learning the core

 We had an amazing time with 2 staff leaders from Christian Challenge in Nebraska, Brett and Jeremy. Their combined experience was a great encouragement for our leaders and key students as we came together in May from different cities in Germany to learn the 8-hour seminar they wrote, "Immovable Core." It shares really deep theology, tracing God's hand through Genesis to Revelation!

 Then I traveled with them to Sevilla, Spain-- where they also participated in various groups of our Connexxion group there...

 It was a big challenge to get all the materials translated into German and then Spanish...

 here is our good friend Inma, translating for Jeremy!

 That Sunday was an unforgettable experience-- 2 collegiates, Sebastien and Leti, got baptised in the ocean, as part of a younger church plant. (Abraham, on our Connexxion staff, is in the middle).

It is awesome to have godly partners such as these men, who challenge us and give sacrificially of their time and finances to journey here!

Bad Taste

 We had a "bad taste" party to start off the spring semester...

 here is yours truly between 2 really sharp- looking guys...

 On our staff, Vera and Anja, did not disappoint...

 Kris on the left also works with Connexxion 2 years... and Christopher came from Hamburg to check out the fun!

God blessed us with fun, good conversations, and lots of students spilling into the apartment!

California Vision Trip

We were so blessed this March to be able to travel with a group of staff and students from Germany, to California!

 Here are 2 of my heros: Neil Walker and Max Barnett -- I had the privilege of being on staff with Christian Challenge, years ago, under Neil. He leads this fantastic Christian ministry at USC in Los Angeles and also oversees the work of college ministry throughout the state.

Max was one of our speakers at this intensive Hume Lake conference for about 100 college students during their Spring Break, where we had seminars, worship times and Bible teaching.

I participated in a panel discussion for ladies one evening. Anja and I got to teach seminars as well (hers was on time management, and mine on your calling to serve overseas).

 Here is our whole "team" at Hume Lake!

 Back in LA, we toured the city, and also got a view of many different sides of the city, including the spiritual needs in this metropolis.

 Neil and their staff shared their hearts for what God was doing on the USC campus-- we attended some of their small groups, and also got to hear author and philosopher Dallas Willard speak for their Thursday night large- group event!

 Joanna was one of our tour guides during our weekend with Seabreeze Church in Huntington Beach. Here she is with Marei, whose parents opened their home to Joanna, so she could be a summer intern in Hamburg.

We are grateful to the 2 churches and 2 campus ministries that hosted us during our 2 plus weeks in California... we took home a TON of notes and impressions, about what the Lord is doing and can do back home in Europe!

Cafe by Campus

Vera had the great idea this month, that during final exams (which lasts several weeks here), she could organize her church & student friends to offer a Cafe for a few weeks. It's in the fellowship area of the church's lower floor, which had already been used in the past to welcome college students, under the name "Cafe Quo (Vadis)."
Here we are bundled up, when I came up for a short visit!
Her Baptist church is literally right by the TU Harburg- Hamburg campus (the campus grew up around their buildings, and the red brick look is the same). Christopher was studying there, too, but also serving up snacks and tea. He's an active student in the Connexxion group.
So each day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. students come with books or laptop, and maybe bring a study partner so they can help them solve their engineering formulas, and they order coffee and baked goods!

journey to the water

In Germany it's a big deal to get baptized. Now, actually GOD made it a big deal, when He decided that this was going to a be a "drama" that re-played out what Jesus actually did for us on earth to save our sins. And how we enter into that reality, spiritually-- going down to die to our old self, being buried & rising again.

Henning is my friend who got baptized today, and Kris (rt.), was his "baptism accompany-er" (translation from German), which means that he chose a special verse for this day and read it aloud to the church while Henning waited in the water.
The floor of our stage at church opens up to reveal a larger baptismal pool.
This was some of our friends who came to celebrate with him!

