On Saturday, 3.11.18 a devotion took place in the cave in Benidoleigh, where we had our open air service in the year 2018, to commemorate the deceased and to prepare for the divine service on 4.11.18.
Our rector based the devotion on a word from 1 Kings 19:11 when Elijah was in a cave and the Lord said to him: "Go out and go up on the mountain before the Lord!" - Our rector first turned to the song of the mixed choir. They sang "Praying hands need our time!" He asked: "Why does our time need praying hands? - Because it has too few! At first you always think of yourself and pray for yourself. But in a beautiful song it says "... I want to sink myself into the sea of love instead of thinking of myself"! And, according to the rector, that is our task when we think of the souls that have gone before us into eternity. He went on to say that Elijah was in this "lamentation cave" because he wanted to give up, because he was not successful, because he was disappointed. That's how it sometimes goes for us and that's how it goes for many people who died. But then comes the cry "Go out and step on the mountain before the Lord!" If one follows this call, one experiences God.
Our Bettiana and our Wiebke read the beautiful poem "Of good powers" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer in the middle of the devotion, which was translated into Spanish especially for the devotion.
The devotion was accompanied by the mixed choir and other soloists. A total of 43 people took part, including 16 friends and guests. It was an extraordinarily holy and beautiful atmosphere in this cave and we were touched by it.
Here to the pictures
On the side something else: In the middle of the devotion an extraordinary guest came and joined us. Here a short video, in which you can see the special guest in front right...