Join the human race this Christmas!

This was the theme of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Wllliams, last Christmas sermon as Archbishop. You can read all about it here.

The Archbishop has been made a Peer of the United Kingdom by HM The Queen upon his retirement from the See of Canterbury.

Services for Christmas

Monday 24 December Christmas Eve
16:00 Family Christms Eve Service (Service for children)
23:30 Candlelit Mass to ring in Christmas with Holy Communion.

Tuesday 25 December Christmas Day
10:30 Christmas Day Eucharist with English Carols

Flyer for Christmas here

We extend a special welcome to those visiting Hamburg at this time.

Happy Christmas!

Carol Service and Junior Church Nativity

Please note that this year there will be a separate service of Nine Lessons and Carols at 17:00 Saturday, 15 September.

The Junior Church Nativity will be performed as part of the Sunday Eucharist for the third Sunday in Advent at 10:30.

Everyone is most welcome at both these services.

Wanderers joining instructions for 8 Dec

Wanderers please meet outside the Hauptbahnhof Reisezentrum at 10.20 to catch the 10.50 Metro train to Lüneburg arriving at 11.22.

Please let Cicely know by Friday midday at the latest, if you are coming.

Snow is forecast for Saturday which will add to the Advent atmosphere, but do come warmly clad and with suitable footwear. No picnic lunch this time, as there will be plenty of stalls at the Weihnachtsmarkt selling tempting snacks. However, a warm drink (or a tot of something stronger?!)would be a good idea to cheer us on the walk.

Trains back to Hamburg run hourly at 28 mins past each hour.

Come Nations Sing!

Come and join the Advent singing in St. Petri Kirche 19:30 Thursday 6 December with Churches Together (ACKH). STB's Choir will be singing too!

Click here for the Flyer

A stable to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas

So the Christmas Markets are upon us again. This is a great time of year to meet up with friends for glühwein and chat.

It is also a time when the city is pretty full and you may desire to escape the crowds and find a space for a bit of peace and quiet.

We offer just such a space in STB church. A team of enthusiatic carpenters and model builders have built a real life sized stable where we invite you to enter and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas, inspired by this month's Pause for Thought.

Church of England Advent podcasts

We are now in the season of Advent. Advent marks the start of the Church calendar and traces the preparation of God's people for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

To mark this season, the Church of England offers a series of daily reflections available as a podcast which can be accessed here.

Attention Wanderers - dates

Wanderers and would be Wanderers are asked to note the following:

Saturday, 8 December We shall take the train to Lüneburg to have a walk around the town and enjoy the Weilnachtsmarkt.

Saturday, 12 January New Year's walk and annual lunch. Route and restaurant to be decided. (Suggestions welcome.)

Please note that in 2013 walks will take place on second Saturday each month.

Victorian Christmas Market

For those who did not stock up on quite enough stuff at the Church Bazaar there is another opportunity to purchase produce and handicrafts at the Victorian Christmas Market this weekend 1-2 Decmeber at the Basler Hof 12:00-18:00.

STB400 Comes to an end. Time to move on.

At the Feast of Christ the King, STB400 - the project running the 400th anniversary came to end and now we will build on the legacy helped by a new mission statement forged with much engagement and now commissioned by Bishop David.

Bishop David's Sermon is available here

STB's mission is to be 'An active and inclusive church, growing in our relationship with God and the wider community'.

Welcoming Bishop David

This weekend we welcoem Bishop David who is here to be with us for the end of the celebratory 400th anniversary year (project stb400), and to commission us for our future journey together. A new mission statement will be revealed!

At the Service for Christ the King, 10:30 25 November, Bishop David will also be confirming a number of candidates. He will be joined at the service by Archdeacon Jonathan who has kindly come down from Copenhagen.

So expect a joyful, action packed service!

So now we know 'How to be a Hamburger'!

