Issue 76/November 2020

The Anglican Church of St Thomas à Becket

Zeughausmarkt 22, 20459 Hamburg www.anglican-church-hamburg.de Becket News In this issue Locums and the lockdown – looking for a 3 new Chaplain

Pete and the pandemic – or one of the good things 6

Helping the homeless in California – 7 by Fr Pete Wright

Footsteps in the sand – by Revd Dr Nick Fisher 10

An urban pilgrimage – by Revd Canon Mark Dimond 11

Christmas cards available to order 15

The martyrdom of Thomas Becket 16

What's happening about the Bazaar? 18

Peregrinations of a pudding or two 19

Church Wanderers reloaded 20

Money matters 22

Who’s Who at our church

Cover: Photo by Jo Dawes

Our church receives no income from Kirchensteuer (church tax) and is entirely dependent on donations. Church Bank Account: Englisch-bischöfl. Gemeinde – Hamburger Sparkasse, BLZ 200 505 50, Konto-Nr. 1280146422 SEPA – BIC: HASPDEHHXXX, IBAN: DE46 2005 0550 1280 1464 22

Becket News 2 Issue 76/November 2020 Locums and the lockdown –­ looking for a new Chaplain When a Parish / Church / Chap- Thomas Choir School in New York laincy or Congregation is without from 2004–2019. Before that, he a permanent priest for any reason had served at St George’s Chapel, (vacancy, sickness, holiday, or it Windsor Castle and is now Priest- is a seasonal chaplaincy), a locum in-Charge at Bethesda Episcopal priest is appointed simply to ensure Church, Saratoga Springs, USA. We enjoyed his six weeks with us and his the continuity of worship, the learned sermons. availability of the Sacraments and On Ash Wednesday and the first the pastoral care of all who need it. Sunday in Lent, Revd Canon Mark ( Diocesan Dimond, who is one of the priests Information) at St George’s Anglican Church in Berlin, came over to conduct the hen our last Chaplain, Revd services (more about Mark later). By WCanon Dr Leslie Nathaniel, then, the coronavirus was becoming left our church to become Archdea- a problem all over the world and was con of the East, Germany and North- quickly turning into a pandemic. ern Europe in November, 2019, we Nevertheless, our next locum, started a long vacancy period dur- Fr Pete Wright, and his wife Penny ing which we have welcomed and flew over from Los Angeles to take continue to welcome to our parish up locum duties. However, as you all locum priests who perform all the know, their stay was cut very short as duties of a Chaplain: the Sunday they had to return to the US shortly services, baptisms, pastoral care, etc. after arrival (see separate article). In the last Becket News, I reported on The lockdown that was in place all our first locum, Revd Ian Eglin and over Europe (and most of the world) his wife Caroline, who were with us also meant that the priest scheduled in December and January and very to come to Hamburg in June from quickly became part of the church Scotland could neither leave home family. nor enter Germany – which is why The Eglins were followed by Revd Fr Pete continued to prepare his Charles Wallace, originally from online services for us, much longer Canada, who was Headmaster of St than his planned locum period. Becket News 3 Issue 76/November 2020 By July, restrictions had been poet the Earl of Rochester (John lifted a little and churches reopened. Wilmot), but also as a locum. Nick’s Thanks to Dorothee for organis- first locum post was in sunny Ten- ing and leading Morning Prayer erife, but Hamburg also turned on a before our next locum, Revd Dr hot, dry summer for him – Spanish Nick Fisher was able to come over weather at its best, which gave him from the UK – driving all the way the opportunity to explore Ham- from his home in the Cotswolds burg thoroughly on foot. Although to Hamburg in one day! Fr Nick’s we can’t have refreshments after wife, Pam, a former children’s nurse, church, and stand around and chat joined him a little later. Nick and inside, we’re making the most of our Pam have three grown-up children. porch and Nick always went straight Nick’s first career was with the Bir- out there after the service to talk to mingham Police Force, but he was and get to know the congregation. always involved with church work We thank him and Pam for two as a reader and decided to study interesting and rewarding months. for the ministry after he retired. He In September/October we were was ordained in 2009 and became very pleased to welcome back Fr vicar in Northleach, Gloucester- Mark, who was with us for four shire. At the same time, he was a Sundays and celebrated the first visiting research fellow at the Insti- baptism we have been able to have tute of English Studies, University for many months. Mark comes from of , specialising in litera- Wales and had a career in marketing ture and politics during the reign of and academia before his ordination. Charles II. Nick retired from active Mark is the son of a diplomat, was ministry in 2019, but keeps busy, born in Japan and has lived in many not only with his research, particu- different countries such as Russia, larly into the life and works of the Sweden, France and Hungary. He

Living with corona Ahead of this edition of Becket News, readers were asked about how they have experienced the coronavirus pandemic. Their answers to the following questions can be found throughout this edition. What have been the good things for you during the pandemic? What did you miss? What would you do differently in future?

