You can read Father Leslie’s Christmas Letter here (click to enlarge):
Category: Uncategorized
Virtual Choir Carols
Please enjoy these offerings from three of our singing groups in our parish.
The first of these offerings is an alternative version of the English folk carol “Truth from Above”. I made an arrangement in the style of the Sacred Harp singing tradition. Only two verses are presented here and in carol services also only a selection of verses are performed. So it is worth reading through all the eleven verses here: This is the truth sent from above (lyrics).
For these sound files singers had to make a recording of their part at home. They were afterwards edited and put together. Thanks to everyone from the Anglican Choir who contributed with their part of the classic “O little town of Bethlehem”.
Thank you also to the members of the Anglican Consort who perform this lovely carol where a truly extensive list of flowers are presented.
Christmas Message from the Bishop
“Christmas will be simpler this year. And for many it will be sadder,” writes our Bishop, The Right Reverend Dr Robert Innes, in his Christmas Message 2020. He continues, a “well-known … carol speaks to us about ‘tidings of comfort and joy’. In 2020 we need to hear these tidings. For Christmas is at heart the story of a God who draws near to us in Jesus, sharing the sorrows and joys of human experience … He is ‘Immanuel’ – the God who is with us.” You can read his message in full here.
Services to Epiphany
The 10:30 Services on 27 December and 3 January will be Morning Prayer led by Susanne.
Junior Church on 4th Advent
Announcement of new Chaplain
The Anglican Church of St Thomas à Becket in Hamburg is pleased to announce that its next Chaplain will be Revd Jules A. Barnes, currently priest in charge of St Margaret’s Warnham in the Diocese of Chichester in England. We expect Jules to join the chaplaincy in March 2021.
Before moving to Warnham, Jules was Chaplain to the Bishop of Bristol and a minor Canon at Bristol Cathedral, with a range of diocesan involvements. She started her ordained ministry ten years ago, in Wilton, Salisbury.
Jules brings with her a breadth of pre-ordination work experience, too, having worked in contexts from the London Stock Exchange to easyJet and from NHS project management to media and family history research. Her initial university was Durham, where she read music as an undergraduate. This was followed by an MBA and then later, when her calling to ordained ministry was discerned, she studied theology at the Cuddesdon College, University of Oxford.
‘I can’t wait to move to Hamburg and to take up my new role as Chaplain to St Thomas à Becket Anglican church,’ she says. ‘I look forward to getting to know you all, and the city, and to our future mission and ministry together. I want the church to be a sign of hope, that deals in abundance of life, and welcomes all who come there.’
From the Churchwardens and Chaplaincy Council
Download a PDF of this announcement
Handicrafts go on sale
The St Thomas Handicrafters (and friends) have been hard at work over the summer and have a lovely selection of handicrafts this year for you. This year the offering includes the usual jewellery and scarves, but there are also wrist warmers, hot water bottle covers, and lots of other wonderful things.
You can virtually peruse the Handicrafts Stall and reserve items here: https://forms.gle/Aaxg9USMseTTxJFu7
New items will be added as additional contributions come in, so it’s worth checking back in occasionally.
Once you have had your selection confirmed, and have transferred payment to the church account, then you can either pick-up your selection at church on a Sunday or have it posted to you.
Any questions please contact: handicrafts@anglican-church-hamburg.de
New European Anglicans out
A new edition of “European Anglicans”, the Diocese in Europe magazine, has just been published, with news and views from around the diocese. You can read it online or download it here.
Bazaar/mini-market cancelled – order your produce by mail
Under the present pandemic circumstances, it has unfortunately become clear that holding a mini-market in place of the traditional Christmas bazaar on 21 November is not feasible, as it would not only expose stall-holders and visitors to possible risk of infection, but also entails too many risk mitigation measures to be practical, since Christmas markets across the country have been banned. Therefore the Chaplaincy Council has taken their decision not to go ahead with this in line with many other organisations.
However, all is not lost. British products such as tea, English biscuits, Christmas crackers and puddings, home-made jams, marmalade and chutneys, the renowned recycled Christmas cards, mince pies and Christmas cookies, handicrafts and books, can be ordered by sending a mail to bazaar@anglican-church-hamburg.de and the order picked up after the Sunday service from 12:00–13:00. The preference is for products to be ordered in advance to avoid long queues. However, these products will also be sold on small stalls every Sunday until Christmas from 12.00–13.00.
An order form with information about products available and how to order and pay for them can be found here. Please see separate information regarding online ordering of Christmas cards.Please see separate information regarding online ordering of Christmas cards.