I’m CSPC Sports Ministry Intern Manuel Klapsec, and this is how I’m living deeply. 

“Europe’s tallest church and Einstein’s birthplace. Those are the two claims to fame for my hometown of Ulm in southern Germany. It’s a great place to be from, but after high school, I knew I didn’t want to jump straight into work- I knew there was more of the world to see. I wanted to do something special. The German government helps graduates find social work opportunities, and when I saw CSPC was looking for someone to help with their sports ministry, it felt perfect. Sports is a passion- I’ve played soccer my whole life. What I hadn’t done was spend a lot of time in church. Growing up Roman Catholic in Germany was complicated. With all the church scandals, many people -including my family- distanced themselves. We stopped praying before meals, stopped attending services, the connection just faded. Coming to America, being around [CSPC Director of Sports Ministry] Jeremy Johnson’s family, has been transformative. Seeing them pray before every meal, pray for other people- it’s brought me back to my roots. The biggest difference here is the community. In Germany, church is mostly about attending service. Here, CSPC provides events that bring hundreds of kids and parents together through sports so they can build relationships and become friends. Serving at CSPC has helped me see God’s love in all kinds of ways I didn’t in Germany. I remember having lunch with Jeremy at Moe’s, and two kids from a CSPC soccer team I coach recognized me. They came over, said hello, and we talked for a bit. It was a really beautiful moment- to see how God had brought us all closer through the sports ministry. I’ve also become more aware of His presence in everyday moments- like when I’m driving back home and notice a beautiful sunset. I just think, ‘Man, it’s so awesome here. I’m so thankful I can enjoy this moment right now.’ Recognizing these little gifts throughout the day- I don’t think that’s possible in the same way without God. It’s like having your eyes opened to see what was always there.

The hardest part of coming to CSPC from Germany has been leaving my family behind for an entire year- especially our seven dogs. We added them through a rescue organization. It started with one nine years ago, and somehow we ended up with seven! I love those dogs so much. They’re truly your best friends. They can sense when you’re happy or sad, and they love you with everything they have. I think if we humans concentrated on the people we love even half as much as dogs focus on us, the world would be dramatically better. Now when I think of my dogs, I have the added joy of reflecting on the fact that God created them that way- to be such a huge blessing. It’ll be great to see them & my family again soon. But believe it or not, I haven’t really missed home because CSPC has been such a good second family to me here! Jeremy, [Sports Ministry Assistants] Claire Huenefeld & Thadd Davis, Jeremy’s parents- they’re some of the greatest people I’ve ever met. (I’m actually staying with Jeremy’s parents, and they wouldn’t give me an option to NOT live comfortably!) Seeing how they all live, how happy they are in their faith, has brought me closer to God again- and shown me how I can keep getting closer to Him going forward. I definitely pray more now than I did in Germany. And when I go back, I want to find a church home, get a German Bible, and start reading it regularly. Through His love lived out by others at CSPC, God is also teaching me to treasure the loved ones He’s put in my life: my parents & siblings, my dogs, my grandmother. I think the greatest gift is realizing we should spend as much time as possible with the people we love. In less than three months, I’ll go back to Germany. Whatever I do (running a dog training business, hopefully!), I’ll be different because of my time here. I’ve reconnected with God through the CSPC community, through seeing His love in other people after so many years of feeling disconnected in Germany. This path to Knoxville was the right one, as my Vols sweatshirt will always remind me. It’s thousands of miles from home, but it’s what God had in mind to lead me back to what matters most.”