Gunman opens fire in German city of Hamburg - Brothers and Sisters Wounded

[Female Frodo]

The tragedy and the pain suffered by our brothers and sisters turned out to be a shout of praise for Jehovah and a great witness to all the public servants and to those who will watch this program on youtube. Thank you for sharing the link. I echo the sentiments, it was very comforting and encouraging.

[James the Less]

Brother Ciupeck did such a wonderful job. I was so moved and that was just from the auto-translate. Some points I really liked from the first part of his talk:

 

King David experienced the torment of sorrow. (1 Sam. 30:4) Sorrow pushes us to the limit of our own strength, even to the limit of our own existence. In this fragile moment, David had no answers as to what had happened. He had no perspective on how to proceed. And he had no strength left. But one thing he was not left without was support. “David strengthened himself by Jehovah his God.” (1 Sam. 30:6) For David, Jehovah was more than just an abstract Being; God was a very close friend. From this friendship sprang the strength to endure the unbearable. David’s God is your God. What carried him also carries you.

 

Expressions from a brother who was shot and in intensive care: “There wasn’t a single moment I felt abandoned, afraid, or alone. Isaiah 41:10 was fulfilled constantly for me that night… Until today I have spoken to Jehovah many times and assured him that I will make a clear stand for him no matter what I still have to get through.” In these words, the faith and trust that David had speaks today. Faith has the strength to carry us; trust conquers fear.

 

Ps. 56:8a—“You keep track of my wandering.” There was not a minute in David’s life that God didn’t know where he was. David’s God Jehovah knew his exact coordinates in every second of his life. Do you sometimes feel so alone, like you are in a hidden cave, in a state of free fall? There is someone who knows the coordinates of your world. He knows your emotional landscape and exactly where you are on it each second of your life.

 

Ps. 56:8b—“Do collect my tears in your skin bottle.” Skin bottles of ancient times were like little leather bags. Gem collectors gather diamonds into such bags. God collected into his “bag” something far more precious than diamonds—your tears. Each tear has a story. Each tear of yours tells the story of what you’re feeling and why you’re feeling that way. By figuratively collecting our tears, God assures us that he knows exactly how we feel and why we feel that way, and that our feelings and emotions are precious to him.

 

For David, faith was not religion. Faith meant friendship. A friendship with God that is founded on faith has the strength to carry us through any trial.

[hatcheckgirl]

Even with the rough translation, what a superbly dignified and moving tribute for our brothers and sisters to take comfort from. It really felt like the love of Jehovah, through the speakers' talks and through the audience and orchestra completely embraced our mourning brothers and sisters. 🌹💕💞

[dove]

29 minutes ago, hatcheckgirl said:

Even with the rough translation, what a superbly dignified and moving tribute for our brothers and sisters to take comfort from. It really felt like the love of Jehovah, through the speakers' talks and through the audience and orchestra completely embraced our mourning brothers and sisters. 

Edited March 26, 2023 by Dove

[James the Less]

A nice thought from Brother Sanderson:

 

The Bible tells us that in times of tragedy or when we are dealing with overwhelming concerns, we may pour out our hearts in prayer to God. And what does he promise to do? He will give us peace and comfort so profound that the Bible says it “surpasses all understanding”—we cannot even comprehend it! (Php. 4:7) He uses our Savior, Jesus Christ, to make that possible. But God also gives us qualities that no one can take away from us. Our hope, our faith, and our love can survive tragedy. They can rise above hatred and violence. When we lean on our faith, when we share our hope, and when we show our love to those around us, we reflect the light of God. 

 

In conclusion, may Jehovah God grant the survivors of this tragedy and all who have ministered to them the marvellous peace that only he can give.

[Amygdala]

It was also comforting to hear all those injured survived and no longer in danger. One sister took 7 bullets even, but was transferred to a hospital who could specifically treat her. 

[James the Less]

Some beautiful concluding thoughts from the discussion about Revelation 21:1-5.

 

David talked about having his tears collected in a book. Rev. 21:3 talks about tears being wiped away. How are we to combine and understand these two thoughts? Jehovah will wipe the pages of his book clean and completely erase the tears that were recorded there—tears of loneliness, tears of sorrow, tears of fear, tears of despair. They are wiped away because the causes of those tears will be fully eliminated, including death. This is the great vision of Christianity—death is conquerable. Death doesn’t have to say the last word. The last word belongs to God, and what does he say? Verse 5: “I am making all things new.” There will be a new era for mankind. There will be peace. There will be a resurrection. The last word in the lives of Stefan, Sebastian, James and Marie, Stefanie, Dahn, and little Romy has not yet been spoken. We have come together to say goodbye to them, but we are convinced that our reunion will be soon.

