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<strong>ST</strong> <strong>ALBAN’S</strong><br />

<strong>CHURCH</strong><br />

<strong>COPENHAGEN</strong><br />

NEWSLETTER FOR THE ANGLICAN <strong>CHURCH</strong> IN DENMARK<br />

www.st-albans.dk<br />

2016<br />

January – February


St Alban’s bi-monthly magazine is published 6 times a year by:<br />

JESPERSEN TRYK, Ved Langebro 1,2300 København S.<br />

Email: mail@jespersentryk.dk<br />

It is available on our website: www.st-albans.dk, and Maria Kvan Mortensen kindly distributes it<br />

to members of our Anglican community who cannot receive it electronically by post. Copies are<br />

always available in church for collection.<br />

Managing Editor: Revd Darren McCallig (Chair of Communications Team)<br />

Editor: Claire Clausen<br />

Regular photographers: Beverly Lloyd-Roberts and Anita Wales.<br />

Contributions articles and photographs are gratefully received.<br />

Cover photo: Bev Lloyd-Roberts.<br />

Children rehearse for the annual Christingle service held at 12.00 on Christmas Eve.<br />

~ 2 ~


WORSHIP IN JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016<br />

St Alban’s Church, Copenhagen<br />

The Anglican Parish of Saint Alban's covers the whole of Denmark, with Saint<br />

Alban's Church in Copenhagen gathering for the Eucharist at 10.30 every Sunday<br />

and Wednesday.<br />

Our Chaplain, the Revd Darren McCallig, will be the preacher at each Sunday<br />

morning service unless otherwise stated.<br />

The services in January and February 2016 are as follows:<br />

Sunday 3 January at 10.30<br />

Epiphany<br />

Wednesday 6 January at 10.30 Holy Communion<br />

Sunday 10 January at 10.30<br />

Baptism of Christ<br />

Sunday 10 January at 16.00<br />

‘Second Sunday’ Service<br />

Wednesday 13 January at 10.30 Holy Communion<br />

Sunday 17 January at 10.30<br />

Second Sunday of Epiphany,<br />

The Revd Palle Thordal<br />

Tuesday 19 January at 18.30 Kirkevandring (Church Walk) 2016.<br />

(Begins at Sankt Pauls Kirke, Sankt Pauls Plads)<br />

Wednesday 20 January at 10.30 Holy Communion<br />

Sunday 24 January at 10.30<br />

Second Sunday of Epiphany<br />

Wednesday 27 January at 10.30 Holy Communion<br />

Sunday 31 January at 10.30<br />

Presentation of Christ in the Temple,<br />

Archdeacon Colin Williams<br />

Wednesday 27 January at 10.30 Holy Communion<br />

Sunday 7 February at 10.30<br />

Sunday next before Lent<br />

Wednesday 10 February at 10.30 Ash Wednesday Holy Communion<br />

Wednesday 10 February at 18.00 Ash Wednesday Sung Eucharist<br />

Sunday 14 February at 10.30<br />

First Sunday of Lent<br />

Sunday 14 February at 16.00<br />

‘Second Sunday’ Service<br />

Wednesday 17 February at 10.30 Holy Communion<br />

Sunday 21 February at 10.30<br />

Second Sunday of Lent<br />

Wednesday 24 February at 10.30 Holy Communion<br />

Sunday 28 February at 10.30<br />

Third Sunday of Lent<br />

****<br />

If you use a hearing aid, please use the T-switch to connect to the loop system.<br />

<br />

<br />

<br />

Coffee and tea is served after the Sunday service. All are welcome.<br />

The Sunday school starts at 10:25. Children wishing to join Sunday school will meet at<br />

10:25 at the Font. After opening prayers children will accompany the Sunday school<br />

leaders to the Upper Room, returning to their parents in time for communion.<br />

Baptisms are held on the 1st Sunday of each month.<br />

~ 3 ~


PLEASE NOTE:<br />

Second Sunday Service<br />

A new Sunday afternoon service will be trialled in Saint Alban’s in 2016.Titled the<br />

“Second Sunday Service” it will be held on the second Sunday of each month at<br />

