St Catherine's Stuttgart Hosts Visitors from LWF Assembly


A mixed group of Anglicans and Lutherans, delegates and guests at the Lutheran World Federation Assembly in Stuttgart, descended on our own St Catherine's Church for the eucharist on Sunday 25 July. Close to 1000 people are at the Assembly and they were free to visit local congregations in the vicinity for Sunday worship. Naturally most were hosted by Lutheran parishes. It was good that our own Anglican parish could welcome a delegation. Even though our congregation is temporarily meeting in the Leonardskirche while renovations are being carried out to St Catherine's Church itself, the usual warm welcome awaited us, as well as cake and refreshments in the parish centre afterwards. The delegation remarked to me afterwards how much they felt at home in our very multinational and multicultural parish.

Pictured above from left to right: The Revd Dr David Pfrimmer (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada), Ms Inge Marie Nordstrand (Church of Norway), Fr Michael Naidu (St Catherine's), Fr Ken Dimmick (St Catheriine's), Bishop Trevor Mwamba (Botswana), and Deacon Ulf Kundler (Church of Sweden).

Dr Pfrimmer is an old friend. Close to 25 years ago we worked together in Canada on the Inter-church Committee on Human Rights in Latin America. He now teaches Ethics at Waterloo Lutheran Seminary. Inge Marie is probably the Assembly delegate from the point furthest north on the globe. She lives in Tromsø, and is also a representative of the Sami community within the Church of Norway. Deacon Ulf is known to many in our diocese as he was formerly the chaplain to the Bishop of Visby, our companion diocese. He now lives in Stockholm. Bishop Trevor is a member of the Anglican-Lutheran International Commission. (He also appears in Alexander McCall Smith's No.1 Ladies Detective Agency Series and in the BBC TV programmes based on the books). He lives in Gabarone.

In the picture below is also the Revd Canon Alyson Barnett-Cowan (in blue), the Director of Unity, Faith and Order of the Anglican Communion with former St Catherine's Churchwarden John Thomson pointing out some sights in the city.



There was one other official Anglican guest at the Assembly, Archbishop Fred Hiltz, the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, who had already returned home, but is pictured below right in the photo of the 4 Anglican guests. Archbishop Hiltz is the Co-chairman of the Anglican-Lutheran International Commission.



Enhanced by Zemanta

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Farewell to the Diocese in Europe

Image
Deacon Frances and I packed up our office yesterday and turned over our official files, emails and equipment. Thus a close working together for 22 years comes to an end. So it is hard to believe that today, St David's day, a new chapter begins, after 44 years of stipendiary ministry, 22 years as deacon then priest and 22 as a bishop.  Here are just a few memories from the last couple of months...   But now it is time to begin a new chapter.  O God, by whose command the order of time runs its course: forgive our impatience, perfect our faith and, while we await the fulfilment of your promise, grant us to have a good hope because of your Word,  even Jesus Christ our Lord. (St Gregory Nazianzus, 330 - 390)
Read more

Canon Frances Hiller

Image
Most people in this diocese know Frances Hiller. Deacon Frances has served as my chaplain since 11 November 2002! She is a member of the Diocesan Ministry Team, the Bishop’s Senior Staff, advises at many levels across the diocese, manages my office, my diary, and much of my correspondence, prepares my liturgical celebrations and generally helps to keep me sane. Last Wednesday she was collated as a canon of our Cathedral Chapter, with the stall of Our Lady of Europe. Congratulations to Canon Deacon Frances Hiller! 
Read more

4 New Bishops for the Polish Catholic Church (Union of Utrecht)

Image
  History was made today for the Union of Utrecht, the Old Catholic Communion of Churches, with which the Churches of the Anglican Communion are in full communion. The Polish member of the Union of Utrecht is called the Polish Catholic Church. It consists of three dioceses at present, but with the death of the late Bishop W iktor   Wysoczański earlier this year, there were no bishops remaining. A synod this summer elected 4 to fill the three dioceses and provide an auxiliary for Warsaw as well. So today, the 4 new bishops were consecrated, the first time for such a multiple consecration in an Old Catholic Church. It also marks the beginning an entirely new chapter in the life of the Polish Catholic Church. Bishop Dick Schoon The service, slightly over 3 hours in length, was presided by Bishop Dick Schoon, the Bishop of Haarlem, assisted by Bishop Pavel Stránský of the Czech Old Catholic Church, and Bishop John Okoro, Bishop Emeritus of the Old Catholic Church of Austria. Archbishop Be
Read more