"WOW" Week & Union exchange group

The week started with a "bang" so to speak as the exchange group from Union Univ. decorated my apartment in real red, white and blue along with dozens of flags and such-- here is the winning team for the "States Quiz" (Ben, one of the hosts; Mike, a new student from Minnesota we just met; David, engineering students, & Kris, far right, on our staff, who really does have a lot of trivia knowledge!).Just an overview shot of my living room... :-)
Wednesday we had pasta parties in 3 locations with over 40 total! I attended the one in the Schunter dormitory, where our host was Toni.
Bowling night was tons of fun! Afterwards several students tried their hand at mechanical "bull riding." Here I am with Mike, Alessandro (from Italy), Jan, Peter (whom we met 1 year ago with the Union group), Kris and Zach (from Union).
One of our contact table days, here at Mensa 2 (student cafeteria).
Thanks for all those who send words of encouragement during this crazy- packed week! It was all worth it!

vision for the next generation

Some of you were praying for our "vision trip" last week to Colorado Springs! And a few of you (so far) have given funds to make it possible. THANKS so much! It was literally mind- blowing and revolutionary to be at the Life Impact conference, and walk around with some really godly people!

4 of our staff from Germany and Spain flew over for various lengths of trips, to visit churches and share the vision of what we're doing with Connexxion. Above are: Jake (former exchange student in Sevilla & active in Connexxion there for 1 year; from Wyoming), Abraham (staff, Sevilla), Charlie Anne (she runs the Student Work Development Foundation office in Norman, OK, where people invest in our ministry), and Maggie & Hendrik (staff leaders, Sevilla).
We spent times during our meals and such with great leaders, such as the "kingpin" of the whole Life Impact conference idea, Max Barnett. He and Sandra have touched so many lives with their ministry for over 35 years in Oklahoma with collegiates, and he's now leading campus ministry for Colorado.
Dad was one of the teachers for a main session. There were about 340 students and campus leaders attending this week. They had to create 2 overflow rooms because of the demand.
What do you know?! Sort of a metaphor for life-- we're sitting on the "balancing rock" at Garden of the Gods, just a stone's throw from Glen Eyrie, where the conference was held.
What an amazing team I'm privileged to work with in Europe. (above, Birthe, on staff with Connexxion in Braunschweig; me, Hendrik, Maggie, Abraham, & Jake). Jake studies at Moody in Chicago but took extra time to drive Abe up to Wyoming where he shared with 3 churches about Connexxion. Now Maggie and Hendrik have gone out to California and then to Jacksonville, FL, where they're speaking in churches literally "coast to coast" about reaching post-modern students in Europe with the Good News.

stranger

I have a new theme word in my life. It's "home." It came to me during an intense and revealing conversation I had over Christmas break (for those of you wondering, I still talk like a college student, with stuff like Christmas "break," because I work with university students!)...

This song about feeling like you're a "Stranger" by Mandi Mapes has such a great folksy, "unplugged" sound to it, and I can listen to her sing over and over ... the words sort of fit with this theme.

I believe living in 4 different countries (and 3 USA states) over time has given me a fresh perspective about what it feels like to BE home. It's more about familiarity, but also involves creating comfortable things in newer surroundings. Such as a routine habit or place (e.g., using the same hair salon or learning the name of the man, Antonio, at the kiosk where you buy your bus tickets). Or food (salsa and tortilla chips). Or using an old, favorite object (such as an April Cornell tablecloth I got in Boston or a happy photo) to make a new place seem more like a reminder than a shock.

Sometimes (well, often!) a part of me must change and adapt, so that I become like the surrounding culture, and thus, make things more familiar for me (the result is that going back to that "other home" starts to feel somewhat strange!). It may be a change in accent or drawl, or even language. Or learning to enjoy advantages in the new times to eat my meals. Or how to handle recycling. Or something more drastic, like what is considered polite versus rude or too frank!

There's BEING at home, and I also practice how to TRAVEL "home." While in college, I determined that wherever I went over Christmas or in the summer -- whether towards my family in another state, or back to my dorm room, that Texas drawl and those red brick campus buildings-- I was always "going home."

