From the Chaplain…

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Greetings!

Today it is a joy to share a brief update about our Annual Chaplaincy Meeting (ACM), which was held on 21-04-2024 at ESG Karl Jasper’s House. After our service of Holy Communion and our shared meal together, the ACM began at 14:30hrs and was in session for two hours. I am grateful that the ACM was well attended.

May I thank all who were able to be present and share in the potluck lunch and all those who volunteered to be early to organize and set up the place for the meal together and the ACM. My thanks also go to all who helped in the clearing up after the meeting. Around 30 people shared this meal and later stayed on for the meeting. There were 22 voting members present.

The ACM received reports regarding the various ministries and activities of our church. The outgoing wardens and council members were thanked in a special way for their meritorious service and contribution during the year 2023-2024.

This was followed by the election of wardens and the chaplaincy council for the year 2024-2025. The following persons were elected to serve on the chaplaincy council of the English Church Heidelberg:

• 2 Church Wardens: Diana Peterson and Michelle Grabowski
• 6 Council Members: Jeremy Hotchkiss, Junko Iwasaki, James Fischer, Petrina Ratty, Christine Wetzke and Burkhard Link.

My congratulations to all those who are elected to be on the council and will uphold them in my prayers. The complete list of the council members along with their responsibilities will be announced after the first chaplaincy council meeting. This letter is also to give notice of our first joint meeting of the chaplaincy council and the Verein to be held on 4th May 2024 at 9:00hrs at Kaiserstraße 5, Heidelberg. I am grateful that this is the first in person meeting of the new council.

My thanks also go to Petrina and Yarley for the weekly church newsletter that was initially sent out during the pandemic, and which continued until now. For the future instead of the weekly newsletter, the members will be kept updated through a monthly newsletter from the chaplain and an occasional newsletter if the need arises.

I would like to thank God for the strength and guidance that I have received and witnessed since I took charge in December. It is a blessing to see the Sunday Eucharistic services and all special services well attended from in and around Heidelberg and even from far.

Let us continue to pray and work towards the growth of this chaplaincy and in building a sustainable and inclusive community rooted in the faith and in the teachings of Christ:
"And let us consider how to stir up one another toward love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near" (Hebrews 10:24-25).

With prayers and blessings,

Pearly Walter