Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord”, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Matthew 7:21 (NRSV)
Volker (1132)
Pirate Raid
By the end of the 11th century, the Gospel had been taken to the whole area between Bohemia and the Baltic and 15 out of the 18 tribes had become Christian. The tribes, however, soon reverted to paganism and when in 1126 Albero, Bishop of Bremen, sent a missionary to the area there were no Christian buildings left. The missionary, whose name was Vicilien, built his first church in an area near a port that later became the city of Liibeck. He sent another minister, Lundmullus, to Siegeburg where he founded a monastery.
The missionaries were successful in making converts but their work was interrupted when pirates came to the area, attacking buildings and people. They especially targeted the Christians and many died. One of those killed was Volker, one of the monks in Siegeburg. He was described as “a brother of great simplicity” and was killed by the sword in 1132.
O God, who didst so love the world as to give Thine only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life: Look with compassion upon the [people] who know Thee not, and on the multitudes that are scattered as sheep having no shepherd; and so bestow upon us Thy grace, that we, with all thy believing people may be the messengers of Thy gospel, seek them that are lost, and restore them unto Thee; that they, being gathered out of all places whither they have wandered, may be strengthened, nurtured, protected and guided by the true Shepherd and Bishop of souls, Jesus Christ, Thy Son, unto Whom, with Thee and the Holy Ghost be honour and power, dominion and glory, world without end. Amen.
The Common Service book of the Lutheran Church, 1917