Becket News 4 Issue 76/November 2020 taught history at several universi- 2005 but resigned from the position ties in Wales – Cardiff, Swansea in Botswana in 2012. He moved to and Glamorgan. He is married to the UK and became team rector in Samantha, who is Head of Germany, Barking and assistant bishop in the Welsh Government, based at the of . Both Bishop British Embassy in Berlin, and they Trevor and his wife are strong advo- have three children, two at college cates of equal rights for women and and one still at school. Mark was we are very much looking forward ordained in 2011 and became Chap- to meeting them. Bishop Trevor lain to the Archbishop of Wales/ will also be coming to Hamburg to Llandaff in 2014. From 2017–2019 conduct the Christmas services at St Mark was Residentiary Canon at Thomas à Becket. Newport Cathedral. I’m happy to And while all these interest- say that Mark will be coming again ing locums have been helping us for three weeks in January. through the vacancy period and the Our next visiting ‘locum’ is actu- pandemic lockdown and continu- ally a familiar face and a local – ing restrictions, we have been bea- Finnish priest Dr Maija Priess, who vering away, getting all the papers has conducted several services in ready so that we could advertise for our church over the past few years. a new Chaplain – lots of forms and Maija’s weekday job is as lecturer in a new and thorough Chaplaincy the African Studies Department of profile to encourage applications. the University of Hamburg, where Our advertisement appeared in the she teaches Ge’ez and Amharic. Church Times on two successive Amharic is the liturgical language of Fridays at the end of September the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo and we now have eight candidates. Church. Maija will take services Many thanks to Archdeacon David until mid-November when we will Waller for his help and advice dur- welcome Bishop Musanda Trevor ing this quite complicated process. Selwyn Mwamba of Botswana. Interviews took place in mid-Octo- Bishop Trevor is retired and now lives ber and we hope that, God willing, in Berlin as his wife, Mmasekgoa we will be able to welcome our new, Masire-Mwamba, is the Botswanan full-time Chaplain to Hamburg in Ambassador to Germany. They have February, 2021. three grown-up children. Bishop Madeleine Resühr Trevor was consecrated bishop in Churchwarden