 

It is now our task to live with the death of others, part of which means allowing for grief. This funeral service ends soon, but life goes on. Know that you are not alone. We want to be there with you. We want to walk the path of grief together with you. Cry with you, pray with you, even say nothing at all with you. But just be with you.

[WilliamChew]

JW Hamburg Shooting Memorial 25Mar23 (1:31:07) Sat 3pm 

(Transcript using whisper AI and Google Translate)

 

Spoiler

JW Hamburg Shooting Memorial 25Mar23.pdf

JW Hamburg Shooting Memorial 25Mar23.docx

JW Hamburg Shooting Memorial 25Mar23.epub

 

[Eejay]

1 hour ago, WilliamChew said:

JW Hamburg Shooting Memorial

 

Thanks so much for your work and generous spirit in making this heart-rending account available to us all.

Such kInd words and acts at a time like this are given "so that you [we] may not sorrow as the rest do who have no hope." 1Thess.4:13. 

[Amygdala]

A couple of news reports and the rented hall for the memorial.

 

https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/hamburg-journal/trauerfeier-zeugen-jehovas-gedenken-opfern-des-amoklaufs/ndr/Y3JpZDovL25kci5kZS8zMDhlNzQxNS1mMzY0LTQ1NjctYWExMi03NGE5OGU4ZDNhNzk
 

 

 

 

 

[JehovahIsOurStronghold]

Good day. Thank you very much

 

James. 

[Nobody]

Who was the woman who spoke in the program?

[Seinman]

I found the prayer by Brother Glockentin very moving. It sounded like he was going to cry at any moment. Truly heart-rending 

[SUNRAY]

1 hour ago, Your Brother said:

Who was the woman who spoke in the program?

All the speakers are mentioned in the transcript Brother Chew posted above!

[Tronora]

4 hours ago, Seinman said:

I found the prayer by Brother Glockentin very moving. It sounded like he was going to cry at any moment. Truly heart-rending 

 

I agree very much. I have read through the transcript now, and searched for it in the video on youtube, but it is not there. It would have been wonderful if it at some point emerged in writing. Yes, it was a prayer, but aren't the Psalms also often that? And they have been preserved, so that we can lend words from them when our own fail us. Gajus' prayer was of that quality

[student]

5 hours ago, Your Brother said:

Who was the woman who spoke in the program?

Carola Veit, President of the Hamburg Parliament

 

https://www.hamburgische-buergerschaft.com/council/

 

[Seinman]

18 minutes ago, Tronora said:

 

I agree very much. I have read through the transcript now, and searched for it in the video on youtube, but it is not there. It would have been wonderful if it at some point emerged in writing. Yes, it was a prayer, but aren't the Psalms also often that? And they have been preserved, so that we can lend words from them when our own fail us. Gajus' prayer was of that quality

 

I did a live transcription using Google translate so I fortunately have a version of it to read. It is not perfect but it conveys the depth of feeling at the time.

[student]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/03/25/jehovahs-witnesses-germany-shooting/e06be930-cb25-11ed-9cc5-a58a4f6d84cd_story.html

[Rochelle]

Here is the transcript in german of the talk of Brother Ciupek and Brother Sanderson. It is so touching and it is also beautifully worded in german.

Gedenkansprache Hamburg 25-03-2023.docx

[student]

8 hours ago, Rochelle said:

transcript in german

Thank you so much. We asked the last days where to get a German transcript.

 

btw: because it occurs 7 times: "Lehrstelle" should be "Leerstelle" if you like to change it for yourself.

Edited April 1, 2023 by student

[Seinman]

17 minutes ago, student said:

Thank you so much. We asked the last days where to get a German transcript.

 

btw: because it occurs 7 times: "Lehrstelle" should be "Leerstelle" if you like to change it for yourself.

Thanks for that. It had translated to "apprenticeship" in English. Do you know what the English translation of "leerstelle" would be this context?

Edited April 1, 2023 by Seinman

[student]

4 minutes ago, Seinman said:

Thanks for that. It had translated to "apprenticeship" in English. Do you know what the English translation of "leerstelle" would be this context?

a gap.

[Seinman]

1 hour ago, student said:

a gap.

 

Many thanks. I came across another word it never translated in this sentence: "Und wenn man mit einem Schwann darüber wischte, dann konnte man das ganz leicht abwischen." What does "Schwann" mean?

Edited April 1, 2023 by Seinman

[student]

6 minutes ago, Seinman said:

 

Many thanks. I came across another word it never translated in this sentence: "Und wenn man mit einem Schwann darüber wischte, dann konnte man das ganz leicht abwischen." What does "Schwann" mean?

No, it's "Schwamm" -> sponge

 

"And if you wiped over it with a sponge, then you could wipe it off quite easily"

 

Some posts behind there was an english transscript. Maybe it can help you

Edited April 1, 2023 by student

[Seinman]

Great, thank you again. Everything else is perfect now.