It’s open!!! It is finally open!
On Sunday, 15 September, the opening and dedication of the new Luther–Haus took place.
It all started on Saturday with a hugely successful and well received baroque concert led and conducted by Werner Blau. Particpants were the Goethe Choir, Orchestra of St. Cecilia, members of the Lutheran Church and some solists who all attended solely out of friendship towards our church and refused any musician’s fee.
On Sunday the congregation and the ecumenical friends gathered for a special service. After the service the Luther–Haus was finally handed over by the former project coordinator I. Rissmann.
Instead of a lengthy article we are pleased to publish the speech of the German Ambassador to Ireland Dr. Lübkemeier on the occasion of the opening. In between we will show some pictures of the day. (At the end they are explained.)
The speech follows a huge big thank you by the pastors to all helpers.
German Ambassador’s Address
Speech on occasion of dedication of the Lutherhaus of The Lutheran Church of Ireland, Dublin, 15 September 2013
Ladies and Gentlemen, Distinguished Guests,
Miracles do happen. You do not have to be a religious person to believe it. The building whose opening we are celebrating today proves it. For it must seem like a miracle to the mothers and fathers of this project that it has finally become a reality. What started as a Fata Morgana at times turned into a nightmare. But now it is a dream come true.
Those involved in the project had to endure many hardships and sleepless nights. For what it’s worth, let me offer some retrospective comfort.
The Embassy has embarked on a major refurbishment of the Chancellery that will last well into next year. And if this weren’t enough, similar works have begun at the ambassador’s residence. They too will take months to finish.
In German we have a saying “Geteiltes Leid ist halbes Leid” / “Shared suffering is suffering cut in half.” I wish it would work that way.
I am now a “construction exile” on the Embassy compound. In our bureaucratic jargon we call it “interim residence”, with the emphasis being on “interim”. In fact, I am staying in the same apartment that provided shelter to the Diestelkamp family while the construction of this building was underway.
But shelter is shelter. All of you will agree with me that shelter is about more than physical protection or well–being. “Der Mensch lebt nicht vom Brot allein”/”Man does not live by bread alone”.
all this inspired by the most fascinating mystery of human life: our ability to imagine and our longing for an immortal being or state. A being or state called God to guide and protect us in our earthly life and to offer us the chance of an afterlife.
Physical nourishment is not sufficient for a healthy life. Nor is intellectual “food for thought”. Man also has spiritual needs. We humans are four–dimensional beings: we have physical and emotional needs, and we have intellectual ambitions as well as spiritual aspirations.
These dimensions may not always coexist peacefully, But all of them exist ––– whether one admits it or not.
In a way, the same is true for religion and the church. To which constituents of our human beingness they appeal may differ from one person to the next. But there is no denying that religion and the church both spring from and satisfy fundamental human needs.
If it were otherwise they wouldn’t have survived and we wouldn’t be here today.
What we are celebrating today is a wonderful testimony to all four dimensions of our human nature.
It goes without saying that such a building requires intellectual input. As regards physical input, I don’t know how many hours of labour went into the construction of the building. Perhaps nobody knows. And that may well be a blessing. Because had the planning team known that the project would require nearly endless working hours, they might have surrendered in advance.
Among them were a huge number of voluntary working hours. Which is why this building is a community building in more than one sense. It was not only paid for by members of the church and outside sponsors.
The building is the result of a collective physical effort as well. It is the result “von Ihrer Hände Arbeit”. Something that was made possible by numerous volunteers lending their hands over many, many months.
Splendid! Or, as younger people in fashionable half–German might say: “Echt cool”. And I am deliberately using this kind of language. For the immense voluntary work that went into this building would not have come forward had it not been for the emotional and spiritual attachment felt by those lending their hands. And not only attachment. Seeing this building taking shape against all odds, overcoming setbacks and not giving in to frustration –– all of this must have been an intense emotional and spiritual experience.
Perhaps comparable to a rollercoaster ride in its ups and downs, but in any case an unforgettable emotional and spiritual ride with a happy ending. I do not know whether you would volunteer to go on this ride again. But I would like to say: You can be proud of what you have been through and what you have achieved. Indeed, what we see here is not only evidence of “Ihrer Hände Arbeit”. It is the lasting result of a joint physical, intellectual, emotional as well as spiritual effort. In short: a testimony to humankind!
It is a result that will last. It will last in your memories, and it will last by being constantly replenished and renewed. For this building will provide shelter for many decades to come. It will provide a space for assuaging spiritual, emotional and intellectual hunger. It will bring people together in joy and sadness. It will help them live their lives to the full. And all this inspired by the most fascinating mystery of human life: our ability to imagine and our longing for an immortal being or state. A being or state called God to guide and protect us in our earthly life and to offer us the chance of an afterlife.
A huge big THANK YOU
A huge big THANK YOU to all who helped and supported the celebrations for the dedication of our new Lutherhaus with setting up and taking down tables, chairs, technical equipment:
- never ending washing–up in the kitchen
- arranging and supplying cakes and salads
- arranging flowers
- serving food and drink to around 300 guests.
Without your active contribution, this fabulous weekend of celebrations and fellowship would not have been possible. One guest asked, seriously, which unusual and fantastic catering service we were using? Well, there you are!!!
And!
The collection taken up for Christian Aid’s help for Syrian refugees mounted to €1663.54, while the jars taking donations for the building , including some envelopes (not brown!), contained 2003 €. After the concert on the previous night, 1000€ were given – such fantastic and moving support! Touched by so much generosity.
Yours gratefully
Corinna and Joachim
