In Anlehnung an Robert Burns' "To A Haggis" von J-A Zilch

We are grateful to Jim Miller for this useful addition to the Club archive; some background material from Jim:

"Last year I made a model of Galston Church and presented it to the congregation at the beginning of May.
Shortly after I received a phone call saying that their Church was "twinned" with another Church in
Ahrensfelde, Berlin, Germany. This year is the thirtieth anniversary of this friendship.
I was asked if I could possibly build a model of the German Church as a gift from Scotland to Germany.
I obviously said yes, and set about making the model. I completed it a few weeks ago and took it to the
Session Clark in Galston for future delivery to Germany. The model was posted last week
and has now arrived safely. There will be a presentation and gifting of the model
at a Sunday morning service very soon. I hope to visit sometime in the future and see my model in situ".

February, 2017

Ahrensfelde



Galston & Ahrensfelde

"We are planning a Burns Supper in Ahrensfelde," Jörg-Arno Zilch informed me towards the end of last year.
"Do you think Bill Strachan would like to come and participate?"



That's how it all began! Jessie and I, along with Bill and Alma Strachan from Glencoe, flew to Berlin on Burns weekend -
memorable for a number of reasons. Although there have been many group and individual visits over the years
since the Galston-Ahrensfelde Church Partnership was established in 1987, this was the first ever Ahrensfelde Burns Supper.
As always, we were greeted with open arms and well looked after. The intense cold was our first impression -
minus 15 degrees for our four days and our aircraft had to be de-iced for our return journey!
We took greetings from John McCracken, President of Kilmarnock No. 0 Burns Club along with cards
and letters from the Robert Burns World Federation, Irvine and Ayrshire, and we transported the haggis as well -
all the way from Galston! The town's new town hall was the venue and the tables had a truly
Scottish flavour for the supper. A trombone band provided the music which included
Highland Cathedral for the carrying-in of the haggis. Bill said the Selkirk Grace, addressed the haggis
and entertained with Holy Willie's Prayer with Wolfgang Reichelt and Annette Gnilitza
addressing and replying to the lasses. Jörg-Arno, who organised the whole event, gave an excellent
illustrated immortal memory for the Bard and although, no doubt, much of what was being said was lost in translation,
all 80 who attended had a great night.

There was time, of course, for fellowship in the homes of Evelin and Wolfgang and Jörg and Heike
when we met many folk encountered over the years of the partnership - and we had time also to venture
into Berlin on the S-Bahn as well as attending morning worship in Ahrensfelde Church.

Robert Murray

(Robert Murray is the Session Clerk at Galston Church)