The four Church of England parishes in Lancaster are looking to forge a link with the beautiful town of Goslar in Germany.

This is a part of our “Braunschweig link” between the Diocese of Blackburn and the equivalent body in the Evangelical Church in Germany.  There are many things which Lancaster has in common with Goslar.

1. They both have historic links with royal history: Goslar was the seat of the Holy Roman Emperor, and the 11^th Century Imperial Palace is at the heart of the modern city, as Lancaster was the seat of the House of Lancaster.
2. There is a large focus on tourism in Goslar, the old town centre is ranked as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and Lancaster has just been listed as one of only eleven “Heritage Cities” in England.
3. Nestled near the Harz mountains, Goslar has more rain than anywhere else in Germany (!) and the Harz mountains are famous for their witches.

A small number of us visited Goslar last year, and this year a larger number of clergy and laity from Goslar will be visiting Lancaster between April 25 – 28, when they will have the opportunity to visit all four participating churches (Priory, St Thomas, St Paul’s & Christ Church).  We are keen to find hosts to provide bed and breakfast for our guests for those days, and if anyone is prepared to be a host family, please sign up at the back of the Priory, or contact the Vicar.

We hope this link will help us to understand each other, and as we commemorate the centenary of World War 1, to focus on the need for peace and reconciliation in the  21^st century and beyond.