It has been a busy summer with visits from our partner churches in the Evangelische Kirche in Mitteldeutschland (EKM) taking place and the promise of yet another youth visit later this month.
July saw a visit to Malvern from Wolmirstedt celebrating 30 years of partnership, August a visit to Kroppenstedt et al from East Vale and Avon Villages.
Wolmiststedt visit to Malvern: 3 to 6 July
Christine Wells on behalf of Wolmirstedt Planning Group writes:
"It was a joy to welcome nine members of St Katharina’s, our Partnership Church in Wolmirstedt, in the EKM, for four full and very happy days together from 3 to 6 July. For Pfarrerin Ute Kopp and four of our guests this was their first visit to Malvern; for the other four the visit renewed precious friendships begun in 1996.
Many Priory members helped to share in the welcome. They accommodated overnight guests or hosted a meal; they drove guests to Worcester Cathedral and a walk by the river, or to the Elgar Birthplace; they joined in an evening of games, supper and singing; they shared in a coach outing to Stratford on Avon.
Despite our different languages there was much talk and laughter as we felt the bond of our common, shared faith.
Pastor Ute and the two youngest guests assisted in the distribution of Holy Communion on Sunday morning. Each visitor was given a wooden cross crafted from the oak joists of the Priory’s old flooring.
Pastor Ute said: "It is a great joy for us to be here today… We feel deeply connected to you through our shared faith, through many personal encounters and through the living relationship between our congregations. …Such partnerships are a precious sign of hope’. Ute then presented the Priory with a hand-carved figure of St Catherine as a symbol of ‘clarity and faith, courageous actions and deep connections across time and borders."
Hosts, helpers, supporters and all interested in the Partnership are invited to enjoy a photo montage of the visit over Kaffee and Kuchen in the Lyttelton Rooms on Saturday 18 October from 4 – 6 pm.
East Vale and Avon Villages visit to Kroppenstedt group 14 to 18 August
Alex Christison writes:
"Five of us travelled to the Halberstadt Ost area in Germany for a long weekend. An early start to fly with Lufthansa from Birmingham to Leipzig via Frankfurt, then a short drive to Wegeleben where we met with our partnership friends for a welcome meal then off to our hosts for the night.
On the Friday we visited the monastery church of Marienstuhl in Egeln for a guided tour and to listen to the organ in this wonderful example of a baroque building now largely used for concerts. We were shown antique vestments and ornate silverware from the monasteries collection.
This was followed by lunch in the Pastor House in Kroppenstedt and a visit to the local museum, and a walk round the village to see the house of George Muller and the Free Cross in the market square by the town hall.
It was then all aboard the Kremserfahrt mit tractor for a tour round Kroppenstedt and the fields beyond arriving at the hunting club Jagerklause where the members entertained us to hunting horn playing. We then sat down for a with BBQ of venison, wild boar, German sausage and burgers.
Saturday we spent with our hosts and some went to village festivals others to an aircraft museum. In the evening we all rendezvoused for a BBQ in Emersleben at Klaus & Elke’s house and sat out in the garden having a good social time with our hosts.
Sunday was a quiet morning and at 3.00pm we met for a Eucharist service at Heteborn Dorfkirche at which as usual the Gospel was read in both languages and the Revd Jo Fielding assisted with administering of Communion. At the end of the service we presented our gift of an Easter diorama made by Richard Styles and to our surprise were given a small gift each.
Outside the church we said our farewells as this marked the end of official part of the visit and on Monday very early we started our journey home. A visit to England is planned for July next year."