A big thank you to Mark Lyndon for a fantastic evening on 'How to be a Hamberger', performed in front of a packed church. Mark generously donated his fee which meant the evening raised a substantial amount for the STB400 fund.
Thanks too to Pat Pledger, Business English Training, who sponsored the evening with her time in organising the event, a very successful result of many months of work.

This was a great culmination to the STB400 project which finishes on Sunday. Anyone who has been involevd is welcome to join members of the church for drinks and finger food with Bishop david on Friday evening from 19:30.

The Measure on Women Bishops is rejected.

Today, 20 November, the vote was taken at the General Synod of the Church of England on the Measure to provide the legislation to permit women bishops in the Church of England.

It was passed 44 for, 3 against and 2 absentions in the House of Bishops; passed 148 for, 45 against in the House of Clergy, but failed to secure the necessary two thirds majority in the House of Laity with 132 for, and 74 against.

STB400 coming to an end

The project which began 24 April 2010 to develop and coordinate events in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the 'English Church' in Hamburg is now coming to an end.

The last non-service event will be a performance by Mark Lyndon of his 'How to be a Hamburger' on Wednesday 21 November. This event is a complete sell out, so please note there are no tickets available on the door.

On Friday 23 November at 19:30 there is a party in church to which members of STB and outsiders who have helped with events during this anniversary year are very welcome to come and enjoy a drink and conversation with each other and with Bishop David.

On Sunday 25 November at 10:30, the Feast of Christ the King, Bishop David will preside at the Eucharist/confirmation, and commission STB for our future mission and ensure a good legacy for all that was achieved in 2012.

General Synod to vote soon on Women Bishops

As if the recent US Presidential election was not cliff hanger enough, we now have the vote in General Synod on the matter of Women Bishops.

42 out of 44 Dioceses have voted in favour of permitting women to become bishops. The debate left is only how to handle those who in good conscience can't accept this while at the sametime not making women second class bishops. This issue led to the postponement of the vote at the last meeting of the Church of England's General Synod in July

Both the current Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, and the Archbishop of Canterbury designate, Dr Justin Welby have made strong public statements asking Synod to vote through the motion as it now stands, so that the church can move on.

Supporters of this measure may be interested to register that support through the website set up by the Church Mouse Blog
Yes 2 Women Bishops.

New Archbishop of Canterbury designate

We add our prayers and good wishes to many who have welcomed the appointmend of Just Welby, Bishop of Durham to be the next Archbishop of Canterbury to succeed Dr Rowan Williams.

This can't be the job that anyone would seriously choose to do, but having been chosen it is very good news for the Anglican Communion that Bishop Justin Welby has accepted.

Further information is to be found on the Archbishop of Canterbury's
website.


There is a comment about Bishop Welby's European credentials on Bishop David's blog.

Wanderers are off again 10 November

The Wanderers are walking from Elmshorn to Barmstedt along the Krückau Hiking Trail this Saturday.

Meet outside the Reisezentrum at Altona Bf at 09.25 to catch the 09.45 train to Elmshorn arriving 10.11 in Barmstedt.

Walk is c. 12kms Well-marked paths but ground could be wet in places, so stout boots or shoes essential. Please bring a picnic lunch, as usual.
Return from Barmstedt station after K u. K at the Café Schlossgefängnis

Please let Cicely know by Friday. 9 November lunchtime if you are planning to come.

Contact: Cicely-hollingsworth(at)t-online.de; tel: 040/86 07 90; mobile 0162 635 93 98

Services this week

Tuesday 19:30 there will be a Taizé Service -
a prayer service with candles, music and silence.

On Sunday 11 November there will be a Remembrance Day Service at 10:30 followed by prayers at Ohlsdorf Commonwealth Cemetery at 12:45.

Children's evensong

There will be a special Choral Evensong with a children's choir this Saturday 27 October at 17:00.

Other services for the coming month are posted on this website - see Services page.

