Fairwell Chapel - Soundtrack of the Year

Fairwell. Good Bye. We all know that there is a little misconstruction in these expressions. Especially when the moment you have to pronounce it is imminent, you have a hard time thinking of something good in leaving friends and familiar surroundings behind, breaking bonds, cutting ties.

Usually the people then make an attempt to picture the Good in a new start, new chances, new possibilities etc. in order to find consolation. What I will do is: I will sing. And I want you to sing with me. I want us to sing my personal soundtrack of the last year and I’m pretty sure that all of you have quite a big share in this soundtrack and could even find some of the songs on their personal NEST-playlist, too. I know that the Sunday of Cantate was already several weeks ago. Yesterday we celebrated the Pentacost. But I guess the pentacostal event fits very well to my singing ambitions too. It marks a big junction point, a new start in the Christian ministry. Christ has been ascending to his father, but the world doesn’t remain the same like it was before. The Holy Spirit now works in continuity of Christ’s ministry and equipped with this Spirit we are now enabled to speak in tongues and I’m sure also to sing in a clear voice, declaring the wonders of God in our world.

Speaking in tongues, Crying, shouting, singing, sometimes it is very close, in some special cases it even seems to be identical. So let’s begin and raise our voices exactly in this tension-filled junction from farewell to new start.

When I think of Chapel songs, what first comes into my mind is – of course - We have seen God’s footsteps. Not only because we sang it nearly hundreds of times during Chapeltime, but also because it reminds me so much of our retreat weekend in Dour al-Shoueir. It marked a very important step in the development of our NEST-crew and some even had a hard time digesting this intense experience of communality. The reason why every group chose this song for their worship time was most probably the choice of the topic of this retreat: Journey. Now when I try to find a metaphorical level to interpret this song concerning my last year I could easily end up saying: that every one of you left an important footprint in my heart. But since I don’t intend to be all cheesy and whatever-color-nosed I would prefer to use the image of a kick in the behinds – in fact in a very positive way. With this kick I’m referring to a kind of push forward, a development, an encouragement to take up new ways, make new steps. I guess the whole NEST-Crew with its very own group-dynamics had a share in this upwind. Everyone of you gave possibilities and occasion to rethink old judgments, mindsets and aims and take a step forward in a new direction.

Let’s sing this song, not in a cheesy, lame but in a kick-ass way. Nr.45

The next song on the playlist is “Qadishat aloho”, because it somehow mirrors how much I learned on a scientific and sophisticated level and even more on a practical, empirical, experimental level. I was astonished by the quality of the NEST-courses and by the way the level is hold high despite of the low numbers of students. I learned about Christianity, about my own faith and all the different branches, which I could have equally chosen, if I would have grown up in different surroundings. It kept me rethinking my own belief and convictions. Maurice and Philipp probably know how much and why this song became an evergreen in my mind.

Let’s sing it together.

Before you get scared – I don’t intent to sing the following song with you in this chapel. I‘d rather let you know how it happens to appear on my soundtrack. It is the incredibly annoying pop-song: I I follow. I will be short here, just to avoid letting it get stuck in your ear for the rest of the day. As it is such a song, that has the quality of a chewing gum in your brain and that is very very catchy and easy to grasp, it somehow reflects the sort of superficiality I had to cope with, during my year in Beirut. I met a lot of people, some of them you would probably call friends, but I always sensed how difficult it is to reach a deeper level. How difficult it is to encourage people to open up and to dare to talk about significant, important things, beyond the everyday kifak – lhamdulillah. But it also reflects this admirable welcomning, helpful attitude of my acquaintances here. Even if someone by far doesn’t know the way he gives everything he has to help you. Of course this can be annoying when you get totally lost because of wrong directions, but it also shows that people would never be too busy to look up and help you. An attitude which many a German could learn from.

We already sang the Trishagion in the old Aramaic version, but I want you and me to sing it an English version aswell, although we won’t celebrate the Eucharist together today.

This Sanctus-version finds its place in my playlist, because it reminds me of my first Choir-experience as one of the songs of the Easter-Service at NEST. Indeed an exchange year such as the SIMO-project can make you discover new passions; new sides of yourself and it can make you formulate new aims and future prospects. Nr. 46

What would a NEST-Soundtrack be without one of the famous Taizé-songs? Before I came to NEST I always connected these songs with the retreat of my confirmation class long time ago. But now it has a different overtone for me. When I think of Taizé (I personally have never been there) somehow Phillip’s head appears in front of me. On the one hand because he was the one who always tried to introduce and promote this kind of calm and mediating worship in the NEST-Chapel and on the other hand, because I was stricken by the way he narrated and shared his experiences at this place in France with me. In the end this was a significant time and place for him to decide on this engagement, and although all this is very personal, and I hope Philipp forgives me, it makes obvious how much we all grew together in this year. Ok we were not present during his proposal, but we celebrated and rejoiced with Anne and him. Although I sometimes had a hard time living in such confined place and such tight community I also appreciate this experience to a large extend.

In reminiscence to the NEST-community and spiritual live I want to sing with you “Bless the Lord”. Nr.28

The last song which I want to sing together with you fervently is the Arabic version of the Lord’s prayer. It has a beautiful melody and I like the sound of the Arabic words a lot. Actually it always makes me aware of one of the biggest fiascos of this year when it comes to expectations and aims. Learning Arabic was one of my most ambitious intentions, when I came here, and now you see me hardly being able to order a drink or to slander the annoying taxi drivers. But as it happened I think I got to know a lot of this country and the inhabitants without properly speaking their language. Nothing comes as expected – a lesson you have to learn over and over again. And even if this achievement didn’t go past we all accomplished other goals and took other benefits out of this year without even planning on them.

Let us not only be aware of the adversities and failures but also of the plenty unplanned positive outcomes of this year and let us thank our Lord for he makes us take these new roads which we would never dare or plan on taking. I think this we can do best with the song Abana. Nr.49

I will release you from my Fairwell chapel by playing a song of the singer Joumana, who I heard in a live concert in Jounieh a couple of weeks ago. The song is called Shoukran ya Yasou’ and with it I want to say thank you, not only to Jesus but to all of you for spending this year and sharing these experiences with me.