Dear Friends, Sisters and Brothers in our worldwide fellowship,
this is the second year of the Corona-Pandemic and it’s again challenging all of us as we approach Christmas and the New Year. The conflicts in our societies and worldwide are getting tougher, the nerves are on edge. This reflects our this year’s Christmas Card.
It is inspired by the Palestinian-Syrian piano player Aeham Ahmad. He has become internationally known as the „pianist in the ruins“ through his public performances in the Yarmuk refugee camp in Damascus. He had to flee from there and is now living in Germany. We invited him this year to our ecumenical advents gathering and listened to his “Music For Hope” (https://www.aeham-ahmad.com/en/).
At Christmas we celebrate that God became Human and came into this fragile world. At the same time, it brings with it the hope that destruction, violence, fear and suffering will not have the last word if we give space to God’s love and peace. I take this hope and longing with me into the new year and wish you a blessed Christmas and a good start into the year ahead of us.
Blessings
Detlev Knoche