New Adventures

Today was my first time going to a German church. It was, in a way, what I expected, but I didn't anticipate everything that I experienced. The service and everything about it was in German. When we walked in we got a German hymn-book with notices and an order of service. The church wasn't very full - I think by the end of the service it was only two-thirds full, so about 40 people. I was kind of surprised to see people come in late because Germans are so good about being punctual, but not incredibly surprised, because I have been late many of times.

The church building is very old. We actually had a tour, and I remember a few things about it. I don't remember exactly how old it is, but one of the Princes (I think?) from Heidelberg, who lived in the castle, used to be buried there. He has since been moved, but his grave/tombstone is still there. Since it's founding, the church has alternated between Protestant and Catholic, and even at one point (I think maybe during the 30 years war...maybe), both congregations met there. A wall was built, and the Catholics met in the front half of the church and the Protestants in the back half of the church. At the same time. The church is so echoey and acoustically well-made that I can't imagine how well it worked. The wall stayed up until some time in the 1900's when the Catholics got a new church and the Protestants took over and began to utilize the whole church again. Soon after that was the war, and churches started to be closed by the Third Reich. The pastor told us that the pastor of the church (and the church-goers) of this church realized that what Hitler was doing to the Jews was wrong, and became devoted to getting as many Jewish families out of Heidelberg and into Switzerland as they could. He was able to do this until (again, I think, but I don't remember perfectly) the early 40's when he was forced to leave as well. 

The church is full of history, and I was thinking about a lot of this while I was sitting and listening to the sermon, catching what bits and pieces I could. I have always felt this way, but I was pondering the German people and what a hard (recent) history they have had. I know Hitler didn't just walk into Germany and declare that he was going to be the new leader, and that the majority of the people certainly did support him initially. What Hitler did was terrible, but it's not like the rest of the world knows that and Germany is oblivious. They are fully aware of what he did and how terrible it was. They don't need the rest of the world to remind them of what happened. I have heard several times from various Germans that the German people have had to cope with and come to terms with their past, and that they have done a pretty good job. What irritates me is not that it happened, because I cannot change the past. What irritates me is that the rest of the world won't let the Germans, or anyone else for that matter, forget that it happened. I cannot count how many times I would tell someone that I would be studying here in Germany and they would make some stupid, ignorant comment about Nazi Germany. It irritates me to no end. It makes me even more angry when I get that comment from someone who claims to believe in the grace and mercy of Christ. In what way does that display that one believes in the grace and mercy of Christ!? How can the Germans try to reconcile their past and move on to something better when everyone else continues to remind them of it, or refuses to move on themselves? It would be as easy for a prostitute to move on and try to make for herself a better life, with everyone around her reminding her of her past and continuing to view her in that manner. Germany is not controlled by Nazis anymore. In fact, the last time I heard it is illegal to associate with the Nazi party or Nazi sentiments. I have great admiration for the German people, as they have found a way to move on and make a better life for themselves, even in the midst of all of these reminders of their horrible past. I think it is a beautiful story, in spite of the tragic bits.

Back to the church service... As I said, it was all in German. The first hymn, "Wach auf, mein Herz und singe," wasn't a hymn-tune I recognized. In fact, I didn't recognize any hymn-tunes that were sung today. I could at least sing them because I can read and pronounce German, and I can read music. I understood mostly what I was singing, although I didn't understand everything. After the first hymn there were some words spoken by the pastor, and then Psalm 119 was sung, in a call and response chant form. I recognized the chant form from a class I took last semester, and the people singing were singing to each other, typical of a chant. The sound filled the whole sanctuary and was so beautiful. In total there were 6 hymns (one was the Psalm) sung. For some of them, it was a call and response with the small choir and the congregation. I fully enjoyed it. It was amazing to be in such an acoustic space singing hymns. Even if someone were to sing off-key, I still think the space would make it sound beautiful. I got this idea of going back during the week and singing there, but then I remembered that visitors are supposed to be quiet because the church is open during the week to pray. Bummer. Maybe I can go in when no one is there. 

The Bible readings were done in the way of traditional churches: one New Testament reading and one Old Testament reading. I suspect it was the same as other churches around the world, but I don't actually know because I don't come from a traditional church background. The pastor's message was after the New Testament reading. I couldn't understand most of it, but he seemed to be using the story in Genesis after the Fall, when God was walking in the Garden asking, "Adam, where are you?" and relating it to God asking us the same question today.

After the service was over we went back to the Pension and I ate lunch. Shortly after that Andrew came upstairs and asked if Kristen and I wanted to go to lunch with the guys. I went with them and just sat with them while they ate, and then when we got back Megan and Nattie had just gotten back from church, and Nattie and I decided to go on a trek to the Hauptbahnhof (train station). She wanted to read a bit on where she wants to go so she could ask better questions, so after she did that we went downstairs, got our bikes, and headed out. I haven't ridden a bike in probably 7 or 8 years. It was quite and experience. Shortly into our ride (down the street and around the corner), I realized that my bike is much to small for me. I was wobbling all over the road, trying very hard not to fall over or hit people or parked cars. I felt ridiculous. We got the the library and I stopped to to try to raise my seat, but to no avail. We ended up turning around and going back to the Pension. We saw Megan, Chris, and Andrew on our way back, while they were on their way to the practice rooms. My first bike ride in quite a few years was a failure. We ended up taking the bus to the train station, which was much less eventful. We went inside at the train station and figured out how to be helped (take a number) and waited until our turn. What followed was a drawn-out conversation between two girls that don't have very good German and a ticket-clerk who doesn't have incredible English. We finally got Nattie's questions answered and then I asked my quick question, and then headed back outside to the bus stop to figure out which bus to take back to our part of town. I couldn't find a bus that went back to St. Peter's church, which is where we got on (which was very strange to me. I don't understand why there wasn't a bus back to there. There is a bus stop for the opposite direction right across the church), so I chose one that would drop us near where we needed to be. After I figured this out I heard a voice behind me, "Excuse me, can you help me?" I turned around to a Chinese lady, who looked to be close to my age who seemed rather lost. She needed to get the the castle, but she knew no German. All of the bus schedules are in German; there is no English subtext. So I searched the schedules for a bus that would drop her near where she wanted to go, since there is not bus line that actually goes up the mountain. I ended up asking, in German, a couple that was standing there which bus would be the best for her to take, but that ended up being more confusing than helpful, so I just decided that we would take her where she needed to go, since it is close to the Pension. We got on the bus that came about 30 seconds later, and she and Nattie talked a bit about China. We didn't get off where I thought we were going to because she wanted to see the Old Bridge, and it was within walking distance of the next-to-last stop. By this time the weather felt colder because the wind was picking up, and it was much colder on the bridge because the wind was much stronger over the river. We took several pictures on the bridge and then walked her to the Bergbahn (the tram that goes up the mountain to the castle). We weren't sure if it would still be open, but it was, and with the help of the ticket-clerk told her how to get up the mountain and then how to get back to the train station when she came down. Before parting ways she asked us for our email addresses so she could stay in contact and email us the photos that we took (since we were in a few of them!), and she gave us her email address. As Nattie and I walked the block back to the Pension, we talked about how accomplished we felt about the whole experience, because we knew the city and the bus system well enough to show another person how to get somewhere, and how amazingly well the whole thing worked out. If our bikes hadn't been too small, we wouldn't have met this lady (who told us her English name was Fly), and she may have gotten very lost in Heidelberg because she only knew a little English, or she may have never made it off the platform and to the castle. I'm not saying we were her only hope, but who knows what would have happened. It was a very fulfilling experience, helping someone else.

Grace and Peace,
Suzannah