Twins celebrate a golden jubilee

Fifty years ago the City of Exeter twinned with the German town of Bad Homburg.

During the intervening years many friendships between various groups in both locations have developed and grown. One of these is the strong link between Exeter’s South Street Baptist Church and Bad Homburg’s Free Church, the Evangelisch Freikirchliche Gemeinde.

In this golden jubilee year a party from the Bad Homburg Church is travelling once more to meet with their South Street friends who are looking forward to welcoming some familiar and new faces. Willkommen liebe Freunde zu einem goldenen Jubilaum Erfahrung. (Welcome dear friends to a golden jubilee experience)

Visiting from 4-8 June, the Bad Homburg party led by Pastor Harald Kufner will participate in a full programme of events including a reception at Exeter’s historic Guildhall where they will greet the  Right Worshipful Lord Mayor, Councillor Olwen Foggin, followed by a visit to Exeter’s award winning Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery.

Other events include a tour of Piper’s Farm, a dinner at South Street and a River Dart scenic rail /boat trip.

Sunday 7 June sees the German guests taking part in the 11am morning worship service at South Street Baptist Church and the visit will conclude with a 4pm afternoon service and tea at South Street’s Village Chapel at Brampford Speke.

South Street’s minister Simon Taylor commenting on the visit said: "We are delighted to welcome our friends from Bad Homburg in this Jubilee year of the twinning of our two cities.

"This year also marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and with our Christian brothers and sisters from Germany we will be celebrating the peace that there is between us.

"This is a peace that is rooted in our shared faith in Jesus who knows no national boundaries. We look forward to a memorable visit."