Dear friends,

I’m currently reading the dystopian novel Prophet Song by Paul Lynch. It depicts a near future in which the far-right National Alliance Party seizes control of the Republic of Ireland, implementing emergency powers that suspend the Irish constitution. This gives the Garda Síochána extensive authority and establishes a new secret police force, the Garda National Services Bureau (GNSB).

The novel follows Eilish Stack, who becomes aware of her husband’s vaguely anticipated but unimaginable arrest without charge after a trade union protest. When she first receives the news of his arrest and disappearance, she fears what she might have to tell her children, who are expectantly awaiting their father’s return. A poignant moment in the story illustrates her turmoil: 

“She keys the ignition, afraid now for what lies must follow, the lies growing further out her mouth. She sees how a single lie told to a child is an outrage; there can be no untelling it. Once the lie is known, it will remain outgrown from the mouth like some dead-tonguing poisonous flower.”

Isn’t that a vivid image? The words we speak, the lies we tell, and the hurt we cause can grow from our mouths like poisonous weeds, difficult to uproot once established. Eilish finds herself ensnared in a web of lies, not due to any fault of her own, but the potential for this web to take root in her soul and spread further is concerning. It’s a forest of poisonous flowers….

Dear friends,

Tonight, we will come together for a special concert to support the Mulanje Mission Hospital. I must admit, I didn't know much about the music style called chanson, which will be performed by the talented Café des Chansons. I’ve learned that this style has roots dating back to medieval times when traveling troubadours went from town to town, bringing communities together to share stories of love, bravery, and the funny moments that made life interesting. It feels especially meaningful that, tonight, we have the chance to immerse ourselves in music, let the stories take us on a journey, and reignite our creativity and joy after a long week, especially given the challenging times we’re living in.

This concert is not just about relaxing and enjoying the music; it also helps…..

Dear friends,

Many sayings from the Desert Fathers and Mothers may seem out of touch with modern life, but their radical dedication and ability to escape the corruption of city life continue to inspire me. During the growth of the church in the 2nd and 3rd centuries, they felt that the church had become too powerful and disconnected, losing its spiritual depth. A key figure in this movement was Anthony the Great. After hearing a sermon in 270 AD, he became convinced that true perfection comes from selling all one’s belongings, giving money to the poor, and following Jesus. As a result, he sought solitude in the desert.

One of my favourite stories is….

Dear All,

“For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.” These words resonated in the vibrant Krijtberg as we welcomed the season of Lent on Ash Wednesday. This year, I didn't feel prepared for Lent. It's likely that one can never truly be ready to embark on this cruciform journey with Christ, but the pleasant weather and bustling terraces made me feel a sense of naivety about what Lent is asking of me: to confront reality…..

Dear All,

We’re all familiar with the motivational quotes that adorn the walls of local cafés. One of my personal favourites is, “Life begins after coffee.” After Esbé and I began our working lives, we quickly realized that we would often only see each other before sunrise and after sunset. As a teacher, she starts her day early, while my meetings typically run into the evening. To counter this contactless routine, we established a deliberate slow coffee ritual in the mornings. 

There’s something sacred about those early hours: grinding the coffee, slowly pouring the water, hearing the satisfying click of the gas stove igniting, and waiting for the coffee to fill the moka pot. We’ve considered switching to an electric coffee machine several times but always come back to our trusty moka pot. It has accompanied us on…

Dear Friends,

Happy Valentine’s Day! Today we celebrate the commercialization of love, complete with cheesy heart-shaped helium balloons, pink chocolates, and overpriced dinner reservations. I must admit, I’ve never been a fan of Valentine’s Day ever since my crush rejected my heart-decorated card in the fourth grade. However, Esbé reminded me that we actually value love and should take every opportunity to acknowledge it. Valentine’s Day serves as a moment to pause and reflect on love. As much as supermarkets want to sell us love, we are inherently people who seek to deeply love and to be deeply loved. And if I’m being honest, I am a sucker for a good love story…

Dear Friends,

Last week, on Saturday, we had our long-anticipated Consistory Away Day. This gathering is organized by the Consistory to reflect on the year ahead and to discern what needs to be done. Since this was my first Away Day, I found myself pondering a fundamental question: Who is the ERC, and what are we called to do? While these questions may seem obvious, it is crucial for us to hold onto our core identity and to understand what we believe God is doing through our community. Otherwise, we risk being swept away by political uncertainties, public opinion, and the fleeting trends of our time.

