In 2018 a group of visitors from another Christ Church, in Engelskirchen, Germany, will visit Wanstead. Interested in hosting? Margaret Adams explains the link.
The link between Wanstead United Reformed Church (URC) and Christuskirche (‘Christ Church) in Engelskirchen, a very pleasant small town about half an hour from Cologne, was established over 20 years ago and has seen strong friendships developed.
The link’s main practical expression has become an annual group visit in Easter week, with Wanstead people visiting Engelskirchen one year and receiving visitors from Engelskirchen the following. The visitors are hosted in each other’s homes, thereby really getting to know the host family and how people live in another part of Europe. Host families provide breakfast and an evening meal, and the party is out during the day visiting sights of general or spiritual interest. Worship is shared once or twice in the course of the visit.
A few years ago, Fr. Richard Wyber and a colleague were invited to join a group going to Germany and for the first time the Parish church became involved. This extended the ecumenical nature of the association. It was hoped that the link, which is such a valuable dialogue between church communities in different countries, could broaden out to include more people in the Wanstead community, to the benefit of all.
In 2018 a party from Engelskirchen will visit Wanstead from 3-8 April. We would love a few more people to become involved in the link, to act as hosts and to assist with the programme. Anyone interested in assisting in any way should contact contact Fr. Richard 07879 631701, Celia Heath 07763501782 or Margaret Adams 0780 271 0594.