large amount of graffiti on the walls along the highways and on buildings.). Germans continue to love their musical heritage which is rich in biblical themes. There are small groups of faithful christians who appear to be discouraged by the apparent lack of response to their efforts to reach their neighbors with God's Good News.

While there is a danger of the Christian faith being treated as a museum artifact which is briefly admired and then to be set aside like any other artifact from antiquity, it is clear that living stones can preach the Gospel with power and relevance.

I saw this in the American Church in Berlin where people from about 30 different countries and at least a dozen ethnic groups meet to worship, study, pray and witness together of God's reconciling love. Through the active witness of a weekly food and clothing bank, through celebratory meals such as a planned Thanksgiving dinner, through worship and well-prepared, relevant exposition of the Word of God, this congregation of 300 plus members is bearing witness in face of the onslaught of secularism. The congregation introduced those whom they had invited to the service to others.

As we in America face the yearly decline of the percentage of those who weekly attend a house of worship, we may need to look to countries like Germany to discover how to be a relevant active witness in the face of growing secularism.

Folks, you will not be hearing from for a few days as I am going out of the country. Take care of yourselves.

Ron

I don't get very political on this blog, but this is interesting.
I will not comment on this (it speaks for itself!)

Do you know the Preamble for your state . . . interesting

Alabama 1901 , Preamble . We the people of the State of Alabama, invoking
the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the
following Constitution.

Alaska 1956, Preamble . We, the people of Alaska, grateful to God and to
those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land.

Arizona 1911, Preamble . We, the people of the State of Arizona, grateful
to Almighty God for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution...

Arkansas 1874, Preamble . We, the people of the State of Arkansas,
grateful to Almighty God for the privilege of choosing our own form of
government...

California 1879, Preamble . We, the People of the State of California,
grateful to Almighty God for our freedom.

Colorado 1876, Preamble . We, the people of Colorado, with profound
reverence for the Supreme Ruler of Universe.

Connecticut 1818, Preamble. The People of Connecticut, acknowledging with
gratitude the good Providence of God in permitting them to enjoy.

Delaware 1897, Preamble . Through Divine Goodness all men have, by nature,
the rights of worshipping and serving their Creator according to the
dictates of their consciences.

Florida 1885, Preamble . We, the people of the State of Florida, grateful
to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty, establish this
Constitution...

Georgia 1777, Preamble . We, the people of Georgia, relying upon
protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this
Constitution...

Hawaii 1959, Preamble . We , the people of Hawaii, Grateful for Divine
Guidance ... Establish this Constitution.

Idaho 1889, Preamble . We, the people of the State of Idaho, grateful to
Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings.

Illinois 1870, Preamble . We, the people of the State of Illinois,
grateful to Almighty God for the civil l, political and religious liberty
which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy and looking to Him for a
blessing on our endeavors.

Indiana 1851, Preamble We, the People of the State of Indiana, grateful
to Almighty God for the free exercise of the right to choose our form of
government.

Iowa 1857, Preamble We, the People of the State of Iowa, grateful to the
Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our
dependence on Him for a continuation of these blessings establish this
Constitution.

Kansas 1859, Preamble . We, the people of Kansas, grateful to Almighty
God for our civil and religious privileges establish this Constitution.

Kentucky 1891, Preamble. We, the people of the Commonwealth are grateful
to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties...

Louisiana 1921, Preamble . We, the people of the State of Louisiana,
grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties
we enjoy.

Maine 1820, Preamble . We the People of Maine acknowledging with
grateful hearts the goodness of the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in
affording us an opportunity ... And imploring His aid and direction.

Maryland 1776, Preamble We, the people of the state of Maryland, grateful
to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty...

Massachusetts 1780, Preamble . We...the people of Massachusetts,
acknowledging with grateful hearts, the goodness of the Great Legislator of
the Universe . In the course of His Providence, an opportunity and devoutly
imploring His direction ..

Michigan 1908, Preamble le. We, the people of the State of Michigan,
grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of freedom establish this
Constitution.

Minnesota, 1857, Preamble . We, the people of the State of Minnesota,
grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to
perpetuate its blessings:

Mississippi 1890, Preamble . We, the people of Mississippi in convention
assembled, grateful to Al mighty God, and invoking His blessing on our
work.

Missouri 1845, Preamble . We, the people of Missouri, with profound
reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, and grateful for His
goodness .. Establish this Constitution .