Confirmation classes

Confirmation classes begin Sunday 14 October 13:00-15:00 in the West room. They will run for four consecutive Sunday's and are open to anyone seeking this sacrament. Please inform the Chaplain of your interest - or just turn up.

Church Council meeting 11 October

Church Council will be meeting on Thursday at 6:30 pm this week instead of the usual Monday. There are important matters at hand and we offer our prayers of support.

Junior Church buys a herd of goats!

Today's service celebrating for the Feast of St Francis marked the end of Junior Church's fund raising project to buy two milking goats. They surpassed this goal by a long way and have raised money for 7 pairs of goats who will be able to produce lots of baby goats so there will be significantly more than 2 goats to provide fresh milk for poorer families.

This a fantastic result and bodes well for the next generation of church fund raising! (Where were these kids when stb400 started?).

Well done Junior Church.

Becket News hot off the press!

Becket News Issue 52 is hot off the press. For those who can't wait to purchase a hardcopy in church there is a sneak preview version here, also for those who live out of reach of hardcopies.

Enjoy your reading!

Don't miss STB goes African

Do come and experience Africa in Hamburg! Join us on Saturday 6 October 12:00-18:00 for a joyful multicultural African event. Drumming, Songs, Quiz, Traditional Cuisine, Dancing, Story telling and much more.

New Churchwarden

Following Deborah Ockert's resignation as churchwarden, we are pleased that Phil Zeni was duly elected unopposed last Sunday to servce as churchwarden until the next AGM.

We are very grateful to Phil for his willingness to step into this important role and offer our good wishes and prayers of support.

We are also indebted to Deborah for her enormous commitment to the church over many years and thank her for doing so much, so diligently, to support the life of our church.

A Swedish Weekend - 29-30 Sept-

This weekend we Extend a Welcome to Oscars Stämmor, the choir of Oscars Church Stockholm who will be performing
Himmelen inom (Heaven within) - a Swedish Folk Mass by Anders Nyberg. Tickets available at the door from 19:00. Concert 20:00 - ca 21:00.

The choir will be joining us for the Harvest Festival Service on Sunday at 10:30 which will include a baptism.

The Anglican church and the Church of Sweden are in communion with each other through the Porvoo Agreement.

Choral Evensong with President of the Mothers' Union

On Sunday, 23 September at 17:00 there will be Choral Evensong at which we are privileged to have the President of the Mothers' Union, Rosemary Kempsell, as preacher. There also will be another chance to hear the Embassy Singers.
Do join us.

Embassy Singers from Berlin

This Saturday, 22 September at 20:00, there will be a concert given by the Embassy Singers from Berlin entitled appropriately for this year Jubilee: Royal Music Across the Centuries.
Tickets are available at 10/15/25€ at the door or in advance at the usual concert ticket distributors.
We Extend a warm welcome to our friends from Berlin who will also be singing at Choral Evensong on Sunday 23 September at 17:00.

Nearly 1000 visitors!

Just under 1000 people visited the church building on Nacht der Kirchen to enjoy a varied programme that culminated in the Lord's Prayer being spoken in many languages.

Our thanks to everyone for coming and for all helpers who made this event such a success, and particularly to Debbie who coordinated it all!

Nacht der Kirchen - Night of the Churches

On Saturday 15 September, Hamburg's churches will collectively be opening the doors to visitors with a varied programme of events. STB is among them. Do join us from 16:00 for a Choral afternoon with guests from the acappellica festival (Gospolitans, Vokalexpress, Monday Monday). Then at 19:00 there will be a Choral Evensong. For the full programme which runs until midnight, click here.

Services for September - October

Services for September and October are to be found on the Services page. Harvest Festival will be on 30 September when we will be joined by Oscars Stämmor choir from Oscar's church Stockholm. The series of Choral Evensong continues. We will have a Evensong with the President of the Mothers' Union preaching on 23 September.
And don't miss Nacht der Kirchen with Choral Evensong 15 September.
Do come and join us!

