Chaplain’s Letter: Walking Humbly with God
Humility isn’t about making yourself smaller—it’s about having nothing left to prove. In this week’s letter, Vinod explores what it means to walk humbly with God when we live in a world obsessed with visibility and self-promotion.
ACF Summer Break
As we enter our summer proper, several church activities will be taking a well-deserved pause during August to allow our volunteers and participants time to rest and recharge. To view the up-to-date ACF calendar click here.
On pause:
- Compline (on break in August)
- Wednesday Email & Midweek Meditation (on break in August)
- Freiburg North Homegroup (on break in August)
- Women’s Prayer Group (on break in August)
- Wise Ones (on break in August)
- Men’s Breakfast (on break in September)
Amended schedule:
- Singing Group (summer practice on 9th August at 1 p.m.; from 6th Sept the usual pattern of first and third Sundays of the month)
Continuing as usual:
- Sunday Service (each Sunday at 11:30 am)
- Shared Lunch (9th Aug)
- Young Adult Group (25th July, 29th Aug, 26th Sept, …)
- Open Kitchen (30th July, 13th Aug, 10th Sept, …)
Please note that our weekly Wednesday Email will also take a break throughout August. We look forward to resuming our full schedule of activities and regular communications in September.
Have a fantastic summer!
‘Freunde von der Straße‘: Sharing God’s Love through Hospitality – Sun, 30th Aug
Freunde von der Strasse is a joint project among many churches in Freiburg, which aims to provide a meal and friendship to those people who are homeless or who live in difficult circumstances. We at the ACF are hosting a midday meal and afternoon ‘Kaffee und Kuchen’ on Sunday, 30th August in the Petrusgemeinde. We need people to help set up on the previous day and on Sunday to serve meals, work in the kitchen, clear up or simply chat with our guests. We also request cakes for “Kaffee und Kuchen”, preferably cakes which are easy to cut and serve, and do not contain any alcohol.
Here’s how you can get involved:
- Saturday, 29th Aug – Setting up
We need 4 people, particularly men, between 4:30 p.m and 6 p.m. - Sunday, 30th Aug
About 10-12 people are needed for each shift. If 1 or 2 people could stay for both shifts, this would be very helpful.- 1st Shift: 12:30 p.m. – 3 p.m
- 2nd Shift: 2.30 p.m. – ca. 5 p.m
- Cakes
20 – 25 cakes are needed. They can be left at the Petrusgemeinde between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Sunday.
Please mark your cake plate clearly and indelibly with your name, e.g. with ball-point pen on Leukoplast or by engraving.
If you have any questions, please speak to Helen Rose Wilson. To get involved, please sign up on the sheets that will be available after church services in July and August or get in touch here.
Also please note: The ACF Sunday Service on 30th Aug will start one hour early, at 10:30 am!
Mark Your Diary: Special Events
Choral Music Festival in Basel – 4th-6th Sept
If you enjoy singing beautiful music, you’re invited to join a choral festival being hosted in Basel from the evening of 4th September to 6th September. The choir director is going to be Matthew Martin. These two services will be sung:
- Evensong — 5th September, 5.30 pm, Heiliggeistkirche Basel
- Introit: Matthew Martin, Vidi Aquam
- Preces and Responses: Sarah MacDonald
- Canticles: George Dyson, Evening Service in F
- Anthem: C.V. Stanford, For lo I raise up, Op. 145
- Philip Moore: Lord of all hopefulness
- Hymns and Psalm to follow
- Choral Eucharist — 6th September, 10 am, Predigerkirche Basel
- Introit: Matthew Martin, Vidi Aquam
- Mass setting: Lassus Missa super Bell’ Amfitrit’ altera, Kyrie/Sanctus/Agnus Dei
- Communion Motet: Giovanni Croce, In spirito humilitatis
- Hymns to follow
To receive all the details, get in touch and we’ll connect you with the organisers.
Open Kitchen (Volunteers wanted!) – Thurs, 10th Sept, afternoon/evening
Are you free on Thursday, 10th Sept from about 4 pm onwards? Would you like to get to know some new people? Do you like yummy food?
Then please do get in touch to volunteer at the ACF Open Kitchen, where we host people from the Freiburg refugee center at the church kitchen to cook food from their homeland, chat, relax, and enjoy an evening in good company.
