Hamburg Anglican

The Anglican Church of St Thomas à Becket

Parish Profile

St Thomas à Becket - an Introduction

Welcome to the Anglican Church of St Thomas à Becket!

Whether you are reading this profile as a prospective applicant in the

context of our search for a new Chaplain, or simply as somebody who

is curious about our parish, we welcome your interest.

In this profile we wish to show how we see ourselves as a

community, what moves us, what future challenges we face

together. This text has been written by the Church Council and

draws upon established sources as well as a parish survey that

took place in October 2010.

St Thomas à Becket Community Profile

The Church of St Thomas à Becket is a diverse community consisting of people of

many nations and Christian traditions. We offer English-language Anglican worship

in the northern German city of Hamburg. The Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,

as it calls itself, is located towards the ‘neck’ of Germany. Thanks to this strategic

location between the North Sea and the Baltic and its harbour on the River Elbe, it

has for centuries been a major centre for trade. Today it is the world’s eighth-largest

port and one of the most affluent cities in Europe. The citizens of Hamburg

(population 1.8 million) have a great affinity for water. The Alster, Hamburg’s

beloved, centrally located lake, and its many canals give the city a spacious feeling.

Due to its trade history Hamburg has traditionally been home to many foreigners,

and the city is certainly very international and welcoming. It is arguably the most

Anglophile of German cities as well. With numerous concert halls, museums and

universities, Hamburg offers a varied and vibrant cultural life.

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Hamburg harbour Hamburg city centre and the Alster

Like Hamburg, our congregation is extremely international, with Americans, British,

Germans, Ghanaians, Indians and Nigerians from diverse backgrounds and socio-

economic groups all well represented. Currently, we have an electoral roll

membership of about 90. We are one of three English-speaking congregations in

Hamburg and are centrally located near Hamburg’s main Lutheran church, St

Michaelis, and the harbour. Excellent proximity to public transport links make our

church easily accessible to anybody seeking to worship with us on Sundays and most

of those who regularly attend live less than 30 minutes away. Those most likely to

come to us are Anglicans or Episcopalians arriving to live in Hamburg; international

families; German Lutherans seeking livelier services with a stronger liturgical content;

university students, young professionals and families seeking a church community

during a shorter stay in Hamburg; and to a growing extent, enquirers who find what

they seek on our website (www.anglican-church-hamburg.de).

A growing segment of our congregation is African families with young children – Ghanaians being the most

numerous – living in Hamburg on a long-term basis. Most of our African members have themselves had an Anglican

upbringing. This growth reflects a recent shift in the demographic composition of our community, which in former

years largely consisted of Anglican or Episcopal expatriates from Britain or the United States who were here mostly

on temporary assignments with the consulates or international businesses. Another significant segment of our

community is made up of expatriates who went on to remain in Germany – either as spouses of Germans or out of a

desire to pursue international careers – and raise families here. This group, many of whom are now in retirement,

historically formed the backbone of the congregation and devoted many years’ energies to supporting the church

and making it a vibrant community. Germans are an important part of our parish; they are for many of us our

spouses, friends, and partners in raising our children. The number of families with small children attending services

regularly has started to grow recently, with eleven baptisms and a confirmation class taking place in 2010. Young

adult singles, young couples without children and youth are presently underrepresented in our numbers.

Our congregation can be described as devoted and consistent. We see many familiar faces on Sunday. As such our

community differs slightly from other Anglican congregations in Germany and Europe in that we do not see as much

rapid fluctuation in our membership, with only about 20 per cent considering themselves to be temporarily in

Hamburg. Instead, we are mostly a community of Germans and internationals who are committed to life in

Hamburg and who have found an English-speaking spiritual home in the Church of St Thomas à Becket.

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Church attendance on a typical Sunday varies between seventy and ninety worshipers from about ten different

nationalities, mostly from an Anglican background. According to our recent survey about 75 per cent of our

members have university degrees. Sixty per cent of our congregation are native English speakers, but the remainder

speak English fluently; our

children are raised bi- or

multilingually and attend local

German schools rather than

bilingual or international

schools. We value our

internationality and diversity

and aim to be inclusive. For

many of us this diversity

provides an accepting and

comforting home in a modern

German society that is

struggling with its emerging

multicultural identity. At the same time we value the traditions we come from. Our services are consistent and

traditional, offering a welcome familiarity to those who know the beauty of the Anglican liturgy. Favourite hymns, a

choral anthem on many Sundays, and organ postlude complement the weekly service.

St Thomas à Becket and the Anglican Episcopal Churches in Europe

St Thomas à Becket belongs to the Church of England Diocese in Europe. This far-reaching diocese stretches from

Portugal to Russia and includes over 200 chaplaincies in 42 countries. Of the sixteen parishes in Germany, some

belong to the Church of England and some to the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, but all are part of

the Anglican Communion. The Council of Anglican Episcopal Churches in Germany (CAECG) coordinates the work of

these churches in Germany. In Hamburg we are one of many international churches, including English-speaking

Methodist, Baptist and Roman Catholic congregations. We are also enthusiastic members of Hamburg Churches

Together (ACKH – Arbeitsgemeinschaft Christlicher Kirchen in Hamburg).

A Brief History of the Parish

Our church boasts a 400-year-long history and its story is intertwined with both Hamburg’s illustrious trade history

and the Church of England’s history in Europe. Although English-speaking Christians had worshipped in Europe since

before the Reformation, the Hamburg congregation played a particularly pivotal role in the 17th century in

establishing the Church of England’s presence in Europe. In 1611 the English in Hamburg, at that time as members

of the York-based Guild of Merchant Adventurers – for centuries the most powerful cloth-trading company in

northern Europe – were granted the privilege of holding services in the English language according to the rite of the

Church of England. In securing an unprecedented religious freedom, our church became the first sanctioned non-

Lutheran congregation in the city and the first legally established Anglican Church in mainland of Europe.1

1Keith Chambers, The Church of St Thomas à Becket: The Legacy of the Merchant Adventurers at the Zeughausmarkt in Hamburg

(Victoria, Australia: John Garratt Publishing, 2005), 12.

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“The multicultural atmosphere. The feeling of being part of an

extended family.”

“The weekly Sunday Eucharist, the Anglican liturgy and our hymns.

Worship in an international community that reflects the universal

character of Christ‟s Church.”

Responses to ‘What do you love about our church?’ in our recent survey

Services were held in a chapel located in the ‘Englisches Haus’ in Gröningerstraße. This chapel ministered to

company members and non-members alike, enjoying long years of prosperity.2 From 1633 the chaplaincy was under

the jurisdiction of the Bishop of London, and remained active for nearly 200 years until 1808, when by Napoleonic

decree the Merchant Adventurers’ guild was dissolved and the English House subsequently demolished. Fortunately,

some treasures from the chapel, like the silver, the registers and parts of the dismantled 18th-century organ, were

squirreled away and stored in private homes.

The British community in Hamburg then found itself

without a place of worship and stripped of its special

rights and privileges. Upon their return following the

Napoleonic Wars, the Merchant Adventurers

negotiated with city authorities for the construction

of a church building. On 15 April 1835, city

authorities assigned a plot of land in our present

location, Zeughausmarkt. After a period of fund-

raising and construction, our present neoclassical

building was dedicated on 11 November 1838 and

was named simply “Church of England”. As with

many of the international churches of the time, the

ministry centred around the expatriate community;

mission work in the city; and the hundreds of British

seamen at port in Hamburg each year, who were

entertained at weekly church concerts. The work of

the Church continued along similar lines into the

twentieth century, always accompanied, then as

now, by its need to support itself and care for its

building.

In the massive firebombing raids by the Royal Air Force in the last years of the Second World War, our church – like

most of historic Hamburg – was ruined. Again the church’s treasures (including the 107-year-old copy of Raphael’s

Sistine Madonna and the two altar panels showing the Creed and the Commandments which had been ordered from

England in 1837) survived in hiding, this time in the caretaker’s flat and Hamburg bunkers.3 Following an intensive

period of reconstruction, the church was reopened in 1947 and named after the patron saint of the Merchant

Adventurers, St Thomas à Becket. Over the course of the next sixty years the congregation changed substantially.

From a large group serving the community of the British armed forces and consulate; to the expatriate home of

British, Commonwealth and American civilians; to its present smaller, multicultural face, the congregation has met

these cycles of change with a remarkable resilience and consistency.

2 Chambers 13.

3 Chambers 51, and Stübs, Church of England in Hamburg, 17.

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Mission Statement

The Anglican Church of St Thomas à Becket aims to:

Be a welcoming and inclusive Anglican community reflecting the universal character

of Christ’s Church

Serve God through our worship and nurture the faith of our congregation

Follow Christ’s example in reaching out to those in need and working against

social injustice

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Life at St Thomas à Becket

Our Activities

Junior Church and Confirmation Classes

Children from 3 to 10 years old meet in the school across the

road every Sunday during term-time for lessons, music and

fellowship. The lesson materials follow the lectionary cycle

and are taken from the Living Stones series. Despite the fact

that the children come from a variety of international

backgrounds and have widely varying proficiency in English, it

is usually possible to teach exclusively in English. However,

sometimes accommodation must be made for children who

only speak German. Fun craft projects, games and role

playing are valuable supplements to the Gospel lessons in

our multilingual classroom. The children come over to the

church at Communion-time for a blessing.

The nativity play performed by the children at the

carol service and the yearly Junior Church picnic

in the spring are highlights that the children and

families look forward to. The children’s weekly

collection is donated to a children’s charity, which

affords an early opportunity for our younger

church members to learn about Christian giving

and helping those less fortunate. Following a few

years of sparse attendance, our Junior Church has

experienced a recent surge of growth. We

currently have 25 children registered with regular

attendance between six and thirteen children.

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What do chaplains do?

“Eat bread and drink wine. Talk a lot.”

What would we like our new Chaplain to do?

“Visit us in Junior Church.”

“Smile and be friendly.”

From our survey of the children

Confirmation classes are offered when needed. In

2010 a confirmation group of four young people and

one adult wishing to be received into the Anglican

Church attended preparation classes and went on a

youth retreat. Their confirmation by Bishop Geoffrey

was a moving, festive occasion for their families and

the whole congregation. Youth activities and

education beyond confirmation preparation classes

are not currently in place and we are looking into

what we can do to support our newly confirmed.

Adult Groups

For our adult members we have a variety of groups who meet on a monthly basis to share fellowship and spiritual

growth. These small groups take on a special role in an international parish like ours, as many of us rely on these

regular, more familiar opportunities to connect while we are living far away from extended families and social

support networks. The Young Adults group, for those aged 20–40, meets in a relaxed setting to enjoy each other’s

company, read and pray a little.

The Church Wanderers take a 10 to 15 km walk together

in one of Hamburg or the outlying region’s scenic areas,

in all weather. They enjoy the fresh, typically wet or windy

northern German air and the company. There is a shared

picnic lunch on the way.

Friday evening prayer fellowship is a small of group of parishioners meeting at home. Some months the

meetings can be purely for prayer and others for praise. The meetings always start with refreshments, another way

of ‘breaking bread’ with the Lord. A ‘prayer tin’ holds the names of special requests for prayers. The group supports

and helps each other in everyday Christian life and friendship.

We maintain chapters of the Ladies Christian Fellowship

and Mothers’ Union, which also meet at home for the

purpose of sharing on topics of Christian work and living,

and doing charity work.

Bible study courses offered at Advent and Lent take place over several weeks and offer an opportunity for more

concentrated and contemplative exchange.

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Annual Events

In addition to our regular monthly groups, we also organise several annual events.

The annual St Thomas à Becket Church Bazaar

is a lively and much anticipated event that also

raises a substantial amount of money for the church.

The African and Indian food served is very popular

and our book sale is an excellent source for used

English books in Hamburg. We also offer children’s

activities, crafts and there are always great prizes

to win in the raffle. As it takes place on the same

weekend as the Christmas bazaars of several

other international churches in the harbour area,

the bazaar is well-attended and affords us a

wonderful opportunity to welcome the wider

community.

Our participation in Hamburg’s annual ‘Night of the Churches’ (Nacht der Kirchen), brings about 200 visitors into the

church, with traditional Anglican music, readings and slide shows about our history. This is a great opportunity to

showcase our traditions among the local Hamburg churches.

Our annual church outing is a fun day of fellowship that brings

together a larger segment of the congregation.

This year’s outing took us to several picturesque coastal

locations north of Hamburg. Along with a tour of the 12th-

century church of St Laurentius in Tönning and a visit to an

art exhibition on angels, we enjoyed a bring-and-share lunch and silly

games together.

Music

We have a small but enthusiastic choir lead by our music director and

organist Jochim Trede. They meet once every two weeks on Tuesday

evenings and on Sundays before the service to practise. The choir sings the

week’s service music and hymns and offers anthems on most Sundays. The

organist makes good use of our historic organ with a prelude and rousing

postlude. A highlight of the year is the Advent service of lessons and carols.

There are also occasional special events in which the choir offers a

programme, such as during the Nacht der Kirchen, or performs Anglican

music in other Hamburg church programmes, such as at the choral evening

at Hamburg’s St Petri Kirche. There is quite keen interest in further

developing the musical life of our church and we hope the new Chaplain will

share this enthusiasm.

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Mission Projects

We help USPG – Anglicans in World Mission with its work in supporting dioceses in Africa and Asia. Given that many

of our African members come from Ghana, we have recently decided that it makes sense to concentrate the

majority of our donations on the Korforidua Health Clinics in Ghana. Through the initiative and organisation of our

church members from Ghana, €1,750 was raised for charity on harvest weekend 2010 at our Ghanaian cultural

event. We also raise funds for africa action, a medical-based charity working in poor areas of Africa to bring basic

healthcare into the villages.

People in need in Hamburg are also our concern. We collect clothing and foodstuffs for centres which serve the

homeless in our neighbourhood. Members of the congregation are active in giving time to voluntary service. The

fair trade shop in church on Sundays witnesses to our concern for justice for primary producers.

Communication

The Church has a chaplaincy magazine, Becket News, which is produced quarterly. Articles are contributed by

members of the church, and sometimes also by former members of the church or visitors. The magazine is now in

its 44th issue, and has a circulation of about 200. Printed copies are distributed in church and a PDF version is

available on the website. As in many Anglican chaplaincies in Europe, the congregation includes a number of people

who spend just a short period living in the vicinity, but who then like to keep up with the news once they move on or

return home. Becket News is sent by post to about 16 and e-mailed to over 50 people outside Hamburg.

The Church has a website, www.anglican-church-hamburg.de, originally set up by the Chaplain in 2004.

Responsibility for the website was taken over by an enthusiastic webmaster in 2008. The website aims, simply, to

provide interesting content for those just passing through, curious to find out something about the Anglican Church

in Hamburg, as well as for regular visitors who want an update on what is going on. Some items are aimed at

provoking thoughts, others are for information. The hope is that readers will return regularly. News items are

added at least once a week, if not more frequently, with the aim of attracting regular viewing and perhaps even

turning passing curiosity into a desire to make contact with the church.

A regular feature, the Pause for Thought page, is usually but not exclusively written by the Chaplain. Other content

is aimed at providing useful information about the church and its services. We hope the content creates the

impression that the church is active and worth contacting. Anecdotally, we know many people have come to church

on the basis of reading the website. Like most websites, it is ongoing work and is to be further developed. It is

hoped the new Chaplain will see this as a resource and contribute content to it. Technical services are provided for!

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Our Resources

Our Historic Building

We own the historic, listed church building, including an apartment at the east end of the building which is currently

let out to musicians as it is an ideal location for practising musical instruments at any acoustic level. We have a

beautiful 100-year-old Röver organ, which includes parts from the original 18th-century Merchant Adventurers’

chapel organ and attracts the attention of local organ enthusiasts, but does need costly maintenance every few

years. As with most old buildings, the fabric also needs continuous care and attention. Some of our members with

practical skills have been able to help, but for some specialist work external funding is unavoidable. We are

extremely fortunate that our fund-raising efforts have always allowed us to meet these continuous needs. In the

early nineties we were able to secure grants totalling over €2 million for a comprehensive restoration of the interior

and exterior. Twenty years later, the building itself is in sound structural condition. However, the outside is again in

need of thorough cleaning and repainting, and a number of flagstones inside the church have become unstable and

must be replaced. We are currently working with potential sponsors to ensure that these projects are financed and

the work completed before our 400th-anniversary celebrations in 2012.

Financial Resources

The ‘English-bischöfliche Gemeinde in Hamburg (Church of St Thomas à Becket)’ is registered as a public corporation

(Körperschaft des öffentlichen Rechts) and is a charitable organisation. Donations to our church are therefore tax-

deductible for income tax payers in Germany. About 75 per cent of income is received from members and

individual benefactors; the rest is obtained from our annual bazaar and other fund-raising events. The parish is

largely supported by 70 to 80 households and individuals, as well as some corporate sponsors. This is sufficient to

cover the costs of personnel (Chaplain, Caretaker, Organist), utilities and routine maintenance. We also raise several

thousand euros per year for mission projects, this year in Africa and India.

The financial situation of the church is stable, with total revenues and expenditure each around €95,000 per annum.

We aim to break even or work with a small surplus in our budget, both to save for a ‘rainy day’ (unplanned

expenditure) and also to be able to finance planned long-term projects. This requires continuous attention, since in

the past two years we have slipped into deficit. However, the last quarter of 2010 has seen a number of new

individual pledges, as well as the promise of fund-raising events such as concerts, which in the past have resulted in

five-figure net revenues. We have a conservative policy of obtaining secure funding before embarking on any item

which requires significant capital expenditure. The present honorary treasurer has some Scottish ancestry and does

not seek to be popular!

The Chaplain’s accommodation is located in a two-bedroom flat without garden, on the first floor of an early post-

war building. The flat is owned by the St Michaelis Kirche and is only 300 metres from our church. An indoor parking

space is provided nearby. Both the River Elbe waterfront and the botanical gardens are less than ten minutes’ walk

away. The stipend, based on the Church of England benchmark for full-time parish priests in Britain, is paid in Euros

and the Chaplain’s accommodation is provided as part of the remuneration package. The German state health

service is excellent, comparing well against the NHS and similar schemes in northern Europe.

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To own one of Hamburg’s few truly historic buildings and maintain four centuries of tradition is a great privilege, but also a great responsibility.

400th-Anniversary Celebration

STB 400 is the working title of the project now up and running to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the ‘English

Church in Hamburg’ in 2012.

The 400th anniversary of the founding of the first legally established Anglican church in Europe provides a significant

opportunity for celebration, to engage with a wider community of people in Hamburg and further afield, to

strengthen the fellowship of its members, and to promote the mission of the church.

A small Core Coordination Team has initiated planning for a year-long celebration with activities ranging from

concerts to dance, from art exhibitions to walks and talks. 2011 will be an intensive year of preparation for 2012,

but it is also seen as an opportunity to engage with many who are not currently involved with the church. The

anniversary is also seen as a major fund-raising opportunity, and given that the church was originally founded for

English traders, it is hoped that the business community will support the venture. The project is being

enthusiastically supported by the Honorary British Consul in Hamburg, Claus G. Budelmann and has attracted the

interest of the City of Hamburg Mayor’s Office.

As the celebration will be a high-profile event in Hamburg and in the Church of England Diocese in Europe, special

qualities and responsibilities are required of the incoming Chaplain. Please see the appendix on the 400th-

anniversary celebration for important details.

Parish Assessment

Our Strengths, the Challenges We Face

Through prayer, our 2010 parish survey and the work of the Vacancy Board, we have recently embarked upon a

process of spiritual and thoughtful discernment of our strengths and the challenges we face. This process has only

just begun and will continue in the

coming year. So far, we have

identified a particular strength in our

inreach and pastoral focus. In recent

years, our energies have mostly gone

into supporting those who are part of

the church community. As such we

support each other in times of need,

we get our cooking pots going when

there is an occasion to celebrate

together, and we keep a remarkably

wide variety of small groups going to

support our spiritual journeys. We

enjoy being together on Sundays,

and those who cannot join us often receive a visit from the Chaplain. This attention to our parish needs has created

a mutually supportive community – a place where we can be spiritually at home.

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“Without this church my life would have been considerably „poorer‟ both spiritually and socially.” “Now I feel happy about being able to serve the Lord.” “They always remember me in prayers.”

“It feels like a home away from home.” Responses to ‘How has the Church of St Thomas à Becket made a difference in your life?’ in our parish survey

However, in this familiar, comfortable focus we also run the risk of falling into complacency and routine, perhaps

even a compromised ability to connect to the wider community. We have seen this tangibly reflected in declining

electoral rolls in recent years. We are beginning to ask ourselves the questions: Are we living our pastoral strengths

out in the community? Are we doing enough for those who aren’t sure if this is the right place for them? Do those

who come on one Sunday for a look around feel welcome? Has our approach to the liturgy become too routine?

When we asked in our survey, ‘What is your greatest dream for our church community?’ several members expressed

a desire to see some changes in the services: some wish to see a more spiritual and contemplative style of worship,

while others emphasised the importance of inspired preaching. A few respondents identified music as an area

where we could do more. Some expressed the wish to have a church hall where we can be together in fellowship

and our children can play together. But overwhelmingly, survey respondents in all age categories expressed a strong

wish to see the congregation grow and especially to better meet the needs of younger people and families.

