Reflections from Youth:

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Reflections from Rev. Kevin Holland:

In April of 1945 the army of General George S. Patton rolled into the western part of then Czechoslovakia and expelled German troops, thus liberating the town of Plzen and the surrounding area.  It was only recently that I learned that my father, Sgt. Herman Holland, and his Tank Destroyer Battalion were a part of that liberating army.  Is it just coincidence or irony that in 2008 I would travel to this part of the world with a choir to sing about liberation and freedom in Christ?  I choose to believe that it’s much more than coincidence! 

On June 26, twenty-nine Sr. High members of Cantate and eleven adults traveled to the Czech Republic as a part of Suncreek UMC’s partnership with United Methodists in that country.   These students gave of themselves to present the love of Christ through song in the cities of Litomeřice, Tachov, Plzen, Karlovy Vary, Prague and Sedlčany.  Here are just a few of the highlights of the trip and examples of how God worked through the lives of these young people.

Our opening concert in the town of Litomeřice drew a crowd of approximately 250 people and, as a result, the United Methodist Church in that town will continue to host regular artistic events as a part of their outreach ministry.

Our students learned from UMC pastors and church members what it feels like to be a Christian in a country where communities of faith are extremely small and the support of like-spirited people is hard to come by.

In every city and town where we sang, pastors and church members expressed their deep appreciation for our presence and they were strengthened and encouraged in their own faith journey by the spirit and energy that our choir members shared with them.

The United Methodist Church in the small western Czech town of Tachov has a sister church in the U.S. but they rarely hear from them and it has been several years since anyone from the U.S. has visited this congregation.  They were overwhelmed that we would take the time to visit with them and support their ministry.

While walking through the town of Karlovy Vary a street vendor who spoke no English used hand signs to ask us to sing for him.  Our youth gladly broke out in song only to watch as this man removed a cross necklace that had been hidden inside of his shirt, held it to his heart and wept openly.  As we finished singing this man communicated to us through one of our hosts that he was from the town of Plzen and he was grateful to Americans for the liberation of his country from Nazi Germany all those years ago. 

Rev. Miloslav Čech, the pastor in Karlovy Vary whom Suncreek UMC directly supports, told our students that he has always dreamed of a day when Christian young people from the United States would truly develop bonds of friendship with the people of the Czech Republic.  Mila and I have shared this dream for over two years and we have now seen it come to fruition.

During our concert at St. Lucas UMC in Karlovy Vary, Mila’s wife, Jana, had invited a co-worker to attend the concert.  Here is Mila’s description of her experience:  “Let me tell you a small story from the St. Lucas concert. There was my wife’s fellow from the clinic with her daughter. She is not a Christian but she is (like other staff from the clinic) asking Jana spiritual questions often. She told Jana after the concert she was so moved by CANTATE singing. She said she doesn’t know why but she was crying. Me and my wife had exactly same feeling. I can tell you Holy Spirit was working so much in the place that evening.”

After singing an open-air concert in the town square of Sedlčany, there were two young men who followed us on our walk to the local United Methodist Church.  While at the church, members of Cantate joined hands and circled the pews of that small church and prayed that God would fill those pews.  After our time of prayer the two young men who had tagged along with us asked who we were talking to!  They had no concept of prayer and the door was opened for the local Christians to talk to these young men and others about the love of Christ and a God with whom we can talk freely.

I could easily fill this entire newsletter with story after story of the amazing ways that God worked in and through the lives of these young people and adults who gave so freely of themselves to spend ten days in a country with a culture (and food!) very different from our own.  I am proud to be a part of a congregation that takes seriously the Psalmist’s exhortation to “Sing to the Lord a new song.  Declare God’s glory among the nations, God’s marvelous works among all the peoples.”

I’ll close with the words of Rev. Mila Čech as he summarized our trip.  “We are praying for your safe trip and thinking everyday of the amazing time with you, your wonderful family, incredible young people CANTATE and the wonderful adults from Suncreek UMC. The mission was extremely successful and powerful. We are so happy for the trip but sad you are not with us now. It is very special feeling to have to close people to far away in other side of the world. You are thousands miles far from us but in the same time so close deep in our hearts.”

Thanks be to God!