Becket News 5 Issue 76/November 2020 Pete and the pandemic: a very good thing uring the vacancy period, we Mothering Sunday with Penny. These Dhave welcomed a number of services and the many that followed locum priests to Hamburg and were were posted to our Facebook page happy to greet Fr Pete Wright and his and the church website. wife, Penny, when they arrived here Pete assured us that he would be on 6 March from the USA, planning willing and able to prepare the Sun- to stay until the end of May. By then, day services from his home in Red- the corona virus was spreading rap- lands, near Los Angeles, for as long idly and Fr Pete was only able to hold as we remained without a locum and one service before lockdown when all under lockdown, and that is exactly churches were closed. Shortly after what he did, Sunday after Sunday that, all Americans who were overseas including the busy Easter week, but normally reside in the US were until the end of June, well beyond ordered home – meaning that Pete his planned locum period and, very and Penny had to return to Los Ange- generously, at no cost to the church. les before the month was up. These online services were a real What we didn’t know is that Pete treat – lively, imaginative, always is a Californian IT whizz-kid and introduced by a humorous story, quickly had virtual services up and illustrated with wonderful pictures running. While he was still here, he from the Bible and including Pete’s streamed the service for the Third inspiring sermons. Before he left, Pete Sunday of Lent with Dorothee ably had told us that, as the services were assisting him (many thanks, Dor- for our church, we should also take othee!) and recorded the service for part and continue to do the readings Photo:Easter Day screen capture from church website/YouTube Becket News 6 Issue 76/November 2020 and intercessions, and we soon had a we at St Thomas à Becket helped, good team of enthusiastic readers who in a small way, to bring them to life sent him audio or video recordings of brought us closer together. We found the Bible readings he sent us for each that we could count on each other, Sunday – a steep learning curve for help each other and be together while some of us, but a great experience! being physically apart and despite Here I’d like to thank everybody who the difficult situation we all suddenly took part – Dorothee, Katja, Monica found ourselves in. Fortunately, all Emilia, Jonas, Fiona, Christian, Gil- the services can still be viewed on our lian and the Hansen family, Norbert, website so if you haven’t seen them all Nicki, Jens, Kwabena, Kelvin, Sandro or would like to watch one again, you and, of course, Penny. We even man- still can! aged to get eight different languages Although we all missed being able together for the Pentecost service! to go to church on Sundays and catch Thanks also to Yotin for providing up with each other’s news over a cup the music and singing. of tea or coffee afterwards, Pete’s serv- Although Fr Pete was far away, the ices made it a whole lot easier! services he prepared and the fact that Madeleine Resühr Helping the homeless in California reetings to all the folks at St. that state’s quarantine precluded that GThomas’s. It has been a busy and our trip was cancelled. The priest summer. Penny and I have been they had scheduled for this Decem- practicing the eremitical life (her- ber and January decided against mits) due to the pandemic that has traveling there, so we agreed to come gotten worse in my country (USA) instead. Imagine Christmas where it since we returned from Germany is HOT and you can go to the beach in March. That has meant not din- every day of the year. ing out or even ordering ‘take away.’ I also wanted to again thank you for That has given both of us the impe- your kindness and sisterly/brotherly tus to eat well, exercise a lot, and lose love for the donation to the home- some weight. lessness organization for which I am We were scheduled to go to the the treasurer and board member in island of Kauai in the Hawaiian my city (Redlands, California), the Islands for August and September to Redlands Charitable Resources Coa- pastor two Episcopal churches, but lition, Inc. (RCRC). We have been Becket News 7 Issue 76/November 2020 in existence for 14 years, and I have been associated with it for about 10 years. I joined after I retired from my secular job at the Bank of America, because working on behalf of the poor is what I believe Jesus calls all of us to do in some way. That may be with actual ‘hands on’ or with dona- tions of food, clothing, advice about anything they lack. The program where the donation from St. Thomas is being used is our daily feeding program. When the pandemic hit in March, our local organizations that normally prepared hot meals for the homeless closed. Their volunteers were largely retired now closed organization that had people who fit into the coronavirus the largest hot meal program, which ‘high risk’ category. means we are able to use their refrig- We have about 180 homeless in our erators to store what needs to be city who depended on those meals. stored (the Lord really blessed us So the RCRC formed a task force with that). and decided to ask the citizens of One of our RCRC programs is the our community to make sandwiches annual printing of Resource Guides. and deliver them daily to our food These are small booklets that we give station, which is located in the part to the people of our city to give to of close where most homeless the homeless instead of cash. Statis- congregate. My wife Penny makes 10 tics show that money given to beg- sandwiches almost every day. Mon- gars too often is used by them to etary donations like that made by St. purchase drugs and alcohol. Our Thomas's go to provide food items guides list all the places in our city that go into the food sacks (fruit, where the homeless and those in bottles of water, snacks, juice, cheese, crisis can obtain free food, cloth- chips, crackers). ing, medical and dental services, We are fortunate to hold the daily bus passes, haircuts, showers, laun- feeding on the street in front of the dry, local job postings, and internet

Becket News 8 Issue 76/November 2020 access. All 57 religious organiza- ing to help the homeless person on tions in our town are provided with arrival back home, and escort them a supply of the guides. That makes to the bus station in a nearby city. every church, synagogue and mosque So again, thank you. Your dona- FULL SERVICE. No matter who tion continues to help the poor. You calls them with literally any prob- have truly blessed us. lem, the guides have the answer. Text and photographs: The guides also have a map show- Fr Pete Wright ing where each such organization is located. Also, our website contains even more information, rcrchelp. com. Every city should have guides and a website to help the poor. I’m the designer and webmaster for our website. We also have a program whereby we will purchase a one-way bus ticket back home for a homeless person who has family or friends who will help them upon arrival. We work with the police department. The police verify the homeless person does not have any warrants for their arrest, verify the legitimacy of the people will-

Living with corona May we remain blessed in Jesus Christ’s name, amen. I don't even know from where to start if I'm to talk about what the coronavirus pandemic has brought to the whole world, but in all I give God all the praise for keeping us alive, and more importantly none of our church members was lost or found wanting. I missed the church and the interactions that I use to derive after church service. The coffee and the cakes. Mostly the drinking of our Lord Jesus Christ’s blood. The melody of Anglican hymns. But all I know, one day the pandemic will be a thing of story and may Almighty God continue to protect us in Jesus Christ’s name, amen.