During the Away Day, we created a timeline mapping out what God…

Dear Friends,

This Sunday is all about rhythm. Paul aims to remind the fractured community in Corinth that love is the essential rhythm of life to which all are invited to dance. He uses beautiful imagery to convey his message: without love, he says, we are like noisy gongs or clanging cymbals. As a parent of a toddler experimenting with pots and pans to develop his musical abilities, I can confidently say that Paul was right—there are few sounds more jarring than untimed cymbals.

Paul’s imagery reminded me of the origins of the word “djembe”. It is believed that this specific type of African drum originated with the Mandinke tribe in what is now known as Mali in the 12th century. Used for storytelling, rituals, and later, entertainment, the drum plays a central role in community life. Some say that the name “djembe” comes from the Bamana words “anke djé, anke bé,” which mean “gather” and “everyone.” Over time, this phrase evolved into “jebebara,” and eventually became “jembe.” However, the meaning has remained constant: when you hear the drum, you know it signifies “everyone, gather together.”

Isn’t this what love does? It serves as the underlying rhythm inviting us towards togetherness. When we hear it played or…

Dear friends,

This week, prayer made headlines—not only because it coincided with the ironically timed Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, but also due to two significant public discussions about prayer that followed poignant prayers surrounding the inauguration of the now US president, Donald Trump. The first prayer was offered by Rev. Franklin Graham during the inauguration on Monday, and the second was delivered by the Right Rev. Mariann Budde at a service attended by the president on Tuesday, held at the National Cathedral in Washington.

Both of these prayers reminded me of the South African book titled When Prayer Makes News, which highlights the controversy that arose on June 16, 1985, during the grim days of apartheid. Back then, a call for public prayer to end the unjust rule of apartheid sparked significant debate. Many churches rejected this call, and numerous leading theologians sided with the government against the prayer initiative. Allan Boesak summarized the reasoning behind their desire to pray during that time: “If the rulers will not hear the cries of the people or change their ways, if they continue to prevent justice, let us pray them out of existence. God will hear our cry... We do not believe in the power of violence, but we do believe in the power of prayer.”

This moment raised numerous questions and criticisms, particularly from the ruling elite: Who is the church? Who speaks for the church? What constitutes a church leader? With whose voice were they speaking?

Despite this, many who were involved in the struggle against apartheid would later assert that it was, in fact, the power of prayer that helped shift power dynamics in South Africa. However, prayer can also become intertwined with our own misunderstandings. The nineteenth-century German philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach stated, “The ultimate essence of religion is revealed by the simplest act of religion—prayer. Not the prayer before and after meals, the ritual of animal egoism, but the prayer pregnant with sorrow, the prayer of disconsolate love, the prayer that expresses the power that crushes man to the ground, the prayer that begins in despair and ends in rapture.” Theologian John De Gruchy reminds us that Feuerbach did not believe in the existence of God….

Dear Friends,

On Thursday evening at our Taizé service, I was once again reminded of the importance of Christian unity through the prayers prepared by our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters at the Begijnhofkapel: 

“God our Father, accept our praise and thanksgiving for what unites Christians in the confession of and witness to Jesus the Lord.

Hasten the hour when all churches will recognize each other in the one communion you willed and for which your Son prayed to you in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Hear us, you who live and reign now and forever.

Amen.”

The service marked the beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity—a week in which, as the World Council of Churches states, we are “praying for togetherness to a God of togetherness.” This year…..