Huge trees and river views

The Wanderers' October walk is on Saturday 10th - yes, this coming Saturday! This is the walk from Tesperhude to Lauenburg which we enjoyed in spring two years back. It’s a lovely walk whatever the season, about 9 km on good paths with huge trees, river views and even little beaches closer to Lauenburg. So do put on your walking shoes, grab a couple of sandwiches for a picnic lunch and join in. Because of weekend work on the S21 railway line, travel will have to be by bus, leaving ZOB on the number 31 bus at 08:51. Please let Nicki Schiller know by Friday evening if you plan to come. She can give you further travel details (Landline 04104 695537; mobile 0176 30393063 or Nicki.Schiller (at) gmx.de.).

New edition of Becket News

Issue 64 of Becket News, our parish magazine, is out. It's packed with interesting articles and news from the chaplaincy, so why not pick up your copy in church or read it online here?

Blessing of pets postponed

Next Sunday, 4 October is our harvest festival. Please come and join us giving thanks for the fruits of the earth. It's been decided to postpone the blessing of pets that was planned for the same date.

Walk through the heather with us

Anke Peters will be leading the next Church Wanderers walk on Saturday, 12 September through heathland when the heather blossom is at its height. Starting at Buchholz station, the walk leads to Büsenbachtal through the forest and across the heath up to the Höllenberg (100m) and the viewpoint of Brunsberg (129m). Most of this 11.2 km walk will be on hiking trails and forest tracks. In Büsenbachtal we have the option of coffee and cake at the Café im Schafstall, which is not far from the station. Return trains to Buchholz run at 3:45 pm, 5:00 pm and 5:45 pm. We meet at Hamburg Hauptbahnhof, in front of the Reisezentrum, at 9:55 am to catch train RE4 to Buchholz via Harburg: 10:15 am -> arrival 10:37 am. The journey is within the HVV Gesamtbereich. Please let Anke know by Thursday, 10 September if you are coming and if you need a HVV ticket or could give someone a ride on yours: e-mail just_det (at) web.de or mobile 0157-0303 5863.

Copy deadline for next Becket News

Becket News No 64 is due to appear at the end of September. Your editor would like to hear from all aspiring authors and photographers as soon as possible if they plan to submit anything. The copy and picture deadline is 18 September.

Could you run a Facebook page for BRIDFAS?

BRIDFAS, which is working with us to produce a Church Record for St Thomas Becket, is looking for a young person with experience of Facebook and social media to set up a Facebook page for the organisation in Hamburg and keep it up to date. Does this sound like you or someone you know? You can find further details here.

Becket News issue 63 out now

Your webmaster, also doubling as new editor of Becket News, has, with much wailing and gnashing of teeth, succeeded in publishing her first issue. Better late than never, as the saying goes. Her admiration for the outgoing editor has grown even further. You can read No 63 here.

Wander with us on Saturday

The next Church Wanderers is on Saturday 8 August. We will be staying close to home again, so that those of you planning to visit British Flair on Saturday can do so on the home journey if you wish. We meet at Blankenese S-Bahn Station at the main entrance at 11:00 and walk from there to Wedel. This is 10km of stunning views of the Elbe and runs through the Wittenbergener Heide and Elbwiesen. There are plenty of hills and steps to keep us fit! We suggest you bring a light lunch and plenty to drink. At Wedel we catch the S-Bahn for the journey back.

Services in August at STB

Our former Anglican Chaplain Revd John Newsome will be returning to Hamburg to take our services in August. We look forward to welcoming back a good friend. (St Thomas Becket is currently without a permanent chaplain following Fr Matthew's return to Australia. We are fortunate to have several locums who have agreed to look after us until we can appoint a successor.) You can find details of our services here.

Changes to Safeguarding and checks

Changes to the Diocese in Europe’s Safeguarding procedures are taking place to bring Europe into line with other Church of England dioceses. Bishop Robert has written to church leaders commending a new Safeguarding Guide which helps to answer when a formal clearance certificate is required.

He writes: “In my first year of ministry as bishop, I have become aware that this is an area where there is a good deal of confusion, with some people being checked who don’t need to be, and others not being checked who should be. The [new guide] gives clarification. It has taken a surprisingly large amount of work to get a document that has the right level of precision whilst still being intelligible.” Canon law was recently enacted at the York general synod making it a matter of discipline for clergy to be aware of and act in accordance with the practice guidance.

