WORSHIP IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 2014

Transcription

1 WORSHIP IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 2014 ST ALBAN S CHURCH, COPENHAGEN (All regular services at St Alban s take place at 10:30) Wed 3 Sept at Sunday 7 Sept at 1030 Sunday 7 Sept at Wed 10 Sept at 1030 Sunday 14 Sept at 1030 Wed 17 Sept at 1030 Sunday 21 Sept at 1030 Wed 24 Sept at 1030 Sunday 28 Sept at 1030 Wed 1 Oct at 1030 Sunday 5 Oct at 1030 Wed 8 Oct at 1030 Sun 12 Oct at 1030 Wed 15 Oct at 1030 Sunday 19 Oct at 1030 Wed 22 Oct at Sunday 26 Oct at Wed 29 Oct at Holy Communion, Bishop David Coles Parish Eucharist, Baptisms & Harvest Festival Taize Service(*see p3), Morning Prayer, Bishop David Coles Parish Eucharist, Revd Palle Thordahl (Holy Cross Day) Holy Communion, Jane Passant (Trainee Reader) Parish Eucharist, Bishop David Coles (Mathew the Apostle) Holy Communion, Bishop David Coles Parish Eucharist Bishop David Coles Holy Communion, Bishop David Coles Holy Communion & Baptisms Bishop David Coles Holy Communion, Bishop David Parish Eucharist, Bishop David Holy Communion, Bishop David Coles Parish Eucharist, Bishop David Coles (Luke the Evangelist -18 Oct) Holy Communion, Bishop David Coles Parish Eucharist, Bishop David Coles Holy Communion, Bishop David Coles Sunday parish Eucharist is held in the main church and lasts a little over 1 hour, using Common Worship. If you use a hearing aid, please use the T-switch to connect to the loop system. Coffee and tea is served after the Sunday service. All are welcome. The Sunday school starts at 10:25 except for the 1 st Sunday in the month. As new practice at St Alban's, children wishing to join Sunday school will meet at 10:25 at the Font. After opening prayers children be invited by the Chaplain to accompany the Sunday school leaders to the Upper Room, and afterwards return to their parents in time for communion. Baptisms are held on the 1st Sunday of each month. Our choir is led by Iain McLarty and his deputy organist Isaac Lee. 1

2 ST ALBAN'S CHURCH IN JUTLAND The Anglican Parish of St Alban's covers the whole Kingdom of Denmark, with St Alban's Church in Copenhagen gathering for worship at 1030 every Sunday and Wednesday. We also have three English-speaking congregations in Jutland, in partnership with the local Danish Church, that gather on these dates; AARHUS At Møllevangskirke at 1900 on 28 September and on 2 November, 21 December (led by Bishop David Coles). Details from Rogena Holst palle.holst@mail.dk (*see pg JELLING At Jelling Church, at on 28 September, led by Deacon Christophe details from chndi2011@gmail.com VEJLE at Løgetkirke, Løget Center 2, at 1400 led by Deacon Christophe Details from chndi2011@gmail.com All are warmly welcome. PRAY FOR FRIENDS AND RELATIONS Prayer requests (to be included in our intercessions) should be sent to prayer@st-albans.dk, with the name of the person to be prayed for, the reason and how long you wish them to be on the prayer list or you can contact Pauleen Bang in church. * TAIZÉ SERVICE Taizé is an ecumenical community in Burgundy, France, established by the late Brother Roger during World War 2. Special music and simple chants of the Psalms are sung in many languages. It will be a quiet, reflective service - a time to pray quietly and sing with others the beautiful Taizé music. The theme will be for peace and reconciliation. Jesus said "My peace I give you". This worship is very informal and open for all people to attend, using meditative music, silence and guided prayer. This is an opportunity to come together to pray for peace in our troubled world. 2

