Dear EEA friends,
As I am writing these words I am sitting in a hotel near Schiphol airport. My flight last night was cancelled due to the heavy storm affecting much of Northern Europe. Because of this I am not able to attend a meeting in Geneva today. This is unfortunate. But I have nothing to complain about compared to many people who have been affected severely by this storm or thinking of people in the Philippines who have lost dear ones and all their belongings. In fact I have many things to be thankful for!
The other day I read a quote from a letter Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote to his parents during his time in prison: “In everyday life one does often not recognise that one receives much much more than one gives and that thankfulness ultimately makes life rich. One overestimates easily ones own performance and impact compared to what one has become through others.”
Quite honestly quite often I see myself, my work and what happens to me being as very important. Of course I would not openly state this but my thoughts and reactions tell this story. And in open conversations it seems to be that this is a general human issue as Dietrich Bonhoeffer states it. I hope the various topics in this letter will lead you all to be thankful for what is happening around Europe and to re-engage with new courage to receive and to give.
But during this time of advent let us especially be thankful for the fact that God has met this world and its people in person through Jesus Christ. May this be our hope and joy and give us the right perspective in the midst of life. And may we and the ones we serve be touched by this reality and become ever more thankful.
Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year
Thomas Bucher
General Secretary EEA
PS You could enrich people by giving them your stories and let them participate in your thankfulness. And yes, if your story relates to Evangelical Alliance matters, then please send it to us to pass it on to the EA family.
Click on the title to read an article from the newsletter:
Dear EEA friends,
As I am writing these words I am sitting in a hotel near Schiphol airport. My flight last night was cancelled due to the heavy storm affecting much of Northern Europe. Because of this I am not able to attend a meeting in Geneva today. This is unfortunate. But I have nothing to complain about compared to many people who have been affected severely by this storm or thinking of people in the Philippines who have lost dear ones and all their belongings. In fact I have many things to be thankful for!
The other day I read a quote from a letter Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote to his parents during his time in prison: “In everyday life one does often not recognise that one receives much much more than one gives and that thankfulness ultimately makes life rich. One overestimates easily ones own performance and impact compared to what one has become through others.”
Quite honestly quite often I see myself, my work and what happens to me being as very important. Of course I would not openly state this but my thoughts and reactions tell this story. And in open conversations it seems to be that this is a general human issue as Dietrich Bonhoeffer states it. I hope the various topics in this letter will lead you all to be thankful for what is happening around Europe and to re-engage with new courage to receive and to give.
But during this time of advent let us especially be thankful for the fact that God has met this world and its people in person through Jesus Christ. May this be our hope and joy and give us the right perspective in the midst of life. And may we and the ones we serve be touched by this reality and become ever more thankful.
Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year
Thomas Bucher
General Secretary EEA
PS You could enrich people by giving them your stories and let them participate in your thankfulness. And yes, if your story relates to Evangelical Alliance matters, then please send it to us to pass it on to the EA family.
Click on the title to read an article from the newsletter:
