HOLIDAY GREETINGS
The holiday season is with us and at the time of writing I am wilting in the heat at the desk of my friend, Revd Gunter Bareis, in the parish of Lauffen am Neckar in Germany. Many of you will remember Gunter and the young people from his previous parish of Heubach from their visit to us in October 2006. Since then, Gunter has moved to a bigger parish of the Evangelische Kirche ("Evangelische" literally means Protestant but in English we call it the "Lutheran Church"). Last Sunday I preached at the imposing Regiswindiskirche (with Gunter translating from notes that Nicola Hoch prepared). Most people here, especially those who are younger than me, speak good English and many were excited to hear an English-speaking preacher! Lauffen am Neckar is in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. On Saturday, while Gunter officiates at a big wedding, Michael and I will visit Katharina Brand (Katrina) at Würzburg in Bavaria before heading south on Monday for Toffen in Switzerland, where Willy and Katharina Niklaus live. After a few days there we will cross the border back into Germany to visit Nicola and her family at Gottenheim which is near Freiburg, in the south-west corner of Germany, again in the state of Baden-Württemberg.
My contact with Christians in Germany began in 1981 with a college exchange for one week from Wesley College Bristol to the Evangelische-Methodistiche Kirche Hochschule in Reutlingen. It was at the Methodist College for German-speaking ministers in training that I first met my friends Klaus Ulrich Ruof and Willy Niklaus. As Reutlingen is only just over an hour away by train we took the opportunity to visit the town and, after taking a while to get my bearings after 29 years, I was able to find the college and met a few of the current students. As I was reflecting on the years, I was sad that the recent Methodist Conference at Portsmouth (2010) decided to close Wesley College, Bristol, bringing to an end 168 years of Methodist ministerial training but the decision, largely forced upon the Conference, reflects the current situation of the Methodist Church in Great Britain. Reutlingen is not far from the famous university town of Tübingen and here, a little tired and very hot from our journey, quite "by chance" we found the Methodist Church with the door open. Bumping into Seniorenkreis (an afternoon gathering for retired people), we were entertained to pretzels, cake and a most welcome drink. Earlier in our stay in Germany, I was able to catch up with Klaus Ulrich and Cornelia Ruof at the home of their daughter, Melanie, who now lives near Stuttgart, again not far from Lauffen.
Our association with Germany is shortly going to be strengthened through our daughter, Fiona, who in September will be joining a mission project for one year with the Methodist Church at Chemnitz in Saxony (part of the former East Germany). Fiona will be able to contribute her considerable musical and artistic gifts to the project (not a bad achievement when they originally asked for someone who was good at sport) and hopes to be able to share her faith with the young people with whom she will be working. Although her friends, Nicola, Katharina (Katrina) and Anna Bareis live on the other side of the country, she will already have some friends in Germany and no doubt will soon make many more. We will miss the contribution that Fiona has made to music in the church here but wish her God's blessing as she takes her gap year.
WELCOME
As many of you will know our friends, Nigel and Esther Graham, have been prayerfully considering how they might best serve God now that they have taken early retirement
from teaching. Nigel and Esther feel that God is calling them to work with us in Millbrook
as much as they are able in view of their various family commitments and, to that end, have bought a small cottage in New Street. Although we have known them as a church community over the past four years it will take them a while to settle into being part of the church community rather than being visitors. Nigel will be helping us work towards Back to Church Sunday in September and if you feel that you would like to help with that then please speak to Nigel.
A SUPERB EFFORT AND A GREAT DAY
A really big "thank you" to everyone who took part in our belated spring clean which meant that our buildings and gardens were in good shape for our gift day and special weekend with the Saturday concert with two visiting choirs, the Tintagel Orpheus Male Voice Choir and the Torpoint Lady Singers, and our special Sunday evening service with tea beforehand and supper after (not an event for the calorie-conscious I should add). The problems I have had with my right shoulder prevented me from sharing fully in the spring cleaning but it was a pleasure to organise (not make) the pasties and ice creams. Thinking that swimming at Cawsand might be therapeutic, we headed for Cawsand and although the water could be best described as "absolutely freezing" I did have a really good conversation with a young man who is hoping to move into the family with his wife and toddler. I assured them of a warm welcome at Millbrook Methodist Church and as we were in the water, anywhere with a warm welcome sounded really good.
As another church year draws to a close, I am grateful to all the members and friends at Millbrook who work hard throughout the year and especially to my friend and colleague Andrew Earl who has made a very valuable contribution to our pastoral work and has kindly agreed to work with us again in the coming church year - something I know is greatly appreciated. The church stewards and Sheila also ensure our pastoral care is well-organised.
The welcome we extend to visitors from far and near continues to be an important part of our work. Julie Birkett asked me to thank everyone for the greetings sent on her ordination at Wells Cathedral as deacon in the Church of England. Arnot Bridges is delighted to renew fellowship with us at Millbrook and looks forward to being with us for the Meal with a Message at Friary Manor (Thursday 29 July - see separate leaflet) and for the evening service on the Sunday following (1 August at 6.00 pm). If you can help with tea before that evening service please can you speak to Mary or to Sue as we have a few visitors from North Cornwall who are hoping to come and might be joined by yet more visitors from Youth with a Mission who are working with Cawsand Congregational Church.
As temperatures here this week have exceeded 100 degrees F, it is hard to imagine the wind and rain that you are currently experiencing. However, whether you are going away to sunnier climates, remaining within the British Isles or staying locally, we are blessed to live in a lovely part of the world and I hope that you are able to enjoy the summer season and return to routine refreshed and encouraged.
God bless,