The Diocese in Europe website states: “All clergy and Readers have Safeguarding training and need criminal record check clearance certificates as a normal part of their ministry. Hundreds of lay volunteers in local churches across Europe are being encouraged to go through the process to ensure that our congregations are safe places for young and vulnerable people to visit.”

Our Safeguarding Officer at St Thomas Becket is Norbert Schoen. You can find his contact details on the back page of Becket News. You can read more about the Diocese’s Safeguarding policy on the Diocesan website.

Summer picnic

Saturday 11 July sees the Church Wanderers' traditional summer picnic and stroll in the Stadtpark. Meeting point is the S-Bahnhof Klein Flottbek (Botanischer Garten), on the platform at 11:20. Take the S1 (Wedel) which leaves the Hauptbahnhof at 10:59. For those joining in Altona, the train leaves there at 11:11. Please bring a picnic lunch and something to sit on. Please let Nicki Schiller know if you are coming by Friday 10 July at 10 pm (Landline 04104 695537; mobile 0176 30393063 or Nicki.Schiller (at) gmx.de.)

Fleas? We have a market for them

Don't forget, tommorrow (4 July) is the flea market at St Thomas Becket, from 10 am to 4 pm. There will be bric-a-brac, clothes, jewellery, sports items, second-hand English books, DVDs/videos/CDs/records, a Fair Trade stall, plus hot and cold drinks and local and Indian food. Don't miss it!

Sundays at St Thomas Becket during the vacancy

The church was packed on 28 June to give our departing chaplain, Revd Matthew Jones, a warm send-off. Our prayers go with him as he returns to Australia to become Rector of the parish of Ballina, within the Diocese of Grafton. Meanwhile in Hamburg locums are already lined up into the New Year to take Sunday services and, in many cases, fulfil the chaplain's other duties. Our next service, on Sunday 5 July at 10.30 am, is a family service and will be taken by Revd Christopher Jage Bowler from St George's Anglican Church, Berlin.

Becket News wants your news

The next edition of our parish magazine, Becket News, will be published at the end of July. Please send your articles, reports of events, news, photographs with short text, announcements, thoughts, etc, etc, to becketnews (at) dawescom.de (note new address) by 18 July.

Synod round-up

This year's Diocesan Synod was held in Cologne. You can find a summary, including links to plenty of online resources, on the diocesan website.

Don't let MOGO make church a no go

Just a reminder that next Sunday, 14 June, is the MOGO, or Hamburger Mottorrad-Gottesdienst, at our next-door neighbours', the Michel. If you're not joining in on your own motor bike, you might consider leaving your vehicle at home and coming to church by public transport.

Sun, sea and sand

The next Church Wanderers walk, on Saturday 13 June, starts in Sankt Peter-Ording and will be led by Marion and Jo Dawes. The full-length walk is about 13 km and runs through coastal pine woods, saltmarsh, sand dunes and along the huge beach, but there are several opportunities to cut the walk short and get the bus. There'll be a picnic lunch along the way and time for an ice cream in Bad St Peter before finishing in St Peter-Dorf, with its thatched houses and cafés. From there it’s a short bus ride to Bad St Peter Süd station, where trains home leave at 18:36, 19:36 and 20:36 (change at Husum).

Please bring a picnic lunch, plenty of water, a sun hat and sun screen, plus 3 euros in change to buy a “Gästekarte”, which also includes free travel on the local bus. Please be at Altona main station outside the Reise Zentrum at 8:20 at the latest to buy Schleswig-Holstein tickets together and catch the 8:40 NOB train (direction Westerland), changing at Husum on to the 10:36 for Bad St Peter-Ording, arriving 11:27.

Please let Nicki Schiller know by Thursday 11 June if you are coming. (Landline 04104 695537; mobile 0176 30393063 or Nicki.Schiller (at) gmx.de.)

New Archdeacon appointed

The Diocese in Europe has appointed the Venerable Colin Williams to take over care of the archdeaconry of the East and the archdeaconry of Germany and Northern Europe. The Diocese's first full-time Archdeacon, he speaks fluent German and will be based in Frankfurt. You can read the full story on the Diocese in Europe website.

Taizé service in memory of Brother Roger

In memory of Brother Roger and to mark the 75th anniversary of the Taizé community, there will be a short Taizé service at St Thomas Becket on Saturday, 30 May at 7 pm - all welcome. You can find a flier here.