3 FROM THE CHAPLAIN THE BISHOP OF GIBRALTAR IN EUROPE THE RT REVD. ROBERT INNES ENTHRONED IN GIBRALTAR ON 4 SEPTEMBER 2014 Bishop David Coles, locum Chaplain represented St Alban s at the ceremony: OUR NEW BISHOP IN EUROPE I have met many visitors and newcomers to our Chaplaincy of St Alban s in Copenhagen and the congregation in Aarhus who have difficulty trying to work out what we mean as Anglicans when we talk about The Diocese in Europe. Many who worship with us come from other Christian traditions which do not have bishops, and some church traditions have very local forms of church government. In some, the local congregation is quite independent and not closely connected to a wider church family. The Anglican Church around the world is estimated to have 85 million baptised members. They worship in 38 Provinces, each with its own General Synod and usually one or more Archbishops who exercise leadership for that Province. There are 165 countries within those 38 Provinces, 48 of those countries in the Diocese in Europe! Within each Province, there are several Dioceses or local regions. Each Diocese has a Diocesan Bishop and sometimes Assistant and Suffragan Bishops as well to share the leadership roles. In Europe, Bishop David Hamid serves as our Suffragan Bishop. The role of Archbishop of Canterbury goes back to 597AD when St Augustine was sent to England by Pope Gregory the Great to re-establish Christianity in Britain. For this reason, the Archbishop of Canterbury is seen as the senior leader of our international church, though he does not exercise direct authority outside of the Church of England. The Anglican Diocese in Europe is part of the Church of England and shares in the life of the General Synod of the Church of England as one of its Dioceses. The Diocese has about 300 Chaplaincies stretching from Morocco to Moscow with hundreds of Chaplains and Licensed Lay Ministers taking responsibility for regular worship and pastoral care of the congregations. But who holds this all together? Of course, Christ is the Head of the Church, but it is our Diocesan Bishop who leads the team. The ministry of a bishop is to be pastor and shepherd of Christ s flock, a teacher of the faith and a focus of the Church s unity and mission in the world. These days, Anglican Churches in Europe work in close partnership with Churches in the Lutheran tradition in many areas. We also have special relationships with the Evangelical Church in Germany, the Old 3

4 Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht, and close working relationships with Roman Catholic communities in many areas. On Thursday 4 September, Joy and I were privileged to represent the Chaplaincy of St Alban s, Copenhagen and Aarhus in Denmark at the service of Installation of The Right Revd Robert Innes as the new Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe. Bishops in the Church of England, are known by the name of the Cathedral where they have their kathedra or seat. So the Archbishop of Canterbury is so called because his seat is in the Cathedral at Canterbury. The Bishop in Europe is officially known as the Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe because our Cathedral in this Diocese is at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Gibraltar. Previous bishops in Europe have maintained their homes in England and their offices in London. Our new Bishop is the first Bishop in Europe to have actually served in the Diocese as a Chaplain. Robert Innes has been the Senior Chaplain and Chancellor of the Pro-Cathedral in Brussels since 2005, so he has hands on experience of what is involved in ministering to English-speaking people on the Continent of Europe. He is also the first Bishop in Europe to have his office here. He will remain in Brussels. Since the end of 2013 he has been the Archbishop of Canterbury s representative to the EU institutions in Brussels, so he already has a very good grasp of the networks amongst the nations which make up the European Community. The Installation Service at Holy Trinity Cathedral on 4 September was a grand occasion graced by the presence of the Governor of Gibraltar. Sir James Dutton who kindly hosted the reception for the congregation at his lovely home near the Cathedral. The new Bishop was heralded by military trumpeters and an impressive range of local and Diocesan VIPs. The Archbishop of Canterbury was represented by The Venerable Sheila Watson, the Archdeacon of Canterbury who presented the Archbishop's 'Mandate' or authority to proceed. The new Bishop then had to make oaths, placing his hand on the Bible, and swearing allegiance to the Queen, to the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Constitution of the Diocese and to the Cathedral. After all that he was placed in the Bishop's seat and presented with his pastoral staff and greeted with applause by the congregation. In his sermon, Bishop Robert outlined some of his hopes for his ministry in Europe. One was 'the building of healthy Christian communities in the various chaplaincies'. 4