Fortunately, our pastoral strengths give us a strong basis for approaching our challenges. Our devotion to this

community is a necessary underpinning to another strength of ours, which is a willingness to work creatively and

tirelessly. Our survey confirmed that we are active and involved: approximately 70 per cent of the congregation

attends services regularly with about 60 per cent participating in programmes or serving the church. Through

projects like our harvest weekend Ghana Event, our website and the 400th-anniversary celebration year, we are

already taking concrete steps to develop our outreach in meaningful ways. We have many more ideas for meeting

our challenges, such as forming a new welcoming ministry, rejuvenating the musical life of our church through

regular concerts and more varied service music, forming a worship committee, opening the Church to welcome in

tourists who are in the neighbourhood, and running an English book stall. We are interested in opening up the

Church to the community and bringing in new members, but also in tending to them once they step through our

door.

Hopes and Expectations for Our New Chaplain

“Every tinker or taylor who may fancy himself inspired can become a British Chaplain in Hamburg.”

Consul J.A. Mellish, poet and personal friend of Goethe, 1826

Well, hopefully things have changed in Hamburg since 1826!

We are looking for an energetic Chaplain who, alongside being ‘inspired’, will partner with us constructively and

creatively. It is important to us that the new Chaplain have the ability to retain and nurture our thriving pastoral

focus: we have needs that will continue to be important. Those living a long way from home dealing with life in a

foreign culture and language need our church to be a spiritual home away from home. Our ageing members have

particular needs for support and pastoral care: we seek someone who will sit with the sick, who will pray with the

troubled.

At the same time we have a strong desire for a Chaplain who will challenge us to develop spiritually and partner with

us in our desire for renewal. Among our members we are blessed with a wealth of talents and abilities and a desire

to use these to the benefit of the church. We are looking for a Chaplain who leads and inspires, but delegates – who

allows us to try new things, who facilitates our initiatives, who assesses with us where we can do better. The ideal

Chaplain will partner with us in working out the difference between tradition that sustains and inspires us and habits

that are better broken.

We hope our new Chaplain will find us welcoming and caring, challenging and full of vision.

He or she is already in our prayers.

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Appendices

Address:

Anglican Church Hamburg

St Thomas à Becket

Zeughausmarkt 22

20459 Hamburg

Germany

Current Council members:

Deborah Ockert – Church Warden

Renu Roy – Church Warden

Peter Alexander – Secretary

Stuart Cooke – Treasurer, Vice Chair

Birte Fischer – Electoral Roll Officer

Karen Bergquist Lüth – Junior Church

Matilda Hammond

Emmanuel Saarkodie

Harriet Sasse

A Special Note on Plans for Celebrating the 400th Anniversary of the

Founding of the ‘English Church’ of St Thomas à Becket in Hamburg,

1612

The 400th anniversary of the founding of the ‘English Church’ in Hamburg presents a unique opportunity to celebrate

the Church of St Thomas à Becket and its contribution to the City of Hamburg, and to provide a Christian witness that

promotes understanding of the Anglican Church and its place in Europe.

The anniversary is also significant for the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg: the foundation of the church

represented the first move to permit non-Lutherans to openly practise religious freedom within the city walls.

Since April 2010 a small Core Coordination Team has been laying the foundations for a high-profile year of

celebration. Plans are well underway for many different kinds of events – concerts, walks, lectures and more. 2011

will be an intensive year of preparation, but it is also seen as an opportunity to engage with many who are not

currently involved with the church but could be willing to contribute. Given that it was originally founded for English

traders, this is also a major fund raising opportunity. The celebration will become a major focus for the church’s

activities in 2011 and 2012, but one which opens up many opportunities to reach out and show the positive value of

the church in society.

The church was founded as the ‘English Church’ and its early history relates strongly to relations between Britain and

Hamburg. However, today’s congregation represents the diversity of the Anglican Church, and includes many native

Germans. The anniversary is to be used to celebrate this diversity too, and reflect a modern view of the

Anglican/Episcopal Church in Europe, not just its historical roots.

Implications for the Incoming Chaplain

As the anniversary is likely to attain a very high profile, the new Chaplain needs to be aware that there is likely to be

a greater-than-usual interest in the church by outside organisations and the media. The aim is to attract media

interest, so being at ease and able to communicate with journalists representing many media genres would be

helpful. Cultural sensitivity will also be called for.

The Chaplain will be well supported by the Core Coordination Team and other members of the church who have

well-established contacts in Hamburg, but we hope that he/she will be able to make the most of the attention

generated to reach out and provide spiritual direction to the many in the English speaking community who have not

yet found their way to the church.

At the same time, the Church Council is mindful of the need to ensure that the anniversary does not distract from

providing the necessary pastoral care for its current members, ensuring their spiritual development and serving

those in need.