Montana 1889, Preamble. We, the people of Montana, grateful to Almighty
God for the
blessings of liberty establish this Constitution ..

Nebraska 1875, Preamble . We, the people, grateful to Almighty God for our
freedom .. Establish this Constitution.

Nevada 1864, Preamble . We the people of the State of Nevada, grateful to
Almighty God for our freedom establish this Constitution

New Hampshire 1792, Part I. Art. I. Sec. V . Every individual has a
natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of
his own conscience.

New Jersey 1844, Preamble . We, the people of the State of New Jersey,
grateful to Almighty God for civil and religious liberty which He hath so
long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing on our
endeavors.

New Mexico 1911, Preamble . We, the People of New Mexico, grateful to
Almighty God for the blessings of liberty

New York 1846, Preamble . We, the people of the State of New York,
grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure its
blessings.

North Carolina 1868, Preamble . We the people of the State of North
Carolina, grateful to Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations, for our
civil, political, and religious liberties, and acknowledging our dependence
upon Him for the continuance of those

North Dakota 1889, Preamble . We , the people of North Dakota, grateful
to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, do
ordain...

Ohio 1852, Preamble . We the people of the state of Ohio, grateful to
Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings and to promote our
common

Oklahoma 1907, Preamble . Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order
to secure and perpetuate the blessings of liberty .. establish this

Oregon 1857, Bill of Rights, Article I. Section 2. All men shall be
secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God according to the
dictates of their consciences..

Pennsylvania 1776, Preamble We, the people of Pennsylvania, grateful to
Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly
invoking His guidance

Rhode Island 1842, Preamble. We the People of the State of Rhode Island
grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath
so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing

South Carolina, 1778, Preamble . We, the people of he State of South
Carolina grateful to God for our liberties, do ordain and establish this
Constitution.

South Dakota 1889, Preamble . We, the people of South Dakota, grateful
to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberties

Tennessee 1796, Art. XI.III. That all men have a natural and indefeasible
right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their
conscience...

Texas 1845, Preamble . We the People of the Republic of Texas,
acknowledging, with gratitude, the grace and beneficence of God.

Utah 1896, Preamble . Grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty, we
establish this Constitution.

Vermont 1777, Preamble . Whereas all government ought to enable the
individuals who compose it to enjoy their natural rights, and other
blessings which the Author of Existence has bestowed on man

Virginia 1776, Bill of Rights, XVI Religion, or the Duty which we owe our
Creator can be directed only by Reason and that it is the mutual duty of
all to practice Christian Forbearance, Love and Charity towards each other

Washington 1889, Preamble . We the People of the State of Washington,
grateful to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe for our liberties, do ordain
this Constitution

West Virginia 1872, Preamble . Since through Divine Providence we enjoy
the blessings of civil, political and religious liberty, we, the people of

West Virginia reaffirm our faith in and constant reliance upon God ..

Wisconsin 1848, Preamble . We, the people of Wisconsin, grateful to
Almighty God for our freedom, domestic tranquility

Wyoming 1890, Preamble . We, the people of the State of Wyoming, grateful
to God for our civil, political, and religious liberties . establish this
Constitution.

We are all broken people.

We are fractured, scared, beaten.

We often curse our brokenness - we see it as a liability, as something to be avoided.

If we talk about it at all, we apologize for it.

Here is a story about seeing the blessing in our brokenness.

Leonard Bernstein wrote a musical work called Mass, a work written in memory of John F. Kennedy. In the musical there is this scene.

"The priest, richly dressed in splendid liturgical vestments is lifted up by his people. He towers high above the adoring crowd, carrying in his hands a glass chalice. Suddenly, the human pyramid collapses, and the priest comes tumbling down. His vestments are ripped off, and his glass chalice falls to the ground and is shattered. As he walks slowly through the debris of his former glory - barefoot, wearing only blue jeans and a T-shirt - children's voices are heard singing, "Laude, laude, laude" - Praise, praise, praise." Suddenly the priest notices the broken chalice. He looks at it for a long time and then, haltingly, he says, "I never realized that broken glass could shine so brightly.""

(With thanks to Henri Nouwen, Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World, 1996)

"God uses flawed men to accomplish his purposes.

I am a flawed man.

I am a man in process.

God is using me now and will continue to use me in the future
to accomplish what he desires.

I am not perfect but I am available.

Come, O God and transform my heart."

By Stephen W. Smith, The Transformation of a Man's Heart, 2006, p. 19.