5 Another was to create a church 'where children and young people are helped to contribute and belong.' The service of Holy Communion followed as we all prayed for Bishop Robert. At the end he stood on the Cathedral steps to bless the people of Gibraltar and the Diocese. In the introduction to the service, we read a letter of advice to Archbishop Adelhard of Canterbury, written by Alcuin of York in the eighth century. The words are as applicable today as they were over 1000 years ago: Almighty God grant all go well with thee, Be an honour to the Church. Follow Christ's word, clear in thy task and careful in thy speech. Be thine an open hand, a merry heart. Let not the wealth of the world nor its dominion flatter thee into silence as to truth, nor king, nor judge, yea, nor thy dearest friend muzzle thy lips from righteousness. We hope that Bishop Robert will soon be able to visit us here in Denmark once he has had a chance to work out the many calls on his time and the huge task of getting around the whole of Europe! Please pray for Bishop Robert who is 54, his wife Helen and their four adult children as he takes up this challenging new role amongst us. David Coles Locum Chaplain, St Albans Copenhagen and Aarhus 5

6 NOTICES for your diary HARVEST FESTIVAL 7 September at Bring produce, flowers, vegetables and hard fruit, bread and dry goods to decorate the altar and church - they will be shared with charity organisations thereafter. TAIZÉ SERVICE 7 September at AUTUMN CLOTHING SALE 1 November, Bring and Buy (especially the latter!) After a very successful clothing sale the Summer Fête, we have decided to hold another on the first Saturday of November. You bring good-quality, second-hand clothing to sell and you go home with something fresh and nearly new. We will provide coffee and tea and scones so it will be social and fun as well as a fundraiser. Please be selective about what you donate for sale but whatever is not sold will be given to charity either Reden, Dannerhuset, Kvindehjemmet, Red Cross or to friends in Africa. Contact: Claire or Jean MEN S NIGHT OUT 7 November at BEER AT BREWPUB IN CENTRAL COPENHAGEN Organiser Chris Parker encourages all our men to sign up for a men s night to sample some beers and have a few laughs :-) You are welcome to invite friends and relations to join in. He needs to know how many are coming, as he needs to book tables at the restaurant. parkskov@hotmail.com BrewPub København is an innovative microbrewery with its own restaurant and bar, right in the heart of Copenhagen. It is situated in an historic 17th century building just off the Town Hall Square (Rådhuspladsen). The beer garden in the brewery courtyard provides a charming atmosphere in summer months and is worth visiting. CONCERTS Three exciting autumn concerts have been arranged by our Director of Music, Iain McLarty see page 6 6

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8 THE DANISH SCHEME Repatriation of British prisoners of war from Germany, via Denmark The article in the July-August Newsletter on St Albans Church War Memorial included in its last paragraph a note that it was partly based on information from a lady reader of the Newsletter, but that I had lost the name of the lady and the link to her article. I am now pleased to be able to supply the missing information as the lady, Dorothy Jones, has written to me again. The internet link is and contains a wealth of information. In 2009 Dorothy Jones submitted an MA Dissertation to the University of Birmingham on the repatriation of British Prisoners of War (POW s) in Germany. Between 11 November 1918 and mid- January 1919 a quarter of the British POW s in Germany were returned to Britain via Denmark and the Baltic ports in an operation that became known as The Danish Scheme". Amongst other things her dissertation includes articles on the Tragedy of the British submarine E-13 that had run aground on Saltholm, and The Copenhagen Bureau that had been established in autumn 1916 with the specific task of sending white bread to British POW s in Germany. There are also lists of officers and other ranks, and the names of the ships involved in the repatriation. Tony Higgins, St. Alban s historian and Archivist 8

9 IMPROVING RELATIONSHIPS & COMMUNICATION We judge others by their actions and ourselves by our intentions someone once wrote. In the decades that have gone by since I read that statement, I have noticed that this is indeed generally so. We know what we intended, so when it does not quite turn out that way, we know it was not out of ill will, but due to circumstances or misunderstandings. However, because very few of us are mind readers, we only have our perceptions of other people s actions (or words) to judge them by and so we do! This goes for our wonderful church community in St. Alban s, too, so I thought I d share with you a simple tool that has made a world of difference to me personally as well to my clients professionally. In my job as a Business Coach working with teams and departments, there is often a need to focus on communication in the team, because people have been hurt or felt misunderstood as happens in life. There are specific instances in the past that impair relations in the present. So I often start out such a session by asking whether they feel that their team mates in general are trying to contribute positively or whether they try to make life and work miserable for the others. So far there has always been pronounced consensus: No, of course not! Of course everyone tries to do their best. My next question is: So you agree that none of you is intentionally trying to be destructive or hurtful. Then how come that in this particular 9

10 instance when you felt hurt, you assumed that this person was out to get you rather than assuming that there was some kind of misunderstanding? Silence. The trick is to look behind the actions (or words) to the constructive intentions behind them. If the majority of people are actually trying to contribute positively to life, then it follows that destructive actions or words were probably meant otherwise. So I ask everyone to think of a particular instance when someone has hurt, angered or annoyed them. You, too, can take a couple of seconds to do that right now!. Then I ask them to consider: If you have to find a positive intention behind that action (or those words), what might it be? Sometimes it takes a little while, but mostly they suddenly light up with a great: Ah he might actually have intended to When I ask what has happened to their unpleasant feelings after that discovery, there are usually smiles, relief and It s all gone. Now I understand that his intention was constructive. Sometimes, the constructive intention can produce an action that is rather unpleasant and unreasonable to those around as when someone enters his workplace in the morning and snaps at a colleague on his way to his desk. The constructive intention? The argument he had with his spouse just before leaving home has created a lot of tension that he has to get rid of in order to be able to focus on his work. Snapping at others, of course, is not good way to go about it, no matter what the intention. However, the moment his colleague looks behind his words to the constructive intention, it is possible to talk about it in a manner that is much more likely to produce good communication also in the longer run than if she merely snapped back or felt insulted. Looking behind actions and words to the possible constructive intention behind them is actually quite a fun exercise, and it creates much better relationships and communication. It takes some practice, but it can be used everywhere: in church, at home, at work, with friends If you are not already in the habit of doing it, try it out and see the difference it makes. If you already do it, have fun trying to catch yourself accidentally slipping into the judging by their actions mode. It s quite a fun game and it makes a world of difference to relationships and communication. Anna Christine Christensen 10

11 THE VON LINDHOLM SISTERS AND THE LINDHOLM FUND The von Lindholm family have a long history of association with St. Alban s Church. There were three sisters, Elsa Annette Ottilde von Lindholm (born 1900), Eleonore Veronica (Vera) von Lindholm (born 1902) and Mary Andrea Catherina von Lindholm (born 1904). They were daughters of Knud Herluf von Lindholm, an officer in the Imperial Chinese Customs Service, and Mary Annette Slade, who were married 8 December 1899 in Shanghai. The first two sisters were born in China while the youngest sister was born in Denmark and baptized at St. Alban s Church on 9 December Mrs von Lindholm appeared on the list of subscribers to St. Alban s Church in 1905 and, apart from World War I, remained a member of the church until her death in During World War I it is known that the sisters were living in London with their mother and Australian grandmother, Annette Mariand Slade (their grandfather was in the army). By 1921 Mrs von Lindholm is back on St. Alban s Church subscribers list with her daughters. In 1932 and 1933 E. von Lindholm (presumably Elsa) is noted as Secretary of the Study Circle and Church Lectures, and Mrs von Lindholm and daughters are recorded as subscribers to the Queen Alexandra Memorial. It is known that they were on good terms with Anthony Woolrych (who maintained services at St. Albans during World War II) and also his son Geoffrey. Our various post-war chaplains also knew them, and Kenneth Povey (Chaplain ) is recorded to have enjoyed visiting them. Claire Jespersen remembers Mary and Elsa attending services at St. Alban s, usually dressed in black. The Lindholm family is part of the Danish nobility, and its members have included many well-known personalities. Knud Herluf von Lindholm was head of the only branch of the family that adopted the von appendage. In the early 1900s daughters of the nobility were only significant if they were married, and they rarely engaged in what today would be normal civil occupations. In the online history of the family (see Stamtavler over danske adelsslægter ) Elsa and Vera are both recorded as overordentlig stiftsdame i Vallø, whereas Mary is listed as konventualinde i Gisselfeld adelige Jomfrukloster. The membership of religious organisations would have provided them with 11