16.00.<br />

Different styles of worship will be undertaken each time, with the Saint Alban’s<br />

Licensed Readers and Readers in Training taking the lead. The first of these new<br />

services will be on Sunday 10 January and will be lead by Jane Passant, Reader in<br />

Training.<br />

<strong>ST</strong> ALBAN'S <strong>CHURCH</strong> IN JUTLAND<br />

We also have three English-speaking congregations in Jutland, in partnership with the<br />

local Danish Church, that gather on these dates:<br />

And now, thanks to Darren and Charlotte, a new advertising flier to be distributed in<br />

Aarhus – see pages 14 and 15.<br />

AARHUS<br />

Monthly: Møllevangskirke on<br />

Sunday 31 January at 18:00<br />

Sunday 28 February at 18:00<br />

Sunday 27 March (Easter Day) at 18:00<br />

Sunday 24 April at 18:00<br />

Sunday 29 May at 18:00<br />

Sunday 26 June at 18.00<br />

.<br />

The service will be led by The Revd Darren McCallig.<br />

Details from Angela Hansen. angelabream@yahoo.dk<br />

VEJLE- LØGET 10 January and 14 February at 14.00<br />

JELLING Thursday 28 January EAT and SING at 17.30<br />

February 29 th Service at 14.00<br />

For details, please contact Deacon Christophe: chndi2011@gmail.com.<br />

All are warmly welcome.<br />

PRAY FOR FRIENDS AND RELATIONS<br />

Prayer requests (to be included in our intercessions) should be sent to:<br />

prayer@st-albans.dk, or you can contact Jane Passant in church.<br />

Please give the name of the person to be prayed for, the reason and how long you wish<br />

them to remain on the prayer list.<br />

~ 4 ~


Message from our Chaplain<br />

Dear friends,<br />

As I write this piece for the first Newsletter of 2016 the<br />

carols of Christmas are still ringing in my ears. However,<br />

I know that by the time you get to read this edition, the<br />

“Hark the Heralds” and the “O Come All Ye Faithfuls”<br />

will be back in storage for another year – alongside the<br />

Christmas decorations and the Christmas lights.<br />

Nevertheless – to coin a phrase – Christ is not just for Christmas. In fact, it may<br />

well be that it is only when we return to the “common round and the daily task”<br />

that the hope and challenge which the Christ Child brings comes into clearer<br />

focus. In this regard, I want to share with you some beautiful verses penned by<br />

Howard Thurman, the great African American author, theologian, educator and<br />

civil rights leader. His words are a powerful antidote against the temptation to<br />

return to “business as usual” once the festive season is over. On the contrary, it<br />

is now that the real work begins; the work of playing our part in building the<br />

“Kingdom of God” – God’s dream of an all-embracing community of justice<br />

and peace – on earth as it is in Heaven.<br />

Thurman’s words are entitled “The Work of Christmas” and they were first<br />

published in his 1985 volume “The Mood of Christmas and Other<br />

Celebrations”. They make a wonderful “To Do List” – a sacred checklist for<br />

those contemplating some New Year’s resolutions.<br />

When the song of the angels is stilled,<br />

When the star in the sky is gone,<br />

When the kings and the princes are home,<br />

When the shepherds are back with their flock,<br />

The work of Christmas begins:<br />

To find the lost,<br />

To heal the broken,<br />

To feed the hungry,<br />

To release the prisoner,<br />

To rebuild the nations,<br />

To bring peace among brothers,<br />

To make music in the heart.<br />

A happy, healthy and purpose-filled New Year to you all.<br />

Darren.<br />

~ 5 ~


FOR YOUR DIARY:<br />

<strong>ST</strong>RONG MEN/WOMEN NEEDED!<br />

Wednesday 27 January 2016 at 17.00 – 18.30<br />

HEART <strong>ST</strong>ARTER REFRESHER COURSE.<br />

This is the first notice of a very important training event that takes place in<br />

November every year.<br />

Please sign up - on Narthex Noticeboard if you would like to be certain that<br />

you could cope if you found yourself needing to use a heart-starter to save a life.<br />

