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Review of the 18th Christian Meeting under the Star |
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The following illustrates the course of our 18th Christian Meeting with a short description and a few photos. For each program item, the minute is indicated from which the corresponding contribution can be seen in our recording. Here is the link to the video. English subtitles can be added via the settings.
Note: Unfortunately, we were not allowed to publish Yassir Eric's presentation on the Internet and therefore had to cut it out of the recording. Instead, we refer to this short video clip with Yassir Eric's exciting life story (duration: 5 min).
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Use of the "Mentimeter" survey tool
In order to actively involve the livestream participants, the voting and survey tool "Mentimeter" was used immediately after the welcome by Hannes Ackermann and Jakob Moses. This gave everyone information about where the livestream participants were watching from, what nationality they were and which denomination they belonged to.
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The new logo and its creation
During the course of the event, the new logo of our network was presented, which was based on two praying hands in keeping with the slogan "Work and pray every day". The first draft envisaged using the Mercedes star as the basis and replacing the three-pointed star inside the ring with the praying hands. However, this variant would have infringed Mercedes' trademark rights, which is why the surrounding ring was omitted. The words "Christians at Daimler & Benz" appear below the praying hands.
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New polo shirts "Christians at Daimler & Benz"
As part of our Christian meeting, we were also able to present our new polo shirt "Christians at Daimler & Benz". We have already received orders and further requests.
We are delighted that you like the polo shirt and are convinced that it can become a real statement if we wear it at work and in our free time.
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Report from the IAA Mobility in Munich
In the next agenda item, Johanness Weiss reported on the appearance of the "Christians in the Automotive Industry (CAI)" at the IAA Mobility, which took place in Munich from September 4 to 10. Thirteen colleagues from Mercedes-Benz and Daimler Truck alone took part.
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See video-recording from minute 44:15
Note: The beginning of Johannes Weiss' contribution could not be recorded due to internet problems. |
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Message from Gary Smith (live from Tuscaloosa)
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After the CAI report, Gary Smith from Tuscaloosa was connected live. In keeping with the motto of the event, "Love overcomes ...", Gary greeted the audience with the text from Ephesians 5:1-2, which reads:
Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Gary Smith interpreted the verses as follows:
"Love is an action: Love for God is never something that occurs just in our minds or our hearts - it is our acts towards others. John said in 1 John 4 that we must love in both our deeds and our words.
Love means to give ourselves up give up what we want, our desires - to honor God and serve others. This is a kind of love that can change a marriage, a family, a world.
The power to love is within us, given to us as a gift - the Holy Spirit! May our Heavenly Father continue to bless each of you more and more each day. God bless you!"
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Testimonies from Peking, Tuscaloosa, São Paulo and Bangalore
Immediately following Gary's impulse was a video recording from Kelly Zhang from Beijing, Larry Jensen from Tuscaloosa, Fabiana Bartalini from São Paulo and Dinesh Rajendran from Bangalore. Each of the four colleagues spoke for two minutes about their experiences and miracles with God.
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Visit to Markus Weikert at Logistics Center in Reutlingen
Marcel Mast reported on the visits that the members of the core team made to the individual prayer circles during the year to encourage them, show them appreciation and tell them about our visions and goals. As an example, Markus Weikert from the Mercedes-Benz Logistics Center in Reutlingen was asked to take the stage and, after a short interview, was praised and recognized for his faithful commitment as a prayer group leader at Mercedes-Benz.
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Presentation of the prayer groups at MB and DT
As is customary every year, Marcel Mast presented the prayer circles currently in place at MB and DT. He highlighted Alessandro la Rocca as Christop Eisele's successor and Christoph Wege, who has also started a prayer circle at his new location in Kekskemét (Hungary). Marcel Mast encouraged the participants to join one of the existing prayer circles or to found another one. In most cases, participation is also possible virtually.
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Testimony from Carsten Becher
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Carsten Becher also encouraged the participants to regularly take time for God and/or take part in prayer circles. He has found that he comes out of Bible studies or prayer groups stronger, even or especially when he doesn't actually have time for it or is too exhausted.
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Testimony of Johannes Weiss about forgiveness
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Johannes had it on his heart to point out the importance of forgiveness. In his role as a mentor, he had an amazing experience in the company by motivating a group of colleagues to forgive each other. This was the only way to work together successfully.