12 simple accommodation, and may have obliged them to wear some kind of uniform. In the 1970s Mary and Elsa were living at Esplanaden 26 (see photo), within sight of St. Alban s and just around the corner from the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Bredgade; Mary was Church of England and Elsa was a Roman Catholic, but as noted above both often attended St. Alban s. Birgit Hansen first met them when Doris Brown asked her to collect money for poppies on behalf of the British Legion. She was invited back for tea, and the start of a long friendship. They often talked about their father, who was away in China for many years while they were growing up. Both sisters were very English in their outlook and there was often a ginger cake with the tea. While the flat was somewhat old fashioned it was full of decorative items and antiques. Birgit took them food when they were ill, and marmalade from the bazaar, and kept them well informed of the ups and downs at St. Alban s Church by providing them with regular copies of the Newsletter (that she was already typing). It is very likely that Birgit Hansen s kindness and regular visits over more than 15 years were the main reason that St. Alban s Church received a legacy from the Lindholm Fund. The sisters share their mother s simple grave in Garnisons Kirkegaard, situated immediately behind the USA embassy. A flat stone records (see photo): Mary Annette v. Lindholm født Slade , VE.A. Lindholm , Elsa v. Lindholm , and M.A.C. v. Lindholm The burial services for Mary Annette in 1954 and Elsa v. Lindholm in 1990 were both conducted by St. Alban s chaplains; the burial entry for Elsa records she was born in Shanghai. The first indication that St. Alban s Church had been given a legacy came in early The Lindholm sisters had left a considerable fortune. A substantial part of their assets, inherited from their grandparents, were held in the UK, and inheritance tax of 190,000 was payable before the funds could be released. The other beneficiaries were Hovedstadens Røde Kors, Kvindehjemmet I København, Slesvigst Samfund (Grænseforening), Garnisons Kirke and Sct Pauls Kirke. The St. Alban s Church portion of the legacy was in the form of shares in the Hongkong-Shanghai Bank, 12

13 and was initially valued at 4.4 million kr. (a considerable underestimate). In 2000 the value of the Hong Kong-Shanghai Bank shares was given in the church minutes as 13 million kr., and was expected to yield about 525,000 kr. per annum after 20% reinvestment. So far the interest payments from the fund have contributed to the last stages of the tower restoration, most of the cost of the rebuilding of the organ, and a considerable part of the cleaning and restoration of the stained-glass windows. These major projects could not have been completed without the help of the Lindholm Fund. This is by far the largest of the funds that St. Alban s Church relies on to balance its books every year. Knud Herluf von Lindholm was born in 1866 in Hørsholm, and in 1888 travelled to London to take an examination that gave him entry into the internationally controlled Chinese customs service. Chinese harbours were first opened for international trade in 1842, and in 1850 Europeans were employed by the Chinese to control trade and lead the customs administration. Knud von Lindholm learnt Chinese at his first posting in Peking, and held posts in Canton, Fusan (Korea), Shanghai and Tonkin, acquiring a working knowledge of Korean, Japanese and other languages. In 1906 as acting customs director in Samsjui he was given the rank of Civil Mandarin of the 4. Class. His home-leaves were often used to recover from tropical illnesses acquired during his travels. In 1899 he married Mary Slade in Shanghai. In 1903 the family (now with two daughters) travelled home to Denmark via Japan, Vancouver, Quebec and Liverpool. In 1905 Knud von Lindholm returned alone to Shanghai via the Suez Canal. In 1930 Knud von Lindholm published a very readable book of his travels and adventures in China (I kinesisk Tjeneste. Nyt Nordisk Forlag Arnold Busch; 317 pp.). Strangely enough he makes no mention of his first marriage or his three daughters, or the break-up of this marriage. In 1919 he married a second wife, Asta Hermine Gauer, who accompanied him on his subsequent adventures in China until he resigned from the customs service in He died in December 1932, and was buried in Copenhagen. It is probable that the shares in the Hong Kong-Shanghai Bank relate to Knud von Lindholm s life-long work as a member of the Chinese customs service, and perhaps were part of his pension settlement. Tony Higgins (with much information from Birgit Hansen). 13

14 ST ALBAN S SUMMER FÊTE Annual fundraising event Annual celebration of Christian charity and fellowship We asked for Books we received thousands! Thanks so much to Peter, Colin and the wonderful team of sorters and helpers who worked tirelessly to sort and box their goods on Friday and Saturday. They earnt ca Dkr 10,500) We asked for good quality used clothes - we received masses. Thanks to Jean and her team. First time we have sold clothes for several years. We will repeat this in November with a fund-raising sale. The nearly new pavilion earnt ca Dkr

15 We asked for a new team for the Tea Tent Look what we got? Energy and enthusiasm. Judy and Pramilla and their teams had a baptism of fire well, of food this year and did a fantastic job all day long in the crypt preparing rolls and cakes for the tea tent which was as busy as ever. There were bread rolls from Rema 1000 which they filled for lunch, cakes, biscuits and tarts from Gorm the baker. A taste of Africa and India was to be seen this year, with spice samosas available and other delicacies. The tea tent was filled most of the day tak til Rema 1000 fra Hareskov og til Gorms Bageri på St Kongensgade for deres gavmildhed. (Tea Tent Team earned something in the range of Dkr 14,350!) 15

16 We asked for good of good quality for gifts We received a great many because people are so very kind! Lions got the rest, thanks to Carole). CCC and her team sold a lot. All for the good of the church... worked every time! (ca 7000) We asked for helpers we got plenty; all day long, early and late, Junior, Grace and Alexander were amongst the energetic band. Many thanks to Frances for making it happen so efficiently. To everyone else who helped we thank you God bless your efforts. Bric a Brac a very well-stocked stall with delightfully enthusiastic team of helpers made about Dkr 5,600 and gave a good deal to Lions and other charities. 16

17 The Happy Hamburger Team cooked and flipped all day long feeding hungry guests and stall holders. Not even a hail shower stopped them. Three Chris s - Chris M, Chris O and Chris P joined Karen and John as the backbone team. Slaving over a hot stove was order of the day. (ca Dkr 13,500) Beer: ca Dkr 12,400) One way of helping is to grab a beer and hold a tent for a while! (In fact Oscar helped all the time all day. Now he and Sarah are returning to Florida) We thank them very much and wish them both God Speed We asked for music and dancing we got it. Piper Ian Currie, the Early Byrds choir, the Victorian dancers and the other musicians gave the Fete day a truly Midsummer - Barnaby flavour. 17

18 We asked for jams, jellies and masses of marmalade we received over 150 jars. Labelling ladies worked for days presenting the goods in a charming way all masterminded by Michelle and Liz S. (ca 7,800) We asked for a children s tent It was shared with the face-painters and by Sarahlloyd herself. Her prayerposter hit the front page of the Diocesan website and we are very grateful for her generous donation of the special tent. The children s own contributions made Dkr 600 a lot from their pocket money! The Generalissima herself, Rosemary, buying her annual marmalade supply. She and Chris P, Fete Generalissimo, were the primus motors again this year and did a wonderful job of coordinating the entire day. Thank you both - again! 18

19 THE UNSUNG HEROS SETTING UP AND TAKING DOWN FETE TENTS A huge vote of thanks goes to for Frances and her team of able bodied helpers. We asked for help to set up and by 8am half the tents were already up and the park began to look like it should on a Summer Fete day! AND WHO CLEANED UP? Churchwarden Chris Parker! ALONE! The entire length of the garden fence was feet deep in rubbish when most of us left. Iron Man (triathlon),organised to run right past the church, meant that it was not until that this could be removed. But removed it was singlehanded with the help of one removal man and his 3 yr old child! Hats off to these two unsung heroes!! Rygaards School advertisement here please Tariq 19

20 NEWS FROM THE CHAPLAINCY Portraits from the congregation in Aarhus: Rogena and Palle Holst Rogena Holst, born 1935 in Buckinghamshire, Kent, England, and Palle Holst, born 1934 in Aarhus, Denmark. Two of the people who are always there to greet you with a warm welcome when you enter Møllevangskirken in Aarhus are Rogena and Palle Holst. Rogena is the Secretary of the Aarhus congregation, and Palle takes care of the practical issues such as opening, preparing and closing of the church. They have been engaged in voluntary work for the church for more than 30 years, and their commitment is very important to the existence of the Aarhus congregation. Their common history goes back 65 years. Palle was 15 years old, when he and two of his friends decided that they wanted pen pals in England in order to improve their English. Not surprisingly, it had to be female pen pals, and Palle received a reply from 14 year old Rogena via Boys and Girls of All Nations. They corresponded for several years. As a young girl, Rogena attended a Catholic convent school for girls as a boarder, and they were not allowed to receive letters from boys. Consequently, one of Rogena s classmates, who was not a boarder, smuggled in the letters from Palle. Aged 19 Rogena and her mother were going on vacation to Copenhagen. When she wrote and told Palle about it, he immediately invited them to Aarhus where he lived with his parents. Palle took the ferry from Aarhus to Copenhagen, where he spent a couple of days with them, before they all returned to Aarhus. The visit went very well, and 20