TRYG FONDEN<br />

Nicklas Rath, Consultant and Trainer, will visit St Alban’s in<br />

November to train as many able-bodied people as possible in<br />

the use of the defibrillator, which Tryg Fonden donated to the<br />

church. Each year Tryg Fonden requires that people are trained<br />

to use this machine. One of their companies does the training.<br />

~ 6 ~


Lent 2016<br />

Lent begins this year on Wednesday 10 February, when there will be two<br />

services of Holy Communion – one at 10.30 and the other in the evening at<br />

18.00.<br />

Our Lent Group this year will explore the Archbishop of Canterbury’s<br />

recommended reading for the season. Every year, the Archbishop chooses a title<br />

as his “Lent Book” and it offers a wonderful opportunity to unite with<br />

Anglicans all around the globe in studying the same material at the same time of<br />

the year. In 2016 the book in question is “I Am With You” by the Episcopal<br />

priest and theologian Kathryn Greene-McCreight.<br />

The volume, which comes with an introduction by Archbishop Justin Welby,<br />

examines the biblical portrayal of God's presence among us as light in darkness.<br />

Close readings of Scripture are woven into a framework patterned on the seven<br />

monastic hours of prayer and the seven days of creation. It is a reflective and<br />

thought-provoking guide to the solemn season of Lent.<br />

There will be two Lent Groups this year – one in Aarhus and one in<br />

Copenhagen. The Aarhus group will meet on Wednesday 2 and Wednesday 16<br />

March at 18.00 in Møllevangs Church. Dates and times for the Copenhagen<br />

group will be announced shortly. Full details will be posted on the Saint Alban’s<br />

website.<br />

Church Walk 2016<br />

This year’s ecumenical Church Walk (Kirkevandring) will be held on Tuesday<br />

19 January. This annual pilgrimage around several city-centre churches,<br />

including Saint Alban’s, attracts large numbers of people – over 800 last year!<br />

The walk begins at Saint Paul’s Church, Sankt Pauls Plads at 18.30 and, having<br />

visited several churches, the pilgrims will gather for the final liturgy at the<br />

Swedish Church (Gustavskyrkan) where the preacher will be Fr. Daniel<br />

Nørgaard from Saint Ansgar’s Cathedral on Bredgade.<br />

The theme of this year’s Church Walk is from 1 Peter 2:9, “You are a chosen<br />

race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.” All are welcome to come on the walk,<br />

pray with other Christians, and visit some of Copenhagen’s most beautiful<br />

places of worship.<br />

~ 7 ~


~ ~ 8 ~


SAFEGUARDING OFFICER – a vital but vacant position<br />

The Diocese in Europe is committed to the safeguarding of children and<br />

vulnerable adults. Chaplaincies must appoint a Safeguarding Team whose brief<br />

is to ensure full compliance with statutory and ecclesiastical obligations. There<br />

is currently a vacancy on this Team.<br />

Those interested in this voluntary role should contact the Chaplain.<br />

~ 9 ~


Sermon preached on Christmas Day, 25 December 2015,<br />

by the Chaplain, the Revd Darren McCallig.<br />

Christmas – it is without doubt, the most magical time of the year. It is a time<br />

that is soaked in memories. For those of you with little ones, with little children<br />

in your lives, I know that this is a very, very special time indeed. I remember<br />

some years ago calling to a house during the week before Christmas and asking<br />

the little boy there if he was ready for the Big Day. “Oh, yes,” he told me. “It’s<br />

only four more sleeps until Christmas!” Well, not anymore! Isn’t that<br />

wonderful?<br />

And incidents like that remind me – as I’m sure they do you – of those<br />

Christmases in my childhood when time was measured in sleeps. And as<br />

Christmas grew closer and closer it got harder and harder to go those sleeps,<br />

such was the growing level of excitement and anticipation. And while we’re on<br />

the nostalgia, I remember other things from my own childhood Christmases. I<br />

remember hanging up my sock at the end of the bed. My sister, by the way, was<br />

always worried that a sock mightn’t be quite big enough for her presents and so<br />

she used to hang up her tights instead! Clever girl! I remember too my mother<br />

warning me that Santa Claus might bring me a lump of coal if I wasn’t good -<br />

luckily he never did. (Perhaps that ‘coal’ threat is a peculiarly Irish thing?)<br />

