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In Philippians 2:3-4, we read: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interest of others..."Unity in Christ was the theme of the twelfth European Military Christian Fellowship (MCF) Leaders Meeting in Luebbecke, Germany from 19 - 22 February, 47 delegates from 19 countries participated (Only 2 couldn't attend) The following excerpts are from the ACCTS staff member who was there.
On Friday, 19 February, the opening session featured reviews by the two Association of Military Christian Fellowships (AMCF) Vice-Presidents for Europe on the history of the Luebbecke meeting, the AMCF, and the concept of the Military Christian Fellowship (MCF). After the delegates introduced themselves, the Vice Presidents provided an overview of the program, which was based on Phil. 2:3-4. 
On Saturday, 20 February, a Lithuanian delegate led morning devotions in the Chapel using Jesus' healing of the blind man. He noted that the blind man had the courage to call out to Jesus for healing, throw off the coat that identified him as blind, and assume a normal life. We too must have the courage to seek Jesus' help, and faithfully serve Him.
Then we considered a range of issues affecting both the church and the world - globalization, the communications revolution, changing family values, materialism, global terrorism, aggressive secularization, apathy, ignorance, fear of change, mistrust of other churches, and concerns for military Christians - personnel reductions with increasing tasking, increased operational tempo and growing stress, ethics and rules of engagement, centralized command and control, media security, and dwindling numbers of chaplains. We then divided into six working groups to discuss how spiritual care in the military was provided in our various countries. After lunch, an orthodox priest described the rich symbolism and various levels of understanding of the Holy Trinity icon, giving us all a greater appreciation for Eastern Church traditions.
During the afternoon meeting (A Bible study on Leadership and Unity), the leader provided historical context for Paul's letter to the Philippians, and stressed the importance of unity in the early church. Many of the expressions of unity encouraged by Christ continue today - sharing the Spirit, taking Holy Communion, expressing tenderness, and showing compassion (1 Cor. 1:3-4 and 1 John 4:16). Removing obstacles to unity requires us to ask God to search us for any wicked way (Psalm 139:23-24), and to regard others as more important than ourselves.
On Sunday, 21 February, we gathered in the Chapel for Holy Communion. The orthodox priest brought an excellent message on the Good Samaritan-a message of mercy and love that draws us to one another. The Lord calls us to unity, and when we remain close to God, we remain close to one another. Following the service, AMCF Certificates of Association were presented to newly formed MCFs, the Belarusian "Faith and Honor," and to the All-Ukrainian Christian Brotherhood.
After lunch, we met in small group sessions to discuss the challenges facing our MCFs, and later shared them with the entire group to discover ways of meeting these challenges. That evening, a bible meditation summarized these discussion points in the context of the Philippians passage. Afterwards, we enjoyed singing and skits presented by various delegates.
On Monday, 22 February - Our closing session was a time to share what we hoped to achieve in the coming year, and goals to monitor their progress. After a final prayer, the delegates departed with pack lunches in hand for our homes.
Praises:
* For the safe arrival of my three suitcases containing 600 bible sticks-150 each in Bulgarian, Romanian, Polish and Ukrainian.
* For an excellent program centered around Unity in Christ
* For ample opportunity for informal discussions
* For the chance to renew friendships with delegates from across Europe
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