Seven members of First UCC Berea visited Thomaskirche in Bergkamen, Germany in May, 2008, on a trip that is part of the ongoing relationship between the two churches. The connection resulted from the partnership of the Ohio and Indiana-Kentucky Conferences with the Evangelische Kirche von Westfalen (EKvW – Evangelical Church of Westphalia), formalized in 1990.

Thomaskirche is one of three churches that comprise the Evangelische Friedenskirchen-gemeinde (Protestant Peace Congregation) in Bergkamen. The three churches have 13,000 members and are supported by five pastors. Frank Hielscher, pastor of Thomaskirche, hosted the delegation from Berea.

First Church members visited Germany in 1999, with then-pastor Kurt Kazmar, and again in 2001. Members of the German congregation have visited Berea twice. The most recent was a 2006 delegation of over 30, which included a brass band that played for Holy Week services at Berea.

The Berea delegation, led by the Rev. Martha Chenault, visited the Westphalian regional and national church headquarters, where our visitors learned about church/state relations, so different from the United States, and viewed the original Barmen Declaration.

The group also visited the Bergen Belsen concentration camp, a particularly emotional event for Martha, who is ethnically Jewish. The opportunity to reflect with their German hosts on this horrific moment from history was a moving time of healing and understanding.

Because of her family background and the experience of the Holocaust, Martha had never been interested in visiting Germany. She approached this trip with some ambivalence. But "God seeks you out when you don’t want to do something."

Although she went somewhat reluctantly, Martha received unforeseen blessings. Pastor Frank invited her to co-officiate at communion. She presented to the congregation the chalice used at General Synod in Atlanta, along with letters of greeting from UCC and Conference leaders.

The highlight of the trip for the group was the friendships made through shared meals and particularly shared worship. Martha describes the shared worship as a "God-moment, unanticipated and powerful." The power of the Holy Spirit and the invitation of Jesus to come to together to the table created a life-changing moment.

Members of First UCC Berea and Thomaskirche enjoy a German-style BBQ.

The mission statement of Kirchengemeinschaft, the relationship between the Ohio and Indiana-Kentucky Conferences with the EKvW, is: "to build upon our common heritage to learn from one another what it means to be Christian faced with the challenges in our respective countries and in today’s world, in response to God’s call."