News Update - Sunday 28th February

Our snow in Utzenfeld has been melting fast in the last few days but it looks has as though we could get more at the end of the week! The picture was taken of one of the rock faces along the old railway track to Todtnau. Skiing has been good and according to the Feldberg report still is.

We, Len & Phyl, leave for the UK tomorrow, Monday 1st March, and have a series of engagements in Wales. We are contactable on our UK mobile 07789 867300 and are happy to deal with holiday enquiries and also to be generally available for friendly chats. Remember our reunion and information meeting in north Wales on Sat afternoon 20th March those of you who live within travelling distance. (More details on the righthand side of this blogspot page.) We aim to back in Utzenfeld for Palm Sunday and in time of course for our Easter Bible retreat.

Tim and Deb Brooks and family are keeping things running in Haus Barnabas during our absence and although we ahve a minimum oif guests booked for March younever know what may materialise!

Bookings for the year have been coming in fast so we advise you to contact us as soon as possible about vacancies if you are considering coming.

News Update

This little species of finch, the Bramling, or in German 'Bergfink' (Mountain Finch), has got itself into the news here this past week. The bird is a regular winter visitor from Scandinavia, both to Britain and mainland Europe, but this year the species has arrived in the Black Forest in flocks of several thousand. The local newspaper reported that streets in Lörrach had to be closed to traffic because cars couldn't avoid killing them! We also had a flock in Utzenfeld although not so large. They are apparently particularly attracted to beech woods where they will clear the area of beech nuts completely. I wonder if they have also been seen in Britain? A response from bird watchers would be welcome!

On another subject, we are hoping and praying for a positive interest in our first Easter Bible Retreat. The programme for the four days Thursday 1st April evening until Monday 5th April midday provides for fellowship, worship, Bible ministry and relaxation. The four preachers, Alfred Stäheli, Dr. Bernhard Kaiser, Geoff Holder and myself Len Holder will each give two Bible expositions from 1 Peter 1. For full details see our website: www.haus-barnabas.com All will take place in both English and German. We are expecting a good German contingency but it would be good to see English-speaking guests also well represented. Do please pray for us and consider the possibility of coming! It may not be so impractical as you might imagine. You could always stay a few extra days to make the journey worth while!

News Update

It's carnival time in Europe and although sadly in some cases these few days give an excuse for uncontrolled drinking and licentiousness in its moderate form it seems to give every age group a happy party spirit. The pensioners of Utzenfeld had their monthly gathering in Haus Barnabas this past week and most of them arrived in funny hats! See our photo. The Kindergarten encouraged the children to go in fancy dress. This pleased Esther tremendously, as she loves dressing up. One day she went as a fairy and the next in Tom's pirate costume!
On the more positive side for us because the weekend, and for the schools also next week, is holiday we have had guests in the house. We are enjoying fellowship with an American couple based in Germany and also a Welsh-Irish lady living in Prague where she teaches at an international school. Meal times have been a delightful time of sharing cross-cultural experiences and our guests are entering whole-heartedly into our Sunday worship and fellowship meetings. The weather remains snowy with sub-zero temperatures and our teacher from Prague is looking forward to cross-country skiing this coming week.
Our Sunday sermon was based on Peter's enquiry 'Lord what about this man?' and Jesus' answer 'What is that to you? You follow me.' from John 21: 21-22.

News Update

It's good to be back in Utzenfeld even though we were welcomed back by snow. The worst of this had come a week earlier and the picture shows that despite the weather Haus Barnabas was still open for weary travellers and local villagers wanting an excuse for a walk and 'Kaffee und Kuchen'. It is unusual for the weather to bring life to a halt as is so often the case in the UK so Deb pulled Esther to Kindergarten on the sledge and Tom's bus to his school in the next village ran on time.
We have been working on the arrangements and programme for our proposed Easter house-party with Bible ministry and you will find details of this on our web page. Why not consider joining us for Easter? Or maybe it's not too late to come and enjoy the snow. The forecast is for the weather to get colder again and skiing conditions are ideal on the Feldberg and other slopes.
We got a lot of blessing from hymns from 'Praise' on the journey home here on Friday .... 'Through floods and flames He leads me safely on, and daily makes His sovereign goodness known'

News Update

Having been travelling around the southern counties of Britain this month it has been difficult to keep up the weekly news updates. My apologies to those of you who follow our activities for interest and prayer. We have had encouraging times with a number of different churches and also afternoons of 'reunions' with guests and friends in Stanmore and Basildon. The crowning blessing was the privilege of taking part in the baptism of Richard and Michelle Smith this past Sunday at Kingswood Baptist Church, Basildon. See picture.

Richard and Michelle came to Haus Barnabas with their children as part of the 'Family Week' last May and it was through that week that the Holy Spirit touched their hearts and as Richard said to me at the close of the week - 'I know my life has got to change'. After attending the services as his local Baptist Church and an Alpha Course they both responded to the call of Christ and see their baptism as the beginning of a new life of following Jesus with the help of His promised Holy Spirit. Please pray for them and their family of four children. They are due to come out to Haus Barnabas again in May 2010. (See http://www.kingswoodbaptistchurch.com/testimonies.html for Richard's and Michelle's testimonies.