At the end of his speech, there was a goosebump moment when he asked his wife, who was connected via livestream, for forgiveness for an argument he had with her shortly before he left for the event.
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Worhip with a band from Filderstadt
A highlight of the event - like last year - was the performance of our first-class worship band from Filderstadt, which not only provided the main event with music, but also helped organize the pre-concert before the official start of the event. They accompanied the event with inspiring worship songs and led both the participants present and the live stream viewers into the presence of God.
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Our heartfelt thanks go to the seven band members Annika Wildprett, Marco Alber, Steffen Eisele, Thomas Haag, Florian Lutz, Simon Nowinski and Maximilian Röhm.
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Prayers of thanksgiving
As part of the worship time, three colleagues Jimena Romana (DT, Leinfelden Prayer Circle), Dominik Benz (MB, Untertürkheim Prayer Circle) and Winnie Saha (MB, Sindelfingen Prayer Circle) expressed their gratitude to God in their prayers. They thanked for all the good things in and around their companies.
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Keynote speech by Yassir Eric
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A focus of the evening was the lecture by Dr. Yassir Eric, which was under the heading “I was taught hate, but I experienced love” and underpinned this year’s event motto “Love overcomes”.
Yassir Eric, who was born and raised in a strict Muslim family in Sudan, Africa, and spent two years of his childhood in a Koran school. At some point he got to know the Christian faith and decided to live with Jesus. He has since been outed by his family and friends and has had to flee Sudan. The separation from his family still hurts him today.
In books and lectures he pleads for the acceptance of humans as God's creatures and for a separate consideration of extremist Islam and those people who, with charity, can perhaps also open up to other views if they experience honest appreciation! His books could be purchased on site and, if desired, they were signed.
Unfortunately, Yassir Eric's contribution had to be cut out of our recorded YouTube video and is therefore no longer available.. As a replacement, however, we refer to this video, in which Yassir Eric tells his life story in short form (duration: 5 min).
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Intercessory prayers
Following Eric Yassir's lecture, Mohamed Ferouni (DT, Commercial Vehicle Center Frankfurt), Sylvia Coscia Graceffa (DT, prayer circle in Mannheim Prayer Circle) and Frank Alexander Ihle (MB, prayer circle in Sindelfingen) presented their company-related prayer requests to God.
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Graphic recording with subsequent auction
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Completely in the background, Katja Reiter (wife of our MB colleague Frank Reiter) used her artistic talent by graphically recording the content of the event on two paper walls, thereby adding a visual layer to the experience in real time.
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At the end of the event, Katja Reiter was invited onto the stage to present her visualized result. Her two stunning works of art were ultimately auctioned off to participants in the room. In total, the two posters raised €350, which was donated to Yassir Eric's ministry.
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Q&A session with Yassir Eric
After Yassir Eric's lecture, the participants had the opportunity to ask questions. Yassir Eric's answers were very impressive. |
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The Q&A session with Yassir Eric is part of our video-recording from 2:22:30 h
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Get together and open exchange at the buffet
After the event there was a rich buffet with the opportunity for open exchange and personal getting to know each other. We are grateful that the event was able to take place smoothly.
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Thank you very much!
On behalf of the leadership team of our network, we would like to thank all participants in our event. Thank you also for the numerous feedback.
We would especially like to thank the numerous helpers and the generous amount of money that we received in various ways. We will be able to cover our costs. If we make a surplus, we will donate it to Yassir Eric's ministry. Many thanks to all donors and the many colleagues who prayed for our event in advance!
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Newspaper article on the 18th Christian Meeting in the "Ludwigsburger Kreiszeitung"
Our Christian Meeting under the Star was worth an article in the "Ludwigsburger Kreiszeitung" on November 15th. We find the article by Wolf-Dieter Retzbach very readable and appreciative, which is why we are linking it here.
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Wolf-Dieter Retzbach held the discussions with Andreas Steigmüller (Bosch) and Dennis Kline (former Daimler employee) immediately before the event on site.
Incidentally, Dennis Kline was a loyal visitor to our Daimler prayer circles more than 20 years ago. He is the son-in-law of Walter Kraft, one of the first Daimler prayer circle members known to us.
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Be richly blessed in the name of our Lord,
Yours |
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on behalf of the leadership team of the network |
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