STB goes Indian this Saturday!

Another Extending a Welcome event.1 September 16:00-20:00 STB will be in Bollywoood mood! Don't miss the Indian experience. Entrance 10€ per person includes delicious Indian food.

Click here for a flyer.

Choral Evensong with Hamburger Bachchor St. Petri

Saturday 25 Augist 17:00-18:00 STB is honoured to have the Hamburger Bachchor St. Petri as guest choir for Choral Evensong. The choir conducted by Thomas Dahl has for over 15 years built up reportoire of Anglican music through collaboration with Geoffrey Holroyde, previously Choirmaster of Chapter House Choir, Coventry Cathedral. Please do come and join this Choral Evensong, one of the absolute joys of the Anglican tradition.

A busy weekend in Hamburg

This weekend will be especially busy in Hamburg with a cycling event and Cruise Days expected to draw in some 1,5 million visitors!! We hope that some of these will find there way to church on Sunday. Regulars are advised to set off early!

A summer wander with the Wanderers

The Wanderers keep on wandering. This Saturday's walk, 18 August, is from Sülldorf to Holm via Klövensteen, Butterbargsmoor and Holmer Sandbergen approx. 13 kms.

Meet at the exit from Sülldorf S1 station at 10.35. The train dep. Hamburg Hbf (Richtung Wedel) at 9.59 arrives Sülldorf at 10.31. (dep Stadthausbrücke 10.03, Altona 10.12 and Blankenese 10.26)

Please remember that the trains as far as Sülldorf run every 20 mins only!! Those coming by car should make sure they have time to find a parking place. We would like to srart promptly.

Bring a picnic lunch and wear stout walking shoes or boots. Some paths may possibly be muddy. K u. K either in Holm or Wedel according to what time we finish the walk. We shall catch the 589 bus from Holm to Wedel but this runs once an hour only. S1 from Wedel back to Hamburg.

Please let Cicely know by Friday evening, 17 August at the latest, if you plan to come.
Contact tel: 040/86 07 90; mobile 0162 635 93 98 ; Cicely-hollingsworth@t-online.de

You never know, the sun might shine!

STB at British Flair 2012

St Thomas Becket Church will be present at British Flair. Do come along and meet some of us and then enjoy this great celebration of Britishness in Hamburg. Great chance to throw a wellie!
Further details can be found here

London 2012 Olympic Games

The 2012 London Olympic Games commence today.

We wish all who are taking part as sportsmen and women, judges and spectators a great festival of sport.

A prayer from Eurobishop Blog:

Eternal God, Giver of joy and source of all strength,
we pray for those who participate in the London Olympic and Paralympic games.
For the competitors and their loved ones, For the many thousands who support them,
and for those who welcome many people from many nations.
In a world where many are rejected and abused,
we pray for a spirit of tolerance and acceptance, of humility and respect and for the health and safety of all.
May we at the last be led towards the love of Christ who is more than gold, today and forever. Amen

Wishing everyone a lot of fun!

Picnic in the park with the Wanderers!

Saturday 21 July the Wanderers are taking a walk around Stadtpark.

Meet at the Altona Bhf bus station at the metro 20/25 stop at 10.30 am to travel to Winterhuder Marktplatz, arriving shortly after 11.00 am. Tha Stadtpark is only a few mins walk. Alternatively, if it is more convenient go directly to Winterhuder Marktplatz and join the group there(bus 109 also stops there).

The plan is to have a shared picnic lunch, but no-one needs to cater for the entire group!! Have clothes for all weather conditions!

Please let Cicely know by Friday evening if cou are coming: Cicely-hollingsworth (at) t-online.de; 049/86 07 90 ; mobile no. 0182 635 93 98

'The Voice of God' on BBC Radio 4

Spotted on the ABC's website, a BBC Radio 4 Programme by pop-star turned priest Richard Cole on 'The Voice of God'. No, this is not the BBC getting above itself, but an exploration of the way God speaks to us depicted within literature, theatre, music and film, and within sacred texts.