Blessing for the New Academic Year – 13th Sept, 11:30 am
The ACF is a church with lots of connections to academia at all levels. This is why each year one of our worship highlights is the Blessing for the New Academic Year. On 13th Sept we will have a special service dedicated to honouring, supporting, and praying for students and educators of all ages.
After the service there will be the opportunity to connect over a Shared Lunch. Do bring some food for the buffet.
We can’t wait to see you to launch a new year of studying, exploring, and teaching!
Upcoming Ecumenical Events in Freiburg
As a diaspora church, we value our connections across Freiburg’s faith community. Here are some ecumenical events happening over the next few weeks—different in style and focus, but all worth your time.
Mindfully on the Streets – 19th September, 10 am to 5 pm. Silent retreat in the streets of Freiburg-Weingarten, led by experienced guides. Walk quietly through the neighbourhood, noticing people and places you might usually avoid. Something shifts when you stay present to uncomfortable things.
Hagios St. Ursula singing – 1st October, 6:30 pm. Open group singing of peace songs at St. Ursula Church. Monthly on the first Thursday. No musical skill needed—just come and add your voice to the others. About an hour.
Dance Service – 3rd October, 6 pm. “go(o)d moves freiburg” invite everyone to celebrate harvest with movement, gesture, and song at Petruskirche. All ages welcome. Bring something to share for the meal afterwards.
Letting Go and Releasing – 18th October, 5 pm. An ecumenical service with blessing for anyone going through separation or divorce. Held at Thomaskirche in Zähringen. A gentle, honest space.
Faith in conversation with AI – 22nd October, 7:30 pm. What does ChatGPT mean for faith? Two speakers explore the possibilities and limits of AI from a Christian perspective at the Methodist Church. Free; donations welcome.
Women’s Breakfast – Sat, 26th Sept, 9 am
Small Moves, Big Impact
What if you could influence the way you feel with just a few simple movements?
Our body and brain are constantly communicating – and sometimes the easiest way to create more energy, calm and clarity is not to think harder, but to move differently.
In this interactive session, we will explore body exercises inspired by the BODY 2 BRAIN CCM® method, developed by Dr. med. Claudia Groß-Müller. You’ll experience practical exercises that you can use anytime and almost anywhere – at work, at home, before a challenging conversation or simply when you need a little more life power.
Kirsten Hänle, humor trainer, speaker and coach, regularly integrates these exercises into her trainings and seminars. Her work explores how movement, body awareness and our physical state can influence our energy, emotions and ability to respond to everyday challenges.
Come ready to move, experiment and be surprised by what your own body can do. You might leave with more than just a smile – you might leave with a few new tools for everyday life.
Intercultural connections: Music, Language & Belonging – Wed, 7th Oct, 5 pm
We’re hosting an event that brings people together around the things that connect us across cultures: music, language, and personal stories. On 7th Oct at 5 pm you are invited to ‘Intercultural connections: Music, Language & Belonging’ as part of the 2026 Freiburg Intercultural Week.
This event aims to create meaningful connections between people from different cultural backgrounds through shared experiences of language, music, and personal stories. Instead of focusing on theoretical discussions, the event encourages participants to actively engage with one another, discovering both differences and common human experiences such as belonging, identity, and communication.
This Week & Regular Rhythms
This summer at the ACF
- Singing in Summer
Saturday, August 29, 2026 at 11:00 am
A casual communal sing-along at St. Ursula Church, Rathausgasse 50
Sing well-known and new songs, mainly in German, with fellow music lovers. - Setting up for ‘Freunde von der Straße’
Saturday, August 8, 2026 at 04:30 pm
Please let us know if you can help. - Communion Service – PLEASE NOTE: 10:30 am Starting Time!!
Sunday, August 30, 2026 at 10:30 am
Led by Rev’d Vinod Victor - ‘Freunde von der Straße’
Sunday, August 30, 2026 from 12:00 onwards
Providing good food and company to Freiburg’s homeless community.
Helping hands and cake donations needed. - Men’s Prayer Group
Wednesday, September 2, 2026 at 7:00 pm
at the vicarage (Ludwigstraße 6, Freiburg) - Compline
Wednesday, September 2, 2026 at 9:00 pm
on zoom - Open Café at St Ursula Church
Thursday, September 3, 2026 at 3:00 pm
An open invitation by our friends of the Old Catholic at St Ursula Church, Rathausgasse 50. Pop in for coffee, tea & cake, chats, creativity and board games, and a free tour of the church and crypt (4:30 pm). - Choral Evensong – Basel Choir Festival
Saturday, September 5, 2026 at 5:30 pm
at Heiliggeistkirche Basel - Choral Eucharist – Basel Choir Festival
Sunday, September 6, 2026 at 10:00 am
at Predigerkirche Basel - Morning Worship
Sunday, September 6, 2026 at 11:30 am
Led by Roberto Abrego - Singing Group Practice
Sunday, September 6, 2026 after the service
New singers are always welcome!
