Our annual book sale will take place on Saturday, June 16th, 10:00 to 16:00 at the church and Anglican Centre.
As always, we need lots of helpers to make it all run smoothly: we need people to help set out the books attractively on Friday evening (approx. 18:00 to 21:00), and on Saturday, we need friendly sales assistants and cashiers to turn St. Catherine’s into an amazing book store! We’ll try to organize shifts, starting at about 09:00… There will also be a baked goods sale, organized by Naomi, for which we need lots of luscious home-baked goodies – so if you’re a kitchen god or goddess, get busy! Naomi would also welcome some support in cutting cake and pouring tea on the day. Meanwhile, Gary will be organizing a flea market at the Anglican Centre. Finally, when all is over at 16:00, we will need a team to pack the left-overs away again, for next year… If you would like to be a part of this big fund-raising event, get in touch with Susanna Thielecke (booksale@st-catherines-stuttgart.de) or Naomi.
Even if you can’t help on the day, you can assist us in getting the word out – tell all your friends, or take some flyers from the back of church and distribute them! And finally – make sure you put a note in your diary to come and shop yourself!
Data protection
To conform with the new Data Protection legislation, please ensure that you have destroyed any old copies of the Church Directory that may still be lurking somewhere in your possession.
Following the Church Council Meeting on Sunday we will be sending you a copy of the updated consent form and privacy notice. When you receive it, please return the consent form as soon as possible. Thank you.
Bible Study
The St Catherine’s Bible Study Group meets on Wednesday evenings at 7:30pm in the Anglican Centre, Olgastrasse 56, to read, study and discuss the coming week’s Gospel reading – as well as catching up over a cup of tea and a piece or two of cake! New members are very welcome at this friendly group. Please contact Katy at biblestudy@stcatherines-stuttgart.de if you would like to be added to our weekly mailing list.
Women’s Group
Our next meeting will be on Thursday, 24th May from 10 until 12 in the Anglican Centre. Please note that this is the FOURTH Thursday, and not the usual third, as I am on holiday in May. Hopefully we will be able to repair the hymn books this time. Last time we couldn’t get into the church to collect them.
The coloured tape is there, sponsored by Ken, so just bring some scissors. See you there.
Alison Seyerle
Pilgramage to the Holy Land
Dear Friends,
I am wondering if there might be interest in a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2019. I know many parishes like to do this, but sometimes a single parish has difficulty in getting a critical mass together. Together we might do it. And this is an excellent way of fostering our common life together, a major aim of our vision process.
So I enclose the draft of a possible 11 day itinerary. I ask you to make it known amongst your parishioners. It is for everybody, not just CAECG delegates. If 15 people express interest by the end of May I shall go ahead and organise it. (You are welcome to give them my email address so that they can inform me.) Expressing interest at this stage does not mean a commitment to take part. But I just need to have a sufficient basis to proceed with the organisation.
Obviously the itinerary is only a rough guide at this stage and may have to be altered. But it does include all the major sites connected with Jesus and other items of interest from a Jewish and Moslem perspective. Especially it includes some meetings with local Christian communities or charitable organisations.
If we go ahead the overall organisation would be placed in the hands of a reputable travel agency who would arrange flights, hotels, coach, entrance fees, local guides, etc. I have some considerable experience of this from previous tours which I have organised, both to the Holy Land and elsewhere.
Re. timing I would aim for some time after Easter, i.e. late April or May, a beautiful time of year when the weather is still not too hot and the Galilean hills are still covered in green. (Easter in 2019 is 21st April.)
From past experience I reckon the cost would be around €2,000 per person sharing a double room. A single room supplement usually amounts to about €450. I know it seems a lot but Israel/Palestine is not a cheap land. However the price is all-inclusive, except for insurance cover, midday snacks and other personal expenses. I would aim for a flight Frankfurt-Tel Aviv. I am also open to the possibility of a shorter trip which would be a bit cheaper.
So please put the message out and let me know what interest there might be. I am relying on your cooperation as, not having a parish of my own, I don’t have any immediate clientele.
John K. Newsome
Contact via pilgramage@stcatherines-stuttgart.de