If you are quick you can still listen to it on the
Radio 4 website.

Open Church on Saturday 7 July

The church will be open this Saturday afternoon as part of the activities to 'Extend a Welcome' and provide an opportunity just to pop in and have a look round.
WELCOME!

New Bishop’s Advisor for Healing & Deliverance Ministry

As announced on Bishop David's Blog, The Revd Matthew Jones, the Chaplain of St Thomas Becket Church, has been appointed the Bishop’s Advisor for Healing & Deliverance Ministry.

This is a very special and demanding ministry for which we offer Fr Matthew our prayers and good wishes.

Summer reading has arrived - Becket News latest!

Our intrepid Becket News editor has pulled off another miracle and produced yet another action packed Golden-plus-one edition of our parish magazine!

Wishing readers a very good summer, and gute Lektüre!

The never ending debate on women bishops

Well if you are interested in an opinion before the crucial Synod vote, the Church Times has a Leader on the matter.

Services for July - August posted

On the Services page you will find the services for July - August. We hope if you are visiting Hamburg for business or holiday over the summer, you will feel welcome. There is an opportunity to visit the church 7 July when we have 'Open Church'.

Bishop David's new role

The Archbishop of Canterbury has named the Right Reverend David Hamid, Suffragan Bishop in the Diocese in Europe, as the Anglican Co-Chair of the International Anglican Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission (IARCCUM).
This is an important role for developing relations with the Roman Catholic Church taht has been vacant for some time. We and we wish Bishop David every success in this challenging capacity.
Read article on the Diocese in Europe website.

Ordinations in the Diocese of Europe

Bishop David Hamid asks for our prayers for these candidates in preparation for their ordination: The Revd Jennifer Elliott de Riverol and Revd Nigel Thomas to be ordained as priests on 30 June. Mrs Dana English, Dr Mary Styles and Ms Verna Veritie to be ordained as deacons on 01 July.

Book Launch Exclusive-STB Cook book

Our Chaplain has pointed out that much of Jesus ministry involved food and wine. So appropriately Irene and Eileen have been gathering favourite recipes from members of the congregation and associates to produce a magnificent 400th Anniversary Cook Book. It costs just 10 euros and will be a sell out. The money earned will go towards the 400th anniversary fund.

A big thanks to Irene and Eileen for taking the initiative on this.

Wandering 8 June

The Wanderers are off on a walk from Aumühle to Bergedorf along a favourite route, length about 13 km for full walk. Those wishing a shorter walk can return by train from Reinbek after the picnic lunch, but you will then miss K. und K. at the Schlosscafé in Bergedorf!

If you would like to join the walk, please meet on the S21 platform at Hamburg Hbf at the bottom of the steps leading down from the Kirchenallee - Mönckebergstr. end (i.e. not the Wandelhalle end), to catch the 10.24 train (direction Aumühle). This arrives at Bergedorf at 10.45 and at Aumühle at 10.56.

Please let Cicely know by the evening of Friday, 8 June, if you are planning to come. Tel: 040/86 07 90 mobile: 0162 635 93 98

Making headlines on the Diocesan Website

The new Diocese in Europe website looks good and has very well written reports from around the Dicocese, including one about our celebration of the HM Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
HM Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Kristi Himmelfartsdag-Ascension Day

There will be a joint Ascension Day service with the Swedish Church in Hamburg at 10:30 in church.
Every one is welcome. Alla är hjärtlig välkomna!

This week 6-12 May

Lots happening this week, folks...

Bible study group continues at the Chaplain's flat on Wednesday 9 May 19:00.

Hafengeburtstag ecumenical opening service in St. Michaelis 11 May at 13:00. Our Chaplain and Renu will be taking part.