To OFFER a "home," such as when people have come over regularly for hanging out, or a meal or Bible study. I love the idea of fellowship and being together & that my apartment isn't mine (it had to grow on me, sometimes), but belongs to Jesus. So if something breaks, or gets worn out, or if my place is needed by someone even when I'm out of town-- hey, that's what it's there for. Not a showcase or museum, but a life- giving haven to be inviting and used (-up). Cozy! When Mom wanted to give me her silver, I "warned" her that it was too precious to be saved for a couple times a year, so I was going to enjoy this treasure daily, but would that be all right. And I believe Jesus wants to provide a sense of belonging to all who enter our flats or condos or trailers. I'll never forget what my buddy Derek in Vancouver once said. He said that entering the home of a church planter, Randy, was like walking into "jello love"-- and that that type of love convinced him these people (and God) were real. Never forgotten that image-- Jello love! :-)

But of course the main thing about LIVING OUT "home" involves people. Family-- definitely! But since I don't see family that often, finding people whom I care about is crucial and life- sustaining to my soul. As well as finding those who care about me... even if I have to maintain that friendship over the miles (too often the case, I'm afraid). The problem is-- relationships are messy. And I am far, far from perfect. So without any "definitive" ties to friends, you can just let them go. Or you give up. Either because of distance and time or you're lazy. Or from conflicts or the weariness of "doing life together" -- these friendships can slip away from you, and thus, a part of "home" is now lacking. Here are some verses I came across while doing Beth Moore's Bible study, "Stepping Up."

Psalm 126:6 - "He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him."

Psalm 127:1 - "Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain."

Do you know the tears that come, not only from not getting what you want from life or friendships or family, or from your "sowing" in God's Kingdom, but from missing that sense of home? I feel that I'm learning to trust God in even greater ways, to stick with people. To sense what God is telling me, see with His eyes, and not give up. But also to realize, in some sense, that nothing I can do can make a "home" (house), but only God can build it. Whether that be a literal house (getting a new mortgage rate, or having kids), or figurative (creating a space or relationships, for you, to be YOU).

That must come as a gift from God. I guess that's what I wish for in this new year.

(P.S. Above is a photo of mom, her last Christmas when she was well. That's a big piece of "home" that I miss this time of year, and around the calendar, too. She passed away January 6, 2010).

What is "home" for you? In what way have you chosen to embrace a lifestyle or path that rejects this world as being your home?

You can tell... I'm catching up on my blogging, friends, from the Fall time. Thanks for checking back in! :-) It was a costume party for well over 40 students, in Kris and Sörens apartment, so look and see how creative my friends are...Anja...
Lars, Kris (as Waldo), and Ollie...
me (Shaun the sheep!), a friend of Jacky, Jacky, and Alejandro

Our wonderful staff- team

Well, it looks like lots of workshops...brainstorming, prayer and sessions...
and it IS! But we're still sort of silly... about the light stuff....
We're the European Connexxion staff- team! (shown at our September "summer" training retreat). THANKS for your prayers and support, especially at this holiday time!

Dad in Germany

This was our Connexxion winter retreat in November -- the largest attendance ever with almost 50 in attendance! Dad spoke on the "The Power of One" about committing to Christ as Lord and mentoring others to follow Him.
We were invited to a great breakfast with Anja G. (leads Connexxion in Braunschweig) and Lydia R. (getting her doctorate in nutritional sciences) in their 6th floor or so apartment!
Here is Dad sharing in my apartment with the discipleship group on giving away your faith from the book of Acts.
A lover of history, we went to a special library in Wolfenbuettel, near me, which had some very rare books. This is a Wittenburg edition of Martin Luther's translation of the New Testament.
Visiting in Jena, Dad shared with 2 groups from Connexxion, and enjoyed fellowship with the Staff. Stefan (on staff with Connexxion) & he are (by now) "old" friends and Dad loved meeting his wife Antje for the first time at a favorite German restaurant.

the power of one

This is the fun logo for our Connexxion Winter Retreat... THIS weekend in Germany! My dad Waylon B. Moore is the main speaker- it's been great having him here... He spoke last night to a group of 14 students & staff in Braunschweig from the book of Acts.

sites of new semester

I wanted to share a few recent views of life here... but I have been borrowing Anja's camera so haven't quite got the knack of things with the photo downloading, etc. Above is Anja and Inma, my good friend from Sevilla. She is doing an exchange semester in London & we got to visit her for a fun weekend!
This is how full the main campus building in Braunschweig got with all these freshmen in their orientation day!
Handing out flyers and hundreds of Welcome Packets (in blue on right) for the semester start day at the Technical University! (a few other students came as well to help out!) A huge THANK YOU to all those who donated pens & candy & toothbrushes & post-it notes, etc. & money for this. We immediately have been able to meet new students through this day!