21 they continued writing together for the next two years while Palle was in the army doing his national service. Shortly after his military duty finished, they got married. The wedding took place in Sankt Lukas Kirke in Aarhus, and they settled down in Aarhus. In London, Rogena had worked as a secretary in Fleet Street. In Denmark it was difficult for a foreigner to find a job, so she worked at home for many years and has been very satisfied with that. Palle became a trainee in a coal company, where he worked for 44 years. He retired from the same company in 1995 after serving as the CEO for the last 23 years. During his employment the company changed from being a coal company to being an oil company, selling oil and petrol and being involved in exploration in the North Sea. Both Rogena and Palle say that their biggest experience was getting married. They have a small, but tightly knit family with two daughters. Jaine is the eldest and lives in Hørsholm. The youngest, Lesley, lives in Mozambique where she works for Save the Children International. They have four grandchildren, two on Sjælland, one in Mozambique and another living in New Zealand. This gives much opportunity for travel. Rogena has been a member of the committee for the Aarhus congregation since Originally, there were seven members. Margaret Clark and Rogena are the only committee members left from that time. There are six annual services in Aarhus, and three are held around Easter, harvest, and Christmas. The other three have flexible dates. As the secretary. Rogena confirms the dates of services with the Chaplain, finds the readers and confirms the readings. Furthermore, she arranges for the Chaplain to be met at the station and for his lodgings. Rogena also keeps the member s register. There are normally churchgoers at each service. Besides his work for Møllevangskirken, Palle was a member of his home church council at Egå Parish for eight years. The congregation has changed over the years. Early on there were many Christians from all over the world, but now many of them have started their own congregations. There were many students too, but Aarhus University now has its own Chaplain for the foreign students. One of the future challenges is to expand the congregation while still keeping a sense of warmth and common Christian spirit for those who come to the church. Rogena and Palle welcome all those who travel to Aarhus from far away some travel 100 km for a service. Rogena and Palle have been part of the services at Møllevangskirken for many years, and together with the other members of the congregation some of whom will be portrayed later on they contribute to a dedicated and heart-warming experience. By Charlotte Lindhardt, Aarhus Congregation 21

22 MEET THE CHOIR In the next few issues you will get to know who is who in the choir. Each will be asked the same questions. Dorothy Ocanda was first. 1. What brought you to St Alban s Choir? First of all l Love singing ( Music ) and my love for music originated from my family. My Father used to sing bass in the choir and my Uncle was the Choir Master, while we children sang in parts, or in unison. So it s from my childhood music that brought me to St. Alban`s choir. l sang in our local Church in Arua District long before l came to Denmark. Later I sang in the church choir at All Saints Cathedral, Kampala, Uganda where l worked in a kindergarten run by the RC Church back then. 2. Why do you enjoy singing there? -Singing has always been my joy, my heart fills with happiness and with people who listens to your voices. l love giving praise to God especially through singing. Showing gratitude to God can be showed through singing, especially when the song or music is well known to you and the words of the hymn have a good clear message. 3. What is your favourite music? I`ve got several favourite kinds of music but my favourite hymn is To God be the glory, great things He has done; 4. "Is music important for your spiritual life?" Yes,indeed Music is very,very important for me in my life and it always has been,spiritually and sometimes can be used for a silent meditation as well as music is a good therapy for our souls. One can send messages through music. : 22