Later that day you can join Stuart for the guided walk In the Footsteps of the Merchant Adventurers you missed last Saturday! Meet at 19:00 in front of Gröninger Brewery, Willy-Brandt-Str- 47. PLEASE REGISTER ON WWW.STBECKET400.DE FOR THIS IF YOU CAN

Hafengeburtstag 11-13 May!Our Church will be open 12 May 10:00-16:00.

And later that evening, 12 May 20:00 a concert of Traditional and Baroque music of the British Isles will be held in church. Tickets will be available at the door.

'Extraordinary' walk in the footsteps of the Merchant Advneturers

As the Treasurer has billed it - this extraordinary, i.e. inaugral walk 'In the footsteps of the Merchant Adventurers' will take place this Saturday 5 May 15:00-17:00.

We trace on foot a number British people who have left their mark in the development of Hamburg, from the foundation of the English Church in 1612, through architecture and engineering to media and music of the 20th century.

Meet: at 15:00 in front of the Gröninger Brewery, Willy-Brandt-Straße 47.

Honoring St Thomas Becket

A special service of 'ninth hour' or None Prayers will said this Thursday 3 May at 19:30 in church. The service is in harmony with prayers conducted at Merton Priory, England where our patron Saint Thomas Becket was trained.

Do come along and join this special tradition.

New look Diocesan website!

Your webmaster was very pleased to see that after many years of campaigning, the Diocesan website has had a facelift. Now much more visually appealing, easy to use, and informative - check it out yourself
here.

400 years Anglican Church Broadcast 1 May

Susanne Gommert of NDR Info has been taking an interest in our church. Her radio programme 'Wo sich fremde Welten treffen: 400 Jahre Englische Gemeinde in Hamburg (Where Foreign Worlds Meet 400 years of the English congregation in Hamburg) will be broadcast on NDR Info, 92.3 MHz or Kabel 94.05 01 May, Program "Lebenswelten", at 06:05 and repeated at 17:05.
It stars some people church regulars may know!

Click here for Programme info.

Service times for May -June Posted

Please click on 'Service' page for services times for May - June. A flyer is available here.

Highlights include Choral Evensong, a Taizé service, and a joint Ascension Day service with the Swedish Church.

Bible Study Course commencing 2 May

The Lent Bible Study was such a hit that there is a core group who have pestered the Chaplain to continue! All those who would like to join regularly or occasionally are welcome. Kick-off for the Bible Study group is Wednesday 2 May, 19:30 in the Chaplain's flat (Englische Planke 1A). Please bring your own Bible.

Don't get caught up in the Marathon

Sunday 29th April is Marathon Day in Hamburg. Please don't let this deter you from coming to church, but make allowances for traffic disruption.

STB400 Video online

A video summary based around the Service of Thanksgiving is available on www.stbecket400.de. Please look in video section for other webcasts.

ABC's Holy Week Lectures on St Paul

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, 2012 Holy Week lectures at Canterbury Cathedral are on the theme 'St Paul: the Man and his Letters'.

Outstanding listening that can be accessed here.

Spring Cleaning

All hands on deck please!
Renu is calling all willing scrubbers to join the happy band 12:00-15:00, Saturday 7 April to help make the church look its best for Easter.
Please come along if you can!

New Pause for Thought for Palm Sunday

Sunday, 1 April is Palm Sunday the start of Holy Week, which begins with the enactment of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, only days later to find himself arrested and facing an agonising death. And there is the really interesting part... Easter!

Everyone is welcome to join in the drama of the week through the series of services noted above.

And to get you thinking, there is a new Pause for Thought - A question of loyalty?

Golden Edition of Becket News!

'Just as the golden daffodils are blooming and spring is in the air, so the golden edition of the Becket News is published. Yes we have edition 50, a golden anniversary for our church anniversary year!'

So writes the editor BN editor in poetic mode! And it is a truly golden edition.

The editor and contributors hope you enjoy the read, as much as we in Hamburg are enjoying the 400th anniversary celebrations to date.

