Who We Are
The Church of England
The English Church Heidelberg is a multi-cultural community with members stemming from every continent. We are formally a part of The Church of England, Diocese in Europe. Our Diocesan Bishop (since 2014) is The Right Revd Dr Robert Innes, who is based in Brussels. We are part of the Archdeaconry of Germany and Northern Europe led by our Archdeacon The Venerable Dr Leslie Nathaniel. To find out more about Anglicans throughout Europe, read or subsribe to the quarterly Diocesan magazine here.
Our Synodal representatives and chaplain have annual and bi-annual meetings with other Church of England churches within the Deanery of Germany and the Council of Anglican Episcopal Churches in Germany (CAECG). The latter body includes chaplaincies located within Germany from both The Church of England and The Episcopal Church.
Everyone coming to our services is a “member of the Body of Christ.” We welcome baptised members of all Christian churches to share in the sacrament of Holy Communion. We encourage and prepare any who seek Baptism, Confirmation or Reception into the church. More formal membership can be obtained through becoming a member of the Electoral Roll and the Verein.
Ecumenical Relationships
The Church of England is in full communion (mutual recognition of each other’s ministry and sacraments) with the Old Catholic Church or Alt-Katholische Kirche in Germany. In Heidelberg we are blessed with an even closer relationship with their local congregation in Heidelbergsharing the church building and holding occasional services together in both English and German.
We are active in the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Christlicher Kirchen (ACK): An ecumenical council of delegates from various Churches in Heidelberg with the goal of maintaining contacts among local churches through special services, workshops, retreats and other ecumenical activities.
Aims
At the English Church Heidelberg we strive to:
- offer a spiritual home to all who would like to worship in English
- enable committed Christians to grow in faith and develop new ministries, and enable seekers to find God and explore the faith
- offer a warm, safe and inclusive welcome to all who come
- offer support to residents and visitors alike on the journey of life and faith
- make the Anglican tradition visible among the local churches
- contribute, together with the other Christian churches in Heidelberg, to proclaiming and living the Gospel of Jesus Christ in this city and region