News Update

Here are the intrepid contingent from our Easter Bible Retreat who conquered the Belchen mountain (4,595 ft) on Good Friday afternoon! Actually car and cable car took them most of the way!
The picture was taken by Dr Bernhard Kaiser from the Institute for Reformational Theology who we were priviliged to have with us for part of the weekend and who gave us two excellent addresses. We recommend you link on to his website to learn about his ministry and with samples of his sermons also in English. www.irt-ggmbh.de

We were encouraged by the following comment in response to our request for feed back from the weekend - 'The teaching was excellent - we benefited so much from it - good to have it so bible based and clearly taught. I don't think that could be improved - be hard act to follow next year'
April is quiet in the house as far as guests are concerned but we really take off on 1st May! The sun is now warmer here, but snow showers are forecast again for tomorrow!

We are enjoying our first Easter Bible Retreat in Haus Barnabas. The theme is 'our incorruptible inheritance through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead' 1 Peter 1 3-4. Over the four days we have had four speakers each giving two expositions of the first part of 1 Peter chapter 1. (Berhard Kaiser, Alfred Staheli, Geoff Holder and myself). Everything is conducted in both English and German. There is time for relaxation in the afternoons and on Good Friday Geoff led the group of guests up the cable car up our neighbouring Belchen mountain. (See picture, although this was taken in February 2009 by Chris Hall) Most of the the guests who came were from the north the Switzerland and although we would have liked more it has been good to meet and get to know a few more local Christions. Tim and Deb and children needed to take the opportunity of the school holiday to visit Tim's family in Kent and we have been very grateful to a family from UK who have come out to help in very practical ways.

The expositions of this wonderful passage of Scripture have not only deepened our appreciation of the 'living hope' we have though Jesus' resurrection but also recognised and explained the necessary prerequisit of the new birth into God's family to entitle us to receive the promised 'incorruptible inheritance'. We are producing 8 CD's of the series of sermons. Let us know if you are interested and watch this space!

News Update

We, Len & Phyl, are at present in north-west Wales on a semi-holiday. We have the use of a secluded log-cabin in a holiday village where we have internet contact to maintain correspondence etc and Len is preaching for three consecutive Sunday evenings at Capel Fron, Penrhyndeudreath. We also have a Haus Barnabas information afternoon on Saturday 20th - see details alongside on blog. However we are also taking time out to enjoy the beautiful Welsh coastline and mountains and visit a number of friends in the area. The view here is from Criccieth across to the Snowdon range. We praise the Lord for the opportunity for this time of rest and change and for the blessings of 'Geborgenheit' which is the very apt name of the cabin we are privileged to have the use of.

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'