Please also take the chance and use the STB400 Memories page to leave a message or memory, it can be your way of joining in the celebration.

Trials, trust and sandwiches - a thought for Lent

A new Pause for Thought has been posted!

Archbishop of Canterbury is stepping down

Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams has announced he is to stand down in December. He will take the position of Master of Magdalene College at the University of Cambridge from January 2013.

Becket News Deadline Looms!

Sunday 18th March is the deadline for your contributions for the 50th (Golden?) Edition of Becket News! Please don't keep the editor in suspense, though. Please get the articles in early. There is an awful lot to report, so may even be competition for space!

Calling all Wanderers - next walk 10 March

Hard on the heels of the last walk, the Wanderers are off again: Ohlstedt to Ahrensburg West this coming Saturday, 10 March.

Meet at the exit from Ohlstedt U1 Bahnhof at 11.00 am . The 10.13 train leaving from the U1 platform at Jungfernstieg arrives at Ohlstedt at 10.53.
The length of the walk is approx. 9kms.

As usual, please bring a picnic lunch. We shall have an opportunity for Kaffee und Kuchen at the end of the walk.

Please let Cicely know by Friday, 9 March if you are planning to come and also how you intend to travel to Ohlstedt.

Join the choir for Stainer's Crucifixion

On the Saturday before Palm Sunday 31 March 2012 John Stainer's Passion oratorium "The Crucifixion“ composed in 1887 will be performed at STB.

Anyone with some experience of choir singing is welcome to join the special choir rehearsals for this to be held 24 and 25 March as well as a dress rehearsal the evening prior to the concert.

This is a not-to-be-missed opportunity to sing a great piece of popular Victorian Anglican music together with soloists Pit Zorn (Tenor) and Lukas Dittmann (Bass) with STB's organist Jochim Trede under the direction of Choir Director Yotin Tiewtrakul.

Please contact Choir director Yotin Tiewtrakul (cantor (at) ansverus-haus.de) if you are interested in joining.

The concert is free, though a donation to the STB400 fund would be welcome.

ACHK International ecumenical service 2 March

There will be a ecumenical service following a Malayan liturgy to be held 18:00 on Friday 2 March in the St. Petri Kirche.

Lenten Course - Handing on the Torch

There has been a very promising response with many people signing up for the Lent course - now do make sure you show up!

For those who consider themselves of more mature years, the group will meet at the Chaplain's flat 19:30 Wednesday 29 February. For those still young, the group will meet 19:30 on Friday 2 March. If you are unsure as to your age category, please contact the Chaplain. About 30 books have been ordered!

A grand old lady pulls rank!

Well here we are celebrating 400 years of and Anglican church presence in Hamburg, while the lady behind the altar claims another 100 years!

Raphaels iconic Sistine Madonna, a copy of which is behind the altar in St Thomas Becket Church, is 500 years old. To celebrate this, a major anniversary exhibition is being held in the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Semper Building at the Zwinger Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden. The exhibition runs from 26. 5. – 26. 8. 2012 Tues – Sun 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.. Further information can be found here (scroll down for a link to PDF in English).

The Great Debate!

Finally it happened: two former Oxford professors got together to discuss a few differences of opinion, but also perhaps counter to expectations, many views in common.

Richard Dawkins and Rowan Williams discussed "The nature of human beings and the question of their ultimate origin" in a dialogue chaired by Sir Anthony Kenny at Oxford University 23 February. A rather donnish affair, that begins with Richard Dawkins admitting to singing a hymn in the shower....

Highly recommended though lengthy viewing here.

Services for March April

After all the excitement of the past weeks, it is now time to shift gear and concentrate on the season of Lent.
To help focus your thoughts during this special season there are not only the usual Sunday services, but a special Evensong performance of John Stainer's Crucifixion.

Details of all services can be found on the Services page of the website and on this flyer.

