The beginning of a New Year!

Grant, O Lord, that in all our rush and bustle in the Year 2009, we may not be too busy to hear your voice.

The services for January and February, the season of Epiphany and run up to Lent, are available from the Services page or as a flyer here.

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE - A Christmas message from the Archbishop of Canterbury

Put aside your principles and remember: all you need is love.
In an article published in a UK National Newspaper 22 December, Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, reflects on a Christmas sermon given by Karl Barth in 1931, to put aside principles as a good way to consider the meaning of Christmas story today. Article appears on the Archbishop's web site. and is available as a PDF here. Food for thought, at this time of feasting!

To read the Archbishop's Christmas Day Sermon click here

Wishing all web site readers a very Happy Christmas.

Bishop Geoffrey's Christmas Message 2008

In his Christmas Message Bishop Geoffrey considers Mary's "deep and reflective meditation" on God's action, referred to by St Luke as sumballo from which the word symbol derives.
For the full text and podcast click here.

Christmas Greetings from Jerusalem

St Thomas Becket Church supports the work of the USPG-Anglicans in World Mission including their work in Jerusalem. For the latest News of the remarkable work going on and a Christmas greeting please click here.

To see some other Mission projects supported, please look under "Mission Projects".

ADVENT SUNDAY CONFIRMATION

Our good wishes and encouragement for the onward journey go to Max, John, Philipp, Philippa, Benedict, Martin and Lilian who were confirmed on Advent Sunday.

For those who could not make to the service, and those who did, who would like to read Bishop David Hamid's sermon here it is, by kind permission of the Bishop to make it available online!

CHURCH BAZAAR: THANKS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT

After an enjoyable interview on NDR 90.3 early in on the Saturday morning, attendance at our Annual Church Bazaar was well up.
Regular visitors mingled with a large number of first-timers. Nearly all the stalls reported increased profits, both those selling articles and those offering foodstuffs and hot dishes.

Our sincere thanks to our visitors and to everyone who worked so hard on the day and throughout the year.

The Church and Carbon Footprints

The Anglican Church is committed to doing its part in reducing CO2 emissions and contributing constructively to the debate and action. As a first step the Diocese of Europe has recently adopted an Environment Policy. Further information, news and comment on the topic is available from the Church of England's web site Shrinking the Footprint.

Anyone interest in developing an information resource as part of this web site please get in touch.

Thought for the Week

This is a week to reflect on the example of the many women and men of modern times who have witnessed to the love of Christ.
Edith Cavell, Edith Stein, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and companions, Maximillian Kolbe, Martin Luther-King, Archbishops Luwum of Uganda and Romero of El Salvador, the martyrs of Melanesia, the Christians in India and Iraq.
"Be Faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life."

And to see the example of the work of "Everyday Saints" in our time, take a look at the Christian Aid Video on Climate Change to see how a farmer in Burkina Faso has brought joy to his community by introducing new techniques to conserve water.

The Church in action as Partners for World Development

A new website was launched by the CoE 24th October to help link up the extensive national network of local campaigners on world development issues to help amplify the Church's voice on crucial global topics.

The 'Partners in World Development' site, provides parishes with up-to-date information on issues such as trade justice, debt relief and climate change. It also provides profiles of many Church of England dioceses, with overviews of the projects they have underway and details of their link dioceses overseas.

It is worthwhile taking a look at the site to see the breadth and depth of activities going on in the different Dioceses, though the Diocese of Europe is not included in the list!

British Day Service

Once again British Day held on the last weekend in August was a wonderful event. The singing was great and this year the weather played along too. It was a lovely sunny Sunday morning. Now we are looking forward to the next Service at British Day 2009 - possibly the 10th anniversary since the service has become an annual event at British, or perhaps that anniversary has already passed!

Visit by Choir of Trinity College Dublin

On 22 June we welcomed the Chapel Choir from Trinity College, Dublin, to sing at the Eucharist.

The College, with university status, is one of the ancient Irish institutions, belonging to The Church of Ireland, part of the Anglican Communion. It is represented in the Irish Parliament.

It enjoys a reputation for musical excellence and we were delighted that the Choir included us in their programme during their visit to Hamburg.

Trinity College was founded in 1591, admitted women to degrees in 1903 and has in its library the ancient Book of Kells, one of the finest illuminated manuscripts of the Gospels.