But all that was then and this is now. And I think that one of the sadness of<br />

getting older is that, in many ways, we lose that magic of Christmas, we lose<br />

that sense of excitement and giddy anticipation. In many ways, we lose that<br />

sense of wonder. As the great poet Wordsworth put it: “Heaven lies about us in<br />

our infancy. Shades of the prison house begin to close upon the growing boy.”<br />

How true that is for many of us. And it really won’t do. It certainly won’t do at<br />

Christmas time. So, before we go any further let me share with you some words<br />

from G.K. Chesterton which I find help to rekindle that sense of wonder at this<br />

time of the year. In this piece Chesterton writes about how that great icon of our<br />

modern celebration of Christmas – Santa Claus – has grown larger and larger in<br />

his imagination and in his life. He writes:<br />

“As a child I was faced with a phenomenon requiring explanation. I hung up at<br />

the end of my bed an empty stocking, which in the morning became a full<br />

stocking. I had done nothing to produce the things that filled it. I had not<br />

worked for them, or made them or helped to make them. I had not even been<br />

good – far from it. And the explanation was that a certain being whom people<br />

called Santa Claus was benevolently disposed toward me …<br />

~ 10 ~


What we believed was that a certain benevolent agency did give us those toys<br />

for nothing. And, as I say, I believe it still. I have merely extended the idea.<br />

Then I only wondered who put the toys in the stocking; now I wonder who put<br />

the stocking by the bed, and the bed in the room, and the room in the house, and<br />

the house on the planet, and the great planet in the void. Once I thanked Santa<br />

for a few dolls and crackers, now, I thank him for stars and street faces and wine<br />

and the great sea. Once I thought it delightful and astonishing to find a present<br />

so big that it only went halfway into the stocking. Now I am delighted and<br />

astonished every morning to find a present so big that it takes two stockings to<br />

hold it, and then leaves a great deal outside; it is the large and preposterous<br />

present of myself … “<br />

I love that piece because it reminds us of the essential message of Christmas – it<br />

reminds us of the essential message of this Feast of the Incarnation, of God<br />

becoming human, and that message is this: Heaven still lies about us!<br />

And if you are looking for that Heaven, if you are looking for God (and which<br />

one of us isn’t?) if you are looking to connect with that depth and mystery and<br />

meaning within, beneath and beyond all life, then start by looking around you.<br />

Start by checking out, as Chesterton reminds us: the staggering miracle that is<br />

another person’s face; or the wonder that is a glass of good wine; or the<br />

astonishing power of the mighty sea.<br />

And then, once your eyes have been opened a little to the preposterous present<br />

of yourself and the equally preposterous present of the world around you, listen<br />

carefully to the Christmas story, and listen carefully to the Christ at its centre,<br />

and keep your eyes peeled. Keep your eyes peeled, for example, for people like<br />

Mary and Joseph forced to leave their homes, and babies lying in mangers<br />

because there is no room for them at the inn. (And there are plenty of examples<br />

of that on our continent these days.) Keep your eyes and ears open for times<br />

when those on the margins (like the shepherds), those considered “unclean” or<br />

“suspect” or “unwanted” – where those people are welcomed, embraced and<br />

included. And keep a watch out for prodigals returning home, for the brokenhearted<br />

being comforted, and for the messed-up and mixed-up being understood<br />

and forgiven.<br />

Keep your eyes peeled for those people and places, because there in the stables<br />

and vulnerable places of this world. There where exclusion is turned to embrace<br />

