#thoughtforthisweek
Calling all not-so-little peeps @ our church…….
While it is so so cute to have the Sunday School gather round the altar at most communions these days (in part to enable their parents to worship, in part to help them see what is going on and feel part of it), ‘Where’ I ask myself ‘are the not-so-little members of our church family ?’
If in September you will be in 5. – 8. Klasse then here is an invitation for you to join in some events and activities where you will not be expected to be cute. Have a chat with parents because they may need to give you lifts – practical details are yet to be sorted but I am thinking ONE Sunday attendance a month and ONE midweek event a month. I will set the programme for the autumn but after that you get the chance to input your ideas.
Calling also the handful of adults who do not receive communion but receive a blessing instead. Come the autumn (or perhaps not until next spring) I would like to run an adult confirmation group if enough of you want to follow this up. Grab me after church sometime over the summer and I can tell you more about what Confirmation is and isn’t. It would be really helpful once we get such a group going, to have some already confirmed adults to join them so we learn alongside one another. I have a range of different materials available so you can choose learning style or theological background that might suit – Exciting !!
Finally for this week – here is a question I would like to explore with you in August: what is the purpose of public prayer…….
#forourprayers
We give thanks for the ministry among us of our out-going Church Wardens Eric Jarman and Mark Cheadle and we pray for our new Church Warden Alison Seyerle.
#justsoyouknow
We have not one but TWO bishops travelling in this direction soon and we welcome them among us on Sunday 22.07. Feel free to invite others to this celebration service @ 10.30.
Laying the foundation stone in 1864.
Celebrating 150 years since the consecration of St. Catherine’s original church building
From 22nd July – 29th July there will be a week of celebrations led by the Old Catholic congregation to celebrate the consecration of the original St. Catherine’s church building in August 1868. There are three events in which we, as the Anglican congregation, are especially involved and which should go in your diaries as soon as possible.
Sunday 22nd July 2018, 10:30: Note the earlier service time. We will hold a joint service of Holy Communion with the Bishop of the Church of England, Diocese in Europe; Dr. Robert Innes, and the Bishop of the Katholischen Bistums der Alt-Katholiken in Germany, Dr. Matthias Ring. Following this there will be a reception in front of the church and the Anglican congregation will host a Bring and Share lunch. We are looking for a co-ordinator for the lunch and would encourage everyone to bring finger food to share. (Finger food – meaning no need for knives and forks, and no need to reheat/keep warm). Please contact Eric if you can help 150years@stcatherines-stuttgart.de
Saturday 28th July 2018, 18:00: Anniversary concert in a music hall style with Barber shop music, Gilbert and Sullivan numbers, poetry reading, anecdotes from the church’s history from the laying of the foundation stone in 1864 to the present day… and more – do you have a party piece you could offer to add some more international flair? Serious or silly, musical or magic…? The more the merrier. Please contact Eric if you have an idea 150years@stcatherines-stuttgart.de
Sunday 22nd July 2018, 10:30: Celebration of Holy Communion with both congregations to conclude the celebrations. Again please note the earlier service time.
Details of other events can be found here https://stcatherines-stuttgart.de/
Christian Education Opportunity for Adults
As part of the Council of Anglican and Episcopal Churches in Germany programme of events there will be a session on Racism, xenophobia and the rise of populism:
the Church´s response in Heidelberg in September. More details can be found here Flyer Heidelberg Sept 2018-1
Fellowship Groups
Women’s Group
We will have our next meeting on Thursday, 19th July from 10 am in the Anglican Centre. Kara will probably be in the office so we may be able to help her with any filing, sorting etc. Look forward to seeing you.
Alison women@stcatherines-stuttgart.de
St. Catherine’s Ladies’ Evening Group – July Meeting – postponed
In July the LEGS will meet at Trollinger-Stubn – Rotebühlstraße 50
70178 Stuttgart – hopefully we’ll be able to get a table outside.
Date: Monday 16th July, Time: from 19:00
Please e-mail legs@stcatherines-stuttgart.de if you’d like to join us
Men’s Pub Night – Apologies for the shortish notice but you are invited to Men’s Pub Night this Thursday (12th July) at Bistro Einstein, 5 Wilhelmsplatz at 19:00 (French because it is Tour de France time). There is a table reserved under my name.
Here is a link to Google maps: https://goo.gl/maps/81mxBngC1JM2
I hope to be there punctually subject to being let out of work early enough on the basis of good behaviour!.
See you there, Darren – pints@stcatherines-stuttgart.de