Becket News 9 Issue 76/November 2020 Footsteps in the sand Photo: Alessandro Cattelan from FreeImages.com t has been a very real privilege Iand pleasure to have become part of St Thomas à Becket Church at a time when the congregation, behind masks, has been making its first ten- tative steps after lockdown towards a new ‘normal’ (whatever that will eventually turn out to be). Thank you for making me so welcome. One positive outcome of the pan- two pairs of footsteps in the sand demic so far has been to make us bet- is immensely reassuring. You will ter appreciate many things we had remember that the narrator, at the been taking for granted – such as end of his or her life, notices that the physical contact between friends for much of it there were two pairs involving a hug or a handshake, and of footprints, but during the difficult the opportunity to sing together in times, there was just a single set. The church. It has forced us to reflect on narrator accuses God of abandoning what it means to be ‘fully human’, him or her during those periods, but something we will have the opportu- the explanation given is that on those nity to try better to experience once occasions God was actually carrying a vaccine becomes available. the narrator. For some, the current circum- Continuing blessings on the stances will have been testing their St Thomas à Becket congregation Christian faith, but there is one during the coming months, and long brilliant image that they (and we) may you all thrive! can take to heart. The story of the Revd Dr Nick Fisher Living with corona My house plants are looking amazing as I am home more and have time to water and talk to them! Singing. I really miss both choir singing and singing with the congregation. I have found myself listening to Choral Evensong on Radio 3 and singing along to all the pieces I know. I would have branched out in my cooking earlier – there was a lot of cheese on toast at the beginning. Now I'm much more creative.

Becket News 10 Issue 76/November 2020 Urban pilgrimage: the tale of Hamburg he term ‘urban pilgrimage’ pilgrimage in London, following Tsounds a bit of an oxymoron. the guide A Pilgrim’s Guide to Sacred Pilgrimages usually imply walking London by Jason Goodwin and John out into the wilderness, following Michell. Yet there is something about a long and lonely ancient trail, and being in a foreign place that allows then arriving at some holy place. you to collect new thoughts and gain The Camino route to Santiago de extra perspectives. I felt I discovered Compostela is one such traditional something of the soul of Hamburg. example. Can it be possible, though, Topographically, the city straddles to follow a route through a noisy city the river Elbe, with numerous over several days and gain spiritually canals criss-crossing the city centre from such an exercise? and a large lake located just to the I arrived in Hamburg on a balmy north. The huge red warehouses in late September afternoon to settle the harbour area remind you that in as locum priest at the Thomas it is a Speicherstadt, a storage city, à Becket Anglican Church. On moving imports and exports in and the first Sunday, someone in the out of Germany. It is a city on the congregation handed me a booklet: move, based on its credentials as a ‘Stattwege: Pilgern durch Hamburg’ key Hanseatic city, which, together (Alternative paths: a pilgrimage with Lübeck to the north-east, once through Hamburg)’. ‘You should try orchestrated the whole network of this,’ he said. I had been wondering trading ports in Northern Europe. where to start my discovery of All this movement is reflected in the Hamburg as a city. So I went on his religious imagery around the city. recommendation and set out on a For me, three saints, who were three-day walking trip. themselves once ‘on the move’, stand By the end of the three days, I had out. The first is St Ansgar. He was covered some 20 miles across the not in fact from the area, but from city. I had mostly meandered along Picardy in France, and was sent by quieter streets rather than followed Charlemagne to establish Christianity the predictable tourist trail. But I in the north of Europe in the ninth also understood more about the century. By a circuitous route he interweaving of the spiritual life and established the city of Hamburg, a city’s character. I had already been having already founded an abbey several years before on a day’s urban at Corvey in Westphalia, been on a Becket News 11 Issue 76/November 2020 missionary expedition to Jutland, and Another well-regarded saint in reached Lake Mälaren in Sweden. Hamburg is St Gertrude of Nivelles. On Hamburg’s Trostbrücke stands Gertrude was from what is now a statue of Ansgar, who is carrying a Belgium, and she set up a monastery church, symbolic of the church on the in Nivelles. She is venerated in move, perhaps made more poignant Hamburg, because of her instinct because he is standing on a bridge, for welcoming pilgrims, and showed a metaphor for a connection to particular hospitality towards Irish another place (incidentally Hamburg monks and nuns going to and from has more bridges than any other Europe. In one alleged incident Irish European city). Ansgar was led to monks were caught in a storm, but each place by spiritual visions moving prayers using her name quelled the him. This prayer from his Pigmenta waves. The church dedicated to her illustrates such movement towards in Hamburg once stood next to the something new: Hauptkirche St Jakobi (St James’s), Fill us with your forgiving mercy and a statue from that obsolete and guide us each of our days. church is now displayed perhaps Then we'll get there, rather too subtlely on a façade of where we will see your blissfulness an Italian restaurant in the adjacent with our eyes. square. It took a few minutes to spot. As a reminder of pilgrimage, a multidirectional pilgrim’s Camino sign stands outside St James’s, a reminder of who is the ultimate patron saint of pilgrims. The third saint who makes his mark is St Paul, elevated in 1910 to the name of a Hamburg football club, St Pauli, now in the second division of the Bundesliga. St Pauli has never won any major silverware, but prides itself, like St Paul, on doing things a bit differently. Beyond the football fare, the club likes to help the underprivileged, what it calls the social ‘ragtag’, setting up self- Becket News 12 Issue 76/November 2020 help groups and ensuring inclusivity the surviving and imposing church of minorities. On the emblem of tower of St Nikolai designed by the St Pauli district read the words George Gilbert Scott to the dramatic ‘faith, hope and love’, overlaying a three-cross display outside St picture of a cross, an anchor and a Georgskirche. You realise how the heart. You realise the extent of the architects and artists must have been link between Christianity and sailing divinely inspired. when you walk back towards the Returning to base at the Thomas Hafen City, the harbour city. On the à Becket Church, I thanked the way, you spot the Seemannsmission, member of the congregation who as well as the proliferation of had the initial suggestion. And then Scandinavian seafarers’ churches, I realised that the soul of the city finished off with the consonant-filled was in microcosmic form in the Flussschifferkirche, floating on the church itself. Thomas Becket was water. also the patron saint of Merchant There are many other treats in Adventurers. The church here was store in the city, from the golden fish first founded on the back of the door handles at St Trinitas Altona English-based Guild of Merchant to the dove-like Christ as a hanging Adventurers that paved the way for rood in the St Marien-Dom, from a new English-speaking church in