– where alienation becomes reconciliation and where hope refuses to die – there<br />

in the midst of us, as the unquenchable Light that enlightens all of us you will<br />

find Emmanuel, “Heaven lying about us”, “God with us.”<br />

~ 11 ~


You know, I have been here in Copenhagen for almost a year now and I have<br />

yet to quote the famous Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard in a sermon. I’m<br />

sure there must be some kind of law against that! So, let me share with you a<br />

sort of parable of Christmas, which Kierkegaard wrote over one hundred and<br />

fifty years ago. It goes something like this:<br />

Once upon a time, it was a cold, snowy Christmas Eve, with a wild storm raging<br />

outside. And in a village farmhouse, a woman pleaded with her husband to join<br />

her in going to the Christmas Eve service in the local Church. But her pleading<br />

fell on deaf ears. He just didn’t want to go. “You go,” he said, “I’ll just sit here<br />

by the fire.” So, off she went; and down he sat. And as he sat by the fire he<br />

began to doze off.<br />

He began to doze until, suddenly, he was awakened by three loud thumps on the<br />

window. What could it be? Well, when he looked out into the snow he saw<br />

three geese hopping about looking stunned and injured. Apparently they had<br />

been lost in the storm, lost in the wild winds, and it seems they had been<br />

seeking out the warmth of the farm house when they crashed into the window.<br />

Now, the farmer knew that if the injured geese were left unprotected in the<br />

storm, they would probably die. So he dashed out to his barn, opened the door<br />

and turned on the lights in the hope that the geese would find their way in, into<br />

the safety and warmth of the barn. But they were just too afraid. They were too<br />

afraid of the farmer. Every time he came near them to try to herd them into the<br />

barn, they just hopped further away. It was pointless. And then it struck him, “If<br />

only I could become one of them. If only I could become one of them, then they<br />

would trust me. Then they would follow me and I could lead them to safety.”<br />

And just as he had that thought he heard in the distance the bells of the village<br />

church ringing out for Christmas. And he finally got it. He finally understood<br />

the meaning of that cold winter night long, long ago. God had become one of<br />

us. God came near.<br />

-----------------------<br />

That’s it. That, in a nutshell is the whole Christmas Story, the whole Christian<br />

faith, you might say: God becomes one of us. God comes near. God knows us<br />

and loves us. God challenges us and forgives us. And in the end – rather like<br />

Kierkegaard’s frightened, wounded geese – God will lead us safely home.<br />

Heaven lies about us. God has a name. And it’s Emmanuel – it means “God is<br />

with us.” And that, without doubt, is the most wonderful, the most<br />

preposterous, the most astonishing reason of all to say to you:<br />

“Happy Christmas!’<br />

~ 12 ~


CALLING ALL GUARDIANS.....<br />

(Angels)<br />

The pre-season meeting for the guardians will be on<br />

Wednesday 9 March at 11.30, after morning service, with the usual<br />

sandwiches and hot drinks.<br />

We are always looking for new volunteers so if you can give St Alban's a few<br />

hours a week to welcome the visitors to the church during the spring and/or<br />

summer on a regular or occasional basis, do come and join us.<br />

Please let Rosemary Bohr know if you can come, or if you have any questions,<br />

email her on: rosemary.bohr@gmail.com or phone 45 88 31 32.<br />

****<br />

INTERNATIONAL CAROLS SERVICE IN Ø<strong>ST</strong>ERBRO<br />

The Intercultural<br />

Christian Centre<br />

Denmark<br />

(Tværkulturelt Center)<br />

held their service of<br />

International Carols<br />

on Thursday 17 Dec.<br />

at 17.00 in Fredens<br />

Kirke, Østerbro. This<br />

annual event, which<br />

includes carols,<br />

prayers and readings<br />

from many different<br />

cultures, and in<br />

several different<br />

languages, showcases the wonderful diversity of Christian communities in<br />

Denmark.<br />

Saint Alban’s was well-represented with Graeme Lloyd-Roberts and Sam<br />

Nwokoro reading lessons and reflections, while the address was given by our<br />

Chaplain, the Revd Darren McCallig. Those who missed this glorious festive<br />

occasion can still get a flavour of proceedings from the photos here (taken by<br />

Beverly Lloyd-Roberts) and the many more images still accessible on the<br />

Intercultural Centre’s website: www.tvaerkulturelt-center.dk<br />

~ 13 ~<br />

~ 13 ~


~ 14 ~<br />

~ 14 ~


~ 15 ~<br />

~ 15 ~


WHEN THE CHOIR VISITED AARHUS<br />

This autumn, the Aarhus congregation had a real treat: The church choir from<br />