Click here for the ACF zoom link and here for the ACF calendar for the coming months.
Regular ACF Groups
- Singing Group – practice usually on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month after the service. New singers of all levels are always welcome!
- Wise Ones – gathering of the older ACF members, aged 55+
Coffee Afternoon at Café Schwarzes Kloster, Rathausgasse 48 at 3 pm on 29th May, 31st July & 30th Oct 2026
Wine & Cheese Evening at church at 6 pm on 19th June, 25th Sept & 27th Nov 2026 - Young Adult Group – for young people 18 years+
every last Saturday of the month at 6 pm at the vicarage (Ludwigstr. 6) - Men’s Breakfast
every first Saturday of the month at 8 am at church - Freiburg North Homegroup
Fortnightly on Thursdays at 8 pm – at a private home in Gundelfingen or Sexau. Check the church calendar here for our upcoming meeting dates. - Women’s Prayer Group
monthly on Thursdays, either on zoom or in person at church. Check the church calendar here for our upcoming meeting dates. - Men’s Prayer Group
every first Wednesday of the month at 7 pm at the vicarage (Ludwigsstr. 6, Freiburg) - ‘Unboxed’ – fun community events
once or twice a months at different times & locations. Check the church calendar here for our upcoming meeting dates.
To learn more about our regular groups and gatherings click here, and to view & subscribe to the ACF calendar click here.
The pastor is just a call away!
Call, text or WhatsApp Rev’d Vinod Victor on +49-176-46614418 or +91 9447 151017,
or email him at chaplainfreiburg@gmail.com.
Service & Events Calendar
News Archive
Find past news items on the following pages:
- The Anglican Church Freiburg – Our News Archive!
- The Church of England
- The Diocese in Europe and
- Our ecumenical friends in Germany
Supporting the ACF financially
We’re so grateful for your support and prayers for our church. We are independent from any external funding sources, such as German taxes (Kirchesteuer), the Church of England, or other institutions. We depend on the generous donations of our members and friends to cover all our expenses (the minister’s salary, rent, insurances, diocese contributions, …). Unfortunately, our reserves are running low and we need your help to keep going.
We want to continue to serve God and our community with love and faithfulness. That’s why we’re asking you to consider donating to the ACF on a regular basis. By setting up a standing bank order, you can help us plan our budget and resources more effectively. It’s easy and secure, and you can cancel or change it anytime. Thank you for your generosity and God bless you!
Would you like to help fund the work of the ACF?
The best way to help is setting up a monthly direct debit to
Anglican Church in Freiburg e.V.
Sparkasse Freiburg
IBAN: DE29 6805 0101 0002 5119 20
SWIFT / BIC: FRSPDE66
Other giving options, such as online donations, are laid out here on our website.
If you have any questions at all, do not hesitate to contact our treasurers at treasurer@anglican-church-freiburg.de or pick up a Donate Flyer from church.
Praying for each other
If you have personal matters that you would like to be included in the public intercessions during our Sunday morning church services, we encourage you to reach out to our chaplain Vinod Victor (see contact details below). Your concerns, joys, and requests can be shared with the congregation, allowing us to support and uplift one another in prayer. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with the chaplain and let your voice be heard during our Sunday services.
ACF Safeguarding Policy
As a church community, we are committed to creating a safe environment for everyone, especially children and vulnerable adults. Please find here our safeguarding policy, which outlines our procedures and responsibilities. We ask all members to familiarise themselves with this important document as we work together to promote a safer church.
Most of our volunteers are currently undertaking safeguarding training to ensure we maintain the highest standards of care and protection. A big thank you to everyone who has already done so! If you’d like to learn more about safeguarding training, emergeny contact people, helplines and more, please visit our website here.
If you have any questions or concerns about safeguarding, please don’t hesitate to speak with our safeguarding officers Judith & Ceri, who are here to help and support you.
Freiburg Anglican Church 