Passing Through an „Exhibit Happening“with Tears in One’s Eyes
Passing Through an „Exhibit Happening“with Tears in One’s Eyes
Kassel – During the Easter period, evangelistic “exhibit happenings” found a particularly strong echo in Germany’s evangelical, non-state churches. “Easter Gardens” allow visitors to relive the stations of the Cross en route to Calvary with all five senses. On the way there, visitors hear of the Christian hope for resurrection. Most find the experience a deeply moving one. The first Easter Garden was opened a decade ago. The Lutheran church deacon Lutz Barth (Linkenheim near Karlsruhe) is credited with its original creation. He has since then developed a similar exhibit on Christmas entitled “Living Manger” and another one focusing on the afterlife: “Hope for the Final Journey”. There were roughly 100 Easter Gardens throughout Germany this year; 10 of them in Baptist quarters. A survey by European Baptist Press Service (EBPS) concluded these congregations were deeply moved by the reactions they experienced. Wherever they were held, the Easter Gardens invoked increased interest on the history of the Christian faith.
The Baptist congregation in Berlin-Charlottenburg counted 1.200 visitors (primarily school classes) in the course of the exhibit’s 10-day run. “Many visitors left the exhibit with tears in their eyes,” reported Pastor Hendrik Kissel. Teachers were also moved by the exhibit. In one instance, a distraught teacher called him the evening before to inform him that her class would need to cancel its appointment because of an unexpected scheduling clash on her part. Kissel responded by organising an impromptu day-care team, which picked up the class in Berlin-Kreuzberg the following day.
Gütersloh counted 1.700 visitors. Pastor Hans-Günter Simon was particularly delighted that one visitor responded by immediately signing up for a course on the basics of the faith. He noted that in not a few cases, children who had initially seen the exhibit during a class excursion returned later with their parents for a closer look. The congregation itself had also reacted very positively to the Easter Garden – 60 church members and friends participated in the event. Hans-Günter Simon assured that his congregation was planning for a re-run next year.
In Gifthorn, the Easter garden was organised by a cell group and installed in the church centre for the fifth time. A total of 2.100 persons attended – 500 more than the previous year. Between two and 10 church members met three times daily to pray for the prayer requests which visitors had left behind. The congregation stated: “We have been able to sow something.”
The small congregations in Heide and Schleswig counted a total of 3.000 visitors in the course of three weeks. These included many kindergarten, school and confirmation groups as well as women’s clubs, sport groups and a discussion group for parents who have lost their children. Both of these congregations have been holding Eastern Gardens since 2006. Pastor Matthias Lange noted that the number of visitors has been increasing annually. A teacher who visited the exhibit with her school class decided on-the-spot to bring along her own birthday party later for a tour.
The Eastern Garden was open for four weeks in Detmold; 22 school groups came for a visit. According to Pastor Maik Berghaus, that brought the total number of visitors to 2.278. An Easter Garden is more than simply a way of evangelising, he concluded. It is also a means of educating others. One visitor told him: “Now I have understood for the first time why Jesus needed to die and how that all took place back then.”
During the course of two weeks in Offenburg, roughly 50 school, communion, confirmation and kindergarten groups attended – along with many individual guests. Pastor Hermann Hemmes announced: “The Easter Garden proved also this time to be a means of introducing people to the Gospel and to our congregation.” The high demand on time and energy had not been in vain.
The congregation in Hassenhausen near Marburg held an Eastern Garden for the second time. A total of 2.900 persons attended, including 15 kindergarten groups, three senior and three sport groups along with nine groups from government-sponsored programmes. For the closing of the exhibition, the congregation invited all to attend an “Easter fire”. The congregation concluded: For a rural congregation, an Eastern Garden is indeed a “contemporary form of proclaiming the Gospel”.
The congregation in Ennepetal has hosted the Easter Garden five times. Rolf Bärenfänger from the local organising group exclaimed: “We still remain very enthusiastic about the concept.” For the sake of the Easter Garden, the congregation cancelled its Sunday worship service two weeks running. Roughly 2.000 attended – 60% of them were either children or youth.