Copenhagen came over for our service. We do have a choir of our own –<br />

Margaret Clark – who does a fantastic job; however, we were looking forward<br />

to listening to St Alban’s Church Choir and the organist, Mie Berg.<br />

During the last couple of months, there had been many calls and e-mails back<br />

and forth in order to plan the event. Angela and Pam Christensen from Aarhus<br />

took care of the details. Weeks in advance, they had coordinated food and<br />

transportation.<br />

The choir arrived by train. Volunteers picked them up, and drove them to<br />

Møllevangskirken. Now they needed something to eat, before they could give<br />

us something for the soul, especially, since the choir had already been singing at<br />

the service in Copenhagen. After a quick sandwich and a cup of tea, the choir<br />

was ready for rehearsal for their second service that day.<br />

Since we are not used to having a large choir, our services have been adjusted a<br />

bit, but that Sunday we had the full Anglican service, which was a new<br />

experience for many in our congregation. Besides, we could see that the<br />

prospect of enjoying the choir had attracted others than the regular churchgoers.<br />

~ 16 ~


After the service, we gathered for a group photo, and then it was time for a<br />

meal. It was a real community effort, which Pam Christensen had organised by<br />

asking different members of the congregation to bring pies, salads, cake, etc. It<br />

really looked like a table of plenty, and it was a wonderful opportunity for the<br />

congregation and the choir to meet and talk.<br />

All too soon, the choir had to catch their train back to Copenhagen, but before<br />

the goodbyes, we talked about making this an annual tradition.<br />

It seems that the choir enjoyed the visit, too. Pauleen Bang says: "The choir<br />

were totally overwhelmed by the wonderful welcome they received, and they<br />

were just as keen as the Aarhus congregation to make this an annual event. It<br />

was a long but amazing day (some fell asleep on the train back) and the choir<br />

says a huge thank you to all who made this possible."<br />

We from the Aarhus congregation say thank you, too!<br />

Angela Hansen and Charlotte Lindhardt<br />

~ 17 ~<br />

~ 17 ~


CHRI<strong>ST</strong>MAS AT <strong>ST</strong> <strong>ALBAN’S</strong> 2015<br />

What we are likely to remember is that it was mild! No ice, no snow, not even<br />

much rain – and even glimpses of sunshine. As usual it was busy for the Mie<br />

Berg, our Musical Director, the Choir, and the ministry team. We are building<br />

up a name in Copenhagen for our Nine Lessons and Carols services with the<br />

Sunday service sold out by December 1 st and the Monday almost sold out by the<br />

time the service began. The choir was in fine fettle and reaped much praise<br />

particularly from non-church goers. Darren’s homilies have done much to win<br />