Becket News 13 Issue 76/November 2020 seafaring churches who just wanted to talk: sailors often lead a lonely existence, especially in the time of Covid when they can’t easily return to their mother country because of quarantine restrictions. Each and every city will have its underlying spiritual flavour which informs its sense of identity. The trick is to avoid the clichéd tourist routes 1611, by far the oldest Anglican and main thoroughfares. Discover chaplaincy in Germany. The spirit the less publicised treasures instead. of the city was even in the veins of In Hamburg you only have to walk the members of the congregation to the other side of the Außenalster themselves. One member looks (the main lake) and look back at the after the sailors from all around the spire-piercing city skyline, superbly world in the local Seemannsmission portrayed in a painting called around the corner. Another leads the ‘Stadtansicht Hamburgs’ (1681) by ‘Wanderers’ group, who venture on a Joachim Luhn in St James’s. Or, by day’s walk somewhere in the vicinity contrast, with a microscopic eye, of Hamburg. spot a reed organ ‘made in Liverpool’ Urban pilgrimages can be inspiring. on display in a merchanding shop They come with provisos: you have hidden in an underpassage beneath to endure the inevitable noisy bustle Hamburg’s main square. It’s a and the numerous passers-by. In commemoration of the Beatles’ a time of pandemic, though, little presence here in the 1960s. They too urban spiritual excursions may be left a joyful, if not spiritual imprint the only ones possible. Nonetheless, on the city as locals were finding there are overlaps between urban themselves in the post-war years. pilgrimages and traditional By going on an urban pilgrimage pilgrimages. They involve the same you discover a huge amount about experience of walking, stopping, spirituality and place, as well as your reflecting and map-reading. They place in spirituality. also include surprises and encounters with strangers. I had bumped into Text and photographs: Revd Canon Mark Dimond several sailors on the steps of the Becket News 14 Issue 76/November 2020 Christmas cards available to order n this new digital world into at our annual Church Bazaar in Iwhich we have all suddenly been November and through the various plunged, where physical contact and English-speaking clubs and societies travel have been severely restricted, and at other events. This year, because perhaps sending a handwritten card of the corona restrictions, selling the to someone is a gift that will be cards is a huge challenge and we especially appreciated this year. have looked for alternative ways of We have been producing Christ- reaching potential customers. mas cards by recycling used cards in For the first time, cards can be aid of the historic English Church ordered using the order form on of St Thomas à Becket for over 30 the church website (go to posts and years. The project was started in follow the link to the form) or by 1986/87 when we sold just 300 telephoning Judith Holst on 040 cards. On average over recent years, 880 0727. The cards will also still be we have made and sold 5,000 cards on sale, subject to Hamburg corona each year. The double cards, using restrictions, at some events including motifs cut from used Christmas the Church Mini-Market, planned cards, are handmade throughout the for 21 November (see p.18), and year by a small team of volunteers, after the church service on Sundays most of whom have worked on the from 22 November until 20 project for many years. Motifs range December between 12:00 – 13:00. from religious and nativity Judith Holst scenes, winter landscapes, robins, Christmas scenes, animals, humorous, and other festive themes such as wreaths, flowers candles, etc. The cards, complete with envelopes, are 148 x 110 mm and have a Christmas and New Year greeting in English and German. All cards are quality-controlled. Usually we sell the cards Becket News 15 Issue 76/November 2020 The martyrdom of Thomas Becket his year marks the 900th anni- His intelligence did not go unno- Tversary of the birth and 850th ticed and he soon began to work anniversary of the martyrdom of for Theobald of Bec, Archbishop Thomas Becket, who gave his name of Canterbury. Theobald was so to our church – a good time to reca- impressed by the young man that he pitulate a little. recommended him to King Henry Thomas was born on 21 Decem- II who made him Lord Chancel- ber 1120 in Cheapside, London, son lor in 1155. He held this post until of Gilbert and Matilda Becket. Mer- 1162 when he succeeded Theobald cers’ Hall now stands where their as Archbishop, having been con- house once stood and Thomas was secrated priest just one day before baptised in St Mary Colechurch, that ceremony. Once Archbishop, which was conveniently at the bot- Thomas quickly began to put the tom of their garden. For many years, interests of the church before any Gilbert’s textile business flourished royal or secular interests, a change and he was able to send his son to of heart that angered the King and grammar school in London. His led to a serious dispute that ended fortunes waned, however, and Tho- in court. Thomas was convicted of mas had to go to work as a clerk. contempt of royal authority and had

Living with corona The weather was lovely in the spring and working from home gave me an opportunity to break up working days with walks and runs around the park and along the Elbe. We instigated a family Zoom on Sunday afternoons. I have had more contact with cousins over the past 6 months than in the years before. It has brought us together as family. Hugs. Haven't hugged anyone for 6 months. The chance to hear live music, go to the theatre and travel (though I haven't really missed the trips to Brussels). We’ve all learned that so many meetings and workshops can work online with the right sort of chairing so no need perhaps to travel as much. Good for the planet. However, personal presence does make a difference, so will try to find a balance. I would like to start hugging for real again!

Becket News 16 Issue 76/November 2020 bishops who had had the temerity to crown the heir apparent, Henry the Young King, at York. Legend has it that King Henry II then spoke the famous words: ‘Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?’ which were interpreted by four Norman knights as an order to kill Thomas. His fate was sealed; the four knights cut him down in Canterbury Cathedral as he was on his way to Vespers. He was canonised just two years later and a veritable Thomas Becket cult spread throughout Europe. As a result of his fame, his body was removed to a splendid tomb in the centre of the cathedral 50 years later, a tomb which has been visited by Our St Thomas of Canterbury window (Photo: Madeleine Resühr) Madeleine (Photo: window Canterbury of Thomas St Our thousands of pilgrims since. A whole series of events had been planned for ‘Becket2020’, includ- ing an exhibition of artefacts in The British Museum showing caskets made in about 1200 to hold the saint’s relics, jewellery, manuscripts and scenes from his life and martyr- dom. Many of the events had to be cancelled in the wake of the corona pandemic, but this exhibition has to flee to France, where he spent sev- only been postponed – so if you’re eral years in exile. Pope Alexander planning a trip to London next year, eventually intervened on his behalf check the museum’s website for and he was able to return to Eng- updates of what looks like a great land in 1170. However, he almost special exhibition of London’s prin- immediately angered the King again cipal saint and our namesake. when he excommunicated three Madeleine Resühr Becket News 17 Issue 76/November 2020 What's happening about the Bazaar? s a result of the corona restric- The Hamburg health authorities Ations, it was pretty clear since gave their blessing to hold a ‘mini- the summer that a ‘business as usual’ market’ in church on Saturday, 21 bazaar was not going to be possi- November, as long as we avoided sell- ble. A bazaar planning team worked ing food and followed strict hygiene creatively to think of what could be rules. So we were all set to go, but as done. The idea of a ‘virtual bazaar’ this edition of Becket News went to with online sales was born. press it was clear that corona cases are It was a really neat idea, until rising and it is increasingly unlikely we read up on EU regulations for even this will be possible. We have selling foodstuffs online. In any not given up entirely, and are look- case, many stall-holders and other ing for the means to make sales of members of our congregation lob- the above possible, for example after bied hard to have at least a small church and through to Christmas. event in church to keep up the Please check the church website tradition and provide an opportu- for news and, if anyone wants to nity to buy the produce collected: purchase items, please email us at British products, home-made jams bazaar@anglican-church-ham- and chutneys, Christmas crack- burg.de. Please see separate infor- ers and puddings, the renowned mation regarding online ordering of recycled Christmas cards, mince Christmas cards on page 15. pies, scones, cakes, handicrafts and The wardens, stall-holders books, books, books… and helpers Peregrinations of a pudding or two hristmas wouldn’t be Christmas magical ingredients to make the Cwithout a pudding! For many pudding. Lucky silver sixpences were traditionalists all over the world thrown in at the last, and often the who were born into or adopted pudding matured, liberally laced with British Christmas traditions this brandy, for several months before conviction still holds true and being borne in to cries of delight conjures up memories of mothers as the festive finale of Christmas and grandmothers stirring immense dinner. Despite its enticing aroma, quantities of dried fruit and other and richly satisfying taste, Christmas Becket News 18 Issue 76/November 2020 meant fewer trips to Britain by our wonderful ‘carrier pigeons’. Whereas one can normally reckon with selling up to 30 puddings, the end of September found us with no way Photo:Nicki Schiller of bringing any over at all. A family member who has just returned to Germany from London and was about to ship her household goods back to Hamburg suggested packing some puddings in with her things. A kind friend bought 20 excellent puddings, the first of the season, from a great grocery chain pudding is considered by some to and at a reasonable price. He proudly be – how can one put this? – rather photographed his purchases and heavy. handed them over to the removal The fact is that in Anglophile people. Hamburg in 2020 many people The dismay was great when the could not imagine Christmas delivery arrived in Hamburg. Only without a pudding. Members and nine puddings had survived the friends of St Thomas à Becket often passage and, although still intact, buy theirs at the church’s annual showed signs of having had a rough bazaar in late November. Together crossing! with other popular products The following Sunday we packed like Christmas crackers, sweet the car with all the British products mincemeat, teas and biscuits, the we had received so far and set off puddings are brought to Hamburg to bring them to church. On the from all over Britain by cars driven autobahn we were flashed by the by a handful of kind friends. This car behind us which drew alongside ensures that we can purchase quality while the driver called out, ‘You’ve goods at a reasonable price and resell got a flat tyre!’ As luck would have in Hamburg at a profit without it the next exit was only a minute asking unacceptable prices. or two away, so we drove cautiously This year the travel restrictions off the autobahn and drew up at a caused by the corona pandemic have nearby petrol station. Becket News 19 Issue 76/November 2020 The tyre was as flat as a pancake. of steel slings and hoisted it gently We unpacked the boot of the car, in the air where it rocked a little as taking particular care of the small he manoeuvred it skilfully onto the box with the puddings, only to floor of his truck. When he was discover we had no emergency tyre. finished, he shook his head and said, We repacked the car. ‘The rear end was rather heavy,’ at A call to the helpful people at the which we burst into gales of laughter ADAC was cut off half-way through and gasped, ‘It must have been the and we could not get through to puddings!’ them again. Our car had been sold The following Sunday we with a guarantee of assistance in the succeeded in storing the goods in case of a breakdown, so we phoned the church at last and sold one the company concerned and, in no pudding immediately after the time, they sent a burly hero to our service. At this time we are not sure rescue – at the wheel of an enormous if the bazaar, greatly reduced in size tow truck! It did rather seem like a to a ‘mini-market’ will take place at case of overkill for a flat tyre, but we all because of corona, but if it does I were very glad to see him. can recommend the now legendary We watched fascinated and filmed Christmas puddings. I have even as he secured the car with the help bought one myself! Nicki Schiller Church Wanderers reloaded hurch Wanderers, the St Tho- Cmas à Becket walking group, met again on 3 October for the first time in several months for a gen- tle socially distanced walk through the woods and fields of Wohldor- fer Wald, starting from Ohlstedt station in the north of Hamburg. We were 14 walkers of all ages and two dogs and enjoyed being out- doors, walking and talking. It was good to see more of people than just head and shoulders in a video call and was a welcome chance to Becket News 20 Issue 76/November 2020 speaks for itself. There have already been offers from within the group to lead other walks, so we could end up doing more than just the four I can lead. The Wanderers really epitomise our church’s mission statement, to be ‘a welcoming, active and inclu- sive church, growing in our rela- tionship with God and the wider community’. Wanderers include people from a range of age groups and origins, both from within our congregation and outside. And during the pandemic, meet- ing to walk together is one of the few activities we can still safely do. The only requirement is the ability chat, especially for those who feel to walk, although our walks vary anxious about spending time with in length and strenuousness, and other people in church. more demanding ones are flagged The group has not been meeting in advance. We usually walk on a since Nicki Schiller stood down Saturday and try always to use pub- as coordinator at the end of 2019, lic transport. noting that the group would need Our next walk is planned for Jan- new walks and, above all, new walk uary 2021, date to be advised, and leaders to be sustainable. If I still will probably start at Rissen S Bahn lived in Hamburg, I would will- and head down to the river and back ingly take on the challenge, but towards Hamburg. If you would distance (up to two hours each way like to know about future walks by car and considerably longer by and are not already on our mail- train) means I can’t manage once a ing list, please email me at dawes@ month. However, I can commit to dawescom.de with your name and leading a walk once a quarter and email address and ask to be added so put out feelers to the Wander- to the list. ers to gauge interest. The response, Text and photographs: at little more than a week’s notice, Jo Dawes Becket News 21 Issue 76/November 2020 Money matters e are living through extraor- wise we will run out of money. The Wdinarily challenging times. Chaplaincy Council had planned Protection measures for COVID-19 to launch a fund-raising campaign are having a profound effect on the in 2020 and address new sources of incomes of many. Thanks to strong regular income, but church man- reserves plus the fact we are in a agement issues relating to COVID- vacancy period without the need 19 have had to take priority. This to pay a full stipend, STB is weath- must be our top priority for 2021, ering this storm better than many however, and ideas are welcome.. organisations; the treasury team On a positive note, there was a does not have to lose sleep regard- generous and prompt response to ing the current situation. Many our appeal for donations to a hard- chaplaincies whose income is more ship fund set up in April aimed at dependent on events are faring less providing small grants to those fac- well and are reliant on emergency ing acute financial need due to the support from the Diocese. current situation. Within about a STB’s budget for 2020 was final- week just under €9,000 was raised. ised just as lockdown in Hamburg We have been able to support quite took effect and could be adjusted a few people with small grants or to take into account the antici- micro-loans, and perhaps this fund pated loss of income from the loose can be retained for future needs as change collections and envelopes it is a simple way to connect donors collected during services. Fortu- and those who need a helping hand. nately, most donations are made by A big thank you to all of you bank transfer. Very grateful thanks supporting the church financially. to all who have kept up payments. Without your commitment and On the basis of the strength of our generosity we cannot run our oper- reserves, we have been permitted to ations. We need to raise around move forward on appointing a full- €134,000 a year. I am proud of the time chaplain, despite the fact we fact that in the recent past we have are forecasting an income deficit. been able to cover our costs. Please This is obviously not sustainable. help to continue this. Donation income is in decline and we have to turn this around other- Monica Schofield Becket News 22 Issue 76/November 2020 Who’s Who at our Church Chaplain Telephone Email