23 BJØRN S INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL Bjørn s International School is a small and friendly school in Copenhagen, offering a quality education for children from 6 to 16 years of age. Students from throughout the world attend Bjørn s International School and follow either an English or Danish curriculum. Bjørn s International School is partially subsidized by the state and adheres to the national standards and qualifications for schools in Denmark. Those students who plan to live in Denmark for at least four years and enrol in the Danish-speaking Department will receive an education that follows the Danish School Curriculum. Upon graduating from Bjørn s International School, students in the English-speaking Department will have followed the curriculum requirements of the IGSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education). The students will have had the opportunity of taking the IGCSE examinations in up to six subjects (English, Maths, Science, Geography, History, and Art and Design). The Danish and English departments are frequently combined so there is constant interaction between the students in both departments. Please feel free to contact the school and arrange a time for a visit. We would be happy to answer your questions and show you the school. Address: Bjørn s International School Phone: (45) Gartnerivej Copenhagen Ø School Leader: Pia Drabowicz 23

24 COMMEMORATING THE START OF WORLD WAR I Prayer and contemplation at St Alban s Church on Monday 4 August 14 Monday 4 August 2014 marked the centenary of the commencement of World War I Along with many other churches in England and other parts of the world, Bishop David led two sessions of silent prayer and reflection on the tragic consequences of this dreadful conflict. The Guardians and Churchwardens were present as dignitaries from the diplomatic corps and others came to pay their respects and light a candle as part of their vigil for peace. Typically, it rained, reminding of the appalling mud soldiers on both sides had to suffer in winter in the trenches. At the Tower of London throughout the spring and summer of 2014 work continued on a field of 888,246 ceramic poppies, planted in the grass moat as part of an ongoing installation designed to commemorate the allied victims of World War I. The installation by artist Paul Cummins, entitled 'Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red', is due to be completed by Armistice Day on November 11, after which point each poppy - intended to represent a single allied victim of WWI - will be available for purchase. Hand made in Paul Cummins' studio, poppies are available for 25. All net proceeds plus a guaranteed 10% from every poppy sold will be shared equally amongst six service charities. It is hoped that this colourful and moving initiative will raise millions of pounds if all poppies are sold. Here s a link to the govt website on the commemorations the govt website on the commemorations is: 24

25 SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook Page up and running want to join? As we promised in the last edition, we now have an external Facebook page. It was launched on 1 st July 2014 and is growing steadily. Now we can all able to do something to "spread the word" by sharing with friends. If you are a little wary of Facebook but are curious to see how it works for St Alban s, we are more than happy to show you how. A Facebook clinic or training session can be set up very easily and those working on it actively would be only too happy to help you. Pauleen Bang, (the initiator) David Engelby, (St Alban s designer) Charlotte Lindhart (for our Aarhus congregation) Christopher Parker (for Sunday school). If you have anything to share, a relevant event or photograph, and are not on Facebook, then send Pauleen or her colleagues an or a phone call. Twitter - a powerful communication tool for short messages of 140 characters.) We wrote last time about the Diocese is (@DioceseinEurope) being on Twitter, and Pauleen is present (@pauleenbang). She "tweets for the Diocese" to help our Diocesan Communications Officer, Paul Needle. *** 25

26 Saint Alban s Church Churchillparken 11, 1263 Copenhagen K Under the Patronage of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II Weekly Eucharists: Sundays and Wednesdays at 10:30 All are welcome Sunday School for children every Sunday, except the 1st. Sunday in the month. Please call or text the Chaplain on (Sunday Wednesday 10-16) if you are seeking baptism, confirmation, marriage or have any other pastoral or prayer request. Other days please contact the churchwardens see below Your Ministry Team Locum Chaplain: Bishop David Coles (St Alban s House) Chaplain@st-albans.dk (Mobile) Affiliated: Diocesan Director of Training Canon Ulla Monberg Ulla.Monberg@churchofengland.org. In Jutland: Deacon Christophe Ndikuriyo chndi@gmail.com Licensed Readers: Mr Graeme Lloyd-Roberts graemelr@aol.com Mrs Victoria Wadsworth-Hansen victoriawadsworth@hotmail.com Churchwardens Mrs Claire Clausen Mr Christopher Parker churchwardens@st-albans.dk St Alban s receives no subsidy from the state or national Church and is funded by the generosity of the congregation and visitors. To support the mission and ministry of the Church, contributions can be made to St Alban s Church to Bank account no or for UK tax payers by Gift Aid increasing the value of their gift by 25 % 26