Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) is one of my favorite theologians. The more time I spend reading about him, the more intrigued and captivated I become. He spent much of his ministry focusing on children, youth, and young adults. He can be viewed as a forefather in youth ministry. I think that is why I am drawn to him! He worked as a children’s minister and led confirmation classes.
In Berlin, in 1932 he led a particularly challenging group of more than forty teenage boys through confirmation. The class essentially drove their assigned teacher away, leaving it up to Bonhoeffer to fill in and complete the class. I recently read the sermon that Bonhoeffer preached to that particularly challenging class of teens on the Sunday of their confirmation. In his sermon, he said the following:
“So you should know that in our lives all of us must, again and again, go into the night and through the night to the day. It is not eternally day for any mortal - indeed, we probably all see more night than day; don’t be deceived about that either. But no one should ever take away from you the belief that God has prepared for you, too, a day and a sun and a dawning and that God brings to us this sun who is called Christ: the God that wants to let us see the promised land in which justice and peace, and love rule, because Christ rules, here from a distance, but one day for eternity. Why should we be afraid? Just go in, go though! God, Christ is the Lord, the church community is our home”
Knowing the turbulent political landscape at the time and the trials that his confirmation students would face, he ends his sermon with the appeal that you just read. We can find meaning in that same appeal as we enter 2022. We enter a new year with differing theologies, polarized politics, an ongoing pandemic. But, we also enter the new year having just celebrated the birth of our Savior. We enter this new year knowing that God keeps his promises. We enter the new year knowing that God is with us and has provided us with this special community of faith, Pinnacle Presbyterian Church. I celebrate that we are people that know the power of forgiveness, joy, and love. Wishing you many blessings in the new year.