It is now Lent

It is now Lent folks. So time for that spiritual spring cleaning. Bishop David's Blog has some good advice.

To see what is coming up at the end take a look at the Services page for details of services in Holy Week!

Wishing all readers a blessed Lent

Thanksgiving!

A thanks to all who joined us from near and far for the Thanksgiving Service on Saturday. Please refer to the STB400 website for texts and videos of the service.

Bishop Geoffrey's Sermon at the Eucharist with Norbert's confirmation, 19 February 2012 can be accessed here

New look Diocesan Review

Ever wondered about the Diocese in Europe? A new look Annual Review was launched at the General Synod recently and can be accessed here.

Simon Gill RIP

It is with sadness we report the recent unexpected death of Simon Gill whose pioneering missionary work in Palawan in the Philippines we have supported with prayers and information on this website.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time.

No wandering off 11 Feb

Due to the first of the new 400th anniversary Choral Evensong being held Saturday, 11 February 17:00, the Wanderers walk planned for that day is postponed. Cicely would like to know if there are any takers for doing the Altona to Blankenese walk on Saturday 25 February instead. Please get in touch!

Another chance to join the experience of performing John Stainer’s “The Crucifixion”

"God so loved the world …”

We are going to perform John Stainer’s “The Crucifixion” on the Saturday before Palm Sunday. “The Crucifixion” tells the story of Christ’s suffering and death with amazingly beautiful music set for two soloists, choir and organ. Since its first performance in 1887 it has become a much-loved piece of church music of the Victorian period.

The Choir Director warmly invites you to join the experience! Details of rehearsals are on the Music page under Activities and HERE!

This week

Choir practice on Tuesday, 24 January, at 18:30 h in church.

Mothers’ Union meets on Thursday, 26 January, with Erika Anders and Father Matthew.

Fellowship group meets on Friday, 27 January. Please speak to Cicely if you wish to join.

St Nikolai Memorial 27 January

There will be a special service in commemoration of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp on Friday, 27 January at 18:00 . The service starts at St Michaelis church, then proceeds to the Nikolai Memorial.

Choir members sought

The choir is playing a key role in the 400th anniversary celebrations including singing at the Thanksgiving Service 18 February. Many special events are planned, such as a repeat of the John Stainer's 'The Crucifixion' project. For more details please see the Music page under activities.

Do come along - rehearsals are every other Tuesday 18:30-20:00.
Forthcoming dates:

• Tuesday, 24th January
• Tuesday, 7th February
Tuesday, 14th February

Ministry Weekend in Berlin

St George’s Anglican Church in Berlin is offering a 2-day workshop from 2 to 3 March on “Listening for Life”. For details and registration, see the notice board in church.

St Ansgar Vesper in the St Petri Kirche

The annual Arbeitsgemeinschaft Kristliche Kirche in Hamburg (ACHK) St Ansgar Vespers is this year honouring our church tradition!

A very nice birthday present and we hope that many readers of this website will attend 19:00 3rd February. Further details are in the invitation letter HERE!

New Season Start - the Wanderers are off!

Right, time to put New Year resolution into practice...

The first chance of some exercise with the Wanderers is Saturday, 14, January 2012.
Volksdorf to Poppenbüttel with New Year’s lunch at the Gaststätt Alte Mühle Length approx. 9 kms. (5kms to the Alte Mühle and then 4kms to Poppenbüttel). Anyone not wishing to walk the whole way can catch the 276 bus to Poppenbüttel after lunch.
Meet on the U1 platform (direction Grosshansdorf) at the Jungfernstieg at 10.45 a.m..

Please wear warm clothes and suitable footwear – it will probably be wet underfoot in places. Terrain - mostly level past ponds and meadows (Teichwiesen ) and along woodland paths.)

Important! Please let Cicely know (tel. 040/860790) by Wednesday, 11 January, if you plan to come.

Happy New Year

Please click on Pause for Thought for a New Year Message from the Chaplian.