We, the Anglican Church Freiburg are a Church of England chaplaincy in the Diocese in Erope. Below we gathered some past and present news from our sisters and brothers in England.
New Archbishop of Canterbury
October 2025
The ACF is part of the Church of England, which has announced the appointment of Dame Sarah Mullally as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, making her the first woman to hold this position in its 1,400-year history. The appointment was approved by His Majesty the King on 3rd October 2025.
Dame Sarah currently serves as Bishop of London and previously had a distinguished career in nursing, having been appointed Chief Nurse at age 37, the youngest ever in that role. She will serve as spiritual leader of 85 million Anglicans worldwide.
This historic appointment marks a significant milestone for the Church of England and the global Anglican Communion. Please join us in praying for +Sarah as she prepares to take up this important ministry.
Easter Greetings
April 2025
The Archbishop of York’s Easter Message Brings Faith Closer to Home
In the Easter Sunday sermon at York Minster, Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, shared a message of hope and presence, encouraging people not to search for God in distant places, but to discover the risen Christ in the everyday moments of life.
A celebration of unity this Easter
In 2025, for the first time in many years, Christians of various traditions will celebrate Easter on the same day, 20 April.
The Death of Pope Francis
April 2025
Following the death of His Holiness Pope Francis, we, together with Christians worldwide, give thanks for his life of ministry. The Archbishop of York has published a statement on the pope’s passing.
The Church of England invites us to pray:
Father in heaven, we praise your name
for all who have finished this life loving and trusting you,
for the example of their lives,
the life and grace you gave them
and the peace in which they rest.
We praise you today for your servant Francis
and for all that you did through him.
Meet us in our sadness
and fill our hearts with praise and thanksgiving,
for the sake of our risen Lord, Jesus Christ.
Into your hands, O merciful Saviour,
we commend your servant Francis.
Acknowledge, we pray, a sheep of your own fold,
a lamb of your own flock,
a sinner of your own redeeming.
Enfold him in the arms of your mercy,
in the blessed rest of everlasting peace
and in the glorious company of the saints in light.
Amen.
Our Midweek Meditations Featured by the Church of England!
February 2025
We’re delighted to share that our beloved Midweek Meditations blog has been recognized by the Church of England in this recent feature interview! Christine and Vinod represented our community as they shared the story behind this vibrant ministry that began during the 2020 lockdown and has since flourished into a cornerstone of our church’s communication.
The interview highlights how our diverse congregation contributes to this weekly tradition, with nearly 200 meditations published so far. What began as a way to stay connected during isolation has evolved into a meaningful platform where our congregation’s voices shine. The feature recognizes our commitment to consistency, the wide reach of the blog (reaching around 200 email subscribers plus social media followers), and how the meditations often spark conversations in our various church groups.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed to Midweek Meditations over the years. Your willingness to share your faith journey, insights, and reflections has created something truly special that now serves as an inspiration to other churches!
Want to join our writing team or learn more about contributing? Please speak with Christine after the service or send a message via our contact form here.
Archbishop Justin Welby resigns
November 2024
After eleven years as Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby has announced yesterday, 12th Nov 2024, his resignation following the recent independent Makin review which highlighted failures to report historic abuse cases. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Here are some links to further information:
- Statements by Justin Welby, as well as the Archbishop of York & the Bishop of Stepney
- Statement on safeguarding and the Makin report by the Diocese in Europe (published before the Archbishop’s resignation)
- BBC article explaining the events leading up to the resignation and the process for appointing a new Archbishop of Canterbury
- BBC The World Tonight Podcast commenting on the event, including powerful words by the Bishop of Dover, Rose Hudson-Wilkin
- In German: Oberhaupt der Anglikaner tritt nach Missbrauchsskandal zurück
Please pray both for the Church of England and for Archbishop Justin and his family, perhaps with this prayer written for these current events by Canon Dr Clare Amos, the Diocese in Europe’s Director of Lay Discipleship:
Lord of the church,
Amen.
Teacher of disciples,
You loved your friends to the end,
And gave them the example of leadership through service.
May we who follow you today
accept the radical challenge you still offer
to your companions on the way throughout all time.
Stop us short if our values go astray,
and enable us to discover in obedience a perfect freedom.
Above all, help us to make your church a pattern for a new world
Rather than a pale reflection of this one.
Bringing the Bible to Life in British Sign Language
May 2024
I, Christine, want to tell you about a wonderful project from the UK I heard about from one of my fellow-students training for ordination, Sara. She is deaf and is assisted in her studies by her hearing dog Tandy (read about Tandy & her adventures here) and sign language interpreters.
Following our recent Pentecost service where we celebrated our diverse languages I want to introduce you to the BSL Bible Translation Project, which has embarked on an ambitious journey to translate the original Greek and Hebrew texts into a comprehensive British Sign Language video version to make scripture accessible to the UK’s Deaf community in their native language. This project aims to strike a balance between scholarly interpretations of the ancient texts and ensuring the translation is accurate, accessible, and natural in BSL. By doing so, the BSL Bible will become the first translation project that is not affiliated with any specific church or denomination, allowing it to be widely accepted by mainstream Christian denominations and churches.
Here is a wonderful video explaining why a BSL translation is so very important, here you can find a BBC article on the project and here you can donate to the brilliant BSL Bible Translation Project.
Minecraft Church
April 2024
Today we want to share with you a fantastic example of how churches find innovative ways to share the gospel: St James Church, Over Darwen, has found a fun way to engage young people and their families through their Minecraft Church program. This initiative combines the popular video game Minecraft with Christian teachings, offering a unique and enjoyable experience for participants.
Since its inception, Minecraft Church has fostered a sense of community among attendees, encouraging families to come together in a fun environment while exploring the Christian faith. The program’s success has led to recognition from the Church of England, which recently filmed this showcase of the modern approach to spreading the Gospel.
As churches continue seeking new ways to engage with their communities, St James Church’s Minecraft Church serves as an inspiration for combining creativity, faith, and technology in outreach efforts.
Bible Study by Vinod – written for the WCC’s Seven Weeks for Water
February 2024
Vinod wrote the second reflection of the Seven Weeks for Water 2024 series of the WCC Ecumenical Water Network. In this reflection, he compares the water situation of early Palestine to that of today in the wake of the ongoing war in Gaza. He also asks how people can drink from their own cisterns when they are controlled by outsiders.
Read his reflection here on the World Council of Churches website.
Statement of the war in Gaza
November 2023
The Church of England’s House of Bishops have released a statement of the war in Gaza. Visit their website here to read it.
Faith for the Workplace
October 2023
Looking for something to get your week off to a good start? God on Monday is weekly reflection written by Christian leaders in the workplace. Find out more or sign up to have it emailed to your inbox first thing on a (you guessed it) Monday.
What a bike ride!
What if you could celebrate your 80th birthday and your 50th anniversary of ordination by cycling across the UK? That’s exactly what Clifford Owen, a former chaplain in Corfu, Ostend, Bruges, Fontainebleau and Grenoble, is doing this year. He is riding over 1.500 km from Land’s End to John O’Groats to raise funds for Intercontinental Church Society (ICS), a charity that supports Anglican churches and chaplaincies around the world.
Read more about his amazing adventure and how you can support him on this blog post.
Freiburg Anglican Church 
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