annual Danish visitors to visit St Alban’s again.<br />

Carols by Candlelight with Poetry with Ian Burns<br />

(Actor Director of That Theatre Company) and our own<br />

Tony Wedgwood and John Shennan reading poetry by<br />

John Betjeman, TS Elliot, Charles Dickens, Alfred Lord<br />

Tennyson. Darren read a lovely Irish poem about a<br />

childhood Christmas, and Olivia Schaetz (9) earned a<br />

round of applause with her reading of Santa’s Prayer.<br />

The church lights were dimmed and candles flickered all<br />

round the walls giving a peaceful yet happy atmosphere.<br />

Music Director Mie Berg and Claire compiled the<br />

programme this year which included more musical<br />

soloists this year. They were wonderful: Helen Davies<br />

Mikkelborg and her pupil Viola on Celtic harps,<br />

and Espen Lindhardt Toft who played the French<br />

horn with Mie, and our own<br />

Marianne Lykke, who sang<br />

“O Holy Night”.<br />

Christingle, Midnight Mass<br />

and Christmas Day services<br />

exceeded all records with<br />

Sidespeople working<br />

overtime to pack people in.<br />

Darren’s messages of God’s peace, love, light, merriment<br />

and giving are working their magic and Christmas at St<br />

Alban’s is rapidly becoming one of the “must do” events of the Copenhagen<br />

Christmas season.<br />

~ 18 ~


REGI<strong>ST</strong>RAR’S REPORT<br />

from Kate Thomsen, St Alban’s Church Registrar<br />

Funeral<br />

18 December 2015<br />

Anne Wingate,<br />

b. 14 November, 1924, died 10 December 2015<br />

Baptism<br />

3 January 2016<br />

Noah Samuel Wabwire-Overgaard<br />

Parents: Pernille Overgaards and Anthony Wabwire<br />

******<br />

Welcome@st-albans.dk<br />

We would like everyone that walks through St Alban's doors for the first<br />

time to feel a very warm welcome.<br />

We realise that joining a new Church can be quite a<br />

daunting experience and if you are thinking of<br />

joining St Alban's, Copenhagen you might be new to<br />

Denmark too. There may be questions you would<br />

like to ask, but are not sure who to ask.<br />

Welcome@st-albans.dk is the email address you can<br />

use to get in contact with us and ask us any<br />

questions, no matter how small they may seem. If<br />

you are new to Denmark, maybe there is some<br />

information we could help you with. We are a very<br />

multicultural congregation, so if you would prefer to ask someone of your own<br />

nationality, maybe just where to get a particular food, then we can probably put<br />

you in touch with someone who knows the answer.<br />

Junior Williams and Bev Lloyd-Roberts are waiting to read your emails and to<br />

welcome you. Even if you do not have any questions to ask us, if you are new,<br />

do email us and let us know who you are.<br />

Welcome@st-albans.dk<br />

~ 19 ~


MEET THE MINI<strong>ST</strong>RY TEAM (part of it!)<br />

Revd Darren McCallig gathered (almost) the ministry team on the occasion of<br />

Ursula Sonnenvald’s (2 nd left) first sermon at St Alban’s after her installation<br />

by Bishop David Hamid on 8 November 15. Ursula’s first sermon was warmly<br />

received and she is now actively engaged in the ministerial life of St Alban’s.<br />

Julian Simpson (1 st left) and Jan Passant (1 st rt) are Readers in Training and<br />

Graeme Lloyd-Roberts (2 nd rt) is already a licensed reader, Secretary of the<br />

Church Council and leads the Friday bible study group. Missing from the photo<br />

is Victoria Wadsworth Hansen, who was licensed in 2013. She held the Advent<br />

talks this Christmas season, called ‘ADVENTure’, Canon Ulla Monberg; the<br />

Revd Palle Thordal; and Deacon Christophe Ndikuriyo."<br />

The church council agreed at the Away Day<br />

in June 15, that the Chaplain should have an<br />

administrative assistant, someone to help<br />

him to ‘grow the church’ amongst students,<br />

and preferably someone who could also<br />

assist actively in the Ministry team. A tough<br />

call, but somehow God, if asked, always<br />

works his miracles. During the autumn<br />

Darren got to know Samuel Oneydika<br />

Nwokoro (b 27 March 1989).He is now a regular attendee at St Alban’s and has<br />

~ 20 ~


agreed to take on some of the duties outlined in the Ministry Action Plan 2015.<br />

Samuel is a young man who is already an Anglican Deacon from Nigeria with<br />

an MA in Theology, who happens to be studying for a second Masters degree in<br />

Religious Roots of Europe (RRE) at Copenhagen University.<br />

After working as an Ordinand at two local churches in his home parish of Jos,<br />

Nigeria, Samuel was ordained a Deacon at St Michaels Anglican church in Jos,<br />

and worked as Chaplain and Christian instructor at St Piran High School and as<br />

a Curate at Christ Anglican Church in Bukuru, Nigeria.<br />

Before he came to Copenhagen to<br />

study, he also taught<br />

undergraduate courses in the<br />

Department of Historical<br />

Theology at The Theological<br />

College of Northern Nigeria at<br />

Bukuru.<br />

We are delighted that Samuel is<br />

part of our church community and<br />

hope he will find a warm and<br />

welcoming spiritual home<br />

amongst us.<br />

*****<br />

WHO IS DOING WHAT, WHEN? ARE THEY HERE TODAY???<br />

The smooth running of St Alban’s Sunday services does not happen by itself. A<br />

team of people are required every single week, to do all kinds of duties, from<br />

assisting the Chaplain, reading the lessons, putting up hymn numbers, doing the<br />

flowers, cleaning the linen and the brass work, and not least – the sidespeople<br />

who are the “first welcomers” and who work during the service as well.<br />

But who makes sure all this happens and that people are present?<br />

The person who draws up the quarterly roster has a really difficult task and here<br />

