A number of our curates are currently visiting our partners in the Evangelische Kirche in
Mitteldeutschland. Tom Fish, curate at Lye in Stourbridge explains why he wanted to go:
“It takes a lot to drag me away from our church-planting ministry. But when the
opportunity came up for a return trip to Germany, I jumped at it. I even asked if my
wife Helen could come too!
We’d had a wonderful time hosting Johannes Alex from Schkölen when the group of
newly ordained priests came over from Germany last year. Although his context is very
different from ours –15 rural parishes vs. one locally-focussed urban church-plant – at
a deeper level we shared a common vision and purpose.
From the Black Country Living Museum to the Foodbank, from community football on
the field to Deanery Chapter, his insights on our culture and ministry helped me to
understand it better, and he too gained ideas and inspiration to take back home.
The gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes, and when
we see the gospel being ministered in a different culture we understand it more fully.
So we’re looking forward especially to the three days we will spend with him and his
family in his parish. It will be fascinating to see his ministry for real, and to renew our
partnership in the gospel as we spend time together.”
Please pray for all of
our curates currently in
Germany and for the
families with whom they
are staying.
Kidderminster Deanery –
Rural Dean: Hugh Burton;
Lay Chair: June Thomas
Pray for the work of the Anglican Centre in Rome
Diocese of Exeter: Bishop Robert Atwell with Bishops Nicholas McKinnel (Plymouth)
and Sarah Mullally (Crediton)
Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland (Norway): Bishop Per Oskar Kjoelaas
