Been a while...

So, I have a number of blogs going on now and I need to merge them. For the whole first half of January I was traveling Eastern Europe. It was quite an amazing experience. You can read about all the details and see pictures here... www.taylorisbaptized.blogspot.com

The reason for the trip was the European Taize Prayer Gathering in Zagreb, Croatia. More than 40,000 young people traveled there for the annual meeting hosted in a European city. It was the first time I had experienced anything put on by Taize and the it was amazing.

I think this somes up what the meetings are about... "an invitation to go to the sources of the Gospel through prayer, silence, and searching.' Also called 'a pilgrimage of trust on earth', they aim to nourish our hope." And a good article... http://www.taize.fr/en_article4330.html

I had enough money to travel for a week in Eastern Europe, but somehow that money lasted more then 2 weeks! It became a real pilgrimage of trust for me. I met several really kind people, at the gathering and I was able to stay with many of them on my way back to Germany. The generosity and trust in the Christian community in Europe is alive.

We have a lot of cool stuff going on here. Christmas was really busy. I helped with and participated in 5 services on Christmas Eve! I don't know how pastors can do that every year.

Teleconference

Happy Thanksgiving

More to come...

http://picasaweb.google.com/taylorrjohnson/Thanksgiving

Letter to MLCers

Greetings MLC!

Many of you know that I have been living in Lutherstadt Eisleben, Germany for the last month and a half. The Lord has been working in amazing ways here and so far it has been a spectacular experience. I am writing this letter on November tenth, the 523 anniversary of Martin Luther's baptism. Just a few hours ago we finished a baptismal remembrance service in St. Peter-Paul, the very church Luther was baptized in 1483.

The remembrance service was wonderful and with only 40 people, it had a very intimate feel. We wrote our names on a piece of cloth and tied it together to form one band. Pastor Claudia, one of the American pastors I am working for explained that we are all tied together in the body of Christ. I got homesick as I thought about the church I was baptized in and where my faith was nurtured.

I have been keeping busy here in Eisleben with a couple of outreach ministries. I teach English lessons four days a week and am starting a website class. I’m meeting a lot of youth and just moved into a new flat. My flat is conveniently located and a great place to meet with youth. I have a spare room that I would like to make into a worship space.

The youth group is going very well. We have about 25 youth and usually 15 come to our weekly meetings. During the day I help the pastors with a lot of the day-to-day church work.

I will be doing a live presentation/conference call Sunday Dec. 10th right after the fellowship hour. I will be speaking on life in “Luther Land” and our ministry here.

Thank you for all of your prayers and support. Please continue to pray for our ministry. Remember… in the name of Jesus Christ, "ich bin gertauft" – I am baptized.

Rockin' and rollin' out,

-Taylor

Martin's Baptism and Martinstag

New gallaries (each photo links to a seperate gallary)...

Martin Luther's Baptizmal remeberance service...

The base of this fountain was the very one Luther was baptized in.

Click the photo below for more pictures of Martinstag...

Carnival

Today, at 11:11am marked the start of the "Carnival Season." It is called the Fifth Season and runs until Ash Wednesday. Carnival is has Roman Catholic roots and it is celebrated in many different ways across the country.

Here is an interesting article about it: http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/6-3-15/39319.html.

Pictures from the Eisleben market square this morning...

 

Lantern Walk