Basel, 16 June, 2009

Dear Friends of Eastern Europe Renewal:

The Peace of the Lord be always with you.

God has taken me back to my beloved Poland for 8 days. I had forgotten how much I love Poland and the Polish people. They are creative, resilient, funny and have savior faire and rich good taste. From time to time jealous and lesser people try to suppress or partition them but they always come back. After communism they are back again. It is a great encouragement to be with them.

The first four days were spent in Szczecin (pronounced "Szczecin"). IFES (International Fellowship of Evangelical Students) organized lectures in a public culture house and a library plus some "business" breakfasts, lunches and suppers with some local Christian leaders. The planning was very thorough, receiving support from many local organizations. The Music Academy let me stay in their guestroom across the street from the castle on the ancient hill of the city. We had 3 evening lectures on Comparing Worldviews plus afternoon lectures on "Is Art a Product or a Relationship?" and "Music Faces Death" – a guided listening to "Requiem for My Friend" by Zbigniew Preisner compared with the Deutsche Requiem of Brahms. Three days later the Preisner was performed live in the Szczecin Cemetery, which is the largest cemetery in Europe. Sadly, I was already in Gdynia on that day and missed the performance. We also had a public discussion in the Pomeranian Library in the city.

On arriving in Szczecin I had a minor painful and annoying medical problem. My wife, Mary, urged me to see a doctor but knew I would not. So she prayed that God would bring a doctor to me. The next evening three (!) doctors came to the lecture. One of them sent medications and instructions to me at a business breakfast the next day. Mary is encouraged in her prayer life.

On Thursday I took an early morning train to Gdynia and a shuttle bus to a conference on Science and Faith. I arrived tired, disoriented and very intimidated by all the Polish speaking science professors. People were kind and friendly and I gradually felt better. We had about 10 mostly very high level presentations a day for 3 days. They actually let me give 2 lectures on "Authority and Comprehensive Epistemology" and a comparison of Monistic and Trinitarian worldviews plus participating in a 2-hour panel debate with 5 professors in various scientific fields. I felt like Mary Poppins coming in on her umbrella.

The possibility that God can use even me in such a situation was confirmed in a few ways:

1. A Roman Catholic priest, who is a professor of the Theology of Communications, asked for my contact data, saying he would like to pursue a conversation with me.

2. The director of a large psychological clinic in Brest, Belarus thanked me for my contribution to a panel discussion on artificial cybernetic consciousness. (I had contextualized and subordinated it within the Biblical concept of personality in relationship.)

3. The professor of Thermodynamics and Combustion Theory replied to a public question of mine "That is a very interesting point. I’ve never thought of that before" He also urged me to write a book.

4. A leading professor of Quantum information studies thanked me for my lecture saying it was "Nice, comprehensible and coherent".

5. Some people thanked me for being an irenic and facilitating agent in the discussions.

6. A good "shop talk" breakfast with a RC Priest about pedagogical methodologies and comparative pastoral difficulties in RC and Protestant situations.

7. A professor referred to my lecture during his lecture and said he was not aware before that Protestants could actually think comprehensively.

It was a very interesting and encouraging time. God also used me in a few pastoral situations among the participants.

Please pray about the book possibility. An American man, living in Northern Ireland, whom I met in Hungary a few weeks ago, would like to help me produce a book. I pray this will actually happen.

The Polish people were able to pay for very nearly all of my expenses on this trip. By God’s Grace and your generosity I am also able to pay the bills at home.

Tonight we will have the Preachers’ Class. This weekend I will go to work with the Church in Lausanne and to consult with a couple who would like me to marry them.

Between Hungary and Poland, Mary was able to go with me to a 4 day Pentecost retreat with a local German speaking Church in Riehen, where I was able to do the teaching. We had a great time with these very kind and welcoming people.

Sorry I have not written reports on the trips to Korea, Romania, Vienna, Wales, England, Canada and Hungary. There is much that should be told and much thankfulness that should be expressed to God and to you.

Thank you very much for your prayers and support and interesting communications. May the Lord bless and keep you in your lives and works.

Yours in Christ,

Ellis

Return to Top

Copyright © 2009 Ellis Potter.