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.