Chaplain: currently vacant (040) 439 2334 chaplain@anglican-church- (040) 2849 3722 Fax. hamburg.de PTO: Revd Julie Lipp-Nathaniel

PTO: Revd Erika G. Anders (040) 3577 8540

PTO: Revd Maija Priess

Church Council

Susanne Hergoss, Churchwarden 0176 2152 3516 [email protected]

Madeleine Resühr, Churchwarden 0177 651 061 6 [email protected]

Peter Alexander, Minute Secretary (040) 475 015 [email protected]

Norbert Schoen, Vice-Chair (040) 2983 4263 [email protected]

Heiner Quast, Treasurer (co-opted) 0170 121 2046 [email protected]

Jo Dawes, Becket News (04862) 201 6870 [email protected]

Dorothee Möller 0179 764 1132 [email protected]

Valerie Mueller 0171 501 6089 [email protected]

John Alex Pamu 0151 4542 8056 [email protected]

Emmanuel Saarkodie (040) 2199 2730 -

Monica Schofield, Treasury Liaison (040) 5305 2889 [email protected]

Wendy Sprock 0173 206 1521 [email protected]

Council of Anglican and Episcopal Churches in Germany – Delegates

Susanne Hergoss 0176 2152 3516 [email protected]

Andrea Grantz 0176 4194 6235 [email protected]

For other ministries please see following page

For the latest on how Covid-19 is affecting services and events, please see Facebook: stbhamburg or our website: www.anglican-church-hamburg.de

Becket News 23 Issue 76/November 2020 Who’s Who at our Church For clergy and council members please see previous page

Other Ministries Tel Email

Choir Director Yotin Tiewtrakul 0176 7236 4865 [email protected]

Fabric Cttee Chair Vacant

Electoral Roll + Norbert Schoen (040) 2983 4263 [email protected] Safeguarding Officer ER Assistant, Gift Enve- Emmanuel (040) 2199 2730 - lopes, Refreshment Rota Saarkodie Intercessions Peter Alexander (040) 475 015 [email protected]

The Sacristan Paul Fletcher (040) 784 630 - Deputy Matilda Hammond Junior Church Miriam Hinz (interim) 0160 9103 9354 -

Becket Mix Madeleine Herring [email protected] Emma Richter [email protected] Young Adults Fiona David 0151 7545 0115 -

LCF and MU Renu Roy (04103) 16 584 [email protected]

Church Wanderers Jo Dawes (04862) 201 6870 [email protected]

Recycled Cards Judith Holst (040) 880 0727 [email protected]

Photo Cards Brenda Hinz 0176 5040 3479 [email protected]

Becket News editor and Jo Dawes (04862) 201 6870 [email protected] webmaster

Becket News is published approx. quarterly by the Anglican Church of St Thomas à Becket, Zeughausmarkt 22, 20459 Hamburg • ViSdP Jo Dawes We are part of the Church of England

Website: www.anglican-church-hamburg.de Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stbhamburg/ Please e-mail contributions to: [email protected]