Return of the flea market

After last year's successful flea market premiere in aid of the church, STB will be repeating the procedure on 4 July from 10am till 4pm. There will be bric-a-brac, clothes, jewellery, sports items, second-hand English books, DVDs/videos/CDs/records, a Fair Trade stall, plus hot and cold drinks and local and Indian food. If you have clean, usable goods that you would like to donate, please contact Petra Osinski or Lottie Lankenau for more information.

Bishop’s Lent Appeal

A huge thank you to all who contributed. We raised 749.19 euros to support unaccompanied refugee minors in Athens.

Wanderers off to Dithmarschen

The next walk, on Saturday 9 May, starts in Burg (Dithmarschen), led by Eileen Liebender. This is a walk of approx. 11 kilometres and runs through lovely countryside and along the towpath of the Kiel Canal, ending up at the "Hacienda" for what has now become a legendary cake and coffee break before returning to Burg station for the journey home.
Please bring a picnic lunch and meet at Altona main station outside the Reise Zentrum at 8:20 at the latest to catch the 8:40 NOB train (direction Westerland), changing at Itzehoe. We arrive in Burg at 9:58 to be met by Eileen.
Please let Nicki Schiller know by Thursday 7 May if you are coming. (Landline 04104 695537; mobile 0176 30393063 or Nicki.Schiller (at) gmx.de.)

Nepal earthquake appeal

We are supporting the Nepal Rapid Response appeal coordinated by ‘Us’ (formerly USPG) to provide emergency relief following the massive earthquake in Nepal. You can find further information on the church notice boards or the Us website.

Don't let your journey to church become a marathon

It's that time of year again. The Hamburg Marathon on 26 April means that access to the church on Sunday will be limited. Please leave your car at home (or outside the marathon route) and use public transport. You should allow plenty of time, as the trains will be full. Follow this link for information on road closures and diversions.

New churchwardens and council elected

Susanne Hergoss and David Hercus were elected as churchwardens at the St Thomas Becket AGM on 19 April. The following were elected to the Chaplaincy Council: Peter Alexander, Jo Dawes, Lucia Fürthmann, Samuel Quaye, Daniel Loarte, Emmanuel Saarkodie, Norbert Schoen, Monica Schofield and Gerd van der Jagt. The wardens and council will be commissioned at the Parish Eucharist at 10.30 on 3 May. Please pray for the new team as they shoulder the extra responsibility that appointing a successor to Fr Matthew will entail.

Wander along the Alster with us

The next walk with the Church Wanderers will be on Saturday, 11 April from Ohlstedt to Poppenbüttel. The route runs for almost its entire length along the Alster River and is a section of the justifiably popular Alster Wanderweg. Meeting point is in front of the Ohlstedt U-Bahn Station at 11:33. Take the U1 with destination Ohlstedt (not Farmsen or Grosshansdorf or you may be late). For those leaving from Hauptbahnhof, the latest train departs at 10:58. The walk ends at Poppenbüttel S-Bahn Station and should take about four hours. This includes time for a picnic lunch and a couple of stops to admire the view. Please bring something for lunch and plenty to drink.

Music for a While

On Friday 17 April at 7pm the Hamburger Konzertduo of Cornelia Schünemann (Saxophone and Soprano) and Andreas Gärtner (Organ) will be performing music by Henry Purcell, Georg Friedrich Händel, Edward Elgar, Ralph Vaughan Williams and others at the Anglican Church of St Thomas Becket. Admission costs €10 at the door (concessions €8).

Out now - spring flowers and Becket News

Spring is in the air. Well, one can only dream; the cold wind is howling, the river Elbe has high waves and ferry boats are fighting against the fierce winds roaring across north Germany. However curl up and enjoy the spring edition of the church magazine full of news and updates of events. This is the final edition by your current Becket News editor. A big thank you to John for his hard work and tenacity in getting our news out of us and into print.

Please help unaccompanied child refugees

There is still time to donate to Bishop Robert's Lent Appeal, which this year is in support of “Hestia”, a hostel for unaccompanied minor refugees in Athens. Children who have fled their homes in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Middle East and Africa are being held in prison conditions because there is nowhere else for them to go, and Greece has no money to care for them. Hestia, which means "home", is a hostel provided by "Apostoli”, a social action charity operating under the auspices of the Greek Orthodox Church. You can find full details of the Bishop's Lent Appeal on the Diocese in Europe website. You can donate to the Lent Appeal in church.

