Planting Refuge and Hope
Just as the miracle of a seed transforming underneath the soil, the Greenhouse Community project in Schwerin-Lankow, Germany is transforming from the inside out.
A once run down and abandoned restaurant is slowing, but surely becoming a community centre for the people living in the surrounding seven apartment buildings and beyond. Even during the ongoing demolition and remodelling, the Greenhouse has already proven itself to be a blessing to its neighbours.
On Christmas Eve, the team hosted a dinner and 30 people attended despite the lack of heat and toilets. This seemed like a huge problem, but the owner of the neighbouring building, although hesitant at first, opened the doors for the party-goers. “That was essentially a sign of trust, which means a lot in our context,” said Gerard de Wit, who is leading the project.
In the winter, they also hosted weekly “Bible Discovery'' coffee meetings. “Reading the Bible with people who have never read it before is exciting- to see how they read a passage that is so familiar to me with very different eyes,” said de Wit. And now that the weather is nicer, they meet with neighbours every Monday for a coffee and garden work on the terrace. There is a feeling that the Greenhouse belongs to the entire community.
There is an emphasis and understanding that the Greenhouse isn’t there just to serve the community, but it is there for the community itself to serve others. During this construction phase, the team relies heavily on the practical expertise of the community. And not only that, neighbours are also involved in the planning, dreaming and governance of the project.
They met and decided together on the rules for the Greenhouse: No smoking, no alcohol and clear communication. At the very centre of the Greenhouse project is the love of Christ for this community, and the love for one another. Step by step, that love is changing not only the abandoned restaurant, but the hearts across the neighbourhood.
The team has chosen the verse Psalm 34:8 to lead them. It says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.” Soon, the outside terrace will be decorated and in full bloom. Let us hope and pray for each neighbour that sets foot inside the Greenhouse will indeed find refuge and continue to grow and bloom into a relationship with Christ.
Archiv > 2024
November
- 20.11.2024 20.11.24, 11:48 - Why Send to Europe?
- 13.11.2024 13.11.24, 12:57 - Messengers of Reconciliation
- 06.11.2024 06.11.24, 13:27 - "My Call to Europe"
Oktober
- 30.10.2024 30.10.24, 13:07 - Why I Pray for Europe
- 23.10.2024 23.10.24, 12:59 - Slovenia, 0,1% of Evangelicals
- 16.10.2024 16.10.24, 12:14 - Why is Europe Important?
- 09.10.2024 09.10.24, 11:53 - More than Brick and Mortar
- 01.10.2024 01.10.24, 12:29 - 'In Europe everything will be fine'
September
- 25.09.2024 25.09.24, 13:25 - Learning the Language
- 20.09.2024 20.09.24, 11:45 - Fruits from Our Labour
- 16.09.2024 16.09.24, 13:03 - Starting the Missionary Journey
- 10.09.2024 10.09.24, 11:55 - One Month in Greece
- 04.09.2024 04.09.24, 13:42 - Creating Memories
August
- 26.08.2024 26.08.24, 11:16 - Believing and Belonging
- 13.08.2024 13.08.24, 10:30 - God was at work at the Paris Olympics!
Juli
- 23.07.2024 23.07.24, 12:01 - 110 campers heard the gospel this month!
- 23.07.2024 23.07.24, 10:17 - Romanian ECMers make the New Testament accessible in their own native language
- 17.07.2024 17.07.24, 12:42 - Planting Refuge and Hope
- 05.07.2024 05.07.24, 12:34 - The Blessings of Summer Camp
Juni
- 20.06.2024 20.06.24, 14:03 - Talking about Jesus (without being THAT guy)
- 03.06.2024 03.06.24, 20:12 - Jesus in a Jazz Club
Mai
- 21.05.2024 21.05.24, 10:13 - Living out multiplication today!
- 16.05.2024 16.05.24, 10:32 - A place of rest... and salvation
April
- 16.04.2024 16.04.24, 09:22 - ECM's ministry continues to grow
- 12.04.2024 12.04.24, 19:16 - Ukraine: training and caring for volunteers
- 09.04.2024 09.04.24, 10:30 - Can a church multiply quickly in the UK?
- 02.04.2024 02.04.24, 09:32 - Multiplying young leaders in Slovenia
März
- 29.03.2024 29.03.24, 10:20 - On this solemn day...
- 05.03.2024 05.03.24, 14:48 - Come help us reach Muslims in Berlin!
Februar
- 28.02.2024 28.02.24, 10:00 - Portuguese university students being transformed by the gospel
- 20.02.2024 20.02.24, 10:43 - Why Europe?
- 06.02.2024 06.02.24, 14:58 - Multipliable Mission Teams