Churches celebrate continental link

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A Wilmslow church's 35 year friendship with a parish in Germany has been celebrated at a special service attended by the Mayor of Cheshire East, Councillor Mrs Hilda Gaddum.

The Mayor joined worshippers of both nationalities at Wilmslow United Reformed Church, Chapel Lane on Sunday August 9th, along with Wilmslow Town Councillor Mr Martin Watkins, who chairs the council's World War One Commemoration group.

Speaking afterwards at a celebration lunch attended by members of the Wilmslow congregation and visitors from the villages of Kerzenheim, Lautersheim and Rodenbach in the Palatinate area of south west Germany, Mrs Gaddum congratulated them on their long-standing partnership.

In an act of worship which included hymns sung in both languages the 15 German visitors, ranging in age from those in their teens to those in retirement, sang several verses of a popular German hymn. Then German minister Helke Rothley spoke of the ways in which people of faith support each other across barriers of language and culture.

Wilmslow minister the Revd Kirsty Thorpe commented "This church link began as a youth exchange but quickly grew into friendships between families, many of which have now been going for decades. The regular exchange of visits every few years keeps people in touch, and worshipping together is important, alongside having fun and learning about one another's culture."

Photo: Revd Kirsty Thorpe second from left front row, Cllr Mrs Gaddum standing centre left, Cllr Martin Watkins standing centre right, Revd Helke Rothley standing second from right.

Tags:
United Reformed Church, Wilmslow URC
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