Becket News deadline looms

The deadline for articles and photographs for the Easter edition of Becket News is 21 March. A lot has gone on over the last couple of months, says your BN editor, and he would like articles, event news, reports on activities and information by Saturday, 21 March at the latest. If you can let him know that you plan to send something, that will also help with planning. Please e-mail to becketnews (at) aol.com.

English Passiontide music in Hamburg

Saturday 28 March 2015, at 7pm, sees the premiere of the English Passiontide composition “40 days+nights” in the Anglican Church of St Thomas Becket (Zeughausmarkt 22). The piece is a choral cantata on the theme of the English hymn “Forty days and forty nights” and has been composed by Yotin Tiewtrakul (born 1975), Director of Music at the Anglican Church.

While Germany has the St Matthew and St John Passions, there is nothing comparable in the UK. “40 days+nights” is also a Passiontide cantata with a difference. Set for unison voices, baritone sole (Gabriel Kyne), organ (Jochim Trede) and piano (Tobias Saalmann), it seeks to approach Jesus’s experience of suffering through the time in the wilderness. A musical setting of words by the Cologne pastor and poetry slammer, Holger Pyka, complements the verses of the hymn.

There is no admission charge, but donations are appreciated.

Rissen to Wedel: Wanderers try again

With spring in the air, the Church Wanderers are planning to have another go at walking from Rissen to Wedel on 14 March - a shortish stretch of about 8km - after January storms forced the last attempt to be cancelled. The walk will begin from Rissen S-Bahn station at 11.15 am. (Catch the S1 which leaves Hamburg Hauptbahnhof at 10:39 and gets to Rissen at 11:14.) A table has been booked at La Dolce Vita trattoria in Bahnhofstrasse for 2pm. Walkers may want to bring a bite to eat in view of the late lunch. Please let Nicki Schiller know if you are coming by 10pm on Thursday, 12 March - nicki.schiller [at] gmx.de, tel. 04104 695537 or 0176 30 393 063.

Chaplaincy Council statement on Fr Matthew's resignation

On Sunday, 22 February, a statement was made on behalf of the Chaplaincy Council on Fr Matthew's resignation and the process of selecting a new chaplain. You can read it here.

Revd Matthew Jones to return to Australia

Today Fr Matthew announced to the congregation that Bishop David has accepted his resignation as Chaplain in Hamburg, and that he will be leaving Hamburg and returning to Australia to take up the position as Rector of the parish of Ballina, within the Diocese of Grafton. His last Sunday in Hamburg will be 28 June, 2015. You can read Fr Matthew's statement to the congregation here.

Music hall sing-along with the Victorian Minstrels

Yes, that's right, tomorrow - Saturday 21 February at 7.30pm - is the music hall sing-along evening with the Victorian Minstrels. The event's in aid of the church, so do come along and help swell the numbers. Entrance is free but donations are welcome. See more on Facebook.

Meeting point for Hahnheide walk

The meeting point for the Church Wanderers' exploration of the Hahnheide on 14 February is the Großenseer Straße bus stop in Trittau at 11:10. Those coming by public transport can catch the U2 to Steinfurter Allee (direction Mümmelmannsberg) at 9:54 am at Hauptbahnhof, arriving 10:10 am at Steinfurter Allee. Then catch bus 133 to Trittau at 10:23 am. Those coming from the north-east can use bus 369 from Ahrensburg / Großhansdorf or 364 from Rahlstedt. Please let Anke Peters know if you are coming by Thursday, 12 Feb - just_det [at] web.de

Don't miss choral evensong

On Sunday at 5pm our own Anglican Consort will be singing choral evensong with a Candlesmas theme. Music includes O nata lux by Tallis, canticles from the Short Service by Gibbons and Lord now lettest thou by Mendelssohn. See more on the STB Facebook page.

Wanderers head for the Hahnheide

The next Church Wanderers walk, on 14 February will be through the Hahnheide, beginning and ending in Trittau. Further details to follow.

Out now: Becket News

The latest edition of our parish magazine, Becket News, is out. You can pick up a printed copy in church or download a PDF here.

CofE consecrates first woman bishop

Libby Lane, the first woman bishop in the Church of England, was consecrated on 26 January. You can watch highlights of the service from York Minster on the BBC website.

