Here is the latest of Bishop Robert's blogs:

St George’s began its life 140 years ago as a royal foundation dating from the marriage in 1855 of the British Princess Royal, Princess Victoria, eldest daughter of Queen Victoria, to the German Crown Prince Frederick. He presented his bride with St. George’s as a wedding present. And it is lovely to think of a church community as having its origins in a royal wedding gift! Since that time, St. George’s has witnessed nearly a century and a half of world changing events: from the 19th century age of European empires, through the destruction of two world wars, rebuilding, the formation of the European Union, the fall of the Berlin Wall to the church’s present state as a dynamic and growing international community within the Church of England’s Diocese in Europe.

It was a joy to preside at a service of Confirmation and Eucharist at St. George’s on the morning of the festival of Christ the King. This splendid group of candidates represented varied heritages including China, Germany, Iran, Uganda, the United Kingdom and the USA.

In the evening, we gathered at the beautiful and historic Ste. Marienkirche at Alexanderplatz in the centre of Berlin for an anniversary celebration. This is one of the oldest surviving church buildings in the city. For the last twenty years, St. George’s has held an evening service of worship here that attracts a congregation of mainly young people. 

The pulpit is very high and lifted up, as the photograph above illustrates! Those who have preached from this pulpit include Bishop George Bell and Dr. Martin Luther King. With reference to the festival of Christ the King, I spoke about the Church’s role as sign, instrument and foretaste of the Kingdom of God. I suggested how this is being worked out today in peacebuilding, overcoming social divisions, care for the poor, the migrant and refugee, and commitment to sustainable care for creation. 

St. George’s has particular commitments to creation care. It has invested 100,000euro in a novel (to me at least) form of church heating whereby heated cushions and backrests are installed in the pews. Heat is provided directly to the worshippers rather than providing ambient heating to the building. This gives localised warmth at a fraction of the cost of conventional heating systems. The festival aimed to help raise the balance of a 30,000euro loan taken out to cover the installation costs. 

Our evening festival service was attended by the Berlin Senator for Culture and the British Ambassador. The Senator, who is Anglican and British by background, explained to me how she has, by most standards, a huge – albeit recently slightly reduced – budget for culture making Berlin a particularly attractive city for artists and musicians of all kinds. 

The Reverend Canon Christopher Jage-Bowler is one of our longest serving clergy, having been Chaplain of St. George’s for twenty eight years. The Church now has a team of three clergy, produces fine ordinands, and has strong lay leadership and a range of mission commitments. This was a very encouraging visit for me, and in celebrating 140 years of its life, I look forward eagerly to see what God may have in store for St. George’s in the years to come.