– at the beginning of the year, deserves a huge, sincere and warm thank you!<br />

For several years it was Jane Passant and for the last two years it has been Nigel<br />

Rowley. SO: from all of us to both of you: THANK YOU VERY MUCH!<br />

All lucky enough to be allocated tasks will make sure they are present when<br />

required and will do their best! And that’s a new year’s resolution we aim to<br />

keep!<br />

~ 21 ~


SOCIAL MEDIA UPDATE:<br />

Facebook<br />

‘The St. Alban's Copenhagen page now has 260 likes<br />

(https://www.facebook.com/StAlbansCopenhagen/)<br />

The St. Alban's Jutland page now has 88 likes<br />

(https://www.facebook.com/StAlbansJutland/)<br />

So both are growing steadily,’ says Pauleen, our SocMed<br />

expert, and also Secretary of the Communication Team.<br />

Twitter<br />

We now have 199 followers on Twitter (@AnglicanDK)<br />

The British Ambassador is a regular tweeter when she comes to church. See her<br />

tweet from the carol service below:<br />

FORGOTTEN HOW TO “TWEET” OR TO “FACEBOOK”?<br />

If any of you would like some help getting started or something else, on either<br />

Facebook or Twitter, John Mills and I will be in church after the service on 31st<br />

January to assist you. All you need to do is bring your laptop, tablet or smart<br />

phone. If you can't be there but would like some help another time, please send<br />

an e-mail to socialmedia@st-albans.dk and we will try to arrange a new date.<br />

Pauleen Bang<br />

~ 22 ~


Saint Alban’s Church<br />

Churchillparken 11, 1263 Copenhagen K<br />

Under the Patronage of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II<br />

Weekly Eucharists:<br />

Sundays and Wednesdays at 10:30<br />

All are welcome – Sunday School for children almost every Sunday.<br />

Please call the Chaplain on 39 62 77 36 (10-16) if you are<br />

seeking baptism, confirmation, marriage or have any other<br />

pastoral or prayer request.<br />

You can also contact the churchwardens – see below.<br />

Contact Details<br />

Chaplain The Reverend Darren McCallig 39 62 77 36<br />

(St Alban’s House)<br />

Chaplain@st-albans.dk<br />

Affiliated: Diocesan Director of Training 35 26 06 60<br />

Canon Ulla Monberg<br />

Ulla.Monberg@churchofengland.org<br />

Permission to Officiate: Deacon Christophe Ndikuriyo 71 41 21 14<br />

chndi2011@gmail.com<br />

Licensed Readers: Mr Graeme Lloyd-Roberts 50 84 55 19<br />

graemelr@aol.com<br />

Mrs Victoria Wadsworth-Hansen<br />

victoriawadsworth@hotmail.com<br />

Ms Ursula Sonnevald<br />

usonnevald@gmail.com<br />

Churchwardens Mrs. Claire Clausen 28 12 01 28<br />

Mr. Christopher Parker 25 11 23 91<br />

churchwardens@st-albans.dk<br />

St Alban’s receives no subsidy from the state or national Church and is funded by the generosity<br />

of the congregation and visitors. To support the mission and ministry of the Church, contributions<br />

can be made to ‘St Alban’s Church’ to Bank account no. 3121-4140514136 or for UK tax payers<br />

by Gift Aid, increasing the value of their gift by 25 %<br />

Printed by Jespersen Tryk + Digital


Photo: Bev Lloyd-Roberts.<br />

‘St Alban’s in winter’<br />

~ 24 ~

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