Junior Church begins new ‘Family Sing and Pray’ group

Junior Church now has a new group for families with children from birth to six years in addition to the regular group for school-age children. ‘Family Sing and Pray' is for children with a parent or caregiver and takes place during the Sunday service in the school near the church. Through developmentally appropriate activities, music and movement, Junior Church leaders introduce beginning scriptural concepts and prayer in a way that is fun for the children and encourages family bonding and fellowship. At the end of the lesson we return to the Church to join in communion with the congregation. Please come join us with your little ones!

Do we have your address?

If you made a donation to the Anglican Church of St Thomas Becket in 2014, are not on the church electoral role and require a receipt for tax purposes, please let us have your postal address. Please send details by e-mail to info (at) anglican-church-hamburg.de or by post to The Treasurer, Anglican Church of St Thomas Becket, Englische Planke 1A, 20459 Hamburg.

Cicely Hollingsworth 15.2.1929 – 20.12.2014

Cicely will long be remembered as one of the kindest, most active, serious, and thoughtful, also most knowledgeable, members of the congregation in recent decades. In every respect, she possessed a tough constitution. As late as September last year, she was leading a country walk for the Church Wanderers, whom she led and ran for many years.

Cicely and her husband Geoffrey, a retired naval officer and keen cyclist, first came to Hamburg in 1978, when he joined the frigate sales unit of Blohm & Voss shipyard. Cicely was a graduate in French and German of St. Andrew’s University. During Geoffrey’s naval career they had lived in both Oberammergau and Toulon, and had a daughter and a son, Lesley and Robert. Of the three grandchildren, Cicely was especially pleased to see Anna graduate at Cambridge last summer.

After Geoffrey’s early death in 1995, Cicely was elected People’s Warden, and as such played a central part in the life of the church on into the 21st century. For years she was one of the church delegates to the Council of Anglican and Episcopal Churches in Germany (CAECG), often staying on after the bi-annual meetings to visit the host church. Closer home, until the end she gave up a lot of her time to representing St Thomas Becket at the ACKH, or Working Group of Christian Churches in Hamburg. As one of the church’s relatively few car owners, she regularly collected supplies for its Fair Trade stall and was otherwise a pillar of the Mothers Union. She was a generous hostess, among others for the Western Hamburg House Group.

Aside from all these group commitments, Cicely was an immensely thoughtful and considerate friend to people of a wide variety of ages and backgrounds. She was invariably generous with her time, a good listener, especially for people with problems. She tended to shun frivolity, but participated actively in the life of several English-speaking associations in Hamburg. She did so despite having a home in England and family there and in Finland, which she visited annually for Christmas.

Cicely personified the ideal of Christian service, and will be seriously missed.

It's deadline time again

The next issue of Becket News is due to be published at the end of January/beginning of February. What events are you planning for the next quarter? How are your activities and groups progressing? Is there anything you'd like to promote or share? Your Becket News editor would like to know. Photographs are great, too, preferably accompanied by an informative caption or a longer article.

PLEASE send your articles, event news, reports on activities and information by Friday 16 January at the latest to becketnews (at) aol.com.

Choral evensong for Candlemas

On Sunday 8 February, the Sunday after Candlemas, STB's own chamber choir, the Anglican Consort, will be singing choral evensong at 5pm. The music will include Thomas Tallis's beautiful anthem, O nata lux, canticles by Orlando Gibbons, and the anthem Lord now lettest thou by Mendelssohn. You can find details of all four choral evensongs planned for 2015 here.

Walk cancelled

Due to the storm, the Church Wanderers walk for tomorrow, Saturday 10 January, has been cancelled.

Church Wanderers head west on 10 January

The next walk with Church Wanderers this Saturday, 10 January, will be from Rissen to Wedel, ending with the traditional New Year's lunch in the Dolce Vita restaurant in Wedel at 1.30pm. The walk will begin from Rissen S-Bahn station at about 11 am. (Catch the S1 which leaves Hamburg Hauptbahnhof at 10:19 and gets to Rissen at 10:54.) Please let Nicki Schiller know if you are coming by 4pm on Friday, 9 January - nicki.schiller [at] gmx.de, tel. 04104 695537 or 0176 30 393 063.

Join "Elvis" for an 80th birthday concert

Oliver Martinez, alias "Elvis", is back at St Thomas Becket by popular request on Thursday, 8 January 2015 for a fun evening of songs to celebrate Elvis Presley's 80th birthday. Doors open at 7.30pm and the concert begins at 8pm (no reserved seating). There is no admission charge, but a collection in aid of the church will be taken up during the evening. Download the flier here.