Due to high demand, the Easter Garden was held for a week longer in Aschersleben. Pastor Martin Kölli noted that the Gospel is awakening greater interest even after Easter. A total of 1.800 guests were counted, including 39 school classes, 17 church groups from throughout the province of Saxony-Anhalt, as well as 20 more groups. The project wielded together the congregation’s 70 members. In contrast to elsewhere, no entry free was requested. A view of Jerusalem had been created by 10 painters in collaboration with a recognised artist. The Resurrection Garden included 10 tons of sand and several tons of large rocks. Pastor Martin Kölli reported that students of the Anhalt Institute of Higher Learning had designed the Resurrection Garden and other parts of the exhibit under the direction of Professor Wolfram Kircher. The Professor himself led numerous students through the exhibit, including a group from China. Kölli was moved by the reaction of an ethics teacher. She wept in Resurrection Garden and said to him: “I have often spoken about this in class, but today I had a major experience myself!”
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The Baptist congregation in Berlin-Charlottenburg counted 1.200 visitors (primarily school classes) in the course of the exhibit’s 10-day run. “Many visitors left the exhibit with tears in their eyes,” reported Pastor Hendrik Kissel. Teachers were also moved by the exhibit. In one instance, a distraught teacher called him the evening before to inform him that her class would need to cancel its appointment because of an unexpected scheduling clash on her part. Kissel responded by organising an impromptu day-care team, which picked up the class in Berlin-Kreuzberg the following day.
Gütersloh counted 1.700 visitors. Pastor Hans-Günter Simon was particularly delighted that one visitor responded by immediately signing up for a course on the basics of the faith. He noted that in not a few cases, children who had initially seen the exhibit during a class excursion returned later with their parents for a closer look. The congregation itself had also reacted very positively to the Easter Garden – 60 church members and friends participated in the event. Hans-Günter Simon assured that his congregation was planning for a re-run next year.
In Gifthorn, the Easter garden was organised by a cell group and installed in the church centre for the fifth time. A total of 2.100 persons attended – 500 more than the previous year. Between two and 10 church members met three times daily to pray for the prayer requests which visitors had left behind. The congregation stated: “We have been able to sow something.”
The small congregations in Heide and Schleswig counted a total of 3.000 visitors in the course of three weeks. These included many kindergarten, school and confirmation groups as well as women’s clubs, sport groups and a discussion group for parents who have lost their children. Both of these congregations have been holding Eastern Gardens since 2006. Pastor Matthias Lange noted that the number of visitors has been increasing annually. A teacher who visited the exhibit with her school class decided on-the-spot to bring along her own birthday party later for a tour.
The Eastern Garden was open for four weeks in Detmold; 22 school groups came for a visit. According to Pastor Maik Berghaus, that brought the total number of visitors to 2.278. An Easter Garden is more than simply a way of evangelising, he concluded. It is also a means of educating others. One visitor told him: “Now I have understood for the first time why Jesus needed to die and how that all took place back then.”
During the course of two weeks in Offenburg, roughly 50 school, communion, confirmation and kindergarten groups attended – along with many individual guests. Pastor Hermann Hemmes announced: “The Easter Garden proved also this time to be a means of introducing people to the Gospel and to our congregation.” The high demand on time and energy had not been in vain.
The congregation in Hassenhausen near Marburg held an Eastern Garden for the second time. A total of 2.900 persons attended, including 15 kindergarten groups, three senior and three sport groups along with nine groups from government-sponsored programmes. For the closing of the exhibition, the congregation invited all to attend an “Easter fire”. The congregation concluded: For a rural congregation, an Eastern Garden is indeed a “contemporary form of proclaiming the Gospel”.
The congregation in Ennepetal has hosted the Easter Garden five times. Rolf Bärenfänger from the local organising group exclaimed: “We still remain very enthusiastic about the concept.” For the sake of the Easter Garden, the congregation cancelled its Sunday worship service two weeks running. Roughly 2.000 attended – 60% of them were either children or youth.
Due to high demand, the Easter Garden was held for a week longer in Aschersleben. Pastor Martin Kölli noted that the Gospel is awakening greater interest even after Easter. A total of 1.800 guests were counted, including 39 school classes, 17 church groups from throughout the province of Saxony-Anhalt, as well as 20 more groups. The project wielded together the congregation’s 70 members. In contrast to elsewhere, no entry free was requested. A view of Jerusalem had been created by 10 painters in collaboration with a recognised artist. The Resurrection Garden included 10 tons of sand and several tons of large rocks. Pastor Martin Kölli reported that students of the Anhalt Institute of Higher Learning had designed the Resurrection Garden and other parts of the exhibit under the direction of Professor Wolfram Kircher. The Professor himself led numerous students through the exhibit, including a group from China. Kölli was moved by the reaction of an ethics teacher. She wept in Resurrection Garden and said to him: “I have often spoken about this in class, but today I had a major experience myself!”